Rushing Into The Record Books

Vick's athletic ability gives the Eagles
hope moving forward. 

While the Philadelphia Eagles continue to flounder in their own mistakes, quarterback Michael Vick rushed himself right into the record books.

Down 28-7 early in the third quarter, Vick found his team on their own 37-yard line with a fresh set of downs after a 14-yard completion. Vick called a play-action pass and when nothing was open down field, he reverted to the tool that has made him one of the most dynamic players in NFL history, his legs.

Vick scrambled all the way to the Buffalo 10-yard line for a 53-yard gain, making him the NFL's all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks.

Randall Cunningham, who spent his first eleven seasons under center with Philadelphia, was the previous record holder with 4,928 career rushing yards as a quarterback.

Vick finished the game with only five carries going for 90 yards on the ground, increasing his career total to 4,948. Only 31, the south paw has a chance to make his record untouchable especially after signing a six-year $100 million contract extension this past August.

He most certainly would have accomplished this feat sooner if had not miss two full seasons in the prime of his career due to imprisonment.

The former Virginia Tech Hokie now has now rushed for 318 yards in five games this season.

With his most recent milestone, there is no question Vick is the most prolific rushing quarterback in NFL history as he now holds almost every QB rushing record in NFL history. In a thrilling overtime game against the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 1, 2002, a then-member of the Atlanta Falcons, Vick set the single-game rushing record for a quarterback after scampering for 173 yards, including a game-winning 46-yard touchdown run in the extra period.

In what would be his final season as a Falcon, Vick ran for 1,039 yards in 2006, setting the single-season rushing record for a QB. To top it off, his 32 career rushing touchdowns are only 12 behind Otto Graham's QB record of 44.

As much as Vick relishes his individual accolades, football is a team sport and he and his Eagles are struggling mightily. Philadelphia is now 1-4 on the season after a Sunday's deflating 31-24 loss to the surprisingly surging 4-1 Buffalo Bills.

Vick threw a career-high four interceptions, putting his season total at seven, giving him a share of the league lead with a pair of AFC West opponents, San Diego's Phillip Rivers and Denver's Kyle Orton. Vick's 4.1 interception percentage trails only Orton's 4.5 in 2011.

To go along with those seven interceptions, the 10-year veteran has coughed up the football three times, giving him 10 total turnovers on the year which is one more than Vick had all of last season. He also has turned the ball over at least once in each of his last 12 games and thrown 14 interceptions in his last 11.

Andy Reid, right in now on the hot seat
in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia has now lost four games in a row for the first time since 2005 and are off the their worst start since head coach Andy Reid's first year in 1999. Thats year the team finished 5-11 and last-place in their division.

With the sluggish start for the once self-proclaimed "Dream Team", many Eagle fans are calling for Reid's head, but it has been the ineffectiveness of his defense and newly promoted defensive coordinator Juan Castillo that have not lived up to expectations.

Castillo had been the offensive line coach since 1998 before taking over the defensive duties this offseason after the firing of Sean McDermott. While the Eagles rank 1st in the NFL averaging 165.6 rushing yards per game their defense has allowed almost the same. The Philly defense ranks 30th in the league allowing their opponents to average 140.2 rushing yards per game against them.

There's just no replacement for a legend like the late Jim Johnson.

After allowing 143 yards on the ground, Philadelphia's defense had a chance at redemption and give Vick and his offense one last attempt at a comeback, but they fell short. With Buffalo faced with a fourth-and-1 and 1:23 left in the fourth quarter, Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick drew 11-year veteran Juqua Parker offsides, sealing Buffalo's fourth win of the season and pushing the Eagles further down in the NFC East cellar.

Vick will continue to run his way into the record books next Sunday when they visit their division rival and first-place Washington Redskins.

NLCS Preview: A Rivalry Renewed

After one of the most exciting first rounds in recent memory with three decisive Game 5's, it's on to the League Championship Series with some of baseball's most historic franchise's.


St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee Brewers:
Two teams that have created one of the most interesting rivalries in the game today are set to square off with a trip to the World Series on the line. The Cardinals have been there as recently as 2006 when they defeated the Detroit Tigers in five games. Milwaukee has been represented the National League in the Fall Classic. Their only World Series appearance came in 1982 as a member of the American League and AL East. This two division rivals spilt the season series nine games apiece with this best-of-seven certainly going to be the tiebreak.

