YCS/Heisman Watch - Week 13

If it's Monday, it's time for the latest YCS and RSS Heisman Watch! We know who's in the driver's seat for the national title, but what shape are they in heading in to the most important week of the season? Do we finally have a final 3 in the Heisman Watch? Why am I asking so many questions? Time to find out the answers, here at RSS!

YCS STANDINGS

1. Texas (12-0, last week W vs. at Texas A&M 49-39, up next Sat. vs. Nebraska)

-Texas barely hangs on to the top spot in this week's YCS after a harrowing win in a shootout against rival Texas A&M. Even with QB Colt McCoy's best game of the season (more on him later), the concern for the Longhorns has to be with their defense. Giving up 39 points to Texas A&M can't be an encouraging sign, even if they are a rival. It was by far Texas's worst defensive game of the season, and they'll have to regroup quickly for the Big 12 title game, although Nebraska's offense seemingly will pose less of a threat.

2. Florida (12-0, last week W vs. Florida St. 37-10, up next Sat. vs. Alabama)

-Florida leapfrogs their SEC rivals ahead of the conference title game with their handling of Florida St. on Saturday. For a moment on Saturday, I was wondering if the game would have to be delayed to mop up all the tears shed between Tim Tebow and Urban Meyer before the game. If that had gone on much longer, those two would have needed to get a room. As for an early preview for the SEC Championship game, this is about as much of a toss-up as a big game can get (really going out on a limb, I know, but there's still time before Saturday).

Side Dish: Florida's opponent on Saturday, Florida St. seems to be moving on without Bobby Bowden. Tomorrow, Bowden looks like he will retire from coaching after a storied career which would place him on the Mt. Rushmore of college coaches. While this small space in no way can do justice to his accomplishments, here's hoping Bowden's legacy won't be his clumsy removal by the FSU hierarchy and his seeming unwillingness to walk away on his own. Bobby Bowden's contributions far outweigh his late decline.

3. Alabama (12-0, last week W at Auburn 26-21, up next Sat. vs. Florida)

-For much of the Iron Bowl, Alabama's national title hopes were looking slim. They seemed vulnerable to explosive plays from Auburn's athletic playmakers (don't think Urban Meyer wasn't paying attention) and their workhorse Mark Ingram was struggling much of the game. That's when Jr QB Greg McElroy and So. WR Julio Jones led 'Bama on a 15 play, 79 yard drive to take the lead with under 90 seconds left. And even though HC Nick Saban recognized his team got their tail whipped for large parts of the game, he had to be thrilled to see his QB win a game when he had to, because McElroy will be 'Bama's most important player next Saturday.

Another Side Dish: I saw an interesting graphic on ESPN over the weekend. They showed 4 games that will decide BCS berths this upcoming weekend: Ore/Ore St. to decide the Pac 10, Cincinnati/Pitt to decide the Big East, and the Big 12 and ACC Title games. Notice any important games missing...think about it for a second. If you said the SEC Championship, you win! Why wouldn't ESPN include the most important conference championship game ever on that list? Well, it's easy, those other 4 games have one thing in common, they're on the ESPN family of networks while 'Bama/Florida is on CBS. Sad that ESPN only feels the most important games are the ones on their networks. Then again, it might be a good thing the WWL Hype Machine isn't working overtime on the SEC Title game...

4. TCU (12-0, last game W vs. New Mexico 51-10, up next ?)

-Unfortunately for Andy Dalton and co., TCU's hopes for a national title berth are down to one last desperation play. Their only sure hope is a Nebraska victory over Texas in the Big 12 title game and a Pitt victory of Cincinnati, just to make sure. After another dominant victory though, is there anyone who would want to play TCU right now? If we had an honest playoff like every other major sport, wouldn't TCU be just as big a threat as the Top 3 teams? Even if TCU goes to another BCS bowl and wins, the little guys will never find out how good they really are until one of them plays in the national championship.

5. Cincinnati (11-0, last week W vs. Illinois 49-36, up next Sat. vs. Pitt)

-Sr QB Tony Pike didn't miss a beat in his return to the starting lineup against Illinois. After an amazing 399 yards and 6 TDs, one has to wonder if Pike's name would be in the Heisman Watch if he hadn't missed time due to injury. But, the continued lack of a defensive presence, even against a struggling Illinois team, has to worry HC Brian Kelly. Even if they beat Pitt on Saturday, their lack of dominating wins might not be enough to get them past an idle TCU for 4th in the YCS or the BCS. First thing's first, the Bearcats have to find a way to combat the dynamic duo of Lewis and Baldwin for the Panthers to win the Big East.

6. Boise St. (12-0, last week W vs. Nevada 44-33, up next ?)

-Boise St.'s victory over Nevada this week was a microcosm of their entire season, good, but not quite good enough. QB Kellen Moore was once again terrific, but the Boise St. defense allowed Nevada back into the game to the point where the victory went from dominant, to just ok. Thankfully for the Broncos, the loss by Oklahoma St. seems to have punched their ticket to a BCS bowl, barring any major upsets.

7. Ohio St. (10-2, last week idle, up next Jan. 1 Rose Bowl vs. Ore St./Ore)

-Ohio St. didn't play, they didn't move in the YCS. Easy enough for me. I can't see them rooting one way or another in the Civil War, both Oregon teams will be a stern test for the Buckeyes.

8. Oregon (9-2, last week idle , up next Thur vs. #16 Oregon St.)

-Speaking of those Oregon teams, Oregon was idle, so they don't move up in the YCS either. However, you can bet a victory over the other OSU on Thursday will move them ahead of OSU in the next YCS. Since this game is on Thursday, here's an early preview. In a close game like this year's Civil War, the early advantage has to go to the home team, which in this case, will be the Ducks. Throw in the dual threat of a healthy QB Jeramiah Masoli, and the Ducks should be able to finally punch their ticket back to Pasadena.

9. Iowa (10-2, last game idle, up next ?)

-Of all the team's vying for BCS berths, Iowa may have the most uncertain future. Depending on how other games shake out, they are rumored to be coveted by the Fiesta Bowl. But, if other bowls go in different directions, the Orange Bowl may covet Penn St. more. Of course, if the only factor was on-field performance, you'd think Iowa would get a berth over a team they've already beaten. Oh wait, I forgot, we're talking about college football.

10. Georgia Tech (10-2, last week L vs. Georgia 30-24 up next Sat. vs. Clemson)

-Ga. Tech still hangs on to the last spot in the YCS, despite their loss to rivals Georgia. In fairness to Tech, they really didn't have much to play for as they'd already sewn up a spot in the ACC title game. Still, that doesn't exactly mean they were happy to lose to the 'Dawgs on Saturday.

Dropped from the YCS: Pittsburgh

Just Missed Out: Oregon St., Penn St., Pitt, Va. Tech

-Pitt drops out after going down at the last-second in the Backyard Brawl versus West Virginia. Suddenly that matchup with Cincinnati isn't as sexy, even though it will still decide the Big East champion. Lurking outside the YCS with the Panthers are a host of teams who've overcome earlier defeats to finish out their season's strong. Oregon St. has the most to gain this week with a chance to go to the Rose Bowl by winning the Civil War versus Oregon.

