Justifying today?s bowls: Mediocrity on the dock of the bay

Bowls: There are a lot of them. Most of which seem to have been created solely to bilk taxpayer-funded universities for the sake of upselling a few hotel rooms. As a public service, we're cutting through the fat in search of a few good reasons ? or any reason ? for these spectacles to exist. Today: Scanning the New Year's Eve fare in the Car Care, Sun, Liberty, Fight Hunger and Chick-Fil-A Bowls.

LOCALE: Well, at least the view is nice.
The novelty has worn off a bit after it played host to five of Cal's six home games in the regular season, and the configuration has been altered so that both teams no longer have to share the same sideline. But San Francisco's AT&T Park remains a bizarre setting for a football game, even by the standards of baseball stadiums: The corner of one end zone encroaches onto the warning track, dangerously near the left field wall, and the default television angle is set again a backdrop of portable bleachers in right field ? the only thing keeping a badly shanked punt from potentially winding up in McCovey Cove.

Considering the alternatives, though, it actually works quite well. Now, if only we could say the same thing about this eyesore of a matchup.

TRADITION: The Sun Bowl is old.
Finally, a game your grandparents actually recognize: The Sun Bowl began in El Paso in 1935, the same year as the Orange Bowl, making it the second-oldest existing bowl game behind the Rose. It remained a New Year's Day institution until 1958, and has been broadcast by CBS every year since 1968 ?�one of only two non-SEC games (along with Army-Navy) on the network each year, and one of only two bowl games this season (along with the Cotton Bowl on FOX) not broadcast by ABC/ESPN. As always, it will kick off at "High Noon" in the Mountain time zone.
Alas, it's sponsored again this year by a company based in South Korea.

SWAG: The way to a lineman's heart.
For the second year in a row, I nominate the Chick-Fil-A Bowl for "Best Swag" of the 2011-12 postseason, on three fronts: a) The gift bags include a $250 Best Buy gift card, already established as the pinnacle of bowl swaggery; b) They're diverse, also including a Fossil watch, a knit cap, a travel bag and a commemorative football; and the piece d'resistance, c) A gift card for free, delicious Chick-Fil-A chicken. Unfortunately, the gift card is worth only $15, barely a light afternoon snack for an offensive lineman. But fellow Chick-Fil-A addicts can attest: You really couldn't ask for much more without the NCAA getting involved. (This item has not been sponsored by Chick-Fil-A, though suitable compensation can be arranged.)

Bonus swag: For probably the 77th consecutive year, Sun Bowl participants will receive a hair dryer courtesy of El Paso-based beauty giant Helen of Troy, only one of the many ways the Sun Bowl cultivates the enduring sensibilities of the Eisenhower Administration.

SPONSORS, PARADES AND OTHER AMBIANCE: The Liberty Bowl goes antiquing.
The Liberty Bowl began in Philadelphia in 1959 ? hence the name ? and joins the New Mexico Bowl in awarding one of the most distinctive trophies in sports: An accurate one-quarter scale model of the original Liberty Bell, complete with "the same nicked edges, foundry marks, misspelled inscription and even the famous crack?all crafted to maintain the integrity of the Bell in every detail."

To complete the reenactment, recently retired journeyman Howard Schnellenberger ? a Liberty Bowl winner in 1993 as head coach of Louisville ? arrives after the new year in a horse-drawn wagon to move the Bell Trophy under the cover of night from the winner's athletic department to a small church in Allentown, Pa., until the Redcoats are out of Philadelphia.

Bonus Ambiance: Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Marty Robbins:

This Bonus Ambiance has been brought to you by the El Paso Chamber of Commerce, which reminds potential visitors that ?�despite Mr. Robbins' experience and other popular misconceptions ? El Paso consistently ranks among the safest large cities in America.

THIS YEAR'S MATCHUP: At least one of us is happy to be here.
The records are the same, but it's hard to imagine two teams arriving in the same destination with more divergent feelings about it than Northwestern and Texas A&M in the Car Care Bowl of Texas. The Aggies began the season ranked in the top ten and remained in the polls through Halloween, before dropping four of their last five and throwing coach Mike Sherman overboard on the heels of an especially heartbreaking loss to Texas that left them licking their wounds at 6-6. Five of the Aggies' six losses came by a combined 17 points ? four of them on the last play of the game ? all following the collapse of a double-digit Texas A&M lead in the second half.

Northwestern, on the other hand, rebounded from a five-game losing streak in September and October with four straight wins ? including a major upset at Nebraska ? to secure its fourth consecutive bowl game in November, and has no plans to part with coach Pat Fitzgerald any time soon. Note, though, that the Wildcats still haven't won a bowl game since 1948.

STAR POWER: Yes, that Rodgers.
The closest thing to a household name in any of today's games is Vanderbilt quarterback Jordan Rodgers, but it's only because of the name: Even with nine starts under his belt for an SEC team, Rodgers' identity is still very much as "Aaron Rodgers' little brother," a distinction that just got him profiled in the New York Times:

NASHVILLE ? The whole idea of following the path already traveled by his brother only goes so far with Jordan Rodgers.�He may have done the championship belt touchdown celebration favored by his older sibling, Aaron, once, just to appease some of his teammates, but he aspires to have a more creative expression of himself the next time he reaches the end zone.

"I'm trying to get my own celebration dance if Coach doesn't get too mad about it," Jordan said. "I can't do the same thing as Aaron.�It's still in the design stage.�I'm thinking about a ninja bandanna. We'll see."

Hopefully, yes, we will. Please.

Oh, by the way: Today may be your last chance to catch Illinois All-American Whitney Mercilus, who came out of nowhere to lead the nation in sacks and forced fumbles and may well be on his way his way to the NFL Draft.

