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Archives for October 2011

Tim Hortons Secures Title Sponsorship Of 2012 NHL All-Star Game

October 31, 2011 By admin

NEW YORK (Oct. 31, 2011) – Tim Hortons, one of North America’s largest quick-service restaurant chains, has secured title sponsorship of this season’s National Hockey League All-Star Game — deepening the company’s multi-year partnership as the Official Quick Service Coffee, Donut and Breakfast Restaurant of the NHL® in Canada.  Moving forward, this year’s event will be known as the 2012 Tim Hortons NHL® All-Star Game.

The 2012 Tim Hortons NHL® All-Star Game will take place on Jan. 29 at Scotiabank Place, home of the Ottawa Senators, during the 2012 NHL All-Star weekend. This will mark the first time Ottawa has hosted the NHL All-Star weekend.

As part of Tim Hortons being named the title sponsor, it will receive various assets in connection with the 2012 NHL All-Star Game, including a prominent in-ice brand position; camera-visible dasherboards; on-air mentions of the Tim Hortons brand in connection with the event name and logo on CBC broadcasts, including branded pre-All-Star Game promotion, integration of the Tim Hortons brand throughout all NHL-controlled media properties including NHL.com, NHL Network™ and NHL Radio,™ the opportunity to integrate the Timbits Minor Hockey players into promotional activities and more. In addition, Tim Hortons will serve as the presenting sponsor of both the Tim Hortons NHL Elimination Shootout™ within the NHL All-Star Skills Competition and the NHL trophy exhibit within NHL Fan Fair,™ the fan festival that will offer interactive games, attractions, and more, during the NHL All-Star weekend.

The 2012 Tim Hortons NHL® All-Star Game is following the huge success of the 2011 NHL All-Star weekend that introduced the first ever NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft™, and where the League earned significant increases in viewership in Canada and the United States, a 42% increase in sponsorship revenue over the last All-Star Game held in the U.S., an all-time record for video starts on NHL.com and the best retail performance for a U.S.-based All-Star Game in seven years. The weekend captivated the city of Raleigh for three days as fans tailgated, flocked downtown and more than 31,000 people attended the NHL Fan Fair™ event.

“We’re excited to be back in Canada to host an extremely important platform that celebrates hockey and our players,” said Kyle McMann, the NHL’s Vice President of Partnership Marketing in Canada. “As a partner that supports the whole spectrum of hockey, bringing the NHL All-Star Game to our nation’s capital allows Tim Hortons to provide fans the ultimate hockey celebration.”

NHL Network™, NHL.com, NHL Radio™ and NHL Mobile™ will have all angles of the game covered with a full slate of live programming and fan initiatives. Live television coverage of the game will be provided by NBC Sports Network in the U.S. and CBC and RDS in Canada.

“Having the 2012 Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Game in Canada serves as the perfect rallying point for Canadians who love hockey”, said Bill Moir, Chief Marketing Officer of the TDL Group Corp.  “For a company whose history and brand strategy is so inherently tied to the world’s greatest game across all levels, it reinforces how ideal this partnership is in helping celebrate the NHL’s finest in Ottawa”.

Tim Hortons is one of the largest restaurant chains in North Americaand serves about two billion cups of coffee a year in Canada and the United States. Tim Hortons is a significant sponsor of several NHL teams, including the Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators,
Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets.

Additional details about the 2012 NHL All-Star weekend festivities to be announced in the coming weeks.

###(10/31/2011)

NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks and the NHL All-Star Game logo, NHL Network, NHL Radio, NHL Elimination Shootout, NHL Fan Fair, NHL All-Star Player Fantasy Draft and NHL Mobile are trademarks of the National
Hockey League.  NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams.  © NHL 2011.  All Rights Reserved.

About Tim Hortons:
Tim Hortons is one of the largest publicly traded quick-service restaurant chain in North America, and the largest in Canada. Operating in the quick-service segment of the restaurant industry, Tim Hortons appeals to a broad range of consumer tastes, with a menu that includes premium coffee, flavoured cappuccinos, specialty teas, home-style soups, fresh sandwiches, wraps, hot breakfast sandwiches and fresh baked goods, including our trademark donuts. As of July  3rd, 2011, Tim Hortons had 3,811 system-wide restaurants, including 3,189 in Canada and 622 in the United States. More
information about Tim Hortons is available on the company’s website, at www.timhortons.com.

About the NHL
The National Hockey League®, founded in 1917, is the second-oldest of the four major professional team sports leagues in North America.  Today, the NHL® consists of 30 Member Clubs, each reflecting the League’s international makeup, with players from more than 20 countries represented on team rosters. According to a Simmons Market Research study, NHL fans are younger, more educated, more affluent, and access content through digital means more than any other major professional sport. The NHL entertains more than 250 million fans each season in-arena and through its partners in national television (VERSUS, NBC, TSN, CBC, RDS, RIS, MTG and NHL Network™) and radio (NHL Radio™ and Sirius XM Satellite Radio).  Through the NHL Foundation, the League’s charitable arm, the NHL raises money and awareness
for Hockey Fights Cancer™ and NHL Youth Development, and supports the charitable efforts of NHL players. For more information on the NHL, log on to NHL.com.

Filed Under: NHL

Game 7 Of 2011 World Series Attracts More Than 25 Million Viewers

October 31, 2011 By admin

 

GAME 7 IS MOST WATCHED BASEBALL GAME

SINCE RED SOX ERASED 86 YEAR DROUGHT IN 2004

World Series Delivers Best Friday Night in FOX History

Ratings for 2011 World Series Increase +19% Over Last Year

 

Game 7 of the 2011 World Series, which saw the St. Louis Cardinals win their 11th World Series title, averaged 25.4 million viewers on FOX.  That figure makes it the most watched baseball game since 2004 when the Boston Red Sox won the World Series erasing a drought of 86 years.  Except for the historic 2004 World Series, Game 7 drew the most viewers of any baseball game since Game 7 of the 2002 World Series.

The World Series was a huge success for FOX delivering the best Friday night in the history of the network.  Game 7 was the highest rated and most watched Friday night telecast on any network since the 2010 Winter Olympics and easily gave FOX its sixth primetime win in seven nights.  It was also the highest rated night of primetime on any network since the start of the 2011-12 broadcast season.

The 14.7 U.S. household rating for Game 7 brings the 2011 World Series average rating to 10.0, which is +19% higher than last year’s World Series, featuring the same American League team and a National League team (San Francisco Giants) with twice the number of TV households as compared to St. Louis.

The 2011 Cardinals, who were 10.5 games out of first place in late August and were twice down to their last strike in Game 6, captured the imagination of St. Louis resulting in a 52.7 rating in the market, which was higher than any of their previous marks in the 2004 or 2006 World Series.  When the Cardinals won the World Series, 89% of households in St. Louis that had their televisions on were tuned in to see the game.

Back-to-back runs to the World Series by the Rangers have resulted in more local interest in the team.  The 2011 World Series averaged a 38.0 rating in Dallas/Ft. Worth which is +22% from last year’s average of 31.1.

###

Filed Under: FOX, MLB, Ratings

“Maybe this sleeping giant just woke up.” — Steve Mariucci on the Eagles’ 34-7 victory over the Cowboys — Quotable from Week 8 Edition of ‘NFL GameDay Highlights’ & ‘NFL GameDay Final’

October 31, 2011 By admin

 

“Maybe this sleeping giant just woke up.”

— Steve Mariucci on the Philadelphia Eagles’ 34-7 victory over the Dallas Cowboys

“When you have the explosiveness of a Michael Vick playing the way Michael Vick is playing right now, it’s almost impossible to beat Philadelphia, certainly for most of those teams in the NFC East. Michael Vick just gives this team too much.”

— Michael Irvin on Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, who threw for 279 yards and two touchdowns in Philadelphia’s 34-7 win over the Dallas Cowboys

“The Philadelphia Eagles came out and understood the enormity of the game, and the Dallas Cowboys melted under the pressure in the bigness of that same game.”

— Michael Irvin on the Philadelphia Eagles, who moved into second-place in the NFC East

 

“The Dallas Cowboys have a lot of young guys and I think they still have to learn how to win those big games and being in those situations.”

— Michael Irvin on the Cowboys

 

“We expect to perform like this each and every week. Even though it’s not going to happen that way, you just have to keep pushing and keep fighting.”

— Eagles quarterback Michael Vick to NFL Network’s Jeff Darlington following Philadelphia’s win

“This guy epitomizes what a Pittsburgh Steeler is: what he looks like, what he plays like, his whole attitude. He’s a leader and he should be mentioned amongst the elite quarterbacks.”

— Deion Sanders on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who threw for 365 yards and two touchdowns in a 25-17 win

“Did they get their butts kicked Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens? Yes they did, but this is a whole new team. Mentally, physically, atheistically – this is a whole new team.”

— Deion Sanders on the 6-2 Pittsburgh Steelers, who lead the AFC North

“All of a sudden they take a page out of the New England Patriots’ book and play this wide open, spread them out offense against the Patriots. They convert third down after third down after third down, and Tom Brady spends a day over by the Gatorade; they don’t let him on the field. … They totally dominated this football team.”