RSS HEISMAN WATCH

1. Colt McCoy-QB-Texas (last week 24/40, 304 yards, 4 TDs; 175 yards rushing, 1 TD)

-With only one week left in the regular season, Colt McCoy seized his opportunity Thanksgiving night to top the RSS Heisman Watch by the narrowest of margins. Without a doubt, McCoy had his best game of the season, accounting for almost 500 yards of offense and 5 TDs. With his resurgence, he's now leading the country in completion percentage at over 71%. Even more important, McCoy may have authored the signature play of the Heisman campaign with his 65-yard TD run, breaking away from even the speediest A&M defenders. With another impressive performance (and victory) against Nebraska in the Big 12 Championship, McCoy will garner the Heisman vote from RSS.

2. Toby Gerhart-RB-Stanford (last week 29 rushes, 205 yards, 3 TDs; 1 passing TD)

-Last week we questioned whether Toby Gerhart's late charge could gather enough momentum to earn a trip to NYC. Well, that question was answered emphatically with his performance against Notre Dame on Saturday. As you'll see form the highlights below, Gerhart was again an absolute beast. He's second in the country in rushing yards per game (bolstered by another 200+ performance), and even had an important TD throwing on the HB option on 4th down in the 4th quarter (where he did the best job I've ever seen selling the run). Wait until about 3 minutes into the clip when he lights up some poor Irish defender. Unfortunately for Gerhart, he doesn't have a conference championship game to shine in, so he may be the biggest Husker fan on the planet this Saturday.

-By the way, two other things you'll notice from the highlight. Charlie Weis was fired today because he can't recruit or coach a capable defense. Second, Golden Tate and Michael Floyd may be the most talented WR duo we've seen in the college game in a long time.

3. Mark Ingram-RB-Alabama (last week 16 rushes, 30 yards)

-How the mighty have fallen. Last week Ingram looked to be in clear control of his Heisman candidacy. After being shut down against Auburn for a paltry 30 yards, Ingram is now in desperate straits to recapture his Heisman mojo. However, his future is in doubt due to a hip injury he picked up late in the Iron Bowl. Still, even before the injury Ingram was losing playing time to his backup Trent Richardson due to his ineffectiveness. It's going to take a major outburst against a stout Florida defense for Ingram to reclaim the top spot in the RSS Heisman Watch.

4. Ndamukong Suh-DT-Nebraska (last week 5 tackles (1 for loss))

-Suh didn't put up gaudy stats against Colorado, but again he faced routine double teams throughout in the Huskers victory. Even with a Herculean performance against a Top 3 team in Texas, Suh is a long shot to be invited to NYC. It seems a gap has finally emerged between the top 3 Heisman candidates and the rest of the field.

5. Tim Tebow-QB-Florida (last week 17/21, 221 yards, 3 TDs; 15 rushes, 90 yards, 2 TDs)

-We told you last week to not forget about everyone's favorite QB. And amidst the tears and balloons and music at Florida's senior day, Tebow turned out his best performance of the season against Florida St. With 5 total TDs, Tebow controlled the game from start to finish, even when he was pulled in the second half. What's more, Tebow reminded every potential voter why he may be the greatest college football player in history. As we've said all season, don't discount some lazy Heisman voters from turning this year's presentation into a lifetime achievement award for JC QB. If that's the case, just make up a new award to give him, call it the Tim Tebow Lifetime Achievement Award for all I care. Please, don't give him the Heisman though, he doesn't deserve it for his performance this year. Doing so would only cheapen the true meaning of the Heisman even more than it already has become.

Dropping Out of the Race: Jacquizz Rodgers drops out for being idle this past week. While he won't be able to budge his way into an invite to New York, he, and many other players in the Civil War can play their way into other prestigious postseason awards.

Keep an Eye On: Nick Saban and Urban Meyer

-These two men will have the most say in deciding one of the participants in the National Championship Game, but they'll also go a long way in determining who lifts the Heisman Trophy. With the love affair between Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow, you know Meyer is going to put the ball in Tebow's hands and let him win or lose the game. If Tebow has a great game, maybe he sneaks in to the discussion. On the other hand, Saban hasn't shown any propensity to coach with any thoughts towards Mark Ingram's Heisman candidacy. He's played him lightly against weaker competition and showed last week he isn't afraid to turn to Ingram's backups if the Bama RB gets off to a slow start. Of course, both coaches will be focused first on winning, but how they go about trying to win the SEC Championship will have a major impact on whoever the Heisman winner ultimately is.

That's does it for this week's YCS and Heisman Watch. As always let us know how wrong we are by posting a comment below, but be prepared for a carefully well-thought out response...at least some of the time. We'll also continue our countdown of the Games of the Decade tomorrow. Until then, it's bye for now!

Quick Hits: Pete Carroll Is A Hypocrite

Time for our newest debut feature at RSS: Quick Hits. Quick Hits will give us a chance to give our thoughts on a subject in the world of sports that we might not otherwise cover throughout the week. It'll be a short article analyzing a person, game, moment, or anything else. Quick Hits can be inspired by a moment of greatness, stupidity, questions that need asked, analysis you won't find anywhere else, or in this case, a football coach who is a major-league chach bag.

Pete Carroll is a hypocrite. You would have thought the sky was falling when Jim Harbaugh and Stanford went for 2 against poor, defenseless USC two weeks ago. Pete Carroll asked Harbaugh "what's the deal" at midfield and was generally angry and upset that he got showed up. A lot of people might say that running up the score brings shame and disrespect to the game. Others would argue that it's the defense's job to play defense and that you can score however many points you want, this is a capitalist society after all.

But, whichever side of the debate you fall on, don't be a hypocrite. If you're going to be incredulous against a fellow coach for running it up, don't pull this junk in your next game. Up 14, in the last minute, Carroll pulled this stunt after UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel called a timeout. It wasn't that big of a deal, except we almost had the 2009 LA Riots...

Carroll said that it was a "great frickin call" to embarrass UCLA like that. And, I have no problem with USC throwing it deep after Neuheisel called the needless timeout. However, this is the same guy that whined when another coach did the same thing two weeks earlier. I hope Neuheisel asked Teflon Pete "what's the deal" at midfield. I hope every opponent takes every chance to run up the score against USC in the future, just so Carroll can be further exposed as the hypocrite he is. By the way, for all of the USC players jumping up and down on the sidelines... you've had a crappy year, you're not going to a BCS game, UCLA sucks... get over yourselves. USC's behavior makes the entire program look childish and petulant. Pete Carroll, you might be the biggest hypocrite in sports this year. Enjoy the Holiday Bowl.

7 Things We Missed This Weekend

Time for our Monday look back at the wide world of sports. In case you missed it, the world's most famous athlete was involved in a minor accident. If you consider rumors of a golf-club wielding wife and a rumored affair for the world's most famous athlete minor. We'll also hit the NBA and the NHL, one of the best rivalry games in the world, Bud Selig, and another champion being crowned. Just watch out for those fire hydrants, they jump out at you...

1. Tiger

-Wow, this is not how we are used to seeing Tiger Woods in the headlines. By now you probably know everything that happened and all the rumors. Out of all the takes out there on the web, this article inside Tiger's issues from Gary Van Sickle is the best. You know all of the questions: where was he going at that time of night? How do you hit a fire hydrant & a tree out of your own driveway? Why smash a golf club through the back window of an SUV after a minor accident? And so on and so forth...

But, let's take a different angle. How has Woods handled this whole HydrantGate? (I'll take better suggestions) Frankly, Tiger has done about as well after this mess than he did on the Back 9 at the 2009 PGA. This is the first time his perfect off-course image has come under any scrutiny. Look at Tiger's statement: he says he's a human being and he's not perfect. Umm.. ok? Isn't that ultra defensive and a little condescending; you hit a tree, it's not like committing adultery or anything, whoops.... He talks about the irresponsible, false rumors and hammers home his need for privacy time and time again like we're all taking pictures during his backswing.

