My Point of View Through the snowfall

Got the first snowfall of the season here (2.5 inches)in Bandits corner of the world, and all the fools are out in force on the roads...
I'm still in pre-mourning for the Twins trading Johan Santana. He was the first bona fide supadupastar, I've seen the Twins have since Kirby Puckett. With apologies to legend in making St. Paul Joe Mauer, Johan was one I always said "That's our Johan" As long as the "Jankees" dont get him, I can deal with it. I was hoping against hope that Santana and Liriano would be the 1-2 punch for the Twins in their new park, so much for that.
I have to say I was mighty surprised by the reaction by my last post. I figure that the people so vehemently against a playoff would just take who is placed in the national championship game and be done with it. But I have heard more carping and crying about who got in.
I really detest these Thursday night games, it scatters my picks over too many days. I'll post that tomorrow, a preview of a do or die matchup between the Bears and the Redskins. Winner here gets to hang on to slim playoff hopes while the loser is for all intents and purposes, done.

Lets check the winners of this week's Phat Dap & Head Slap.

Phat Dap
This one has a bit of a local flavor to it. Phat Dap has to go to the number of online voters that voted enough to put the late Cincinnati Reds broadcaster Joe Nuxhall on the Hall of Fame ballot for the Ford Frick award. He and Joe Morgan are among the nominees. I think it would be neat to see Morgan, a broadcaster I really respect go in for a second time (He was elected as a player in 1990)I admit I was among those that cast an online vote for "The Ol' Lefthander" I would hope that the Hall puts Buck O'Neil another late great ambassador of the game in as well.

Head Slap
I'm sorry Ravens fans, but I have to give the Head Slap to the Ravens who were reduced to childish whining after their late loss to the Patriots on Monday. Look, the Ravens have to be given mad credit for taking the fight to the Pats and nearly knocking them off. But to whine after they lose and cry conspiracy & favortism after such a loss is asinine. They point to 13 penalties for 100 yards. I have to counter that claim and point out that 35 of those yards were from one play: Bart Scott's tantrum after the go ahead touchdown. Take those two penalties and the offsides on the point after and the total is 7 for 65, still a bit high but not outrageous.
If one wants to complain about the 4th down plays. Blame the Ravens D-Coordinator Rex Ryan for calling a timeout, nullifying a great 4th and 1 stop. The false start on the Pats on the following play erased the next stop and you would have to be dumber than a box of rocks not to have called the obvious hold that was done on Benjamin Watson on the 4th and 6. The Ravens tough guy play came back to haunt them, but don't blame the refs. You might want to ask Kyle Boller why he threw that awful deep ball that was picked off, while the Ravens were UP 24-17, where a field goal would more than likely ice the game. The Ravens players who beefed smacked of a sore loser.

I'll preview that Bears-Redskins matchup, I have to hand out 3rd Quarter NFL grade cards and will handicap the Heisman race (I still have to find out who the finalists are) tomorrow. Until Next Post fellow Sports Fans!