McNabb Pulled for Grossman?

What appeared to be a mean Halloween trick turned out to be reality as the Redskins pulled starting quarterback Donovan McNabb in favor of Rex Grossman with the game on the line.

With one opportunity left to mount a comeback, Grossman headed into the game while McNabb stayed on the sidelines. I assumed McNabb was hurt because he was basically beaten up all game, but there weren't any trainers around him. In fact, he appeared fine because he actually was okay. He didn't look to happy standing there as the former Bears QB headed onto the field, and I wasn't happy either.

Here the Redskins are with a proven veteran quarterback in McNabb and they decided to pull him for Grossman, who is suitable as a backup only in a worst case situation. McNabb went through this in Philadelphia, so why would the Redskins even attempt to do this. When asked about it after the game, head coach Mike Shanahan said that Grossman was better fit to run the two-minute offense. Are you kidding me? Grossman isn't a better fit to run anything. McNabb is not some rookie out there, he is a proven veteran. I don't know what the 'Skins staff was thinking, but they seriously screwed this one up. What kind of message does this send to the team? What kind of message does this send to McNabb? Does Grossman actually think he is going to get more playing time now? Is Grossman actually going to see another snap this season if McNabb is healthy?

With a bye next week, the Redskins have some time to get this mess figured out. However, McNabb can't be happy and the extra week he has to think about this cannot be good for his or team morale. Seriously Shanahan, you messed this one up.

JaMarcus Russell Not Indicted, Still A Loser

Former Oakland Raiders No. 1 pick, JaMarcus Russell was not indicted on a felony drug possession charge related to a drink containing codeine syrup found at his home. According to an ESPN report, the bust wants to return to the NFL.

Whether or not Russell was found guilty or not isn't the problem here. The problem is that Russell was picked with the No. 1 overall pick, received a bunch of money, and he took it for granted. He didn't do his part to be successful in the NFL and he made the Raiders look like morons for taking him with the first overall pick

So after being in the league for a few years with nothing to show for it, why the hell would anybody want him after being out of the league for a year? Russell is one of the biggest busts in NFL draft history and the fact that he can so openly say he is looking forward to returning to the NFL pisses me off. For an athlete with such a poor work ethic to feel entitled to return to a prominent level after already proving he couldn't cut it, proves the Russell has not grown up at all. He is and always will be a disappointment..

Music Video of the Day: Matisyahu - One Day

 

Matisyahu - One Day

Kid Dies Filming Notre Dame Football Practice

Declan Sullivan, a 20-year-old junior at Notre Dame, died today while filming the Irish football practice. Sullivan was filming atop a hydraulic lift as heavy winds gusted through the area and eventually knocked the lift over and killed Sullivan. The junior knew it was going to be a dangerous day on the job and according to With Leather, he even tweeted the following statement before work:

“Gusts of wind up to 60 mph. Well today will be fun at work. I guess I’ve lived long enough,”

After he was in the lift, 50 feet in the air, he tweeted the following according to With Leather:

“Holy [f-ck]. Holy [f-ck]. This is terrifying,”

The real question is why in the hell Notre Dame officials would let Sullivan, or better yet advise Sullivan to go up that high on the lift with the wind conditions the way they were? It isn't exactly rocket science to know that it is dangerous to do such a thing. Why they would put anybody in danger like that is beyond me. This is truly a tragedy that could have been avoided if a little common sense was used.

Bo Knows He's Voting For Cam Newton

Former Auburn running back and Heisman trophy winner, Bo Jackson, has admitted that he is going use his vote to vote for current Auburn quarterback Cam Newton.

In an article written by ESPN's Chris Low, Jackson said:

"I've looked for a chance for the past 25 years, and it never happened," said Jackson, now a businessman living in suburban Chicago. "So I don't have to tell you who I'm voting for this year. I've already got the ballot marked & with an exclamation point."

And why wouldn't he vote for Newton? The already rushed for 1,077 yards and passed for 13 touchdowns this season for the No. 1 Tigers. The 6-foot-6, 250 pound quarterback has dominated opponents this season and has done everything you would come to expect from a Heisman trophy winner. I know the season isn't over, but with each passing week, Newton has become a stronger candidate. If Auburn continues to win, look for Newton to be standing at the podium accepting a Heisman trophy at the end of the season.

Music Video of the Day: Ben Harper - Forever

 

Ben Harper - Forever

Mizzouri Football Strength Training Is No Joke

 

Thanks to Spencer for sending this over. After watching this video, it isn't surprising that they kicked Oklahoma's ass the other night.

Big Three Heat Debut, Not So Hot

After all the hype about the big three joining Miami in the off-season, the Heat lost its debut to Boston last night 88-80.

