The hate continues...

Courtesty of Dan Steinberg at the D.C. Sports Bog

[T]here's the above image, sent in by reader Trey. I actually called the Laytonsville District Volunteer Fire Department to make sure it wasn't a fake. The guy who answered the phone laughed when I asked if this was real, and laughed again when I asked why. It was a laugh, like, "dude, have you not been paying attention?"

"There's a bunch of Redskins fans here at the firehouse, and they're just not real happy," he said. "It's just a little humor, but we thought everyone could appreciate it."

Then there was the e-mail I got from Ryan, who reminded me of those signs at FedEx that encourage fans to text 78247 for assistance. Sitting in the very last row of section 418, Ryan and his friends decided to text for assistance.

Redskins: 2:24:21 PM, WHAT CAN WE ASSIST YOU WITH TODAY?

Ryan: 2:25:26 PM, WE NEED AN OFFENSE ASAP. TELL DAN

Redskins: 2:31:17 PM, TRY TO ENJOY THE GAME

Blackouts could be an issue this year for NFL

The Jacksonville Jaguars have come out and said that all 8 of their regular season home games this year are in danger of not selling out. This problem is mainly explained by the severely struggling home market in the surrounding areas of the team. In the NFL the television rule is that if a game is not sold out within 72 hours of the kickoff it is subject to blackout on all local affiliates including the DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket package. Do you understand what this means? Jags fans may not be able to see any home games at all this year without forking out the dough and buying a ticket themselves!

Now i understand where the NFL is coming from. If you want to watch the game then buy a damn ticket but these are different times the nation is going through. This economy is hurting everyone, especially professional sports. But think about what happens if there aren't any games for those fans this year. The die hard fans will follow the game somehow. Maybe radio or the internet webcasts or hopefully buy tickets. The average sports fan will probably not care too much, not go buy tickets for the games, stop buying apparel that supports the team, and maybe even hop on the bandwagon of another team that they can see on TV that is in no trouble of blackouts like the Steelers, Cowgirls, or maybe even the Skins. Then there is the person who isn't a fan at all, or at least not yet. The NFL is growing, and growing fast. They depend on grasping new fans and making money off of them. So if Jags games aren't on TV no one will be exposed to them and maybe start liking them. So now you'll have a dying franchise in the Jags, and probably even more Cowgirls fans (which are for the most part band wagoners anyway).

I hope that this doesn't happen throughout the league. Maybe I am forced to look at the issue in a different way because I am obviously a Skins fan and they have sold out for about 450 years now. So, what happens now? Hopefully people dig deep in those pockets and go to the games so this is a non-issue. If these blackouts happen that would be bad for the NFL and hurt the economy even more, and i think we can all agree that that would be bad

NFL Shop releases Jersey Sales list

NFLShop.com has released reports on their best jersey sales for the period of April 1 through August 28. For the second year in a row, Brett Favre is on top at #1. This time though, it is more of a shock due to the fact that Favre's jersey has only been on sale for a couple weeks.

Notables on the list:
1. Brett Favre - Vikings
2. Jay Cutler - Bears
4. Mike Vick - Eagles
7. Mark Sanchez - Jets
11. T.O. - Bills
20. Michael Crabtree - 49ers

That last one really surprises me, especially considering he's not really a part of the team yet. You know, because $20 million guaranteed just isn't enough money. His holdout is hurting too. Last week, Crabtree was 8th in sales.

Exclusive: Favre, Vick At Top Of Jersey List (CNBC)

Jay Cutler's got his swim trunks and his "flippy floppies"

All-around douchebag and current Chicago Bears Quarterback Jay Cutler was recently reported as - wait a minute, this can't be right... - saying Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels will be a good coach? Maybe Brian Urlacher is right; Jay Cutler is a "pussy."

"He's going to be a good coach," Cutler said. "I think their offense is going to be fine. I think Kyle's going to be fine. [McDaniels] is an offensive mind."

He might be the only one that thinks so.

This is a complete turnaround from a mere five months ago when Cutler whined to the Broncos to trade him citing betrayal. He then went on to rate the fans of each respective team giving the Broncos faithful a 6 and the Bears a 9. Of course, he backtracked there too.

I think he's a little scared to travel back to Denver that's all.

