Despite the distance seemingly standing between the opposing factions, I firmly believe that they will come to an agreement before next season is scheduled to kick off. You don’t reach the NFL’s level of success by being stubbornly ignorant; both the players and the owners know the damage that could be caused by a wok stoppage. But my opinion doesn’t matter right now; what does is what is going on behind the scenes between the NFL Player’s Union and the owners who employ them.

Last week Mike and Mike dove headlong into this topic and brought on two of the key decision makers from both sides of the conflict. Regardless of your opinion on Mike and Mike or if you couldn’t care less about anything they have to say doesn’t matter; what does is what the people they had on have to say because they’re the ones who are tasked with saving us from football purgatory. Because of the important implications that these negotiations have on the future of the league I thought it necessary to share with you what both NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith and NFL executive VP Jeff Pash had to say about where they stand, what’s next, and what they’ll do to ensure we don’t miss a moment of the greatest league in the world. Take a listen below.

Smith first speaks about agent’s contact with collegiate players before speaking on the current labor situation. To listen, click here.

Pash gets the final word and reacts to what Smith said and talks about where the owners stand. To listen, click here.

Watching girls fight can be highly entertaining.

The other day while perusing through the channels, I happened to land on one of the caught-on-tape Spike TV shows. You know the ones I’m talking about—they’re so crazy that you simply can’t turn the channel because you have to see exactly what craziness is going to unfold next. It’s like that old train wreck people refer to and you just can’t turn away. Well, this one was part of their World’s Most Amazing videos series and concentrated on some of the wildest fights and brawls ever caught on tape. Indeed, there was some crazy hand-throwing and head-butting going on; but the one that caught my eye was of a handball match in Russia that ended with the competitors beating the crap out of one another.

The crazy part was this was a women’s handball match. Which kind of made me realize just how often this has been happening and just how crazy some of these girls have become in the world of sports. Their competitive fires have been burning brightly as of late and have bubbled over into some harsh actions. I thought you all might enjoy watching girls beat the crap out of each other as much as I did. I guess it is true what Cyndi Lauper said back in the ‘80s—girls do just want to have fun.

Here’s the battle to decide the 2007 Russian championship. Apparently one of the chicks was a tad upset that her team was losing.

Here’s a highly publicized punch from one of the most heavily-recruited female athletes in the last decade. Brittney Griner gets her college career off to a great start with this punch.

And maybe one of the worst acts of sportsmanship I’ve ever seen; Elizabeth Lambert simply abusing her opponent. If that was my daughter getting her hair pulled and abused on the field I probably would have turned into one of the those crazy sports parents and rushed the field.

A few months ago my colleague Brandon wrote a very intriguing post about one of the most talked about players in the draft: Tim Tebow, or as I refer to him, Timmy T. Brandon accurately broke down the pros and cons of Tebow the quarterback, and whether or not he will be a good NFL signal caller. Here is my take.

First, let me get this out there. I really don’t trust Timmy T. Any good looking twenty-two year old red-blooded American male stud quarterback at a top school who isn’t cashing in on his dividends I just don’t trust, okay? Everyone has a vice and Timmy has yet to show us his. I know he has a lovely girlfriend and all, but don’t you think the Emperor Palpatine of social status (Paris Hilton) is just lurking in the weeds to turn your Timmy to the dark side. She may not have lightning that shoots from her fingers, but temptress Paris has other forms of persuasion the likes of which a good Christian boy like Timmy has never seen; and please whoever drafts young Timmy, you must do your best to keep him away from “Sexual Napalm”. If she gets her hooks into him this could be more of disaster than Edward Smith ordering more speed the night the Titanic went down. Remember Timmy hasn’t “tasted the forbidden fruit” and needs to be working day and night on his delivery, drops, and reads, not being exposed to the kind of romps which gave Tony Romo wobbly legs in the month of December. So I guess we really can’t blame Tony for being a little out of it at times; he had other things on his mind.

