Corner Kicks

Some YouTube favorites…

Posted on February 14, 2008 by markgoodman
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Love the music in this one, not to mention the old Ronaldinho PSG highlights. Will we ever see that from him again?

The ho-hum Joe Buck call of the famous Manning-to-Tyree pass was first pointed out in a Bill Simmons links column, and it’s absolutely correct. Listen to this and then the one from Marv Albert right after.

And here is that play on Tecmo Super Bowl. Can’t get enough of TSB.

Isaiah Rider (remember him?) making the greatest shot ever. Or the luckiest.

Roger Federer being Roger Federer.

And speaking of tennis, the crowd for last year’s US Open men’s quarterfinal between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Moya was decidedly pro-Moya… until this. And this compilation might be even better.

A, um, different side of Roger Clemens. The pose at 0:08 and the nod at the end absolutely kill me.

Self-promotion alert…

Some footage I took of the Gold Cup at Gillette last summer. Props to esteemed colleague Mark Gardner for putting this together.

And finally…

Old friend Hugh Millen makes a funny.

Enough of the nonsense…

Posted on February 1, 2008 by markgoodman
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It’s almost time for the Super Bowl.

You know, actual football?

No more endless banging on about Media Day shenanigans. No more of Tom’s ankle, or his shoulder, or his girlfriend. Enough of this, this, this, and this.

Just two days until the game. And the commercials, of course.

Pick: Patriots 31, Giants 17.

Travelin’ man…

Posted on January 16, 2008 by markgoodman
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Read a good story on the Guardian last night about Nicolas Anelka, a very good player who’s had an absolutely fascinating career.

Imagine a baseball player having just joined the Mets after stints with the Blue Jays, Red Sox, Yankees, Blue Jays again, Dodgers, Rangers, Orix Blue Wave, and the Reds - all before the age of 30.

The preceding post…

Posted on January 14, 2008 by markgoodman
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…is exactly why I don’t gamble.

NFL quick picks, divisional round edition…

Posted on January 10, 2008 by markgoodman
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Alright, I’m 2-2 picking winners and 3-1 with the spread in the playoffs. Let’s see what we can do this week.

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Pats 28, Jags 14

In reality, this game will be a little closer than two touchdowns. The Jags have the running game to keep this close. The Patriots have allowed some big rushing games (Willis McGahee, anyone?) this year, and I can see Fred Taylor and Mo Jones-Drew doing some things Saturday night. The Jags also have big, physical receivers that Ellis Hobbs has trouble contending with. The Patriots will need a big game from their safeties, both in the run game and against the pass against those receivers.

But, I just don’t see New England losing. They’ll make some plays downfield early with the passing game, and then go with the short stuff later. I don’t see the running game being too successful, but the Patriots have proven this year that isn’t necessary for them to have success.

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Colts 31, Chargers 17

This game, on the other hand, will not be as close as the score indicates. I see Indy’s defense loading the box to neutralize LaDainian Tomlinson to some extent and putting the game in the hands of Phil Rivers. Rivers, on the road, in the playoffs, with that crowd…crikey.

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Cowboys 38, Giants 10

Time for Eli to be Eli again.

Tony Romo has another four- or five-interception game left in him this season, but I just don’t see it coming here.

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Seahawks 28, Packers 26

Matt Hasselbeck’s Lambeau Field ghosts are exorcised.

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And, finally, just for the heck of it.

And this.

Proud to be a Ram again…

Posted on January 4, 2008 by markgoodman
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The University of Rhode Island men’s basketball team is 14-1 and ranked in the top-25 in the nation. They’re in the top-20 in RPI, have beaten Syracuse on the road, and beat hated Providence by 17.

If the tournament started today, the Rams would probably be a 5- or 6-seed. Of course, the tournament doesn’t start today, and Rhody has still yet to start its A-10 schedule, which includes two games with Dayton, and match-ups with Xavier and UMass.

Still, it’s going to take a colossal collapse in that conference schedule in order for URI to not make the Big Dance for the first time since the Lamar Odom Era (which lasted precisely one year, 1998-99).

Yes, it’s a good time to be a Rhody alum again, including yours truly (Class of ‘03).

The fact that URI had a relatively big-time hoops program was a major reason I decided to go there. I remember jumping up and down in my living room on that Saturday evening in March ‘99 when Odom hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to beat Temple in the A-10 championship game (which comes at the 0:28 mark of this amazing montage that gave me goosebumps).

