The morning game we got on FOX was Minnesota at Washington, there was no afternoon game on FOX. We didn't get a morning game on CBS, the afternoon game was Indianapolis at Denver. And, by the way, yes, I can say "morning" and "afternoon" as for me the games start near 11am and 2pm.
Interestingly, though, at 2pm our CBS coverage started with "bonus coverage" of New Orleans at Carolina. FOX meanwhile gave us bonus New York Jets at St. Louis coverage, so we actually did have a half an hour or so of a choice of two games.
I barely watched any of these games, partially because I was footballed-out on New Year's Eve and partially because ASU at UofA men's hoops trumps pro football any day.
I did, however, notice that as the Saints- Panthers game was ending the Panther had, well, at least a shot at winning, a 60-yard shot from the foot of the lone remaining original Panther, John Kasay. The field goal came up short, something that likely had nothing to do with the Saints' attempt to ice Kasay with a time-out before his kick - partially because I mean, seriously, how effective is that sort of thing anyway, much less on a long-time veteran like Kasay, and partially because that would've been the longest field goal of the season and thus we can figure it didn't have much of a chance anyway. What the Saints didn't try to do was double ice Kasay - they only called one time out. What I'm not sure about, actually, is if it is possible, in the NFL, to call two straight time-outs. Anyone?
This, of course, reminded me of what I was thinking when Michigan called two straight icing time-outs a day earlier.
I mean, imagine you're Dusty Mangum. Your Longhorns are down 37-35 in your their first Rose Bowl ever. You've kicked the 5 extra points but haven't tried a field goal yet and now you've got a 37-yarder to worry about. You set up, get ready, and Michigan calls a time-out to make you think about it. OK, fine, you line-up again and... Michigan calls another time-out. At first you're pissed but then you realize that they don't have any more. Yes, this is Michigan so they may try anyway but, basically, this is it, which means you can steel yourself and get down to the business of kicking.
I'm not saying that he would've missed if Michigan had only called one time-out and I'm not trying to take anything away from either Dusty Mangum or Texas... I'm just asking if we're to the point where icing is common enough that non-icing (or at the least, not double-icing and thus making it certain that you can't ice anymore) would have as much success? Or is the effectiveness of icing not that related to the surprise/apprehension factor?
And yes, I appologize to all Michigan fans (myself included) for bringing it up, but, well, yeah.
Now Playing: Placebo - Without You I'm Nothing; this being the first, and thus far only, CD I've ever bought, sold back because I didn't like, and then rebought (the time period for which I most recently did not own this CD was approximately 5 years.)
