One quarter of the Panthers season is in the books and all is well. With a (3-1) record, they have survived some of the NFL's toughest running backs and defenses already. The Panthers defense is playing at a high level, having kept the likes of Ladainian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson and Michael Turner well under their averages. And now continues to be their best opportunity to pad the record with four out of five games at home and three out of four games within the NFC South.
The Panthers broadcast network is off to a good start on the road portion of the schedule, budgeting per diem to it's most efficient level. In the pre-season, we found awesome roast beef at Shanks & Evelyn's in Philadelphia, then french fries on the sandwiches at Primanti's in Pittsburgh. Then got into regular season form staying at La Jolla with the beautiful people in San Diego, and taking in the Ryder Cup at Brit's Pub in Minneapolis, which features lawn bowling on the roof. Oh, and the team is playing well too.
It's been a busy week or so in the NFL with a general manager (Matt Millen) and two head coaches (Scott Lineham and Lane Kiffin) getting the boot. Obviously, there was carry over from last season(s) that led to their dismissals, but it's ridiculous to be blowing people out in September. I think the era of 24-hour all-sports radio and television, along with internet speculation creates itchy trigger fingers. Millen was an exception getting seven years (way too many!) to straighten out the Lions, but Lineham and Kiffin were both just hired last season with no real prospects of a permanent replacement.
Speaking of internet speculation, how about Rusty Wallace being rumored to return to Sprint Series racing in a blog by his brother Kenny Wallace. Turns out Kenny was wrong, and these are brothers who actually are close to one another! I'm sure Kenny would not have blogged it if there were not some serious discussion, so maybe he got thrown under the bus, or chevrolet in this case.
It should be an interesting baseball post-season with some new story lines. Tampa Bay is in for the first time ever after being a team that could be counted on for 100 losses a season. Maybe Kevin Costner's catchy little generic song of "dusting yourself off" and "giving it your all, cuz only you can make your dreams come true" inspired the Rays. Or maybe it was better pitching and hitting.
A Cubs/White Sox series would be awesome considering it's been 102 years since the last opportunity for that to happen. The Brewers are in for the first time in 26 years, Manny Ramirez has made the Dodgers fun to watch, while the Red Sox now can't stop winning titles after so many decades of trying. And for the first time in 13 years, no Yankees in the post-season despite having by far the highest payroll in the majors. Can't fire the manager, already did that last year when they were actually contenders.
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