The NFL is just one week into its 2010 season, and yet the list of players already placed on injured reserve or out indefinitely is substantial. 

Packers star running back Ryan Grant is done for the year with torn ankle ligaments, Jets defensive tackle Kris Jenkins saw his season end due to a torn his ACL for the second consecutive season, Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb is out indefinitely with a concussion and the Lions number one overall pick from 2009, quarterback Matthew Stafford, is out four to six weeks with an injured shoulder.  Oh yeah, and Colts Pro Bowl safety Bob Sanders is also out indefinitely with a torn bicep muscle.

And that’s just the big names. 

The Eagles, Giants Bears and Broncos all suffered injuries to key starters.  The week two NFL injury report might as well be named “The Walking Wounded.”  Fantasy owners everywhere are scrambling to find replacements even before the leaves have changed colors.  So what’s different this year?

While one factor remains constant – the league is filled with stronger and faster players, resulting in harder collisions – the other is a new phenomenon.  While NFL teams continue to play at least four preseason games each year, teams now do not play their key players as much (particularly in the last game before the regular season starts). 

This is a perfectly logical move – who wants to run the risk of a key starter being lost for the season in an exhibition game?  However, this decrease in game action has led to more injuries in week one, when players suddenly go full-force.  But there is a bigger problem looming.

Should the NFL owners approve Commissioner Roger Goodell’s proposal to extend the season to 18-games beginning in 2012, players would then have two less preseason games to get in shape, and two more regular season games.  That’s two more opportunities for players to endure more physical punishment.  While this also gives two more opportunities for both players and owners to make more money, it could be a recipe for disaster. 

Ironically, this increase in injuries so early in the season has actually given the NFL Players Association some leverage in their upcoming negotiations with the owners regarding the expiring collective bargaining agreement.

Two additional games may not seem like a lot, but it’s a 12.5% increase in both the amount of football played and the likelihood of additional injuries.  And let’s not forget the increased risk of future physical ailments and complications.  Remember the “Real Sports” piece on former Houston Oilers great Earl Campbell?

Look, I’d love to see additional football as much as the next fan.  But extending the season is not the right move.  An 18-game season would lead to extended rosters (i.e., more jobs) and higher salaries, but it is not worth the physical cost.  Don’t believe so?  Just see the NFLPA’s own research, which shows that in the past three years, an average of 423 players have been put on IR.

At this rate, expect that number to increase after 2010.

Used with permission of the author.

Chris Lardieri covers the Los Angeles Dodgers for Examiner.com and has written about Major League Baseball for Inside Edge, a scouting company that provides content to ESPN Insider and Yahoo Sports. He previously wrote for 1766, the Rutgers Alumni Magazine, and popular blog, ‘The Outer Loop’.  Be sure to follow Chris on Twitter for more MLB and sports observations.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

The first Monday morning after the opening weekend of the NFL season usually features the same things –
overreacting to poor/great performances, assessing injuries to key players, obsessing over fantasy football results, reading incessant “WE (sic) won!”-type status updates on Facebook and at least one potential quarterback controversy.

And on cue, we have one brewing in Philadelphia, where there is now a debate over who should start in NFL Week 2 – Michael Vick or Kevin Kolb.  This is great news for sports radio station WIP, whose airwaves have been filled today with callers debating this topic.

Vick replaced the injured Kevin Kolb (concussion) with the Eagles trailing the Green Bay Packers 20-3.  He was 16-for-24 for 175 yards and threw for one touchdown, and also rushed for 103 yards.  (Yes, fantasy football degenerates – more rushing yards than most starting running backs had this week.)  While the Eagles fell short and lost, 27-20, Vick’s presence clearly sparked his team and already riled up the usually critical Philadelphia fans and media.