Again, the whole statement is so defensive and standoffish that one has to wonder what is really going on here. Why release such a dramatic statement to the public and then refuse to talk to the police? Why wait 2 days to release a statement that could have come yesterday afternoon? Tiger has definitely flubbed a chip shot here. Now the police want a warrant to check for probable cause of a crime being committed. There's certainly more to follow.

(By the way, Tiger's Top 4 Google Searches: mistress, accident update, girlfriend, and... fart.)

2. Bud

-Maybe Bud Selig himself hasn't heard the news, but, he is stepping down after the 2012 season. The reasoning? That's when the Mayan Apocalypse is going to come of course. You wouldn't think MLB could exist without Uncle Bud did you?? Evidently Bud wants to pursue other interests besides being the most knuckleheaded commissioner in sports while he still can. Oh, by the way, he'll be 78! It's not good for Bud that the two defining images from his time in office is the '94 Strike and the All-Star Game tie. Oh, and that whole steroids thing. The obituary on the Bud Selig Era can be written if and when he does step aside. And if we survive Bud Selig stepping down as a sign of the apocalypse.

3. El Clasico

-The big news from the world of soccer comes from La Liga in Spain where Barcelona beat eternal rival Real Madrid in El Clasico 1-0 on a 56th minute goal from Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Barca had to hold on for the last half hour after Sergio Busquets was sent off after a second yellow. For all of the hundreds of millions that Real Madrid spent on Ronaldo, Kaka, Alonso, and Benzema, they couldn't get a single goal when it counted most. That's pathetic. Although, we should give the credit to Barca's heroic defense. Valdes in goal, along with the backline of Abidal, Pique, Puyol, and Alves were heroic all match long with dramatic saves and blocks all over the place. It was one of the best defensive efforts in all of my years watching soccer (3, I think) and moved Barcelona to the top of La Liga. You have to wonder if the new Galacticos will be able to bring Real the glory their paychecks demand. Here's the highlights...

4. Loose Nets

-Last night the Nets tied a legendary record by losing their 17th straight game to start the '09-'10 NBA season at the Lakers (highlights below). At least they gave Lawrence Frank 16 games to turn it around! Seriously though, we knew the Nets would be bad, but historically bad? It's a surprise. Thank goodness both of us picked the Under on 28.5 wins in our season preview! The reason the Nets are so bad? They are last in the Triple Crown of offensive stats (PPG, FG%, 3PT FG%). They're actually a decent defensive team (9th in PPA) which makes their 0-17 start so stunning. The thing that's killing this team is any veteran leadership. Half of their top scorers are in their 1st-3rd year in the league and Rafer Alston isn't exactly the guy I want captaining a sinking ship. CDR, Brook Lopez, and T-Will might all turn out to be great players some day, some day.

5. Random NBA Thoughts

-The teams most thankful for NJ's start? 3-14 New York and 2-15 Minnesota, yipes... so much for the East being much deeper, 6 teams have a winning record, ick... Boston is already 6 games up in the division with 7-11 Toronto in 2nd place... Phoenix and Dallas just might stick around at the top of the West, while the Hornets are digging a big hole... Carmelo Anthony - MVP? (highlights of his fitty vs the Knicks below)... if AI signed with Philly it would be the perfect way to end his career, this Stephen A. Smith retirement is no way for a Hall of Famer to go out.

6. What The Heck, Let's Talk Some NHL!

-I think this is the first time in my lifetime I've seen Detroit out of the West Top 8... me thinks the NHL is rooting for a Caps/Pens, Ovie/Sid Eastern Conference Final matchup... Joe Thornton might be the most underrated player in hockey, and sports... the Coyotes look to be better off without the Great One behind the bench... how about Pens v Flames for an insanely early Finals pick... I understand wanting to bring back fans with a lot of goals, but it might be bordering on too much, these are the scores of Saturday's 13 games: 6-1, 4-3, 5-1, 4-3, 1-0, 4-3, 4-3, 8-3, 4-1, 4-3, 7-3, 3-1, 2-1... that's a 5.5 average if you take away the extra 6 shootout finals, not quite the days of the Left Wing Lock. Speaking of goals, let's check out Sidney Crosby's Saturday Hat Trick vs the Rangers...

7. Another "Champion" Is Crowned

-You know we always like to end with a comedy bit, and what better to fill those shoes this week than the championship of the UFL!! It went by so quick, I can't believe I'm watching the NFL and college football instead of this! I kid, I kid. Here's the highlights of the Las Vegas Locos' upset of the undefeated Florida Tuskers in the 2009 UFL Championship Game (I'm getting goosebumps just typing this...). By the way, this has an astonishing 279 views on Youtube, which makes it 139,235 views behind a video of paint drying as of press time, I'm not making that up. Anyways, about those highlights? Eh, who cares, here's the video of the game and of paint drying, you decide which one you would rather watch...

Check back later tonight as Mr Yoder II takes you through the world of College Football with the YCS Standings and the Heisman Watch, who will be #1 out of McCoy, Gerhart, Ingram, and Tebow? And check back tomorrow for our Protecting the Shield NFL recap and continuation of our Top 10 Games of the Decade countdown!

Top 10 Games of the Decade-Hockey-2009 Pens v Wings: Game 7

Our Games of the Decade Series continues with our next game coming exactly three months after the epic 6 OT game between UConn and Syracuse. This time, we go from the hardwood to the ice with our hockey game of the decade. Hockey suffered through a tumultuous decade, becoming the first American sports league to lose an entire season due to a work stoppage. The '04-'05 lockout, and subsequent drop from ESPN has left hockey in a distant 4th place amongst the 4 major pro sports in popularity. However, epic games like this one can slowly bring hockey back to the mainstream.

Who: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings

What: Stanley Cup Finals Game 7

Where: Joe Louis Arena, Detroit

When: June 12, 2009

How It All Unfolded: The 2009 Stanley Cup Finals was a rematch of the previous season's championship round. The veteran Red Wings had held off the upstart Penguins in 6 games in 2008 to win their 2nd Stanley Cup of the Decade. All of hockey was rooting for a rematch when 2009, and the Penguins made a remarkable run back to the Cup Finals from the #4 seed. The Wings had a veteran roster with plenty of All-Star performers like Datsyuk, Franzen, and Holmstrom, along with veterans Osgood, Chelios, and Draper. The Penguins were led by hockey's next big thing Sidney Crosby, the league's youngest ever MVP in 2007, and Evgeni Malkin, winer of the Art Ross trophy. The series was set to be a classic.

The teams traded home wins all the way up until Game 7. Going into the game, Detroit's veteran leadership and championship experience had them the slight favorites. However, stars like Crosby and Malkin were capable of winning the Cup on the road for Pittsburgh's first title since the days of Super Mario. The first period was played like you would expect in a Game 7 with physical play and neither side giving an inch. As the 2nd Period began, the Penguins got the breakthrough with Max Talbot converting a turnover. As the Pens took the lead though, they lost their star Crosby to a big hit on the boards. But, it was Talbot who was leading Pittsburgh as the unlikely hero (12 G in '08-'09) as he got his 2nd of the period on a 2 on 1 breakaway. The Pens were 20 minutes away from the Cup.

