open Page 81 - Sports News, Headlines & Highlights

Your "Hey, A Fourth Starter!" Phillies-Giants Open Thread
We feel a little gypped, with Philly starting Joe Blanton and San Fran going with some random bum(garner). But they're telling me it'll actually count. Oh well. Talk amongst yourselves. (photo via The700Level)...

Your "The Steinbrenners Need To Hire Seatfillers" Rangers-Yankees Open Thread
The first elimination game for New York since 2007. Luckily for them, they have CC Sabathia going. Unluckily, he has the highest ERA of any Yankee starter this postseason. Ooze your schadenfreude in the comments. (Image via Reddit user)...

Your "A.J. Burnett Is Actually Starting A Playoff Game" Rangers-Yankees Open Thread
Burnett actually has pretty good career numbers against Texas's lineup. Of course, Burnett also used to be pretty good. One thing's for sure: the 2002 Niners-Giants Wild Card game on ESPN2 will get better ratings....

Your "Baserunners Wearing Jackets!" Phillies-Giants Open Thread
It's a 1pm local start for San Franciscans; an excuse to mentally check out of work a little early for the rest of us. Use this space to marvel at Cody Ross's inevitable home runs....

Your "Will The AL Ever Have A Pitchers' Duel?" Rangers-Yankees Open Thread
Cliff Lee throws a perfect game every time out. Andy Pettitte can make the Hall of Fame with a win, says Reggie Jackson. Tonight we decide whether A.J. Burnett's game 4 loss will make the series 3-1 or 2-2. To the comments....

Your Phillies/Giants NLCS Game Two Open Thread
Oswalt vs. Sanchez tonight in South Philly. Won't go so far as to call it do-or-die for the Phils, but it kind of is....

Your NFL Late Games Open Thread
Two teams enter. One team leaves with a 2-3 record. Will it be the Minnesota Vikings or Dallas Cowboys? Does it really matter in the grand scheme of all things football? Does anything even matter?...

Your NFL Early Games Open Thread
And so the Colt McCoy Era begins as Cleveland visits Pittsburgh. What a seminal moment....

Your College Football Night Games Open Thread
You're looking for the last game on the sportsbook wall, ain't ya? It's Nevada at Hawaii. Here's a breakdown to save you from fishing around for early-season NHL matchups. Side note: That actually sounds like a potentially great game....

Your Yankees/Rangers Game Two ALCS Open Thread
Coughing up a five-run lead last night + facing a pitcher who's never given up a run at Rangers Ballpark = the Yankees flying home with a free pass to the World Series, right?...

Your College Football Afternoon Games Open Thread
Tell you what: This gaggle o' games should make the NFL ashamed of itself. Compare last week's late NFL games to Texas at Nebraska; Arkansas at Auburn; Iowa at Michigan; Oklahoma State at Texas Tech and California at USC....

Your College Football Early Games Thread
For potential heart-attack fetishists, there's Illinois at Michigan State. For sadists, B.C. at Florida State or Minnesota at Purdue. For the righteous/godless, Western Michigan at Notre Dame. For college-football addicts, there's Missouri at Texas A&M and Vanderbilt at Georgia....

Your "Where's John Wetteland?" Yankees-Rangers Open Thread
Noted Twitter personality C.J. Wilson toes the mound for Texas. Noted endomorph CC Sabathia counters for New York. It's a 7-game series for Cliff Lee's soul. Discuss it here....

Your "It's Tuesday, What Are You Going To Watch, Hockey?" Rangers-Rays Open Thread
This one's for all the marbles. Well, not the ALCS and WS marbles, those come later. But this is the first division series since 2005 to go the distance, so enjoy....

Your "Brooks Was Here" Giants-Braves Open Thread
Mr. Conrad is not in the lineup for Bobby Cox's last stand. Troy Glaus, whose range could be described as statuesque, will take his infield spot. Is this how it ends? Not with a bang, but with a .240 hitter?...

Your "How Hurt Is Billy Wagner" Braves/Giants Open Thread
Atlanta thinks it has the momentum, even before they figured out whether Billy Wagner was operable. Pat Burrell is evoking non-narcotic, promised-land comparisons to Barry Bonds in San Francisco....

Your NFL Late Games Open Thread
Talk about a blessing for Eagles QB Kevin Kolb. Phillies first pitch in Cincinnati: 8:07 p.m. Kickoff in San Francisco: 8:20 p.m. Translation: He goes relatively unnoticed....

Your NFL Early Games Open Thread
Anybody else not buying into the Kansas City undefeated resurgence? We'll know soon enough, considering they head into Indianapolis [Kansas City Star]. Other 1 p.m. games that look appealing: Denver at Baltimore, Giants at Texans, Packers at Skins....

Your College Football Night Games Open Thread
Even though he said the whole Prothro video was a "farce," Florida Guy's back in action. At least his trollop isn't wearing orange-and-blue this time. And, at least he found LSU fans dropping some six-letter slurs that rhyme with chigger....

Your "Carl Crawford Salute Says It's Already Over" Tampa Bay/Texas Open Thread
Down 6-0 to the Rangers in the 8th, Carl Crawford swung at the first pitch and grounded out to second. The fans chanted his name anyway since it was probably his last game as a Ray at Tropicana Field....