A Jets Win in the Final Game at Giants Stadium Means Playoffs
For a franchise that has never had their own building and has a fan base that is starving for a contender, the Jets are in a remarkable position in the final week of the season. The Jets will host the Bengals in the last NFL game at Giants Stadium. What will make this game more memorable is that with a win, the Jets are in the playoffs. Giants Stadium will have a playoff-like atmosphere for the Jets on Sunday.
The magnitude of the game has caused the NFL to flex the game to an 8:30 pm start. A national audience will get the chance to watch a double feature. They’ll watch the last game at Giants Stadium and they’ll also see if the Jets can pull off a Wild Card birth that looked unattainable as recent as a week ago.
The Jets are in the classic scenario of “win and you’re in”. They’ll be hosting a Bengals team that may have nothing to play for. The Bengals have already locked up the AFC North and unless the Patriots lose earlier in the day, the Bengals cannot move up or down in the AFC playoff seedings no matter the outcome of their game with the Jets. That may mean the Bengals will rest their starters against the Jets. If the Jets win, the two teams will play a rematch in Cincinnati the following week in the first round of the playoffs.
I wonder who scheduled the Jets to play the final game at Giants Stadium? When the schedules were first released, it seemed absurd. Now it seems ingenious. Instead of the Giants playing the last game at the stadium in a meaningless game, it’s the Jets who are doing it in a game where a playoff birth is on the line.
The Giants’ finale at their stadium didn’t go so well. They looked flat and lifeless and lost to the Panthers 41-9. The Giants’ loss, combined with wins by the Cowboys and Packers, put an official end to the Giants’ playoff aspirations. The Jets hope not to follow suit. They have a chance to leave one final lasting mark on Giants Stadium.
No Comments »BCS Matchups
Recently announced BCS bowl game matchups have college football fans across the country eagerly anticipating the start of 2010. This season, five teams head into the 2010 bowls with perfect records, two of which are facing off in the national championship game. Three of the five games will be televised on FOX (FedEx Orange Bowl, Allstate Sugar Bowl and Tostitos Fiesta Bowl) and two will be on ABC (Rose Bowl Presented by Citi and Citi National Championship Game). Below is a detailed schedule of the games along with some other useful information.
Rose Bowl Presented by Citi: Oregon vs. Ohio State
January 1, 2010 at 5 p.m. ET
Pasadena, California
“The Granddaddy of them All” has been providing fans with a chance to see the best of the best in college football since 1923. This year’s game has Oregon (Pac-10 Champions) going up against Ohio State (Big Ten Champs) and, of course, will take place on New Years day. As always, the stunning floats in the Tournament of Roses parade are sure to please the entire family. As proven by its #26 ranking in “The 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live,” this event is not-to-be missed. Should you plan on attending live, please reference pages 88-91 in the abovementioned book for information on the event itself as well as the Pasadena and LA areas.
Allstate Sugar Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Florida
January 1, 2010 at 8:30 p.m. ET
New Orleans, Louisiana
Saturday’s disappointing 32-13 loss to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference championship game landed the highly regarded Gators in the 76th annual Sugar Bowl. The SEC At-Large selection will take on the undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats (Big East Champs) at the Louisiana Superdome on New Years day. It’s no secret that the Big Easy is a passionate city when it comes to sports, culture, food and fun, among other things. More information on New Orleans can be found in “The 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live” on pages 53-56 & 330.
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: Boise State vs. TCU
January 4, 2010 at 8 p.m. ET
Glendale, Arizona
The Boise State Broncos and TCU Horned Frogs should put on a spectacular show on January 4th, as they are both undefeated with nationally ranked offenses. Adding to the excitement is the fact that this is the first time that two undefeated teams are matched in a BCS game other than the National Championship. The 39th annual Tostitos Fiesta Bowl will take place at the remarkable 63,400-seat stadium at Glendale’s University of Phoenix.
FedEx Orange Bowl: Iowa vs. Georgia Tech
January 5, 2010 at 8 p.m. ET
Miami, Florida
No. 10 Iowa (Big Ten At-Large Selection) will face No. 9 Georgia Tech (ACC Champs) at Miami’s Landshark Stadium on January 5th. The Hawkeyes’ 11th-ranked defense will go up against the Yellow Jackets’ 11th-ranked offense, setting the stage for what should be a very interesting and potentially off-balance bowl game. As discussed on page 329 of “The 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live,” Miami has a ton to offer in the way of sports fans, bars and restaurants, beaches and, of course, amazing weather.
Citi National Championship Game: Alabama vs. Texas
January 7, 2010 at 8:30 p.m. ET
Pasadena, California
Coming in at #15 in “The 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live,” it’s no secret that I am a huge fan of this event. The big matchup between Longhorns and the Crimson Tide (both undefeated) represents some of the best young athletes in the country fighting for the title of national champion. This will be the 9th meeting between Alabama and Texas starting with the 1982 Cotton Bowl Classic and the last year the event can be seen on terrestrial television for at least four years. As of 2011, ESPN will take over the BCS. If you’re interested in attending in person, please visit pages 52-56.
No Comments »Army and Navy Set to Meet for 110th Time
College Football’s “rivalry” weekend is over, but one historic rival match-up has yet to be played. Army and Navy will battle for the coveted Commander in Chief’s Trophy December 12 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. This year’s meeting will mark the 110th time these teams are set to square off in a rivalry that originated in 1890.
Navy currently leads the all-time series with a record of 53-49-7 over Army. They shutout Army last season 34-0, which was the first time either team has been shutout against the other in the last 30 years. This game will be the final regular season college football game in 2009.
So why does this game rank 5th on the list of 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live? The answer is not talent, scheming, or football dominance. It’s not because the two academies are separated by a short distance like other great college football rivalries. Underneath a layer of football that most college teams take for granted, this rivalry stands for tradition, pride, camaraderie and respect.
The rivalry cannot be truly understood until you take a step on either campus. Everywhere you turn you’ll see something or hear something that says “Beat Army” or “Beat Navy”. Unlike some other college football rivalries, there is a great deal or respect between the participants and fans of the two academies.
The talent in this college football rivalry doesn’t compare to the amount of potential NFL stars that play in other rivalries such as Florida vs. Florida State, Michigan vs. Ohio State, or USC vs. UCLA. You won’t find either of these teams contending for a National Championship 
or a BSC Bowl game, but you will be seeing some of the hardest working kids in the country on the field.
The teams won’t “wow” you or play near perfect football, but they’ll give you everything they have. This college football game isn’t about the drunk college kids who drank too much before the game and became unruly in the stands. It’s not about future NFL stars being on a display for the nation to witness. It doesn’t have two schools from nearby cities, if not the same city, competing for bragging rights. It has members of the military, an occasional visit from the president, and emotional ties to the country in which the game resides.
(1908 – Army vs. Navy at Franklin Field)
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