Your Josh Freeman Update

Mr. Freeman goes to Baltimore--and did not have a good time. (nfl.com)

Though he was neither sacked nor intercepted, Josh Freeman and the Tampa Bay Bucs could not make any serious inroads against the tough Baltimore Ravens defense, resulting in a 17-10 loss on the road. Josh was 17/37 for just 162 yards and one touch down.

Much is being made of Tampa Bay not having won against a team with a winning record. However, I think Tampa's situation is very similar to Kansas City's; any thing good that happens at this point is a bonus, the team is so young. Every game is an improvement and a learning experience for all. Their playoff chances took a bit of a blow with this loss--both Atlanta and New Orleans won this week, leaving TB in third place in the NFC South. Still next week's game in Tampa, against the Falcons promises to be a good one. In addition, it may sell out, lifting the blackout for the first time this season for TV viewers in the Tampa area.

So What Do I Know?

Someone get a hose--this man is on fire! (nfl.com)

The Kansas City Chiefs won one on the road yesterday, putting down the Seattle Seahawks 42-24. Dwayne Bowe caught three touchdown passes, Matt Cassel passed for over 200 yards, and Jamal Charles ran for 172 yards. Every time the Seahawks threatened to turn the momentum their way, the Chiefs choked them off.

Not a perfect game--the special teams errata are concerning and KC's defense looked vulnerable to the pass at times--but I really liked the fact that the Chiefs did not crumble in a loud road stadium and absolutely dominated the forth quarter.

Next up, Denver, high noon, Arrowhead Stadium.

Chiefs-Seahawks

OK, this is a tough game to pick, as it is a road game against an up and down rebuilding opponent.

Both teams have something to play for in terms of their division races as they are leading their respective Western Divisions.

Both teams have had some very nice moments, and some really bad moments.

6-4 Chiefs have won only one game on the road and won all home games.

5-5 Seattle has lost one at home, and won two on the road.

Chiefs in a squeaker, based on being able to run, handling Seattle's offense, and no mistakes from Matt Cassel and Dwayne Bowe. This game is tougher than St. Louis will be, but easier than the upcoming trip to San Diego.

But I couldn't be more uncertain of this. It could be a blow out going Seattle's way.

Be prepared for either.

Kansas Football Is Hurting and Other Thoughts on College Football

Border War was border rout.

Retreat! Missouri by a bunch in a game that was never close.

Turner Gill, a likable Christian coach, may be in over his head at a school like KU.

How about a nice Nazarene school, Mr. Gill?

Not MNU though, they seem to be in good hands presently--on their way to the NAIA semifinals next week. Congrats again to the Pioneers.

Boise State was upset after losing a large lead, then missing two game winning FG kicks, losing to Nevada, who is also ranked. I am disappointed as I was looking forward to Boise in a BCS bowl, but on the other hand, if there is more than one good team in Boise's conference, that can help Boise in the long run.

Auburn also came back from behind to win, preserving their undefeated season.

So we have three teams without losses--Auburn, TCU and Oregon.

We'll miss you, Boise State!

What The Hell Is Wrong With Bo Pelini?

Is it any wonder that the team of a coach that gets all up in his injured quarterback's grill, yelling inches from his face and jabbing his finger in his chest, is penalized 16 times in a game? That includes a penalty on the coach for trying this same stupid behavior with a zebra.

Bo Pelini needs to get a freaking grip!

Screen (Scream?!?) grab from ESPN via YouTube.

Random Sports Thoughts for a Saturday Night

Maybe I'm cruising for a fall, but I feel a good game by the Kansas City Chiefs coming on tomorrow. I think we will beat Arizona soundly.

The Giants and Eagles play Sunday night. Giants need a comeback win after that egg they laid in Dallas.

Missouri now has a sliver of a chance to win the Big 12 north title, but would need help from Colorado.

With Mizzou having something to play for, there is little chance of a Kansas upset at Arrowhead next Saturday.

Kansas State needs defense! Does Bill Snyder have any hair left after this afternoon's loss?

LSU played defense when it counted and my second favorite college Tigers, ranked 5th in the nation, escaped Mississippi.

Boise State deserves a shot at the big dogs--last game a 51-0 whipping of Fresno State. Boise State gained over 500 yards in offense against just 125 for Fresno.

MidAmerica Nazarene University won their first round NAIA game with a comeback from 14 down. Congrats to the Pioneers!

Basketball so does not interest me as yet, although I am intrigued by some of the match ups in the early college tournaments.

Hot stove starting to heat up in baseball--no surprises yet however. Zack Greinke is still a Royal.

That's all for now. Have a great NFL Sunday!

Royals AAA Club Changes Name--Most of Omaha Hates It

The Omaha Royals are no more. They are now the Storm Chasers. The majority of the comments to this linked article hate it. Check it out, including the mascots and unis, and the video. What do you think?

(I like the naming of minor league affiliates after the parent clubs, but that's just me. With new names and such, there can be more merchandising--unfortunately an important part of any sports team now.)

