Bill Shockley had an odd career. He was the original New York Titans kicker in 1960, spent part of 1961 with Buffalo, came back to the Titans in 1961, kicked for them in 1962, then retired. Sort of. His record shows that he returned six years later, for one game, with Pittsburgh. He filled in for one game in place of incumbent Steeler kicker Booth Lusteg, missed his only field goal attempt and hit on two of three conversions. During the initial Titans (later the Jets) campaign, Shockley had a rather lousy season, hitting only 9 of 21 field goals and missing three of 50 conversions. He boots one high in the air, settling down at about the seven-yard line.
Ryan Fitzpatrick shows them all that it's more than just hitting the books at Harvard.
Jay Feely needs a bad case of amnesia, or else he will become the next Scott Norwood. And this wasn't even a Super Bowl.
The Detroit Lions were the real turkeys on Thursday.
To all of you who were mad at Drew Bledsoe for blowing the game against Denver which literally ended any chance of the Patriots getting a first round bye this year: After Sunday's game at Kansas City, did it really matter?
Those poor Baltimore Ravens. They finally score 28 and still lose by two touchdowns.
That's no small deal down on Jacksonville, with Byron Leftwich lost for a month and a half with a broken ankle.
So let's see, the Patriots lose at Kansas City with Ellis Hobbs, but win at Kansas City with Earthwind Moreland?
Chicagoans look at their football team and begin daydreaming over 1985.
Wrong, of course. But can you blame them?
Geek of the week: Good show, Michael Irvin. The ESPN studio host and Hall of Fame candidate got busted for drug paraphernalia possession down near Dallas during a routine stop for speeding.
Oh well, if Marv Albert could salvage his broadcasting career, you can too, we guess.
If Herm Edwards had any sense of fun, he'd start Kliff Kingsbury at quarterback next week up in Foxborough.
Tim Fox is one hundred percent correct when he talks about the "Schottenheimer Effect". You'll see it if the Chargers make the playoffs.
Or, you can ask a Chief fan if they know.
If everyone's healthy, okay. But unless that happens, if any Patriot brags about winning the division this year, let him be publicly flogged in the Foxborough town square.
This is one year where we'd like to hear more about Josh Beckett than Artrell Hawkins.
Troy Brown's only catch on Sunday was career number 500. We're nowhere near tired of this classy gent.
You listen to the Saints players complaining about where their home will be next year, and listen to them talk about "where will we live, where will our kids go to school", and wish you could go into Paul Tagliabue's office and scream "Do something!" all by yourself.
I mean, is the chance of the Saints moving to Los Angeles still on the table?
If you watched on Thursday, you got the feeling that Atlanta could have laid an even worse sticking to Detroit.
Back to school: UNH blasted Colgate on Saturday in the first round of the I-AA playoffs in the snow up in Durham, 55-21. Thirty years ago, the same Wildcat team, coached by the venerable Bill Bowes, played a UMass Minuteman squad in Durham and blew up their unbeaten and untied season with a tough 14-11 win.
With New Orleans winning at the Meadowlands on Sunday night, it was a case of the movie Dumb And Dumber, with Dumb (New Orleans) winning over Dumber.
Matt Bryant, go put your arms around Jay Feely and tell him where the kicker support group meets.
All right, already. Enough with these stupid Patriot commercials. The more losses, the stupider they look.
Especially those figurative metaphors.
How in the world are the Vikings 6-5?
Steve McNair looked terrific, like his old self. Trouble is, anyone looks terrific throwing against the 49ers pass defense.
Mike Mularkey should hold J.P. Losman out of press conferences and send him to cotillion classes after games instead.
Brett Favre has to be thinking retirement. If not he himself, wife Deanna ought to be pressing the issue.
Joe Gibbs might want to head back to the racetrack after this season.
You know the Patriots simply weren't ready to play when you see Larry Johnson run through and by Tedy Bruschi. Nobody does that.
Best post game coaching interviews after a loss: Herm Edwards. Brian Billick. Mike Nolan.
Maybe Dre Bly should have kept his yap shut. But he's right. You should expect more from a number three pick.
Remember him: He was the first round pick of the Jets in 1972. Tight end Jerome Barkum was the Benjamin Watson of his day, doubling as a wide receiver. At 6-3 and 220 pounds, Barkum had the size for tight end and the speed for a wideout. He led the Jets in catches in 1973 and 1974, and played all his 12 seasons with the Jets. He was with the Jets during many lean years, seeing the playoffs only in 1981 and 1982 in the twilight years of Richard Todd at quarterback. Barkum was steady, dependable, and versatile, a major reason why he lasted in the league as long as he did.
Pittsburgh exposed Indianapolis as a good team with flaws, not this 11-0 juggernaut their record says they are.
Pittsburgh exposed themselves as a stupid team with dumb coaching (and Tim Fox will go along with this assessment). Start with all those false starts and that idiotic onside kick to begin the second half and go from there.
By the way, Tony Dungy, I go for 16-0. But Seattle will probably do you in whether you play Peyton Manning or not.
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