With 6 minutes left, Detroit got one back, setting up one of the most dramatic finishes in hockey history. Niklas Kronwall drilled the crossbar with over 2 minutes to go, and as time expired Pens G Marc-Andre Fleury came up with one of the most famous saves of all-time as he dived across his goal to stop Wings Captain Nick Lidstrom as time expired and the Penguins won the Cup. It was everything the NHL could have hoped for as its star phenom Crosby celebrated with owner Mario Lemieux and lifted the Stanley Cup, here's the highlights!

Why We'll Remember It: This game wasn't just important for the Red Wings and the Penguins, but for the sport of hockey. The lockout of 2004 did untold damage to the sport. Love or hate ESPN, but they control the sports landscape. The NHL being off ESPN is a huge hill to climb for the league. Yes, you can point to attendance numbers all you want, but TV money and viewers rule the day. And, compared to the NFL, hockey is a gnat flying around on the Versus network. However, the game is more entertaining than ever, and stars like Crosby can bring back viewers and networks. 2009's Game 7 on NBC was the most watched hockey game in the US since 1973 drawing 8 Million viewers. In other words, hockey was once again relevant on the national sports landscape.

And, in truth, the NHL couldn't have asked for a better game to bring back the masses to the ice. You had two of the hallmark franchises of the league going toe-to-toe, you had stars all over the ice, an unlikely hero, and a thrilling finale. Of course, the NHL has a long way to go before it can come back to national prominence and compete with the other 3 major pro sports. Violence and injuries in the game have to be addressed before someone gets seriously injured as we've seen a high number of high impact injuries this season.

But, for one magical night in June, Lord Stanley's Cup drew the attention of a nation, and they were captivated from beginning to end. Let's hope that for the sake of hockey, and for sports in general, we can look back on Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals as the night that hockey was back.

Also Considered:

-2000: Eastern Conference Semis - Flyers 2 Penguins 1 5 OT

-2000: Stanley Cup Finals Game 5 - Stars 1 Devils 0 3 OT

-2002: Stanley Cup Finals Game 3 - Red Wings 3 Hurricanes 2 3 OT

-2006: Stanley Cup Finals Game 1 - Hurricanes 5 Oilers 4

We'll be back on Monday with all of the news from this weekend, including Tiger Woods and Bud Selig. See you then!

Top 10 Games of the Decade-College BBall-2008 Big East Quarterfinal UConn vs. Syracuse

Our Games of the Decade Series continues with our look at the most dramatic college basketball game of the last 10 years. There's certainly a lot of worthy choices, but our vote goes to the longest game of the last ten years. It began as a normal Big East tournament game between old rivals UConn and Syracuse, but it ended the next morning after a battle of attrition the likes of which we've never seen.

Who: #20 Syracuse (24-8) vs. #4 UConn (27-3)

What: Big East Tournament Quarterfinal

Where: Madison Square Garden, NYC

When: March 12, 2009

How It All Unfolded: The 2009 Big East Tournament was supposed to be a showdown of 3 of the top 5 teams in college basketball. UConn, Pitt, and Louisville had all held the top spot in the rankings at some point during the season and had clearly established themselves as the class of the Big East. As usual, UConn boasted the most amount of talent, with Hasheem Thabeet and Jeff Adrien on the inside, and a talented backcourt featuring A.J. Price on the outside.

Meanwhile, Syracuse had had a typically uneven season since the brief days of Carmelo Anthony and Gerry McNamara. In the 2008-2009 season they suffered an embarrassing early season defeat at home to Cleveland St. and were unable to get by any of the three best Big East teams during the regular season.

Syracuse finished sixth in the conference and earned a bye into the 2nd round of the Big East tournament, where they were matched up with Seton Hall. After getting through a brief dustup caused by mercurial guard Eric Devendorf, the Orange advanced with a 89-74 victory. In the next round they would meet the Huskies, who earned a bye into the quarterfinals with their third place finish in conference play. UConn would be playing for another Big East Tournament and a #1 seed in the Big Dance while Syracuse was playing to ensure a trip to March Madness.

Of course, I could sit here and painstakingly go through the ups and downs of this roller coaster ride, but I'm sure you'd enjoy this handy YouTube recap much more. Here's a hint about the game, it went so long, the highlight is 10 minutes long! Trust me, it's worth it!

And with that, Syracuse had won the second-longest game in Division I history 127-117. Remember, Syracuse hadn't led in the first 5 OT periods! The Orange truly showed the heart of a champion to hang in and defeat a more talented UConn team. But there's so much to this game we'll remember.

Why We'll Remember It: Obviously, the pictures speak 1000 words for this struggle. In our lead picture, you can see the agony and fatigue in Harris, Devendorf, and Flynn from Syracuse. Of course, this classic may not have unfolded if Eric Devendorf's last second shot at the end of regulation would have been a tenth of a second sooner.

When it was all over, players like Kemba Walker had given all they possibly could have. These players weren't playing their guts out for 6 OTs to draw a paycheck, they played for each other, for their university, and for the Big East Tournament Championship.

All you have to do is look at the box score and some of the amazing individual statistics.

UConn

A.J. Price: 61 minutes, 33 points, 10 assists

Jeff Adrien: 56 minutes, 12 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists

4 other players over 45 minutes (Thabeet, Walker, Austrie, Robinson)

Syracuse

Jonny Flynn: 67 minutes, 34 points, 11 assists, 16-16 FT

Eric Devendorf: 61 minutes, 22 points

Paul Harris: 56 minutes, 29 points, 22 rebounds

Flynn especially would play an unfathomable number of minutes in the tournament. As if 6 OTs weren't enough in the quarterfinal, Syracuse would need OT to win their semifinal game versus West Virginia. In the semifinal, Flynn would play all 45 minutes. Unfortunately for the Orange, they would finally succumb to the grind in the tournament final against Louisville 76-66, although Flynn would take home the crown of Tournament MVP. In the NCAA tournament, the Orange would fall in the Sweet 16 to Oklahoma. Meanwhile UConn made the Final Four, before they were upset by Michigan St.

But, the one thing every fan will remember from the 2008-2009 season will be this game. The odds are, we'll never see another one like it, where fans all across the country can simultaneously update their Facebook or MySpace status to show they are watching the greatest college game of their lifetime. The setting made it all the more special, in the World's Most Famous Arena, in the best of the Conference Tournaments (sorry Dukie V, it's true, it's true). Although neither team was able to reach their ultimate goal for the season, they were able to claim their own unique place in history, and maybe that's just as valuable for the warriors of the 6OT game.

Also Considered

-2001: Iowa St. vs. Mizzou - Mizzou outlasts in a paltry 4 OTs

-2001: Duke vs. Maryland - Duke comes back from 10 down in the final minute

-2004: Oklahoma St. vs. St. Joseph's - John Lucas sends the Cowboys to the Final Four

-2005: Michigan St. vs. Kentucky - The underdog Spartans go to the Final Four in 2 OTs

-2005: Illinois vs. Arizona - The Illini make it to the Final Four in OT

-2008: Kansas vs. Memphis - Jayhawks come back to win it all

-2009: Villanova vs. Pittsburgh - Scottie Reynolds leads 'Nova to the Final Four

Join us back here at RSS later today for a second round of our football preview that's Hot off the Grill. Also keep track of our continuation of the world-renowned Decade Series. Hope all the turkey's staying down. Happy Black Friday. Gobble Gobble!