So while I think there is a major social obstruction on the tracks of Timmy’s personal life which will affect his play, I think I am going to buy me some stock in Timmy T. Here is why: Aside from the fact that a lot people are selling on his ability (remember a lot of people thought Ryan Leaf was going to be stud), TT to me he has the mystical IT factor; that’s right I went there (don’t you hate it when people point out something that you can’t describe?).

I know he played in a system which could make a computer geek look good behind center, and spread offense quarterbacks don’t usual fair well at the next level and while I find his preacher kid mentality unbearable at times, I think he has the mojo to make it in the pros. In case you missed the last few drafts, a player’s chops and cranium precision are what distinguishes him in the NFL, not his natural skill. As much as I am reluctant to say it, Timmy has what it takes, illustrated by his intelligent pre draft moves.

Smart move #1. Before the combine he took it upon himself to hire some best in show QB coaches to tweak his delivery; basically it was the equivalent of Susan Boyle hiring a personal make-up artist. It says to me: “Look, I got some intangible qualities here but I need some help to push me over the top because quite frankly, I scare people right now.”

Smart move #2. He went through all the combine workouts, and while it was an average performance it showed me that he realized he wasn’t afraid of failure even though he wasn’t quite the specimen we thought he was.

Smart move #3. This is the most important one. He is sitting down with everyone who will listen. He realizes that the quarterback is the top spot on any roster and that being a leader is the most important thing. (This is the anti-JaMarcus Russell approach). From every account, his teammates, coaches, and even Alabama fans think the guy is a leader and would like playing with him. Oh, and I’m sure if you ask most people in the SEC they would have traded their quarterback for Timmy, so a little envy is a good thing.

Now pay attention because here is the tough part. Timmy T has to pray…. literally pray he goes to the right situation. He should pray he goes in either the late first or mid-second round behind the top three quarterbacks of this class: Bradford, Clausen, and McCoy. Consider this the Tom Brady/Joe Montana effect: “You really picked that douche over me? Okay, when I play you I am going to stick a rubber ball in your mouth, dress you in leather, chain you to a trunk and call you my gimp.” The best athletes are like the geeky girls in junior high who grew up to be babes. The ex-dweeb can still remember which guy dissed them and which girls were the insecure bullies that needed to pick on them for their own bulimic indulging pleasures. The ex-nimrod turned hottie makes it a mission to rub all their noses in it any chance they get. (*See the Jessica Alba “E! True Hollywood Story.”) Every great Athlete can still tell you who got drafted ahead of them and when they play against that guy or team that passed on him they remind them of that every chance they get. Being picked behind Clausen and McCoy will be a good thing for Timmy T’s work ethic and keep him hungry.

So just for hoots here are a few places he should hope to go: Washington, Philly or Minnesota in the second, New Orleans in the third (depending on what they do in Round 1), or New England in the fourth (only because my So just for hoots here are a few places he should hope to go: Washington, Philly or Minnesota in the second, New Orleans in the third (depending on what they do in Round 1), or New England in the fourth (only because my team has a ton of other needs). All of these places have good coaches (less Minnesota) and established quarterbacks in place. Throw him on the practice squad the first year and just sit back and work on his game. And if the inevitable train wreck comes he will have time to get the proper rehab. That’s the Timmy T plan to follow.

Game-changers.

14) Twitter. Many people thought that Twitter would be a fad that quickly faded away, like Zubaz pants or half the stuff from this list. Well, guess what people, Twitter is here to stay, and celebs and athletes have embraced it the most. It’s a way for them to conveniently and safely get closer to fans, and both sides seem to be pretty into it. Players like Chad Ochocinco, Shaquille O’Neal, and Nick Swisher have jumped on board, just to name a few. In fact, entire websites are dedicated to what athletes are saying on Twitter. Now, every week on ESPN there are Twitter-related stories about how players are talking trash, reporting news that has yet to break, or even tweeting during games. Whether you like it or not, it’s here to stay.

