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11/27/2006: "Hey Look - It's The Sports Rant!"

Well, the weather outside is frightful - especially for those poor souls watching the Seahawks game in the snow up in Seattle. I have a momentary break from my software project, which makes this the perfect time for a sports rant ...

- This just in ... the Cowboys cut high-priced kicker Mike Vanderjagt and replaced him with Martin Gramatica (of the Dancing Gramaticas ...). Vanderjagt may have the stats that say he's the most accurate kicker in NFL history, but the only stat that counts right now is 13 of 18 - his field goal record this year. A world class flake, he once was dismissed as "an idiot kicker" by Peyton Manning after Vanderjagt tried to explain why he felt the Colts offense wasn't working. The fact that he refused to do kickoffs probably didn't help, either ...

- Remember when the Skins Game was a big deal? It brought together four of golf's biggest names for 18 holes of big money exhibition golf every Thanksgiving. I don't know if it's that the money is so big on the other events, or that there are just so many events, but the SG has lost its luster. It was on this weekend, but I'll bet you didn't see it. Probably the only guy who really cares about it any more is Fred Couples, who they dust off each year so he can come out and add to his career SG money total ...

- If you thought Vince Young's performance against USC in the last quarter of the Rose Bowl was a fluke, just talk to Eli Manning and the Giants. Down 21-0 with less than a quarter remaining, VY led the Titans to three touchdowns to tie the game with only two minutes remaining. When Manning had a brain fart and tossed a stupid interception in the last minute, the Titans stole the game with a last second field goal. Neither are winning a lot of games, but just the fact that both Young and BCS opponent Matt Leinart are starting in the NFL says a lot about the talent level coming out of college these days.

- Baseball released the new Hall of Fame ballot today, and first-time candidates include some big names. Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn are easy first-ballot guys, but then there's Mark McGuire. Sure he hit some great home runs, and he was the first to top Roger Maris. But there's that whole androstendione thing, and the Congressional hearing, and the fact that he's the first of the so-called steroid class to come up for voting. It should be interesting ...