WVUE Sports Features

NFL considers playoff overtime changes

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:24:16 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) - NFL owners will vote next week whether to allow
each team a possession in overtime in the playoffs if the team
winning the OT coin toss kicks a field goal on the first series.

Previously, the game would end whenever either side scores, as
happened in the NFC championship game in January, with New Orleans
beating Minnesota on Garrett Hartley's kick. But NFL competition
committee chairman Rich McKay says a trend has developed showing
too strong an advantage for teams winning the coin toss to start
overtime.

If the team that falls behind by three points on the first
series also kicks a field goal, then the game would continue under
current sudden death rules.

The proposal is only for the postseason.

"Statistically, it is pretty clear there has been a change,"
McKay said. "When sudden death was put in for 1974, it clearly
worked very well and was a good system. It brought excitement and
effectively broke ties. From '74-'93 you had a 50-50 (breakdown) in
who would win between those who won toss and who lost the toss.

"Changes occurred over time, and the numbers have changed to
59.8 percent winning the coin toss and winning the game. The team
that loses the coin toss wins 38.5 percent.

"We are trying to put in a system that emphasizes more skill
and strategy as opposed to the randomness of the coin flip."

McKay credited the advancements in field goal accuracy and
skills of return teams for the hefty switch in statistics. The
competition committee found that since 1994, when the kickoff was
moved back 5 yards to the 30, teams winning the OT coin toss won
34.4 percent of the games on the first series. They kicked field
goals 26.2 percent of those times, an increase from 17.9 percent in
15 years.

"I would say this is something that's been on our radar for a
number of years and been talked about a lot," he said. "In the
last four or five years, we have not proposed anything because we
thought if there weren't enough votes (among the 32 owners), we
should not propose it. This year, the statistics are so compelling
we need to get the discussion going."

Rest assured there will be plenty of discussion; 24 votes are
needed to adopt the change.

The players union strongly has supported the current overtime
setup because it fears another system could lead to more injuries.
McKay said the competition committee has "not spent a lot of time
with them" on this proposal, but will make the players association
aware of the recommendation.

Another recommendation to the owners, who will hold their
meetings in Orlando, Fla., beginning Sunday, centers on expanding
protection for defenseless players, most notably receivers. McKay
said a recent rule change helped, but there are cases where
receivers already have made a catch and still are defenseless when
they get hit in the head area.

The proposal will offer those players protection from hits to
the head until after the catch is made and the receiver has an
opportunity to protect himself.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Woods responders concerned about domestic violence

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 21:19:32 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - The ambulance crew that responded after
golfer Tiger Woods crashed his SUV would not allow his wife to ride
with him to the hospital because they thought it was a case of
domestic violence, documents released Friday by the Florida Highway
Patrol show.

But a police officer who responded said he didn't know where the
crew got that information because he never heard it from anyone at
the scene.

The reports also show Woods' wife, Elin, turned over two bottles
of pain pills to troopers after the Nov. 27 crash outside the
couple's suburban Orlando home.

Tiger Woods crashed his sport utility vehicle into a fire
hydrant at 2:30 a.m., and officers found him lying in the street.
The SUV had a broken window and the couple told investigators Elin
Woods had broken it with a golf club so she could unlock a door and
pull him out.

Tiger Woods has strenuously denied his wife ever hit him. The
crash led to disclosures that he had affairs with several women.

The documents released Friday also show police tried to get a
subpoena for any blood samples that might have been taken at the
hospital, but the prosecutor's office denied the request.

Woods was charged with careless driving and fined $164.

He has not played competitive golf since. He made a televised
apology to his wife, family and fans last month.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Section 641: NFL opening week; Oprah did what?; I love Sean Payton

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:30:59 GMT

A lighthearted look at the Saints magical season... from a lowly fan... high in the rafters of Section 641.

Whew. We’ve had a quite a stretch of excitement over the past few weeks. The Who Dats set a record with the amount of reveling they did between the Super Bowl and Dat Tuesday. Do your liver a favor, buy some Milk Thistle and stay home with a movie this weekend. You need to pace yourselves if you’re going to be there for the next Super Bowl, and that march starts sooner than ever.

The Saints will play the opening game of the 2010 NFL Season, as previous champs have, according to nfllabor.com. The season begins on Thursday, September 9, with a big concert and lots of pomp and circumstance.

The opponent is probably still up in the air, but could be the Bucs, Falcons, Panthers, Rams, Seahawks, Browns, Steelers or Vikings. How in the world are the Rams, Seahawks and Browns on that list? I thought they were talking about shortening preseason, not adding a game to it.