— Steve Mariucci on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 25-17 victory over the New England Patriots

“I measure a man not only for what he accomplishes, but distance traveled. When you talk about distance traveled with this team, this team has come a long way and you can see the nucleus of a young team that will be good for awhile.”

— Michael Irvin on the 6-1 San Francisco 49ers

“What [Jim] Harbaugh is doing out there, he’s changing the whole culture. These guys are believing in themselves, especially Alex Smith. This guy was one of the jokes of a first-round draft choice; now he’s a formidable quarterback.”

— Deion Sanders on the first-place San Francisco 49ers

 

“Today, Tim Tebow looked like he wasn’t ready for the NFL.”

— Deion Sanders on Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, who was 18-of-39 for 172 yards, one touchdown and one interception in Denver’s 45-10 loss to the Detroit Lions

 

“He has all of the intangibles, we love the kid and he’s that kind of guy, but he has to make plays from the pocket. He went back in the pocket many times today and A) he didn’t complete many passes, and B) he didn’t have a lot of time. He was under duress the entire day.”

— Steve Mariucci on Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow

 

“This combination might be the best combination ever with rookie quarterback and receiver.”

— Steve Mariucci on Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton and wide receiver A.J. Green

“These guys are going to make some noise in the AFC North.”

— Deion Sanders on the 5-2 Cincinnati Bengals

 

“The strength, the speed, the vision. This kid is going to be around for a long time.”

— Deion Sanders on Cardinals’ Patrick Peterson’s 82-yard punt return for a touchdown in a loss to the Baltimore Ravens

 

On NFL.com the following video clips from NFL GameDay Final are available for viewing:

 

Let’s Go Primetime – Deion Sanders checks in from the corner of 21st and Prime to count down the top 10 performances from Week 8.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d823a2e7d/Let-s-go-Primetime

Trick or Treat – Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow, the improving Philadelphia Eagles’ defense and the San Francisco 49ers atop the NFC West at 6-1: what was a “trick” or “treat” on Sunday?

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d823a2f32/Trick-or-treat

Steelers Solve Patriots – Analysts Steve Mariucci, Deion Sanders and Michael Irvin discuss the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 25-17 victory over the New England Patriots.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d823a227c/Steelers-solve-Patriots

Most Impressive Team in the AFC North – With the Pittsburgh Steelers at 6-2, and the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals each at 5-2, which team in the AFC North has been the most impressive?

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d823a26bf/Which-is-AFC-North-s-most-impressive-team

Eagles’ QB Michael Vick with NFL Network’s Jeff Darlington – Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick speaks 1-on-1 with NFL Network’s Jeff Darlington following the 34-7 win.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-player-interviews/09000d5d823a1b0c/Vick-elaborates

NFL GameDay Express – NFL GameDay Express recaps all of Sunday’s action.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d823a2f32/Trick-or-treat

7:30 PM ET: NFL GameDay Highlights

Host: Rich Eisen Analysts: Steve Mariucci and Deion Sanders

NFL GameDay Highlights offers a fast-paced recap of the afternoon games, providing highlights, post-game press conferences, player interviews and instant analysis leading up to the Sunday night primetime matchup.

11:30 PM ET: NFL GameDay Final

Host: Fran Charles Analysts: Steve Mariucci, Deion Sanders, and Michael Irvin

NFL GameDay Final is the definitive exclamation point on Sundays providing unlimited highlights of all the games, plus post-game press conferences, interviews from the field and locker room, audio captured throughout the day and expert analysis.

NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the only television network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football.  For more information, log on to www.nfl.com/nflnetwork.  NFL.com is the exclusive Internet home of NFL videos and NFL Network.

Filed Under: NFL, NFLN

“Football Night In America” Notes & Quotes – Week 8

October 31, 2011 By admin

“At this midpoint, he should be Defensive Player of the Year.” – Rodney Harrison on Bills S George Wilson

“They are not going to let Peyton Manning dictate anything about their first pick in the draft.” – Peter King after speaking this week with Bill Polian

“I’m definitely not coaching in 2012.” – Tony Dungy

 

NEW YORK – October 30, 2011 – Following are highlights from Football Night in America. Bob Costas hosted the show live from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia and was joined on site for commentary by Sunday Night Football commentators Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth. Co-host Dan Patrick and commentators Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison, Peter King and Mike Florio covered the news of the NFL’s eighth week live from Studio 8G at NBC’s 30 Rockefeller Plaza studios in New York. Alex Flanagan reported from Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pa., on the Patriots-Steelers game.

EMBED NBC SPORTS VIDEO: Highlights from Football Night and other NBC Sports programming are available to be embedded at NBCSports.com. Click the following links for:

Al Michaels’ interview with Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan:

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/45096943#45096943

Will Bill Cowher be coaching in 2012?
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/45097903#45097903

Tony Dungy on the Saints being out-hustled
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/45097783#45097783

Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray:

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/22825103/vp/45096944#45096944

ON SAINTS

Dungy: “What happened to the Saints? We had them last Sunday night and they looked like a juggernaut. They are playing their second straight winless team with a chance to control the division. They got totally out-hustled and got hit by the winless Rams.”

Harrison: “No way is that supposed to happen if you’re the New Orleans Saints. No way.”

Patrick: “How do the Saints go from being so good to so bad in a week’s time?”

Dungy: “Part of it is, instead of being at home, being on the road. They have not played well being on the road all year. But I have to credit the St. Louis Rams, they did not play like a winless team. I have never seen Drew Brees rattled like this and it started with that (Rams) defensive line.”

ON RAMS

Michaels: “The Rams were clearly inspired by the Cardinals.”

ON GIANTS

Harrison: “If you look at the Giants, yes, we know they can get to the quarterback, but they miss a lot of tackles, no gap responsibility, and lack of effort by some players.”

Harrison (while showing video highlights): “You look at Chris Canty, he’s a veteran player, look at the lack of hustle right here. This is not a division winning effort. Then you come up the middle with Reggie Bush, there are three guys right here, linebackers over pursuing, Kenny Phillips missing tackles, just a terrible effort. Then you have another one of your veteran defensive tackles (#95, Rocky Bernard) not hustling and completing the play.”

Harrison: “They’ve got the Patriots next week, they better come ready.”

Dungy: “They better play a lot better than this.”

ON BILLS

Dungy: “I’m on the Buffalo bandwagon now. My question with them was about their defense, but the way they played today, shutting down that running game, pressure, their defense played great today.”

Harrison: “When you talk about their defense, you talk about one guy in particular and that guy is George Wilson…He’s been getting it done all year round. At this midpoint, he should be Defensive Player of the Year.”

Dungy: “He’s had big plays, and he did it again today.”

ON RAVENS

Harrison: “Two teams that won today that still have some issues are the Ravens and the Giants. The Ravens have to find a way offensively to manufacture some touchdowns in the passing game.”

Harrison on Joe Flacco: “The last month of the season he’s thrown one touchdown and four interceptions. He has to play better.”

ON STEELERS

Dungy: “They shut Tom Brady down for the first time in a long time.”

Harrison: “Last year Pittsburgh tried to play a zone coverage and Tom Brady ate them alive. This year, they came out in basic man-to-man coverage.”

Harrison: “Pittsburgh’s defense, basically dominating the game and holding Tom Brady to under 200 yards passing.”

King: “Ryan Clark, the safety for the Steelers, told me a few minutes ago that this is the most press coverage that he’s played in the six years that he’s been a Pittsburgh Steeler. That to me was the huge difference in the game in frazzling both Wes Welker and Tom Brady.”

Harrison: “I think they are the best team in the AFC. Earlier in the year, everybody called them old and washed up.”

Patrick: “Yeah, that was like three weeks ago.” (laughter)

ON NEXT WEEK’S SNF RAVENS @ STEELERS

Collinsworth: “No matter what happens, when you get Baltimore and you get Pittsburgh together, and we’ve talked about it before, it’s probably the most electric game that we do every year.”

ON BRONCOS

Patrick: “No encore for Tim Tebow.”

Harrison: “Everyone is talking about Tim Tebow. Yes he played bad, but he’s not the only problem. You look at the offensive line, they gave up a bunch of sacks. He doesn’t have anybody to throw to down the field. The defense gave up 48 points. You can’t blame Tim Tebow for everything.”

Patrick: “I think the media overreacts when he does something great, and now they are going to overreact. He’s a rookie quarterback, basically, in his fifth start.”

Harrison: “Stay with Tim Tebow, ride it out.”

ON BENGALS

Dungy: “I’ve been on Cam Newton’s bandwagon, but Andy Dalton, the Cincinnati quarterback, and A.J. Green, they are for real and they’ve got a very, very good defense.”

ON EAGLES

Harrison on if he still thinks the Eagles are the best team in the East: “I do. I think they have the best quarterback. I think Washington is terrible, and the Giants are inconsistent.”

Dungy: “I believe Rodney. He has been saying it for three weeks now, so I am going with him – Eagles.”