Hot Off The Grill Thanksgiving Extravaganza

Since it's the day before Thanksgiving, we thought we would give you a special Hot Off The Grill Preview for the action surrounding the Thanksgiving Day Holiday. We'll not only look at the games of the gridiron, but the hardwood and beyond as well. Also, for our Extra Trimmings segment, we will bring the entire family together as Yard Yoder takes some time from his wildly successful Wizards blog (see link at left) to join us and talk about which sport we're most thankful for on Thanksgiving. So grab the turkey, the pumpkin pie, and follow me before the tryptophan sets in!

Turducken's Game Of The Week: #2 Alabama @ Auburn Friday afternoon (CBS)

-The Iron Bowl is one of the most underrated rivalries in college football and it will take center stage on Friday with Alabama's national title hopes on the line at hated rival Auburn. Bama is coming off of their November exhibition win against I-AA Chattanooga while Auburn has had a good but not great 7-4 season and coming off of a loss between the hedges at Georgia. Auburn has undergone some major changes in recent years, but the hiring of Gene Chizik seems like it may not be the nightmare that fans and pundits (like Charles Barkley) envisioned in the offseason when he came from Iowa State.

Auburn has won 6 of 7 Iron Bowls, but Alabama won last year and are heavy, heavy favorites to win again this season. The Bama offense with Heisman frontrunner Mark Ingram will look to run all over an Auburn D that is 88th against the run. Of course, in rivalry games you should expect the unexpected, but you would be hard pressed to find anyone who thinks that Auburn can pull the upset. I'm hoping for a competitive Iron Bowl because the rest of the Friday afternoon schedule is rather subpar. PICK - Bama

Pumpkin Pie's Spotlight Game: Giants @ Broncos Thanksgiving Night (NFL)

-This game, while not the traditional Thanksgiving clash, is without doubt the game with the most significance in the NFL on Thursday. The Giants got a huge home win against the Falcons last week to boost their Division and Wild Card chances. The Broncos are now out of the lead in the AFC West for the first time this season and need a win in the worst way. The defense and Elvis Dumervil haven't exactly been lighting the world on fire and last week 2 offensive stars in Marshall and Moreno were getting into it on the sidelines. Denver will put up a better fight than last week, but the Giants will still get the road win. PICK - Giants

Cranberry Sauce's Upset Of The Week: Nevada @ #6 Boise State Friday Night (ESPN)

-Boise is unfortunately running last in line amongst college football's unbeatens. While most figure they'll run the table and then get screwed out of a BCS birth, we always pride ourselves with unconventional thinking at RSS! And, we've been on the bandwagon of Colin Kaepernick and Luke Lippencott for what seems like an eternity now. With Boise rolling, Nevada has quietly won 8 straight scoring over 55 per game and leads I-A in rushing yards per game. This one could replicate the 69-67 4OT classic that we saw 2 years ago with Boise winning on the blue turf, but this time Nevada comes out on top. PICK - Nevada

Stuffing's UTR Game of The Week: Magic @ Hawks Thanksgiving Night (TNT)

-While we think of Feast Week in college ball as the main event of the hardwood during Thanksgiving (Maui Final: Cincy v Gonzaga tonight), the best individual basketball game over the next three days takes place on Thanksgiving Night in the NBA. And... it's between Orlando and Atlanta?! Yes, who would have thunk that? These two teams are tied for the best record in the league at 11-3. The Magic have been incredibly balanced with 6 guys averaging more than 10 ppg, while the young Hawks have a lot to be happy about, especially the 17 ppg off the bench from ex-Knick Jamal Crawford alongside the star power of Joe Johnson. This is a bigger game for Atlanta than Orlando early on in the season, take the Hawks at home. PICK - Atlanta

Drumstick: Tony Romo (QB-Dallas)

-Romo usually always struggles in the big games... but not so on Thanksgiving. Of course, Commish Goodell has done him some favors in recent years. The Cowboys have won 3 straight on Thanksgiving averaging 35.3 points per game in those contests. And, even though the Raiders are coming off of a win on Thanksgiving, I don't really think they'll pose a problem for the Boys on Thanksgiving. By the way, this will be Bruce Gradkowski's 2nd Thanksgiving start in 4 years. What's next... JaMarcus Russell starting a Super Bowl? When I tell my kids about Thanksgiving Day Football traditions... I'll surely be telling the stories of the great Gradkowski, my kids will hate me some day.

The Trimmings: What Are You Most Thankful For?

Mr Yoder I - College Football

While Thanksgiving Day and the NFL is the big tradition this time of year, I look forward to College Football more than anything else. My favorite childhood memories are putting up the Christmas Tree the day after Thanksgiving while watching great rivalry games like Texas v Texas A&M and Nebraska v Colorado. The weekend also features Florida v Florida St, the Iron Bowl, and many more. Rivalry games are what sets college football apart from every other sport on the planet and you get more of them here than at any other time in the year. Plus, when games like the Iron Bowl have national title implications, it only makes it more special. Would you rather watch the Lions lose and a boring Cowboys win, or Mark Ingram and Ndamukong Suh this Thanksgiving?

Yard Yoder - College BBall

While thanksgiving is traditionally paired with football, personally I am most thankful for the great college basketball that goes on around thanksgiving year after year. It is that time of the season where pre-season rankings are brought into question, and match-ups which you’ve always wanted to see become a reality. It is a time before conference play begins, and a time where coaches load their schedule strength against other powerhouses. What does that mean for us? Great game after great game. Just look at all the tournaments that go on in beautiful places like Orlando, Maui,Puerto Rico, and Cancun. Football may be tradition, but college basketball is my favorite pastime on Turkey Day.

Mr Yoder II - NFL

Well first, I'm thankful to be graced with the presence of Yard Yoder at Thanksgiving...It's always great to be with family this time of year. The thing I'm most thankful for in sports is, of course, the tradition of the NFL on Thanksgiving Day. It's a time when most fans can sit back and be thankful they aren't fans of the Detroit Lions! And you don't have to worry about that food coma you'll slip into, becuase by the time you wake up, the Lions aren't playing any more! At least the NFL has tried to give us some competition with the primetime game on NFL Network...maybe a sign of things to come with getting the Lions off of Thanksgiving every year. You can schedule a competitive game for the Cowboys any time too, Commish.

Randall's Got His Eye On You... Josh McDaniels

-The little genius went through the worst offseason that any rookie coach in the history of western civilization. He alienated his Pro Bowl QB, dealt with his star WR being a malcontent, and had Kyle Orton leading the brigade. Then via some miracle, he turned into a genius when he started 6-0. McGenius was all the rage for the first 6 weeks of the season. Now, at 6-4 the Broncos are going back down on the roller coaster that has been their 2009 season. McDaniels showed some panic mode coaching last week inserting Kyle Orton after a quarter against San Diego. Now, they need a win on Thanksgiving Night to save their season. Against an equally desperate Giants team, that may be a tall turkey day order.

Top 10 Games of the Decade-NBA: Game 4 2008 NBA Finals

Ironically, the next installment of our Top 10 Games of the Decade took place on the same day of the first round of the 2008 U.S. Open. While Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate were about to embark on the most dramatic golfing battle of the decade, the Celtics and Lakers were renewing the most storied rivalry in the NBA. What was to unfold that night would make Finals history, and cement the legacy of a new chapter in the Celtics/Lakers rivalry.

Who: Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers

What: Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals

Where: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California

When: June 12, 2008

How It All Unfolded: The 2008 NBA Finals was the culmination of a revival of one the NBA's two most storied franchises. At the beginning of the decade, the Lakers had won three titles behind the championship trio of Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. However, the two couldn't coexist and eventually Shaq was traded to Miami in 2004. After some bumps in the road with Kobe Bryant the unquestioned star of L.A., the Lakers were finally making the right moves in 2007. They'd drafted a promising young center in Andrew Bynum, acquired key cogs Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom, and fleeced the Memphis Grizzlies for All-Star Pau Gasol. They ran away with the Western Conference and cruised to the Finals for a record 29th time.

