He was merely a victim of his own geographical location.

The sheer magnitude of Walsh’s gridiron prowess seems almost diminutive when considering the impressive lineage in which it was cultivated. A native Californian, Walsh began his career idolizing Sid Gillman, the man who many consider responsible for ushering in the dawn of the modern passing game as the coach for the AFL’s San Diego Chargers in the 1960’s. Walsh was amazed at the precision of Gillman’s offense, one that was predicated upon its receivers having the ability to run razor-sharp routes as much as it required pinpoint accuracy from the quarterback.

When his scheme was run correctly—and a majority of the time it was—the members of Gillman’s offensive arsenal convincingly exploited others teams’ weaknesses and ripped vertical passing seams in the defense consistently throughout the game as a means to opening up future running lanes. It was football’s inaugural pass-first, run-second offense.

And Walsh made it a point to take notes.

Around the same time Walsh was undergoing his west coast-inspired education, a handful of other able and ready pupils were attending virtually the same classes, only they were taught by a different tutor.

Taking up post across the street from Gillman was Don Coryell, who then was the coach at San Diego State and a frequent observer of Gillman’s practices. Like Walsh, Coryell admired the idea of a vertical passing game and thought it beneficial to not only adopt a similar philosophy but make it his own by adding slight modifications. The end product was an offense that would ultimately bear Coryell’s name during his coaching days in St. Louis and San Diego and, in time, help cement his place among the game’s greatest offensive minds.

Waiting in his wings were Coryell’s two young assistants, Joe Gibbs and Ernie Zampese. Equipped with Coryell’s imparted knowledge to which they would make their own modifications, both Gibbs and Zampese rode the same offensive scheme to NFL success. Gibbs would win three rings with the Washington Redskins and enjoy a lengthy Hall-of-Fame career. Zampese went on to flourish as the offensive coordinator for the Rams in Los Angeles, where he turned an aspiring pupil named Norv Turner into the latest WCO prodigy. After leaving L.A., the only thing Turner did was play a major role in securing multiple championships in Dallas as Jimmy Johnson’s offensive coordinator. Interestingly enough, Zampese succeeded Turner in Dallas, where he helped cap off the Cowboys’ three-ring dynasty in 1995.

It was plain to see the roots of the ‘real’ West Coast offense were now firmly imbedded in the California soil and slowly beginning to spread out all over country. However, it was in the Midwest where the seeds that produced what we have now mistakenly become accustomed to labeling the WCO were sown.

After being entrusted to run the legendary Paul Brown’s vertical passing game in Cincinnati in 1968, Walsh quickly saw his past teachings and own genius come to fruition. Bengals quarterback Greg Cook served as the fuel that drove the engine and was the first in a long line of signal-callers that would thrive under Walsh. Cook fit the gameplan perfectly, possessing the athleticism needed to make all the downfield throws with the precision and timing that Walsh relished. But shortly after a season during which his offense made it a habit of lighting up the scoreboard, Walsh saw his main man go down with what would prove to be a career-ending injury.

Walsh was now forced to devise a scheme that accommodated his next capable, albeit less gifted, leader. This sudden twist of fate would test Walsh’s mettle and ultimately define his future reputation for cognitive brilliance.

Virgil Carter started the 1970 season as the Bengals’ starting quarterback. While his arm was considerably weaker than that of Cook, Carter had the savvy to take Walsh’s timing concept to a new and revolutionary level. He was able throw the ball on a dime and fit throws into tight spaces, in addition to being a highly effective decision-maker.

In order to maximize Carter’s assets, Walsh scrapped some of the lessons he had learned from Gillman and the coach’s down-the-field approach and opted to stretch defenses horizontally. Walsh saw an opportunity to create mismatches on linebackers and defensive backs with shallow crosses, slants and a plethora of other underneath routes. With precision and timing still the basis for his new offense, Walsh was still able to use the pass to set up the run in the same manner as Gillman and Company. The only difference was that Walsh would take advantage of defenses laterally, not vertically.

Habits and inclinations that eventually made Walsh famous in San Francisco started to develop. He featured a split-back formation in which he required his ball-carriers to possess the same prowess to run precise routes that he demanded from his receivers. The members of Walsh’s offensive line, considered undersized by modern standards, had to be nimble to perform the necessary pull and trap blocks that highlighted his protection schemes.

It was during this time that Walsh became renowned for his meticulous attention to detail in practice, sometimes forcing his players to run the same play multiple times in succession until it was done correctly. Practice was where Walsh developed the idea to script fifteen particular plays that were to be used in the opening possession of each week’s game, regardless of the results each play rendered.

Walsh had begun a chain reaction that is still active in the copycat nature of the modern NFL. He had taken an innovative concept that was bred on the West Coast, adopted it, and subsequently modified it to suit his own needs; much like Gibbs, Zampese and Turner would do years later. Walsh is not responsible for creating the West Coast offense. He merely took a localized idea and expanded it.

Simply put, the West Coast offense is bigger than Bill Walsh. The concept upon which he left his indelible mark is too vast to claim just one creator. This offense is the product of multiple influences working on multiple generations, and it will continue to do so as it continues to evolve.

As fate would have, its earliest successes took place along our country’s western shoreline.

It wasn’t until after Walsh achieved unimaginable success, where else, in northern California with the Niners that the West Coast offense received its label.

Renowned Sports Illustrated writer Paul Zimmerman paid a visit to Dallas Cowboys camp in 1993, several years after Walsh left the Bay Area. Then backup quarterback Bernie Kosar was asked to define the Cowboys offense, the same championship-winning offense led by Turner.

“Oh, you know, the West Coast Offense,” Kosar told Zimmerman. “Turner, Zampese, and Don Coryell and Sid Gillman. That thing.”

And so the West Coast offense was officially born. The concept that had captured the imagination of so many throughout the years now had a name.

Later, when Zimmerman used the quote for his story, Kosar’s statement was immediately picked up and misconstrued by a reporter who assigned the label to Walsh’s offensive scheme in San Francisco. It was geographically convenient, after all, especially given Walsh’s coaching upbringing. Plus, Walsh seemed to be the perfect candidate to father an innovation after he turned a formerly hapless San Francisco organization into the most dominant team of the previous decade with his, you guessed it, offensive ingenuity.

The name stuck, and the rest is history.

