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Friday TIME: US | UK WEATHER: US | UK HOME THE NEIGHBORHOOD "Life in the UK" American Groups Essential Contacts Money Education Driving WHAT'S ON US Group Events Diary Dates Music Live FEATURES Politics blog SPORTS Features Sideline blog NFL Draft THE AMERICAN MAGAZINE ONLINE |
SIDELINE ARCHIVE Unnecessary Hits To The Pocket / Upset: BYU October 17, 2008 Romo's Pause / Seattle Seahawks October 15, 2008 Weekend Prep: Red River and More October 10, 2008 College Football's 'Crossroads' Weekend October 9, 2008 Gramatical Error October 7, 2008 Turning The Page September 30, 2008 So Cal 'Quizzed — But Who Will Answer? September 26, 2008 3rd Tuesday Panic Button / Forté Yard Dash September 23, 2008 Two and Oh; Oh and Two September 22, 2008 No More NCAAffeine September 11, 2008 Week 1 College Football September 6, 2008 How To Spell Heisman / Chad Ocho Cinco September 1, 2008 Why the Favre story STILL won't go away August 18, 2008 Olympic Notes / Ricky's Still Relevant August 14, 2008 Committee Meetings August 9, 2008 Let the QB Battles Begin August 8, 2008 Slinging The Slinger — More Favre August 6, 2008 Welcome to the 2008 season July 28, 2008 Plus One May 27, 2008 Draft: The Morning After April 28, 2008 Draft: Thinking the Unthinkable April 25, 2008 Draft: Ready For The Long Haul April 23, 2008 Sofa–bound Sport April 16, 2008 Post–Winter Wonderland April 11, 2008 Six Impossible Things February 4, 2008 Brady's Misdirection Play February 3, 2008 Colorful Language January 23, 2008 Let the Romo–bashing begin: Dallas lost January 14, 2008 Bowl Bites: The Wrap January 10, 2008 All About The Coaches January 1, 2008 Bowl Bites 3 and A Communication Breakdown December 29, 2007 Bowl Bites 2 December 27, 2007 Bowl Bites 1 December 23, 2007 The Empty Chair - Coach Situations Vacant December 22, 2007 For Some, The Playoffs Are Now December 15, 2007 A Certain Lack Of Welcome December 13, 2007 Unrelated Notes November 29, 2007 Two Thanksgiving thoughts November 22, 2007 Halftime: NFC November 9, 2007 Halftime: AFC November 8, 2007 London, Part 2 / A Tale of Two Chads / A Game of Intimidation November 4, 2007 Damp Squib / Other London Notes October 29, 2007 Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em / Dolphins – The Aftermath October 23, 2007 The Dolphins Did What? October 18, 2007 Notes on the Defenses October 13, 2007 Habits to be Broken October 12, 2007 Overtime October 13, 2007 This Week's Starters October 6, 2007: USF: Covering The Spread / Fantastic Football September 27, 2007: Grossman: The Final Act? / McNabb, the Epilogue September 24, 2007: Eagles QB in Slight Controversy September 21, 2007: Leftwich's Parting Gift to Jacksonville? / Boos cruise September 18, 2007: Notre Dame M.I.A. September 16, 2007: Looking Beyond NFL Wk. 1 September 12, 2007: Best Hope For Heisman September 10, 2007: Coaching Hot Seats / AP Poll Feeling ’Appy September 7, 2007: The NFL’s Prime Cuts September 5, 2007: Michigan Falls to Killer Apps September 3, 2007: Look Out Couch / The Taint's On You, Bud September 1, 2007: |
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SPORTS SIDELINE 
Observations, Opinion & Occasional Silliness by Richard L Gale Gramatical Error Stick a fork in Martin Gramatica — he's done. When this month's cover star on The American magazine, Reggie Bush, took over the game in the second half of Monday Night Football, it looked for all the world like today's blog was going to start "Stick A Fork In ...The Minnesota Vikings". Momentum seemed to be wearing black and gold. Not since Dennis Miller and friends wrote off Vinny's Jets had an MNF commentator sounded as perplexed as Tony Kornheiser when the final seconds ticked off and Minnesota had eked out a unlikely 30–27 victory. Unlikely. Unexpected. Perhaps unearned. Adrian Peterson went nowhere, but the Viking scored 30 points. The Vikings defense gave up 320 yards passing, but yielded only 10 offensive points. Reggie Bush had 269 combined yards, including 2 long touchdown returns, and yet he — along with Gramatica — was inconsolable. Saints DT Sedrick Ellis at least appeared to be consoling Gramatica at the end. Of course, he might have been giving him advice about the fastest and safest route out of town. Gramatica did NOT have a good night. In his second go–round in the league after an injury–halted first career in Tampa Bay, the kicker has never quite looked the kicker he once was. When the Saints lined up their first field goal attempt of the evening, a 46 yard effort Gramatica might once have been relied upon to make, it required a line–drive that was blocked and returned by Antoine Winfield. 10–0 became 7–7 instead. With two minutes left in the game, Gramatica was wide left from 46 yards, setting up the Vikings winning drive. Gramatica's misses overshadowed the 53 yard field goal he did make. Fortunately for referee Ed Hochuli, it also overshadowed some more questionable calls by his crew, including a possible Adrian Peterson fumble that was deemed not to be, and a Reggie Bush fumble which was — although only after the men in stripes failed to observe a helmet–twisting facemask grab that might have played a part in Bush losing his grip. Gramatica and Hochuli may be scapegoats rather than goats after the Saints fumbled three times and were intercepted twice, but the chance of either being busy come the postseason is looking remote. For the Argentinian kicker, just being around for this month's flight to England isn't certain. Gramatica's selling point used to be 'the little guy with the big leg'. Two weeks ago, he missed a 43–yarder at the 2–minute mark in a loss to Denver. The Saints could have been 4–1 at this point. In the unpredictable world of the NFL, no team is 'done' at 2–3, but for the London–bound Saints and Chargers, the prospect of both coming to London with losing records is very real. If the Saints find themselves thousands of miles from home, in the rain, relying on the foot of Gramatica, the bye week that follows could be bye–bye week for Martin. |
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