Of course, then I got to URI in the fall of ‘99, and it all fell apart. Jim Harrick went to Georgia and left an absolute mess behind (imagine that!). Jerry DeGregorio took over and won 12 games in my freshman and sophomore years - combined. Jim Baron came over from St. Bonaventure and went 8-20 in his first season.

Then came the miraculous 2002-03 season, my senior year. Out of nowhere, the Rams became fairly decent again. That was the first season at the brand new Ryan Center, and I’ll never forget doing color commentary on our student radio station and going positively bonkers when Dustin Hellenga hit a ridiculous fall-away (0:40 of that montage) to beat USC in the first ever game there.

Rhody made the NIT that year and drew Seton Hall in the first round. The Pirates were considered the biggest snub for the NCAA tournament that season, and were expected to wipe the floor with little URI. Well, thanks to Dawan Robinson’s heroics (0:50 in the montage), the Rams moved on.

URI made the NIT again the next year, then fell on pretty hard times the next two seasons. The Rams brought back shades of past glories last March, knocking off highly favored Xavier in the A-10 semifinals and taking George Washington to the wire in the championship game.

And now? Nationally ranked, tournament bound, and even drawing mention on the TV and radio airwaves up here in Boston. Yes, it’s good to be a Ram again.

A perfect New Year’s Day…

Posted on January 2, 2008 by markgoodman
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10 a.m.: Wake up, not hungover

11 a.m.: Breakfast

11:15 a.m.: Flip on the Cotton Bowl. Watch Tony Temple outplay Darren McFadden

1 p.m.: Flip to outdoor hockey game. It’s snowing out.

1:10 p.m.: Flip to Florida-Michigan game, prepare for Gator onslaught.

1:45 p.m.: Hold that thought on the blowout. And did you see what Sid Crosby just did?

2:15 p.m.: Order pizza while still squatting in friend’s buddy’s house that has long since been vacated by everyone else

3 p.m.: Pizza arrives…Incredibly, halftime of Florida-Michigan is just beginning. Seriously, why is every college football game now 4 hours long?

3:20 p.m.: Pizza devoured

4:50 p.m.: Does Tim Tebow have one last heroic stand in him?

4:55 p.m.: No

5 p.m.: Flip to Rose Bowl

5:30 p.m.: Realize Illinois rather sucks and shouldn’t be here. USC, meanwhile, is probably playing better than either of the teams playing in the “national championship” game.

6:45 p.m.: After watching embarrassing first half of Rose Bowl, it’s time to finally go home.

Another New Year’s Day in the books.

NFL quick picks…

Posted on December 31, 2007 by markgoodman
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If my hunches are correct, the Patriots will be facing a rematch with the Steelers in two weeks’ time.

I like all four home teams in Wild Card Weekend. I don’t see San Diego-Tennessee or Seattle-Washington being competitive. Tampa Bay-New York could be interesting, but until Eli proves he can get it done in a big situation, it’s hard to pick the Giants - particularly on the road in the playoffs.

Which leaves us with Pittsburgh-Jacksonville. A lot of pundits are going to be picking the Jags, for sure. Over the course of 17 weeks, they’ve been the third best team in the AFC. They also beat the Steelers in Week 15 of the season.

I just don’t see them doing it again. The Willie Parker injury hurts, but I can see the Steelers rallying around each other in front of the home fans. And, in case you missed it, Ben Roethlisberger has had a really good season (32 touchdown passes, 11 interceptions, 104.1 QB rating).

C Notes

Posted on December 27, 2007 by markgoodman
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So the Celtics are 23-3 after last night’s beating of the Sacramento Kings. Not to sound like a scrooge here, but I’m still waiting for a ‘big win.’

Looking over the Celtics’ schedule so far this season, the only teams they’ve beaten so far that have legit playoff aspirations are Denver, the Lakers and Orlando. They played a Nuggets team that was on the second half of a back-to-back and was clearly mailing it in; they played the Lakers before Andrew Bynum starting doing his Dwight Howard impression; and they’ve split with the Magic so far this year.

They certainly don’t have to win 70 games this season to convince me they can win a title. But I need to see them win a truly big game. Does a team like San Antonio blow that Pistons game like the Celtics did last week?

If they can pull off a double against Utah and LA this weekend - or at least top the Lakers, who looked like a legit Western contender Christmas Day against Phoenix - I’ll truly start believing. But, unlike others, I’m not scheduling for June just yet.