John Amaechi has got to be the smartest guy to ever play in the NBA

I remember him as a slightly below average power forward for the Orlando Magic.  But he's most well known for being the first openly gay NBA player, coming out in 2007 a few years after he retired.  I was not aware that he went to Penn State however, until I saw this interview last week.  I had also never heard him speak before.  It's pretty amazing, he sounds more like a Harvard professor than a professional athlete.  It gets REALLY good just after the 3 minute mark.

Brrr, the Tebometer continues to drop...

Well, it appears that the Tebometer is here to stay.  Tim Tebow's 9-20 performance against the Jets last night dropped him to 97-207 for his career, a completion rate of 46.9%, down from 47.1% last week.  In 6 games this year (and the finale of last year) he has yet to complete 50% of his passes even once.  By comparison, Tom Brady has completed more than half of his passes in 27 consecutive games (and at least 50% in 144 of 153 games in his career).

The Broncos have won 4 of the 5 games that Tebow has started, but the numbers suggest that it actually has very little to do with him.  Denver has scored more than 18 points only once in the last 5 games, but has managed to win 3 times while scoring 18 or less.  So unless Tebow is also secretly playing defense, I don't think he's the one primarily responsible for the Broncos' recent success.

Chris Berman and Kelly Clarkson Toyota Commercial: Match Made in Heaven

The Swami must finally be realizing that his Steely Dan references and aging puns are starting to get a little out of date (I swear I heard him say David "Green" Akers on NFL Primetime last week).  I applaud his attempt to stay hip and rock out to what the kids are listening to these days.  I don't really get why he wants to hang out with James Lipton and that guy from "Bizarre Foods" on the Travel Channel though.  At least those guys have to sit in the back seat.  Stick with Kelly Clarkson Chris, she'll take you places...

I have to admit, the song is kinda catchy though.

What's the best kind of cracker?

I think the proper way to determine this is to consider if health and calories were not a factor, which one would you be most likely to sit down and eat the whole box of just cause they're that good.  To me it's a two horse race: Cheez-its vs. Triscuits.  I could see somebody making a case for Animal Crackers, but I'm ruling them out because they're sweet and possibly a cookie.  Goldfish are another legitimate contender, but really aren't they just a poor man's Cheez-its?  I once dated a girl who claimed Ritz were her favorite, but I think she was just trying to pick a fight.  Saltines, Wheat Thins, and a ton of others have no chance because they're similar to Triscuits but clearly inferior.  I feel obligated to at least mention Graham Crackers, but nobody actually thinks they're the best.

So that brings me back to Cheez-it's and Triscuits.  If all I had was a box of crackers and nothing else, I think I might go with Cheez-it's.  But overall, I have to pick Triscuits because of their versatility.  They're great with peanut butter.  They're great with cheese.  I actually eat them all the time with both peanut butter and cheese, especially spicy pepper jack cheese (I know it sounds weird but trust me it's awesome, try it).  And in a pinch you can even crumble them in soup if they're all you've got.  Good work Triscuits.

If you disagree feel free to voice you're argument in the comments section.

Yesterday I got the most frustrating shoutout ever live on ESPN

During the "Mike and Mike" show yesterday they asked for tweets of 5 words or less on the state of your favorite NFL team.  I sent them "Patriots: as confident as always."  Sorry the video sucks, but the only option I had was to use my cell phone pointed at the TV...

Ah man, I can't believe they called me Mark!  Why couldn't they say "LucidSportsFan"!?  And the really disappointing thing is that in the 45 seconds they spent talking about what I said a bunch of other tweets were posted on the screen, but not mine.  I'm trying to build a blogging empire here Mike and Mike!  C'mon, a little help?

Tebometer Monday. Can this really be a thing?

I've got to be honest, the first time I wrote about the "Tebometer" I thought it was a funny little gimmick.  But I never really considered the possibility that it could last.  There were two potential scenarios: either he would stink and end up back on the bench, or be mediocre enough to get his completion rate above 50%.  Yet somehow neither of those is the case.  He can't throw the ball in the ocean, but his team is winning games.  So for now, his quest continues.


Tim Tebow's stats from Sunday vs. the Chiefs: 2-8, for 69 yards.  All 31 other starting QB's, and 2 backups, put up better passing numbers than he did last weekend.  For his career he's now 88-187, which puts his completion rate at 47.1%, down from 48% last week.

And how about this tidbit: it's been 29 years since an NFL team won a game with fewer than 10 pass attempts and only 2 completions.  And that was the infamous "Snow Plow Game"  in 1982 when the Pats beat the Dolphins 3-0.  Steve Grogan went 2-5 in a blizzard on that December day in Foxboro.  The other day in Kansas City it was 57 degrees and slightly overcast.

The Bruins look pretty good for a last place team. Definitely better than Winnipeg. Wait, Winnipeg?!?

Because of their Stanley Cup hangover induced 2-7 start, the Bruins have just 16 points, which ties them for last in the Adams Northeast Division with the Hartford Whalers Canadiens.  But, the B's also look like the best team in the NHL right now.  They've won 5 games in a row improving to 8-7, while averaging 6 goals a game during the streak.  Their goal differential is +17 for the season, easily the best in the NHL (Washington is 2nd at +13).  And Tyler Seguin has already matched his total from last year with his team leading 11 goals, including 7 in the last 4 games.  Seguin is also tops in the league with a +/- of 14.

If you've read my stuff in the past you know I'm not really a big hockey guy.  In fact, when I looked at the NHL standings just now, it was for the first time this season.  So I was particularly surprised by what I saw in the Southeast Division: Washington 1st, Florida 2nd, Tampa 3rd, Carolina 4th, and in last place, Winnipeg.  WINNIPEG!?!  In '96 the Winnipeg Jets became the Phoenix Coyotes.  And this year the Atlanta Thrashers became the new Winnipeg Jets.  And if you never even knew there was such a team as the "Atlanta Thrashers," I don't blame you.  In the franchise's storied 12 years of existence they made the playoffs only one time, a fairly impressive level of ineptitude in a league where over half of the teams qualify for the post season each year.