Head coach Andy Reid tried to restore order today by said today that, “…Kevin Kolb is the No. 1 quarterback.” But since Kolb is still suffering from the effects of his injury, Vick is likely to start in Week Two against the Detroit Lions.  This, combined with the fact that Kolb performed poorly before he got hurt, has all the makings of a looming controversy for the foreseeable future.  Remember, this is the same city which once extolled the virtues of the likes of Bobby Hoying, A.J. Feely and Jeff Garcia.

Looking ahead, if Kolb is still injured in Week Three, Vick would get to face the Jacksonville Jaguars in another favorable match-up.  This would lead to the perfect storm in Week Four: an even-bigger QB controversy coinciding with the return to Philadelphia of – you guessed it – Donovan McNabb and his Washington Redskins.

Even “American Idol” would be jealous of this script, except that Fox doesn’t have a staff of writers on this show.  Here’s hoping this scenario pans out and we’re rewarded with such potentially riveting reality television.  If you can stomach Joe Buck, that is…

Used with permission of the author.

Chris Lardieri covers the Los Angeles Dodgers for Examiner.com and has written about Major League Baseball for Inside Edge, a scouting company that provides content to ESPN Insider and Yahoo Sports. He previously wrote for 1766, the Rutgers Alumni Magazine, and popular blog, ‘The Outer Loop’.  Be sure to follow Chris on Twitter for more MLB and sports observations.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

"Hey Climax, I got your not best in AFC East!"

One of the top stories of the week in the NFL featured All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis ending his holdout and agreeing to a four-year. $46 million deal − approximately $32 million of it guaranteed.  Not nearly the Nnamdi Asomugha-type contract that Revis sought, but he needs to keep in mind that Jets’ owner Woody Johnson and GM Mike Tannenbaum have far more marbles than Al Davis.

With the most dramatic and riveting NFL contract dispute in reality television history now over, all seems right with the New York Jets. This was the most over-publicized holdout this side of Brett Favre and somewhere, Tim Calishaw is happy.  But there are still a few head-scratchers that remain.

First off, how convenient is it that Revis’ signing just happens to coincide with the conclusion of the HBO “Hard Knocks” series about the Jets?  The finale just happens to be tonight at 10 PM – true “Must-See TV!”  This is far more compelling storyline than the “Tony Richardson gets cut and then re-signed” storyline.  And they say reality TV isn’t scripted!  Here’s hoping the looming 2011 NFL lockout and voting on Roger Goodell’s proposed 18-game schedule is also televised.

Second, we at Sports Climax find it interesting that both Johnson and head coach Rex Ryan flew to Revis’ home in Florida to meet with him, his agent and his family in order to try and broker a deal.  If the participants’ names had been changed to Zygi Wilf, Brad Childress and Brett Favre, the media would have been ALL OVER the owner and coach.  But Ryan is the darling of New York media, and Revis doesn’t text reporters and teammates conflicting stories.

But the Jets are the darlings of the media these days, and have been labeled as Super Bowl contenders.  You heard it here first – they’re due for a fall in 2010, and they’re not even the best team in the AFC East. Rex Ryan is pictured above with his anticipated response to this writer and the editor of Sports Climax regarding this prediction.

Look on the bright side – at least we don’t have to endure Sean Salisbury’s “expert” analysis of the Jets (and berating of poor John Clayton) on “The Bristol Improv” anymore.

Used with permission of the author.

Chris Lardieri covers the Los Angeles Dodgers for Examiner.com and has written about Major League Baseball for Inside Edge, a scouting company that provides content to ESPN Insider and Yahoo Sports. He previously wrote for 1766, the Rutgers Alumni Magazine, and popular blog, ‘The Outer Loop’.  Be sure to follow Chris on Twitter for more MLB and sports observations.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

Major news has surrounded Dodgertown over the past two weeks.

While Manny Ramirez has vacated his home in Mannywood heading to the Windy City, so ends his controversy-filled two-year roller-coaster ride with the Dodgers.

On Monday, the Dodgers’ much-publicized version of “War of the Roses” divorce trial got underway in downtown Los Angeles where Frank and Jamie McCourt, with the help of their high-priced attorneys, began slugging it out over who owns the team.