Another more dramatic revival was happening on the other side of the country in Boston. The Celtics had languished since the days of Bird, McHale, and Parish. Even worse, former Celtic Danny Ainge seemed to be making all the wrong moves as the team's GM. Temperamental star Paul Pierce seemed to be on his way out to a contender. But then, a wave of events took the Celtics from cellar-dwellar to contender. Trades for future Hall of Famers Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett gave Boston the most formidable Big 3 in the league. Even under the most intense pressure of their careers, the new look Celtics fought through two 7 game series (including an epic duel between Pierce and LeBron James in Game 7 of the 2nd round) and the Detroit Pistons to make the Finals for the first time since 1987.

Fans, media, everyone associated with the NBA was salivating at the revival of the league's greatest rivalry renewed. Magic and Bird saved the NBA in the 80's and the 2008 meeting between the two would be the first meeting of the two teams in the Finals since the glory years. Overall, it would be the 11th time the Celtics and Lakers would be meeting to crown a champion.

The drama started early in Game 1. The Lakers got off to an early lead, but behind Garnett and captain Paul Pierce, the Celtics hung close. Then, the unthinkable, Pierce went down with what looked to be a serious knee injury. Cue the heroic music!

That comeback by Pierce is either one of the inspiring moments in NBA history, or one of the most poorly-acted hoaxes, depending on where you live and who you were rooting for at the time. Nevertheless, on the heels of Pierce's outstanding all-around play, the Celtics took the first two games at home. Kobe Bryant responded in Game 3 back in L.A. to dominate down the stretch and bring the Lakers back to down 2-1. Game 4 would certainly be the game to shape the rest of the series. At home, the Lakers came out like gangbusters, opening a 21 point 1st quarter lead. The deficit for the Celtics would balloon to 24 points by the 3rd quarter. As play-by-play man Mike Breen said at the time, the Staples Center crowd was getting tired from all the standing ovations the crowd was giving the Lakers!

But, the Celtics would begin to chip away in the 3rd quarter. Sparked by their trademark tough defense, especially the stifling play of Paul Pierce on Kobe Bryant, the Celtics began to rally. After an emphatic dunk by P.J. Brown at the end of the 3rd, the Celtics were miraculously back to within 2 points. What followed was the most dramatic 4th quarter of the decade in the NBA. The Lakers did their best to keep the Celtics at bay, but the determination of Garnett and Pierce and clutch shots by Eddie House and James Posey gave the Celtics the lead. Ray Allen's acrobatic lay-in sealed the victory for the Celtics, and a 3-1 series lead. Boston would go on to win their 17th championship in six games over the Lakers. I'll let the highlights of this amazing game speak for itself (except for the insufferable Rick Kamla who unfortunately hosts this video).

Why We'll Remember It:

There are many reasons we'll remember this as the greatest NBA game of the 2000's. First, there isn't really a lot of competition. One contender might be Game 4 of the 2002 Western Conference Finals between the Kings and the Lakers. But, that entire series has since been shrouded in controversy by disgraced former ref Tim Donaghy. The other contender, Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals featured a great individual performance by Allen Iverson, but lacks the same importance in a larger sense as the Lakers easily won the next 4 games.

More importantly, Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals had history on its side. The two most important franchises in NBA history were meeting to decide the championship. The Celtics and the Lakers, a rivalry responsible for the growth of the NBA in the 50's and 60's and the saving of the NBA in the 80's, would cement the complete revival of the NBA's post-Jordan era. With the emergence of stars like Bryant, Pierce, KG, James, Wade, Duncan, and teams like the Celtics and Lakers, the future of the NBA finally seemed stable.

Above all else though, Game 4 provided the biggest comeback in Finals history. No team had ever been down 21 points after the 1st quarter of a Finals game and won. Without the comeback, the Celtics may have gone on to lose the series and any chance at reclaiming Celtic Pride (no, not the ridiculous movie with Dan Akroyd and the guy from Home Alone). The raising of banner 17 officially brought back back arguably the league's most important franchise to the top of the NBA for the first time over 20 years.

Further, the legacies of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and especially Finals MVP Paul Pierce were firmly established with the all-time Celtics greats and the all-time greats of the game. Of course, things didn't turn out all bad for the Lakers, who would win the title in 2009. Still, no one looking back years from now will remember the Lakers losing Game 4 of the 2008 NBA Finals, they'll remember the Celtics winning it. This game, more than any other of the decade, exemplified what can make amazing happen in the NBA.

Others Considered -

2001 Finals Game 1: Philly 107 Lakers 101

2002 West Finals Game 4: Lakers 100 Kings 99

2007 East Finals Game 5: Cavs 109 Pistons 107 2 OTw

Top 10 Games of the Decade-Golf: 2008 U.S. Open

The Decade Series is finally back with the best golf game...well, match, of the decade! While one man had to be involved (that Tiger Woods fella we've already covered earlier), which of his victories was the most memorable? Where so many others had failed to challenge Tiger on the grand stage up 'til 2008, one man stood finally stood up to be counted, Rocco Mediate. What unfolded was perhaps not just the most compelling golf of this decade, but of all time. Relive the drama here, at Randall Simon's Sausages!

Who: Tiger Woods vs. Rocco Mediate

What: U.S. Open

Where: Torrey Pines in San Diego, California

When: June 12-16, 2008

How It All Unfolded: Since the day the 2008 U.S. Open was scheduled to be played at Torrey Pines, Tiger Woods was the favorite. All Tiger had done up to the 2008 U.S. Open was win the Buick Inviational played at Torrey Pines a record six times, including four straight. Tiger seemed unstoppable and would surely challenge for the true Grand Slam on the heels of a five-event winning streak. Surprisingly, Tiger struggled by his own lofty standards at the 2008 Masters even in finishing 2nd. Off the heels of the Masters in April, Tiger underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, shelving him until the U.S. Open. Even though Torrey Pines was clearly Tiger's house, no one knew how his balky knee and the time off would affect his chances.

Meanwhile, his ultimate foe, Rocco Mediate, took a much different path to the 2008 U.S. Open. Mediate was a journeyman known more for his gentle demeanor and good-natured sense of humor than his golfing prowess. Mediate only had registered 5 PGA Tour wins, none since 2002 and had battled debilitating back problems throughout his career. Rocco's success in the majors was also limited; he had either missed the cut or did not play in 15 of the last 19 majors. Rocco only made the field of the 2008 U.S. Open through a regional qualifier and wasn't even a blip on the radar.

As the tournament began, Tiger Woods was in obvious pain. But somehow, after two rounds Tiger found himself in a share of second place, along with Mediate and Swede Robert Karlsson. These three were at 2-under and found themselves one back of Stuart Appleby. Then came perhaps the most compelling Saturday in major championship history...I'll let the highlights speak for themselves (I apologize in advance for the presence of Scott Van Pelt and later Johnny Miller in these highlights).

Despite playing on virtually one leg, and at one point being behind five shots, miraculously Woods found himself alone at the top of the leaderboard after Day 3. Sunday would surely be just another coronation. After all, Tiger was 13 for 13 when having the lead in the final round of a major. Tiger was at 3-under, paired with Lee Westwood one shot behind. Mediate was two back at 1-under after fading on the back nine on Saturday. But, as the final round on Sunday began, Woods uncharacteristically stumbled out of the gate with a double bogey at the 1st. Ahead of him on the course, Mediate was finding the magic that brought him to the lead on Saturday, surging to the lead on the back nine.

