JMarcus better than Mark Sanchez!

From Deadspin.com and ESPN insider.

Vince Verhei draws an intriguing comparison. JaMarcus Russell, 2008-09: 198-for-368, 2,423 yards, 13 TDs. Mark Sanchez, 2009-10: 196-for-364, 2,444 yards, 12 TDs. The difference? Sanchez threw more picks. And only six people thought to mention Russell's "poise." Six.

Russell is of course a national punchline, and Sanchez is a famous beachwear model who is praised to the heavens for occasionally passing a football to members of his own team. Verhei ran some numbers, though, and found that Sanchez's top comparable was none other than Russell himself. He mentions the stats above and notes further:

Russell started 15 games at age 23 in 2008; Sanchez started 15 games at age 23 in 2009. The biggest difference is in interceptions, where Sanchez was significantly worse, throwing 20 interceptions to Russell's eight.

Actually, the biggest difference is that Sanchez's mediocrity has been gussied up in the media and presented to us as "poise," whereas Russell's, in those days, was invariably chalked up to his "raw" talents. (Send that one to the boys at Bletchley Park.) I count only six "poise"s for Russell during the 2008-09 season, the first of which is a pun, the second of which barely rates as a compliment, and the third of which may very well refer to a night out at Dave & Buster's.

Paul Gutierrez, Sacramento Bee: "... directed the offense with, dare I say it, pride and poise ..."

Gwen Knapp, San Francisco Chronicle: "The poise of JaMarcus Russell, who had his best game yet as a pro quarterback? Noted, but not set in stone. Probably not even worth writing in ink."

Ailene Voisin, Sacramento Bee: "JaMarcus Russell's poise and dart-throwing ..."

Bruce Macgowan, Marin Independent Journal: "JaMarcus Russell showed poise in the final drive ..."

Mark Purdy, Contra Costa Times: "... showed poise by not flashing anger or frustration when his first-quarter touchdown pass to tight end Zach Miller was nullified by a stupid illegal formation penalty."

Cam Inman, Contra Costa Times: "At least the 49ers' and Raiders' inexperienced quarterbacks showed impressive poise in their openers ..."

Sanchez has a better team than Russell did in 2008, and he has enjoyed vastly better PR. There's a lesson in this for any young quarterback seeking the overpraise of the national football press. Be handsome. Don't get drafted by a crazy person running a franchise from his sarcophagus, and don't hold out if you do. And somehow contrive to get yourself photographed by GQ while dry-humping a supermodel on a beach. You'll be poised in no time, no matter how many interceptions you throw.

Sportstalk 01.10.10

Phil Simms just said that the Patriots should not change there gameplan. They are down 24-0 heading into the 2nd quarter.

Sportynation, I'm no coach and like to think that I am just a rational spectator, but why not change it? Is it working? Probably not.

Herm Edwards didn't play to win the game!

Herm Edwards coached his teams to a 2-23 record in his last 25 games and now he is on ESPN ranting, raving, and screaming a minimum of 5 times a week his "opinion." Sportynation, why should anyone listen to this guy? Why does this guy have any credibility whatsoever? Why do his colleagues respectfully nod their heads in agreement and act as if he really really knows what he is talking about. Lastly, how and why does he go out there each week and act as an authority on anything. Not too long ago this guy had an epic rant on what Tiger Woods should do...

Sportynation, "this guy" Herm right hear can do all this stuff because of moolah. That's money ladies and gents. The typical sports guy doesn't think and just eats up this junk because he was a "football guy" and had cliche speak down as if it were an artform. Nvm, he seemed to be unequivocally terrible at his last job. But sportynation, that doesn't matter, there is clearly a market for it.

Sportynation, I'll leave you with this telling quote. There is a place for people like the underperforming Herm Edwards, the immensely unsuccessful Matt Millen, the infuriatingly bad Trent Dilfer (BUT HE HAS A RING and GUTTED GAMES OUT!...yeah alright), or the pompous, 3 time Super Bowl winning 10th round pick fromo Idaho that goes by the name Mark Schlereth.

Sportynation, I beg you all to think more and to demand more from our commentators. Reject the cliche talk and question things. Don't just accept any and everything. We all deserve more and in order for their to be change, we have to reject the easy, silly, nonsensical, declarations by talking heads on ESPN and other networks.

Stay classy, be well, and be smart.

This is my Minority Report.

"I got hacked.": The new version of shaggy's popular song, "it wasn't me."

Courtesy of a guy I know by that is called PK by some and KP by most others. Enjoy...

Recently I heard about ray allen's twitter account where a graphic, lewd message was posted. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/24/ray-allen-twitter-tweet-t_n_403336.html). The premise of twitter- where you can text updates from your mobile phone- and the timing of the message call into question ray's excuse for the post: "my account got hacked." It is much more likely that ray ray sent a message to twitter, then typed out his "sext message" and sent it to the wrong number.

This definitely isn't passing judgment. In fact, the act itself isn't in question, and only led to a much greater idea. Can "my account got hacked" turn into the next great excuse line? When you think of "hacked, "whether your mind draws images of jonny lee miller hunched over a bright computer monitor in a dark room or 5 san antonio spurs cowering as shaq barrels down the lane, the sentiment is still the same.

"US government, why are there cia secrets on the internet?"
"Our account got hacked."

"Shaq, why did you miss that dunk?"
"My arm got hacked, coach."

"Peter, why did you pass out naked on the front lawn with your car parked in the middle of the street?"
"Uhh...I got hacked."

This could be a historical breakthrough! "I got hacked" could be bigger than "it wasn't me"! Let's face it- how likely is it that your long lost twin was banging out your girlfriend's sister? Not very. But could she believe that your account got hacked, causing you to make such a grave mistake? Absolutely!

"Why didn't you pick the kids up from school?"
"My account was hacked."

"Shouldn't you go to work today?"
"No, dear. My account was hacked."

"Honey, we need to talk."
"Please, not now. My account was hacked. This is serious."

All I'm saying is, try it out. I have a good feeling about this. And if it doesn't work out, this wasn't my idea. My account was hacked.