ON COLTS

King on Andrew Luck: “I talked to Bill Polian, the Colts’ Vice Chairman and draft czar this week. He said, ‘We’ve made no decision whatsoever. We can’t. We don’t know where we are drafting, nothing like that.’ However, after I talked to him I thought two things: number one, they are not going to let Peyton Manning dictate anything about their first pick in the draft, and number two, if I had to guess right now, based on my conversation and based on knowing Bill Polian’s history, they will take Andrew Luck with the first pick of the draft, if they have it.”

ON DOLPHINS

Florio on rumors the team will hire a big name coach for next season: “Stay tuned in Miami. It’s not a done deal that they are going to go big.”

ON BILL COWHER & JON GRUDEN 2012 COACHING STATUS

King: “Everybody in America heard Bill Cowher say today, ‘I have no plans to return to coaching.’ He actually used the word ‘plan’ twice, saying he had no plans to coach. Coach, I’m sorry, I’m not buying it. The reason I’m not buying it is because if you have no plans to coach, what you say is, ‘I’m definitely not coaching next year.’ Bill Cowher will get some phone calls at the end of this year. The big thing that people will have to decide is, is five years out of the game too much?”

Florio: “This is all about throwing water on the talk during the season and deferring it to out of the season. Same thing with Jon Gruden; signs a five year exclusive deal with ESPN, but what does exclusive mean? Does it mean he can’t coach? Well, we’re not going to tell you that. So same idea, Gruden’s name stays out of the mix until January. I think Gruden and Cowher are both going to be in play.”

Patrick to Dungy: “Got any plans for 2012?”

Dungy: “No. Peter, it is easy to say. This is how you say it, ‘I’m definitely not coaching in 2012.’”

Following are highlights from Al Michaels’ interview with Cowboys defensive coordinator Roby Ryan, and Rodney Harrison’s interview with Eagles CB Nnamdi Asomugha:

ROB RYAN WITH AL MICHAELS

MICHAELS on Ryan’s father, Buddy, having been the head coach in Philadelphia and Arizona, both Cowboys rivals: What was his initial reaction when you got the job in Dallas?

RYAN: Disbelief. He was a little shocked by it. He’s like, ‘You’ve got all these other things going. Why here?’ I’m like, ‘Dad, it’s the best opportunity for me.’ It really has worked out great.

MICHAELS on Dallas’ defense playing better: What’s made the difference this year?

RYAN: Well, me. [joking; laughter]. Honestly, starting over with some Pro Bowl football players. All these guys have been in the Pro Bowl and deservedly so. We got all together and have been working hard ever since. We’re not all the way there yet, but we’re playing good ball and we’re going to keep doing it.

MICHAELS: You’ve been an assistant coach for 25 years, 10 different places, but no head coaching opportunity yet. Does that eat at you?

RYAN: I don’t think it’s going to eat much further. My chance will come. It only took my dad 25 years and, hell, he’s better than me and Rex put together. Those things happen. I’m not sure how it will go, but eventually I’ll get my chance to be a head coach.

RYAN on his war of words with Eagles WR Desean Jackson earlier this year: That was kind of annoying because we signed three great players the day before, so I’m bragging about those guys and all I’m hearing about is all these great players that Philadelphia had signed. It bothered me because I thought it was disrespecting the players that I coach and that I knew would be great for us.

RYAN on Jackson saying, ‘Maybe I can run on the sideline and tackle the coach’ and Ryan responding that he’ll fall on him: [Joking] There’s no question. Is he a good enough athlete to get it done? Absolutely. Am I a bad enough athlete to get tackled by a small guy? Sure, but I am going to fall on him. So I welcome the challenge. If he wants to come hit me, beautiful. A little guy like that not’s going to hit that hard anyway.

It would be fun to beat these guys. There’s no question. They have a ton of talent over there. They’re the fastest team I’ve ever seen on offense, but I always believe in hitting them in the mouth. We’ll see what happens.”

NNAMDI ASOMUGHA WITH RODNEY HARRISON

HARRISON: Three months in, is there anything you regret?

ASOMUGHA: No. Not at all…I don’t regret it because the journey isn’t over yet…Everyone’s hot and cold on us. And it’s all part of the journey. We know that at the end of this thing, we’re going to be better for what we’ve gone through right now. It’s coming together.

HARRISON: Will Philadelphia make the playoffs? Win the division?

ASOMUGHA: You can’t convince me that we’re not the team to beat. It may not look like it because we’ve lost those close games, and they’ve all been close games. We lost in the fourth quarter, really. You still can’t convince us that it’s not going to be our show to win.

–NBC Sports Group–

 

BOB COSTAS’ HALFTIME ESSAY ON ST. LOUIS RAMS

The Rams beat the Saints today in St. Louis, 31-21. The outcome was so stunning, the city threw a parade immediately after the game. All right, so the parade was for the Cardinals, and, in fact, the win by the Rams, a prohibitive underdog at home, was only the second-most miraculous thing that happened in St. Louis this week.

But still, how do you figure this?

A week ago, the Saints treated a winless Colt team like a Pop Warner squad facing the varsity. The final? 62-7. A few hours earlier, the Rams had dropped to a fully deserved 0-6 by losing 34-7 in Dallas. So, coming in to today, the Saints were averaging 37 points a game. The Rams had averaged nine. Until today, the Rams had often looked as if it would have taken them several plays to score even if the opposition had left the field. And to make matters worse, when it seemed they couldn’t possibly be, they were without last year’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, Sam Bradford. A.J. Feeley looking for all the world like a lamb being led to slaughter.

Instead, it was the Saints who got slaughtered. Down 24-0 at one point, and doing almost all their scoring after the issue had been decided. Feeley’s performance was efficiency personified: 175 yards, a touchdown and no picks. Meanwhile, Steven Jackson, a great player plagued for years by injuries and a weak supporting cast, had a mid-career flashback, reeling off 159 yards and two touchdowns.

Does any of this make sense? About as much sense as two comebacks from two runs down with two outs on the same night, twice down to your last strike in the World Series. In St. Louis this week, some things don’t have to be explained, just enjoyed.

Filed Under: NBC, NFL

Bill Cowher To Remain with CBS Sports

October 31, 2011 By admin

NEWS, NOTES & QUOTES FROM CBS SPORTS’ “THE NFL TODAY” WITH JAMES BROWN, DAN MARINO, SHANNON SHARPE,

BILL COWHER AND BOOMER ESIASON FOR WEEK 8 ON OCTOBER 30

BILL COWHER TO REMAIN WITH CBS SPORTS

► BILL COWHER ADDRESSED RUMORS AND SPECULATION ABOUT COACHING NEXT YEAR ON CBS SPORTS’ PRE-GAME SHOW, “THE NFL TODAY”

COWHER: I’d just like to say this. I’ve not been contacted directly or indirectly by any football team or any organization. It’s all speculation, and it’s unfortunate because it affects the lives of many people that are in the profession. I am here to say to you today, I do not plan on coaching next year. I love where I work, and more importantly I enjoy the people that I work with up here. So I can put all the speculation to rest. And if I have to repeat this in December again, I will. But you know what, J.B., it’s a tough profession, I know there is speculation out there. I’m flattered by it to be honest with you. But at the same time it affects too many
people’s lives. I like what I’m doing right here, and I plan on being back in the same seat next year.

Click to view: http://bit.ly/tYaiuM

►QUICK HITS

(On Andy Reid and Philadelphia)

COWHER: The story to me is in Philadelphia. Andy Reid coming off a bye, has not lost his entire career in Philadelphia. Although he’s playing a Dallas team that’s won five-of-the-last seven. You talk about a statement game. To me, this is their Waterloo. They have to win this game at 2‑4 at home playing against Dallas.

(On San Diego’s Kris Dielman suffering a concussion and continuing to play, then suffering a seizure)

BOOMER ESIASON: (Over video of the play and Dielman looking wobbly) Take a look at this video we have from last week’s game against the New York Jets. Another example, in my estimation, of negligence on the part of the San Diego Chargers and their medical staff. Now, there is a lot of pressure for him to stay in the game because there are no other linemen that can play. But you can clearly see here. What about his teammates saying something? How about the referees saying something? Yet he played and finished the game out. Then it was reported that he had a seizure on the way home on the airplane. I’m always talking about concussions, managing them and looking out for them. This was a clear dose of negligence in my eyes on the part of the San Diego Chargers and their medical staff.

►“INSIDE THE NFL” WITH CHARLEY CASSERLY

(On Congressional Committee possibly having hearings dealing with HGH and NFLPA)

CASSERLY: My Congressional sources told me what upset the committee was the fact that they offered to help the NFLPA solve any questions they might have with the testing procedures for HGH (Human Growth Hormone). The NFLPA (NFL Players Association) didn’t take them up on it. What Congress wants to see from a group is an interest in solving the problem. They have not seen that from the NFLPA. The next step, they’ll bring in and begin hauling people to Capitol Hill and start talking to them. And it won’t just be DeMaurice Smith, Union officials or League officials. They’re going to bring in players and put them under oath. And they’re going to ask them the tough questions. Are you taking HGH? Who is taking HGH? Where is it coming from? Are club officials knowledgeable of this? All under oath, just like they did in baseball. The first player I expect to be brought in, Buffalo Bills lineman, Shawne Merriman, who was put on injured reserve this week. Remember, he has been suspended in the past for using performance enhancing drugs.

