This seems comprable to re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic to me

Paul Azinger has already introduced sweeping changes to the U.S. Ryder Cup team selection process. Now he has altered the format of the tournament.

The U.S. captain announced Wednesday that the order of the team matches on the first and second days of the competition will be reversed, meaning there will be four foursomes (alternate shot) matches followed by four four-ball (best ball) matches. As usual, the Ryder Cup will conclude with 12 singles matches on Sunday.

In each of the past two Ryder Cups  routs for the European team  the four-ball format was used in the morning each day.

“I believe it was 1997, I think Seve (Ballesteros) changed it to best ball in the morning and alternate shot in the afternoon. I felt like the Americans had an edge in alternate shot and I think it’s partly responsible for why Europe has gotten off to a pretty hot start,” Azinger said at a news conference in Scottsdale, Ariz., where he is competing in this week’s FBR Open. “So I’ve decided to change that back. I hope it’s the right decision. We’re switching, we’re going back to alternate shot in the morning and we’ll just see how it plays out.”

The matches will be played Sept. 19-21 at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky. As captain of the home team, Azinger has say over the order of the matches and course set up.

“I’ll do everything I can to get an edge,” he said.

What edge? Altering when the matches are played, isn’t gong to eliminate the cause behind the USA losing five of the last six matches. The American team needs to play up to what it is capable. If not, Europe will win in another rout this September.

Washington at Seattle-

Seattle is 34-7 since late 2024 at home.  Therefore I predict Seattle 20 Washington 17

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh-

The Jaguars beat the Steelers this year at Heinz Field. Plus I think Pittsburgh isn’t as good as their record. They lost to the Jets, barely squeaked by Miami.  Jacksonville 23, Pittsburgh 17.

NY Giants at Tampa Bay-

Tampa is home, they got the better defense and performing QB. I just have not been impressed by Eli Manning.  Tampa Bay 24 New York 14.

Tennessee at San Diego-

Vince Young is questionable, San Diego is rolling after a slow start to begin the year. This is easy, San Diego 35, Tennessee 17

Miami(1-14) closes the 2024 NFL season today by hosting the Cincinnati Bengals. Can Miami’s player win their 2nd game of the season in order to please new VP Bill Parcells? I’ve already predicted coach Cam Cameron is history. The rest of the team won’t fare much better before the 2024 season starts. I’m expecting a big overhaul of the roster. Cleo Lemon is again the starting QB but I’d be surprised if he’s back in a Dolphin uniform for 08.(He’s a unrestricted free agent at year’s end)

So far I’m 14-1 predicting Miami this year, therefore I’m going to take a chance on today’s game. My prediction- Miami 30, Cincinnati 24.

That has been the talk of South Florida newspapers since late yesterday afternoon. From the Sun-Sentinel-

According to sources, Dolphins owner H. Wayne Huizenga has convinced former coach Bill Parcells to lead his floundering franchise. Both sides have agreed in principle to a four-year deal that will make Parcells the team’s vice president of football operations, one source said.

Jimmy Sexton, Parcells’ agent, is working to finalize a deal that first began as exploratory talks, then picked up speed once the Atlanta Falcons pursued Parcells.

Huizenga visited the Dolphins facility for a little over an hour Wednesday evening, likely to provide a briefing on the latest turn of events to the team’s executives and coach.

On Wednesday morning, Parcells was set to become the Falcons vice president of football operations, but late in the afternoon Falcons owner Arthur Blank acknowledged Parcells’ change of heart, which has led him to South Florida, where he has a home in Jupiter and an existing relationship with Huizenga.

The state of disarray in Miami is so immense, I don’t think any one person can change it. The team has too many needs at present.(RB if Brown doesn’t come back, a rotten Defensive backfield, no depth at WR, no decent TE, an aging defensive line, an aging linebacker corps, an inconsistent offensive line. Not to mention QB, Lemon is a free agent at year’s end and its still unknown if Beck is going to be NFL quality. Is there any position Miami don’t need at? Oh punter and place kicker)

Like myself, Dan Le Batard at the Miami Herald, has doubts when it comes to Big Tuna being the Dolphins savior.

But Bill Parcells represents hope and star power and possible change, so he will be welcomed here with the same kind of fervent hero worship that usually results whenever starving followers are given a new leader. Never mind that what Parcells does best is coach and, um, he isn’t being hired to do that. The cheering and excitement around this kind of popular hire can make people swoon and forget that you’ve just hired Beyoncé as your entertainment but asked her to juggle.

WHAT HE IS

Here’s what Parcells is: A champion. The guy for whom that clichéd sports celebration — the Gatorade bath — was invented. A bejeweled leader of men who hasn’t won a single playoff game in nearly a decade and hasn’t won a championship since Lawrence Taylor carried him nearly two decades ago.

And here’s what Parcells isn’t: 1-13.