Chicago Bears' Jay Cutler praises Denver Broncos coach Josh McDaniels (ESPN)

Straight from the Web

Is none of the above not an option?



It's always fun to look back at mistakes people have made in sports over the years. This Sports Illustrated cover from 2006 is extremely interesting to look at. Adam Morrison's per game career averages (23.4 min, 2.4 reb, 1.6 ast, 8.7 pts) barely outweigh Redick's (14.4 min, 1.3 reb, 0.9 ast, 5.5 pts). I remember thinking that Morrison would be better but i thought he would at least matter in the NBA. What were we thinking? Atleast Redick's hair looks nice and gelled while riding pine on the bench.

Gregg Zaun has a SUPER COOL website

Gregg Zaun is a journeyman catcher. Never been a superstar anywhere and is now no more than a backup in Baltimore for Matt Wieters. But if you saw his website (www.greggzaun.com) you would think he were the greatest thing since sliced bread. Whether it is the opening graphic of Zorro cutting a Z in your computer screen or the action shots of him ripping opposite field bloop singles it doesn't matter. This website creates an image that is simply false plus he seems to have forgotten he plays for the Orioles with all the Blue Jays pictures everywhere. Check out the website, you'll think its funny as hell but make sure you bring your "Z-game" and join the Zaunbie Nation Fan Club. Crank the speakers for the Rush intro too.



Thanks to deadspin.com for the link.

DeAngelo Hall doesn't play for Madden ratings

DeAngelo Hall, fresh off signing a 72 million dollar contract with the high paying Skins is complaining. As a die-hard Redskin fan when i read this i was sure it was something with mini camp, playing time, coaching, or maybe even Mike Vick. Nooooooooooooooo, all that stuff is fine. He's pissed about his rating in the new Madden video game. It's dropped 25 points from last year after being cut from the Raiders. He's so mad he is actually thinking of pulling himself from the game. But don't worry fans, he wants everyone to know that it's "a good thing I don't play the game for Madden ratings". Well THANK GOD he doesn't. I'm pretty sure Dan Snyder and Jim Zorn didn't consult the Madden video game before they paid him that fat check. Snyder would never do that again after the trouble it got him in with acquiring T.J. Duckett and Brandon Lloyd.




Pirates players mad at management

Possibly the Pirates biggest star, Nate McLouth was dealt to Atlanta earlier this week for a couple minor league guys. This has caused quite the problem in the Pittsburgh clubhouse. Before this year started the team was under the impression that they were through with trading their stars for hopeful future stars and instead concentrating on winning now. They were excited on getting a good product and signing guys to long term deals while still growing in the minors and getting better.

With the news of this trade it is obvious that management is not to this step yet. The players' gripe is warranted. It has to be hard to concentrate on winning when every year they are rebuilding. Shipping out stars (Jason Bay, Jason Schmidt, Aramis Ramirez, Jon Lieber) for young, raw guys. If the Pirates ever want to win again they must learn to stop trading everyone away and keep guys around. Until then, they will continue to take one step forward and two steps backward. The three guys they got in the Atlanta trade may turn out to be superstars, but if precedence holds true they will be traded for a couple more hopefuls. Pittsburgh's lone disappointing team needs to catch up to the Steelers and Penguins quick. Fans are getting restless.

Through the Eyes of the Tribdog. Installment #2

Here with more TTEOTT, my god what a terrible acronym. Anyway, I'm back with more thoughts and rants about the recent sports world for your reading pleasure.

The Pittsburgh Penguins took games 3 and 4 at home in Mellon Arena in the Stanley Cup Finals. That officially makes this year's Stanley Cup Finals the only thing to leave Detroit and actually come back.

Ichiro keeps hitting. Shocker.

Kobe and the Lakers looked unstoppable in Game One of the NBA Finals. Orlando looked like Seton Hall with pinstripes.

Has anyone ever wondered why the Magic subtly change their uniforms every year besides myself and Mr. Z?

I hate when people bash the Finals because Lebron and Kobe aren't playing one another. Who cares? We get to watch Pietrus and Ariza. Yikes.

Congratulations to Randy Johnson. Not only did he manage to get his 300th victory (it probably shouldn't count seeing as how it was against the NatInals), he also managed to not shove a cameraman out of the way in doing so.

The Red Sox are sending Big Papup to the eye doctor. Good luck with that. Maybe they'll help him see his toes.