- - -
Matt Hinton is on Facebook and Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Mathew Safford Phoenix Suns Indiana Pacers

Unnamed Falcons player upset about Saints running up score

On the way to Drew Brees breaking Dan Marino's single-season passing record, the Saints scored a whole lot of touchdowns, and the Falcons resorted to a whole lot of field goals. CBS Sports' Pete Prisco and an unnamed Falcons player had a problem with the Saints continuing to pass when they were up by 22 points.

It was a questionable decision to say the least to go for it in that manner since the Saints have another game to break the record ... The players I talked to all thought it was classless.

"No need for that," one player said. "It came on our watch, but it didn't have to come that way. We won't forget it."

Yes, those sentences were written about an NFL game between divisional rivals, not the pre-season scrimmage played on a Pop Warner field. I have to agree with the take Falcons linebacker Sean Weatherspoon told to Yahoo! Sports' Jason Cole.

"No man, it's our job to stop them," said linebacker Sean Weatherspoon, who missed New Orleans running back Darren Sproles on the record-setting play. "I can't say I'm upset by them running up the score or anything like that when I had a chance to make a play."

Not only did the Falcons have a chance to stop Brees from getting the record during Monday night's game, they also could have stopped him during their game in November. Brees dropped 322 yards on the Falcons in that game.

That's the beauty of football. If this unnamed Falcon has a problem with something the Saints have done, he can exact revenge on the football field.

Grazie, SB Nation.

San Diego Chargers College Football Rashard Lewis Washington Redskins

Behind the Box Score, where the Warriors have taken two in a row

Golden State 92, New York 78

We can and probably should mock Mark Jackson for his frustrating turn teaching all of our family members about pro basketball on ABC/ESPN, and for ascending to the ranks of head coach of the Golden State Warriors without deigning to take an assistant coach's position for a short term. And while three games of post-lockout basketball should be nothing to go on, we should also recognize what he's done for the Warriors and their fans thus far.

This is a team that wants to play hard for Jackson, and though there's been quite a bit of roster turnover since Don Nelson was let go a year and a half ago, you couldn't say that for Nellie's last few years, and last season's needless lame-ducking of coach Keith Smart. The Warriors will make no big moves in their first year under Jackson, but for now this team is playing hard and attempting to get stops defensively. That, if only for the opening week, is an accomplishment.

Golden State completely took New York out of its offense in this win, forcing the Knicks into a series of one-on-one moves after aborted, broken plays. Too many jumpers, not enough good looks, and plenty of finishes on the other end as the Warriors slowly pulled away. I doubt very much that the Warriors players had much recollection of Jackson's two stints as a Knick, or about the time he was passed over for the Knicks' head coaching job in 2008, because this has been a hallmark of Golden State's two wins. This team, a squad full of good athletes, actually gets after it.

The Knicks? They have a lot to work out. If this crew is going to head into 2011-12 hoping its rare defensive parts can make up for limited potential on that end, then they really need to get it going offensively.

***

Indiana 90, Toronto 85

Encouraging mettle on both sides in this game, the Pacers had plenty of chances to let the Raptors full back into this contest, and the Raptors had plenty of chances to let this one slip away. Instead, we got a relatively competitive contest, even as the Pacers kept Toronto at arm's length for most of the game. No Pacer stood out as, say, Toronto's DeMar DeRozan did as he led his team back into the swing of things with 16 fourth quarter points, but the ball was moving and Indiana did well to score in delayed transition (despite the lowish score).

Just seven free throw makes in 13 tries for Toronto, and I can't say they deserved much more. The Raps line up for jumpers, and most drives eventually turn into pull-ups instead of contact-earning hack-baits.

***

Miami 96, Charlotte 95

Yes, Dwyane Wade traveled on his game-winning jumper. And, yes, the Heat should be managing a more effective time out against a terrible Bobcats team, but both teams impressed in this close one.

The Bobcats really appeared up for this game, as they looked against Milwaukee on Monday, and credit has to go to coach Paul Silas for leading what could have been a depressed roster out of the gate so enthusiastically. More impressive to me, though, was LeBron James' ability to do his damage from the free throw line in. Throughout the win, which saw Charlotte leading Miami by double figures for most of the night, James was able to efficiently score in the paint both in the half court and in transition.

By the time Chris Bosh got his fourth quarter act on, the Bobcats were just about out of consistent options, if not figurative gas. This doesn't mean they should feel OK with the close loss, but ? come on. Just not getting blown out is accomplishment enough. What we have, in the face of those Pyrrhic victories, is a solid little rotation for Charlotte featuring an ever-improving backcourt of Gerald Henderson and D.J. Augustin plus an impressive Kemba Walker coming off the bench. If Corey Maggette could get his act all tight, then you'll see more of these tough outs as the season moves along.

***

Cleveland 105, Detroit 89

We're really supposed to be lauding the Cavaliers, and how youngsters Kyrie Irving and Samardo Samuels really came on in this win, but we can't get over just how lousy the Pistons looked in this loss. Even with Ben Gordon playing well for the first time in what feels like ages, Detroit really had no shot against Cleveland from the outset, and that is far from encouraging. The Cavs are a threadbare roster at this point, rebuilding and working in young talent. The Pistons are loaded with veteran help and the odd promising youngster, and they seem outclassed in most regards on Wednesday night.

57 percent shooting overall and a 7-12 mark from long range for the Cavs, who also dominated the glass and only allowed 11 free throw attempts for a team that was, again, playing at home.

***

Atlanta 101, Washington 83

The Hawks consistently put the pressure on the referees to make calls in this win, and as a result the squad earned 35 free throw attempts and tossed in 28 freebies. Against a team like Washington, which relies on fadeaways and mid-range jumpers? That's just certain death for the Wizards. Washington is supposed to be the younger, more energetic team; but Atlanta was dominant from the outset.

All of which makes sense. The Hawks are notoriously streaky, especially for such a middling team, so the fact that they've taken down two terrible teams in New Jersey and Washington by a combined 54 points to start the season should be no surprise. This isn't to dismiss Atlanta, it's just something to keep in mind when they, perhaps, lose by a combined 32 points to Washington and Charlotte in back to back games sometime in March.