The only real tests on that list are the Steelers, Falcons or even Panthers. Maybe the Vikings will compete for a championship again if Favre doesn’t retire. It would be early in the season and he’ll want revenge for that interception he threw to Tracy Porter. Adrian Peterson also has something to prove to the Saints.

Peterson wasn’t the only one who dropped the ball while facing the black and gold on national television. Oprah, the queen of all TV, had a jaw-droppingly awkward moment when she interviewed Drew Brees last week. She tried to rub off his birthmark. I'm sure it was played off as a joke, but that's almost like me motioning to pull off her wig if I was going in for a hug. I don’t really know if Oprah wears a wig, but you get my point.

Of course, Reggie also got some time on TV with his main squeeze Kim. They put the marriage rumors to rest on the Late Show with Jimmy Fallon. But not before sharing what really keeps the couple together, Taboo – the board game.

But the best post-game interview wasn’t on TV. It was shot before the Saints parade. A co-worker e-mailed me the link. I think any Saints fan, especially one that lived through Katrina, can relate with what this guy is saying. This is New Orleans. Does anyone know who this guy is? I feel an Unknown Who Dat II story coming.

Now, I have to warn you, the fan curses once in the video. Because of that, I don’t want to put a hyperlink here, but I will put the web address. Section 641 tries to be family friendly, so don't use the link if potty-mouth offends you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_8f1diK6u8

Now that's what it means to love the Saints.

One final item... Be careful what kind of Saints merchandise you buy online. Google "New Orleans Saints Underwear" and check out what Bonanzle has to offer. The term "used" shouldn't be in those search results. At least they come through on their motto - Find Everything but the Ordinary.

Section 641: Super Bowl XLV winner; Dungy drinking Hatorade; Reggie vs. Kim

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:08:00 GMT

A lighthearted look at the Saints' magical (championship) season... from a lowly fan... high in the rafters Section 641.

How ‘bout them Saints? I like to think that my yelling, along with the other rafter-bangers in Section 641, helped contribute to the Saints’ success on the road to the Super Bowl. What can I say that hasn’t been said about the win and the city?

I want to be able to say we can put the Katrina era behind us. However, it’s tough to say that when I make an almost daily drive from Mid-City to Chalmette. It’s been more than four years since K-Day, so seeing those boarded up houses and overgrown yards with slabs in the middle of them - almost everywhere - doesn’t have the impact it used to. But it’s still a sign of where we’re at.

That doesn’t mean we’re at a bad place. Seeing the lights of Sun Life Stadium with the Saints and Super Bowl logos side by side is as jarring as seeing the Saints logo in Tiger Stadium because the team had been displaced. Seeing a Saints player hoist the Lombardi trophy over his head is as shocking to me as seeing a car stuck in a tree.

All that storm stuff is commonplace now… hopefully, in four more years, hearing the words championship and New Orleans in the same breath will be commonplace too.

Not so fast warm feeling…

Just when I thought the national pundits couldn’t tick me off anymore, here come some reasons to get crunking angry.

After a 31-17 whooping on football’s biggest stage, guess who the Super Bowl favorites are for XLV? That’s right… the Colts. The Saints aren’t even in the top three according to SportsBoDog.com. We (read Saints) are behind the Colts, Chargers and Patriots. What do we have to do to get some respect? Win the Super Bowl? Manning and his team are 13/2 favorites. The Saints are 10/1.

Speaking of no respect, former Colts coach Tony Dungy, a seemingly decent guy, refuses to give the Saints any credit. After saying last week that he would be “shocked” by a Saints win, he told Dan Patrick after the Super Bowl that the Colts lost the game more than the Saints won it.

Why you drinking Hatorade, coach? Those comments are counterproductive, like eating diet soup with a spork. I liked Dungy, but now I wish we could replace him as a commentator with Wally Hotvedt from Let’s Bowl. Actually, I want that either way.

While there’s no love lost between me and Dungy, it’s all roses for Reggie and Kim. In the type of news you love to hate, Reggie and Kim have been attached at the hip since the Super Bowl, according to Examiner.com. The two are going on vacation somewhere tropical after the Saints parade… maybe he’ll pop the question then? Fingers = Crossed!

While we’re on the subject of love, it’s almost Valentine’s Day. If you’re like me, all of your extra cash has been spent on prop bets (why wasn’t Archie shown more during the game!), Natural Light and one-size-fits-all Saints hats that don’t fit people with big melons. Well here’s a present that will melt your old lady’s heart – and it’s almost free. Download this picture of Drew and his son, Baylen, and put it in a five dollar frame for “the Wal-Marts.” It’s guaranteed to make your significant other like you more. Now, if only they made boxed wine in single servings.