Walsh adamantly dismissed the notion that he was responsible, but his impact on the game itself as well as those around him is undeniable. Like the legacies of those who preceded him, Walsh’s spirit has been kept alive through a slew of imitators if not direct descendants of his football heritage. Mike Shanahan, Mike Holgrem, Jon Gruden, Steve Mariucci and Ray Rhodes are just a few of the disciples who have dotted the NFL landscape and gone on to achieve Walsh-like success. And, thus, the legacy lives on. As long as the teacher-pupil relationship exists in the game of football, the offense tied to the late Bill Walsh, no matter how erroneously, will live on in some way, shape or form.

(Week of 6/2/08 - 6/8/08)

The Leak has seemingly grabbed a solid foothold in the fickle landscape of sports commentary and thus pushes on with an unforeseen third edition. No longer worthy of some wordy, nagging and self-depricating rant of an introduction, TBL slowly matures to the point where it can afford to allow its content to do the talking, or so I hope.

How much money can ‘Brown’ lose for you…?

History was made Saturday at the 140^th running of the Belmont Stakes–just not in the manner in which many of us who care thought.

After three weeks of feverish anticipation had been built in the wake of his Preakness victory and subsequent pursuit of being the first Triple Crown winner in 30 years, Big Brown became the first horse in racing history to finish dead last (9^th) in the third leg of one of sports’ rarest and most revered accomplishments. The result: Vegas books got tossed to the wayside, while bookies and gamblers alike the world over sought out shelter under the nearest rock, gun in one hand and glass of well-aged scotch in the other.

Among the perspiration-soaked, stunned throng of 94,476 that gathered at Belmont Park in Elmont, NY on this sweltering early-summer day was none other than enigmatic and supremely cocky Big Brown trainer Rick Dutrow. Surrounded by his ever supporting family consisting of three or four people (I can’t remember) who pretend as if they really give a shit, a disgustingly overconfident Dutrow soon became inconsolable when it became apparent his “forgone conclusion” prediction would quickly evaporate along with his prize thoroughbred’s place in history.

The overwhelming favorite at 3-10 (the odds increased even greater following the last-minute withdrawal of The Stakes’ lone expected challenger, Casino Drive), Big Brown held a comfortable position behind the leaders for a majority of the race leading into the home stretch, and the previously unbeaten colt seemed poised to display the familiar fifth gear that garnered convincing wins at both Churchill Downs and Pimlico. As the masses eagerly awaited a push for the ages down the back end, jockey Kent Desormeaux, who proudly admitted to keeping his whip in its holster the previous two races, asked for one last stand but decidedly pulled back the reins the second he realized he “had no horse” before the pack even reached the quarter pole.

The final ¼ mile of what was supposed to be the crown jewel in a wildly remarkable achievement was no contest. Equally disappointing in defeat as he was brilliant in victory, Big Brown went from being the 12^th horse to ever win the Triple Crown to the first to ever fail to achieve the feat in such horrific fashion, as he finished an unfathomable amount of lengths behind the winner, Da’Tara.

Now, in the aftermath of the Belmont blowout, Dutrow and Company are searching for answers. The questions surrounding Big Brown’s epically poor performance are numerous yet vague, the most pertinent of which being whether or not the three year-old bay colt’s regularly scheduled steroid injection should have been omitted from its pre-Stakes training regiment. At the moment, Dutrow seems to be pointing the finger at everyone but himself.

I can almost see the ensuing rumor mill swirling now. Was Big Brown’s dance with racing immortality aided by illegal help? Must we now put thoroughbreds in the same category as professional athletes? Will Arlen Specter get involved?

Okay, I digress.

One thing is for certain, though…Goliath was slain at Belmont by a 38-1 ‘David’ named Da’Tara. And while Dutrow was busy mulling over humble pie during the latter stages of the weekend, winning trainer Nick Zito was occupied with the enviable task of lining his pockets.

Need a second look at as to how you pissed away your daughter’s college tuition?

Jones laments no longer get lei’d…

The second first-year SMU head football coach June Jones stepped into his new surroundings in Dallas he knew he had made a mistake. The savior of University of Hawaii football and now former Favorite Son of the Islands decided it was best to move on to the next challenge in his life after resurrecting a previously pathetic program to a tune of over 70 wins in his nine-year tenure at Honolulu.

The college football community will say that Jones is eager to show he can turn around an even dire situation at Southern Methodist against arguably stiffer competition, while anyone who resides in Hawaii will tell you the five-year contract that will pay Jones $2 million annually had everything to do with his decision.

The challenge awaiting Jones involves trading in his nationally renowned Magnum PI wardrobe and customary island neckpiece for a job that nobody other than him wanted. Jones faces the tall task of breathing new life into a once prominent Mustangs program that is still recovering from being nearly obliterated by the NCAA’s 1986 “Death Penalty” ruling that followed allegations of players being paid by a university booster.

SSNN recently caught up with a visibly somber Jones. The ex-NFL front man sat slumped in a chair backed into the corner of his still cluttered office, as memories of sun-kissed better days were smothered by shutters felt by the premonitions of inevitably tougher times ahead. Story here…

Massacre at Roland Garros…

“If Nadal survives the first couple rounds this year, I pick him to win Wimbledon.”

That comment belongs to tennis great Boris Becker, apparently taken with what he had just seen out of Rafael Nadal during the 22 year-old Spaniard’s three-set dismantling of Roger Federer at the French Open men’s final.

Becker’s prophetically bold statement hints at a perceivable if not probable changing of the guard in men’s tennis. Nadal’s victory, at the very least, validated what the tennis world already knew. Not only is Nadal a superior performer on clay, a surface on which he is yet to lose a match en route to four consecutive French Open titles, but he is more than capable of beating the world’s best player on the naturally slick court.

However, the manner in which Nadal disposed of his opponent Sunday (6-1, 6-3, 6-0) suggested he may be primed to close the gap that has been created between an all-too beatable field and the nearly unbeatable Federer, who has won a combined 12 Grand Slam titles but has yet to capture his first at Roland Garros.

In the latest version of his Parisian dominance, Nadal become only the fifth player in the Open era to win a Grand Slam without losing a set. And he saved his best match for last. The chiseled, long-locked lefthander forcefully dulled the flavor of a heated rivalry that has spanned each of the last three French Open finals. He made only seven unforced errors to Federer’s thirty-five. His lopsided win was the most dominating performance in a French Open final in the last 30 years.

And yet, if he wants to be considered truly equal to or better than Federer, Nadal will have to display the same ferocity and shot-making ability at the other Grand Slams, where Federer has ruled since 2003. He should get his first shot early next month at Wimbledon, a tournament his nemesis has won going away each of the last five years.