Until then, the Hawks acted brash but appeared focus in dismantling the Wizards. And as a result, I clicked away to watch other games.

***

New Orleans 97, Boston 78

Fretting over Boston's 0-3 start makes little sense, as the team barely lost to New York on opening day before falling to a buzzsaw from Miami and the Hornets in this loss half a country away (and just one night later). Paul Pierce was out for each of these games, and the Celtics' newish rotation appears to need some time to gel.

Don't worry, sure, but start winning. A 66-game season doesn't exactly replicate the hunt for a BCS berth in terms of won/loss importance, but at some point the C's are going to have to find a way to muck out a win without Pierce. Because even when Pierce returns, he's sure to be gimpy. Heel injuries don't heal, um, easily. And with several Eastern teams looking to move up in that playoff bracket, the Celtics can't afford to spot the NBA a 3-7 record to start the year, much less something worse.

Credit New Orleans. The team was well prepared for this game even with Eric Gordon on the sidelines. Boston was forced into improvising offensively far too often, they don't appear to be trusting themselves or their offense, and the Hornets took advantage.

***

Oklahoma City 98, Memphis 95

These two exceedingly young teams acted as if they'd played a tough seven-game series in last year's playoffs, or something. There wasn't anger in this game, but a lot of respect and hard play. Hard feelings, too, in the wake of Russell Westbrook's midgame outburst and refusal to meet the media following the Grizzlies win.

All part of the maturation process, though Westbrook appears to be developing slower than most. His frustration in the midst of an 0-13 night and in the face of Thabo Sefolosha passing up on what was a good look at a corner three-pointer is understandable, but his reaction is to be criticized. Then it's to be forgotten by Sunday.

The Grizz now stand at 0-2 to start the season, but they've been downed by two very good opponents in OKC and San Antonio, and the team played most of this contest without Mike Conley Jr. after the point guard sprained his ankle. Jeremy Pargo wasn't exactly reviled in Memphis after the team traded Greivis Vasquez to open up a spot for the rookie(ish) guard, but he wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms either. Regardless, in Conley's absence, Pargo managed 15 points, seven assists, and some very sticky defense in the loss. Zach Randolph (24 points, 12 rebounds) appears back in the groove, and all could still be right in Memphis provided that Conley's ankle doesn't keep him out past, well, Sunday.

***

San Antonio 115, Los Angeles Clippers 90

A score like this should be enough to inform you that San Antonio isn't going anywhere any time soon, and that the Clippers continue to prove that they have a long, long way to go to be considered a contender out West.

From a television set up many miles away, it appeared as if the Clippers just were not talking at all on defense on Wednesday night. The Los Angeles closeouts were pretty awful, and San Antonio seemed to get whatever it wanted just as long as the ball was moving. Manu Ginobili looks to be in bouncy spirits, finishing with 24 points on just 10 shots, and Richard Jefferson (closeouts) and DeJuan Blair (ball movement) took advantage of the Clippers on their way toward a combined 18-24 night from the floor.

The Clipper depth is a worry, this season, but that's no excuse for the Clippers starters (mainly) to give up a combined 64-36 deficit in the first and third quarters.

***

Denver 117, Utah 100

For a 17-point win, this game sure looked more lopsided than the final score would have you believe. For the second straight game, Denver looks quite good. While the Jazz, for the second straight game, look like a collection of trade assets that isn't particularly cohesive. Apologies for ripping on Jazz coach Ty Corbin just two games into the season, but you wonder what a guy like George Karl could do with a team like Utah.

Not that he'd switch. Ty Lawson stirred the Denver drink and Nene looked like he was worth every penny of his new contract on his way toward 25 points and seven rebounds in just 24 minutes. Denver ran like mad after taking advantage of a Jazz team that can be forced into relying on offensive options that just aren't going to click. 22 turnovers for Utah, who then seemed incapable of stopping Denver's transition attack.

***

Philadelphia 103, Phoenix 83

The Suns don't appear to be particularly enjoying things right now, and I can't blame them. This is a team that is having a hard time creating good looks offensively, which is just an absolute killer for a team that was hoping that superior offense would help to make up for its subpar defense. This isn't to dismiss Philadelphia, a loaded team that could have a lot of fun this year taking down giants, but this felt like more than a 20-point loss for Phoenix. And Michael Redd isn't going to help, much.

Cheers to Philly, which contested on the perimeter and held their own offensively in the way of all those Phoenix misses. No Sixer had an outstanding offensive game, but the team locked down on the other end and earned this win as much as the Suns frittered it away.

Kansas City Royals San Diego Padres Julius Peppers Mark Sanchez

Questions remain after James Loney?s arrest for DUI

There were a lot of headlines focusing on first basemen in Southern California on Thursday morning, but not all of them were positive.

Though Albert Pujols and the Los Angeles Angels hogged most of the spotlight, it was also reported that Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman James Loney was arrested on suspicion of DUI and taken to a hospital�after a strange car accident on Nov. 14.

The 27-year-old sideswiped three other cars with his 2009 Maserati while traveling on the 101 in Los Angeles and then engaged in some odd behavior when the California Highway Patrol showed up to investigate.

From TMZ:

According to the report, when cops first arrived to the scene ... Loney told one of the officers, "The b**** hit me from behind."

Cops say Loney appeared to be "restless, unsteady, aggressive and irritable" ... and he "exhibited eyelid tremors and his shirt was soiled and moist from perspiration, from his armpits down to his waistline."

Cops say when officers asked Loney what day it was ... he replied, "7/15 and Saturday" -- when in fact, it was 11/14 and Monday.

Loney was taken to Sherman Oaks Hospital for examination and allegedly spit the breathylzer device back at the police officer who was trying to administer a test. A friend of Loney's tells Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times that a blood sample cleared Loney of any drug or alcohol use, but a California Highway Patrol spokesperson tells the paper that the results of a blood test have not been returned.