By the time Rocco stood on the 18th green, he had a one-shot lead on Woods and Westwood. With a chance to go up two with a birdie, he was unable to capitalize for the second straight hole. Mediate would make par to finish at 1-under for the tournament. Both Woods and Westwood knew an eagle would win and a birdie would force an 18-hole playoff the next day. Westwood missed his birdie chance, while Tiger would once again stamp his mark on history with one of the most clutch putts ever...

Of course he was going to make it, he's Tiger Woods, the greatest athlete of the decade! Now that finally Woods had overcome a tough course, his balky knee, and the gritty Mediate, he would easily lift the U.S. Open trophy in the one-day playoff the next day, right? But even after going up three shots after 10 holes on Monday, Mediate wouldn't give up. With the crowd firmly behind the underdog, Mediate rallied to wrestle away the lead with birdies on 13, 14, and 15. After pars by both on 16 and 17, it would all come down to the par-5 18th. Once again, Mediate had a chance to close the door with a birdie, but missed. For the second straight day, Tiger tied Rocco with a birdie at the last to force sudden death. Rocco was clearly deflated. For the second time in two days, he had a chance to beat Tiger Woods in a major, and just couldn't do it. After 90 holes of golf, the two men were still inseparable. One hole later though, Tiger Woods finally won the U.S. Open by parring the first hole of sudden death to claim his 14th major.

Why We'll Remember It:

Days after the U.S. Open the sporting world learned Tiger Woods was playing with a double stress fracture in his left leg. He also would need to undergo reconstructive surgery on his ACL, resulting in missing the rest of the 2008 season. Meanwhile, his partner in history, Rocco Mediate would once again fade in to the anonymity of the PGA Tour without Tiger Woods. In the year and a half since, Tiger had come back to contend for majors and win every other tournament in sight. Rocco though has struggled to recapture the magic of that weekend, fighting back problems, and posting only one Top 10 finish in 2009.

But, for one weekend, in the most compelling golf tournament of the decade, Rocco Mediate stood toe-to-toe with the greatest golfer of our lifetime for 91 holes. Mediate was able to rise to the occasion and take his game where no one, including himself, thought possible. Not only that, he drew even more greatness and determination out of Tiger Woods, something no one thought possible either. Even though it was Woods who lifted the trophy at the end of the day, Rocco was a winner in every sense of the word, especially in the hearts and minds of all who pulled for the plucky underdog throughout the week.

Sadly, Rocco Mediate may just become a name attached to the greatest performance of Tiger Woods's career. On numerous occasions since, Tiger has called this his greatest victory, not just for the drama, but for the adversity he overcame to win. For once in his dominant career, Tiger seemed to have all the odds stacked against him. Yet, he showed the sporting world the depths of his talent, his drive, and his courage. When grandfathers are telling the greatest of sports stories years from now, when parents are teaching their kids the wonderful game of golf, you know it won't take long before Tiger Woods enters the conversation. And the first film they'll look to to explain his greatness will be the 2008 U.S. Open, that's why it's the best tournament of the decade, and perhaps any decade past, or future.

Others Considered:

-2000 PGA Championship: Tiger Woods duel with Bob May

-2005 Masters: Tiger outlasts Chris DiMarco

-2004 Masters: Phil Mickelson finally breaks through

We hope you've enjoyed this brief walk down memory lane to 2008 and our Game of the Decade in golf. Join us next time in our Games of the Decade Countdown when we'll relive the NBA's greatest game of the 2000's. Also, look for our Thanksgiving extravaganza preview type article as well. Until next time, Gobble Gobble!

Protecting the Shield - Week 11 Thoughts

Turkey Day is right around the corner. RSS is going to give you a spread worthy of such a great holiday. We'll give you a Special Hot off the Grill tomorrow with a preview of all of the Thursday/Friday Thanksgiving action around the world of sports before our Friday Grill article takes a look at the weekend's football action. But, before we go ahead, we must look back at the week that was in the National. Football. League.

Overrated Story of The Week: Maybe The Saints And Colts Aren't The Best Team In Football?!?

You know, this was bad enough of a story when I had to cut off my ears Van Gogh style while listening to Skip Bayless and Jemele Hill debate this pointless "story." This is the thing with our current sports culture, we always have to find stupid things to debate. One of my personal favorites is: "Team X is really better than Team Y, even though Team Y has a better record." If Team X was really better... than logic should dictate that they would have the better record, no? Instead of appreciating what perhaps all-time great teams like Indy and New Orleans are doing in the same season, we have to invent idiotic reasons to say they aren't the best teams in their respective conferences. Exhibit A is something I came across this morning by some guy named Vinnie Iyer of the Sporting News. Vinnie argues that the Vikings and Chargers (wait, not even New England?) are the best teams in their conferences. Yes, the Sporting News is still in existence, and yes, I'm going to tear Vinnie apart.

Why the Vikings are the NFC's best:

1. A better defensive line. New Orleans has wilted against strong running teams, but the Vikings' Williams Wall continues to stuff ballcarriers. Then when opponents try to pass on Minnesota, Jared Allen cleans up the quarterbacks.

This must be what Vinnie is thinking: I'll just pick 1 position group out of 10 to cement my argument that one team is better than the other. Brilliant. OK, Vinnie, but who has the better secondary? The Saints lead the NFL in Turnovers and Interceptions. In fact, they've created 13 more turnovers than the Vikings. Darren Sharper and Jabari Greer are cinch Pro-Bowlers and Roman Harper leads the team in tackles. Who has the better WR corps? The better O-Line? The better punter? The better quality control assistant...

2. A better lead back. The Saints' three-man committee has been effective, but it's hard to see their front seven containing Adrian Peterson in a playoff game, be it in the Superdome or Metrodome.

It is hard to see the Saints containing Adrian Peterson. But, hmmm, let's take 3 seconds and research some stats... the SAINTS HAVE RUSHED FOR 30 MORE YARDS PER GAME AND 6 MORE TOUCHDOWNS THAN THE VIKINGS!! So, let's see... great running back vs 3 really, really good RB's. Let's not talk about how the Saints backs are more balanced, offer a more diverse attack, will be fresher, or, gee, I don't know, maybe might actually be better??

3. An equally good QB. For as much attention Drew Brees receives, Brett Favre might be playing at a level we've never seen from him. It also should be remembered that Favre has won before on the biggest stage.

This is such a strong closing argument. Wow, I am so impressed. Let's all try to follow Vinnie's logic step by step. For all the attention Brees receives (which is next to none compared to #4), Brett Favre is somehow having a fantastic season under the radar. Our friend Vinnie is implying that Favre hasn't had enough attention this season you see. Oh, and Favre has won on the biggest stage, a Super Bowl... 13 years ago! I was 10! And about his recent performances... don't mention the 6 INTs he threw in St. Louis in '02, the 4 INTs against Minny in '05, or his choke job in the NFC Championship in '08. Ok, so in spite of that, according to Vinnie, Favre this season is equal to Brees which implies Minnesota is better than New Orleans. Wow, this sportswriting thing is easy!

Why the Chargers are the AFC's best

1. A better running game. Both San Diego and Indianapolis feature mostly one-dimensional passing offenses, but it's the Chargers who have improved on the ground — see the 203 yards rushing Sunday at Denver.

