What's Wrong With: The Pro Football Hall of Fame

Another week, another thing wrong with sports. This week, we're talking football. But in particular, the Pro Football Hall of Fame and its selection process. Gotta throw an assist to my friend Luke for this one because he put the idea in my head because of how the talk of Kurt Warner and his Hall of Fame chances hinge on this game has been nonstop.

In case you aren't familiar with how the Hall selects their players, here's your quick rundown thanks to Wikipedia. The people who choose the Hall each year are known as the Board of Selectors, a committee of 44 people, mainly sportswriters in cities where there are or were NFL teams. All except one are appointed to life terms which are terminated only by resignation, retirement or death.

To be eligible for the Hall, one must be retired for at least 5 years. Fans may nominate any player, coach, or executive by writing the Hall by letter or e-mail. After being polled three times during the year, the Board narrows the finalist list to 15 in November. Also, a 9-member subcommittee, known as the Seniors committee add two finalists from players that finished their career more than 25 years ago. The 44-member Board meets the day before the Super Bowl to elect the new class. A finalist needs 80 percent support to get in and no less than 4 but no more than 7 can be inducted. If more than 7 get 80 percent, only the top 7 get in. Same goes for if 4 don't get 80 percent, the top 4 vote-getters get in. And the 7 means no more than 5 "non-seniors" and 2 "seniors".

Alright, that's the gist of it. Now here's what wrong with it.

First off, unlike the 150+ writers that vote for the Baseball Hall of Fame, only 44 people vote. And only in cities where there are teams? Give me a break. I'm pretty sure there are very competent and knowledgeable sports writers in non-NFL cities such as San Antonio, Milwaukee, Columbus and Salt Lake City. And life terms? What is this, the Supreme Court? Let's be serious here. When you only use writers from NFL cities, you're gonna get voters who are homers. They will fight to the death for the player from their hometown team. And literally, I mean death cause it is a life term.

Now I admire the fact that they have a special section for veterans of more than 25 years. Trust me, I do. But the fact that we have sportswriters voting for this and not former players disgusts me. How about letting the current Hall of Famers vote on that? Heisman Trophy winners get a lifetime vote on the Heisman and deservedly so. But Pro Football Hall of Famers don't get a vote at all. Unless they become a sportswriter. But even then, someone's gotta die. Or at least can we rotate the media members. I mean, how about 2 or 4 year terms like our politicians?

And this whole 4 to 7 rule bugs me too. 80 percent is a good number when we're talking 44 people. I mean, baseball needs 75 percent and that has a lot more voters. But if you have a list of 17 finalists and only 3 people get 80 percent, then that's it. Don't just let people in. If 80 percent of these sportswriters that are so-called experts don't think a player deserves in, they shouldn't be let in.

And vice versa with the 7. If there are 8 players that get 80 percent or more of the vote, why not let all 8 in? What's the harm, really? When you limit the amount that can get in per year, what you end up doing is a couple things. You see players at skill positions (QB, RB, WR) get in before defensive players and linemen. Not only that but I hate to say it but people die. Don't keep someone who got 80 percent of the vote from getting in because of a dumb rule. You just never know what can happen.

So while we all get ready for Super Bowl XLIII, I hope you enjoy all the talk about Kurt Warner and his Hall of Fame credentials. I mean, do any of us really care? NO, not at all. Especially since you (now) know how big of a crock the selection process is. Just like the presidential election, it's time for a change.

Why I Love The Aussie Open

When the NFL conference championships were finished, I wasn't happy because I remembered that next weekend, there would be no football. But then I saw something that made me smile: the Australian Open began that night!

That's right, tennis. For some reason, a lot of people don't like tennis but again, I consider myself a fan of all sports. From baseball to golf, bowling to hockey. I don't follow tennis as close as I would like but I stay somewhat current. But when it comes to majors, trust me, I'm all over it.

But why do I love the Aussie Open so much? Well first off, it's the unofficial start of the season. And what better start to a season than a Grand Slam? Seriously, I wish golf would do the same thing. By starting the year with one of the biggest tournaments, it allows fans to jump into the season with a bang.

Another great thing about the Aussie Open is that it is in Australia. What that means for us here in the U.S. is that ESPN televises live matches from 9pm-2am. And then more during the afternoon. And for a sports fan, that's perfect. When the NBA games are off around 10-11pm, there's something live to watch until 2am. And in the afternoon when all there is to watch is Sportscenter (yawn), NFL Live (repetitive), and Jim Rome (shoot me now), it's the perfect getaway for some love action competition.

