GeeJay, By the way, Peyton Manning could not have thrown for a seventh interception, as mentioned in the article, since he had only thrown for five when he got the ball back with 22 seconds to play.

With better clock management, I said. The Colts might have squeezed out another possession and another interception. Also: It was a joke.

nickfrommass I think it's about time you did something about the horrible job ESPN does with MNF, King.

Doing that based on last night's game would have been unfair. That game would have needed massive doses of Canine Growth Hormone to be labeled a sick puppy of a game.

KO Myers Did I miss something? Manning throws 5 legit interceptions (I won't count #6 since that was just a desperation heave), Colts special teams gives up two huge plays, and Adam Vinatieri misses a chip shot at 29 yards, yet you write an article on the game called "Timeout Murderer" which essentially blames Dungy for the loss because he "wantonly killed a perfectly innocent timeout?"

Wait a second. I didn't blame Dungy for losing the game. I blamed him for wasting a timeout. Which cost his team a good chance to win the game. Of course, without all those mistakes they win by 40, but then again, without all the Chargers' mistakes, they win by 40. So what. The point was: Dungy, like so many NFL coaches, doesn't realize the value of a timeout, which can be critical. Not: Dungy is solely to blame for the Colts losing. I'm not necessarily the best or clearest writer in history, and maybe this isn't the best or clearest column I've ever written, but I honestly don't see how you can not see that distinction.

bjboston I guarantee it would be as ludicrous a system as the current BCS one. The only difference would be that instead of a fun "Who's #1?" debate, fans would be arguing about the 12th and 13th slots in the tournament. Boooo-ring.

I disagree. I agree that the argument over who's No. 12 wouldn't be interesting, just as the argument over which bubble teams do or don't make the NCAA basketball Tournament are boring. But that argument wouldn't replace the current interesting but absurd and frustrating and anti-fan, anti-sport, anti-competition, anti-cute-puppy, anti-love, anti-goodness argument over who's No. 1 and 2. That would be replaced by: A playoff tournament! Who cares who picks the teams? If there are 12 teams, chances are pretty good that the handful of teams with a legitimate claim to playing for the title will be included. Then we get playoff games, which, I don't know if you've noticed, tend to be kind of fun. And interesting.

yojimbo_7 Com'n King, didn't you read Alan Dundes while at Cal?

The late Alan Dundes really skewered the football world with his analysis of football as ritualized, homosexual combat games.

Actually, I didn't, though I read a lot about him in newspapers at the time. I did write this, though:

http://www.salon.com/news/sports/col/kaufman/2003/01/08/homoerotic/

BTW, wouldn't it be more appropriate for Eric Anderson, of Bath University, to study the gayness of rugby?

Maybe, but he's American, and has only been at the Univ. of Bath a short time. First time I talked to him, two years ago, he was at one of the SUNY's. I figure his research predates the move, and wouldn't need to change because of it. There are certainly researchers at U.S. colleges doing research outside the U.S., after all.

Kevred Sweet use of bullets!

Anonymous I agree with the poster asked why this focus on sex, as if it necessarily answers way more social questions than it usually does or even should. So a few football players jerk each other off or will let someone give them a blowjob -- in secret? It's just sex folks!

It seems to me, and this is what he says, that Anderson's research isn't so much about sex as about homophobia.

Asking "why the focus on sex" while gays don't have the right to marry, are regularly thhe target of discriminatory legislation and are often the victims of hate crimes is a little disingenuous. Who started focusing on sex, anyway? The people hoping nobody would notice who they liked to have sex with, or the people who sought those people out so they could beat the shit out of them, whch is why those people were hoping nobody would notice in the first place.

Eburt I'm going with the kids' picks this week, and Daisy's picks where they differ.

Over the years I think the coin-flip strategy has been shown to be a pretty solid one. The kids say hey.

Excellent point. I've never thought about that, but you're right: The next time a team gets criticized for continuing to play tough defense with a 35-0 lead will be the first time, and why is that different? It isn't.

In pro ball, sportsmanship is for when the clock's not running.

LABC63 since when did he become the Thomas Jefferson of the MLB? Jesus Christ, did Nolan Ryan pontificate as much as this asshat?

No, but I wish he would have. How is it pontificating to write about your own experiences? That's what Schilling does, just like millions of other bloggers. His experiences are highly, highly unusual, which makes it interesting.

What's next - a novel? Anyone else out there blogging? "Manny's Musings", "JeterJive"?

Actually, a lot of players are. I highly recommend Cutis Granderson's blog, and Pat Neshek's also.