The End of Tebowmania…

…starts tonight! Go Patriots Go!!!

Randy Moss Returns to Minnesota

Brett Favre finally has someone to throw the ball to and it couldn’t come sooner as he has been KILLING my Fantasy Football teams this season.

The New England Patriots have sent Moss back to the team that made him famous, the Minnesota Vikings, in exchange for a 3rd round draft pick. This comes just two days after a 41-14 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Monday night where Moss and zero catches and only one pass thrown his direction by quarterback Tom Brady.

Moss was a first-round draft pick of the Vikings back in 1998 after his college days at Marshall. He spent his first seven seasons with Minnesota, where he became one of the biggest playmakers in the NFL. He was later traded to Oakland in 2005, where he had two sub par years before being reborn New England.

I’m not sure if the Patriots got full value for Moss with this trade, but I guess you take what you can get, right? It’ll be interesting to see how Favre and Moss play together and if it will bring either back to their stats of days gone by!

Thoughts on the trade?

From the Associated Press:

The New England Patriots traded the seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver to the Vikings on Wednesday, giving Moss the exit he expected all along and sending him back to the place where he became a superstar, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the transaction had not been officially announced.

“When you have done so much and put so much work in, it kind of feels like I am not wanted,” Moss said in September. “I am taking that in stride and playing my final year out and whatever the future holds is what it holds, but it is kind of a bad feeling—feeling not wanted. It is not like my production has gone down.”

Moss later backtracked from those statements, telling The Associated Press that he hoped to finish his career with the Patriots.

“I don’t even know what my fate is, and for me to be 33 years old, it’s like I’m held at bay, and that’s definitely an uncomfortable thing,” he said. “If this is my last year here, I want to leave as good as I came in here in ’07. I know that’s really hard to duplicate, but I don’t want the fans, the organization, coaches or my teammates to have a sour taste in their mouths about Randy Moss.”

Tom Brady Involved in Car Accident

Tom Brady, quarterback of the NFL’s New England Patriots, was involved a two-car crash this morning in Boston’s Back Bay section. But don’t worry Patriots fans…he’s fine and won’t miss any playing time!

Credit: Boston Globe

From the Boston Globe:

“Patriots QB Tom Brady was in a car accident this morning. He was not hospitalized and is expected at Gillette Stadium today,” the team said in a posting on its Facebook site.

An official tweet from the team this morning said Brady “reports that he’s OK.”

A sedan and a passenger van collided at 6:34 a.m. at Commonwealth Avenue and Gloucester Street, said Boston Fire Department spokesman Steve MacDonald.

The driver of the sedan was able to get out and was walking around after the crash. A man was stuck in the back of the passenger van and had to be removed with the Jaws of Life, then transported to an area hospital, MacDonald said. He said the traffic light was hit during the accident and Boston police are investigating.

Barack Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize

From what I’m hearing, this is a major upset. In sports terms, lets look at the New York Giants beating the undefeated New England Patriots a few years back. Most did not see this coming and the selection has not come without controversy.

From CNN:

The Norwegian Nobel Committee said it honored Obama for his “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples.”

The decision appeared to catch most observers by surprise.

The president had not been mentioned as among front-runners for the prize, and the roomful of reporters gasped when Thorbjorn Jagland, chairman of the Nobel committee, uttered Obama’s name.

Nominations for the prize had to be postmarked by February 1 — only 12 days after Obama took office. The committee sent out its solicitation for nominations last September — two months before Obama was elected president.

The president, who was awakened to be told he had won, said he was humbled to be selected, according to an administration official.

From the Wall Street Journal:

The award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Barack Obama, so early in his presidency, is bound to reignite criticism of the workings of the Nobel committee.

The deadline for nominations for the prize was Feb. 1 — two weeks after Mr. Obama was inaugurated.

“So soon? Too early. He has no contribution so far,” former Polish President Lech Walesa, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, said Friday. “He is still at an early stage.”