No need to wash Ozzie’s mouth out…

What a difference a week and a couple of timely F-bombs from your manager can make for a team. After losing in walk-off fashion for the second straight night in Tampa June 1, the White Sox were 30-26 and clinging to a ½ game lead over the Twins in the AL Central. In a frustration-filled tirade aimed mostly at his team’s offensively futile series–a stretch of four games during which Chicago went 5 for 39 with RISP–manager Ozzie Guillen called out what seemed to be the entire White Sox organization, including his boss, GM Ken Williams. Not even the poor intern manning the U.S. Cellular Field mailroom was safe.

Though I’m sure the much publicized open-door nature of Guillen’s diatribe would have been enough to light a fire under his team, I can’t discount the notion that his arsenal of frequently well-laid expletives may have put the cherry on top. Either way, something within that half-English, half-Spanish drivel-fest flipped a switch for the White Sox, particularly on offense, as they have yet to lose since and have now opened up a comfy 6.5 game lead over Minnesota.

In the seven games that have followed their 2-1 loss to the Rays just over a week ago, the Sox are batting .347, with 19 home runs, and have averaged 8.7 runs per contest. Meanwhile, the arms are pitching in with a solid 2.87 ERA.

Boston faker, faker, Celtic-sized belly-acher…

If you have the time, give a look to a recent article written by ESPN.com’s Bill Simmons (a.k.a. The Sports Guy) recalling the melodramatic events that took place in Game 1 of the NBA Finals Thursday night. A Boston native, Simmons gives a deliciously biased view of Paul Pierce’s heroic, not so heroic return from a sprained knee, twisted ankle, or perhaps some freakish and exaggerated combination of both, and seems more than prepared to clear a spot for the first-time Finals participant in the hallowed annals of Celtics lore.

Call me crazy, call me prejudiced, call me whatever you want; I don’t even like the NBA. But wasn’t this the same Paul Pierce that only minutes before returning to live game action was writhing around the parquet and needed the assistance of several teammates and then a wheelchair to even make his way to the locker room?

Wasn’t this the same Paul Pierce that could have sworn he tore something serious in his right knee, causing him to crumble, only to have it magically healed in time to hit two clutch three-pointers in a span of 22 seconds to help seal a 98-88 victory?

For crying out loud, the man left the floor long enough for the game clock to expire a mere 1:45. For all we know, the newly crowned Celtics King could have been relieving himself in the clubhouse bathroom.

Once again, I regretfully digress…

But, most importantly (and I must squeeze this in), was this not the same Paul Pierce that waltzed and fox-trotted his way up and down the court in Boston’s Game 2 victory, to the tune of 28 points?

I’m just sayin’ something smells a lil’ fishy, that’s all.

Bear in mind, I write this with tongue partially in cheek, as I do appreciate the following disclaimer put out by Mr. Simmons in the midst of his one-sided viewpoint:

“If you’re a Lakers fan, I fully support your right to be cynical about Pierce’s injury and return. If the roles were reversed, and this were Kobe, I would have taken 35 “He was playing the injury up just for the Willis comeback!” potshots at him by now.”

You would be wise to give the rest of the article a read, whether you’re a sworn enemy of everything East Coast, in particular Boston, like myself, or you simply enjoy Simmons’ refreshing “ordinary guy” approach to sports writing.

Wide ‘Open’ championship or another one-horse race at Torrey Pines…

Breaking away from Leak tradition is the following PRE-view:

For the first time since 2002–and only the second in the illustrious history of the Open–golf’s greatest championship will be held at a municipally owned course. Following the act of Bethpage Black in Long Island, NY will be Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, a 7,643-yard, par 71 brute that required a $3.5 million facelift to elevate it from a hacker-friendly playground to a monster capable of frustrating the world’s best players.

The 108^th U.S. Open marks the first time in eight years that the tournament will be held at a course that already hosts a PGA Tour event. But this is where the parallels between the granddaddy of them all and January’s Buick Invitational end.

Shortly after the members of the 156-man field arrive in Southern California, they may quickly begin to yearn for the layout they have become accustomed to in late January. Reduced from a par-72 yet lengthened by some 769 yards to merely comply with stringent U.S. Open requirements, Torrey Pines will not only test more than just the conventional mettle of every golfer but will give the world an idea of what sort of beast an already demanding course can become once the USGA has tampered with it. If the slick greens and gangly, wiry rough do not seem to suffice, consider the power with which the gale-force winds blow directly off the Pacific Ocean, and you’ll notice Torrey Pines has a look and feel similar to that of its “big brother” course to the North, Pebble Beach, a four-time Open host and one of the most highly regarded courses in the country.

Despite the fact the pain in his surgically repaired knee continues to linger, Tigers Woods may still be considered this week’s favorite. All injury concerns aside, Woods’ length off the tee will again be a noticeable advantage, although golf’s governing body has decided to shake things up a bit in an effort to level the playing field.

To help slightly diminish the advantages of the longer hitters, the USGA has decided to go against traditional thinking by actually shortening a small number of holes and thus making Torrey Pines more of a shot-maker’s course. The 560-yard sixth, which is normally played as a par-5 during the Buick Invitational, will be chopped down to a more manageable 515 yards. The catch–it will be scored as a par-4 for the Open.

The most dramatic of such changes may be at the par-5 18^th, where officials are considering moving the tees up to aid in creating a more suspenseful finish. The hopes are that all players are in a position to at least contemplate going for a green heavily guarded by ocean waters in two.

Although Woods will have to adjust to the Torrey Pines’ new schematics, he can take solace in the fact that he has won there before–a lot. Since 1999, Tiger has won the Buick Invitational an unprecedented six times–including 5 out of the last 6 years–by an average of more than 3 strokes, a margin of victory teetering on the brink of being landslide-ish by U.S. Open standards.

Woods is scheduled to tee off Thursday with Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott (ranked second and third in the world, respectively) at 8:06 a.m. PT. The same three will tee off at 1:36 p.m. PT on Friday.

You can catch the first two rounds of the 108^th U.S. Open from Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, CA live on ESPN. Complete third and final round action can be seen on NBC.

ESPN/ESPN 360: Thursday/Friday, 1-3 p.m. ET, 5-10 p.m. ET

NBC/NBCSports.com: Thursday/Friday, 3-5 p.m. ET

Saturday, 4-10 p.m. ET

Sunday, 3-9 p.m. ET

(Week of 5/27/08 - 6/1/08)

Due to the overwhelming response to the first ever Leak (which was in the form of one rather interpersonal nonetheless appreciated comment by the esteemed Mr. Den Cotton), I have decided to go against what may prove to be my better judgment and produce a second edition, therefore defying the harsh remarks of the oh-so silent majority that suggest I should stop wasting everybody’s time.