And it goes on for 14 days straight. Yep, no breaks unless Mother Nature decides the tournament needs one. And the best players and biggest names don't all play on the same day. Instead, they alternate days. So if you want to check out Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Roger Federer and James Blake, don't fret. Odds are, you'll be able to see them all as they move along.

So for you tennis haters, shame on you. Check out the Aussie Open and enjoy something live for once. There's no football until the Super Bowl. NBA games are on every night from now until June (yes, June). The NHL never gets any love but those games won't interfere. Same goes for college basketball. so enjoy some tennis from down under. Whether it's the men or women, it's something different. And sometimes, difference is good.

NFL Conference Championship Predictions

First off, sorry for no predictions in the divisional round. The whole Athens, OH trip kind of put me behind. God, I love that place. But I'm back on track now.

So we're down to 4. Yes, 4 teams left in the NFL and in all honesty, not really that excited for this weekend. In fact, I think it's the least excited I've been for a conference championship weekend this century. I really one like one team (Steelers). I am happy for but not rooting for two more (Eagles and Cardinals) and I really despise one team (Ravens). But more than the teams, it's the fact that I don't really think any of these teams stand out as the NFL's best. Maybe the Steelers but they always win so ugly that it's hard to believe that are the best.

But before I go ruining your Sunday, here are my predictions. Trust me, I won't miss a minute of the games and no matter what, I will be watching the Super Bowl with high interest. Just saying, these aren't exactly the best matchups ever.

NFC Championship
Philadelphia Eagles (11-6-1) vs. Arizona Cardinals (11-7)
Glendale, AZ - University of Phoenix Stadium
Sunday 3pm - FOX

First off, mad props to both these teams. The Eagles were left for dead with 3 weeks to go in the regular season. The Cards were forgotten about once the playoffs began. But both have overcome all the doubters and are now one win away from the Super Bowl. WOW.

The Eagles have been doing it thanks to a balanced offense and an inspired defense. The offense, led by RB Brian Westbrook, has looked unstoppable at times in the playoffs. Plus, QB Donovan McNabb looks like he is having fun again. And that's big because McNabb is an emotional QB. When he's feeling good, he's playing great. And despite the fact that he has a WR corps that no one can name, he knows how to find the open man and he trusts them to make the play.

The defense though is what's been so impressive. Jim Johnson is still one of the better D-Coordinators out there and he's shown it the last two weeks. With great gameplans against run-first offenses the past two weeks, his defense has looked superior. But he's gonna need a new gameplan this week with the pass-happy Cards on the other side.

In all honesty, I don't think anyone really knows how the Cards got this far. It was their offense all season that led them to wins but in the postseason, it's been the defense doing the job. They forced 6 turnovers out of a playoff veteran QB in Jake Delhomme last week. And two weeks ago, they slowed RB Michael Turner and rattled QB Matt Ryan just enough. This week though, they have to slow down an offense clicking on all cylinders.

Thankfully, if the defense doesn't slow down Philly just enough, the offense can hold its own. QB Kurt Warner still has enough magic in his arm to fling it with speed and accuracy. And the best part is that he has some of the better receivers in the game to throw to. Larry Fitzgerald is an absolute beast. Anquan Boldin is nothing to laugh at, even at 50%. And Steve Breaston has turned into a threat as well, with his speed and help on special teams too. And maybe most importantly for this team, the O-Line has been amazing. Warner has had all kinds of time so far in the playoffs and the run game has been the best it's been all season.

The game is in Arizona so weather won't be a problem and the Cards will have the crowd behind them. But after playing in Minnesota's Metrodome and Giants Stadium, I don't think the Eagles will be phased by the crowd at all. Both head coaches have been this far, though AZ coach Ken Whisenhunt was only a coordinator. If you would have told me two weeks ago this would be the matchup, I would have picked the Eagles with no problem. But the Cards have been playing so well lately that I really had to think hard about this one.

PREDICTION: Philadelphia 31, Arizona 23

AFC Championship
Baltimore Ravens (13-5) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (13-4)
Pittsburgh, PA - Heinz Field
Sunday 6:30pm - CBS

You know, when these teams played in December in the infamous "instant replay controversy" game, I was mad to see the game settled in such a manner because these two teams played their hearts out and it came down to that. But now, just like SD/DEN in Week 17, these teams get one more shot to duke it out but this time, the stakes are much higher.

