The silence in the Detroit Lions' locker room was so deafening it drowned out all but the most mundane of sounds.
No laughter, no post-game jokes, certainly no congratulations for a job well done. Just the occasional sound of luggage being zipped up at the close of a hideous season historic for all the wrong reasons.
And really, with derisive chants of "Oh-and-16! Oh-and-16!" still ringing in their ears, was there anything left to say?
"It's over now. We're 0-16," rookie running back Kevin Smith said. "I wish it was just a dream. I wish I could wake up and it'd be over. But it's not."
The Lions didn't even bother trying to put a brave face on this one. With a 31-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Detroit solidified its claim as the worst team in NFL history. Sixteen games, 16 losses.
"0-16," one sign read, "The Perfect Season."
[posted 2/1/09]
Monday, December 29, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Manti Te'o named Sporting News High School Athlete of the Year
Punahou senior Manti Te'o has been named Sporting News magazine’s national High School Athlete of the Year.
The announcement comes in the new issue of Sporting News, which features an interview with Te'o and Sporting News’ pro and college athletes of the year.
An award of this level for a Hawaii high school athlete is believed to be unprecedented.
"I've been thinking about it, and I can't recall anything like it," said Hawaii High School Athletic Association director Keith Amemiya.
Te'o played linebacker and running back for the Buffanblu, which won the state football championship Dec. 5. He also played on the Punahou basketball team last season.
He has not decided where to attend college next year, telling the Sporting News, “ I have gone on two official visits, to UCLA and Notre Dame. I had great experiences at both universities, but I have a few more visits to go on — Stanford, USC and BYU — so I’m not really ready because of my lack of knowledge of the other three.”
Te'o also won the inaugural Butkus Award for being judged the best high school linebacker in the nation. He is also the Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year in football, and is a candidate for Gatorade's national award.
[12/24] USA Today has named Punahou senior linebacker Manti Te'o as its Defensive Player of the Year on its All-USA first team.
The announcement comes in the new issue of Sporting News, which features an interview with Te'o and Sporting News’ pro and college athletes of the year.
An award of this level for a Hawaii high school athlete is believed to be unprecedented.
"I've been thinking about it, and I can't recall anything like it," said Hawaii High School Athletic Association director Keith Amemiya.
Te'o played linebacker and running back for the Buffanblu, which won the state football championship Dec. 5. He also played on the Punahou basketball team last season.
He has not decided where to attend college next year, telling the Sporting News, “ I have gone on two official visits, to UCLA and Notre Dame. I had great experiences at both universities, but I have a few more visits to go on — Stanford, USC and BYU — so I’m not really ready because of my lack of knowledge of the other three.”
Te'o also won the inaugural Butkus Award for being judged the best high school linebacker in the nation. He is also the Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year in football, and is a candidate for Gatorade's national award.
[12/24] USA Today has named Punahou senior linebacker Manti Te'o as its Defensive Player of the Year on its All-USA first team.
Sammy Baugh
People never forgot Slingin' Sammy Baugh.
Every day as many as four letters arrived at the West Texas ranch the pioneering quarterback called home.
Baugh, whose use of the forward pass took him to the Hall of Fame after a career with the Washington Redskins, died Wednesday night. He was 94.
The letters came from young and old. Some asked for an autograph from Baugh (pronounced Baw). But in the last several years of his life he couldn't oblige them.
His son David Baugh responded to each one, telling fans his father could no longer hold a pen.
Billionaire investor Warren Buffett even wrote to Baugh, and like so many others "just talked about how he was an inspiration in their lives," David Baugh told The Associated Press. "He did a lot of things pretty good, not just as an athlete. He was a good rancher, roper. He was a pretty good man."
Sammy Baugh was the last surviving member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's inaugural class of 1963.
After starring at TCU, "Slingin' Sammy" played with the Redskins from 1937 to 1952, leading them to the NFL title in his rookie season and again in 1942.
Baugh was the best all-around player in an era when versatility was essential. In 1943, he led the league in passing, punting and interceptions. In one game, he threw four touchdowns and also intercepted four passes. He threw six touchdowns passes in a game twice. His 51.4-yard punting average in 1940 remains the NFL record.
Every day as many as four letters arrived at the West Texas ranch the pioneering quarterback called home.
Baugh, whose use of the forward pass took him to the Hall of Fame after a career with the Washington Redskins, died Wednesday night. He was 94.
The letters came from young and old. Some asked for an autograph from Baugh (pronounced Baw). But in the last several years of his life he couldn't oblige them.
His son David Baugh responded to each one, telling fans his father could no longer hold a pen.