Manny’s not spelled with an “I” (but maybe it should be)….

Seconds after hitting his hallmark 500^th home run Saturday night at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez strutted with a gait that suggested the 499 he had hit previously were merely a figment of our imaginations. The self-righteous Ramirez may as well have stood with hands on hips at home plate while observing the flight of the historic home run ball. Hands lifted over his head (a celebratory mechanism I’m certain we are all sick of by now), Man-I then began his slow, gradual levitation down the first baseline, basking in the fuzzy glow of thousands of shutterbugs’ efforts to capture the luke-warm moment on celluloid, or maybe memory stick. Fifteen minutes and a vile display of self-love later, Ram-I-rez finally made it official by forcing home plate to kiss his feet.

Soon after, the earth shook, the seas parted, locusts reined down and ESPN was there to give us live look-ins and all the analysis and stomach-churning replays we could sanely handle.

Man-I is a good hitter–not player but hitter. While he could use some seasoning at the Midget League level to help improve his fielding, God’s gift to dreadlocks has always been able to hit; there’s no denying that. And there’s also no denying that he has absolutely no problem letting people know that he’s a good hitter. Manny Ramirez is an animated, poor man’s version of Barry Bonds–just as arrogant but with far less controversial fanfare.

My problem is this: Why should we be subjected to the media’s ensuing salacious affair with the moment? Nevermind…I know the answer. So, then the real question is this: Why are we surprised that such “garbage” gets top billing when every national sports network starts off their nightly broadcasts with some form of Red Sox Review (or Yankees Today if the Sox are idle). I suppose the answer is that we are not.

When I say “media,” I mean ESPN. With Red Sox Nation gaining more and more strength from suckling on the Eastern Seaboard Prejudice Network’s power teat, the ever-decreasing number known as ‘the rest of us’ is becoming increasingly alienated by the fact that a nationwide media outlet has some serious man-love for a player whose appreciation for the game goes only as far as his combination of humanity and apparent divinity will allow.

But, hey, this is all very unavoidable, so why fight it…death, taxes, higher gas prices and Manny Being Manny.

Henry household improves Bush approval rating…

Only in America can you have nine illegitimate children with nine different women and yet get financially reimbursed for such promiscuity. It’s as if Broncos running back Travis Henry saw this recession coming years ago. And now he is gleefully receiving cash hand over fist from a government that is presumably advocating to our country’s young people that it’s actually profitable to sleep around. Hell, if you’re proficient enough in the sack, maybe your sexual exploits will be able to pay for that car you’ve always wanted when the next tragic economic downturn occurs. What’d ya say, kids?

Beware of The Swoon…

Ah, 1908–America engaged in a war, new technology popping up everywhere, the Cubs in first place. You know, things really weren’t all that different a century ago. The last time the Lovable Losers found themselves in this unfamiliar position this late into the season, they rode it all the way to a World Series title. Find me one person still living today who was around to actually comprehend that memorable 1908 season, and I’ll show you one depressed North Side resident. Cubs fans have been intermittently teased with promising starts here, a feel-good winning streak there, only to have the whole thing come crashing down under the weight of the franchise’s own oppressive and imminent mediocrity.

And a staple in a large number of those struggles has been a horrid month of June. In fact, it seems as if the official ushering in of summer has posed problems for even the most successful of Cubs teams. And if you think I am biased because I am from St. Louis, consider the facts.

According to Baseball Reference (www.baseball-reference.com), four out of the last five Cubs teams to reach the postseason–either as the division champ or wild card recipient–have endured harsh Junes, with the exception being 2007. The forgettable season of 2003 (12-15, .444 winning pct. in June) was the last instance in which the Cubs nearly fumbled away their chances amidst the hot Midwest temperatures. The others: 1998 (Wild Card, 12-15, .444), 1989 (Division champs, 13-15, .464). Even when Chicago managed a record above .500 in June during an eventual playoff campaign, it was by far their worst month of the season, as was the case in their division-winning year of 1984 (15-14, .517).

I am not saying this Cubs team will fold. I’m not suggesting they will even come close to it, for it seems as if this team will continue to score runs and compensate for its lack of starting pitching depth. But it’s strange and rather disconcerting when you read reports such as this early May piece that prematurely laments the historical effects of the June Swoon on this season’s team.

If only our spelling bees were that easy growing up…

“Oh! NUMNAH…,” 13 year-old spelling prodigy Sameer Mishra exclaimed, under a heavy sigh of relief. Moments after confusing a commonplace sheepskin pad used in horseback riding for a term usually reserved for one’s fellow pre-puberty buddies, the West Lafayette, Indiana native recovered nicely to breeze through the remaining rounds of the 81^st Scripps Nationals Spelling Bee and capture the title, a feat his elder sibling failed to achieve in her three attempts. “Nice going, sis–you loser!”

Receiving accolades and prizes far outweighing the stupid candy we once aspired to win in our bees as children, Mishra rose above the multitude of future specialized medical practitioners to nab a whopping $40,000 and, in the process, put people up to three times his age across the country to shame. His remarkable triumph was accentuated by the fact he inexplicably misspelled the everyday word “sudation” (I could not find it in the dictionary) in the preliminary round before turning on the juice.

Now that the family name is no longer synonymous with failure, the newly-crowned champion hopes to one day follow in the footsteps of his sister, who was accepted to Princeton the same day and plans on majoring in leisure studies.

Way to shoot for the stars, NUMNUT!

Confusion under fire…

My recent post “The Top 12 Sexiest Female Sideline Reporters” seems to have caused some hullabaloo that suggests I may, indeed, be the ‘sexiest’ idiot around, although I’m sure the correct term would be ‘sexist’. And I’m not sure why.

Sexist is hardly the term I would choose to use in describing the tone of that particular article, especially considering I went to great lengths to research the information and focused on each woman’s occupational accomplishments. They may be accomplishments aided in part by beauty; however they are amazing achievements nonetheless. But no one ever said that a killer set of womanly curves hampered an attempt to successfully seduce a male-dominated sports culture.

To tip the scales, so to speak, I’d be willing to accept suggestions for a Top 10 Fattest NFL Linemen list or, if you really want to get down to the nitty gritty, a rundown of professional sports’ biggest mamma’s boys.