Click to view report: http://bit.ly/t97alF

CASSERLY (On futures of Miami Coach Tony Sparano and Indianapolis Coach Jim Caldwell)

Click to view report: http://bit.ly/tBkpMu

CASSERLY (On Indianapolis potentially drafting Andrew Luck with Peyton Manning still as quarterback)

Click to view report: http://bit.ly/vMmrCx

►TRICKS & TREATS

THE NFL TODAY celebrates Halloween at Kris Jenkins’ house. You might be surprised at some of the NFL coaches and players who stopped by.

Click to view: http://bit.ly/rJIr7v

* * * * *

Filed Under: CBS, NFL

Strahan: If Suh Taunted Ryan, Why Didn’t Falcons Players Challenge Him on the Field?

October 31, 2011 By admin

FOX NFL SUNDAY NOTES – 10/30/11

Strahan: If Suh Taunted Ryan, Why Didn’t Falcons Players Challenge Him on the Field Instead of in the Media?

Glazer Reports That NFL GM’s Say Andrew Luck Is Biggest Prospect in 15 Years

Long: Tebow’s Mental Focus Is ‘Remarkable’

Bradshaw Picks Bengals Andy Dalton As His Top Rookie QB

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Following allegations by Atlanta Falcons players who said that during last week’s Falcons vs. Lions game, Detroit DT Ndamukong Suh taunted an injured Falcons QB Matt Ryan while Ryan laid on the field waiting for his team’s trainer, FOX NFL SUNDAY analyst Michael Strahan defended Suh:  “Ndamukong Suh is not a dirty player.  He is aggressive and he is a great player.  What I don’t understand, is players talking about what may have happened on the field, off the field.  A lot of stuff happens out there that can really get you put in jail.  I’m disappointed that it came off the field.  Also, if Suh said those things about Matt Ryan, then why wasn’t any Falcons player in his face to challenge Suh on the field instead of in the media?”

 

FOX NFL SUNDAY insider Jay Glazer reports that Suh asked to meet with Commissioner Goodell and the NFL’s officiating office: “In light of all the controversy, Ndamukong Suh is scheduled to go to New York this week to meet with Commissioner Goodell, the Commissioner’s office, the officiating department and Merton Hanks who hands out the fines.  It was Suh who actually asked to come in.  He wants to clarify why he keeps getting fined and what he’s doing wrong.  Suh also is going to plead his case that he shouldn’t be getting fined and shouldn’t be getting flagged.”

 

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Co-host Terry Bradshaw on if the Indianapolis Colts will draft Andrew Luck if they end up with the number 1 pick in the draft: “Absolutely you draft Andrew Luck.  You hope Peyton Manning can play another year or two, break this kid in and bring him along.”

 

Analyst Jimmy Johnson added: “Even if you don’t take Andrew Luck, it will be a valuable pick.  You can get a bonanza of picks for that number 1.”

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Insider Glazer reports that NFL GM’s think Stanford QB Andrew Luck is the best prospect to come out of college since Peyton Manning:  “I talked to six NFL GM’s this week specifically about Andrew Luck. They said this is the best prospect to come out of college since Peyton Manning.  Some think he’s an even better prospect than Peyton Manning.  The GM’s I talked to are saying Andrew Luck will be the most valuable pick in 15 years.”

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Analyst Howie Long is impressed with the mental toughness of Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow: “We see his will to compete, his toughness, the enthusiasm he generates not only in the stadium, but also within the football team.  I’ve never heard a player who hadn’t been arrested for shooting someone or something off the football field who’s been more criticized on a 24 hour, 7 day a week basis for the last few weeks than Tim Tebow.  For him to stay as mentally positive and focused on the task at hand is remarkable.”

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Johnson says two things need to happen for the Miami Dolphins to get either Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden as their next head coach:  “The Dolphins don’t have enough good players and they’re not going to have an opportunity for Jon Gruden or Bill Cowher unless they come up with a barrel of cash and the opportunity to get Andrew Luck.”

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Strahan responds to co-host Curt Menefee’s question on if the Giants got the better end of the deal by getting Eli Manning over Philip Rivers: “Everybody looks at Eli Manning and they think Peyton Manning.  Eli is not Peyton.  He never will be Peyton.  But if you look at him compared to Philip Rivers, his numbers are as great as his are.  I think Eli needs a little more credit than he’s given.”

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Johnson doesn’t believe the Saints can get home field advantage over the Packers: “The Saints running game is going well and it’s helping their defense and that team is on a roll right now. But in order for the Saints to make a run at the Super Bowl, they’ve got to get home field advantage and I don’t see them overtaking Green Bay so it’s going to be tough on them.”

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Strahan weighs in on the coaches who could be on the hot seat: “The three teams that are winless, I hate to say it but Steve Spagnuolo in St. Louis is under some fire.”

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Strahan on where Ravens LB Ray Lewis ranks on the all-time list of great linebackers: “Ray Lewis’ longevity has been amazing, but even more amazing than that has been his production over those years.  So I put him with the likes of Lawrence Taylor, Dick Butkus and Willie Lanier.”

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Co-host Terry Bradshaw ranks his top rookie quarterbacks this season:

 

5. Jake Locker (Tennessee Titans) – “Sorry Jake, but you have to play in the game to move up on the list.  Check back in 2012”

4. Blaine Gabbert (Jacksonville Jaguars) – “The Jaguars slowed the process with this kid when they decided to wait until the opener to cut David Garrard.  He needs weapons in Jacksonville in order to make more of an impact.”

3. Christian Ponder (Minnesota Vikings) – “This is the guy I’ve been waiting to see all season long.  He has great feet and a quick release.  Plus he’s deceptively fast so he can buy himself more time.  Working under center at Florida State, I thought he was truly ready for the pro game.  And oh by the way, Adrian Peterson helps.”

2. Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers) – “You can’t coach confidence and this kid has confidence.  If the rankings were just on wow factor alone, he would be No. 1.  Newton is playing like he’s been in the NFL forever and I’m shocked.  It’s amazing the coaching job they’ve done with him.”

1. Andy Dalton (Cincinnati Bengals) – “It’s all about wins in this league and Dalton has 4, Newton has 2.  That’s why he’s my number 1 guy.  He also has the number 1 quarterback rating among all rookies.  Like Newton, he plays with confidence and his accuracy of 62.4 percent is better than 20 other NFL starters.  The Bengals appear to have a bright future with Dalton.  The kid just wins.”

— FOX SPORTS —

 

Filed Under: FOX, NFL

ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown Notes and Quotes: Week 8