Ken Gurnick of MLB.com talked with one person who offered this explanation:

One source with knowledge of the episode said Loney was rear-ended, hit his head on the ceiling of the car and momentarily blacked out. That might explain the glancing collisions of the other vehicles and the disorientation that he exhibited to police.

Once seen as a potential star after a breakout rookie season in 2007, Loney's power never arrived and now he's headed toward being a very expensive singles hitter/defensive specialist as he approaches his final year of arbitration. Despite the first baseman's declining value and this strange episode, Dodgers GM Ned Colletti tells Dylan Hernandez that the team still plans to tender Loney a contract this offseason.

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The 7 best NHL Winter Classic jerseys

The Seven is an arbitrary list of randomly connected hockey subjects that will run every Thursday on Puck Daddy. Agree to disagree.

On Jan. 2, 2012, the NHL will hold its fifth Winter Classic outdoor game, this time in Philadelphia between the Flyers and the Rangers. Which means we'll have our ninth and tenth Winter Classic jerseys making their debuts.

Most of them have been nostalgically awesome sweaters that helped make the game look even more unique and aesthetically pleasing. Others missed the mark.

Here are The 7 best NHL Winter Classic jerseys since the outdoor game gimmick began after the lockout.

For the purposes of this list, we're leaving out the Heritage Classic gear, even if it looked awesome.

7. New York Rangers (Citizens Bank Park 2012)

While we haven't seen it in action on the ice, this cream-colored sweater with the curved logo and the distinctive striping has the potential to look great outdoors. A weathered look for a team founded in 1926. Besides, Henrik Lundqvist digs it, and the man can dress.

6. Philadelphia Flyers (Citizens Bank Park 2012)

Looking back on the Fenway jerseys, they just come off really pedestrian. This sweater immediate evokes the Bullies and the great traditions of the franchise. Would we like a variant logo? Of course. But we also really dig the turnpike silhouettes for the captain and the alternates, too.

5. Boston Bruins (Fenway Park 2010)

We've played enough NHL video games to know that the Bruins have had their share of alternate jerseys throughout history. This one harkened back to Bobby Orr's rookie season and some years prior. It looked great on the ice, and was a departure from their usual duds. It can now be seen in many parts of Boston in its $20 knockoff incarnation.

4. Pittsburgh Penguins (Ralph Wilson Stadium, 2008)

Bringing back a sweater they last wore in 1980, the only improvement that could have been made to this blue and white classic would have been the Penguin-in-a-scarf logo that was about the only good thing from their 2011 sweater. Looked incredible during the snow globe that was the first Classic.

3. Detroit Red Wings (Wrigley Field, 2009)

With a beloved jersey design and classic logo, the Red Wings could have played it safe. Instead, they dramatically altered their style with a jersey inspired by their 1926-27 uniforms, featuring the classic Old English "D" in the center. Not immediately embraced by everyone, but time has been kind to it.

2. Buffalo Sabres (Ralph Wilson Stadium, 2008)

You have to consider the context with this one: The first Winter Classic was held while Buffalo was suffering through the scourge of the BuffaSlug. To have this traditional sweater return to the ice for the first time since 1996 was exhilarating; the Sabres looked like the Sabres again while wearing a white jersey.

1. Chicago Blackhawks (Wrigley Field, 2009)

It's almost unfair that franchise with arguably best looking sweater in the NHL (the Commit To The Indian in red) also has the best Winter Classic jersey. But the stripes, the colors, the retro logo and the whole kit ? inspired by a 1936-37 uniform ? made for a memorable alternate sweater that the Blackhawks used as a third jersey for two seasons. Now that's how you make a black jersey something more than a clich� in the NHL.

A brief word about the jerseys that didn't make the cut: The 2011 Penguins sweater just couldn't compare with the 2008 version; the light blue trumps the dark blue. The 2011 Washington Capitals jerseys was? well, a Washington Capitals jersey, and not even much of a unique departure given what the team wears today. And, as we said, the orange sweater for the Flyers in 2012 looks better than the white one from Fenway.

DeAngelo Hall LeBron James David Ortiz Philadelphia Phillies

Lions set to see postseason Nirvana for the first time in decades

Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz is a hardcore hard-rock fan who often lets his followers know what he's listening to on the way to work every day via his Twitter account. And given his musical fanaticism, the import of this fact would not be lost on him. The last time the Lions won a playoff game, it was January 5, 1992. Nirvana's "Nevermind," the album credited with bringing an entirely new wave of music to the mainstream, debuted as the #1 album on the Billboard Album Charts just one week later.

At that time, Schwartz was the linebackers coach at Colgate, and he was just one year away from a three-year stint with the Cleveland Browns and then-head coach Bill Belichick. Working for Belichick gave Schwartz his first real concept of what it would take to manufacture NFL success, but few coaches would have been up the challenge Schwartz faced when he was hired in early 2009 to coach a Lions team that had gone 0-16 the year before. It was the end of a hellish seven-year stint in which Matt Millen proved himself to be the worst personnel executive in his history of sports, and the team Schwartz and general manager Martin Mayhew inherited had few key cogs left. However, through shrewd drafting and the addition of important free agents, the Lions have rebuilt as drastically as the music business did after Nirvana hit the scene.

When the Lions beat the San Diego Chargers, 38-10 at Ford Field on Saturday, it insured a set of unlikely events so soon after the franchise's darkest hour ? the first 10-win season since 1995, the first playoff berth since 1997, and a chance to play in the season finale for a home playoff game. For Schwartz, who had been through his share of controversy this season, the result was a pure validation of his approach to team-building. Just getting to the dance is not good enough.

