Random Observations on the Wonderful World of Sports

In the words of the great San Francisco Chronicle sports columnist Scott Ostler, here are my deep thoughts, cheap shots, and bon mots:

---Yikes. Not exactly a great showing from Matt Cassel and the Patriots. Something tells me that Randy Moss does not have quite the same rapport with Cassel that he has with Tom Brady. Just a hunch.

---You have to give Joey Porter some credit. He always talks the talk, but this time he also walked the walk.

---Can you hear that noise? It's the sound of New York Giants fans everywhere letting out a collective, "Phew!".

---Meanwhile, the Lane Kiffin drama continues in Oakland. Wake up, Al Davis. You can't field a winning team when you constantly hire and fire coaches at a lightning fast rate. The problem with the Raiders the last five years hasn't been Bill Callahan, Norv Turner, Art Shell, or Lane Kiffin; the problem has been Al Davis.

---And down the stretch they come! Major League Baseball enters its final week in the regular season, and there are still plenty of unanswered questions. Will the Mets hold on to a playoff spot? Who will win the NL West? Can Milwaukee sneak into the postseason party?

---Whether you are a Yankee hater or a Yankee lover, nobody can deny the fact that Yankee Stadium is one of the most historic and spectacular venues in all of sports. The House That Ruth Built has been the site of many famous moments, such as 26 World Series, Lou Gehrig's "luckiest man alive" speech, and that incredible 2001 World Series.

---I was lucky enough to have been in attendance during this year's unforgettable Home Run Derby, featuring the astonishing performance of Josh Hamilton. I feel enormously privileged to have been in Yankee Stadium during its final year.

---What a spectacularly exciting Ryder Cup win by the Americans. Congratulations to Paul Azinger and Team USA for winning in impressive fashion against the Europeans, and special thanks to Boo Weekley and Anthony Kim for firing up the raucous crowd at Valhalla.

---Remember that column I wrote a couple of weeks ago praising Rick Neuheisel and the Bruins? Well, you can pretty much forget about what I said.

---I like Lou Holtz, but he must have been inebriated when he predicted ten wins for his Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

---Maybe he meant ten touchdowns.

---Another knee surgery for Gilbert Arenas means another major hurdle for Eddie Jordan's Wizards.

---The annual rumors surrounding Stephon Marbury in New York have arrived once again. Deep down, Mike D'Anotoni probably wants to see Steph get traded.

---If the government can bail out Wall Street, can they bail out the Rams and the Chiefs? Just a thought.