October 31, 2011 By admin

Sunday NFL Countdown host Chris Berman and analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, and Keyshawn Johnson previewed today’s NFL’s week 8 games with Suzy Kolber, analyst Merril Hoge, and NFL Insiders Adam Schefter and Chris Mortensen. Some excerpts:
On the Ravens offensive concerns:
Carter:  “He’s (quarterback Joe Flacco) completing 52% of his passes … This is my biggest concern in Baltimore.  I take my eyes off the quarterback and I go right to the wide receivers.  I don’t see the separation at the top of the route that I would like to see from the wide receiver to get the quarterback some separation.  Quarterbacks do not like to see wide receivers and DBs (defensive backs) married to each other at the top of the route.”
Jackson:  “His (Flacco’s) play has regressed from the time that he was a rookie when he won two playoff games on the road.  He is playing his worst football right now.  The guy who has to recognize that is the offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.  There is no way you can drop him back to throw the ball 41 times and at the same time give Ray Rice eight carries in a football game.  For once, I agree with those (Ravens) players who are complaining.  They’re complaining and they are doing it in the right way – ‘we need a different game plan to be successful.’”
Ditka:  “I don’t know Joe Flacco personally, but he is the most unemotional man I’ve ever watched on a football field.  He reminds me of the coach in Indianapolis … Here’s the thing, all the leadership on this football team is on the defensive side of the ball.  It doesn’t work that way.  You have to have leaders on offense.  You cannot win in this league with just one side of the ball.  You can’t win with just a great defense.”
Johnson:  “It is tough though at the quarterback position, or even for the offensive coordinator or the offensive staff, if you don’t trust the quarterback.  I don’t think the coaches trust the quarterback … The fact that he’s playing the way that he’s playing puts you in a bad situation to call plays, to game-plan because there’s no consistency.”
Berman:  “Only (Blaine) Gabbert and Kerry Collins have completed less passes than him.  Flacco is better than that.”
On teams losing for (Andrew) Luck:
Hoge:  “All players have a job.  They have mortgages.  It is what they do for a living.  I remember in my rookie year, we were like 5-10 – bad, bad year.  I was listening to Chuck Knoll’s press conference, he was asked – ‘Coach, this is going to be a very hard team to evaluate?’  He said, ‘no, it is going to be the easiest one I’ve ever evaluated.’  It caught my attention.  Really, why?  He was like, ‘because I know who already quit.’  You know what is interesting, half the guys were gone the next year.  They are playing for their jobs.”
Carter:  “I was on the Vikings, we were 15-1.  We decided to draft Daunte Culpepper compared to drafting Jevon Kearse.  Me, as a veteran, I think it was my 13th or 14th year, I’m like, my future is right now.  I don’t have a future.  Football players, it is not in our DNA when we go onto the field not to go at a 100%.”
Mortensen:  “A guy like Peyton Manning hasn’t been placed on injury reserve.  We don’t think he’s going to be playing in December.  I know this much, if he were healthy enough to play the last two games and he was still active.  If he can help Jeff Saturday and all his teammates from losing a game so they won’t be an 0-and-16 team, you know darn well he’d do that.”
Reaction to NFL players asking out of the game:
Hoge:  “Tapping out means a sign of weakness …I played in the league, I never tapped out.”
Johnson:  “I totally disagree with you.  In 1998, AFC Championship game up in Denver, we were playing the Denver Broncos, I tapped out …I couldn’t go the next play.  I felt the backup who is a good receiver in Alex Van Dyke, they just drafted him, they drafted him to do this – all I needed was eight seconds … Sometimes, players have to get their breather or they are going to hurt the team.”
Hoge:  “The winded thing though, bothers me.  You’ve got 35 seconds in the huddle to recover.”
Johnson:  “I’m not going to sit up here and act like you are a great athlete, you can’t tap out.”
Should 0-6 Dolphins make coaching change now?
Carter:  “They might want to blame it on the coach, but they’ve got a lot of problems there.  They have a football credibility problem as far as the people making the decisions.”
Ditka:  “I don’t believe in changing a coach in the middle of the season.  I don’t think that’s going to change anything.  This is an organizational disaster – top to bottom.  They made bad decisions since Bill (Parcells) left, and they have to live with them now.”
On Tim Tebow:
In a one-on-one interview with his former teammate and Countdown analyst Tom Jackson, Denver Broncos executive vice president for football operations and Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway discussed the Broncos:
Elway on Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow:  “As much as we love the kid, I mean, I’d love my daughter to marry him – that’s how special the kid is and he does everything right.  But the bottom-line is, we’ve got to look at his football ability and is that going to give us the ability next year, two years, three years, and four years, down the line to be competitive and compete for the championship.”
 
Jackson on believing in Tebow:  “I have my doubts.  I know that mechanics mean something.  I know that the ability to throw the ball is meaningful – accuracy, elongated throw, reading of defenses and anticipating where wide receivers are.  I am saying this and it is going to sound so mysterious, there is something about him that is unexplained, or maybe inexplicable, that you see it and you see it at the end of games.”
Johnson:  “In the quarterback position, you have to play it to give your team a chance to win the football game … All the intangibles in the huddle is great, but you have to be able to play that position.”
Ditka:  “As a coach, did I want every player that comes to me to be a finished product?  That’d be wonderful.  That’s not going to happen.  He’s a work in progress.  But that coach has to help him.  If I had his competitive spirit, nobody will hold me back.”
Carter:  “Football is a game of fundamentals. The reason why Tebow is having problems is because his fundamentals aren’t very good.  That’s why you see 55 minutes of bad football … For me, I can’t forgive and forget.  I can’t forget when he misses wide open guys.”
On impressions of Cam Newton:
Ditka:  “Poise under pressure.  His (Cam Newton’s) presence in the pocket, he stands so tall, it’s unbelievable.  And to deliver the ball the way he does, with people all around him, this guy is the real deal.”
Jackson:  “I met him a couple of times.  It is not often that you run into a professional player who is physically dominant over the rest of the players in the league.  Would he be able to pick up a pro system?  It’s something that I heard a lot when he was coming into the league.  It is true, when they called the plays at Auburn, it was literally a number.  He’d go into the huddle and go ‘53,’ and all the other guys had to know what 53 meant.  He has picked up the system.  He is perfect, in form and technique, kind of Anti-Tebow, and does all the things well.”
Kolber:  “This is something that coach (Ron) Rivera said that was so impressive about his progress and about making these reads and about being able to see defenses and nobody was sure he could.  That in the preseason, everybody was critical of the ball which seemed to go high, but on the play-sheet, he was making the right decisions.  They were already thrilled because, they said, his mind is getting it.  If his body can catch up to the speed of the game, he’s got it.  He did it right.”
— 30 —

Filed Under: ESPN, NFL

“If there’s one word that describes his legacy to me, it’s ‘underappreciated’ and it started day one.” – STEVE MARIUCCI on the legacy of QB DONOVAN MCNABB — News & Sound Bites From Week 8 Edition of ‘NFL GAMEDAY MORNING’

October 31, 2011 By admin

“Right now, I’m just seeing myself here being the backup for the Minnesota Vikings, helping Christian Ponder. After this year, we’ll see.” – Vikings QB Donovan McNabb on his future in 1-on-1 Interview with Andrea Kremer

 

“If there’s one word that describes his legacy to me, it’s ‘underappreciated’ and it started day one.” – Steve Mariucci on the legacy of QB Donovan McNabb

 

“All the great quarterbacks…all of them have the intangibles, but they also had the ability to deliver at 3rd and five. The game is too hard if you can’t play it methodically because you’re going to go against methodical guys like Tom Brady.” – Michael Irvin on if QB Tim Tebow can win solely on intangibles

 

“Jim Harbaugh’s team might be the one team that can take a couple days off and not lose their edge and toughness.” – Warren Sapp on the San Francisco 49ers

 

 

NFL GameDay Morning is the FIRST pregame show on the air Sunday morning at 9:00 AM ET, taking viewers straight up to kickoff. Host Rich Eisen joins analysts Michael Irvin, Warren Sapp, Marshall Faulk, Steve Mariucci and new analyst Kurt Warner to bring fans the latest news, injury reports, pregame analysis and game previews.

Andrea Kremer 1-on-1 Interview with Vikings QB Donovan McNabb:

NFL Network special correspondent Andrea Kremer sat down with Vikings quarterback Donovan McNabb to discuss his feelings on going from the Vikings starting QB to backing up rookie Christian Ponder and if he thinks he should still be starting.  McNabb addresses the report last week by NFL Network & NFL.com analyst Michael Lombardi about his work habits in Washington and Minnesota following his successful years as the quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. McNabb also addresses what went wrong in Washington and his relationship with Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan:

 

“Coming into this season, I was looking for great things.  I thought it was all in hand, right here. We have the best running back in the game. An offensive line that has done great things over the years, a defense that has been ranked in the top ten every year. Those are things that I looked at. And I was very excited about this opportunity.” – McNabb on his expectations entering the 2011 season

“Well, no. But I mean, he’s a young guy; the fans got a little excited for the time being. It’s unfortunate what happened in the game against Green Bay, but it was kind of the same pattern of what has been going on.” – McNabb on if he believes Christian Ponder can provide a spark that he can’t

 

“It’s total B.S. And even last year I was one of the first ones in the building and the last to leave.  And the same here. I’m upstairs after watching film and going to meetings and I’m eating dinner with coaches and then going back and watching more film in the film room. For something like that to come out is ridiculous.” – McNabb on reports regarding his work ethic being poor

 

“Well, no one’s going to bring it up unless they’re asked.  Just ask any of them and they’ll tell you.” – McNabb on his teammates coming to his defense to refute reports regarding his work ethic

 

“You know, it speaks for itself. Downfield throws have been something that I’ve kind of made my name with. Making plays sometimes with my legs, those are things that I’ve been doing all throughout my years. Can I play better? Absolutely. It starts with the quarterback, obviously because we’re the ones that are magnified, but there are other guys out there as well.” – McNabb on his performance this season

 

“Right now, I’m just seeing myself here being the backup for the Minnesota Vikings, helping Christian Ponder. After this year, we’ll see.” – McNabb on if he sees himself being a career backup

 

Kremer: Even your agent, your long-time agent, said the way that Shanahan handled you was quote, “Disrespectful and disgraceful.”

 

McNabb: Well, I mean, it speaks for itself.

 

Kremer: Well, what are your thoughts on that?

 

McNabb: Disrespectful and disgraceful.

 

Kremer: You agree with that?

 

McNabb: I do.