"There's going to come a time when we don't celebrate going to the playoffs or getting into the playoffs, but that's not going to be tonight," Schwartz said after Saturday's game. "It's been a long time coming and obviously it's something that we haven't done as an organization for a long time. Especially to do it at home in front of a great home crowd on Christmas Eve. My kids have that little application to find out where Santa is ? he was at Ford Field tonight."

Schwartz took time to slap hands with the fans after the win, a welcome reward to the faithful for all the down years. "Unless something really strange happens, it's probably the last home game that we're going to play this year. So our crowd's made a big difference. We've said a lot about how they don't just go to the games, they participate in the games. I'd like a few less waves when our offense has the ball when we're holding the lead and we don't want to get any penalties, but our crowd's been great and they deserve to celebrate it and that's why we stayed out."

The aggressive attitude that got Schwartz in a tiff with Jim Harbaugh earlier this season, and has had defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh in all kinds of trouble with the NFL, was seen ina more positive light on the Lions' first offensive play ? quarterback Matt Stafford hit receiver Calvin Johnson deep right for a 46-yard gain, and the Detroit offense was off to the races. When the team's rushing attack faded (as it's done through much of the season), offensive coordinator Scott Linehan's turned to his secret weapon, tight end Brandon Pettigrew, and used different passing concepts to maneuver the ball down the field when the Chargers were playing the pass.

"We've done that sometimes this year," Schwartz said of the play. "Haven't connected on them or sometimes the coverage dictated that we didn't throw the ball, but they gave us a good coverage for it, we had a good play called and we were aggressive with our play calling the whole game. We've got a good quarterback; we put it on him. When you've got a chance to go to the playoffs and you're at home, you need your quarterback to play good and Matt did. I'm sorry for all the people who want us to run the ball 40 times a game, but we're going to put the ball in No. 9's hands and he's going to make plays for us like he did today."

Stafford agreed. "Yeah that was our plan," he said. "You know, let's go out there, let's be aggressive on both sides of the ball?offense and defense?and Scott called a great game. When we had to check it down, guys made plays with it after they caught it, so (it was) a total team effort. Man, it was awesome."

That "awesomeness" transferred to a defense that shut down Philip Rivers and the San Diego aerial attack ? defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham had warned earlier in the week of the challenges brought by receiver Vincent Jackson and tight end Antonio Gates. And though Gates set a team record for career receptions in the game, the Jackson-Gates combo managed just six catches on 13 targets for 80 yards combined.

But it was the sometimes hidden diversity of the Detroit offense that was the story of this game, and that's a factor that makes the Lions a very dangerous playoff team. Stafford talked about the depth of the playcalling, and the fact that this offense is about far more than just throwing the ball in Johnson's area and waiting for the jump ball to happen. The Lions aren't quite the Patriots or Packers, but when everything is rolling, they do present a formidable set of targets to any defense.

"Every time we got into the red zone they would double either Calvin/Nate [Burleson], Calvin/Pettigrew, Calvin/Titus [Young], and guys with the one-on-ones won the match-up," Stafford said. "Pettigrew did a great job, really all game?had an awesome game?was getting open for me when they were trying to take away the outside really the whole game. [Pettigrew] ran a great route, threw a ball down there, made a tough catch, and that started us off. That was a third down, we get three there, you never know. We got seven and really got the crowd into the game, made it tough on them, and really jumped ahead early which is what we needed to do."

The final regular-season challenge comes against the NFL champion Packers, and there's no question that the Lions will be playing for a potential five-seed in the NFC, Such thoughts would have been inconceivable in recent years, and hope has been dormant for this team for so long. Now, as Schwartz intimated, the idea is to expect more than arrival to the elite.

As one of the new franchise pieces, Stafford is both celebrating the new success and reflecting on the journey. "It's been a long road, that's for sure. For me personally, for our team, for everybody involved. [There are] a lot of mentally tough people in that locker room?a lot of people (that) have been through a lot of hard times to get to this point and you know, I'm just happy to be a part of it and glad I got to share it with the guys in the locker room there. They're a great bunch of guys and it's just fun to be a part of."

Was this to be expected? "I knew we were going to put the work in," Stafford said. "I knew we had the people with the right mindset [and] dedication to get it done. We weren't happy where we were a couple years ago and from the front office down?getting great players in here, guys buying into the system that the coaches have, and guys going out and executing and believing in each other, it takes everybody and we were able to do it. Hopefully I'll be standing in front of a podium for a couple more weeks now. So, I think we're excited about making the playoffs and I think, more so than that, just the opportunities that can come from that."

Stranger things have happened, and we've seen more unlikely entrants at the top of this and other fields. Who would have thought that a band from Aberdeen, Washington would ever have the top album in the country?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Kevin Garnett Memphis Grizzlies Torii Hunter

Lion Face/Lemon Face 12/29/11 ? Buzzer Beaters And Abraham Lincoln?s Message To Kings Fans

Lion Face: James Harden In a game decided and then re-decided in the closing seconds, Harden posted a +22 (alongside Nick Collison’s +16) in 35 minutes. While many focus on the rift, imaginary or not, between Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, another point of contention for Thunder observers is Harden’s absence in the starting lineup. [...]

Jeff Gordon DeAngelo Hall LeBron James David Ortiz

The 7 best NHL Winter Classic jerseys

The Seven is an arbitrary list of randomly connected hockey subjects that will run every Thursday on Puck Daddy. Agree to disagree.

On Jan. 2, 2012, the NHL will hold its fifth Winter Classic outdoor game, this time in Philadelphia between the Flyers and the Rangers. Which means we'll have our ninth and tenth Winter Classic jerseys making their debuts.

Most of them have been nostalgically awesome sweaters that helped make the game look even more unique and aesthetically pleasing. Others missed the mark.

Here are The 7 best NHL Winter Classic jerseys since the outdoor game gimmick began after the lockout.

For the purposes of this list, we're leaving out the Heritage Classic gear, even if it looked awesome.