I leave you with this, which has regrettably become an all-too familiar societal lynchpin that is slowly and steadily demasculating the red-blooded Amercian man. So the next time you feel even tempted to call me a sexist pig, recall the lesson you have learned here today and beg for mercy.

I’m starting to get the hang of these lists–the latest being my version of the MLB Power Rankings for May. You can catch my rankings every month–in addition to daily baseball news–at www.probaseball-fans.com.

1. Chicago Cubs (33-21)

The NL’s best offense is led by none other than Carols Zambrano, who is hitting a robust .324, good for best on the team among players with at least 35 ABs.

2. Tampa Bay Rays (32-22)

S.O.S to the rest of the AL East: The young, talented Rays gain more and more confidence with each passing week, as they begin to realize their mixture of speed, defense and solid pitching can thrive in the post-steroid era.

3. Los Angeles Angels (32-23)

If an Apr. 23 paraffin bath and wax treatment won’t help heal Vlad’s troublesome right index finger and coinciding offensive struggles, it is likely nothing will. Oh, wait–how about a shopping spree to the Pacific Palisades that includes a world-class manicure and pedicure?

4. St. Louis Cardinals (32-23)

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported May 30 that injured starter Mark Mulder would seriously contemplate retirement should his incessant rotator cuff problems require a third surgery.

5. Philadelphia Phillies (31-24)

With his 18th home run and RBIs 47 and 48 in the Phils’ 10-3 win over Florida on May 30, Chase Utley surpassed Houston’s Lance Berkman to take the NL lead in both categories.

6. Florida Marlins (30-22)

If it wasn’t for that Utley guy, Dan Uggla might be the league’s premiere second baseman. As it stands, he’ll have to willingly take a back seat with his 16 homers and 38 RBIs.

7. Chicago White Sox (30-23)

A rotation that leads the AL in quality starts combined with the demonic possession of LF Carlos Quentin (14 HR, 48 RBI) has the Sox full speed ahead, while the rest of the Central remains either stuck in neutral or firmly planted in reverse.

8. Boston Red Sox (32-24)

It’s been a wacky month for Boston manager Terry Francona. Not only does your flamboyant outfielder initiate a You Tube firestorm by high-fiving a fan in the first row, but 24 year-old cancer survivor turned starter Jon Lester decides to throw a no-hitter four days later.

9. Houston Astros (30-25)

The only thing perceivably capable of derailing the runaway offensive freight train that is Lance Berkman (.385, 17 HR) is Houston’s woeful team ERA of 4.48.

10. Toronto Blue Jays (30-26)

The Jays unparalleled ascent up the rankings coincides with the team’s 19-9 mark since late April. A nearly untouchable pitching staff continues to lead the AL in quality starts (32), opponents’ batting average (.234) and ERA (3.32).

11. Oakland A’s (29-25)

When healthy, starter Rich Harden can be one of the league’s most dominant performers (6 G, 3-0, 2.60 ERA in ‘08). The problem has been keeping the 26 year-old right-hander off the DL, as he has made seven trips to the injured list since ‘05.

12. Atlanta Braves (29-25)

The other-worldly Chipper Jones continues his offensive onslaught while a statistically top-rated pitching staff conjures memories of the franchise’s glory days of the 90’s. The only question is how this team has managed to hover around .500 after nearly 55 games.

13. Arizona Diamondbacks (30-24)

Since last we saw the D’Backs, they have undergone a frightening free-fall with a dreadful month of May. Virtually unbeatable in April, Arizona has lost 7 of its last 9, including a three-game sweep at the hands of the hapless Giants.

14. Cincinnati Reds (25-29)

They’re not quite ready to anoint Jay Bruce the savior of the city in Cincinnati just yet, but an 8-14 start to your major league career will certainly make people think about it.

15. Minnesota Twins (28-25)

Center fielder Carlos Gomez is merely beginning to create favorable returns as a part of the trade that sent ace Johan Santana to the Mets. In fact, the Twins are confident Gomez in time will make everyone forget about the departed Torii Hunter as well.

16. Baltimore Orioles (26-26)

Righty Daniel Cabrera already has more than half as many wins this year (5) as he did all of last season (9), and his 3.60 ERA ranks fourth in the AL.

17. Texas Rangers (27-28)

Time will ultimately tell whether the Rangers or Reds got the better of that Hamilton-Volquez deal. And while Volquez has been stellar in Cincy, it’s hard to imagine Texas shedding any tears with Hamilton (.327, 13 HR, 58 RBI) turning in an MVP-like season.

18. Los Angeles Dodgers (27-28)

It’s unlikely catcher Russell Martin will win a second consecutive Gold Glove in ‘08, but he is well on his way to receiving another Silver Slugger Award with a .326 batting average.

19. New York Mets (26-26)

Blame manager Willie Randolph all you want for the Mets’ struggles thus far, but the fact remains– a roster so stockpiled with lucratively paid superstars yet so obviously void of leadership needs to start playing up to its potential.

20. New York Yankees (26-27)

If the Rays and Sox continue to distance themselves from the rest of the AL East pack and the Yanks remain mired around .500, will it be a buy or sell mentality in the Bronx come mid-July?

21. Milwaukee Brewers (26-28)

Despite the time spent battling a troublesome triceps muscle, staff ace Ben Sheets is still the healthiest he has been in years, and it shows. He ranks in the top ten in the NL with a 2.93 ERA, and his two complete games lead the league.

22. Cleveland Indians (24-29)

DH Travis Hafner’s May 30 trip to the 15-day DL seems a bit overdue. The mighty left-handed slugger, who is hitting a lowly .217 with only four home runs, has been suffering from a sore right shoulder since spring training.

23. Pittsburgh Pirates (25-28)

A tell-tale sign that improvement is needed amongst the Buccos pitching staff: reliever Damaso Marte leads the team with four wins, while starter Zach Duke’s hefty 4.41 ERA is nearly a half run better than anyone else in the rotation. Okay, make that two signs.

24. Detroit Tigers (22-31)

Since his inauspicious MLB debut on May 6– when he allowed a home run to Manny Ramirez on his first pitch in the big leagues– reliever Freddy Dolsi has been nearly untouchable, allowing only one run in over 10 innings and dropping his ERA from 5.40 to 1.64.

25. San Francisco Giants (23-31)

The Giants have enjoyed a rather eventful and historic past seven days. On May 25, SS Omar Vizquel played in his 2,584^th game at the position, passing his idol, Luis Aparicio. Five days later, the San Francisco infield turned the team’s first triple play since 1999 in a 7-3 loss to the Padres.