 

“It’s ridiculous. I mean, if you want to solidify your move of going with somebody else, just say, ‘Hey, he wasn’t playing well. We’re going to rally behind whoever comes up.’ Whatever. But now when you start to challenge my intelligence, you’re going to challenge my manhood, everything that I’ve been able to accomplish throughout the years, that’s disrespectful.” – McNabb on Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan citing McNabb’s lack of stamina and knowledge of two-minute drill as reason for benching in 2010

 

“When people begin to challenge your ethnic background. ‘You’re not black enough. He doesn’t stand up for the black community.’ That’s completely false. It pisses me off at times when people say that about my work ethic. For anyone to challenge that and not to come and see the way that I work; and they make their own judgment, that pisses me off, because now you’re expressing to people, who don’t know me, who just listen to what commentators say or what reporters write. That’s the opinion they’re going to take.” – McNabb on what criticisms over the years hurt him the most

To view Kremer’s 1-on-1 with McNabb, please visit:

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d82394777/Sunday-Sitdown-McNabb-part-1 – part I

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d8239475e/Sunday-Sitdown-McNabb-part-2 – part II

Quotes from NFL GameDay Morning:

 

“I don’t think he’s ever gotten the due that he deserves and now with the last couple years and all this speculation, I think that’s been the most disappointing part to him. It’s not just about what he did or did not do on the football field, it’s become something bigger than that.” – Kurt Warner on Vikings QB Donovan McNabb

 

“If there’s one word that describes his legacy to me, it’s ‘underappreciated’ and it started day one.” – Steve Mariucci on the legacy of QB Donovan McNabb

“Nobody sacks the quarterback more than the New York Giants and nobody has a better fourth quarter passer rating when it counts than Eli Manning.” – Steve Mariucci on the New York Giants being the best team in the NFC East

 

“I like what I saw from DeMarco Murray. I felt like this guy has all the intangibles of being an every down back and it showed against the Rams.” – Marshall Faulk on Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray

 

“This is how he plays the game of football. If you want to have a chance to win, you have to play like this. By asking him to drop back in the pocket and be a pocket passer, that’s trying to fit a square peg in a round hole, it doesn’t fit.” – Marshall Faulk on Broncos QB Tim Tebow and his playing style

 

“All the great quarterbacks…all of them have the intangibles, but they also had the ability to deliver at 3rd and five. The game is too hard if you can’t play it methodically because you’re going to go against methodical guys like Tom Brady. So you may win in Miami, but you may not win anywhere else if you can’t play the game traditionally sometimes.” – Michael Irvin on if QB Tim Tebow can win solely on intangibles

 

“Jim Harbaugh’s team might be the one team that can take a couple days off and not lose their edge and toughness.” – Warren Sapp on the San Francisco 49ers

“Big Ben cannot get into a quarterback duel with Tom Brady; he’ll lose that. The best way is not to say, ‘you throw, I throw.’ It’s to say, ‘I throw, I throw, I throw, because I’m going to run the ball and not let you get the ball.’” – Michael Irvin on how the Steelers offense should attack Patriots defense

 

“I don’t mind if you pull out your starters and you put in your backups and even if you let your backups throw it around a little bit to get them experience. But I think it’s the manner in which it happened and the manner in which you run up the score that I didn’t like very much.” – Kurt Warner on the Saints scoring 60 points versus Indianapolis

 

“I remember getting a phone call from Emmitt after T.O. went to the star. Emmitt says, ‘man, you believe that, what T.O. did? I said, ‘what are you calling me for? You had 60 minutes to do something about it.’ You don’t like guys scoring? Stop it.” – Michael Irvin on if it’s fair or foul for teams to run up the score in a game

 

“This offense seems like it’s out of time; it’s not timed up correctly and when you’re running against a defense that has press man, the timing has to be exquisite.” – Michael Irvin on the Baltimore Ravens offense

 

Bold Predictions:

Steve Mariucci: After Week 8 games, Panthers QB Cam Newton will lead league in rushing touchdowns

 

Marshall Faulk: For the first time in his career, Cowboys QB Tony Romo will not throw an interception versus the Philadelphia Eagles. Romo has thrown an interception in all his previous seven regular season contests vs. Philadelphia.

 

Kurt Warner: At least two teams will be shut out Week 8

Warren Sapp: The New York Giants will have 10 sacks vs. the Miami Dolphins

Michael Irvin: The New Orleans Saints will score 60 points for 2nd straight week

 

‘Front Office View’ with Michael Lombardi

 

On Bears RB Matt Forte contract negotiations:

What happens often times is that you have two negotiations from a front office standpoint. You negotiate with your owner and you must secure money from him and then you negotiate with the player. I think the problem here was Chicago didn’t anticipate what it was going to cost to pay Matt Forte, so when they negotiated with the owner, they got a little less money. It’s tough to go back to the owner and ask for more, but clearly Forte, like Marshall Faulk is a multi-dimensional running back. He leads the team in receptions, he leads the team in rushing, he protects the football. He’s multi-dimensional and when you have that type of player and your offense is built around him, you have to sign him. So the Bears may have to just humbly go ask the owner for more cash.

The take on FB Peyton Hillis’ contract situation with the Browns:

The take should be what Mike Holmgren has done; he’s backed away, not because Peyton Hillis has fired all his agents, but because you need consistency before you get rewarded with a contract. Matt Forte wants a new contract, he’s playing lights out. Hillis wants a new contract, he’s got strep throat, he’s got a hamstring problem, he’s got one year of on-the-field production. Holmgren is doing the right thing in my mind; back off, let this thing play out. Let Hillis focus on being a productive player before we reward him with a huge contract just because he was on Madden 2012.

Obviously, this is a business and every player knows you have to perform before you get paid and even though you might not have the contract that you want – DeSean Jackson doesn’t have it in Philadelphia – but you still perform and you still make money – Matt Forte in Chicago. You have to bury the contract and play well. Then you’ll get the contract.

For the latest from the ‘Front Office View’ of Michael Lombardi, please visit: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d8238d1db/article/halloween-time-plenty-of-tricks-treats-in-nfl-this-season?module=HP11_writer_experts

‘Inside Slant’ with Jason La Canfora

On the Baltimore Ravens offense:

There’s a lot of issues with the offense, but let’s face it – there’s personnel issues, but the front office is stable, they’re not going anywhere. Joe Flacco hasn’t been great, but he’s not going anywhere. Cam Cameron is the person immediately under fire with what Terrell Suggs said Monday night. There’s been whispers in that locker room for a while now asking: why isn’t there more pace to the offense, why don’t we use Ray Rice more, particularly against teams that play press man coverage on them like Jacksonville and Tennessee did. Why aren’t there more bunch formations or run plays to get the young tight ends more involved; use more motion to get Anquan Boldin moving around. All those things have been talked about in that locker room. This team thought about changing offensive coordinators last year, despite the run to the playoffs. They ultimately decided to stick with Cameron, in part because of the lockout and all that uncertainty. But Jim Zorn was very close with Flacco. Flacco and Cameron have never been particularly cozy, so if they don’t pick it up in the second half of the year, there is a great potential for a change at coordinator. And Flacco wanted that contract extension; he may have to play out his rookie contract at this point because if those numbers don’t get better in the second half, I don’t see a new contract being done immediately.

 

On Bill Cowher’s potential return to coaching:

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has not directly called Bill Cowher or his agents, but associates of Ross have contacted Cowher’s agents to begin a little preliminary gauging of interest. There is mutual interest between both parties and I do believe ultimately Cowher will end up being the next head coach of the Miami Dolphins, particularly with Jon Gruden staying in the broadcast booth, but there will be some potential hurdles. Carl Peterson, longtime associate of Ross, former president of the Kansas City Chiefs, what’s his role in all this, if any? Can Cowher bring in all the people with him that he’d like to bring? And there is always money, although I do expect Ross to spend big. Omar Khan of the Pittsburgh Steelers is very likely to end up wherever Cowher is to help run that front office. Tom Moore, another name to keep an eye on, could be a part of Cowher’s offensive staff; we know how long he was with Peyton Manning in Indianapolis.

 

On head coach Todd Haley’s future in Kansas City:

This was another area where an owner came out and made a statement that there was no problems here between the coach and the GM, but I’ve talked to a lot of people in that building and around that team and most certainly a change could still come here if they don’t get back into the Playoffs. I look for Josh McDaniels to be someone that ultimately Scott Pioli brings in. If you look at what Pioli’s done, guys from that inner circle whom he had with him in New England, McDaniels is a part of that inner circle. Matt Cassel had the best success with McDaniels helping to coach him and there’s a lot of potential for this to come to pass.

On Bills and contract negotiations with RB Fred Jackson:

The next man up is Fred Jackson to be paid. Stevie Johnson needs a contract as well, but I’ve been continuously told that Jackson was next on the list after they got Ryan Fitzpatrick done. The Bills only want to do one contract at a time, they focus their energies that way. So now it’s Jackson; Johnson maybe gets franchised, something like that. They rather not franchise Jackson, he’s the NFL’s leader in scrimmage yards and is a huge part of their offense and they want to take care of him.

On NFL.com the following video clips from NFL GameDay Morning are available for viewing:

 

McNabb’s legacy – Donovan McNabb has so far had a career filled with ups and downs. How should the quarterback be remembered?

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d82397bbb/McNabb-s-legacy

Who will top the NFC East? – The Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles meet on Sunday night in a division thriller. But is either team the best in the NFC East?