St. Louis heads into the series as a team that is not even suppose to be here. Their improbable run to even get into this year's postseason saw them tie a NL record. Eight and a half games behind the Atlanta Braves at the start of September, the Cardinals overcome the deficit and got into the postseason on the final day of the regular season much like the San Francisco Giants a year ago, they went on to win the whole thing.

A lot of St. Louis' series success will depend
on the health of Holliday

The red birds upset the heavily favored Philadelphia Phillies in an epic five game series that saw one of the greatest pitching duels in postseason history. Chris Carpenter outdueled his former teammate Roy Halladay with a three-hit shutout on the road.


Tony La Russa's squad will need to continued and pitch well against another high powered offense in Milwaukee if they are to achieve their World Series aspirations. Left-hander Jaime Garica has been tabbed as La Russa's Game 1 starter at Miller Park.

Their bullpen was a key component as to why to the Cards are at this point in the season. Mixing and matching most of the NLDS, La Russa will need his pen to continue and outplay expectations if they want to have a chance against this Brewers club.

The real key to the series could be the health of left fielder Matt Holliday. The slugger did not start the first three games of the NLDS due to a finger injury, but it was his presence in games four and five that helped an ailing St, Louis offense. After scoring the most runs in the NL (762) this season, the Cards were a different offense without Holliday in their lineup and need him to play to be successful.

The hard-nosed Skip Schumaker, who batted .600 during the NLDS, will be left on the LCS roster after sustaining an oblique injury.

Albert Pujols batted .350 in the first round, but did not hit a home run and had only one RBI. He will need Lance Berkman, who batted .167 in the NLDS, to get going if they Pujols wants to make what could be his final postseason run in St. Louis a memorable one.

In Wisconsin, Brewer fans are coming off one of the most exciting moments in the franchises history. Their sometimes outspoken center fielder, Nyer Morgan, singled home the speedy Carlos Gomez in the bottom of the tenth inning to send Milwaukee to the NLCS and it will be their offense again that is the key to their success in the series.

The best three-four punch in the majors with Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder combined to bat .389 in the NLDS with two home runs and seven RBIs. Braun alone batted .500 going 9-for-18 in the series while playing a quality left field. He will need to continue and showcase his skills on October's biggest stage and show why is a perennial MVP candidate every year.

It was Cory Hart who really torched the Cardinals during the regular season with five home runs and 15 RBIs.

The acquisition of Jerry Hairston Jr. loomed large for first year manager Ron Roencike against Arizona. Hairston drove in three runs of his own in the first round with eight total bases and a .375 average. The veteran only got a chance to play due to the inconsistent play of their Opening Dat third baseman, Casey McGeehee.

Greinke will need to pitch better if he wants
to continue his first postseason run.

Yovani Gallardo was great in his two starts against the Diamondbacks, but NLCS Game 1 starter Zack Greinke, who was 11-0 at home during the regular season, did not pitch well in his only start of the series at Miller Park. They will need a big series from their talented right-hander especially after he called out the Cards'  ace Carpenter, calling his attitude sometimes phony.

Greinke could potenitally throw three games in this series, but it's highly unlikely. It will be the back end of the rotation of Shawn Marcum and Randy Wolf that needs to show up for the Brewers after two terrible outings on the road in Arizona.

As for Roenicke's bullpen, that continues to be a non-issue despite the recent blown save of closer John Axford. Francisco Rodriguez, who will be a free agent at seasons end, is auditioning for a closing job after being traded to Milwaukee mid-season and thrust back into his former role as a set-up man.

Emotions will be running high with a lot on the line and a baggage full of history. One thing is for sure, these two teams simply do not like one another and it will show on the diamond.

STL X-Factor: Matt Holliday


MIL X-Factor: Zack Greinke


St. Louis in Six. 

Raider Nation Moans Loss Of Commander-In-Chief

Davis was hard-nosed, but he knew what it
took to be a winner.

Saturday marked a truly sad day for the National Football League along with Raider Nation with the unexpected passing of their legendary owner, Al Davis.

Davis, 82, died peacefully in his Oakland home, the team said. But the cause of death has yet to be determined and released to the public.

With the passing of one of the most important figures in sports history, we now have time to reflect on what a remarkable life it really was.

Born in Brockton, Massachusetts, Davis began his coaching career working for several different colleges, highlighted by his time as the offensive line coach for the University of Southern California. He worked his way up the ranks and finally had his talent and hard work noticed by an AFL team, the Los Angeles Chargers, who would eventually become what we know now today as the San Diego Chargers.

In 1960, he was hired as the Chargers assistant coach and held that position until the end of the 1962 season.