On a brighter note, legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully will return to the booth for the 2011 season, and that will be his 62nd with the club.  Scully will continue to call all games at Dodger Stadium and all National League West road games. He will not be traveling, however, east of Denver.

Nestled between all this Dodgers news is another question, ‘Will Joe Torre return as manager next season?’

Torre, whose three-year, $13 million contract expires at the end of this season, recently stated he would decide on a return sometime around Labor Day but said he wouldn’t announce that decision until the team’s playoff fate is sealed.  With the way the Dodgers have been playing of late, expect that decision to come sooner rather than later.

Talk around the Dodger Stadium clubhouse have indicated that Torre won’t be back in 2011 but who can blame him.  The negative atmosphere around this McCourt owned team has made working for the late George Steinbrenner look like a party.

While Dodgers hitting coach Don Mattingly has been thought to be the likely successor to Torre, this no longer seems to be the case. We say that because in an interesting twist, SI.com’s Jon Heyman told Fox Sports Radio’s “The Petros and Money Show” yesterday that Mattingly is off the list because he was a favorite of Jamie. Heyman also mentioned that former Dodger and manager of the Dodgers’ AAA affiliate in Albuquerque, Tim Wallach, is a leading candidate to succeed Torre.

So the circus at Chavez Ravine gets even more interesting.  Stay tuned…

Used with permission of the author.

Chris Lardieri covers the Los Angeles Dodgers for Examiner.com and has written about Major League Baseball for Inside Edge, a scouting company that provides content to ESPN Insider and Yahoo Sports. He previously wrote for 1766, the Rutgers Alumni Magazine, and popular blog, ‘The Outer Loop’.  Be sure to follow Chris on Twitter for more MLB and sports observations.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

The 2010 MLB season has featured a number of tight playoff races in both the American and National Leagues.  This includes the AL and NL Central, NL East and both leagues’ wild card spots. 

But none has been tighter than the AL East, where the defending champion New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays are currently tied for first place with MLB-best 78-49 records.

The two teams have been in and out of first place throughout the season with the Rays currently holding a 6-5 edge in the season series.  The division and home field advantage throughout the AL playoffs could hinge on the outcome of their remaining 7 games against each other – a three-game series in Tampa starting September 13 followed by a four-gamer in the Bronx one week later.

While the suits at the “Bristol Improv” would surely prefer yet another Yankees-Red Sox showdown, the Yankees-Rays race features two of the top offenses in all of baseball.  New York ranks first in both runs scored and RBIs, while Tampa Bay is third in both categories.  Apart from that, the two teams couldn’t be more different:

• The Yankees have the highest MLB team payroll in 2010, $206.3 million.  Tampa ranks 21^st with a payroll of $71.9 million.
• The Yankees are a team of free agents and aging veterans, while the Rays are a team with a roster of predominantly young, home-grown players.
• One team plays in a state-of-the-art, cathedral-like park (the new Yankee Stadium), while the other plays in a domed dump where the roof catwalks are in fair territory.
• One team has a third baseman who dates an actress, while the other has one who almost shares the name of an actress.

Expect this race to stay close well into September. 

The Yankees could have an advantage if they get Alex Rodriguez and Andy Pettite back from the disabled list but the Rays have the schedule edge at the end of the season. After their final visit to New York, the Rays end with their final nine games against the Mariners, Orioles and Royals. 

The ‘X-factor’ in all this? 

The Yankees’ hated rival, the Boston Red Sox, face them six times in the final nine games and would love to play the role of spoiler.

Used with permission of the author.

Chris Lardieri covers the Los Angeles Dodgers for Examiner.com and has written about Major League Baseball for Inside Edge, a scouting company that provides content to ESPN Insider and Yahoo Sports. He previously wrote for 1766, the Rutgers Alumni Magazine, and popular blog, ‘The Outer Loop’.  Be sure to follow Chris on Twitter for more MLB and sports observations.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

The Dodgers currently sit seven games behind the National League West-leading Padres and are 5.5 games back in the NL Wild Card race.  They’re still alive, but a tough seven-game road trip begins tonight in Philadelphia, with three against the Phillies, followed by four against the Braves. 