Here is what the "Big Three" did:
Lebron James - 31 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks
Dwyane Wade - 13 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals
Chris Bosh - 8 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

I thought this team was supposed to go undefeated, be the greatest team ever and win many championships. What a joke.

Music Video of the Day: Ryan Adams - The Rescue Blues

 

Ryan Adams - The Rescue Blues

Romo Breaks Collarbone, Out At Least Six Weeks

Pictured above is Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo after getting smashed to the ground in Monday night's game against the Giants. Romo is expected to miss at least six weeks after breaking his collarbone, which isn't good for the struggling Cowboys.

Photo taken from: http://junior18.tumblr.com/

Music Video of the Day: The White Stripes - The Hardest Button to Button

 

The White Stripes - The Hardest Button to Button

Reggae Legend, Gregory Isaacs Dies at 59

 

Gregory Isaacs, 59, may have died today, but his music will live forever. R.I.P. The Cool Ruler

Most Recent BCS Standings Have Auburn No. 1

Here is a look at the most recent BCS Standings after the weekend. Auburn jumped from No. 4 to No. 1 and Oregon remains at No. 2. Oklahoma falls to No. 9 after its loss to Missouri, which is now No. 6.

Brock No Longer Baddest Man In MMA

After Cain Velasquez's crushing defeat of Brock Lesnar Saturday night, there is a new UFC Heavyweight King. In a well-matched battle of two elite wrestlers, Lesnar learned that his hulking size and wrestling skills alone can't always be counted on in the octagon.

When Lesnar found himself unable to take down Velasquez and keep him on his back, he panicked and resorted to his stand up game. Unfortunately for Lesnar, he greatly lacks a stand up game and Velasquez made him pay in 4:12 into the first round.

We knew this day would come, but we didn't know who it would be against. Velasquez remains undefeated at 9-0 and frankly, it doesn't look like he will lose any time soon. Lesnar drops to 5-2, but still remains a force to be reckoned with. A rematch between these two is almost certain to happen in the future and it will probably no doubt be marketed as the biggest MMA event in history.

Music Video of the Day: Ray Lamontagne - Jolene

 

Ray Lamontagne - Jolene

Music Video of the Day: The Black Crowes - Twice as Hard

 

The Black Crowes - Twice as Hard

Music Video of the Day: Fistful of Mercy - Restore Me

 

Fistful of Mercy - Restore Me

Music Video of the Day: Rebelution - Feeling Alright

 

Rebelution - Feeling Alright

Music Video of the Day: Kings of Leon - Radioactive

 

Kings of Leon - Radioactive

With Kings of Leon's release of Come Around Sundown today, it only seems fitting to feature a KOL video today.

Pepperdine's Keion Bell Dunks Over 7 People

 

When you think basketball, you usually don't think Pepperdine. However, at the school's midnight madness, Keion Bell made some lasting impressions as he jumped over a bunch of people on his way to the rim. 

Music Video of the Day: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Home

 

Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros - Home

Things Learned: NFL Week 6

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison likes to hit via helmet to helmet. The All-Pro safety knocked Joshua Cribbs and Mohamed Massaquoi out of the game after delivering vicious blows to both Browns receivers. Expect the NFL to hit Harrison up later in the week with a fine. Harrison wasn't the only one to destroy people this week as it was a very rough week in the NFL. He was just the only one to knock two people out of a game.


Sam Bradford is going to be a legit NFL quarterback. The rookie has actually made the Rams competitive this year. It didn't seem like anybody could ever make this team competitive, but Bradford has answered the call. It seems like the first year player out of Oklahoma will be a hell of a quarterback in this league, even if he plays for the Rams.

The Kansas City Chiefs are for real, despite losing this week. The dynamic running back duo of Thomas Jones and Jamaal Charles is fantastic and their defense is a talented as any in the league. We aren't use to saying it, but the Chiefs are a team to watch out for the remainder of the season.

The NFC East is a very strong division. Every team is a contender except for the Cowboys. Yes, I said the Cowboys. With its most recent loss to Minnesota, Dallas dug itself deeper into the NFC East cellar with a 1-4 record. I think Wade Phillips' seat should be plenty warm at this point because I don't know how much more losing Jerry Jones can take.

TJ Lavin In Critical Condition After Crash

Photo: Kramer/AP

Pro BMX rider and MTV Challenge host TJ Lavin is in critical condition after crashing at a Dew Tour Event in Las Vegas on Thursday evening. According to an MTV report, this ride was supposed to be Lavin's last before retirement.

Talk about a shitty way to go out. I basically know Lavin more for his work as the host of the MTV Challenges because I am so awesome that I still watch them, but he was well known before that for his bike riding. This just proves that shit can happen to anybody, at any time. Get better soon, brah.

