Red Tide Rising

The Red Raiders and Longhorns finally supplied a legitimate game between this year's alleged top football teams. Previous attempts by Ohio State-USC, Florida-Georgia, etc. resulted in one-sided affairs.

It's a shame that by winning on a last-second touchdown, Texas Tech probably hindered the chances of an entertaining national championship.

Expect Alabama (who beat up on non-conference foe Arkansas State) and Penn State (idle) to ascend to the top spots in the BCS standings. Alabama has a rugged SEC schedule left, as well as a potential SEC title game. Meanwhile, Penn State has Iowa, Indiana and Michigan State. Only the Spartans have a winning record in the mediocre Big Ten.

Can't wait for the BCS Blowout Part III where the Big Ten representative gets taken behind the woodshed by a team from below the Mason-Dixon Line. Sweet.

Getting Their Phill

The Phillies are champions of baseball ... wow ... did not expect to say that on Opening Day 2008.

Some fun things to think about in brief.

• Point of criticism that will be debated tomorrow: Joe Maddon elects to let J.P. Howell hit and keeps him in to face Pat Burrell, fearing a left-hander throwing sliders to the right-handed slugger will end badly. Well, letting the righty Howell go didn't help much. Burrell doubled, leading to the game-winning run.

Was it the wrong move? No way to tell. But if it were me, I'd want the ball in the hand of the guy with the best stuff. David Price is that guy.

• If you're one of the people lauding Francisco Rodriguez for the American League MVP, you better be voting for Brad Lidge on the NL ballot.

Lidge: 92 Ks, a 1.95 ERA and 41 saves in 41 opportunities. If it weren't for Lidge, the Phillies would not have even been in the playoffs, topping the Mets by just 3 games. The Angels cruised in on a 21 game cushion. And I know the postseason doesn't count, but come on.

• 25-year-old Cole Hamels received the World Series MVP trophy, but made his first mistake of the postseason — revealing his wife's age (30?!?!) on national television. Just give her the car keys to that newly-won Camaro, Cole, and you might make even it back into the house tonight.

• Why do network anchors get to serve as emcees for the postseason celebration? They're usually painfully awkward and tonight was no exception.

• Interesting choice of words by Phils' manager Charlie Manuel during the post game interview: "I thought we could beat anyone in our league." Unsaid by Charlie Manuel: "But since I'm sane, at no time did I ever think we could beat someone from the American League."

Remember Me?

I wish I could say that there was some sort of thematic basis for my hiatus from this blog — say, solidarity with Major League Baseball's tough, but correct, call to suspend Game 5 of the World Series — but alas, it's just a lot of work getting in the way.

Rather than try to catch you up on all of the news I missed, let's start fresh, eh?

The World Series actually does resume tonight (we think) after a 46-hour mid-inning intermission. The debate is already raging as to whether or not Bud Selig and Co. made the right decision.

It's not clear cut. There's no way that the World Series should be decided with an abbreviated game. However, the rule on the book states that games count after five-and-a-half innings. The conditions seemed to deteriorate into the "unplayable" category between that time and when the Rays tied the score in the top of the sixth inning, leading Philly fans — and strict interpreters of the Constitution — to believe Major League Baseball was continuing play so as not to give the Phillies a rain-shortened win.

Two things strike me about this scenario. 1.) This has never happened before? Really? What are the odds of that. 2.) MLB has screwed up a lot of things (see: Steroids, tied All-Star Games, Astro Turf, over expansion ... ) but this was not one of them. The title of your sport should be decided on a field by players and not by Doppler 8000 radar.

***

In the NHL, the Washington Caps stumbled a bit over their Western Conference swing, losing at Calgary and Phoenix before picking up an OT win against Dallas. Washington returned home and snagged a shootout win against Nashville last night, despite the absence of Alex Ovechkin. Ovechkin, who has struggled to start the season, with only 2 G, returned home to Moscow to be with his ailing grandfather.

Alexander Semin stepped in just fine, dealing with Nashville's top defensive line and pairing to notch a goal and an assist and potting a goal in the shootout. Semin is on fire, probably because he's playing with some desire this season. Last year's run to the playoffs certainly seemed to ignite Semin's drive, leading the Russian sniper to skate hard after loose pucks and play the body in the series against the Flyers. Prior to last season Semin sometimes sleepwalked through games. Not this year. And if opponents choose to snooze on him, they're going to get burned.

The play of goalie Jose Theodore has caused some concern, but, as I discuss in tomorrow's FCNP Splinters, I'm not too worried ... yet. It's early and there are a lot of top tier goalies struggling right now ... including the much-adored Cristobal Huet, who manned the crease for the Caps' miracle run last year.

A bigger problem has been some spotty play by the Caps defense. Washington's back-enders have been missing a few checks at their own blue line and, worse, have been slow to pick up open attackers trolling the front of the net. The eventual return of Tom Poti will help a lot, but I'm still waiting for them to call up Karl Alzner.