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d82396e11/Who-will-top-the-NFC-East

 

M and M debate – Which receiver will step up when the Patriots and Steelers battle Sunday? Are the Bengals for real? Michael Irvin and Marshall Faulk answer various topics around the league.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d82397770/M-and-M-debate

Bold Predictions in Week 7 – Will a rookie end up a league leader? The Saints to score 60 again? The NFL GameDay Morning crew gives their bold predictions for week 8.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d82396fe5/Week-8-bold-predictions

 

Tebow’s limits – How far can Tim Tebow’s intangibles take him? The NFL GameDay Morning crew discusses the quarterback’s potential.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d82397181/Tebow-s-limits

 

Rise of Newton – Cam Newton is having a record-breaking rookie year. Steve Mariucci discusses why the quarterback is so successful.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d823971d4/Rise-of-Newton

“Players Only” discussion – Was it fair for the Saints to run up the score last week against the Colts? Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Michael Irvin and Warren Sapp debate various topics on “Players Only.”

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d8239752e/Players-Only-discussion

Fantasy greats for Week 8 – Need last minute fantasy advice? Warren Sapp and fantasy expert Michael Fabiano give their week 8 fantasy greats.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d82396920/Fantasy-greats-for-week-8

 

What to look for in Week 8 – Will the Broncos carry their momentum from last week’s win? Can DeMarco Murray back up his monstrous performance? The NFL GameDay Morning crew discusses what to watch out for.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d823967e6/What-to-look-for-in-week-8

Jonesing for Football – Live out of his mother’s basement, The Daily Show’s Jason Jones is joined by Bills WR Stevie Johnson in the first installment of “Jonesing for Football.”

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-network-gameday/09000d5d82396bb8/Jonesing-for-football

EXTRA POINTS:

  • Thursday Night Football Kicks Off November 10 with Raiders vs. Chargers:

For the sixth season, the ‘Run to the Playoffs’ starts on NFL Network with the 2011 debut of Thursday Night Football November 10 at 8:00 PM ET featuring the Oakland Raiders vs. San Diego Chargers. In all, fans get an additional eight nights of primetime NFL action over seven weeks (Weeks 10-16) featuring four division leaders and on Thanksgiving, a historic matchup in Baltimore pitting head coaching brothers Jim and John Harbaugh against each other as the San Francisco 49ers face the Ravens. This season, Thursday Night Football is headlined by new booth announcing team Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock. Both are currently also calling college football games with Nessler lending his voice to primetime matchups on ESPN and ABC, while Mayock provides analysis of Notre Dame contests for NBC. Despite their college expertise, they are no strangers to the NFL broadcast booth as Nessler called the Raiders-Broncos Monday Night Football opening weekend game this season, while Mayock provided analysis on Seattle’s Wild Card playoff upset over the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints last year. As the third member of the broadcast team, Alex Flanagan returns for her second season reporting from the sideline.

  • A Football Life: Tom Landry Premieres Thursday: Tom Landry commanded the sideline for the Dallas Cowboys with a stoic demeanor and iconic hat, overseeing a football team that operated with machine-like efficiency. Yet behind the myth and mystique was a father figure that stood in contrast to the image of an unemotional head coach, all of which is revealed in Tom Landry: A Football Life Thursday, November 3 at 10:00 PM ET. Through interviews with former players Roger Staubach, Drew Pearson, and Mike Ditka, New York Giants teammate Frank Gifford, and various media personalities, an all-encompassing profile of the Hall of Fame coach is provided. A Football Life is a new series by the Emmy Award-winning producers at NFL Films, offering untold stories into the lives of some the NFL’s most recognizable icons. Each documentary provides unprecedented access to each featured individual to tell the story of how their legacy is forever intertwined in the fabric of NFL history.
  • The Coaches Show is Back: The Coaches Show returns for its third season airing Mondays at 6:30 PM ET. The weekly half-hour show features former head coaches Brian Billick and Jim Mora who have been on the sidelines and experienced the ups and downs associated with being at the helm of a team in the National Football League.  During the 30-minute show, the duo share situations and experiences from their careers that remain applicable to today’s head coach.
  • Third Season of Wildly Popular NFL RedZone: After a successful sophomore season that has transfixed NFL fans across the country, NFL RedZone is back for 2011 at 1:00 PM ET/10:00 AM PT. Hosted by Scott Hanson and produced by NFL Network from its state-of-the-art studio in Los Angeles at NFL Network’s headquarters in Los Angeles, NFL RedZone whips around every NFL game on Sunday afternoons delivering the touchdowns and most exciting moments as they happen and in high definition.  When a team goes inside the 20-yard line, fans see the crucial plays live. The channel keeps fans up-to-date in real time, switching from game to game with live look-ins, highlights and a chance to see every important play.  NFL RedZone has more than quadrupled its distribution roster since its rookie campaign last season with availability more than 140 affiliates across the country. In addition, the channel is also available at every NFL stadium. For more information visit:  http://redzonetv.nfl.com/?icampaign=redzone_mb

 

NFL GameDay Morning begins the NFL Network schedule on Sundays, which will now be called “NFL GameDay.”  Following NFL GameDay Morning will be NFL GameDay StatZone at 1:00 PM ET, NFL GameDay Scoreboard at 4:00 PM ET, NFL GameDay Highlights at 7:30 PM ET and NFL GameDay Final at 11:30 PM ET.

NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the only television network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football.  For more information, log on to www.nfl.com/nflnetwork.  NFL.com is the exclusive Internet home of NFL videos and NFL Network.

– NFL NETWORK –

Filed Under: NFL, NFL Films

World Series Game 6 Bangs It Out-Of-The-Park For FOX

October 28, 2011 By admin

Highest-Rated & Most Watched WS Game Since ‘09

FOX Posts Best Night for Network since May; Best Thursday Night since March

 

Epic.  Unforgettable.  Dramatic.  Pick an adjective; they all apply to Game 6 of the 2011 World Series, as would many, many more.

Last night, Game 6 of the 2011 Fall Classic was just that – a classic, and tens of millions of Americans watched the fireworks unfold on FOX as clutch hits and late-game home runs filled Missouri’s chilly autumn sky.  The St. Louis Cardinals, on the brink and down to their final strike not once, but twice, came back and beat the Texas Rangers 10-9 in 11 innings to force a decisive Game 7 tonight.  It is the first Game 7 in the World Series since 2002, a nine-year span unprecedented in baseball since adopting the best-of-seven format in 1922.

Game 6 posted a 12.7/21 fast national household rating/share with an average viewership of 21.1 million viewers, and is the highest-rated and most-watched World Series game since Game 6 of the 2009 World Series (13.4/22, 22.3 million), according to Nielsen Media Research.  Ten World Series games have been played since then.  It is also the highest-rated World Series game not involving the New York Yankees since Game 4 in 2005 (13.0/21), and is the most-watched World Series game sans the nationally popular Yankees and Boston Red Sox since Game 7 in 2002 (30.8 million).

Through six games, the 2011 World Series on FOX is averaging a 9.3/15 in household rating/share, with 15.3 million viewers, +11% in rating over last year (8.4/14, 14.3 million) and 2008 (8.4/14, 13.6 million).  Both were five game series.  The current 9.3/15 average for the 2011 World Series would rank as the sixth highest-rated show (live+same day) in primetime, a ranking that is likely to improve with the inclusion of tonight’s rare Game 7.

The World Series on FOX Game 6 powered the network to a first place finish in Households and all key Adult, Male and Female demographics while setting numerous impressive benchmarks:

  • Among Households, FOX averaged an 11.8 rating from 8:00-11:00 PM, easily eclipsing CBS (7.5), ABC (5.0), and NBC (2.7).
  • Last night’s 11.8, with 19.4 million viewers in primetime gave FOX the highest-rated and most-watched night in Households on any network this broadcast season.
  • The 11.8 rating and 19.4 million viewers in Primetime made last night FOX’s highest-rated and most-watched night since the American Idol Finale in May.
  • Among Adults 18-49, FOX was just as dominant averaging a 5.6, beating CBS (3.0), ABC (2.8), and NBC (1.7).

Last night’s game opened with an 8.5 at 8:00 PM ET and grew steadily throughout the night averaging 11.7 from 9:00-9:30 PM ET; 12.9 from 10:00-10:30 PM ET; and 13.2 from 11:00-11-30 PM ET.  The broadcast peaked with a 15.0 HH rating and 25.2 million viewers from midnight-12:30 AM ET.

As mentioned, from 8:00 to 11:00 PM ET, Game 6 averaged an 11.8 HH rating, with 19.4 million viewers.  From 11:00 PM ET to its conclusion, the game averaged a 14.3 HH rating, with 23.9 million viewers, +21% in rating and +23% in viewership compared to Primetime.  Post mid-night, the game averaged a 14.8 rating and 24.9 million viewers, +25% in rating and +28% in average audience.

St. Louis led all local markets for Game 6 with a 49.4/70, peaking at a 57.0/75 from 10:30-11:00 PM ET, with the final quarter hour averaging a 53.1/82.  Dallas averaged a World Series-high 47.1/67, while peaking at 55.7/81 from 11:15-11:30 PM ET.