Yuck!

The New York football Giants made mistake after mistake, never mounting a real comeback against the Cowboys...

I hate losing to the Cowboys!

Just Yuck...and Ugh.

Your Josh Freeman Update

Josh Freeman at yesterday's game (nfl.com gallery photo)

More and more national commentators are starting to talk about Josh Freeman. His record of forth quarter wins and steady low error play this year are starting to be noticed. I have to admit I'm pretty psyched about this! Josh looks to be a part of a bit of a renaissance of top level young quarterbacks. Josh, Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez, Matthew Stafford join Matt Ryan, Tony Romo (yeah, I know, :P) and Joe Flacco as honest to goodness NFL quarterback potential superstars. You could throw Jay Cutler and Kyle Orten in there with continued improvement, and then there is the puzzle that is Tim Tebow. So these are some pretty heady days for the Grandview High product.

Tampa Bay could have had a let down against lowly one-win Carolina. However, while not playing at their very best, the Bucs did not let Carolina ever take a lead. They had an answer for every Panther parry. Freeman's stat line for the game: 18/24 for 241 yards, 2 TDs and no INTs. He was aided on offense by LeGarrette Blount again, who ran for 91 yards and Cadillac Williams who added 62 yards on just 5 rushes. Both backs had TDs. Final score 31-16, leaving the Bucs 6-3, tied for second with the New Orleans Saints.

The Chiefs: What Are They?

Nasty Broncos fans do the wave over our sad score. (Kansas City Star gallery photo)

It went bad fast, didn't it? The Broncos took the ball at the kick off and marched right down the field, scoring in their first possession in who knew how long. This was followed by a three-and-out by the KC offense, and then the Broncos did it again...and again. Throw in a fumble run back for a touchdown, and it was all over but the shouting in yesterday's game. Five unanswered Broncos touchdowns before you were looking for your second hot dog.

I did take some small hope from the 10 point outburst just before half. But then, when the offense of the Chiefs had to answer the bell, it did not. Another three-and-out, when it counted most, after taking the second half kick off. That announced that the Kansas City Chiefs were not capable of a four score comeback.

The sounds of folks jumping off the bandwagon has been positively deafening today. Cries of "pretenders" have been flying. However, I never bought that this team was completely ready for prime time. They remind me of the New York Giants of the early and mid 1980s, before the Super Bowl of 1986. Just not quite there, not trustworthy to win the games they had to win, like road games against inferior or badly playing opposition.

Any thing the Chiefs do this season is a bonus, really. They are still building. Our secondary is green and lacks depth. Our quarterback may or may not be the one to lead us further on. Our receivers definitely need upgrades. We are a few pieces away. Like those Lawrence Taylor led Giants of the 1980s, that had great D and no O, we're not a complete football team. I savor every victory and loathe every defeat, and would love to gather enough momentum and mojo to go to the playoffs and beyond. I am still looking to the future with this team, a team that is no longer headed to Loser-ville, that looks more like a team pointed towards Winner-town. I way like that change in direction from the past few years.

Kansas Jayhawks Comeback from 35 Down to Win

I would be remiss if I did not mention the University of Kansas' football team's fabulous comeback win against the Colorado Buffaloes this past Saturday. Down 28 points in the forth quarter, Kansas scores 35 unanswered points to take the win 52-45. I listened off and on to this game on the radio, giving up on it twice, then enthralled as the Jayhawks scored 35 points in the forth quarter. If you would like to see it, the game will be replayed on Fox Sports KC and Fox Sports Midwest on Wednesday morning at 12 a.m. and Friday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.

Above photo, from The Kansas City Star, shows James Sims' winning run.

Your Josh Freeman Update

Just a quicky--Josh's Bucs lost to Atlanta 27-21. Atlanta's defense held Tampa Bay's offense out in the last seconds with a stand on forth and two. Freeman had, for the first time in several games, two interceptions. From a look see at the highlights and the commentary, the Falcons won this with defense and steadier play.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers--another young team that needs to learn how to play and win under the pressure of expectations and opposition from better teams.

NFL Season is Halfway Done

Each team has now played or is playing (hello Pittsburgh and Cincinnati) their eighth game and just a few notes on the season so far...

First coach to bite the dust: Wade Phillips is fired from the 1-7 Cowboys after the 45-7 pounding by the Packers in prime time last night. Oh, we here at the SKC Syndicate feel so bad for the Dallas team. Not.

One team without a win: Buffalo who has been close but no cigar.

With the New England upset loss to Cleveland ('splain that.), 6-2 is the best record anyone has, owned by 5 (potentially 6 teams). Parity thy name is NFL.

I have to say I am enjoying having the Chiefs rising instead of falling this year. Following Josh Freeman and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are about where the Chiefs are, has been fun. And the New York teams both have flirted with Disaster, but seem to be surviving.

No one has been consistently excellent, however. I expect play off qualifying craziness. Get out your tiebreakers folks!

Chiefs Lose Fugly Game

What a mess! If I had not heard the missed down thing live, I don't think I would have believed it---I would have thought you were making this crap up.

The endless penalties--27 of them for both teams--multiple replays especially in the clusterf*ck that was the end of the first half--provided this game with no continuity. Whatever both teams managed to do well was in spike of the refereeing.

However, this game was lost when the Chiefs permitted the second half kick off to be run back for a touchdown, followed by what ESPN commentator Easterbrook calls a "Krumble"--a fumble of the ensuing kick off back to the having just scored kicking team. Even though the Raiders got no points from that, it showed that the Chiefs had allowed the game to get into their head and were not playing smart, mistake free football like they need to in order to win.

To me, everything that followed came out of that. In fact, to me, the whole game looked like two young teams struggling to play their first really meanful "pressure" game. The winner would be the first to become stable under pressure. the Chiefs had allowed the game to get into their head and were not playing smart, mistake free football like they need to in order to win.

Jason Campbell and Jacoby Ford were among the first two players to cool down and perform under stress. The work they did down the stretch of the forth quarter and in the OT made the ultimate difference as the Raiders won the game 23-20 in OT.

The loss leaves the Chiefs still atop the division at 5-3 but exposes the fact that they are not quite ready for the NFL elite. They are not as good as some thought they were. There is a lot to like about this young team, but they are not quite there yet.

The next game is at Denver. I wouldn't call it a must win, but a "really like to win."

It's All On Cassel

This article absolutely nails it. The reason Chiefs fans held their breath during the Buffalo and Jacksonville games, when the Chiefs clearly outclassed the opposition, but made us all very nervous on the way to the win.

The NFL's Most Dangerous Quarterback

So here's my daring prediction: Cassel throws interceptions and has problems and can't manage the game--Chiefs lose.

Cassel makes no mistakes and manages the game--Chiefs win.

I have a bad feeling that this is going to be a Chiefs loss.

World Series: Giants Prevailing

Just a short note for what might very well be a short World Series. The SF Giants are up 3-1 with game 5 tonight in San Fran. It's a rematch of game one, and I bet it will be long on pitching, as it is an ace rematch, Lee and Lincecum.

Ron Washington, the Rangers manager, took some heat for not starting his ace, Cliff Lee, in the forth game, which the Rangers lost by shut out last night, leaving them 3-1 and having to win 3 in a row, including the last two in San Fran. The Rangers have looked tight and inexperienced in the series, especially at the plate.

Tonight's game, though, does have "classic" potential...

ABSOLUTELY NOT!

Let me make this perfectly clear...

Randy Moss in Kansas City?

Talented receiver--yes. Serious head case--way yes. Locker room cancer--most likely.

Not right for a young, up and coming team, not at all.

To put it succinctly,

NO.

Besides, he had his best years already, in his first run with the Vikes and with New England and Tom Brady, with whom he visited after the game between NE and Minnesota yesterday.

Hopefully, the Giants, Saints, Bucs and Jets will all stay away from him too.

Your Josh Freeman Update

Jayhawks and Wildcats, along with help from a Duck, combined forces to take Tampa Bay to victory in a wild one in Arizona yesterday. The final score was 38-35 and the victory wasn't sure until former Kansas Jayhawk Aqib Talib intercepted an Arizona pass in the last couple minutes--and even then the Cardinals didn't go away quietly.

The Bucs went out to a 17 point lead on the strength of two Pick-6's including one by Talib. The Cardinals went to the bullpen, yanking starting QB Max Hall, replacing him with Derek Anderson. Anderson played better but he too, had two INTs, giving the Cards a total of 4 INTs, against two fumbles lost and no INTs for the Bucs.

LeGarrette Blout, whose last claim to fame was being suspended for his senior year at the University of Oregon for punching a player from Boise State, rushed for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns. His run included a 40+ yarder. Josh Freeman, the K State Wildcat, was 18/25 for 278 yards, one touchdown, and yes, another game without an INT. Josh also added 22 yards running. The game was an exciting back and forth affair that looked like it was fun to watch. Tampa Bay is now also a surprising 5-2, although a look at the chat boards reveals some fan bitterness is remaining towards this team and people are reluctant to jump on the bandwagon.

Only one other note; a request: Arizona Cardinals--please retire these black alternate unis. Only red please, even all red!

Photos of Josh Freeman and Aqib Talib from nfl.com.

Whew!

Ryan Succop celebrates after making the game winning FG in OT (nfl.com)

Happy with a win, I am. Even happier to hear players and coaches admit that there was a bit of luck with the win. That timely wind gust for the second try for the winning FG by Buffalo. Bills QB Fitzgerald unable to throw consistently accurate balls in the Arrowhead wind as well.

However, when it had to, the defense bowed up and held, taking advantage of the Bills' failures on offense. The Chiefs ran like crazy on the Bills, and Cassel managed the game adequately. I'm positive that the Chiefs would not have won were the Bills just a little better. However, they did win this game that they were supposed to win, and I'll take that. Whodathot 5-2, after last year?