Music Video of the Day: Michael Franti - Hey World

 

Michael Franti - Hey World (Don't Give Up)

Bieber vs. Brady Round 1

 

Tom Brady's hair is getting quite the publicity lately. First Randy Moss made a reference to it, now Justin Bieber is taking shots at the New England quarterback. In a video released by Bieber, he says:

"Call up Mr. Brady, tell him to leave his hair to the guy who sings 'Baby'."

 I'm not quite sure what that means because the lyrics are simply horrible, but I am pretty sure it was meant as a jab. It might just be a reference that Brady stole Bieber's haircut, but whatever the case is, I'm sure Brady doesn't really care. He had much more important things to worry about such as why the Patriots got rid of Moss and why they think Deion Branch was a good addition to the team.

Music Video of the Day: MMJ - One Big Holiday

 

My Morning Jacket - One Big Holiday

Fredi Gonzalez Named New Braves Manager

In what might not be shocking news, Fredi Gonzalez has been named the new manager of the Atlanta Braves. He replaces Bobby Cox, who managed the Braves for 25 seasons. Gonzalez was considered the front runner for the job pretty much as soon as Cox announced that this would be his last season. Gonzalez was fired this summer by Florida after being the Marlins manager for 3 1/2 seasons. He led them to a 276-279 record and had his shares of ups and downs.

Gonzalez will be replacing a legend in Cox and only time will tell how he does. One thing for sure is that the Braves will not be the same without Cox in the dugout. For as long as I can remember, he has been the Braves skipper and the thought of him not being there is just plain weird. I know he must have an even greater impact to the Braves and their fans because I hate the Braves and I still like the guy.

Bobby, it's time to pull out the golf clubs and enjoy your retirement, because you earned it.

Report: Miners May Have Psychological Issues

In case you haven't heard, or live under a rock (no pun intended), the 33 trapped miners in Chili have been rescued. After being trapped for nearly two months, ABS News is reporting that they might face numerous psychological challenges.

Are you kidding me? How could you not be facing psychological issues if you were trapped under the ground for more than two months?

10 Performance-Enhancing Substances from History

I received the following list in an email at work and with all the talk about performance enhancing drugs in sports these days, it seems fitting to post on Knox Animal. It should be noted that PEDs in sports have been around for a long time.
 
1. Strychnine
Better known as a deadly poison, strychnine was thought to be the ticket to success for Thomas Hicks, an American runner in the 1904 Olympic marathon, who mixed it with brandy and egg whites. He needed emergency medical treatment at the finish line and nearly died, but won the gold medal.

2. Hooves
The hooves of the Abyssinian ass were taken in powder form by ancient Egyptian athletes, who boiled them in oil and spiked them with rose hips to mask the funky flavor.

3. Sweet, sweet ether
Sugar cubes soaked in ether helped cyclists get through 144-hour races in the 1870s. When ether wasn’t enough, coaches added nitroglycerine and cocaine, with some peppermint for flavor.

4. Baking soda
Some modern-day swimmers and runners swear by “soda-doping,” which means ingesting baking soda to shave precious seconds off their times. By increasing blood pH, baking soda may reduce the acid produced by athletes’ muscles, allowing them to keep on trucking.

5. Ultraviolet radiation
In the 1930s, Russian scientists found that peppering athletes with UV rays improved their speed in the 100-meter dash. German researchers in the 1940s found similar improvement in cycling times after a spell under the sunlamp.

6. Guinea pig sperm
In the late 1800s, physiologist Charles Brown-Séquard injected himself with his liquide testiculaire, testifying that the extract of dog and guinea-pig testes made him stronger and had even “lengthened the arc of his urine.” While he likely overstated the effectiveness of his own distillation, his discovery was a predecessor of hormone-based performance-enhancers.

7. Pigeon potions
The sport of pigeon racing has been rocked by doping scandals: While some handlers resort to anabolic steroids, others use drugs that prevent molting to maximize a bird’s training season. Birds have also been doped with purgatives to encourage them to drop their payloads before racing, thereby reducing the birds’ weight.

8. Magic mushrooms
It wasn’t just berserkers who favored magic mushrooms to enhance performance: Olympians in the third century also counted on hallucinogenic ‘shrooms to speed them to the finish line.

9. Arsenic
In the regions of Styria and Tyrol, Austrian lumberjacks kept the axe swinging with megadoses of arsenic. Styrians also took arsenic to pep them up before long mountain hikes and as a digestive aid.

10. Human hearts
The ancient Aztecs swore by ‘em to boost both military and athletic prowess.

BCS Projections Already Stirring Controversy

With one week before the first official BCS standings of the 2010 season are released, there is already controversy stirring. In a projected BCS rankings story published on ESPN, it has AP No. 3 ranked Boise State at the top, while AP No. 1 Ohio State is projected No. 5 in the BCS standings.

