BenMaller.com - Ben's Takes

Monday Morning Quarterback

By Ben Maller

Mike Vick made me look like a genius with his poor performance against the Bucs. The hype around Vick is outrageous. The guy is being the next big thing in the NFL and as Bill Parcells has said why don't we let the guy win something first.

How in the name of Chuck Noll and Terry Bradshaw do the Pittsburgh Steelers lose to the expansion Houston Texans by 18 points. The Steelers were -1400 on the money line and outgained the Texans in yardage 422-47 and 24-3 in first downs.

Jerry Jones could be on a coaching search soon. The word out of Dallas is that Jones blamed the coaching staff and not the players for the Cowboys last second loss to the 49ers.

The Rams should wear the retro LA Rams uniforms the rest of the season the way they have been playing of late.

It seems every week Broncos coach Mike Shanahan becomes closer to just an average coach. Denver has picked the wrong time of the season to lose three straight games and is close to toast for the NFL playoffs.

Tom Brady shut up Boston sports talk callers beating Drew Bledsoe and the Bills twice this season. The Bills are 2-or-3 defensive players away from making the playoffs and that should happen next season.

Raider Nation took over San Diego on Sunday. Charger fans can't stand the Raiders and its always funny to see the Boltz stadium turned into the Black Hole South.

Browns QB Tim Couch must hate playing in Cleveland. Couch is 5-2 on the road this season and just 1-4 in home games.

NBA

I believe that most NBA teams even if they tried couldn't blow a 27 point lead in 12 minutes of basketball. Hell I would take the Nuggets, Heat, Warriors and Grizzlies with that lead against the Lakers. The Mavericks should be proud of a great choke.

Alvin Gentry is a bad road trip away from becoming a "former coach" again. The Clippers have no life or energy and despite a group of young studs are boring to watch.

College Football

Brad Banks vs. Carson Palmer is going to make a great Orange Bowl. Its sad that this game has to be played as far from Los Angeles as possible

A caller to my show on Fox Sports Radio asked me if I thought Bob Toledo would be fired as the football coach at UCLA. My guess is that Toledo will stick around for another sad pathetic season. The Bruins athletic department spends money as often as the Dodgers make a good trade. If Toledo does get the boot I wonder if Norm Chow would get a phone call.

Baylor should hire former Texas A&M coach R.C. Slocum.

Baseball

Memo to Dodgers GM Dan Evans: Ken Griffey Jr. is available in Cincinnati. Wouldn't an outfield of Dave Roberts in left, Griffey in center and Shawn Green in Right look pretty good in 2003.

The Dodgers dumped the best pinch hitter in baseball Dave Hanson over the weekend. Another genius "baseball decision." Lets hope the Padres or Angels take advantage of this latest LA mistake.

The latest buzz around baseball is that Greg Maddux could end up with the Angels. Maddux holds the record for playoff losses but would be a major upgrade to Kevin Appier and Aaron Sele in the rotation. Would the Maddux strike zone also come to Anaheim? permalink