Fazende: 4 things I learned about Super Bowl week

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:10:55 GMT

1. Players don’t just have to bring their best. Reporters have to too.

I learned this firsthand on the Wednesday availability for Colts practice. I wanted to get Peyton Manning’s comments on his chemistry with fellow New Orleans native Reggie Wayne.

On this day, Manning was at the big podium meaning you had to raise your hand and get the P.R. rep to give you the microphone. I had my hand raised for 15 minutes, then I heard, "That’s all for today guys."

So I got shut out, but luckily Manning talked again on Thursday. This time he was in a wild scrum of reporters where there’s no microphone and basically organized chaos as multiple reporters blurt out questions and you just have to hope Manning hears yours.

When we got to his spot, it was ridiculously crowded so much that our photographer Lance Washington had to stand on a chair about 20 feet out to get a shot. So I fought my way into the crowd, got close to Manning and just started firing away. Finally on about my fifth attempt, Manning heard me and gave me a great answer.

I got Wayne’s comments a day before and put together a piece we ran in our Super Bowl Special Saturday. I was very proud of the story, but the process to get there was a challenge.

2. Super Bowl week and the Super Bowl Sunday are two totally different things

Watching Super Bowl Sunday was one of the greatest experiences of my life, but the week leading up was complete madness!

By the time the game came a lot of us were more relieved than anything else.

Media Day has become a spectacle. So many reporters from all over the world are there asking some really wild questions.

I walked up Devery Henderson in the middle of one of these encounters. A Japanese reporter had just asked him how often he liked to meditate before a game.

Henderson said with an awkward look, "I don’t meditate at all."

The reporter then blankly stared at him for about 15 seconds.

It was a truly bizarre interaction, one that I quickly jumped in the middle of and asked Henderson about Colts running back Joseph Addai.

It was funny to see Henderson’s demeanor change when he was clearly in a situation he was more comfortable with.

Glad I could be of service.

3. Timing is everything

It’s the one issue I had with South Florida hosting the Super Bowl. Everything was so spread out. We had to be in three main spots to cover events that were all in completely different parts of the region. Many days would have to account for nearly two hours of just travel time!

This is why New Orleans has always shined as a Super Bowl host. Everything happens within a few miles of each other. The proximity makes things just slightly easier in what is a very hectic week.

4. The Post Game Celebration

We were there on business, as journalists, not as fans, meaning while we were doing our best to enjoy ourselves we still had a very important job to do. Our days were long and hectic.

But after all the sleepless nights, traffic jams and non-stop editing, standing on the field after the Saints had won their first Super Bowl made it all worth it!

I thought about all those Saints games I saw as a kid. I thought about how I

Rob Ennis and I realized this was a moment that will never happen again! So we snapped a picture on the field holding the Times Picayune. We ran it in our post-game coverage and posted it on our website.

That’s one picture I’ll remember forever.

What a week.

Section 641: Madden picks Saints, kind of; Stanky leg

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:25:40 GMT

A light-hearted look at the Saints' magical season... from a lowly Saints fan... high in the rafters of section 641...

You know what I don't like? Working during the Super Bowl. It's kind of a bummer. But at least I know there won't be any crazy party pictures of me after a wild party circulating on the internet. Lord knows we don't need another media-type caught doing the stanky leg in a dress. Bobby sure can cut a rug, however, that dress is hideous. Do these people know about YouTube? It ain't 1987 anymore.

You know what I like? Saints team pictures from the Super Bowl. You know what else would be pretty cool? If someone sent me one of those pics in this envelope. The U.S. Postal Service is offering the souvenir envelopes for $10 a piece. They go on sale Monday morning at the post office at 701 Loyola Ave. I can't, however, speak to how you can get your hands on the team picture.

You know what else I like? John Madden. Not only is he a Hall of Fame football coach, but he also lends his image to the king of all football games, Madden 10. For those of you who pretend not to play video games or know anything about them, Madden has sucked up millions of guys' exercise, homework, family and otherwise good use of time for the last 20 years. The series of games, usually called Madden (year), is a football "simulation" that lets you live vicariously through your gridiron heroes. To use a gamer term, it's "awesome." Boom.

Anyway, it's awesomeness is getting even more awesome...er. Electronic Arts (EA) simulated Super Bowl XLIV, and guess who came out on top? The Saints, 35-31. Yeah, I know mom and dad, it's just a video game. But the EA Madden simulation has been right five out of the last six years. Prepare to get pwned Colts.

Bonus: Guess who wins the Tecmo Bowl matchup?

