Monday Water Cooler – January 18, 2010
Here we go with today’s sports water cooler talk. Here, you won’t just find the straight news; you’ll find the stuff everyone is talking about – the ice breakers, the Twitter topics…well, the stuff you discuss at the water cooler.
Enjoy!
The NFL gives us so much to cheer for every week – just ask the Jets – that it always feels surreal when something tragic happens. The football news is both good and bad as we catch up with all the happenings in sports.
NFL news: Jets ruffle feathers as they punch ticket to championship game
The Jets keep shocking us again and again, with Sunday’s AFC Divisional Playoff triumph over San Diego just the latest big victory for Gang Green. One man who wasn’t surprised, however, was Jets coach Rex Ryan. The openly brash defensive specialist reportedly presented a team with a month-long itinerary prior to Sunday’s game. Included on the schedule were travel plans for the Super Bowl in Miami and a Super Bowl parade. So far, so good for the confident Ryan.
On a serious note, the Chicago Bears got tragic news Sunday morning when they learned that defensive end Gaines Adams died from heart failure. The former No. 4 overall draft pick (Buccaneers, 2007), played 10 games with the Bears after Chicago acquired him for a second-round 2010 draft pick last October. Early prognosis for the former All-American points to an enlarged heart as the cause of the heart attack.
MLB news: McGwire cheered by fans; Offerman, not so much
Though his media scrum was predictably dicey afterward, Mark McGwire got a standing ovation from St. Louis Cardinals fans Sunday in his first public appearance since admitting to steroid use.
Former major leaguer Jose Offerman, on the other hand, wasn’t so popular on the weekend. We last heard from him in 2007 when he lost his mind and attacked players with a bat during a minor league game. This time, he opted for his fists. Offerman, now a manager in the Dominican Republic League, attacked an umpire and knocked him down with a haymaker after a disputed call. Hey – at least Offerman still knows how to get his name out there. He’d make a fine PR specialist.
NBA news: Arenas pleads guilty
To the surprise of some NBA brass, Gilbert Arenas pleaded (not pled – “pled” isn’t a word) guilty on his felony gun possession charge on Friday. His upcoming sentence likely won’t exceed six months and may keep him out of prison. The Wizards are now, predictably, doing everything they can to wash their hands of Agent Zero. He’s gone from billboards, signs and any Wizards merchandizing (people actually buy Wizards stuff?) and has likely played his last game with the team. Like Plaxico Burress, he’s given the team legit grounds for contract termination.
NCAA basketball news: Damion James keeps Texas perfect
Texas Longhorns’ senior Damion James entered the NBA draft after his junior season, then withdrew his name and returned for one more year. Whether or not he did so to up his draft status for next year or not, it’s happening. The 6’7” James dropped 23 points after halftime on Saturday as Texas fought tooth and nail to stay perfect, beating Texas A&M 72-67 in overtime and improving to 17-0. James, the Big 12’s top rebounder, averages 17.8 points and 11.3 boards this year.
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