Ding Dong The Rev Is Dead

Strange but true, at the ripe young age of 43, Reverend Reggie White, former career QB sack record holder and hater of gays in his role as religious freak, died yesterday in hospital, possibly from a respiratory ailment.

Besides sacks, what I really remember Reggie White for was his decision to go to Green Bay as a free agent because "God" told him to go there, as if God had nothing better to do than fret over where Reggie White landed as a free agent. I also remember Reggie White's infamous 1998 speech to the Wisconsin State Assembly wherein he referred to homosexuality as "one of the biggest sins in the Bible" and used ethnic stereotypes for blacks and whites, proving yet again that whilst God can bless people with great physical skills, he doesn't always allow them the same unfettered access to intelligence.

My question is, did Reggie serve his purpose on earth and get called up for more important issues in heaven or did he just die from too many fried foods and being about 100 pounds overweight?

On the other hand, another saddening death, that of Johnny Oates, spawns no ridicule nor mockery. Although he is better known for his dog days of managing the Orioles and the Texas Rangers, I will always remember him for his days as a catcher for the 1971 Rochester Red Wings, Junior World Series Champions. Oates hit .529 in the postseason splitting time with baseball and military duty.

That '71 Red Wings team had on it, besides Oates, future MLBers, Bobby Grich, Don Baylor, Terry Crowley, Rich Coggins, Mike Ferraro, not to mention staff ace Roric Harrison and the manager of this jewel, Joe Altobelli.

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So, Peyton Manning not only broke Dan Marino's record for most TD passes in a season but he led his team to overtime with the pass and eventually to victory and the probable third slot in the AFC postseason with 34-31 victory over the San Diego Chargers.

Even from as far away as England, this was impressive to Sports Amnesia. There was an aura of inevitability in the final drives, a cold confidence and matter-of-fact manner which he marched his side up the field with completed pass after completed pass, 27 of 44 for 383 yards worth in total. Of course, the Colts defence has alot of holes and is well vulnerable to the run as well as the pass, but it's going to take a massive defence to let the air out of this balloon before it's all said and done.

From a Jets point of view, I was rooting for the Colts simply because I think the Chargers will make an easier first round opponent. However, given this season's history that the Jets have of getting humiliated by decent teams, it might not matter WHO they end up playing in the first round.

I wouldn't want to think that they choked or that they have a habit of choking or that they simply play scared against good teams, but yesterday was large from a standpoint of respect, solidifying a wild card spot and perhaps making people take notice of them and instead of rising to the occasion, as they have all season the Jets simply failed to show up.

"Everything," Curtis Martin said of what went wrong. "That's what I put my finger on. I didn't see one area where we performed well. Everything was the problem."

Everything might be wrong indeed. Although they have a reasonably weak opponent to finish off the season with in the form of the 6-8 St Louis Rams, if they lose, and Buffalo and Denver win to join them at 10-6, the Jets will be out of the playoffs. That's right. Out of the playoffs before they even start. Next week, Buffalo are home against Pittsburgh and Denver are home at Indianapolis. So things still look bearable from the Jets point of view.

Now, falling behind 23-0 at home to the World Champions might seem like a case of failing to rise to the occasion, but searching for that pearl in the oyster of excuses, one could cite the Patriots' own humiliation, only the week before, to the Miami Dolphins and point out that the Patriots, being a "real" Super Bowl contender, had everything to prove out there, especially since their mentor, Coach Belichick was to appear on 60 Minutes last night. More to prove than even the Jets, still fighting for the playoffs and playing at home.

The tendancy here though, is to believe that the Jets, even should they make the playoffs, will be out after the first round, regardless of their first round opponent is the Colts OR the Chargers.

Nobody Is Afraid of the Jets.

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So, christmas has come and gone and still nobody has signed Carlos Beltran yet. In an odd catch 22, the Astros could probably get him to agree if Roger Clemens is coming back and Roger Clemens probably isn't coming back unless they sign Carlos Beltran. It seems easier in New York where either the Yankees or the Mets are willing to put up whatever money it takes.

Meanwhile, the Orioles star pitcher was busy assaulting a judge allegedly, down in Aruba. On Christmas day, when everyone else was opening presents and enjoying hams and turkeys, Ponson was on a beach in Boca Catalina where several people confronted him, accusing him of harassing them with his personal watercraft and operating it recklessly, police said.

The 28-year-old right-hander allegedly struck one of the men in the group several times, police said. The man was later identified as a local judge, Comenencia said. Ponson fled the scene but was later arrested and is now sitting in the can in Aruba where hopefully, they will keep him on a strict water and bread diet so he can scale down the obesity factor in his enormous frame.

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Boxing Day certainly didn't slow down Chelsea, who maintained their 5 point bulge in the Premiership with a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa.

And Magpies boss Graeme Souness wasn't entirely embarassed returning to face his auld team, Blackburn. The fact that Newcastle were able to squeak out a 2-2 draw is more indicative of the low level of expectation - Souness was relieved more than angry to come away with the draw.

"We are in a difficult period and we need everyone to stick together and pull in the same direction."

No kidding. And if that direction isn't the direction of moving up instead of down in the tables, Graeme may not be around to see the end of the season.