 

Filed Under: FOX, MLB, Ratings

“What They’re Saying” About the World Series Heading into Game Seven

October 28, 2011 By admin

“WHAT THEY’RE SAYING” ABOUT THE WORLD SERIES HEADING INTO GAME SEVEN

21.1 million viewers tuned in to watch Game 6 of the 2011 World Series, an 11-inning classic. Celebrities, media, players, legends, and baseball personalities have been commenting through social media and in interviews on last night’s game, which at its peak, had nearly one-third of TVs on in America tuned to the game and 80% of TVs on in St. Louis and Dallas. Social media was also buzzing last night, with five World Series-related topics trending worldwide at various points throughout the night.

Coverage of the 37th World Series Game 7 in history (among best-of-seven series) begins tonight at 7:30pm ET on FOX. It will be the 38th game of the 2011 Postseason (out of a possible 41), tied with 2003 for the most games required to crown a World Series champion.

Here is What They’re Saying:

__________________________________________________________________

“There may have been other all-time great games that were better played from start to finish, but none that had as many twists and turns and on-the-brink moments as this one did. The combination of heroics, gaffes, debatable decisions and late-inning dramatics in front of a delirious hometown crowd puts this on the short list of the most memorable games I’ve ever seen.” – MLB Network’s Bob Costas

“Last night’s game was awful, then it was thrilling, then implausible, then impossible. It reminded me of Game 6 in the 1986 WS and an earlier seesaw game that ended with the same 10-9 score: Game 7 of the 1960 World Series.” – John Thorn, Official Historian of Major League Baseball

“Boy that was exciting. I always say it ain’t over til it’s over, but that one should’ve been over a while ago.” – Baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra

“I was watching last night and I’m just so happy for the game of baseball. My moment became very vivid again and it reminds us all why we should never give up. Hopefully there’s more to follow tonight.” – Two-time World Series champion and D-backs manager Kirk Gibson

“It was edge-of-your-seat exciting. Just when you thought it was over twice, down to the last pitch, the Cardinals came back. It definitely makes you remember the stress and the excitement of it and at the same time, how nerve wracking it was for both sides because it was a see-saw battle late in the game.” – 2001 World Series champion Luis Gonzalez

“Go Crazy Folks, Go Crazy!” – Baseball Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith

“On the ‘almost anniversary’ of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, the St. Louis Cardinals had their moment by the Mississippi. There were no villains last night, no Bill Buckners, just a bunch of guys who have decided for the last two months that they are going to win every time they are declared done. Last night’s game was a standing ovation to the eternal game of baseball.” – Ron Darling, SNY/TBS Baseball Analyst

“This was the greatest game I’ve ever seen in my life. We’ve never seen anything like this before. There were two runs in the ninth, followed by two runs in the tenth, and finished with a walkoff. I’ve played in some exciting games before, but this tops it. – MLB Network’s Kevin Millar

“It was ugly early, but it was fantastic late, and because of all the drama, it was one of the greatest games I’ve ever seen. The only thing I can compare it to is when the Yankees came back against the Diamondbacks’ Byung-Hyum Kim in the 2001 World Series.” – MLB Network’s Harold Reynolds

“Game 6 of the World Series had more twists and turns than a Quentin Tarantino movie. It also showed that you don’t necessarily need the Yankees, Red Sox nor Phillies in the Fall Classic to create such compelling drama. And now the Cardinals and Rangers have provided baseball fans with the two most earth-shattering words in sports, “GAME SEVEN”!!” – Chris Rose, Host MLB on FOX/Host MLB Network’s “Intentional Talk”

“All I can say is that in baseball you have never seen it all.” – Frank Thomas, MLB.com Analyst

“At first I thought I was watching an ear-biting tired Holyfield-Tyson rematch, then I ended up with an Ali-Frazier thriller.” – Doug Glanville, ESPN Baseball Analyst

“It was one of those games the next day people are asking each other, ‘Did you stay up and see that game?’ And, ‘How many people did you wake up to finish watching the game?’“ – Nomar Garciaparra, ESPN Baseball Analyst

“That’s the beauty of baseball- you can’t take a knee and run the clock out- you can’t foul the worst free throw shooter on the other team- you’ve got to get all the outs- that’s why I love this game!” – Aaron Boone, ESPN Baseball Analyst

PLAYER TWEETS:

“Not much to say but thanks everybody. Like I said though… unfinished business. One more. #worldseries #totalteamwin“ – Cardinals 3B David Freese (at 3:15am CT)

“1 Game Series………this is October baseball….. #WorldSeries“ – Phillies CF Shane Victorino

“This is why baseball is the greatest sport ever!!!! #game7 who’s ready? #WorldSeries“ – Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Romero

“Ummmm, when is Freese’s statue being built??? #wow #unreal #bestgameofhislife“ – Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista

“Is this real life??? #omg #clutch“ – Bautista (during 10th inning)

“Oh my god this is crazy” – Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen (after Freese game-tying hit in 9th)

“Baseball = greatest sport eva!!!” – Three-time World Series champion Curt Schilling (during 10th inning)

“And that’s why you play baseball for moments like these! #WorldSeries #walkoff“ – Rockies CF Dexter Fowler

“This is why baseball is the greatest game in the world” – Royals 1B Eric Hosmer

“HOLY COW!!!!! That just happened! Baseball is amazing!” – Yankees P Joba Chamberlain, after Freese game-tying hit in 9th

“Wow, what a game last night. I will gladly sacrifice a few hrs of sleep staying up watching that.” – Pirates pitcher Daniel McCutchen

“Que juego! World series game 6 was intense. Quien piensan ustedes que va a ganar? Who do u guys think will win?” – Yankees 2B Robinson Cano

“What a game! What a series! Thanks to both teams. See you tomorrow night. Oh…way to swing it Mr. ‘Freeze’. Congrats. #WorldSeries“ – Seven-time All-Star Dale Murphy

“WOW. Unbelievable game 6. Definitely worth staying up for!” – Yankees P David Robertson

“OMG hahahah wow” – Rays 3B Evan Longoria (during 10th inning)

“Wow!!!!! What a game!!!!!” – Angels OF Torii Hunter (during 10th inning)

 

TWEETS FROM CELEBRITIES AND NON-BASEBALL FIGURES

“CARDS WIN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” – Chris Daughtry, Musician and Game 7 National Anthem singer

“That was the kind of game that would have made a baseball fan out of a non-fan. #WorldSeries“ – actress Alyssa Milano

“Even though the Rangers didn’t win… That was hands down one of the greatest/most entertaining baseball games I’ve ever seen.” – Music artist Nick Jonas

“DAM just landed in china! Can’t believe I missed a great game like dat!”“WAY 2GO CARDS!!!#FLYBIRDSFLY 1mo” – Nelly, Recording Artist

“Big bummer that my Rangers didn’t win it tonight but I have to say that Freese did a great job ….even though he’s a Cardinal and we’re gonna beat him tomorrow 🙂 WE’LL WIN IT TOMORROW RANGERS!!!” – Kelly Clarkson, Recording Artist, Texas Native

“One of the best baseball games you will EVER see!! Unbelievable. I only hope game 7 tomorrow night is half as good as this one. #worldseries“ – Nick Lachey

“Amazing World Series game tonight !!! Can’t wait for game 7. May the best team win !!!” – Billy Ray Cyrus, Musician

“Tom, but we had MUCH more DRAMA! “@tompapa: @greggrunberg it’s just like when we played at #MLB AllStar Game!” – Exchange between actor/comedians Tom Papa and Greg Grunberg, who both played in the 2011 Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game

“You’re missing some good baseball if you’re not watching the World Series right now.” – Actor Donald Faison

“Best baseball game I ever seen in my life wow I still can’t believe it” – Boston Celtics F Paul Pierce

“This is the best baseball game I’ve ever seen.” – Miami Heat F Chris Bosh

“Hell of a baseball game we have here! Wow” – Arizona Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald

“Anybody watching the World Series?! Woah” – Marisa Miller, Victoria’s Secret Model

“Can’t help but be happy for Josh Hamilton..” – Erin Andrews, ESPN Correspondent (following 10th inning HR)

“Holy baseballs! #worldseries“ – Tom Papa, Actor/Comedian

“This is good freaken baseball people! -BW #worldseries #gocards“ – The Fray, Rock Band

“Furcal is so talented… Incredible! Are the #Rangers gonna finish it tonight? -I hope so! Go #Rangers @MLBONFOX @MLB #WorldSeries“ – Jennie Finch, Olympic Softball Pitcher

“Wow what a game this is!!!” – Miami Dolphins RB Reggie Bush

“@MLB What an unbelievable game tonight! Are you kidding me?! As an avid baseball fan, I am blown away!” – Bret Michaels, Musician

“Let’s go Cardinals Let’s GO!!! *CLAP CLAP* @MarucciSports“ – “I still LOVE Nick’s Reds, but you can’t deny the run the Cards have had & this amazing game. Plus, I want them to beat Texas!”- Vanessa Minnillo, TV Personality

 

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Filed Under: MLB, MLBN

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