This Week in Sports 2010: Week 3
This is week 3 of my column, and what a week it was in sports! There is now only 1 undefeated team in college basketball, a thursday showdown between the 2 best players...in 2 sports, the NBA All-Star starting lineups announced bringing controversy with them, and the NFL Championship weekend ends with one to remember. Lets get started.
Texas and Kentucky came in to the week battling for the top spot in the land. Texas had some close calls earlier in the year, as did the Wildcats. Texas was put in the top spot with Kentucky right behind, and it looked like the Wildcats would stay behind unless Texas were to lose. They did, not once, but twice this week. The first loss was to a very good Kansas State team in Manhattan (Kansas). Texas then fell again to a Jim Calhoun-less UConn Huskies in Connecticut. Kansas State and UConn are both great top 25 teams, as Texas lost by single digits in both, but K-State went on to lose their next game at home to Oklahoma State by 4. Kentucky will be the new number 1 as they are now the only undefeated team in the nation. Quick side note, my UNM Lobos won their 2 games this week by huge margins as they knocked off Air Force in Colorado Springs by 23 and beat Colorado State by 18. These 2 wins are over sub-par teams, but hopefully they will be enough to get back in the top 25.
Thursday was a huge day this week. We had 2 of the best players facing each other in 2 different sports. Kobe Bryant and LA visited LeBron James and the Cavs, while Alexander Ovechkin visited Sidney Crosby as the Caps faced the Penguins. Ovechkin and the Caps beat the Penguins 6-3, Ovechkin having 2 goals and 1 assist. Sid the Kid was not as affective, having just 1 goal. On the hardwood it was a different story, as the Cavs held on by 6. The highlight of the night might not have had to do with the Cavs though. Kobe Bryant scored his 25,000 point Thursday night, becoming the youngest player to ever reach that milestone. Bryant finished with 31. But LeBron had to ruin Kobe's night as he dropped 37 points and grabbed 9 boards.
Also in the NBA on Thursday was the announcement of the All-Star starters. In the East, the team goes Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, and Allen Iverson. Yes, I did say Allen Iverson. He has only played 21 games this season, averaging 14 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists. The fans vote for the starters, and he was the fan's vote. We can't blame him, though he obviously doesn't deserve to be an All Star starter. But he his a great player and I will watch him in Dallas on All Star weekend expecting to see the Allen Iverson that is the now 11 time All Star.
The biggest news this week was the conference championship games is the NFL. These games determine which teams go to the Big Game in Miami. Let's start in the AFC, where the heavyweight Colts took on the Cinderella Jets. Peyton Manning threw for 377 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Colts ended the Jets run. Mark Sanchez threw for 257 yards and 2 touchdowns (1 interception) and the number 1 rushing game in the league only rushed for 86 yards. The Colts beat the Jets in rushing yards....wow. That was the key for both teams. The Colts will win 9 times out of 10 if they can hold the Jets running game. And the Jets will give themseves a fair shot at winning if they can run like we all know they can. But the best game of the playoffs so far was the NFC Championship game as Drew Brees and the Saints hosted Brett Favre and the Vikings. This is what Favre came back for. In a turnover riddled game, it took extra time and a 40 yard field goal for the win. Drew Brees threw for only 197 yards (3 TD's), and the Saints only rushed for 68 yards, and somehow they still won. Brett Favre threw for 310 yards and only 1 TD and the Vikings rushed for 165 yards. But the Vikes also had 5 turnovers. And that was the game. Garrett Hartley nailed the only field goal of the night from 40 yards in overtime to seal the deal and send the Saints marching to their first ever Super Bowl. "Who Dat? Drew Dat" read a sign at the game. Saints, Colts, Miami, Super Bowl XLIV, cannot wait. A game where turnovers ruled, Brett Favre's possible last throw of his career, was an interception.
What a week this was, and I can't wait till the next one to see what sports stories will come out of it. Have a good one till next week!
Rohan Reddy
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