26. Washington Nationals (23-32)

If the pain in Ryan Zimmerman’s left shoulder persists, one of the league’s worst-rated offenses will have to look elsewhere for a bulk of the production to replace the third baseman’s 8 HRs and 27 RBIs.

27. San Diego Padres (21-34)

Lost in the ineffectiveness of the NL’s most futile offense is the quietly strong season of first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. He is hitting .370 in his past seven games and leads the squad with his 15 home runs and 48 runs batted in.

28. Seattle Mariners (20-34)

The M’s will be glad to see the calendar turn. Seattle has had an absolutely dreadful May, going 8-20 while being outscored nearly 2 to 1.

29. Colorado Rockies (20-34)

Unexpectedly developing into the ace of the staff, Aaron Cook (7-3, 3.36) is the only member of the Rockies rotation to win more than two games and post an ERA below four.

30. Kansas City Royals (21-33)

On April 9, the Royals enjoyed an abbreviated one-game lead in the AL Central. Now, just over a month and a half later, they are lagging some 9.5 games behind. It’s amazing what a 12-game losing streak will do for a team.

Note: All team records posted prior to games played on May 31.

Source: www.baseball-reference.com

Welcome, friends, to the first upload of TBL–a weekly installment that gives you the opportunity to see what’s been on my mind the last seven days, whether you want it or not. My objective is to bring as much fact-filled thought to you as possible, but I’m sure that will become increasingly improbable. Instead, you’ll likely have to settle with my thoughts and soul poured out in HTML form–don’t I feel sorry for you. Either way, I hope you at least think about coming back for more from week to week, even if it’s to leave some sort of self-righteous comment. Enjoy!

Note that this first edition has been extended to take into account the recent Memorial Day holiday…

“Let’s not see that again…”

It remains a mystery as to why Bud Selig and his cohorts are now advocating the use of instant replay in baseball. Perhaps the band of idiots sees this as a way to make up for the epic debacle they created when they turned a blind eye and deaf ear to the game’s steroid problem. Or maybe this is merely the spineless Selig’s way of further degrading the purity of the game.

No matter how you view this newest proposal, it is undeniable that the use of instant replay will do nothing more than completely eliminate the beloved human element–which does feature the occasional error in judgment– that has separated the game of baseball from all others. And if Major League Baseball brass really and truly wants to speed up the game, how about they mandate the use of an actual strike zone that expands beyond crotch-level. Oh, wait, that would be too easy…or too traditional.

Danica gets butch, but we still wouldn’t turn her down…

Racing fans everywhere got an upfront glimpse of Danica Patrick’s masculine side at the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday. With 29 laps remaining, Patrick was side-swiped by Ryan Briscoe on her way out of pit road and subsequently sent spinning into the wall, causing irreparable damage to her car. A brazen effort to pound on the Aussie’s face was quickly halted by race security, leaving the diminutive driver no choice but to send her competitor stares that could melt glass.

Something tells me that Briscoe was not intimidated at the sight of the 5′2” Patrick strutting towards him as she displaced her helmet, tossed her locks about and began to undo that seductive, flame-retarded jumpsuit. If anything, he probably got excited. Which begs the question: Did Briscoe fail to check his blind spot on purpose before pulling out of his pit lane because he wanted to have a heated confrontation with the sultry and notoriously fiery Patrick?

Celtics find the cure for what ailed them…

Undoubtedly nauseous and weary from all the raucous that has been written about their playoff road woes, the Boston Celtics sure picked a good time to find an anecdote for their postseason affliction. Days after the Serious Sports News Network uncovered information that exposed the real cause for their 0-6 record away from Boston, the Celtics made good on their overall no. 1 seeding by whipping the conference finals-tested Detroit Pistons 94-80 on Saturday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills. As it turns out, Boston’s struggles in Atlanta and Cleveland through the first two rounds had absolutely nothing to do with lackluster defense or sub-par shooting but forward Kevin Garnett’s childish ways. Get the full scoop…

Wings employ octopus-like D on Pens…

It would be easy but asinine of me to accuse the Detroit Red Wings of cheating their way to a convincing 2-0 series lead in the Stanley Cup Finals. As thrilling and sometimes downright hurtful it is to digest their surplus of offensive firepower (I’m a Blues fan), it is equally as puzzling to observe them resort back to pre- ‘new’ NHL tactics. Coach Mike Babock and his Wings have yet to let up a goal thus far in the finals, a feat undoubtedly made possible by the institution of the same defensive schemes that led Commissioner Gary Bettman to make significant changes to the game to induce scoring.

Under the assumption that his core of defensemen doesn’t feature enough elite athletes that also happen to be extremely gifted skaters, Babock has consistently asked his wingers to ‘drop back into coverage’ and essentially act as third defensemen who help counter any offensive attack mustered by Sid the Kid and his boys. And when they are not flooding the neutral zone, Detroit’s forwards are aggressively forechecking or at least challenging Pittsburgh’s outlet passes, thus making it extremely difficult for the Pens’ well-oiled machine to gather any steam.

I believe we call this a Left Wing Lock complimented by a lovely Neutral Zone Trap–historically effective, however boring to witness.

All of my unjustified frustration aside, I have to hand it to Detroit. They have been very good for a very long time, and it seems as if that will continue for the foreseeable future.

And though Detroit will likely forever retain its moniker as Hockeytown USA, it will never, ever be the quintessential supplier of fresh calamari.

12. Melissa Stark- This “girl next door” roamed the sidelines for Monday Night Football from 2000-03, back when ABC owned the show and MNF had actual worthy, engaging announcers. Stark brought an appealing innocence to the airwaves while covering a sport that encompasses over-the-top showmanship, largely unjustified contracts and the occasional illegal substance abuse allegation.

11. Bonnie Bernstein- ABC, CBS and ESPN have all utilized Bernstein’s instinctive journalistic abilities since she broke into the business in 1995. In the thirteen years since, “B-squared,” as I like to refer to her, has worked on the biggest stages, including multiple Super Bowls and NCAA men’s basketball championships. This fresh-faced beauty made history in 2004 when she became the first reporter to serve as both a network TV and network radio correspondent for the same broadcast during Super Bowl XXXVIII.

10. Rachel Nichols- ESPN has long shown a propensity for finding normal looking women who have enough sex appeal to grab the attention of the all important 18-34 male demographic. And Nichols, simplistic in her beauty, is no exception. Other than providing diverse content for award-winning SportsCenter, Nichols can be found reporting from the college hardwood and imparting her equally impressive insight on the network’s first attempt at an investigative journalism program, E:60.