If the Dodgers really are a playoff-caliber team, they’ll have to show it against the top two teams in the NL East.  If not, the season could be over in August.

How have the Dodgers gotten into this predicament?  Surprisingly, it’s not due to pitching, a need that General Manager Ned Colletti addressed at the trade deadline.  Since the All-Star Break, their team ERA is 3.51, while opponents are hitting .230 against Dodger pitching.  Prior to the break, the staff had a 4.09 ERA and allowed a .252 batting average.  In addition, newly-acquired left-hander Ted Lilly has won both his starts with the team, and has a 2.13 ERA in five starts since the break.

So what gives?  The Dodgers bats have gone cold.

Post-All-Star break, the team is clearly struggling at the plate: batting average is .220, down from .269,  Runs per game are now 2.75, down from 4.81.  OPS is .608, down from .744.  Save for some moments of brilliance from James Loney and Matt Kemp, the team is in a prolonged slump.

Could it be that the Dodgers miss the player who has been on the disabled list for almost all of July and August?  Yes, the same man who fears MRI machines – Manny Ramirez?  It’s quite possible.  While Manny isn’t the hitter he used to be, his presence in the batting order doesn’t allow opponents to pitch around him to get to lesser hitters.  Sounds crazy, but it’s quite possible.

Regardless, we should know by this time next week if the Dodgers are contenders or just playing out the string in 2010.

Used with permission of the author.

Chris Lardieri covers the Los Angeles Dodgers for Examiner.com and has written about Major League Baseball for Inside Edge, a scouting company that provides content to ESPN Insider and Yahoo Sports. He previously wrote for 1766, the Rutgers Alumni Magazine, and popular blog, ‘The Outer Loop’.  Be sure to follow Chris on Twitter for more MLB and sports observations.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

While the New York Jets may be the most boisterous team this off-season and are the subject of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” series this summer, the most fascinating locker room in 2010 may be the Cincinnati Bengals. 

The outspoken roster led by wide receiver/reality TV dancerChad Ochocinco has been augmented this season by controversial defensive back Adam “Pacman” Jones and equally-loquacious wide receiver Terrell Owens.  This motley crew debuted for the first time last night and kicked off the NFL preseason losing 16-7 to T.O.’s former team, the Dallas Cowboys.

The pairing of Ochocinco and Owens might be the most fascinating and unpredictable one this season.  Ochocinco has already come up with a name for the “dynamic duo” announcing on Twitter that T.O. will be Batman, while he will play Robin.  (This photo-shop pic is worth a look.)

What can we expect from these self-titled “superheroes” in 2010? 

For starters there should be plenty of creative end zone acts.  After all, this is the same tandum that has given us some of the league’s most notorious end zone celebrations – from Ochocinco’s “bribing” of a referee and donning a sombrero to Owens’ autographing a football with a Sharpie and stomping on the Cowboy’s logo at midfield during a game. 

Don’t be surprised if the Dynamic Duo pay more in fines to Commissioner Roger Goodell this season than some Wall Street firms paid to the SEC.

This pairing is worth watching but not because of their thespian talents, because they are likely to go up in flames.  Ochocinco has long griped about not getting the ball enough (as he did last year), and that may only get worse with T.O. on the other side of the line of scrimmage. Likewise, Owens has been known to voice similar gripes, as he did with former teammates Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb and Tony Romo.  Add to the mix another free agent, former Bucs wideout Antonio Bryant, and you have to expect at least one disgruntled receiver in Cincy.

The real winner in all this could be Bengals QB Carson Palmer.  While he will have an improved crew of wideouts, at the very least he should be entertained all year.  Here’s hoping that T.O. tearfully defends his “teammate/quarterback” – and doesn’t instead question his sexuality.