Oh, this is going to be fun as the season continues.

Gym Etiquette

There are very few things that piss me off when I go to the gym. It is my time to put all worries aside and clear my mind. I plug up my IPod and pop my earbuds in and enter into my own world. I nod at fellow gym members and sometimes I will even say hi. Other than that, I keep to myself. Music, sweat and pain - that's just the way I like to spend my time at the gym.

Some people do like to talk, and I am fine with that. However, If you are going to talk, make sure you are not hogging a machine or station. You are not the only people working out, so don't act like it.

While that is a big problem, the ultimate pet peeve of mine is when people do not re-rack their weights. If you use something, make sure you leave it the way you found it. If you take a dumbbell, put it back in the correct spot. If you use a plate machine, put your plates back.

Nobody wants to clean up after somebody else or waste time at the gym. These things are simple, but some people just do not get it or even care. Have some respect for your fellow gym members and use some proper gym etiquette.

Here are a couple of gym etiquette articles for those that do not have a clue what I am talking about:

http://www.askmen.com/money/how_to_150/155_how_to.html
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/mastering-gym-etiquette.html
http://exercise.about.com/cs/healthclubs/a/gymetiquette.htm

Randy Moss Heads Back To Minnesota

When news broke that Randy Moss was headed from New England back to Minnesota, I could picture Tom Brady cringing and Brett Favre dancing around. Moss is one of those players that is simply irreplaceable. Hate him or not, Moss is still the best receiver in the game.

In Minnesota, Favre gets his dream receiver. A receiver that will catch the bombs he will chuck up over and over again. It's backyard football at its greatest. While New England may downplay the situation, Moss cannot be replaced. The rumors of them trading for Deion Branch is a joke. Is he even an upgrade over what they currently have?

Jersey Shore RPG

It's Playoff Baseball Time

When your favorite baseball team is a perennial underachiever, celler dweller or just plain terrible, there is a certain relief that overcomes you when the season is over. For my Baltimore Orioles, the second half of the season was much better than the first, but they still finished with an AL East worst record of 66-96. With new head coach Buck Showalter taking over a few weeks after the All-Star break, the team improved and it was good to see. So the future may be bright, but if anybody knows me, it's all about living in the moment. Right now, it's time to live through other teams - the fortunate ones that made the playoffs. It's baseball at its best and even though the Orioles were nowhere close to finding themselves there, I will still enjoy it.

So here is how I cope: I pick a team for each series and root them on. Here are the teams I will be supporting for the first round of the 2010 playoffs.

Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays
With Josh Hamilton, Cliff Lee, Vladimir Guerrero, Julio Borbon - The Rangers are just cool. I am very familiar with the Rays since they dominated the AL East this year, but my support goes out to they guys in Texas.

Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees
This isn't even a debate. There is no way in hell I would ever support the Yankees, so as far as I am concerned I will support anybody the Yankees are playing.


Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies
The Reds have been awesome this year. They haven't been to the playoffs in a while, so it's always nice to see fresh faces. I found myself rooting for the Phillies when they first emerged as a playoff team, but now that they have been there for a couple years, it's the Red's turn.

San Francisco Giants vs. Atlanta Braves
The Giants pitching staff is the best in the game. Buster Posey and Aubrey Huff have been solid offensively, so its going to be tough for the Braves to win this one. Not saying it can't be done, but I'm pulling for the Giants in this one.

Vols Lose Heartbreaker In Death Valley

What looked like head coach Derek Dooley's first big win at Tennessee, turned into heartbreak for the entire Volunteer nation.

After apparently stopping LSU after a botched snap as time ran out, Tennessee was penalized for having 12 men on the field. As a result, LSU was awarded an extra play and scored on a 1-yard run by Stevan Ridley. It's hard to argue with the call, no matter how upsetting it is to Vol fans.

The LSU offense looked terrible as the Vols forced four turnovers on the afternoon. The Tigers switched back and forth between quarterbacks Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee, and both proved to be pathetic excuses for SEC quarterbacks. The Vols offense looked good at time. Overall, it was a good game for the Vols and everything was primed for an upset. The Vols had it in the bank, until they didn't.

The Vols should have learned today that they are capable of playing with anybody they step on the field with. Even though LSU is a terribly coached offensive team, they are still ranked No. 10 in the country. The Vols outplayed them with far less talent. That should go a long way as this young team continues to progress. This was the first road trip for a lot of Vols and they played the best game of the season in one of the most hostile environments in college football. Kudos to the entire Vols coaching staff and the team. Even though in the end the Vols came up short, they made the entire Volunteer nation proud.