So he’s an upgrade because, well, it can’t really get much worse — mathematically or historically. But we’ve been down this path before, unsuccessfully. You’d think the Dolphins would have learned their lesson in going after the biggest, most popular name available. It didn’t work with Jimmy Johnson or Nick Saban or even, for his three blissful weeks as vice president, with Dan Marino. But here Miami is again, producing yet more upheaval by giving a mountain of power and money for a weary Parcells to do a job at which he might not be exceptional.

Parcells didn’t pick the players who made him a champion in New York. George Young did that. Parcells left the Patriots who took him to a Super Bowl because Bob Kraft, who is pretty good at his job, overruled Parcells and made him share personnel powers with someone else after Parcells wanted to take Tony Brackens instead of Terry Glenn. Parcells had one great draft in New York with the Jets, but he had four first-round picks that year, which would be pretty hard for even Dave Wannstache and Rick Spielman to screw up. And in Dallas, Parcells didn’t even want his best player (Terrell Owens, who was foisted upon him by owner Jerry Jones) and waited too long to play Tony Romo. So there are valid reasons to question this if you aren’t blinded by all the flashbulbs.

I hope Parcells can turn Miami around but right now color me skeptical.

Bobby Bowden has been Seminole head football coach for thirty-two seasons. From the Sun-Sentinel-

Florida State University is close to announcing an agreement that would name offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher the successor to legendary coach Bobby Bowden, a source close to the situation confirmed this morning.

FSU spokesperson Frank Murphy said the school will hold a news conferences at 11:30 a.m. Monday to discuss the coaching situation.

A source said Wednesday morning that “there’s an agreement in principle” but that lawyers representing both FSU and Fisher are still negotiating several details. The source said the deal is not complete, and that it might not be complete until next week. The source also said the possibility still exists that the deal could fall through.

*****

The source also said no timetable will be set for Fisher to take the reins from Bowden, college football’s career Division I victories leader. Bowden last week agreed to a 1-year contract extension that will pay him $2.5 million per season and includes a payment of $1 million bonus upon his retirement. FSU officials have said Bowden can remain FSU’s coach for as long as he wishes.

Fisher, who is FSU’s offensive coordinator, is often mentioned when some head vacancy occurs. FSU looks to be trying to keep Fisher from leaving, which to me appears a good move. Both for the football team’s success and for recruiting purposes. Potential FSU recruits will know what they are getting when Bowden retires.

Those timeouts to freeze the kicker may not be such a good idea after all. From the Washington Times-

timeout blunder by Redskins coach Joe Gibbs that gave the Bills a free 15 yards, Rian Lindell’s 36-yard field goal with four seconds remaining handed the Redskins a stunning 17-16 defeat in their first game since Taylor died from a gunshot wound early Tuesday morning.

Just before Lindell made a 51-yard field goal, Gibbs called timeout to freeze the kicker.

“I certainly wanted to do it there,” he said. “I felt like it was a good idea.”

Gibbs felt like calling a second timeout would also be a good idea. But Rule 4, Section 5, Article 2 of the NFL rule book states a team can’t call two consecutive timeouts in an attempt to ice the kicker. If they do, the team is penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Gibbs claimed he was aware of the rule.

“I did know it, but in the heat of the moment, it was one of those things that certainly didn’t register,” he said.

Although the officiating crew was unavailable for comment, the official nearest to Gibbs did not throw a flag, instead sprinting to the referee. That suggests the official didn’t know the rule, either.

Gibbs asked the official nearest to him if he could call a second timeout.

“I felt like he said, ‘Yes,’” Gibbs said. “He said, ‘When do you want to call it?’ But I’m not laying it on him. I’m the guy, in all likelihood, that made a decision that very, very easily cost us the game. I told the team that. I want to tell everybody that. I should know the rule. I can’t blame that on somebody else.”

Gibbs blew it and ignorance is really no excuse. The blunder likely resulted in a Bills win because a 36 yard kick is substantially easier than 51 yards. Look at Lindell’s stats. He is almost 90% from 30-39 yards but only a little over 60% 50 plus. Way to go Coach Gibbs!

I’ve never been a fan of icing the kicker. Calling timeouts are a way to play head games, but when it comes down to it a good kicker isn’t going to be affected at all by it.

It’s two more years (at least) for the Zen Master (via the LAT): Jackson gets two-year extension:

Lakers Coach Phil Jackson agreed to a two-year contract extension worth about $24 million, lending a sense of stability to a franchise that has teetered in many ways since May.

Yesterday’s 35-17 loss to the Oakland Raiders was embarrassing on several fronts.

*- Oakland rushed for 299 yards. Backup Justin Fargas rushed for 179 after Raider starter LaMont Jordan was injured late in the first half.

In all honesty, Miami has injury problems on defense at the moment. Zach Thomas missed his second straight game, Vonnie Holliday was also out and Channing Crowder got injured during the game. Still Miami seems good for at least 150 yards a game rushing as long as the opposing team has a halfway decent running back.

Note- Next week’s opponent, The Houston Texans, lack a running game so far this year. Rushing for just 89 yards per game so far this season. That’s 24th in the NFL.