Tony La Russa is suing Twitter over a fake page of his resemblance. I think baseball should sue La Russa for batting his pitchers 8th.

The last time the Browns had a competition at Quarterback, Derek Anderson lost. And Charlie Frye was traded after their first game. Something tells me Brady Quinn isn't too enthusiastic about this.

T.O can't find a house to rent in Buffalo. He also can't find humility in Buffalo.

On accent, human decency and intelligence alone, I think Larry the Cable Guy could drive in NASCAR.

In other news, I hate Larry the Cable Guy.

With a passion.

I love how no one thought someone like Robert Dozier would have an illegitimate SAT score.

Vince Young wants to be traded.

Vince Young does NOT want to be traded.

How embarrassing must it be to be a NFL Rookie of the Year and not be able to steal playing time from Kerry Collins? And what's even worse is not having it even suggested that you could. VY has fallen far. Miraculously, without fighting dogs.

Ric Bucher looks like Roger Goodell's kid brother.

The only thing better than watching Phil Jackson pretend to coach is watching Stan Van try really, really hard to get anyone to listen.

The little kid puppet in the Nike Kobe/Lebron commercials is nothing more than a rip-off of Spike Lee portraying Mars Blackmon in the classic Jordan commercials. The puppet also directed "Kobe Doin' Work". And named it.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that Bobby Cox isn't the guy who broke the news to Tom Glavine. Just a hunch.

Rex Ryan apparently isn't afraid of Bill Belichick. Who is? The guy is about 5'9 and doesn't even know how to dress himself.

I'll tell you one person Rex is afraid of.

His dad.

Last, but not least, I figured out all of sports most misleading stat.
Kobe's assist line.

Mr. Z's Tuesday Morning Scatterbrain

A very close and hilarious friend of Results Inconclusive has graced us with some of his thoughts on the sports world and the world in general. Check it out

Tuesday Morning Scatterbrain

Let me preface by saying I hate Rafael Nadal, I hate hearing he is from some
island off the coast of Spain, I hate that his tennis gear looks like something
you’ll find in a Gay Pride Parade, I hate that he goes by the nickname Rafa.
No one took more joy in his loss Saturday morning to Robin Soderling then
myself, however what he did afterward earned a lot of my respect. In a sport
where excuses are commonplace and hissy fits are just part of the theatrics,
Nadal told the media after the match that he had played his best and Soderling had just defeated him. Nadal being a four time French Open champion could have thrown any excuse out there and had every right to, instead he took the high road. Maybe Sid the Kid with his post game nudge of Kirk Maltby, and LeBron with his non-handshake should take a note from the Spaniard.

I am not condoning the Sidney Swipe after Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Saturday night, but if anyone is calling that love tap a slash you obviously
watch less hockey than Michael Wilbon.

Read a great book this weekend that hockey fans (there are a few of us left,
right?) should check out by Dave King called the King of Russia. It follows
the exploits of King as the first Canadian Coach of a Russian Super League team a year after the NHL lockout.

While I was picking the King book up at Barnes and Noble I also saw Charlie
Weis’ book No Excuses in the bargain bin for $4.99. I still think that’s
overpriced.


Stumbled upon this bit of hilariousness. The Bengals are a joke.

Watching MLB Network, I find myself reintroduced to great players and great
games I had forgotten about through the rebroadcasts. One in particular is Mr.
Class himself, Jim Eisenreich, during a 1993 Phillies game. It got me thinking
that Jason Bay is the new and improved Eisenreich; classy guy, professional at
bats, doesn’t blow you away with one thing in his game but is just completely
solid all around. And if you don’t know who Eisenreich is look him up you will
be a better person for it.

Back to Hockey, when was the last time the Red Wings were outshot in back to
back playoff games at home? Mark my words the Penguins are still alive in this
series and have carried play for long stretches, sometimes the pucks just don’t
roll your way.

Ever see a fat lady cause a scene at the public library by arguing with an 80
year old library attendant over a 40 cent fine? I did. The worst part was
that she was drinking some goofy $7.00 Starbucks drink, which has to be some
type of violation.

