http://blackballsports.com Real Sports Opinions and Analysis Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:30:06 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en In light of last weekends' Eagles and Bengals game ending in a tie in which many Eagles players including Donovan McNabb didn't know a game could end in a tie; we are going to highlight other things NFL players might not know. Chad "Ocho Cinco" Johnson apparently doesn't know that if ... http://blackballsports.com/2008/11/20/week-12-tie/ Last week, Kali lamented the death of the Notre Dame program as a national power.  This week, I layout my ideas for fixing the Syracuse Orange. The most important task is probably the hardest of all, finding a coach. Greg Robinson waited something like 30 years for his chance and failed ... http://blackballsports.com/2008/11/19/fixing-syracuse/ I picked the Pittsburgh Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles to make the Superbowl.  I'm now ruling them both out.  The Steelers still stand a very good chance of the playoffs, but I'm officially ruling my Eagles out of the playoffs. For the Steelers, Ben Rothelisberger just isn't cutting it right now.  His ... http://blackballsports.com/2008/11/13/week-11-ruling-out-my-superbowl-picks/ It's all over.  We have hoped and prayed and done everything we could.  I just don't think there is anything that anyone can do for us now.  Let me be the first one to admit it.  NOTRE DAME IS DONE AS A BIGTIME PROGRAM. I know it even hurts to say ... http://blackballsports.com/2008/11/11/death-of-a-dynasty/ Fix the Playoffs:   As we pass the halfway mark of the season I look around at a couple of divisions and see that 8-8 or 9-7 teams are likely to win a division or two.  In the AFC West it might even be a below .500 team.  The sad thing and ... http://blackballsports.com/2008/11/06/week-10/ Not long ago, I discussed the struggling NFL teams and where they were headed.  At the midpoint, let's see how the best teams in the league thus far project down the stretch. Tennessee and NY Giants - Year in and year out teams which play top notch defense, run the ball ... http://blackballsports.com/2008/10/31/week-9/ The NFL is the greatest and best run sport in the country. Don’t know enough about soccer and rugby, but I would venture to say it’s the best run sport in the World. They have trained the fans to care more about the front of the uniform than the back ... http://blackballsports.com/2008/10/30/big-mistakes-in-the-nfl/ The Philadelphia Phillies won a World Series, not just for themselves, but also for their fans and sister franchises in the city.  We've been inundated with reminders that Philly hadn't won a major sports title since the Sixers in 1983.   Philly is a city desperate for sports success which has ... http://blackballsports.com/2008/10/30/phillies-win-series/ Last week, the NFL's standings continued to tighten in the middle.  There are 12 teams, with records of 4-3, 3-3 or 3-4.  The Bills showed they were legit, as they trashed San Diego.  Tenneessee continued to run wild against lesser opponents and Carolina made a statement against New Orleans. Infectiongate - ... http://blackballsports.com/2008/10/24/week-8/ ...and in Tampa???  Yes, as improbable as it seems, there is a World Series beginning tonight between Tampa (perennial AL East doormats) and Philadelphia (a franchise with 10,000+ losses). Does anyone really care? Philly does.  The city of brotherly love and constant losing hasn't seen a major professional championship since 1983.  Oh, ... http://blackballsports.com/2008/10/22/world-series-live/