*- Trent Green’s 55.1 passer rating for the game, which included two interceptions and one touchdown throw. That makes 7 INT and 5 TD for the year, at that rate Green will throw 28 by year’s end. Can anyone again tell me why Miami traded for this bozo? Don’t tell me he knows the system Cam Cameron uses. This little bit of news leaves you wondering about that.

Will Cameron keep sending Green out there? You got to remember Miami could have to cough up a fourth round pick instead of a fifth. If Cameron costs Miami a higher pick with the Trent Green futility show, the coach deserves to be fired.

*- Former Dolphin Daunte Culpepper has to be feeling good. He only threw two touchdown passes and ran for three more against Miami.

Granted Culpepper was just 5 for 12 passing the ball. I don’t think Culpepper is playing at his pre-2005 injury ability and doubt the QB ever will.

*- Ted Ginn is still MIA so far as catching passes goes.(Missing in Action not Miami) Anyone think he could be the new Johnny Lam Jones besides me?

*- TE David Martin continues to stink up the field. How Miami management could think Martin was a quality TE is beyond me. Look at his stats prior to 2024. He caught less than 100 passes in six NFL seasons. Injuries or not, that does not make for a good football player.

*- Ethan Skolnick at the Sun-Sentinel’s Season Ticket blog wrote-

For all the talk of Brady Quinn, is it possible that the Dolphins will most regret passing on Amobi Okoye and Patrick Willis?

Compare that with what I wrote in this blog post from last April.

I stick to what I said before, the Dolphins should not draft Brady Quinn. Rather the team should either pick

1- DT Amobi Okoye

or

2- LB Patrick Willis

or

3- Trade down

Miami has the oldest starting defense in the NFL. Its time to upgrade it.

All those paid geniuses in the MSM are finally catching on to how old the Dolphin defense is. Note every single Dolphin prognosticator in yesterday’s Palm Beach Post picked Miami to win. Talk about a bunch of ostriches.

*- 2024 1st round pick Jason Allen is still not good enough to play anything but special teams. Miami ought to either let Allen start and see what he can do, or cut the bum. Salary cap hit or not, if the player isn’t good enough to start, why keep a person on the roster?

*- Another draft bust in the making- 3rd round pick Lorenzo Booker. Miami needed him as a pass catching RB but Booker has yet to play a down this season. Why didn’t Miami use this pick on some help for their aging Defensive line instead. Oh because Dolphin coaching and managment have their heads up their anus.

*- The best part of yesterday’s game? That the start was delayed thirty minutes due to lightning?

No, not that. Ronnie Brown rushed for 134 yards.

Miami stands at 0-4. How bad could things get for Miami? They could well start the year 0-8. Their next four games are against Houston, Cleveland, New England and the New York Giants. All but the Texans average at least 99 yards rushing per game this season. Winning even one of these games may be a daunting task. Miami right now looks at best 4-12 team, and 0-16 is not impossible.

I’m inclined to think Miami can beat Houston, and could get a win versus either the Giants or Cleveland. This is going to be a long year for Miami Dolphin fans, but I been saying that all along.

Some how I knew this was coming.

NEW YORK - A New York Jets season-ticket holder filed a class-action lawsuit Friday against the New England Patriots and coach Bill Belichick for “deceiving customers.”

The lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Newark, N.J., by Carl Mayer of Princeton Township, N.J., stems from the Patriots being caught illegally videotaping signals from Jets coaches in New England’s 38-14 season-opening win Sept. 9.

“They violated the integrity of the game,” Mayer’s attorney, Bruce Afran, told The Associated Press. “This is a way of punishing Belichick and the Patriots.”

Mayer is seeking more than $184 million in damages for Jets ticket holders.

Belichick was fined $500,000 by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, and the team was fined $250,000 for violating a league rule that prohibits clubs from using a video camera on the sidelines for any purpose — including recording signals relayed to opposing players on the field. New England also must forfeit a first-round draft pick next year if it makes the playoffs or a second- and third-rounder if it doesn’t.

“They were deceiving customers,” said the 48-year-old Mayer. “You can’t deceive customers.”

But how were Jets fans Patriot customers? The Jets are who the fans bought the tickets from. If Mayer’s clients sued the Jets, the team may not want to sell them tickets any more.

I wonder if I could sue Theodore Bikel then. Some years ago, my wife and I saw the stage musical version of Fiddler on the Roof at the local playhouse. Because of a musicians strike, the only music that night was supplied by piano. Bikel had fun with the Tevye dream sequence line in the show. “There were even musicians.” I didn’t pay one hundred dollars for my wife and I to see ‘Piano on the Roof’!

Mayer and Afran, who consider themselves public interest lawyers, have been thorns in the side of New Jersey politicians for years, filing lawsuits and demanding investigations to advance their grievances. They are well known in the state but generally have had little success in their causes.

Both have lost bids for elected offices, and Mayer once served as a presidential campaign adviser to Ralph Nader.

Now we know these lawyers are crackpots. Anyone who can advise Ralph Nader to run for President is certifiable.

Via the AP: Panel: Landis must forfeit cycling title.