Notre Dame: Down and Out

I still find it distasteful that a network (NBC) has tied itself to one team/one sport (Notre Dame football). Looking at MSNBC.com this morning, I see a lot of crow but still plenty of attitude. Good luck with that BCS bid, guys.

The AT&T Battle of the Corps

Texas A & M (the fake corps) defeated Army (the real corps) 28-24. One of these teams has guys going to Iraq next year, and the other team is from Texas.

Virginia Tech 36, Duke 0

Virginia Tech throttled Duke today in Blacksburg, VA. The only bright spots for Duke were on defense, with one interception and two blocked extra points.

Next Loss: September 30 vs. Virginia

Wake Forest 14, Duke 13

Duke blew leads of 10-0 and 13-7 en route to losing to the Demon Deacons in Winston-Salem. A FG attempt with 9 seconds left by Joe Surgan was blocked by Wake Forest. Devils FR QB Thaddeus Lewis was 21-32 for 305 yards and 1 TD.

Next Loss: September 16 at Virginia Tech

Red Sox West (it's not who you think)

While the Dodgers have been referred to "Red Sox West" due to the presence of manager Grady Little, P Derek Lowe and 1B Nomar Garciaparra, it's really San Diego who holds that title. The proof is in the Padres (with their Red Sox years in parentheses):

P David Wells (2005-2006)
P Alan Embree (2002, 2003-2005)
P Rudy Seanez (2003, 2006)
P Cla Meredith (2005-2006 split majors/minors)
P Scott Cassidy (2005 split majors/minors)
OF Dave Roberts (2004)
INF Mark Bellhorn (2004-2005)
INF Todd Walker (2003)
SS Manny Alexander (2000)
C Josh "no more knuckleballs" Bard (2006)

2006 Red Sox: RIP

ESPN called this a few weeks back, right after the latest Boston Massacre, but with the latest health issues with David Ortiz (heart palpatations) and Jon Lester (cancer), it's over. Curt Schilling (14-7, 4.13 ERA) and Josh Beckett (14-10, 5.11 ERA) remain the aces, but have been getting rocked lately. Tim Wakefield and Matt Clement are still injured, and while Jonathan Papelbon will return to action soon, it's pretty much irrelevant.

What really sucks is the fact that the Phillies (the Phillies!) might actually win the NL wild card, while Boston has no shot of winning the AL wild card or the AL East.

What about that Duke rape case?

From Slate: Stuart Taylor Jr. on the slowly unraveling Duke rape case, and how the NYT is squarely in the prosecution's lap.

Richmond 13, Duke 0

And so, another losing season begins. To think this was a gimme game. Richmond won its first game over a Division I-A opponent (yes, Duke football is still classified in that level, though I can't see why after this game) since beating Carolina in 1978.

Next loss: September 9 at Wake Forest