Section 641: Queen to sing America the Beautiful; Jason David spotting

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:56:31 GMT

A lighthearted look at the Saints' magical season... from a lowly fan... high in the rafters of Section 641.

The Queen will be singing "America the Beautiful" as part of the pregame festivities at Super Bowl XLIV. Not that queen silly, but Queen Latifah. She'll be joined by Carrie Underwood, who will sing the National Anthem. Those choices are fine, and I'm sure they were made months in advance to accommodate the singers' schedules. But doesn't this seem like a good time to tap into the talents of one of the plethora of great local musicians? It's like having a great Cajun chef at a dinner party and asking him to cook Chinese food. Harry Connick, Jr. has been given the honor of singing the National Anthem before, why not again?

Lordy, I tell you what, if Jason David gets a Super Bowl ring by being on a team that beats the Saints, I'll be madder than a pack of dogs on a three legged cat. In case you haven't heard, the fellas at Pro Football Talk say the Colts are working out David. They're also reportedly working out Mike McKenzie. David, a former Saints cornerback, is as useless as chicken mess on a pump handle. At least I thought he was when he played for the Saints. Like a hamburger at a football game, he was overpriced and usually burnt (rimshot).

I know, I know... both players know the Saints' defensive playbook, that's why you think the Colts are courting them (at least that's why I guess they're courting David). Let's face it - this is a classic example of letting the fat kid play in a pickup game because he has the only basketball. I can say that because I'm fat. But, I wouldn't count on Saints D-Guru Gregg Williams using much of what the Colts have already seen.

Finally, hats off to Colts GM Bill Polian for winning his sixth Sporting News NFL Executive of the Year. Saints GM Mickey Loomis finished a close second. I think Loomis will be fine with that as long as the tables are turned when the Super Bowl rings are handed out.

Smith: 5 things I think...

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 04:16:34 GMT

Five things FOX 8 Sports Director John Henry Smith thinks about the Saints vs. Vikings NFC Championship Game.

1.SEAN PAYTON OUTCOACHED BRAD CHILDRESS

A wise person once said "Fortune Favors the Bold." As a perfect gridiron testament to the truth of this truism, I present to you. Saints Coach Sean Payton and Vikings Coach Brad Childress. With 1:06 left and the game tied at 28, the Vikings had the ball 1st and 10 on the Saints 33. The Vikings also had 2 timeouts. In the same situation, I don’t think any WhoDat doubts that Payton would be throwing for the jugular; i.e. passing to turn a kind-of make-able 50 yard field into a very makeable 40-yard field goal. What does Childress do? He runs two clock killing off-tackle plays that gain 0 yards and run the clock down to :19 seconds. Playing not to lose winds up costing the Vikings a chance to win in regulation.

In overtime, Payton is faced with a 4th and 1 at the Vikings 43. Playing not to lose would have meant punting. But rather than taking the Childress way out, Payton knew "the time was now." He went for it. He made it. He won.

And, don’t even get me started on Childress allowing 12 men to get in the huddle and costing his team 5 yards. 5 yards that effectively took the Vikings out of field goal range in the final minute! Payton would have never let that happen!

Did Sean Payton "out-strategy" Brad Childress? Probably not much, given the Vikings huge yard advantage in the game. But, Payton did "out-courage" and "out-organize" Childress. And for that reason, I stand by the statement: Sean Payton out coached Brad Childress.

2.BUSHROD REALLY HELD UP WELL

Sure Jermon Bushrod had a lot of help against the Vikings Jared Allen. But, FOX’s frequent isolation shots of the battle between these two indicated that Bushrod was certainly holding his own. I didn’t think Bushrod would play so well. Hopefully, he keeps it up against the Colts Dwight Freeney.

3.PLAYER OF THE GAME… BOBBY MCCRAY?

Hear me out on this. McCray’s shot on Favre during a running play by Percy Harvin really shook up the 19-year vet. Later, McCray’s shot at Favre’s ankles temporarily knocked Favre out of the game.. It’s not a nice, pleasant reality..but it’s a reality none the less: intimidation and consistent battery are necessary elements of winning football. Was all of the punishment McCray and his mates dished out on Favre’s mind when he threw that interception on his last throw instead running for a sure 5 or 6 yards?

4. NICE TO SEE PAYTON LET HIS GUARD DOWN

Wise men have said that you’ve got to enjoy the journeys in life as well as the desitnations. As great as the Saints season has been, I didn’t always get the impression Coach Payton was enjoying the journey. He's too worried about what’s next to enjoy what was. But, after beating the Vikings, the Sean Payton I passed in the Superdome tunnel was a happy, ear-to-ear grin guy! After stopping to greet me, he ran on to the confetti littered field and played catch with his boy. It was nice to see Coach finally having some fun!