The Caps are scraping the salary cap limit, which is what kept Alzner in the AHL out of training camp, but from what I've seen, his play has been vastly superior to what Tyler Sloan has shown so far (and that's no knock on Sloan or his great story of determination). I even think Alzner was better than John Erskine, though shockingly the Caps extended him for two more years lately. My quick analysis based on the signing? Alzner will be in Washington for sure next season. Shaone Morrisonn, whom will likely be due another raise after winning his arbitration case this summer, will not. Again, that's based on nothing, but losing Morrisonn would be a disappointing cap casualty.

Isiah's Wild Ride, Catching Up With the Series

The far-fetched life of Isiah Thomas added another chapter yesterday when an ambulance left his home and rushed what police said to be a 47-year-old man to the hospital after he overdosed on sleeping pills. Thomas, who happens to be 47, said it was not him, but rather his high school-aged daughter. The police say he's lying.

While all the circumstantial signs point to Isiah actually being the one who ODed, one thing is for certain, blaming whatever happened on his daughter is absurd. Even if it was his daughter, you tell reporters to bug off and that it's a private matter and ask them to respect that during a difficult time. But Isiah couldn't do that, he had to make sure people didn't think less of him. Way to throw your family under the bus Isiah. Hopefully there will be better days ahead for the Thomas family.

***

The World Series is knotted at one game apiece after terrific pitching performances by the Phillies' Cole Hamels and the Rays' James Shields in Games 1 and 2.

The story so far has been the Phillies' inability to drive in runners in scoring position, as discussed by ESPN's Jerry Crasnick here. Heading home to the band box that is Citizens Bank Park will help, but wherever he's playing these days, Ryan Howard looks lost at the plate. He's batting .250 with no home runs and 11 Ks in 40 at bats in the postseason.

If the Phillies can snag another win tonight or in Game 4, I think they've got a good shot to win it, because I don't think the Rays are beating Hamels in Game 5. And if it comes down to Game 7, you can bet you'll see the lefty out of the bullpen at the very least, giving him an opportunity to piece together one of the greatest postseason pitching performances of all time.

In four starts this postseason, batters are hitting just .182 against him, while Hamels has posted 27 strikeouts (to just eight walks) and a 1.55 ERA. That said, he's a young guy, will he run out of gas? It will be fun to watch for sure.

Sox Still Kickin' and Other Notes

Not a ton of time today, but here are some headlines to keep you interested:

The Red Sox aren't dead yet, rallying from a 7-0 deficit to stave off elimination and beat the Rays at Fenway Park last night. Hmm ... where have we seen this before?

You can't feel good about this if you're a Tampa fan. Not only did you choke up a 7-run lead, but the Sox clearly have the mojo now and confidence must be at a premium in the bullpen, after the top three arms in it — Grant Balfour, Dan Wheeler and J.P. Howell — all gave up runs last night.

The Washington Capitals won their third straight game, rallying in similarly astounding fashion — down 3-0 — to beat the Penguins, 4-3, in Pittsburgh. The Crosby-Ovechkin rivalry turned one notch hotter as the two apparently exchanged words in the hallways of Mellon Arena after the game.

The best sign for the Caps this young season? Ovechkin only has two goals and the team has scored nine total in its last two wins. If you're notching four goals a night and your MVP isn't even on track yet, you've got bright skies ahead.

One person who is clicking is Brad Boyes. I'll now take a second to answer that resounding "WHO?" I just heard you utter at your monitors. Boyes, a center with the St. Louis Blues, already has four goals this season, after lighting the lamp 43 times last year. The most remarkable thing about last year's feat? His shooting percentage topped 20-percent. One out of every five times he put the puck on net it went in. Sniper!

Blackhawks Coach Denis Savard will have some time on his hands, seeing as how he is no longer Blackhawks Coach. Savard was canned after a 1-2-1 start four games into the season. Ouch.

Joba Chamberlain is likely to start again for the Yankees in 2009.

The Padres are lining up suitors for a potential Jake Peavy trade.

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo tries to impress everyone and play with a broken pinkie finger.

Splinters Magic Mail Bag and Press Pass with Broken Social Scene's Brendan Canning

The FCNP version of Splinters is up. This week I delve into my monthly Magic Mailbag to answer some questions of uh, avid, readers. It's so weird how this Joe G. guy keeps asking me about the Redskins...weird. I also explore the College Football scene as teams try to stay at the top once they reach No. 1. Easier said than done.

For Press Pass I sit down with Broken Social Scene's Brendan Canning to discuss the nuances of working with an ever-changing lineup that often consists of eight members or more on stage at the same time. And also when he likes to take his mid-set bathroom breaks.

Manny Becoming Manny

Sorry I have posted absolutely nothing this week, but I've been busy working on something.

Remember a little while back when I posted I was planning on writing a piece on the evolution of Manny Ramirez? It went live today, published by ESPN The Magazine's Web site, espnthemag.com.

The piece looks back at the phrase "Manny Being Manny" and the particular behaviors Ramirez flaunted on each occasion based on a Lexis Nexis search for the team. First guy to quip Manny Being Manny? Wouldn't you like to know ... You can find out here: A Brief History of the Phrase "Manny Being Manny"

Also be sure to check out fellow Hoya Ted Bauer's work catching up with Dennis Eckersley and Kirk Gibson 20 years after Jack Buck couldn't believe what he just saw.

