The Highlight Reel
September 15th, 2005
by Bob Molinaro
Double threat: If he doesn't win the NL Cy Young, the Marlins' Dontrelle Willis deserves some sort of award for hitting a 428-foot home run the night he won his 21st game. His .259 batting average, best among major league pitchers, is higher than his 2.49 ERA.
Shift of power: Is the SEC, as usual, the nation's toughest college football league? For the second week in a row, seven ACC teams are in the AP Top 25, compared with only four from the SEC. It's early, though.
Tar Heel sighting: Steelers tailback Willie Parker, the second-year pro who rushed for 161 yards Sunday in place of the injured Duce Staley and Jerome Bettis, started only five games his final three seasons at the University of North Carolina, none his senior year.
A-plus grade: For one week, at least, let's hold off on media predictions that Ben Roethlisberger is due for a sophomore slump. Against the Titans, he had a perfect quarterback rating.
Head to head: Since the start of the 2003 season, the Red Sox and Yankees have met 68 times. The score sheet reads: Red Sox 34, Yankees 34, with each team winning one pennant.
Reversal of fortune: At one point this season, the Washington Nationals were 23-7 in one-run games. They've been 6-22 since.
History lesson: After committing 53 errors at shortstop for Triple-A Durham this season, perhaps local prospect B.J. Upton is destined for the outfield. No shame in that. In the '50s, a young slugger from Oklahoma was signed as a shortstop, but his scatter arm led to a switch to center. Mickey Mantle enjoyed a pretty fair career out there.
High anxiety: One week into the NFL season, impatience with quarterbacks extends from D.C. up I-95 to Baltimore, where Ravens fans cheered loudly when Kyle Boller hobbled off the field with a hyperextended toe in a loss to the Colts.
Blooper reel: Patrick Ramsey wasn't the only one at FedEx Field having a bad day. TV's Dick Stockton announced that "Scott" Brunell was subbing for Ramsey, and referred to Pete Rozelle as the NFL's commissioner.
Like glass: What kind of kicker injures himself simply by kicking? The Redskins should dress John Hall in bubble wrap.
Keeping count: Any wonder why the Bears are so pathetic on offense? Kyle Orton was the team's 27th quarterback in the last 92 games.
Sentimental journey: Not allowing facts to get in the way of a good U.S. Open story, CBS' Dick Enberg said to Andre Agassi that many people consider him "the greatest player to play the sport." Actually, not that many do. Not many outside the Agassi household, in any case. Or anybody who remembers Pete Sampras.
Stupid TV talk: Football broadcasters are fond of saying, "When Michael Vick is running, the play isn't over until he gets tackled or runs out of bounds." Incredibly, the same rules applied when Mark Rypien scrambled.
September 15th, 2005
by Bob Molinaro
Double threat: If he doesn't win the NL Cy Young, the Marlins' Dontrelle Willis deserves some sort of award for hitting a 428-foot home run the night he won his 21st game. His .259 batting average, best among major league pitchers, is higher than his 2.49 ERA.
Shift of power: Is the SEC, as usual, the nation's toughest college football league? For the second week in a row, seven ACC teams are in the AP Top 25, compared with only four from the SEC. It's early, though.
Tar Heel sighting: Steelers tailback Willie Parker, the second-year pro who rushed for 161 yards Sunday in place of the injured Duce Staley and Jerome Bettis, started only five games his final three seasons at the University of North Carolina, none his senior year.
A-plus grade: For one week, at least, let's hold off on media predictions that Ben Roethlisberger is due for a sophomore slump. Against the Titans, he had a perfect quarterback rating.
Head to head: Since the start of the 2003 season, the Red Sox and Yankees have met 68 times. The score sheet reads: Red Sox 34, Yankees 34, with each team winning one pennant.
Reversal of fortune: At one point this season, the Washington Nationals were 23-7 in one-run games. They've been 6-22 since.
History lesson: After committing 53 errors at shortstop for Triple-A Durham this season, perhaps local prospect B.J. Upton is destined for the outfield. No shame in that. In the '50s, a young slugger from Oklahoma was signed as a shortstop, but his scatter arm led to a switch to center. Mickey Mantle enjoyed a pretty fair career out there.
High anxiety: One week into the NFL season, impatience with quarterbacks extends from D.C. up I-95 to Baltimore, where Ravens fans cheered loudly when Kyle Boller hobbled off the field with a hyperextended toe in a loss to the Colts.
Blooper reel: Patrick Ramsey wasn't the only one at FedEx Field having a bad day. TV's Dick Stockton announced that "Scott" Brunell was subbing for Ramsey, and referred to Pete Rozelle as the NFL's commissioner.
Like glass: What kind of kicker injures himself simply by kicking? The Redskins should dress John Hall in bubble wrap.
Keeping count: Any wonder why the Bears are so pathetic on offense? Kyle Orton was the team's 27th quarterback in the last 92 games.
Sentimental journey: Not allowing facts to get in the way of a good U.S. Open story, CBS' Dick Enberg said to Andre Agassi that many people consider him "the greatest player to play the sport." Actually, not that many do. Not many outside the Agassi household, in any case. Or anybody who remembers Pete Sampras.
Stupid TV talk: Football broadcasters are fond of saying, "When Michael Vick is running, the play isn't over until he gets tackled or runs out of bounds." Incredibly, the same rules applied when Mark Rypien scrambled.