Peyton. Manning.

2. A better defensive bill of health. The teams each sustained a big loss — Chargers NT Jamal Williams, Colts S Bob Sanders — but San Diego is jelling into the better unit. The Colts' fill-in secondary doesn't match up well with Chargers' receivers.

Jelling into the better unit?? What does that even mean?? While San Diego is a smidge ahead of the Colts in total yards on D, the Colts lead the NFL in what some consider an important defensive category: POINTS ALLOWED PER GAME! That "jelling" San Diego unit? 15th. Oh, and Jackson and Gates are good, but let's see who leads the NFL in receiving yards for WRs and TEs... oh, wait! It's Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark of... the Colts! Again, 3 seconds of research can go a long way people!

3. A better track record. The Chargers have won four of the last five games against the Colts, including playoff games the past two seasons. Philip Rivers also has the confidence to outduel Peyton Manning.

Yes, that Super Bowl that the Colts won a couple years back? Yea, we're going to forget that happened for the sake of this argument. Phil Rivers has the confidence to outduel Manning?? I'm sure Peyton and the Colts are shaking in their boots. Yes, SD has been good against Indy, but how many Super Bowl appearances do they have in the Norv Era... riiiight... ZERO!

Here's our lesson today friends. Just write 3 or 4 dumb statements without doing any research that might sound nice to fit into your argument instead of objectively looking at facts... then you can write for a national sports publication! You know, if it were Favre and Brady who were 10-0, I doubt we would see any stories proclaiming any other teams the best in football. Again, we here at RSS are here to look out for you that you don't fall victim to the sensationalizing, hypocritical mainstream sports media. Rant over.

Underrated Story Of The Week: Silly Season Begins

-With Dick Jauron's firing, silly season has officially started in the NFL. And, even though we are in the midst of a thrilling regular season, for many strugglers this could be the most important offseason in a long time. There are an insane number of proven winners out there whether they come in to coach or run a front office. Look at the names: Shanahan, Cowher, Holmgren, Gruden (maybe?), Schottenheimer, Dungy. All of these guys are available to coach and/or turn a program around. Teams like Buffalo and Cleveland are smart to aggressively go after one of these guys now. Cowher reportedly turned down the Bills, while Holmgren may be interested in the Browns front office (here's a hint: fire Mangini). Watch this space throughout the rest of this season. Your favorite team just might want to pull the trigger on a huge coaching move.

3 Stars:

3rd Star: Wes Welker (WR-Pats)

-15 catches for 192 yards against the Jets means that Welker is officially back as Tom Brady's go to guy. As guys like Welker get back into the groove, this team will get better and better offensively.

2nd Star: Matthew Stafford (QB-Lions)

-I won't go all Peter King and say that Stafford's performance was "one for the ages," but I was impressed with his guttiness in going out for the last play and throwing his 5th TD against Cleveland. But, before we start anointing this guy, remember he threw for 422 and 5 TDs against Cleveland.

1st Star: OK, deep breath... Br... Brett F.. F... Favre, God that was hard (QB - Vikings)

-For all of the hate we give the Favre worshipping media (and Favre himself sometimes), we here at RSS are men enough to finally give it up for the old man. Yes, he dinks and dunks, yes he's become a game manager, but he's doing a darn good job of it. 22/25 for a modest 213 yards, but more importantly, 4 TDs and 0 INTs. I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop and leave Favre and the media crying at the end, but I respect how he has performed... so far.

Fab 5:

1. New Orleans

1. Indy

3. Minny

4. San Diego

5. Cincy

-A thought about our rankings: Sunday was a little less stressful with my Saints able to pull away from the Bucs. They rise to #1 while the Colts... stay at #1? It's getting too hard to separate these teams, and both deserve the top spot. Minnesota is a country mile ahead of anybody else at 9-1 after an easy win. SD and the Bengals flip flop after the Bolts beat up the Broncos. We're still bullish on the Bengals as the best 3 loss team in football, in spite of that slip up in Oakland.

11 Random Observations:

1) With the talk of the "classic" between now 2-8 Detroit and 1-9 Cleveland, it's easy to get caught up in the hype that Stafford and Quinn might be legitimate. While the performances are encouraging, lets see it happen against a team with more than 2 wins.

2) Although our dear mother is a Browns fan, I have to say that the ridiculous ending in Detroit was the most hilarious thing I have seen all NFL season. First, the PI penalty to end all PI penalties, second Mangenius calling a timeout to let Stafford back in the game, and third Mangini's priceless face walking off the field after another defeat. Brilliant!

3) What I'll remember most from the Saints game on Sunday? The brilliant Fox analyst Tim Ryan trying to explain his way through an instant replay decision. I won't bore you with the details, but it was like trying to listen to Mike Tyson explain nuclear physics.

4) A question for Josh McDaniels... why start Chris Simms if Kyle Orton is able to come in and play? Now Brandon Marshall and Knowshown Moreno are fighting on the sidelines? Has any 6-0 team fell faster than this bunch.

5) Thank you Jay Cutler for coming oh so close to nailing our upset pick. At least you threw only 1 INT Sunday night... that's an improvement, right? It would be nice to be able to rebuild through the draft for Chicago, but Jerry Angelo enjoys selling off all his 1st and 2nd round picks. I hear Mike Shanahan is available...

6) The Bengals loss to the Raiders might not be of Heidi Bowl proportions, but this team was due for a letdown. Remember Philly lost at Oakland just a couple weeks ago. The Raiders actually look like a respectable bad team with Bruce Gradkowski at QB.

7) Speaking of bad: How Bout Them Cowboys!

8) Good for Vince Young and the Titans. Don't look now, but they're on a 4 game winning streak at 4-6. This team might just have what it takes to complete the most miraculous playoff run in NFL history.

9) I almost forgot 1 more thing about the brilliant Browns! The dumbest coaching decision I have ever seen (and that includes Yale and Les Miles) occurred Sunday. It's 4th and 9 from the Detroit 22 with 11 seconds left in the 1st half. What's the rational decision? Of course, it's Eric Mangini calling a fake FG to gain 11 yards only on the next play to... KICK A FIELD GOAL!!

10) Rex Ryan lost another point this week whining about the Pats throwing deep late in the game in a blowout on Sunday. Rex, you were the one that started this thing, so man up and take your beating like a man. Maybe you and your star QB can have a good cry together over a now lost season.

11) I love that everyone at ESPN hype their MNF showdown between the Saints and Pats as the game to end all games. Low-profile teams like the Saints are only worth caring about when they need ratings on the ESPN "family of networks."

What Happened In Week 10 That Will Change The Season: Baltimore Blows It

-While most of the attention in this one went to Indy's sideline and their narrow escape, the real story might be that Baltimore blew their season. It wasn't that they lost to the Colts, but how which is devastating for the Ravens. Unable to get a TD after several chances, Baltimore somehow still found themselves in the game in the 4th quarter. But, the worst was still to come as Baltimore choked away the game, and possibly the season. First, driving for a field goal late in the game, Joe Flacco threw an unforgivable INT in range for the win. Then, John Harbaugh wasted a critical timeout with a dumb replay challenge which left the Ravens with close to zero time. Finally, Ed Reed made a boneheaded lateral that turned the ball over in range for a hail mary. Lost in the Week 11 shuffle might is that at 5-5, the Ravens season may be done after an epic choke.

Check back for the continuation of the Top 10 Games of the Decade Countdown and our Thanksgiving sports coverage! Bye for now...