NHL Notes

Most of the NHL has begun its 2008-09 schedule. Here's a quick look at early storylines around the league:

• There were questions whether or not relatively inexperienced goaltender Dan Ellis could carry the Nashville Predators. Friday's 5-2 loss to St. Louis was not a good start.

• The Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Dallas Stars for just the second time in the last 19 meetings on Friday, with an OT goal by Rick Nash.

• The Rangers are off to a 3-0 start after besting the Blackhawks Friday.

• The Caps look to rebound from their loss in Atlanta when they open the season against the Blackhawks, pitting young stars Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom against Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Oh yeah, and it marks the return of goalie Cristobal Huet, whose departure to Chicago via free agency forced the Caps to sign Jose Theodore instead. ESPN's Scott Burnside previews the contest here.

Caps Thrashed In Opener

As I wrote in my FCNP article previewing the Capitals, the key to success for this year's team lies squarely on their defensive play and the ability of goaltending import Jose Theodore. That Theodore allowed 4 goals on 17 shots in Friday's 7-4 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers, a team picked to finish last in the Southeast Division, is not a good omen.

The first goal, scored on the power play by Atlanta's Ron Hainsey, was the fault of the penalty kill unit, who had their backs turned and didn't pick him up crashing the low slot. The second goal (off a uncontrolled rebound), and the third and fourth (off ordinary wrist shots that should have been easy saves) were squarely on Theodore.

It's safe to say he had a bad night. But if this is the start of a trend, the Caps have serious problems. Brent Johnson was a capable backup last year and looked good before the team's meltdown late in the third Friday, but can he carry the load all year long?

It's one game. There's a good possibility this is just a blip on the radar due to first-game jitters and the pressure that every publication has said the Caps' Stanley Cup hopes ride on his shoulders. But what are the Caps options if it isn't?

The Caps can either go with Johnson, call up 20-year-old prospect Simeon Varlamov or trade someone (perhaps Michael Nylander) for another NHL caliber netminder. I don't think any of those scenarios involve hoisting the Cup this spring.

Other points of interest:

• Mike Green scored his first two goals of the season after leading all defensemen with 18 last year. Green only had three goals through Nov. 21 last year and still put up that mark. During training camp, Head Coach Bruce Boudreau said he believed Green hadn't even touched upon how good he can be. There is a very real possibility that he could score 30 goals this season.

• Boudreau's long-time friend, John Anderson, picked up the win behind the bench in Atlanta, his first as an NHL coach. Boudreau's success has paved the way for a number of AHL coaches to get a shot at the big leagues. Anderson and Scott Gordon (Islanders) emerged from the minor league to head up teams, with a number more rising to assistant positions in the NHL.

• The refs Friday night were a little over ambitious, whistling 14 penalties before a rash of fights at the end. In fact, none of the four goals in the second period were scored at even strength.

One thing this did was showcase two new members of the Caps penalty killing units — Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin. Semin looked brilliant in the role, setting up a shorthanded goal by Dave Steckel and, on another shift, drawing a penalty to negate the Atlanta advantage.

The theory, inspired by Team Russia's use of Semin on the penalty kill during this summer's World Championships, is to give the PK units a quick threat at the top of the box capable of breaking up passes at the point and occasionally picking them off for a shorthanded scoring opportunity. The drawback is the absurd amount of ice time Ovechkin now accounts for.

Friday he was on the ice for 23:02 (2:55 on the penalty kill), bettered only by Mike Green and Atlanta's Ron Hainsey, both defenseman. Boudreau said he was looking for ways to get Ovie more ice time. But can he sustain an entire season of this? Probably. He averaged 23:07 on the ice last year and the only side effects he showed came in the form of league-leading goals and points totals.

• Thrashers first-round draft pick Zach Bagosian's "welcome to the NHL" moment? Squaring off with Caps enforcer Donald Brashear late in the third period. One uppercut. Two uppercut. Down goes the 18-year-old rookie.

I'm not sure why Brash squared off against the baby-faced kid, but it's an event that will likely set a harsh tone for this season series.

FCNP Posts

Three articles in this week's Falls Church News-Press — the FCNP Splinters, Press Pass and a preview article on the Washington Capitals after I spent a few days in their training camp two weeks back.

The hype surrounding the Caps is focused primarily on uber-wing Alex Ovechkin, and rightly so. There have been few years like the one he had last year. But the beauty of the Capitals' upcoming season is that the scoring won't depend solely on No. 8. Each of the Caps' top three lines feature a past 30-goal scorer. With Chris Clark and Michael Nylander skating with prospect Tomas Fleischmann on Washington's third line, generating goals will not be a problem for the Caps. What will be? Read the article and find out.

Splinters focuses on the surprising Redskins and exactly how they've been able to be so good this year.

Press Pass will be a hit for prime time TV fans, as I interview Val Emmich, better known as Jesse, the new love interest on ABC's "Ugly Betty." If you think the guy sounds great as a musician, it's probably because he is one. Has been since high school actually. Inside we chat about his music, his acting and exactly why he was skeptical to sign on to play the current role alongside Betty. Hint: It's not because she's "ugly."