Billionaire investor Warren Buffett even wrote to Baugh, and like so many others "just talked about how he was an inspiration in their lives," David Baugh told The Associated Press. "He did a lot of things pretty good, not just as an athlete. He was a good rancher, roper. He was a pretty good man."
Sammy Baugh was the last surviving member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's inaugural class of 1963.
After starring at TCU, "Slingin' Sammy" played with the Redskins from 1937 to 1952, leading them to the NFL title in his rookie season and again in 1942.
Baugh was the best all-around player in an era when versatility was essential. In 1943, he led the league in passing, punting and interceptions. In one game, he threw four touchdowns and also intercepted four passes. He threw six touchdowns passes in a game twice. His 51.4-yard punting average in 1940 remains the NFL record.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Sam Bradford wins Heisman
Oklahoma's amazingly accurate and quick-thinking quarterback won the Heisman on Saturday night after guiding the highest-scoring team in major college football history to the national championship game.
A year after Tim Tebow became the first sophomore to win the Heisman, Bradford became the second and kept the Florida quarterback from joining Archie Griffin as the only two-time winners.
Bradford, who leads the nation in touchdown passes with 48, received 1,726 points. Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was second with 1,604 and Tebow — who received the most first-place votes — was third with 1,575 points.
"I was definitely surprised and I think it's everything I imagined," said Bradford, who raised the 25-pound bronze statue with his left hand still in a cast from a recent surgery. "I think it will take a couple weeks to set in."
It was the closest vote between the top two since Nebraska's Eric Crouch edged Florida's Rex Grossman by 62 points in 2001. The only other time the margin between first and third was smaller was also '01, when Miami's Ken Dorsey was 142 points behind Crouch.
Bradford and the No. 2 Sooners (12-1) will face Tebow and the No. 1 Gators (12-1) on Jan. 8 in Miami, marking the second time Heisman winners will play against each other. The first was in the 2005 Orange Bowl, when '04 winner Matt Leinart and Southern California beat '03 winner Jason White and Oklahoma for the national title.
The Big 12 South was the epicenter of college football this season, with both the national championship race and Heisman chase turning weekly on games played by its three powerhouse teams.
McCoy was the early Heisman front-runner after leading the Longhorns to the No. 1 ranking with a victory against Oklahoma in October. Texas Tech's Graham Harrell, who finished a distant fourth in Heisman voting, then moved to the forefront after he tossed a last-second, game-winning touchdown pass to beat Texas a month later.
But Bradford closed strongest, leading his team to a string of blowout victories, including one against Texas Tech, and a spot — even if it was somewhat controversial — in the BCS title game.
Bradford leads the nation in passer rating (186.3) and has thrown for 4,464 yards, directing the Sooners' fast-paced, no-huddle offense.
Oklahoma has already racked up 702 points to blow past the record of 656 set by Hawaii in 2006, and last week the Sooners became the first major college team in 89 years to score at least 60 in five straight games.
A year after Tim Tebow became the first sophomore to win the Heisman, Bradford became the second and kept the Florida quarterback from joining Archie Griffin as the only two-time winners.
Bradford, who leads the nation in touchdown passes with 48, received 1,726 points. Texas quarterback Colt McCoy was second with 1,604 and Tebow — who received the most first-place votes — was third with 1,575 points.
"I was definitely surprised and I think it's everything I imagined," said Bradford, who raised the 25-pound bronze statue with his left hand still in a cast from a recent surgery. "I think it will take a couple weeks to set in."
It was the closest vote between the top two since Nebraska's Eric Crouch edged Florida's Rex Grossman by 62 points in 2001. The only other time the margin between first and third was smaller was also '01, when Miami's Ken Dorsey was 142 points behind Crouch.
Bradford and the No. 2 Sooners (12-1) will face Tebow and the No. 1 Gators (12-1) on Jan. 8 in Miami, marking the second time Heisman winners will play against each other. The first was in the 2005 Orange Bowl, when '04 winner Matt Leinart and Southern California beat '03 winner Jason White and Oklahoma for the national title.
The Big 12 South was the epicenter of college football this season, with both the national championship race and Heisman chase turning weekly on games played by its three powerhouse teams.
McCoy was the early Heisman front-runner after leading the Longhorns to the No. 1 ranking with a victory against Oklahoma in October. Texas Tech's Graham Harrell, who finished a distant fourth in Heisman voting, then moved to the forefront after he tossed a last-second, game-winning touchdown pass to beat Texas a month later.
But Bradford closed strongest, leading his team to a string of blowout victories, including one against Texas Tech, and a spot — even if it was somewhat controversial — in the BCS title game.