He would be wooed by the Oakland Raiders and quickly be named their head coach and general manager in 1963, brining his newly learned vertical and West Coast offense up North. That is when he become the leader of the silver and black, a position he would never relinquish. It was then he would assume an image that would define him for nearly a half century.

His first year on the job he would be named the AFL Coach of the Year after leading the team to a 10-4 record.

Three years deep into his coaching career, Davis decided it was time for a new project and was named the AFL's Commissioner in 1966, making the league immensely more popular and essentially got it on the map. Despite knowing the merger between the NFL and AFL was inevitable, he resigned as commissioner and instead bought owner's stake in the Raiders.

While Davis may have been against the 1970 NFL-AFL merger, he was an instrumental part to making that possible with the way he boosted the AFL.

The Raiders won the 1967 AFL Championship, giving them a chance to play in only the second Super Bowl in history. Oakland was outplayed by Vince Lombardi's defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, losing 33-14. Oakland would lose back-to-back AFL Championships the following two seasons, having to wait almost a decade to get back to the big game.

Prior to the merger, Davis named his homegrown linebackers coach, John Madden, as the team's sixth head coach. Following his employment in 1969, Madden would rapidly make a name for himself after bringing home six division titles over a ten year coaching span.

In 1972, Davis would assume principal ownership of the team and remain their general manager. A position he held all the way up until his death.

It would be in 1976 that Davis and Co. would capture their first AFC Championship and return to the Super Bowl. The Raiders trounced the Minnesota Vikings at the Rose Bowl in Super Bowl XI, 32-14 for their first Super Bowl title in franchise history.

Madden. left and Davis both brought home
Oakland first Super Bowl title.

That would be the only Super Bowl title in Madden's career as he opted for retirement following the 1978 season, but that was just the beginning for Davis.

After hiring the first Latino head coach in NFL history, Tom Flores, Davis, who is also responsible for hiring the first African American head coach of the modern era, Art Shell in 1989, got his team back to the Super Bowl in 1980. There they dismantled the Philadelphia Eagles 27-10.

Then in 1982, Davis abruptly moved the team down south to Los Angeles.

In only the team's second year in Los Angeles, the Raiders were in another Super Bowl. This time they would face the Washington Redskins, but it yielded the same results. Los Angeles bulled through Washington which at the time the biggest point differential in Super Bowl history, 38-9.

Davis decided to move the team back to Oakland in 1995, where they still reside today.

Just like every man's success there is bound to be his share of failures and there was plenty of that during the iconic owner's tenure. In 1980, Davis angered his own fan base when he traded away Super Bowl winning quarterback Ken Stabler to the Houston Oilers. He is the one also responsible for Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen playing the final five years of his career for the division rival Kansas City Chiefs.

Prior to the 1998 season, Davis in what was a questionable move at the time hired a 34-year-old head coach by the name of Jon Gruden.  But he silenced his critics as it turned out to be a brilliant move with Gruden developing into one of the games premiere head coaches. It didn't last long, at least in Oakland.

In what could be the worse move under his tenure, Davis promptly decided to trade Gruden to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the 2001-02 season. In the deal the Raiders received Tampa Bay's 2002 and 2003 first-round draft picks along with their 2002 and 2004 second-round draft picks and $8 million cash.

This would be a move that would forever haunt Davis and his franchise.

Oakland met their former head coach and Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII, the last Super Bowl appearance of Davis' career. There they would stomped by a Hall of Fame type defense and lose 48-21, giving Gruden the revenge he always deserved.

Following that Super Bowl loss, the Raiders would reel off eight straight losing seasons and never allowing Davis see his team back atop the NFL.

Three of those seasons where due to the poor and inconsistent play of former NFL quarterback JaMarcus Russell, who was drafted by Davis with the first overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Many believe it was the worst pick in the draft's seventy-five year history.

During Davis' tenure with the Raiders, they accumulated 411-312-11 record during the regular season. Those 411 wins are second only to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys since 1963. His postseason record consisted of a 25-18 mark with three Super Bowl rings to show for it. Oakland also was able to capture 16 division titles and four AFC Championships under his watch.

Davis was often seen wearing
 his trademark white jumpsuit.

Davis will always been one of the most controversial and misunderstood sports figures of his generation. His thick Brooklyn accent, slicked backed hair, dark rectangular rimmed glasses with the chain woven around his neck, and his all white jumpsuit will the images many remember him by, but his legacy is far more different.