The Ravens are a tough team to play because like any good team, they get under your skin. The defense plays with such intensity and ferocity that after one half, the offense is too worried about the defense to concentrate on their own offense. Consider this. The Ravens D has played two of the most consistent QBs in the league in the playoffs in Chad Pennington and Kerry Collins. And despite giving up 533 passing yds, they only gave up one pass TD. And in 2 games, they've forced 7 turnovers. And given up just 19 points. Yeah, they're pretty good.

The offense isn't spectacular but when the defense is so good, all the Ravens offense needs to do is control the ball and take advantage of the turonvers the defense forces. That's exactly what QB Joe Flacco and the Ravens do. The numbers are never great but as long as they don't run the ball over themselves (1 in 2 playoff games), they are always in the game until the end.

The Steelers have been down this road before. Granted, this is the first time under Mike Tomlin but who are we kidding? Tomlin is a just a younger, black version of Bill Cowher. And with Dick LeBeau leading the defense, this Steelers team is always gonna be good. The defense wasn't exactly amazing versus San Diego but the regular season stats don't lie. This defense is the best in the NFL and with the Ravens in town, they'll be ready.

Against San Diego, no doubt the offense was the reason for the win. QB Ben Roethlisberger was solid as usual but it was Willie Parker that stole the show. With the help of an O-Line that only gave up one sack, Parker ran for 146 yards, proving he's ready for the postseason stretch. And this team is playoff-tested. They know how to run a 2-minute offense and play from behind or ahead.

Now I know the saying is that it's tough to beat the same team three times. But this is the Ravens-Steelers. It's becoming a better rivalry than Steelers-Browns just because one team does not dominate it. With each game, the past gets thrown out, so I'm not counting those two wins as anything. When it all comes down to it, this game will be won with defense. Oh, and don't forget that the Steelers have the home crowd behind them.

PREDICTION: Pittsburgh 20, Baltimore 10

Alright, those are my picks. I'm forecasting a Keystone State Super Bowl but I've been wrong pretty much these entire playoffs so if you're a betting man, I'd go with Arizona vs. Baltimore. Enjoy the games!

What's Wrong With: The NBA/NHL Playoffs

(New weekly segment in which I discuss what I think is wrong with something. Many of my friends think I'm really good at this. Just ask me about Michael Phelps and/or "Rudy".)

Since I've been here in Augusta, I've done a lot of complaining about the way the high school playoff system works here. In football. it allows teams with records like 2-8 or 3-7 to somehow still make the playoffs over more deserving teams that may be 7-3 or such. And since basketball postseason hasn't rolled around yet, I'm not sure how that works but what I do know is that unlike Ohio, not everyone makes the playoffs.

But high school is high school. A big deal but not really. Thankfully, college basketball has it right with its amazing March Madness 64-team tournament. And so too does the NFL, allowing 12 out of 32, making teams truly earn their spots. And if you really wanna talk tough, the MLB is downright mean, allowing just 8 teams out of 30. Now, of course, pretty much all of us hate the way college football works but I also have beef with the NBA and NHL.

Why you ask? Well, in both leagues, there are 30 teams. But when it comes to the playoffs, 16 teams qualify. That's right. More than half of the teams in the league make the postseason. And while some may like this, what is this saying about the regular season?

By allowing 16 out of 30 to make the playoffs, you're rewarding teams that middle of the pack. Heck, you're even rewarding a team that is less than that. I'm pretty sure every team in the NBA goes into the season with the goal of making the playoffs. But if you finish the season 36-46 and make the playoffs, is that really a good year?

I want to propose a radical change. Let's talk NBA. First off, let's make this distinction. If a team is not .500 or better at the end of the season, they cannot earn a spot in the playoffs. I'd even go far enough to say .500 isn't good enough but I won't get too rash. So that means last season, Philadelphia (40-42) and Atlanta (37-45) would not have been eligible for the playoffs. And in my perfect world, neither would have Toronto (41-41).

So what happens to the playoffs? No, I don't any of the above .500 Western Conference teams to move over. Instead, just have 5 teams in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Yep, that's right. Boston, Detroit and Orlando all would get a 1st round bye to rest bodies.