The award reflects the enormous hopes invested in Mr. Obama, both in the U.S. and abroad, since he entered the White House, and the occasionally unrealistic expectations that his presidency could change the face of international diplomacy.

The Peace Prize Committee, made up of Norwegians, appeared to have anticipated criticism of its choice. (The other Nobel prizes are awarded by a Swedish committee.) Committee Chairman Thorbjorn Jagland said the prize often has been used to encourage laureates rather than reward them for their achievements.

“The committee wants to not only endorse but contribute to enhancing that kind of international policy and attitude which [Obama] stands for,” said Mr. Jagland, a former Norwegian prime minister, said at a news conference.

From CNN:

Minutes after the news broke, social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook were flooded with comments.

Half of the trending topics on microblogging site Twitter were about the prize and the U.S. President.

Opinion was largely divided on Twitter between those who think Obama is a worthy recipient — and those who question how he won the prize after just eight months in office.

Numerous tweeters said President Obama should refuse the prize.

One, jester from London, UK, wrote: “I think he should give it back until he has achieved real world peace.”

A sentiment shared by mzaher from Utrecht, who said: “Dear Obama. You have my support, love and respect, I just don’t think you deserve a Nobel Prize yet. If I were you, I would give it back.”

Jon Gruden Will Replace Tony Kornheiser on ‘Monday Night Football’

Former Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Jon Gruden will join play-by-play man Mike Tirico and analyst Ron Jaworski in September on Monday Night Football, replacing Tony Kornheiser.

From ESPN:

“This is a tremendous opportunity and I am very excited to be associated with ESPN and Monday Night Football,” Gruden said in a statement released by ESPN. “I grew up a fan of Monday Night Football, and whether I’ve coached on Monday night or watched, I’ve hardly missed a game all these years.

“To join Mike and Jaws in the booth and to work alongside this top-notch team is going to be a real thrill.”

The 40th season of “Monday Night Football” kicks off Sept. 14 with a doubleheader; the New England Patriots play host to the Buffalo Bills at 7 p.m. ET and the San Diego Chargers visit the Oakland Raiders at 10:15 ET.

Kornheiser decided to step down after three years of MNF.

Who Are the World’s Most Valuable Sports Teams?

As a sports fan, I’ve often asked myself this question. Today, Forbes had a great article which gives more insight into the answer to this questions.

It turns out that in 2003, no pro sports team in the world was worth a billion dollars. By the end of 2008, there were 24, led by European soccer powerhouse Manchester United.

From Forbes:

It begs the question: Is pro sports a bubble? That’s hard to say. But with the economy in peril, the days of skyrocketing growth appear to be over, at least for now.

“We’re in for some trying times for the next year or so,” says Larry Grimes, a Washington, D.C.-based mergers and acquisitions consultant who specializes in the sports industry. What he sees ahead is not so much the bursting of a bubble, which by definition would include a wave of selling at distressed prices, but a leveling off of franchise valuations to reflect the current reality. With prospective buyers having trouble lining up financing, many current owners will have little choice but to sit tight and ride out the storm.

The $1 billion-and-up club isn’t particularly broad-based. By Forbes’ count, it consists of the New York Yankees, a handful of European soccer clubs and, well, most of the NFL. Spearheaded by the Washington Redskins, which became the first NFL team to break the billion dollar barrier in 2004, the league now boasts 19 of 30 clubs valued above the magic number. The Redskins have since been surpassed by the Dallas Cowboys, whose lucrative merchandising business and (starting next season) new stadium have pushed their value to $1.6 billion, second overall to Manchester United.

Other NFL teams in the top 10 include the New England Patriots (three recent Super Bowl titles), the New York Jets and Giants (a shared new stadium on the way) and the Houston Texans (the league’s biggest stadium naming rights deal). Even the NFL’s least valuable franchise, the Minnesota Vikings, is knocking on the door of billionaire row at $839 million.