The man was a winner and an opportunist. He turned a sub par franchise into one of the most recognizable in the world, whether they are beloved are not is a different story.

He was an innovator and visionary of the game. His sometimes unconventional ways will always go undervalued and misconstrued.

When nobody else was willing to take a chance on you, he would.

He leaves behind an unfillable legacy and shoes with a lifetime of achievements. The NFL might quite never be the same.

The 1992 Hall of Fame inductee achieved every level of success in the game and his understanding and passion for football go unmatched. His "Just Win Baby" attitude will forever live in Raider lore without there being any question who really bled silver and black.

Davis was truly committed to excellence.

ALCS Preview: Detroit Roars Into Texas

After one of the most exciting first rounds in recent memory with three decisive Game 5's, it's on to the League Championship Series with some of baseball's most historic franchise's.


Detroit Tigers at Texas Rangers:
The last time these two teams were in the ALCS, they both advanced to the World Series, but came up short in five games. In 2006, the Tigers launched to the Fall Classic thanks to the bat of Magglio Ordonez, but it was the inability of their pitchers to make plays off the mound that saw the St. Louis Cardinals celebrate their tenth World Series title. As the Rangers, they are the defending American League champions and trying to have avenge last seasons World Series loss to the pitching packed San Francisco Giants.

Detroit battled through a tough five game series with the New York Yankees, who had the AL's best record in 2011, much like they did in '06. Manager Jim Leyland chose not to pitch his ace Justin Verlander in a decisive game, which would have quite a stir if the Tigers would have lost in the Bronx. Instead, Leyland's decision looks genius as this flame throwing right-hander is set to pitch Game 1 of the ALCS.

Leyland clearly out managed Joe Girardi in
the ALDS and could do the same to Ron
Washington.

It will need to be the pitching that carries this Tigers team through the postseason's second round if they want to slow down the Rangers' high octane offense. Detroit had yet to lose a game this season when leading after eight innings. That can be contributed to arguably the best closer in baseball this season, Jose Valverde. "Paper Grande" as they call him was a perfect 49 for 49 in save opportunities during the regular year and has saved both games asked of him this postseason.

The Rangers will need to score early and often if they want different results at the end of games.

Don't forget about the Tigers offense which was one of the best in the majors in 2011. After yet another MVP caliber year by Miguel Cabrera and a late September surge that won him his second career batting title, he will be the main focus of the heavily left-handed pitching staff in Arlington. Victor Martinez was among the best in the majors with runners in scoring position and the rejuvenated bat of Jhonny Peralta could loom large in this best-of-seven showdown.

Despite all their recent offensive success, it's the bat of late season acquisition Delmon Young, who hit a franchise record three home runs in the ALDS, that will be sorely missed. Young was left off Detroit's roster after suffering an oblique injury late in Game 5 against the Yankees.

Texas is coming off their thrilling series with the Tampa Bay Rays in which they beat them for the second straight year in the ALDS. With their offense struggling most of the series, offseason acquisitions Adrian Beltre and Mike Napoli caught fire. In the series-clinching Game 4, Beltre hammered three home runs while Napoli became the first catcher in postseason history to hit a home run, steal a base and throw a runner out in the same game, that coming in Game 3.


The Rangers survived the first round after a relatively quiet series from three of their main sluggers, Michael Young, Josh Hamilton, and Nelson Cruz. Maybe with a trip back to World Series in their sights will ignite their unusually subtle bats.

Ogando is one of the few pitchers that had

success against the Tigers in 2011.

Ron Washington's bullpen is even stronger than last season with the addition of Alexi Ogando. The hard throwing righty, who was responsible for all three of Texas's wins this season against Detroit, started most of the season for the Rangers, but has translated well back to the bullpen and could be a difference maker with Neftali Feliz still slamming the door shut in the ninth.

Poised with three young talented left-handed starters, the Rangers rotation will need to be on their game to hold down a heavy right-hander hitting offense in the Motor City.

Detroit won the season series with Texas six games to three, taking two out of three in all three series they played in 2011. But the postseason is a whole new season where anything can happen.

DET X-Factor: Jim Leyland


TEX X-Factor: Alexi Ogando


Detroit in Six

Carving Up Bats Like a Carpenter

A Fist To The Face

Fister was the steal of this years July 31st
trade dealine.

Heading into hallow yet treacherous territory, the Detroit Tigers entered Yankee Stadium with an abundance of confidence not only in themselves, but in their lanky right-hander Doug Fister.