And I know, last year, Atlanta almost beat Boston in what was a thrilling 7-game series in the first round. But honestly, no one cared. Everyone knew Boston would win the series in the end. They were just the superior team. And again, why should Atlanta be rewarded the playoffs after losing more games than they won?

Now, it won't work too well with the NHL because of their point system. Instead, I just want the NHL to cut the playoffs from 16 to 12, a la NFL. Have the top two teams in each conference get a bye. And in a sport like hockey, a week off can do wonders for the body.

And a change that both leagues should consider, cutting down on the days off. NBA and NHL teams can play 4 games in a span of 6 days. But many times, the series take 7 days to play 3 games. Come on, really? No wonder ratings are down. No one cares about a series that takes 16 days to finish!

Of course, if there is one downside to my proposal, it's that a team that would normally be in the playoff race despite being under .500 could pack it in once they hit loss #42. But let's be serious. Most teams that are out of a playoff race know it well before they hit loss #42. So I'm not falling for that argument.

Will this ever happen? Of course not. Nothing I have ever proposed in sports has ever changed (besides Intramural Sports, where I actually had some say). But to me, this seems reasonable. Make these teams work hard during the entire regular season to make the playoffs. Don't let them cruise with records under .500. It's bad enough both the NHL and NBA playoffs take two and a half months to finish. We could do without some teams that have no business being in the playoffs already.

Blue Jackets Midseason Report

First off, I am glad to say this my 100th post. I honestly wasn't sure if this sports blog would be good or even read by anyone when I started it but 99 posts later, it's still here and I know of at least 4 people that read this regularly. For that, I say thanks.

Moving on...how bout them Blue Jackets! I know many of you are not hockey fans or if you are, not CBJ fans, but hey, this is an equal-opportunity blog. And as a CBJ fan, it's time to talka about the first half of the season.

41 games down, 41 to go and so far I must say, I am feeling really optimistic. I have felt this before as a CBJ fan but this is the best feeling yet.

First off, the team sits right now just one point out of the 8th playoff spot. That alone is a reason to be happy. Just a win in Tuesday's game against Colorado and they're in the top 8. Most years, the CBJ were at least 4-6 points away and fans had to pray. This year, it at least looks realistic.

Also, the recent 6-game road swing the team went on could have been the end for this team. Trips to places like Detroit, Washington, Anaheim and Colorado should have killed this team but instead, the Jackets finished the road trip 4-2. If that doesn't look like a playoff-caliber team, then I don't know what does.

Of course, mad props have to go to the young guns. First, Derick Brassard. Yes, he's injured and out for the season but what he did for the CBJ in 31 games was huge. 10 goals, 15 assists and a spark at the center position, something the CBJ hasn't seen in its existence. And hey, he even injured himself by sticking up for a teammate.

Jake Voracek at the age of 19 has chipped in 20 points and helped liven up an old second line. Derek Dorsett and Jared Boll continue to shake things up with a fight every game, giving the team much-needed energy. And how about this year's draft pick, 18-year old Nikita Filatov. 4 goals in 6 games, including the team's first hat trick of the season.

But no one deserves as much credit for where the CBJ are than goalie Steve Mason. He was called up thanks in injuries. Now, he may never go back. he has 15 wins, 6 shutouts, and an NHL best .938 save percentage. He has played out of his mind so far. And at the age of 20, let's just hope he hasn't reached his prime or get tired. I mean, he is just 20.

So what's the future look like for the Jackets? Well, as seen by the play of the young guns, there is plenty of talent there despite the numerous injuries. Rick Nash, Raffi Torres, Pascal Leclaire, Jason Chimera and so on. Once these players get back, this team becomes that much more dangerous.

The schedule is much kinder to the CBJ too. No more 6 -game road trips. In fact, the longest road trips for them now are a couple 3-game road swings in Western Canada. In fact, in mid-January, they start a stretch of 11 of 14 games at home. And they've been pretty good there lately, winning 7 of their last 8.

Plus, there is money in the cupboard to use to upgrade this team still. And considering how big a playoff berth would mean for this franchise and the city, I wouldn't be surprised to see CBJ ownership pull out all the stops.

So 41 games left. What's my prediction? Well, call me crazy, but I'm thinking this team finally makes the playoffs. I wasn't willing to do that in the preseason because I wasn't sold on the team gelling quick enough. But thanks to the amazing play from young guns and great coaching from Hitch and crew, I have faith.