7. New York Rangers (Citizens Bank Park 2012)

While we haven't seen it in action on the ice, this cream-colored sweater with the curved logo and the distinctive striping has the potential to look great outdoors. A weathered look for a team founded in 1926. Besides, Henrik Lundqvist digs it, and the man can dress.

6. Philadelphia Flyers (Citizens Bank Park 2012)

Looking back on the Fenway jerseys, they just come off really pedestrian. This sweater immediate evokes the Bullies and the great traditions of the franchise. Would we like a variant logo? Of course. But we also really dig the turnpike silhouettes for the captain and the alternates, too.

5. Boston Bruins (Fenway Park 2010)

We've played enough NHL video games to know that the Bruins have had their share of alternate jerseys throughout history. This one harkened back to Bobby Orr's rookie season and some years prior. It looked great on the ice, and was a departure from their usual duds. It can now be seen in many parts of Boston in its $20 knockoff incarnation.

4. Pittsburgh Penguins (Ralph Wilson Stadium, 2008)

Bringing back a sweater they last wore in 1980, the only improvement that could have been made to this blue and white classic would have been the Penguin-in-a-scarf logo that was about the only good thing from their 2011 sweater. Looked incredible during the snow globe that was the first Classic.

3. Detroit Red Wings (Wrigley Field, 2009)

With a beloved jersey design and classic logo, the Red Wings could have played it safe. Instead, they dramatically altered their style with a jersey inspired by their 1926-27 uniforms, featuring the classic Old English "D" in the center. Not immediately embraced by everyone, but time has been kind to it.

2. Buffalo Sabres (Ralph Wilson Stadium, 2008)

You have to consider the context with this one: The first Winter Classic was held while Buffalo was suffering through the scourge of the BuffaSlug. To have this traditional sweater return to the ice for the first time since 1996 was exhilarating; the Sabres looked like the Sabres again while wearing a white jersey.

1. Chicago Blackhawks (Wrigley Field, 2009)

It's almost unfair that franchise with arguably best looking sweater in the NHL (the Commit To The Indian in red) also has the best Winter Classic jersey. But the stripes, the colors, the retro logo and the whole kit ? inspired by a 1936-37 uniform ? made for a memorable alternate sweater that the Blackhawks used as a third jersey for two seasons. Now that's how you make a black jersey something more than a clich� in the NHL.

A brief word about the jerseys that didn't make the cut: The 2011 Penguins sweater just couldn't compare with the 2008 version; the light blue trumps the dark blue. The 2011 Washington Capitals jerseys was? well, a Washington Capitals jersey, and not even much of a unique departure given what the team wears today. And, as we said, the orange sweater for the Flyers in 2012 looks better than the white one from Fenway.

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Los Angeles Clippers 2011-12 Season Preview

Usually NBA season previews are best read in October, back when football games hardly mattered, Midnight Madness was a few weeks away, and baseball was winding down. Perhaps with the last of the offseason's iced tea in hand, as you whiled away on a too-warm-for-the-season afternoon.

Well, pour yourself a glass of bull shot and tighten those mittens, because it's late-December and the NBA decided to have a season this year. As such, the exegetes at Ball Don't Lie are previewing the 2011-12 campaign in a mad rush, as if you or we would have it any other way. So put down the shovel long enough to listen to Kelly Dwyer, Dan Devine and Eric Freeman as they break down each of the NBA's 29 teams, plus Toronto.

This time? It's the Los Angeles Clippers.

Kelly Dwyer's Reasons to be Cheerful

You are well within your rights to look forward to 66 Los Angeles Clipper games as much as or even more than your favorite team. That the Clippers (with Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups joining Blake Griffin and a cast of youngsters) are everyone's second favorite team is already assured. Whether or not they supersede the fandom you hold for your hometown or adopted favorite team is another story that might take all of 66 games to figure out. As always, we'd just like Blake and Paul to stay healthy.

You know why you're going to love this team. But after bashing around my own thoughts on loving a team led by one of the most despicable people in sports (to limit the designation, perhaps), I've struggled with just how much we can justify lauding a squad that is going to bring a creep like Donald Sterling unending revenue and plenty of good times. After reading Bomani Jones' thorough take on Sterling's awful behavior earlier on Friday, I feel as if I have no choice but to continue to bring the cold water.

This is a fantastic basketball team, so much so that Yahoo! Sports NBA editor Johnny Ludden had to ask me to clarify whether or not I meant the Clippers or Lakers when I wrote that "Los Angeles" would make the Western Conference finals next May. And though I meant the Lakers, the chance to revise the choice and hop on board the Clipper bandwagon was not only intriguing, it felt almost like a dereliction of duty not to. Lob City aside, was I acting as a poor analyst in thinking that the Lakers, and not the Clippers, would make it to the NBA's final four? Perhaps I should have just answered, "Los Angeles vs. Los Angeles."

Then there's the Sterling case, something that may not mitigate everything, but in our more frustrating moments it comes closest.

The reason to be cheerful, with those two sides tugging in opposite directions? It's the chance to follow a team in ways you only tend to see in movies. It is your duty to complain about Sterling's reign and David Stern's continued support of Sterling's ownership of the Clippers nearly as often as we cackle after pulling up yet another CP3-to-BG highlight. Sterling has to be more than a frustrating caveat as we both cover and follow this team, but that doesn't mean he has to take away from things.

There's room enough to be as vocal on either side, and that's something I'm looking forward to. I'm happy for the chance to be able to not just relegate Sterling's improprieties or dismiss them with the original snarky comment or once-a-year overwrought column (that's a reference to my own writing, and not the fabulous Bomani Jones).

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Sports are the toy department, I get that, but working as such with a team like the Clippers will make us better fans and smarter people. This is a man that should be discussed enough to make Stern feel uncomfortable with his presence in a league that should appeal to all tenants of life, so to speak.

Discussing Sterling's actions with the Clippers with the same fervor, volume, and (here's the tough part) consistency that we do Clipper player highlights will be a challenge. But if we could amp it up to a, say, 3-to-1 highlight-to-what an awful, awful person ratio? Then I think we're well on our way.