And I know I couldn’t get through the whole article without an NBA thought. We are graced with the presence of Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard in
the NBA Finals Thursday night. I can’t help but think back to when Phil
Jackson said he would choose Howard to start a franchise with, and how
nonsensical I thought that was. Well Phil I hate you as a coach and even more
as a yoga instructor, but I can admit I was wrong, and Superman as your number one pick may not be that far off.

And in the immortal words of James Rome…..I am out.

Facebook Strikes again!

Remember when i wrote the Lane Kiffin article (here) and i told everyone that the social networking sites are nothing but trouble for sports stars? Well there is another example now. Atlanta Falcon, Quinn Ojinnaka (didn't make that name up) was arrested for battery on his wife over his facebook account. Apparently his wife didn't like the attention he was getting from another girl on the account. When she confronted him he threw her down some stairs and then out of the house. Ain't jealousy a bitch? Ojinnaka says she was attempting to stab him with a pen. In my opinion i think a 305 lb football player can dodge a pen stab and restrain a woman without chucking her down steps. But what do I know? I wonder how many notifications he's getting now.

Tom Brady... who cares until September

This just in: Tom Brady ran, and stretched today.... oh and he wipes with his left hand!

I'm so sick and tired of ESPN salivating over him for coming back from his injury. Wait until September. I don't need a Tom Brady update every 5 minutes. Talk about these great NBA playoffs, not returns from injuries.

Cowboys can't get enough of those ex-cons

Michael Irvin, Nate Newton, and Adam "Don't Call Me Pacman" Jones. Three of the most illustrious Cowboys ever to be arrested. It's now time for them to move over squeeze somebody else onto the list.

Jeffrey Lawrence Galland.

While he never suited up for the 'Boys, ex-convict Galland was a consultant who helped Dallas when they upgraded their practice facilities last year. The same practice facility that collapsed earlier this summer, leaving 12 injured and one paralyzed.

Galland was released from federal prison in 2000 after serving a four-and-a-half year sentence. Galland pleaded guilty to charges of using a firearm during a violent crime, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana. He was also arrested in 1994 for and convicted of burglary.

My question is does Jerry Jones even know the meaning of a background check? I know that convicts deserve a second chance, but before hiring anybody, you should check their references and qualifications.

Galland's résumé falsified information about his education. The résumé said he had earned a BS in Physics from Washington University, but he has not. It also said he had taken classes toward a master's in structural engineering at UNLV, but he has not.

Jones and the Cowboys need to take a little more time and put a little more effort into deciding who they hire. It is possible that the hiring of Galland cost one man to lose the ability to walk for the rest of his life.

Ryan Leaf: The dream life

After the prolific NFL career of Ryan Leaf he has once again shocked us all by getting busted for trying to illegally obtain HYDROCODONE! What a guy!. ESPN.com has reported that he was indicted on seven counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. Apparently this breadwinner broke into an injured football player's house and stole the drugs. After a short stint with the Cowboys in 2001 its just a matter of time until good ole Jerry Jones signs him again after this recent news. There isn't a player in the league with this legal trouble that doesnt deserve a huge blue star on his helmet.

Mike Vick

Ok, so by now everyone that has a pulse knows that Mick Vick is out of prison and on house arrest in the dirrrtyyyy 757. Now the questions about his return are being discussed on every radio and tv show across the country.

My thoughts? As a current Hokie I may be a bit biased but I think the man has does his duty to the system, and served his time and he deserves a second chance. In 1998 Leonard Little crashed into and killed a woman. 6 years later he was arrested for drunk driving. How much has he shown to prove he has changed? Now Goodell says Vick will get reinstated only if he shows change. I think he should and will be playing in the NFL soon.

Then the question needs to be answered of where he will end up. If he came to me asking for help I would insist that he go to a proven team with a proven coach, competitive team, and good front office. He was destined to lose in Atlanta because these type of things weren't there consistently. Speculations of teams like Oakland going after him are sure to be popular but he would be better suited to be a backup for 1-2 years in a program like New England or Indianapolis where he could grow and get himself back in NFL style form. He could even enter the games situationally. Imagine the headache that would cause for the opposing team preparing during the week. That is precious time they could be spending on preparing for Tom Brady or Peyton Manning.

All in all, the man deserves a chance. Throw him out there, see if he shits the bed again. I don't think he will. No one is that stupid. Not even Pacman Jones. Ok, well maybe Pacman Jones.