Bradford leads the nation in passer rating (186.3) and has thrown for 4,464 yards, directing the Sooners' fast-paced, no-huddle offense.
Oklahoma has already racked up 702 points to blow past the record of 656 set by Hawaii in 2006, and last week the Sooners became the first major college team in 89 years to score at least 60 in five straight games.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Hula Bowl dies quietly
A date was secured at the stadium for a 2009 game, but the folks there haven't heard anything from owner Nick Logan in weeks.
"We don't have a contract," said Lois Manin, the facility's deputy manager.
No news of coaches or players being picked for the game on the wire or the Internet.
The game's Web site has nada about a 2009 event. Call the 800 number, and you get a full mailbox. Send an e-mail, it bounces back, "because the domain hulabowl.net does not exist."
Call Logan, his number is no good. But I reached his brother, Bruce, who helped him stage last year's game.
"I don't know. It's my brother's game. I don't have a number for him, either," Bruce said. "I would assume if there were a game he would let me know."
Or let somebody, anybody know.
"We don't have a contract," said Lois Manin, the facility's deputy manager.
No news of coaches or players being picked for the game on the wire or the Internet.
The game's Web site has nada about a 2009 event. Call the 800 number, and you get a full mailbox. Send an e-mail, it bounces back, "because the domain hulabowl.net does not exist."
Call Logan, his number is no good. But I reached his brother, Bruce, who helped him stage last year's game.
"I don't know. It's my brother's game. I don't have a number for him, either," Bruce said. "I would assume if there were a game he would let me know."
Or let somebody, anybody know.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Michelle Wie graduates from Q-School
Michelle Wie has been playing LPGA Tour events since she was in the seventh grade, drawing the biggest galleries because of her youth and power, but earning little respect from players because of her preferential treatment.
In the 62 tournaments she has played over the last seven years, Wie received 53 exemptions or invitations.
The next time the 19-year-old from Hawaii tees it up, she finally can feel like she belongs.
Wie opened with three straight bogeys before settling down in blustery conditions yesterday for a 2-over 74, easily finishing among the top 20 players at Q-school to become a card-carrying member of the LPGA Tour.
"It's a good feeling," Wie said. "I really earned it. I legitimately went through Q-school. I took my medicine. And I got it. It feels good. It's like high school graduation."
* * *
[12/9/08] Michelle Wie now has a clean slate.
In the 62 tournaments she has played over the last seven years, Wie received 53 exemptions or invitations.
The next time the 19-year-old from Hawaii tees it up, she finally can feel like she belongs.
Wie opened with three straight bogeys before settling down in blustery conditions yesterday for a 2-over 74, easily finishing among the top 20 players at Q-school to become a card-carrying member of the LPGA Tour.
"It's a good feeling," Wie said. "I really earned it. I legitimately went through Q-school. I took my medicine. And I got it. It feels good. It's like high school graduation."
* * *
[12/9/08] Michelle Wie now has a clean slate.
Saturday, December 06, 2008
De La Hoya beaten by Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines stunned 10-times world champion Oscar De La Hoya with an eighth-round TKO in their non-title fight in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Moving up two weight classes for his first fight at welterweight, WBC lightweight champion Pacquiao dominated De La Hoya from the opening bell, defying the American's longer reach and picking him off with straight left hands to the face.
Clearly ahead after the first few rounds, Pacquiao backed De La Hoya up against the ropes and opened up with combinations in the seventh and eighth. At the end of the eighth round De La Hoya's trainer signaled he had seen enough and the referee stopped the fight.
Moving up two weight classes for his first fight at welterweight, WBC lightweight champion Pacquiao dominated De La Hoya from the opening bell, defying the American's longer reach and picking him off with straight left hands to the face.
Clearly ahead after the first few rounds, Pacquiao backed De La Hoya up against the ropes and opened up with combinations in the seventh and eighth. At the end of the eighth round De La Hoya's trainer signaled he had seen enough and the referee stopped the fight.
Friday, December 05, 2008
Manti Te'o receives Butkus Award
Punahou School senior linebacker Manti Te'o became the first high school recipient of the 2008 Butkus Award today during a gathering at the Hemmeter Gym on the school's campus.
The award is named for Pro Football Hall of Fame legend Dick Butkus and has traditionally been given to the nation's top collegiate linebacker.
This year, the competition was expanded to include awards at both the high school and collegiate levels. The Butkus Award honors players who are both outstanding athletes and models of service to their community.
The award is named for Pro Football Hall of Fame legend Dick Butkus and has traditionally been given to the nation's top collegiate linebacker.
This year, the competition was expanded to include awards at both the high school and collegiate levels. The Butkus Award honors players who are both outstanding athletes and models of service to their community.
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