Jim Szoke's Sports Blog

Miracle on Mint Street?

This Panther fan vowed not to shave again until the Panthers win another home game.  How far is 34th Street from Mint Street anyways?  It's been since November 2006 now, with seven straight losses at Bank of America Stadium.  That's two years of Thanksgivings without a home victory.  Seems like a lot longer than five weeks ago since the Panthers were (4-2) and leading the NFC South.   

While the Panthers lost to the Saints, I do have to commend New Orleans for some great character guys.  Sandra took two of our boys to the game, and they sat through the entire abysmal game/weather because they wanted to get a Reggie Bush autograph afterwards.  While they didn't meet Bush, Saints quarterback Drew Brees stopped for pictures and an autograph.  Cornerback Mike McKenzie not only autographed a ticket but also one of his gloves for the kids.  That same evil glove that was slapping down passes intended for Steve Smith is now a cherished souvenir for a 12-year-old. 

Not quite the same experience for some David Beckham soccer fans in Sydney.  Apparently, a group of child cancer survivors awaited him at the hotel Sunday and he completely snubbed him.  That left fourteen-year-old leukemia suvivor, Emma Byers, among other youngsters in tears.  Beckham says he did not see the children and will be sure to visit with them on his three-day stay there.

Great holiday bargain item I've seen in the major sporting goods stores is Keyshawn Johnson jerseys going for $10-$20.  I know number-19 is no longer here, but they are the real good quality kind of jerseys that originally went for $75.  Plus, Johnson is a pretty common last name and maybe you have one on your shopping list.   

It will be Missouri versus West Virginia for the college football national championship if they both win their final game.  You could have made a lot of money by picking that one in the pre-season.  Ohio State is looming if either team falters.  LSU has to be kicking themselves with their two losses both going to triple-overtime.  Not only have they lost their chance at the national title, but coach Les Miles looks like a solid favorite to take the Michigan coaching job, and their top assistant Bo Pelini is a favorite to take over Nebraska.   

Euro Blog

The Panthers travel to venerable Lambeau Field Sunday as they look to snap a three game losing streak.  My first trip there was for the NFC Championship game in our second season.  Back then, I would go down to the lockerroom to conduct the post-game interviews.  Being January in Green Bay, I of course packed my heaviest winter coat, hat and gloves, etc.  Brilliantly, I left them all up in the broadcast booth as I shivered outside waiting 30 minutes for the lockerroom to be opened to the media.  I grew up in Ohio, but January in Green Bay has a special bone-chilling spike to it.  Still, like seeing Ernie Banks at Wrigley Field or Larry Bird at Boston Garden, I highly recommend a trip to Lambeau to watch Brett Favre play a home game before his career is up.  I've never seen a quarterback throw a football harder than Favre does when he fires a fastball.

I blogged last week that our family friend, Stephan, was visiting us from Munich, Germany.  The centerpiece of his trip was to see a real NFL game (cue the laugh track) as the Panthers hosted the Atlanta Falcons.  The truth is, he had an excellent time and was thoroughly entertained to take in the experience.  As you can see, Stephan quickly made new friends at the game by speaking German, the romance language.  His wife, Jennifer, is said to be very happy for him.  With the different time zones, she won't be able to read this for another six hours.

Stephan also reports from our Munich bureau that gas prices have peaked at $8.25 a gallon over there.  Also, editor's correction from last week's blog, all of the beer in Germany is actually very cold.  Stephan had crab cakes and Corona at the Village Tavern with Sandra and me, as we could not offer his native liver cheese (meatloaf, which has neither liver nor cheese in it).

I do believe the New England Patriots will be that team that finally goes undefeated through an entire 16-game regular season schedule.  Bill Belichick has already won three Super Bowl rings.  The only thing to top that would be to rub the whole sideline videotape scandal in the league's face by running the score up on opponents while winning every game.  The 1972 Miami Dolphins, who went (14-0) are the only perfect team to go straight through the Super Bowl.  Ironically, in the same year their record could be eclipsed, the current Dolphins are the only winless team in the NFL.

Slick move by the Minnesota Vikings to dock wide receiver, Troy Williamson, an entire paycheck for missing a game.  The game he missed was so he could plan and attend his grandmother's funeral in South Carolina.  She was actually the person who raised him.  In addition, his brother has been in and out of a coma since September because of a car accident.  After taking a pulic relations beating, the Vikings reconsidered and gave the $25,000 back to Williamson.  He says he'll donate the money to charity.          

Drive My Carr

For the Panthers, this has become the year without a quarterback.  Well in advance of the holiday season, the NFL grinch has hit the Panthers hard with season-ending injuries to Jake Delhomme and Brett Basanez.  David Carr's back injury takes a back seat to his concussion.  43-year-old Vinnie Testaverde strained his achilles in his first appearance with the team.  And now, it looks like 23-year-old undrafted rookie Matt Moore will become the Panthers' best hope.  And to think, some teams carry only two quarterbacks on their roster.  DeShaun Foster and Deangelo Williams better tighter their chin straps because the running game is going to have to carry the load.

With the trip to Nashville, we've now been to every other NFL city.  I'm not a country music fan, but appreciated the sense of history and atmosphere with the old record shops, live honky tonk bands in nearly every bar front, and B.B.King's Club.  Lots of trees line the streets of downtown, and we saw a parked van completely covered in bird droppings.  Moments later, I felt a splat on my shoulder.   At least it missed my head...another Music City miracle.

Wouldn't you like to have Andy Pettitte's savings account?  He turned down a $16-million one-year option to return for one more season as he contemplates retirement.  But then again, manager Joe Torre felt slighted when the Yankees only offered him $5 million for this season.  Ironically, Torre signed for less per season to manage the Dodgers.  At the age of 67, Torre will be 70 when his new deal expires.

The only thing more exciting than hearing somebody describe their round of golf hole by hole, is listening to them detail how their fantasy football team performed.  Really, Jamal Lewis got you 33 points?  That is sooooo interesting.  I can't believe that an NFL team has not put you in charge of player personel.  How many key strokes on your computer did that take you?   

Our family friend, Stephan, is flying in from Munich, Germany to see the Panthers play this weekend.   He doesn't care about the Panthers record, or whom they are playing (2-6 Atlanta).  He is merely excited about attending his first NFL game.  Take that, spoiled Panther fan leaving in the third quarter.  I'll be equally easy going when we visit Germany.  Any pub, any warm, brown beer will do.