5. SUBSTITUTE THE COLTS FOR THE VIKINGS….

...and the Saints lose that game. Period. No way does Payton Manning self destruct the way Brett Favre did with the game on the line. The Saints offense did not play that well against Minnesota. Drew Brees and Co. will have to be at the absolute top of their game if the Saints are to beat the Colts and bring home the Lombardi trophy. The Colts lost the fewest fumbles and committed the 2nd fewest penalties in the entire National Football League. The Colts do not beat themselves.

Section 641: No tailgating; Drew on SI's cover... great

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 21:13:50 GMT

A lighthearted look at the Saints' magical season... from a lowly fan... high in the rafters of Section 641.

Boy, there's nothing like loading up your RV and heading down to Miami, Fla. for a once-in-a-lifetime tailgating bonanza. I can only imagine pulling up to the historic confines of the Dolphin-Landshark-Sun Life Stadium and setting up shop complete with the ol' grill and seafood boiler. We could set up all those cool games that you see at LSU games, like that one where you throw metal washers into a wooden box with a hole in it. Maybe I would even bring the karaoke machine that mom got me for Christmas so the women folk could have something to do too. I would have to have a keg of Abita Beer and an inflatable easy chair. I would bring those Fathead life-sized Saints players cutouts and set up a mock play on the side of the Winnebago. Boy that would be good times. A life-long memory provided by the NFL and Miami - What's that? There's no tailgating aloud?!?! Balderdash.

According to the Superbowl XLIV website, there will be no tailgating allowed on stadium property. Something tells me that Saints fans will find a place to party anyway - it's called New Orleans (but not at the Dome).

Don't look now, but Drew Brees is on the cover of Sports Illustrated. I know, it's bad luck for an already karma-challenged team. And you're probably thinking that the possibility of a Saints player on the Madden cover next year is bad enough. Actually, I'm not that worried. I think Buddy D. is battling those demons in that cemetery the Superdome was built on top of. Plus, Reggie was on the cover after the Miami game and we (they) smoked the Falcons.

Here's to seeing Drew on the cover after a Super Bowl victory.

Section 641: What does "crunk" mean?

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:50:42 GMT

A lighthearted look at the Saints' magical season... from a lowly fan... high in the rafter of Section 641.

Let's face it, everyone is getting "crunk" these days. Mothers, fathers, sons and daughters all seem to be swept up in this season's most popular Saints song, "Stand Up and Get Crunk" by the Ying Yang Twins. But what does "crunk" mean? That depends on how you use it.

Example 1: "Man, I was getting crunk last night during the NFC Championship game." You stood up for the whole game. Everyone around you was in danger of being blasted with a high-caliber hand slap for the smallest Saints positive play. You proudly lost your voice by halftime and jumped up and down like Digital Underground's Humpty-Hump was playing at your senior prom. Getting crunk for you meant "having a good time."

Example 2: "Man, I was getting crunk last night during the NFC Championship game." You stood up for most of the game, because they don't have seats in the line for booze. Everyone around you was in danger of having two cocktails spilled on them if the Saints did anything exciting. You were forced to hold two cocktails because the NFL won't let the Dome sell doubles anymore. You proudly lost your lunch in the bathroom... proud because you made it there without falling down the Dome's steep staircases. Work for you is not an option the day after the game. Life is barely an option. Getting crunk for you meant "getting crazy drunk."

Example 3: "Man, I was getting crunk last night during the NFC Championship game." You put on a rap concert unlike any the Dome has ever seen. Your best friends call you Lil John or The Ying Yang Twins. Getting crunk for you meant "using a style of music that is a sub-genre of hip hop."

Some people say it is a German or Yiddish word, but through online research, I think they are confusing it with krank, which is pronounced the same way.

I'm hesitant to link to anything like the Urban Dictionary for the definition because there are some offensive things on sites like that, but if you Google "crunk," you'll get the idea.

UPDATE: Technology guru Jerry Seregni went to urbandictionary.com for you:

In 1995, Conan O'Brien and Andy Richter were scheming ways to get past the NBC censors, who were quick to bleep the duo’s bits on O’Brien's late night talk show. They decided they needed an all-purpose replacement for the infamous seven dirty swear words they couldn't say on TV. The word they chose was “crunk.”

The choice wasn’t random. Ice T was on the show that night and most likely made the suggestion. Ice did not invent the word. He probably got it from Dirty South rappers, who had been using it for years as a euphemism for getting really crazy and, er -- drunk. Conan and Ice T merely introduced the word to suburban audiences.