While he lines his pockets, it should be noted, with our League Pass dollars. Oh well. It's a start.

Dan Devine Has Feelings about Your Team: Los Angeles Clippers

I'm so excited for you!

Hmm ... how rookies Travis Leslie and Trey Thompkins fit into the mix, I guess? Not really too much to be excited about here.

Oh, right. And right. And right. And right. And right.

Yes, Chris Paul is a Clipper, Lob City is a meme, the world is full of possibilities, and if you didn't consider the Clippers a must-watch team last year, you probably should now. But while adding arguably the generation's best pure point guard to a young, athletic, talented team featuring one of the game's fastest rising stars will likely lead to plenty of emphatic highlights and remarkable plays this season, I'm also pretty excited to see what the natural freshman-to-sophomore progression could mean for Blake Griffin's all-around game.

The aerial onslaught of Griffin's rookie season will surely continue with CP3 tossing the alley-oops this year. But when the Clippers face top offenses that can put up points, they'll find their opportunities to run limited, which will make efficient operation in the half-court offense really important. Of course, Paul's a tactician in the half-court, skilled at probing defenses, finding paths to the rim and collapsing coverage to create open looks for his shooters. Sometimes, though, he'll need to just dump the ball into the post and let Griffin go to work.

As Hoopdata's Joe Treutlein wrote at DraftExpress last year, Blake already had some drop steps and spin moves at his disposal, though they were "still developing polish." (I think he spent some time polishing them this offseason.) With his strength, speed and quickness, Griffin was already a nightmare cover for slower bigs isolated on the wing. Continued development of his back-to-the-basket and face-up repertoire -- plus a steadier stroke from mid-range, where he shot just 34 percent as a rookie, according to StatsCube, and from the line, where he made only 64.2 percent of his freebies -- would make him damn near unsolvable down there.

In the Clips' two preseason games, we saw several little touches that can help make Blake a more complete all-around player -- stuff like that post footwork, the quick little pump-fake in the lane to blow past Andrew Bynum, and putting the lob in the right place for DeAndre Jordan to catch and finish on the break (although I'd suggest Griffin take it easy on calling his shot in the future). The prospect of him continuing to refine his game, expand his range and have Chris Paul setting the table for him ... well, it's enough to make grown men giddy.

I'm so worried for you!

Amid all the printing of playoff tickets and "are the Clippers better than the Lakers?" talk, we seem to have overlooked the fact that behind Griffin and Jordan, Los Angeles' reserve bigs are Ryan Gomes, Brian Cook, the recently signed Reggie Evans and the aforementioned Thompkins.

Gomes is 6-foot-7 and, despite my love for him as a fellow Providence College alum, is not that good an NBA player. Cook is 6-foot-9, and while he is reportedly only 31, I could've sworn he is actually 57 years old. Also, he is not that good an NBA player. Thompkins offers better size than those two veterans at 6-foot-10, but he's a rookie and, while DraftExpress has described Thompkins as having "some intriguing qualities," as such cannot yet be considered to be that good an NBA player.

Evans is a good NBA player, in a very specific context, and signing him to a one-year, veteran minimum contract to provide rebounding and physicality off the bench makes a ton of sense. But Evans is 6-foot-8 (maybe) and not a very good defender. Unless the Clippers plan to bump the newly-paid Jordan from the 25.6 minutes per game he averaged last year up to somewhere around the 38 per game that Griffin played, they're going to need another center. One who's not, like, 6-foot-6. (Unless Chuck Hayes is still available. He's not? OK, then.)

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As Steve Perrin at Clips Nation and Nick Flynt at Clipperblog have noted, one still-available big man on the increasingly thin free-agent market who might make an awful lot of sense is Kyrylo Fesenko, a 7-foot-1, 280-plus-pound behemoth let go by the Utah Jazz who looks like a stiff on offense but clogs the lane and protects the rim really well on defense. The Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors are both reportedly interested in the 24-year-old Ukrainian; if he goes elsewhere, the pickings look slim. (Alexis Ajinca? Hamed Haddadi, whose qualifying offer was just rescinded by the Memphis Grizzlies, if he can get his visa situation squared away?)

If Neil Olshey and company feel comfortable enough in Thompkins as a spot five, the backup center slot isn't a monstrous regular season concern. But the Clippers are likely to meet up with some pretty grueling frontcourts in the Western Conference Playoffs -- it'd serve them well to stock the cupboard before they get there.

I have no idea what to make of you!

Few coaches will be as happy to open their presents as Vinny Del Negro, who gets to unwrap a transcendent point guard and a surefire playoff team when the Clippers kick off the 2011-12 season against the Warriors in Oakland on Christmas night. Will he be like a frantic little kid who just rips and tears as fast as he can until he sees the gift he's had his eye on all fall, then running back to his room to play with it? Or will be like an adult, untying the ribbon, mentioning how nice the wrapping paper is and making sure to say thank you before taking it for a spin?

To whom much is given, much is expected, which is why there'll likely be a lot of pressure on Del Negro this season -- maybe not quite the same degree as what Erik Spoelstra got heading into last season with Miami, but maybe not too far off. And after two .500 seasons with the Chicago Bulls (which, after adding Carlos Boozer, Tom Thibodeau pushed to the best record in the NBA the season after Del Negro was fired) and a 30-win campaign with a very young Clippers team last season, the jury's still very much out on whether or not Del Negro can actually win as a head coach.

The early returns from his new charges have been positive -- Paul praised the way VDN reached out to him, Mo Williams and Chauncey Billups from the first day of their partnership, while Billups lauded the coach's "awesome basketball mind." But if this team -- expected to succeed, a rarity in Clipper history -- stumbles out of the gate, Del Negro could soon find himself watching someone else play with his toys.