After having a forgettable what was technically a relief outing in Game 1 of the series, Fister was absolutely brilliant in the biggest game of his career, throwing five high stress but gritty innings against the heavily powered New York Yankee lineup.

Back-to-back home runs off the bats of Don Kelly and Delmon Young in the first gave Detroit the early momentum, something they never relinquished.

Both of those home runs came off New York's rookie right-hander Ivan Nova, a 16-game winner during the regular season. Nova would only make it through the first two innings, leaving the game what was said to be forearm tightness, causing manager Joe Girardi to dip into his bullpen soon than he would have liked.

Phil Hughes and the often used Boone Logan got the Yankees through the third and fourth with two scoreless innings combined, giving the Bronx Bombers a chance to inch closer in the home half of the fourth.

New York loaded the bases and with only one out and catcher Russell Martin stepping to the plate. Girardi's squad had plenty of success this season with the bases full. Not only did the his team lead the majors with 222 home runs during the regular, but 10 of those were good enough for grand slams, also leading the majors. Three came in an 22-9 rout of the Oakland Athletics in a game back in August, setting a major league record.

Fister got Martin to pop to the infield, putting the infield fly rule in affect immediately and then after falling behind 3-1 in the count to the speedster Brett Gardner, the 6-foot-8 Fister got Gardner to pop up to Kelly at third in foul territory, ending the threat and preserving his 2-0 lead.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland stated before the game that his ace and this year's front-runner for the AL Cy Young Justin Verlander was unavailable out of the bullpen. That was not the case for New York as their ace C.C. Sabathia came to the mound in the fifth.

After allowing a leadoff double to Austin Jackson, Sabathia struck out back-to-back batters for the innings first two outs. Faced with the tough decision to pitch to 2011 batting champion Miguel Cabrera with a base open, Girardi opted to walk Cabrera and face Victor Martinez, who led the majors with a .394 average with RISP.

Martinez made them pay with an RBI single right back up the box, tacking on an insurance run that would prove to be costly.

Cano quickly responded with his second home run of the series, cutting the lead back to two, 3-1.

Fister lasted only the five innings, but is the obvious steal of this years July 31st trading deadline not only because of his 8-1 record since the trade to Detroit, but after pitching the most important game of his career and delivering on baseball's biggest stage.

General Manager Dave Dombroski deserves a lot credit for some of his deadline acquisitions and success of this Tiger club.

Leyland turned the game over to his bullpen and rather than Verlander it would be another starter emerging from the pen. Max Scherzer, who pitched a masterful Game 2 in the Bronx, was ready for more. And after a relatively clean first inning of relief, Scherzer gave way to set-up man Joaquin Benoit in the seventh.

Benoit was greeted by a little bit of gamesmanship after being asked by the Yankees to remove an over sized bandage on the left side of his face because of the distraction it might cause to the hitters. There is no question it rattled the Santiago native and Detroit found the bases loaded once again with only one out, giving the Yankees their final shot at a comeback.

The right-hander got Alex Rodriguez on strucks and after forcing in a run with a walk to Mark Teixeria, Benoit deposed of Nick Swisher on a fastball that appeared to be out of the strike zone, somehow maneuvering his way out of trouble with a 3-2 lead.

New York had one last glimpse of hope in the bottom of the eighth. With Gardner at first and two outs, Derek Jeter launched a deep drive to right field only to see in settle into the glove of Kelly just shy of the wall.

I bet Jeter and Yankee fans were asking, where's Jeffrey Maier when you need him?

Rodriguez batted .111 this postseason,
without an extra-base hit.

In the ninth, Detroit called upon closer Jose Valverde, who said the series would not even come back to New York days earlier, pitched a perfect inning, getting Rodriguez to struck out. It was the second straight year Rodriguez had struck out to end the Yankees' season.

When that final out was recorded, longtime Yankee icon Jorge Posada, who batted .429 in the series and got on base eleven times, watched from the top step of the dugout in disbelief. It has been said with his contract expiring and youngsters ready to take the next step, that could have very well been the finally game for Posada in that trademark pinstripe information.

If in fact that becomes the case, the final memory Yankee fans will have of Posada is not the weak ground ball to shortstop Jhonny Peralta he hit in his final at-bat as a Yankee, but the true professionalism and class he showed for seventeen years.

Now the Tigers are right where the want to be, their ace on the mound for Game 1 of the ALCS Saturday night in Rangers Ballpark in Arilington, while New Yorkers experience another failed season.

Maybe Girardi should ask Benoit for a band-aid to help heal the wounds.

Fishing For A Quarterback