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If the Philadelphia Phillies had forced a Game Seven of the 2009 World Series, Chase Utley would have had a genuine chance at the Series' Most Valuable Player award. Regardless of whether the Phils' won a second set of rings, Utley's monstrous display probably would've garnered him the honor if nobody from the New York Yankees had an outstanding finish. As we all saw on Wednesday, Hideki Matsui lived up to ...

Michael Crabtree’s First Start Stops the Bleeding In More Ways Than One

Posted: 1st November 2009 by Andrew Nuschler in NFL
Many in the national media and almost everyone around San Francisco have been openly critical of rookie wide receiver Michael Crabtree's decision to hold-out for more money. Although I never grappled with the issue directly, I'm definitely and firmly in that group. The story is old news by nowùthe kid was arguably the best collegiate wide receiver, got hurt, slid in the draft, the San Francisco 49ers grabbed him at No. ...

San Francisco Treat: Freddy Sanchez Proves It Isn’t All About the Money

Posted: 31st October 2009 by Andrew Nuschler in MLB
Although it's making headlines, Freddy Sanchez' new two-year contract with the San Francisco Giants doesn't really qualify as news. Most close observers of the team expected the second baseman to ink a deal in the wake of his disappointing stretch with the club. When I wrote the longtime Pittsburgh Pirate would re-up with San Francisco, it was no revolutionary proclamation. In fact, you could argue I was flying the Captain Obvious ...

Cowboys Beat a Winning Team: Get Ready for the Annual Dallas Deluge

Posted: 27th October 2009 by Andrew Nuschler in NFL
A bygone birdie told me I should write something about the National Football League since America's Table is on hiatus. I've found it's usually a good idea to listen to such voices. Plus, the timing is perfect. In case you haven't heard, the Dallas Cowboys beat the Atlanta Falcons. If that is news to you, this must be your first foray into the datasphere since the games Sunday becauseùas is usually the ...

What Will Manny Ramirez’s October Shower Bring in April?

Posted: 23rd October 2009 by Andrew Nuschler in MLB
Much has been made of Manny Ramirez' location during the National League Championship Series Game Four rally that essentially killed the Los Angeles Dodgers' 2009 season. The Bums' year didn't officially end until Brad Lidge pulled the curtain on Game Five, butùif any baseball game were ever a formalityùthe clincher qualified in the wake of the devastation wrought on Monday night. Given all that rode on Jonathan Broxton preserving the win ...
Sooner or later, I'll get around to writing my thoughts on the San Francisco Giants' 2009 season. Right now though, there's still some unfinished business i.e. the Los Angeles Dodgers. As long as their season lives on, the final flourishes haven't been brushed on the Gents' season. That's not to say I define the San Francisco vis-a-vis the Bums, butùas any die-hard fan of los Gigantes must acknowledgeùif the Dodgers were ...

Deja Vu All Over Again: Could The Yankees Be Going On Another Run?

Posted: 18th October 2009 by Andrew Nuschler in MLB
Most fans of Major League Baseball can remember the Fall of 1996. Back then, the New York Yankees were a far more lovable bunch (unless you were a Boston Red Sox fan). There was no clubhouse glittering with All-Star after All-Star, no recent history of dominance. New York did represent the American League also-rans as the 1995 Wild Card, but they floundered away a 2-0 lead in the Division Series to the ...

Rush Limbaugh’s Bid to Buy the St. Louis Rams Already Successful

Posted: 14th October 2009 by Andrew Nuschler in NFL
ôIf anything here offends, I beg your pardon, I come in peace, I depart in gratitude.öùGarrison Keillor This is the last time I'm gonna use Rush Limbaugh's name. From here on out, I'm using unflattering euphemisms because publicity is the only thing the Bloated One wants. I apologize if the phrases bother anyone, but it's all I can think of to somewhat defuse my own issues with feeding the beast. If all ...

MLB and Instant Replay: What’s So Impure About Getting It Right?

Posted: 14th October 2009 by Andrew Nuschler in MLB
It's not often I change my mind. Friends and family would say that's because I'm stubborn. I think it's because I don't rush to judgment. Before I form an opinion, I try to do the following: (A) find as many facts as possible; (B) see both sides of the situation; and (C) eliminate as much bias as possible. Furthermore, I think I'm pretty good at all three tasks. In short, I'm trying ...
In the wake of outrageously boorish behavior by high-profile individuals, I'm repeatedly stunned that so many apologists step forward. No matter what the transgressionùeven double-murder perpetrated with a butcher's knifeùsome courageous soul will hatch a conspiracy theory or end run that shifts the blame away from the guilty party. Forget the factsùthere's really a gaggle of shrouded faces bent on destroying the falling idol. Either it's the so-called Establishment working to undermine ...