THE ITHACAN

Ah well

By Alex Holt • November 26, 2011

I have a confession to make: I missed Thanksgiving football this year. It's not like I wasn't looking forward to Green Bay-Detroit because I was. It's not like I don't have relatives just as into football as I am either because I most certainly do. It's just that it was really kind of nice out…

Bye Bye Now

By Alex Holt • October 25, 2011

When you think about it, the idea of the bye week in football is pretty unique within sports. Oh sure hockey, basketball and baseball teams all have their days off. But that's just it, they're "days off." No big deal is made about days off in sports because in a sport where teams frequently every…

When Lions Win

By Alex Holt • October 13, 2011

Every Thanksgiving, millions of American sports fans, myself included, as well as at least a couple hundred thousand bored Americans with nothing else to do besides interact with relatives plunk themselves down on the couch and watch the Dallas Cowboys , the Detroit Lions and whoever those two teams are playing that particular Thursday. The…

Farewell Al Davis

By Alex Holt • October 11, 2011

Of all the sports owners who've passed away since I became a sports fan, very few have garnered as much attention as Al Davis' death last Saturday, October 8, 2011 at the age of 82. Really, the only other time I can remember people paying this much attention to an owner dying was when George…

Freaky sunday

By Alex Holt • September 27, 2011

I don't know why so many bizarre football games were played this past Sunday but things got really weird in the NFL during Week 3. Consider: the previously struggling, injury prone New York Giants upset the Philadelphia Eagles 14-13 and knocked out Michael Vick in the process with what's apparently a bruised hand. The Minnesota…

If a lockout happens in the middle of an NFL season and no one cares, is it still a lockout?

By Alex Holt • September 24, 2011

This past week, the NBA announced that it's postponing the start of training camp and cancelling every single preseason game scheduled between October 9 and October 15. As I pointed out in my last post, this probably doesn't mean all that much to the average sports fan. It's only when actual regular-season games start getting…

Not just any given Sunday

By Alex Holt • September 11, 2011

Today is opening day for the National Football League. More importantly, it's also the 1oth anniversary of 9/11. Of those two things, I only feel comfortable talking about the less important of the two. But today is not a day to write about what's more comfortable. Don't get me wrong, I think one of the…

While we were away

By Alex Holt • September 6, 2011

Summer is one of those times of the year where it can seem like there isn't an awful lot going on in sports, at least compared to other seasons. The NFL season is already long over and by Independence Day, so are the the NBA and NHL seasons. MLB is a couple months away from…

Point Blank: The NFC Stinks!

By Dave Uram • October 30, 2010

The two teams that share the best record in the NFC currently are the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons. Neither of those squads would be playoff teams in the AFC. Period. It's been a trend over the past decade and a half that the AFC has been the better conference in the NFL. Well,…

Thoughts On Much Anticipated McNabb Return

By The Ithacan • October 5, 2010

After a week long of speculation about how Donovan McNabb would be received by his former fan base, what actually happened was not a shock, even though the other way would've been more fitting. McNabb was cheered and given a standing ovation when his named was announced to the crowd. It was a classy gesture…

Too Boo or Not To Boo…That Is The Question

By Dave Uram • October 3, 2010

It seemed like yesterday during that April Saturday in 1999 when 30 die heart Eagles fans appropriately dubbed “The Dirty 30” booed Donovan McNabb on draft day. Twelve years later, that moment is still brought up in several conversations regarding the now Washington Redskins quarterback. It’s used to stereotype Philadelphia fans as distasteful and give…

For Thos Who Didn’t Know, Andy Reid is Really a Politician

By Dave Uram • September 24, 2010

Point blank fact - Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid is a politician. He's not a football coach. He's not a talent evaluator. He's a back stabbing politician looking to have his own butt and job security. Following the Eagles 35-32 victory over the Detroit Lions last Sunday with then back-up quarterback Michael Vick leading…