While last night’s sneak preview of Batman & Robin was tame with Owens snagging two passes for 18 yards and Ocho-5 being held off the stats sheet, it’s still only the trailer for this train wreck.  Will the final NFL adaption of the show be worse than the big-screen version?

Used with permission of the author.

Chris Lardieri covers the Los Angeles Dodgers for Examiner.com and has written about Major League Baseball for Inside Edge, a scouting company that provides content to ESPN Insider and Yahoo Sports. He previously wrote for 1766, the Rutgers Alumni Magazine, and popular blog, ‘The Outer Loop’.  Be sure to follow Chris on Twitter for more MLB and sports observations.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

The wait is over, and we can all breathe easy.  No, the BP hasn’t gotten the oil leak completely plugged just yet.   

 The second-longest wait in America is over – Alex Rodriguez finally hit his 600^th home run today, blasting a 2-run shot off Toronto’s Shaun Marcum into straightaway center field.  Luckily for the Yankees, the ball landed in a net that hangs above Monument Park, thus enabling the team to retrieve it and auction it off online.  Commemorative infield dirt, anyone? (the actual ball is pictured here).

 A-Rod becomes only the seventh player in MLB history to do so.  In addition, at age 35, he is now the youngest player to hit number 600 (Yankee legend Babe Ruth was the previous record-holder, hitting his at age 36).  While this is an impressive accomplishment, what’s even more astounding is the lack of interest in A-Rod’s home run.

Let’s face it – “A-Fraud” is probably only second behind “BALCO” Barry Bonds in terms of the fans’ least-favorite modern slugger.  Rodriguez is always going to have the stigma of prior performance enhancing drug use (or as he called it in his infamous 2009 press conference, “Boli”), so this should come as no surprise.  There has been very little buzz about #600 outside of the New York tri-state area.  And even there, some of the local media, such as ESPN’s Ian O’Connor, aren’t afraid to state this fact.

In fact, a lot of baseball fans were openly rooting for him to have a prolonged home run drought, similar to the anti-Bonds backlash as he prepared to break Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record.  The opposite was true in 1998 during the McGwire/Sosa home run “chase.”

The bottom line is that no one cares.  America in 2010 is a lot different than it was in previous decades.  The majority of sports fans don’t much care for athletes that cheat (Tiger Woods), think they’re above the law (Ben Roethlisberger) or are even the least bit narcissistic (LeBron James). 

At least now we can move on to more important things, like the story that stole A-Rod’s thunder − Brett Favre’s latest retire/un-retire debacle.  Now there’s an athlete who has his finger on the fans’ pulse.

Used with permission of the author.

Chris Lardieri covers the Los Angeles Dodgers for Examiner.com and has written about Major League Baseball for Inside Edge, a scouting company that provides content to ESPN Insider and Yahoo Sports. He previously wrote for 1766, the Rutgers Alumni Magazine, and popular blog, ‘The Outer Loop’.  Be sure to follow Chris on Twitter for more MLB and sports observations.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

Tonight is the 81^st MLB All-Star Game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.  While much has been written and talked about the “Midsummer Classic,” here are ten things that we at Sports Climax think that you should know – and that the mainstream media won’t tell you.