15) Blown calls. When ESPN compiles a top ten list of blown umpire calls in the MLB’s postseason, you know there’s a real problem. However, Bud Selig is vehemently against using instant replay any more than it already is in baseball, and although I normally do not side with the bow-tied bonehead, he does have some legitimate concerns. However, enough time has gone by and he needs to set something in place so that blown calls that are blatantly obvious can be overturned.

Horrible.

16) A perfectly idiotic move. Time to throw in a recent event. In their quest for the perfect season, the Colts have come up short, thanks to Jim Caldwell’s premature benching of NFL MVP Peyton Manning. But rather than get into depth about it again here, I’m just going to direct you to Brandon’s thoughts on the subject here and here, because it pretty much sums it up perfectly. Bottom line, the Colts had a chance to do something great and threw it away, and fans should be peeved. Not to mention that sitting players rarely has the desired effect. But I digress…

Scandals.

17) Not just Tiger. I already mentioned Tiger yesterday, mostly because his celebrity combined with the shock value garnered it’s own category above and beyond all others. But let’s not forget, there were a handful of other scandals and affairs in the sports world this year. The media had a field day with the Steve Phillips affair, and then there was the less-publicized but equally offensive Eric Kuselias affair, which included another ESPN employee, Stephania Bell. Then of course there was the Rick Pitino shocker, which seemed to get more bizarre and twisted each time the story was updated. But perhaps the most shocking and definitely the saddest affair this year doesn’t even belong in this category…

Apparently ESPN employees have marriage-waiving clauses in their contracts.

Losses.

18) Steve McNair was an iconic mainstay in the NFL for more than a decade. He was considered a warrior by coaches, peers, and fans because of his ability to play through debilitating injuries and still get the job done. Unfortunately, off the field, McNair had problems with infidelity, and this led to his demise in July of this year when his 20-year-old mistress Sahel Kazemi shot McNair twice in the head and then turned the gun on herself. The tragedy sent shockwaves through Tennessee and, at least at first, impacted many NFL players who were also guilty of infidelity.

You will be missed, Steve -- hopefully your story will scare others straight.

19) Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Angels lost a pitcher who had a bright future ahead of him when a drunk driver struck and killed Nick Adenhart. In an ironic twist of fate, Adenhart’s death came just hours after an outstanding 2009 MLB debut in which he threw six scoreless innings. It was a brief flash of the potential the 22-year-old pitcher had and is another reminder of what can happen when people drive drunk. The Angels eventually went on to win their division, and celebrated out in center field where they could be close to Adenhart.

Drinking and driving caused this senseless death. RIP, Nick.

20) Chris Henry always seemed to be his own worst enemy. His talent on the field for years was offset by the fact that he had so many off-the-field problems with the law. It got so bad that he was eventually waived by the Bengals in 2008 because of his conduct, although he would eventually be given the opportunity to re-sign with the team later that year due to injuries to the rest of the Bengals receiving corps. He had people all around him trying to push him in the right direction, and just when it seemed like he might finally be turning a corner, his demons once again arose in the form of a domestic dispute with his fiance, Loleini Tonga. The dispute got to a point where Henry found himself in the back of a moving truck that Tonga was driving, and he eventually fell off and suffered head injuries that would result in his death.

21) Although the three deaths I mentioned so far were definitely surprising and tragic, none of them come close to the mystery that surrounds Arturo Gotti’s death. At first, bloodstains on his wife’s purse led investigators to charge her with murder, although later she was cleared of that charge and some reports suggest that Gotti may have even used the purse strap to strangle himself while under the influence of drugs. No one knows exactly what happened, but one things is for certain — this case has many more questions than answers.

TV

22) There were some major sports-related tv programs that knocked it out of the park in 2009. On January 1, 2009, the MLB Network was launched, and finally provided a place for Harold Reynolds to provide excellent sports insights and look the other way when it came to his on-set sexual harassment. With unique programming like Hot Stove, The ‘Pen, and 30 Clubs, 30 Recaps, the MLB Network got off to a strong start. Although I don’t see it finding the success that the NFL Network has had, the MLB Network is here to stay and provides yet another channel for MLB junkies like myself.

23) Speaking of the NFL Network, the most brilliant and innovative programming of the year, without question, is the NFL Redzone. For all you other 20-somethings out there who are constantly multitasking and in need of ADD-friendly activities, you need to look into this channel for next year’s NFL season. Whenever a team hits the redzone, the NFL will take you there, and make sure you are constantly updated on who is scoring and when. In the event that there isn’t a team in the redzone, you’ll be taken to the best matchup at that particular time. It’s also a must-have resource for avid fantasy football junkies.

24) Finally, and speaking of fantasy football, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my new favorite tv show, The League. The first season is now over, but do yourself a favor and buy it or find it somewhere online, because it is hilarious. Essentially it’s just a bunch early 30s guys who still play fantasy football and talk endless smack to one another in the process. They also blackmail each other in real life so that they can acquire fantasy studs, and the characters in the show are crazy and ridiculous. Do yourself a favor and jump on board now.

Seriously, you need to be watching this show.

Awards.

25) Most exciting game of the year — Minnesota Twins beat Detroit Tigers in one game playoff for AL Central. This game was an unbelievable, back-and-forth dogfight that had it all.

26) Greatest individual achievement — Apologies to Randy Johnson getting his 300th win, but you just can’t top perfect. Mark Buerhle gets the nod on this one.

Sorry Randy. Maybe you should have tried pitching a perfect game for your 300th win.

27) The most captivating sports story of 2009 — Maybe I made this category a bit too broad, but it allows me to touch on a few. Is it the whole “Caster Semanya is a guy and not a girl?” What about the whole Andre Agassi/meth story? Perhaps even the Michael Phelps bong photo? Although all of these stories did captivate to some degree, none will compare to the tragic story about NFL linebacker Marquis Cooper and his friends going fishing in the Gulf Coast. I remember following this story closely for days, hoping that these men would be found, but only one, Nick Schuyler, survived, and his details of the harrowing event were astounding. This tragic story was the one that captivated me most this year. What about you?

Happy New Year, everybody. Have fun and be safe.

-SJ

In the same type of fashion, I felt that I should compile a list chock full of good stuff from the past year. This list is pretty much a jumble of favorite websites, stories, events, and whatever else I deemed worthy of a mention in the past 12 months, complete with interesting links and commentary. As for a number, well, what number is better than 27? These aren’t really in any particular order, but I’ll at least do my best to categorize my selections. Here’s what I’ve got for today, and be sure to check out the rest in tomorrow’s year-end finale.

First and foremost…

1) The Genesis. It’s hard to imagine that 27pitches has yet to turn one-year old. In fact, we still have a couple months to go. My first posting concentrated on my never-ending discontent for MLB Commish Bud Selig on February 10th of this year. I never expected this blog to take off the way it has, and I am pleasantly surprised that people keep coming back for more rants and raves by myself and Brandon.

Storylines

2) Champions crowned. The Pittsburgh Steelers won their record 6th Super Bowl in 2009, thanks to a Ben Rothelisberger’s accurate throw and Santonio Holmes’ insane catch. Kobe proved he could win without Shaq, and youth dominated as the face of the NHL Sidney Crosby hoisted the coveted Stanley Cup. Then, of course, the Yankees were able to prevent a repeat championship by my beloved Phillies when secret weapon Hideki Matsui delivered a MVP-worthy 6 RBIs in a crucial Game 6 showdown. Overall, it was an exciting year in sports, and the championship games and series delivered on the hype.

Godzilla leaves behind a legend in NY.

3) Tiger Woods’ fall from grace. We’ve touched on this a couple times already, but it’s impossible not to mention this as a notable storyline from this year. Take world’s best golfer, a pristine image, numerous big name endorsements, and then mix in a horrible drive (bad pun, I know), a tree, a fire hydrant, and a dozen + mistresses, and you’ve got a recipe for something I’d like to call Media Orgasm.

This may very well have been the most-emailed image of Dec. 09.

4) Steroids/PEDs/Cheaters — the story continues. Alex Rodriguez. David Ortiz. Hell, even Andre Agassi and his meth. The public may be tired of the same story with a different name, but the fact is that there were plenty of cheaters in 2009. Speaking of annoying and repetitive storylines…

5) Viking Quest. No, not Johnny Drama’s claim to fame. I’m talking about Brett Favre’s 23rd comeback from retirement. Honestly, I don’t care if this guy plays another 10 years (he just might), because he obviously has enough ability to garner interest from teams who are struggling to find a halfway decent QB. I can also deal with a guy who wants to take the time each year to weigh his options and decide whether or not to come back or finally hang them up. But goddamn it, if I have to endure another three months of daily coverage on a tired and predictable storyline from ESPN, I’m going to have to start my own network. Seeing as this is a highly probable situation, get ready for 27pitches tv in 2010. I’ll begin working on the programming.

Steroids and PEDs seems to be a storyline that will never go away.

6) Second chances; all bark and no bite. Michael Vick was uncaged earlier this year, and he found an unlikely landing spot in Philadelphia, something Brandon was quick to comment on. While Eagles management went ahead and played this up as a charity case, trying to make themselves out to be a Good Samaritans who are always looking to help out a player in need, this couldn’t be further from the truth. This was a sly and conniving way of selling the public on a situation that they thought they could easily and quickly benefit from. By taking on Vick at a highly discounted rate and  inserting him into the offense little by little in order to show other teams that he can still contribute and adjut to the speed of the game, the Eagles are simply setting the stage for their next move — trading him. With so many teams in dire need of a QB (Buffalo and Tampa Bay, for example), the Eagles can surely unload Vick’s contract and trade him for a 4th or 5th round draft pick. If they can actually take some offenses off guard in the playoffs by using him successfully as a weapon, as they did in Atlanta, it will be a huge bonus.

Favorite blogs, sites, etc.

7) As I mentioned already, Bob’s Blitz is one of our favorites places to go for updated news with a pinch of satire and attitude. Must-add bookmark.

8) Another up-and-coming destination, and one of our favorites, is Thee Sports Blog. This is a definite bookmark for those of you who need to get your college sports fix, namely in the ACC. In fact, Brandon may be collaborating with Thee Sports Blog next year to do a couple podcasts or features focusing on his alma mater, Maryland. So keep an eye out for that.

9) Another one of my favorites is Thunder Treats. These guys are hilarious (for instance, check out their tribute to Tiger’s birthday today, complete with his bday wish list) and know how to interweave sports and humor.

10) I typically call attention to the unique, hilarious, sports-centric websites that I come across that I think all sports fans would be able to appreciate. The first has got to be the Bill Simmons article generator. It’s well known that I can’t stand this guy, mainly because he’s cockier than Jim Rome and more annoying than Skip Bayless. He also goes out of his way to discredit and make fun of blogs, though he has one himself. In any event, someone finally took the time to deconstruct his writings. Basically he writes the same thing every time and fills in his crappy mad libs blanks with more updated and trendy references to make it seem fresh. Check it out and have some fun.

11) I’ve actually posted about this website before, but if you haven’t checked it out yet, now’s the time to do it. It’s called FlipFlopFlyin It’s got baseball infographics and a wide variety of other cool stuff. Once you visit you’ll be hooked.

12) This website was just emailed to me by my friend Alexis a couple weeks ago and is quite hilarious (though they could stand to make it just a bit tougher). A great idea though, and you should see if you can beat my 11 out of 12 score. Who Said It: NFL Coach or Dictator?

13) Finally, rounding out part 1 of this list, is a resource that has helped many in a time of need. For whatever reason, we all find ourselves in situations where we are not able to watch the game we need to watch. Maybe you are out of that market or even stuck at work during a playoff game. Well then, you need to bookmark ATDHE.net. They provide streaming, live coverage of many sporting events. (Disclaimer: I don’t know how they do it or any of the legal ramifications of using this service. They have a terms of service page on their site that you may want to look into beforehand, but many people have told me about this site before and that is the information I am passing on.)
That’s it for part one. Look for the second part of our 2009 recap tomorrow, and hopefully you’ll take away some good bookmarks.

All sports are competitions; however, all competitions are not sports. There’s a major distinction here. I personally feel that, in order for a competition to be considered a sport, it must require players to be in excellent physical condition in order to be successful. So off the bat, basketball, soccer, football, baseball, tennis, cycling, swimming, track and field, boxing, and hockey are easily considered sports. In order to play these games, players must possess a wide variety of skills, such as hand-eye coordination, speed, agility, and power. Of course, not all players possess all of these characteristics, and there are naturally going to be exceptions, but for the most part, a majority of the individuals who play these games are in good physical shape, as being able to play them requires it.

And then there are competitions, where anyone can hone certain skills that do not require being in good physical shape. That is not to say that these particular competitions do not require skill, because they do — they should be respected and observed as popular and entertaining events that have a substantial fan base. However, they are not sports, and anyone can play them and still have some success. These include bowling, ping pong, fishing, hunting, auto racing, and golf. And I fully admit that golf is probably the toughest competition of all, even including all the sports listed. However, in any of these competitions, participants could easily be unhealthy or in horrible physical shape and still do well. Because you don’t have to be athletic to shoot a gun, roll a ball, or drive a car. You don’t have to be in good physical shape to putt a golf ball or even make par. You have to be talented to do them well, and being athletic will certainly help in some aspects, but you certainly don’t have to be athletic to have success.

"Tony, do you consider NASCAR drivers athletes? If you could put down the beef jerky and Pabst before responding, that'd be much appreciated."

Of course, not everyone agrees with my sentiments. In fact, Johnson went out of his way to defend his award by saying that “I’ve looked at other sports, particularly baseball, and I’ve seen plenty of out-of-shape, fat players.” Well, I am issuing a challenge to Mr. Johnson. He gets to take what he supposes to be the cream of the crop from his sport, maybe 10 or 15 guys, and I’ll go ahead and select the same from MLB, and we’ll get all the guys together and have them compete in a decathlon. While Johnson may be in shape himself, I’m not so sure his peers, like Tony Stewart, who appears to be 6 months pregnant, or the 50-year-old Mark Martin, would be able to hang with Albert Pujols or Alex Rodriguez. Or better yet, we’ll have all the guys compete in each others’ sports and see how they do. I’m pretty sure the baseball guys will be able to figure out which way to turn, but will your guys be able to hit a 95 MPH fastball? Or maybe even an 85 MPH curveball? And, if they do, will they be able to run the bases once that happens? Will they be able to field a ground ball and throw to first or track down a pop fly and throw it in? Heck, maybe we can even make a reality show out of this, where each week we show the viewers how nonathletic NASCAR racers really are by putting them in situations that call for athleticism and then watching them fail repeatedly.

But don’t worry Jimmy, as long as NASCAR makes enough money it will consistently be displayed as a sport, and therefore you’ll be able to keep your sham of an award. And for what it’s worth, you seem like an athletic guy and it’s not really your fault that a bunch of idiot AP reporters chose you over Roger Federer, Usain Bolt, Kobe Bryant, and other legitimate athletes. But it is your fault that you want to defend your award by knocking baseball. Anyway, good luck in your next circle contest. Remember — that’s a left, another left, another left, and then…you guessed it, left again. Then repeat.