9. Leann Tweeden- Any red-blooded, American male with an ounce of sports enthusiasm not only knows who Tweeden is but certainly has discovered why she has gained such recent notoriety. Tweeden’s “assets” have landed her on countless men’s magazines, including FHM, and even Playboy. And while Tweeden may not possess a wealth of journalistic ability like a majority of the women on this list, it is her likeable nature and “just one of the guys” aura that has lent a hand in her past success as a lynchpin in the cast of Best Damn Sports Show Period.

8. Ann Werner- If you blink frequently while watching SportsCenter, then you probably are not aware of, let alone able to appreciate, Werner’s appeal. She’s not utilized as often as some of the other ESPN vixens, but she is skilled in her own rite and possesses a look that differentiates her from the pack. Imagine your younger sister’s cute friend; then equip her with an almanac’s worth of jock-inspired know-how, and you have Werner. On any given day during the NFL season, she can be found in different locales around the league reporting on team-specific issues. It’s just a shame the season only lasts five months.

7. Jill Arrington- The daughter of a former NFL quarterback, it should come as no surprise that this Southern, blond-haired belle shares a similar passion for football as her father. The Georgia native graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in broadcast journalism in 1994 and quickly ascended the television business ladder, reaching the peak in the fall of 2000 with the sideline job at CBS. For four years, Arrington flashed her beauty and brains on The NFL Today and presently keeps herself busy with an array of non-sports related television appearances.

6. Lindsay Czarniak- I am sure those in the greater Washington, D.C. viewing area and gear heads all across the country are already familiar with Czarniak. As for the rest of us, we’ll need some background. Lindsay looks like the attractive girl in your high school gym class that you were always too afraid to approach, but after you accidentally hit her in the head with a serve while playing volleyball, you realized she couldn’t be more grounded or cordial. The current reporter held a similar position at a local NBC affiliate in Miami while also holding down several positions for the SPEED Channel.

5. Lauren Sanchez- Let’s call Sanchez the veteran of this list. The 39 year-old Albuquerque-born smoldering beauty began her television career in 1993 in Phoenix, and soon found herself as a reporter for the popular entertainment news show Extra. But it was Sanchez’s stint on Fox Sports Tonight that led to nationwide recognition and an Emmy award for her investigative work on the danger of aluminum baseball bats on Fox’s Going Deep.

4. Lisa Dergan- A Southern California girl at heart, this former Playmate bombshell turned sports desk stunner has always led an active lifestyle, becoming a golf enthusiast at age 12. Following her love for sports broadcasting, Dergan landed a role on Sports Central, a no. 1-rated weekend sports show on Los Angeles’ KCBS, in 2001. Fox Sports Net came calling next, offering her a reporter position in 2002. It was this exposure, plus her undeniable beauty, that enticed Stuff Magazine to name Dergan (wife of Chicago White Sox outfielder Scott Podsednik) the “NFL’s sexiest sportscaster” in 2003.

3. Lindsay Soto- In keeping with the Emmy award-winning theme, Fox Sports West’s Lindsay Soto has definitely made a name for herself across Southern California, if not the whole country, while racking up the accolades. Soto is currently stealing hearts of men campus-wide at USC, her alma mater, as host of the popular Trojans Live, where she dishes out the latest news during football and basketball seasons.

2. Charissa Thompson-This rapidly rising, knockout blond star will undoubtedly grab the top spot of this list in years to come. Thompson’s busy schedule features dueling responsibilities, acting as a correspondent on the male-dominated cast of Best Damn Sports Show Period and reporting from the sidelines for the Big Ten Network. The only thing that rivals her beach-girl image is the versatility of her knowledge. Thompson has gone live at the BCS National Championship game, hosted FSN’s Baseball Report and even thrown her hat into the rodeo arena.

1. Erin Andrews- The boys in human resources at ESPN really hit the jackpot with this one. Hired in May 2004, after working for the Sunshine Network in Florida and Turner Sports in Atlanta, Andrews has quickly become the face of sideline reporting at the nation’s largest and most recognizable sports network. It is Andrews’ “plain Jane” appearance and demeanor (and I mean that in a good way) that resonates so deeply with viewers, as they tune in on a daily basis to catch her flaunt her talent on a plethora of broadcasts. So strong is the love affair with “EA” that she won the title of Playboy.com’s Sexiest Sportscaster for 2007 in landslide fashion, reeling in nearly forty percent of the votes.

photos courtesy of:

Rachel Nichols-http://www.sidelinehotties.com/rachel-nichols/
Leann Tweeden-http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:Leeann_Tweeden_3.jpg
Jill Arrington-http://www.spartantailgate.com/forums/msu-red-cedar-message-board/194161-bonnie-bernstein-espn-now.html
Lindsay Czarniak-http://www.flickr.com/photos/jfphoto/373396715/
Lauren Sanchez-http://www.askmen.com/women/galleries/model/lauren-sanchez/picture-1.html
Lisa Dergan-http://beautifulswimsuitmodels.blogspot.com/2007/04/lisa-dergan.html
Lindsay Soto-http://www.sidelinehotties.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/lindsay-soto-fsn-1.jpg
Charissa Thompson-http://fangsbites.blogspot.com/2007/10/charissa-thompson-meet-charissa.html
Erin Andrews-http://usversusthem.wordpress.com/2008/02/06/why-am-i-so-interested-in-erin-andrews/

This got me thinking. In addition to being impressed by my former roommate’s football IQ, I thought to myself how hard indeed it would be to correctly name each stadium for all 32 NFL teams. In a day and age when expansion and free agency can make it hard enough to keep track of players and coaches, corporate sponsorship in the form of naming rights for stadiums/fields/coliseums, etc. has now run rabid in professional football, making it nearly impossible to identify any one team’s current home from season to season. However, amidst the lure of the almighty dollar, there are those gridiron cathedrals that have withstood the test of time and corporate America. For all that is purely football and untainted, I present this list…

1. Lambeau Field (Green Bay, Wisconsin)

St. Peters Basilica in Rome, the Sphinx in Egypt, Lambeau Field. Each place built to symbolize a national passion and a monument that has kept intact the very principles upon which it was constructed. Named City Stadium until 1965 when the decision was made to honor Packers’ founder E.L. Lambeau, the most revered structure in all of Wisconsin is the epitome of everything that is good and holy in football. Presumably the best possible site to take in a game, Lambeau offers a no-frills approach to the gridiron experience that is as real as its endless rows of steel, icicle-ridden bleachers. Plus, how cool would it be as a fan to walk into the tunnels of such a place knowing you are part owner of the team in which it resides?