1. Fox is televising the game, with Joe Buck and Tim McCarver calling their record twelfth consecutive game together.  This is probably eleven games too many.  Prepare yourself for more wise-cracking, unfunny jokes and over-analysis from the pair.
2. Your alternative is ESPN Radio, with Jon Sciambi and Dave Campbell on the call.  Might be a better option, as long as you can tolerate Campbell’s droning stories and periodic bitterness about his playing career.
3. Since Fox is the king of shameless cross-promotion during sporting events, expect its show “Glee” to be the main beneficiary.  After all, cast member Amber Riley will be singing the National Anthem.
4. Hopefully pregame analyst Eric Karros will sport a hairdo as astounding as the poofy one he had during the 2009 season and World Series.
5. Good news – Jim Gray won’t be there to ask Derek Jeter softball questions about his next contract.  
6. “This Time It Counts” – don’t buy it.  In the previous seven All-Star games (all won by the American League)  that have determined who gets home field for the World Series, the AL has won four fall classics, the NL three.  Yet another brainchild of the “used car salesman.”
7. NL starting pitcher Ubaldo Jiménez is really, really good.  Pay attention to him – if the Rockies don’t make the playoffs, this might be your last chance to see him pitch live in 2010.
8. But you won’t see the Nationals’ rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg on the mound tonight.  Get over it – he probably could use the rest anyway.
9. Don’t expect the Angels’ “Rally Monkey” to show up.  Word has it that team owner Artie Moreno locked him up to a deal in which he works exclusively for the halos.
10. In the likely event that a home run is hit during the game, expect a plethora of references and comparisons to Bo Jackson’s home run in the 1989 All-Star Game (which was the last one played in Anaheim).  Keep in mind that Bo hit it off Rick Reuschel, and there are no glorified wiffle ball-type hurlers on either side tonight.

Here’s hoping these tips enhance your viewing experience tonight, and that the game doesn’t end in a tie.  We don’t want Bud to take a page from soccer and have Home Run Derby determine the winner in the future.

Used with permission of the author.

Chris Lardieri covers the Los Angeles Dodgers for Examiner.com and has written about Major League Baseball for Inside Edge, a scouting company that provides content to ESPN Insider and Yahoo Sports. He previously wrote for 1766, the Rutgers Alumni Magazine, and popular blog, ‘The Outer Loop’.  Be sure to follow Chris on Twitter for more MLB and sports observations.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

In the aftermath of the news that Joe Torre will be making up his mind about his Dodgers future by the end of the season, an interesting rumor is now circulating about his potential successor.  And no, it does not have to do with current hitting coach Don Mattingly, who is assumed to be Torre’s heir apparent.

According to a Tweet by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, now that Bobby Valentine is no longer in the running for the Marlins managerial job, he could be a leading candidate to be the Dodgers next manager if Torre does indeed depart.  This was also first mentioned earlier this week on the blog Rowland’s Office.  While the author does not claim to have any inside information, there is logic behind this.

First off, Valentine is a former Dodger, having played with the team in the early 1970s.  In addition, he is good friends with former Dodger manager and current Special Advisor to the Chairman Tommy Lasorda, who was Valentine’s first minor league manager in the Dodgers farm system.  Don’t think they’re close?  One of Valentine’s dogs is named after Lasorda.

Working under owner Frank McCourt (and the tumult surrounding his divorce) likely wouldn’t be an issue for Valentine.  If anything, McCourt would probably like his fiery style as a change to Torre’s calm demeanor.  But there are no clues as to how Valentine feels about “psychics.”

Keep in mind that his boss in Texas when he managed the Rangers was none other than future president George W. Bush.  And he is used to dealing with the media circus from his days spent managing the New York Mets.

Finally, why else would Valentine suddenly be out of the running with the Marlins?  After all, these rumors have come and gone over the years, and it’s no secret that this would be Valentine’s dream job.

For now, Mattingly is still considered the front-runner for the job.  He passed on potential managerial jobs with the Indians and Nationals last fall in order to stay with the Dodgers.  And if it helps, he received a nice endorsement from former Yankee teammate and current Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti – high praise from a rival team.

Either way, it should make for an even more interesting summer in L.A.

Re-printed with permission of the author.

Chris Lardieri covers the Los Angeles Dodgers for Examiner.com and has written about Major League Baseball for Inside Edge, a scouting company that provides content to ESPN Insider and Yahoo Sports. He previously wrote for 1766, the Rutgers Alumni Magazine, and popular blog, ‘The Outer Loop’.  Be sure to follow Chris on Twitter for more MLB and sports observations.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC