CHEERS to the United States Women’s soccer team for getting off on the right foot in the World Cup Championships. The ladies won their first game Sunday 3-1 over Sweden. Leading the team were veterans Kristine Lilly, Joy Fawcett, Brianna Scurry, Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain and Julie Foudy. Chastain broke a bone in her right foot and will be out for at least the rest of the first round. The team could have gone into the match with a lackadaisical attitude because the WUSA league was just terminated, but they chose to go out with a vengeance. Hopefully the women’s soccer team will be able to relive the dream of 1999 and 1991, when they won the first Women’s World Cup.
JEERS to the NFL’s Oakland Raiders kicker Sebastian Janikowski, he was arrested Saturday night for fighting at Slates Supper Club in Walnut Creek, Calif., according to the Contra Costa Times. He was arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor assault, misdemeanor vandalism and being drunk in public. As of right now, there is no court date and it doesn’t seem that this will affect his ability to play for the Raiders. This is Janikowski’s fourth encounter with the police since his days as a player for the Florida State Seminoles in 2000. Janikowski is a big knucklehead and needs to wake up and smell the coffee before he gets himself thrown into jail or even worse thrown out of the country for his misdemeanors.
CHEERS to the Oregon football team for defeating Michigan Saturday 31-27. Michigan was lucky when they beat Notre Dame Sept. 13, but their luck ran out this weekend. Michigan’s Chris Perry, the nation’s leading rusher, was held to just 26 yards that game. Perhaps the NCAA, ESPN and other polls should not have ranked Michigan so high (no. 5) when they can’t even pull it together to defeat a no. 22 team. The Wolverines are going down this season and it will all culminate in a heart-wrenching loss when they play The Ohio State University Nov. 22.
JEERS to the Denver Broncos. Their problems began Sept. 14 when the Broncos wore the wrong uniform in San Diego. The San Diego Chargers were the home team and chose to wear the light color uniforms, but Denver showed up with only their white uniform tops. Usually teams get fined for that infraction. Next, the Broncos falsified an injury report for quarterback Jake Plummer. Head Coach Mike Shanahan said he “fibbed” when he said Plummer left the game with a concussion when he really had a slightly separated right shoulder. According to espn.com, Shanahan didn’t want the other team to know Plummer couldn’t pass if he had to re-enter the game. This team needs to learn how to follow the rules. If you’re not the home team, you must adhere to the wishes of the home team. If you’re hurt, report what’s really hurt and don’t try to cover it up. How would you like it if you were Plummer’s mom and heard your son had a concussion when he really just had a slightly separated shoulder? Let’s go guys, get on the ball.