Eric Freeman's Culture Club

The worlds of the NBA and popular culture intersect often. Actors and musicians show up at games, players cameo in their shows and movies and make appearances at their concerts. Yet the connections go deeper than these simple relationships ? a work of art can often explain the situation of an NBA team. Eric Freeman's Culture Club makes these comparisons explicit. In each installment, we'll assign one movie, TV show, album, song, novel, short story, or filmstrip to the previewed team.

LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS: "Good Luck Chuck"

The Clippers have a reputation as a cursed franchise, what with their history of star players getting hurt and hopes being dashed. For the most part, though, they haven't existed with many expectations. Curse or not, the franchise hasn't seen many bitter disappointments in its history, if only because they've never had championship aspirations. This season, there are serious expectations, to the point where anything less than a conference finals appearance should be considered a disappointment. Will the fans allow themselves to get their hopes up and feel the joy of success? Or will they hold it at arms length until it turns real?

The execrable comedy "Good Luck Chuck" is centered on the idea that every woman who sleeps with Dane Cook's character finds her husband directly after she dates him. For Chuck, this isn't such a big deal: he keeps the sex casual and relationships unserious. That all changes, though, when he falls for a lovely penguin trainer played by Jessica Alba. For the first time in his life, Chuck starts to confront the possibility of losing someone who matters to him. He has to decide if the curse is real, or if he should take a leap of faith.

The Clippers find themselves in that same position now. The idea of a curse is fine when the team stands nothing to lose from it. But what now? How do you define a franchise that looks so great when we've come to expect nothing from them? Are they the same Clippers, or they have they entered a new era?

Also, Dane Cook is a total creep, and so is Donald Sterling. Synergy!

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Air Jordan fans destroy property, trample shoppers in search of new shoes

Michael Jordan fans and a whole lot of utter and absolute morons descended upon malls across America early Friday morning to push each other over and destroy property in order to buy some basketball shoes.

The re-release of the Air Jordan 11 can hardly be called a "re-release," because Nike and Jordan Brand attempted (and succeeded) to dish up some needless hype and intrigue by only releasing 100 pairs of the shoes to certain stores. Twenty-five years into this game, both companies knew that the limited supply would result in long lines and potential chaos as shoppers attempted to grab a pair, but Nike and Jordan Brand haven't always been on the cutting edge when it comes to caring about anything more than the bottom line, have they?

Why care, when you can drive people to this, as reported by ABC:

Police had to smash the windows of a car to get two toddlers out after a woman had left them there to go buy the shoes. She was taken into custody when she returned, according to the AP.

The Indianapolis Star was at one particularly ugly scene:

"The door broke and was hanging by a hinge and people were squeezing in anyway," Asia Coates said "People were falling down."

She said one woman was knocked down, got back up and was the second person to buy the shoes.

Andre Mitchell, 28, Indianapolis, said he stepped over downed shoppers. "It wasn't personal, it was business," Mitchell explained.

No, it's not business. You're just a moron.

The shoes in question are the patent leather-trimmed Jordan-endorsed sneakers that MJ wore during the Chicago Bulls' 1995-96 championship run. Those particular shoes are idealized by most because that run included Chicago's record-setting 72-win season, and they're idealized by this writer because that was the season that helped me determine, for sure, what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Fifteen years later, that campaign is the reason I write about basketball for a living.

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So take it from this absolute basketball junkie, anyone that was falling over themselves or anyone else to secure a pair of $180 shoes just because of their stature or because they can be flipped and re-sold for a higher amount is an absolute, unmitigated, moron. Stepping over downed shoppers, as the Star reported Andre Mitchell doing, isn't about something that's "personal." It's ugly and borderline criminal.

And it's doubtful that Michael Jordan, some 20-plus years after reports surfaced of fans of his shoes killing over them, has learned anything in all the years. The NSFW scene depicted here (with the description "This is what Michael Jordan does to us.") is apparently of no interest to him, considering that these are the sorts of reactions that happen every single time he releases or re-releases a pair of shoes in limited supply just to drum up "exclusivity."

It's hard to find anyone coming out of this looking good. Even those that succeeded in buying the kicks without harming anyone or anything -- because they'll be sporting patent leather shoes like some 1950s-era uncle.

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John McCain jokes about Ryan Braun?s positive drug test

The baseball world was thrown for a loop on Saturday when we learned that National League MVP Ryan Braun had tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

Braun now faces a 50-game suspension as a first-time offender but has already proclaimed his innocence and announced his intentions to fight the ban.

As�Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports, that appeal process could last into January.

Obviously this is still a developing story, with many of the details needed to form a truly educated opinion on what this means for Braun's legacy, the Milwaukee Brewers, and most importantly, the game of baseball, yet to be revealed. But that hasn't stopped a number of people from weighing in with reactions ranging from innocent until proven guilty, to repossess his MVP trophy right this instant, to, in the surprising case of Arizona Senator John McCain, a chance to tell a joke.

McCain, who has offered strong comments on Major League Baseball's performance-enhancing drugs testing policy in the past, and whose beloved Arizona Diamondbacks were ousted from the 2011 playoffs by Braun and the Brew Crew, threw many for a loop of his own when he posted the following message regarding Braun to his Twitter timeline just prior to attending the Arizona Cardinals football game on Sunday afternoon.

OK, so maybe it's not laugh-out-loud funny to you or I, but it's an honest effort and refreshing take after a weekend filled with accusations, denials and heated debate.

By the way, I think it's also worth noting that McCain posted a congratulatory tweet to Braun after he was announced as the National League MVP three weeks ago. Sometimes it's a struggle to determine when a politician isn't politicking, but his message seems genuine.

You know, maybe there's a reason his perceived attempt at humor didn't resonate with me as much as it did others. After reading that again, maybe McCain was serious about replaying the playoffs.�Can we get someone to clarify the senator's comment and his mood at the time he made it?

Big BLS H/N: The Show Speak

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