Other than the Yankees, no baseball team has managed to crash the sports’ billionaire club. The most valuable NBA franchise, the New York Knicks, checks in at $613 million. In the NHL, the Toronto Maple Leafs lead the valuation standings at just over $400 million. But while businesses of the NHL, NBA and MLB don’t stack up to the NFL, the average team value has grown at a pace that doesn’t figure to be sustained much longer.

Major League Baseball’s 30 clubs are worth a collective $14.1 billion, up from $6.6 billion in 1999. Growth rates are similar in the NBA, to $11.4 billion from $5.3 billion, and in the television-challenged NHL, to $6.6 billion from $3.6 billion.

Jets Fire Eric Mangini

The New York Jets fired coach Eric Mangini this  morning, just one day after the team failed to make the playoffs.

From the New York Times:

The Jets have fired Coach Eric Mangini, hours after the team completed a late-season swoon and was eliminated from playoff contention with a loss at home to the Miami Dolphins. The team announced the firing at a morning news conference.

“For the current New York Jets organization, we’ve made the decision to move on,” the team owner Woody Johnson said.

“We can’t pick a specific area. It’s a judgment call. I’m not saying Eric won’t be a successful coach. I think he will be.”

When the Jets were 8-3, coming off victories at New England and at Tennessee, the front office discussed giving Mangini a contract extension. But losses in four of the team’s final five games prompted conversations among team officials about whether Mangini had lost control of his players. By Sunday night, the decision had been made to fire him, and Mangini learned Monday morning that he was out of a job.

“I don’t think Eric lost our team,” General Manager Mike Tannenbaum said. “The team played hard.”

After three of the four seasons of his contract, Mangini, who at age 37 was the youngest head coach in the N.F.L.Brett Favre in the off-season. when he was hired, had a record of 23-26. And during the team’s 1-4 slide into ignominy at the end of this season, he made his share of decisions that were questioned. Now the precocious coach, who was sometimes called Mangenius, has been held accountable for failing to reach the postseason after the team acquired quarterback

Father of New England Patriots QB Matt Cassel Dies

New England Patriots quarterback Matt Cassel has left the team to join his family following the death of his father earlier in the week.

A very tough loss for the young Quarterback. My prayers are with his family.

From the Associated Press:

“Our thoughts are with him and his family during this time,” Coach Bill Belichick said before practice. “Right now we’re just taking it day to day. He’s going to take care of what he has to do.”

Belichick said that Greg Cassel died Monday night and Matt has left the team to be with his family in Southern California. Belichick said he didn’t know when Cassel would rejoin the team or whether he would be able to start Sunday against the Oakland Raiders.

The Patriots are practicing this week in San Jose. They stayed on the West Coast after last Sunday’s 24-21 win in Seattle.

Cassel’s teammates expressed their condolences for his loss and offered whatever support they could.

“It’s a part of life,” defensive lineman Richard Seymour said. “It’s one thing that will happen to all of us someday. It’s a tough situation. I don’t think you’re ever prepared for it. We support him and his family.”

Sources: Tom Brady Out for the Season

The New England Patriots didn’t play him in the preseason for fear of injury. Now it appears the Patriots won’t have him for the regular season either.

From Yahoo Sports:

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is expected to miss the rest of the 2008 season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, according to a source familiar with the injury.

While New England coach Bill Belichick said in his postgame press conference that he had no update on the status of Brady’s injury, two sources indicated it involved serious damage to the knee.

“It’s bad,” a team source said. “We’re going to have to play without him.”

Brady was hurt as he stepped up in the pocket to make a throw to wideout Randy Moss. Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard, who was on the ground, lunged forward and struck Brady’s leg, which buckled as he released the ball.

Brady was helped off the field and was later led down a staircase by team officials, presumably to undergo tests.

Fourth-year quarterback Matt Cassel, who had thrown just 39 passes in his career before Sunday, replaced Brady and completed 13 of 18 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown. Cassel, who backed up Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC, hasn’t been a starting quarterback since high school. He won a competition with Matt Gutierrez during the preseason to retain the job as Brady’s primary backup.