2. Soldier Field (Chicago, Illinois)

Unique in its design as it is in its namesake, the old Soldier Field in Chicago was built with the same dedication and steadfastness that embodied those for which it was named. Completed in 1928 as a monument to those who gave their lives in World War I, Soldier Field was more than just an arena for championship football. Its iconic roman-like temples situated at the four corners featured detailed, distinctive columns that gave Soldier Field a feel of antiquity. Kudos to the Bears organization for centering the construction of Soldier Field II, completed in 2003, around the columns that highlight of an otherwise truly modern stadium.

3. Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City, Missouri)

The fact that this Midwestern marvel has a look and feel all its own is what makes it so special. And that’s probably a reason why Arrowhead Stadium is consistently full to the brim, making it one of the league’s hardest places to play year-in, year-out. In addition to offering a true football-purist experience inside its walls, Arrowhead is neighbor to a sprawling slab of concrete that serves as a haven for anxious Sunday afternoon tailgaters and makeshift field for many a pickup game. Luckily, the effects of the adult beverages take some of the pain out of getting tackled on the unforgiving gravel.

4. Ralph Walsh Stadium (Orchard Park, New York)

Based on principle alone, Ralph Wilson could possibly grab the top spot on the list when taking into account the fact that, after becoming one of the first to sell the naming rights of its stadium, the Buffalo Bills organization later realized the error of its ways. After bearing the name Rich Stadium (Rich Foods) for twenty five years, the proper decision was made to honor the Bills’ beloved owner. Despite having a capacity of nearly 80,000, Ralph Wilson Stadium manages to keep an intimate feel that almost gives it a college-like atmosphere that radiates pageantry and enthusiasm. Throw in the multi-colored array of ponchos that is the official dress code of rain-soaked Bills fans, and you got yourself something special.

5. Texas Stadium (Dallas, Texas)

While it’s nice sometimes to take in the elements that frequently make the game of football even that more riveting, perhaps it is even better, as a fan, to have the luxury of letting the players deal with the muck and mire while you sit under welcomed cover. The one-of-a-kind design used in engineering Texas Stadium likely won’t ever be seen anywhere else in the country, unless you count Arlington, Texas. The site for Dallas’ new $ 1 billion, state-of-the-art stadium, Arlington will be the new home of the Cowboys come the 2009 season. Lucky for us, the team has opted to stick with half dome, half open roof concept, albeit the retractable variety.

6. Louisiana Superdome (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Never one that has been too savvy at effectively following directions, it is conceivable that I would easily get lost while trying to find my seat in the expansive Superdome. This 70,000 plus seat monster, resembling an extraterrestrial mother ship rather than a multi-purpose building, suggests alien life forms suddenly got a hankering for a little Bourbon Street nightlife some 33 years ago. In addition to six Super Bowls, this amazing assembly of concrete and steel has played host to a multitude of events and housed some 30,000 New Orleans natives in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The Superdome has come to take on the same resiliency that defines those who reside in southern Louisiana as it nears the end of its recovery from sustaining almost $200 million in damages as a result of the catastrophic disaster.

7. Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Many monikers have been conjured in an effort to accentuate the Metrodome’s shortcomings, including its infamous “Hefty bag” outfield wall and balloon-like roof that acts as a cornerstone in the building’s air-support system. But for those in Minneapolis who have been willing to overlook those faults for over two decades, the next four years will be a chance to say goodbye to the home of the Vikings and Twins since 1982. Negotiations are in place for the construction of a new 70,000 seat stadium at the site where the Metrodome stands and would carry a “hefty” price tag near $1 billion. Presumably fault-free, Vikings Stadium would feature a retractable roof as well as removable glass panes that would allow fans an obstruction-free glimpse of the Minneapolis skyline.

8. Giants Stadium at The Meadowlands (East Rutherford, New Jersey)

Remember the days when the Giants played at Yankee Stadium and the Jets at Shea Stadium. Neither do I. But for hard core fans of either team, the days when the two organizations didn’t share the same residence are not much of a distant memory. Since the completion of Giants Stadium in 1976, both New York franchises have pulled off the rather unconventional feat of playing their home games at the same stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. And it appears they will continue to do so for a very long time. After entertaining the idea of constructing two separate facilities, the Giants and Jets agreed in 2005 on plans to build New York Stadium, the 82,500 seat project that will be erected adjacent to the current home of both teams and scheduled to be completed in 2010. Old Giants Stadium will remain standing.

9. Jacksonville Municipal Stadium (Jacksonville, Florida)

I don’t know if it was the atmosphere, the frequent celebrity sightings or just the fact that I had successfully escaped a Midwest winter in favor of what would be a colder northern Florida landscape, but I will always have a small place in my heart for the city of Jacksonville as a result of my trip there in 2005. Though Municipal Stadium is located on the edge of downtown Jacksonville, it serves as the crown jewel of the city skyline as it sits nears the banks of the St. John’s River. Called Alltel Stadium when it hosted Super Bowl XXXIX between the Patriots and Eagles, the home of the Jags is a vibrant place as the nearly 70,000 turquoise seats would suggest. For five straight days that year, smack talk was the native tongue for both New Englanders and Philadelphians alike. And, as both the squabbling and my trip came to an end, the unseasonably cool Florida weather moved out, making way for sunshine and warmer temperatures.–that figures.

10. Cleveland Browns Stadium (Cleveland, Ohio)

Former Cleveland cornerbacks Frank Minnifield and Hanford Dixon are credited with initiating the idea for the original ‘Dawg Pound’ that resided in the bleacher seats located in the end zone area of old Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Thousands of thrown milk bones and acts of drunkenness later, a slightly different, more white-collar cast of rabid Brownies fans now occupies the east end zone of Cleveland Browns Stadium nearly twenty-five years after the inception of this cult-like following. And now, with the sting that followed former owner Art Modell’s decision to move the team to Baltimore in 1996 surely dissipating, Cleveland fans of all ages and demeanors can take in a game in a top notch facility that likely won’t see its name compromised by corporation any time soon.

Stay tuned, as I’m sure version 2 of this list will change dramatically after more owners catch the luring scent of crisp non-consecutive hundred dollar bills fanned by the blow-hards that are corporate CEOs

Source: www.stadiumsofnfl.com