Links for the Week

1) Some of you probably saw this link (from USA Today) on the Sports Guy's site, but I'll link it again. Make no mistake about it...this is the greatest team no one knows about (likely because they play hockey...and they do so in Quebec...two factors that don't exactly equate to a ton of exposure here stateside). But the Patriots got nothing on this squad. I remember having an argument with my other hockey loving friend from Detroit (not named Skurny) who tried to tell me that the 96 Red Wings were the greatest team of all time (regular season, at least). Because, as he said, they lost only 13 games all year! I told him that was indeed impressive, as the Habs actually lost 19 games. Well then, clearly the Wings were better, right? But I had to point out, those 19 losses were actually over two seasons...

2) Two new Bond girls were just named. And...umm...well, they're both hot. Olga Kurylenko is a Ukranian that was best known for some bondage film she did, and Gemma Arterton...well she's hot.

3) ProFootballTalk.com hits the nail on the freakin' head. If this happened to a big market team, we wouldn't hear the end of it. But the Browns were the ones that suffered by the nefarious ending of the Colts/Titans game a couple weeks ago. Look, I'm not saying the Browns deserve the playoff spot over the Titans (they probably don't...though its not as if that compelling of a case can be made for the Titans). But for chrissake, at least the Colts could've played a 60 minute game. Why is the media giving Tony Dungy a free pass on this one? Same reason he gets a free pass for hating gay people?

4) I'll be here in two weeks. That'd be my parents' bed & breakfast in Columbo. I helped design the website...though the excessive use of pink was not my idea. The whole house is solar powered, so its obviously very eco friendly. Sadly, when I head to Europe a week later, I can't use that fact to get me laid, since Europeans A) don't care about being "green" and B) hate Americans.

And finally this evening, I'd like to share my thoughts on the Ohio State loss, and the college football season in general (since I know everyone was waiting for it!). I've probably had more fun watching this season than any other in recent memory. Maybe its because I knew how much Hokie football means to the Southwest VA community. But I think its because I found a bar in Chicago (Kincaids in LP) that is the unofficial "Hokie Football Bar". Watching the games among dozens of fans wearing orange and maroon is a hell of a lot more exciting than listening to the telecast on my laptop in my bedroom alone (though to be fair, I can't masturbate at Kincaids...not legally, at least). So in a season with so many twists and turns, upsets, etc, why did it have to end in a disappointment? No, I'm not talking about Ohio State losing- that was maybe the greatest part of the '07 season, and one of the top 50 moments of my life. I'm referring instead to the bowl season in general.

Seriously...and be honest...how many bowl games did each of you watch? One? Two? I watched half of the Orange Bowl and the last 3 minutes of the championship game. The former was up against the ratings juggernaut that is the Chicago Blackhawks on Comcast, and the latter? I just didn't care. A few people were even giving me crap about Tech losing to Kansas in the Orange Bowl. "Oh well", I thought. They still won the ACC. Besides...the win meant more to KU anyway, and their fans deserved it (legitimately good fans...Kincaids is also a KU basketball bar, so I got to know them well). But how compelling can a bowl game be when me, one of the more passionate sports fans around, could care less about the outcome? Is this not the most compelling reason to institute a playoff? Even the damn national title game felt like an exhibition, since no matter the outcome, everyone would either A. gripe that LSU was even playing in the game, with two losses. or B. that Ohio State surfed through a cupcake schedule (plus their fans are the most insufferable people alive, and don't deserve to celebrate anything).

I realize that the BCS system was merely a compromise, and was far better than the previous system. But I've yet to hear a good reason to keep it in place. I don't even know what the official reason is. Anyone??