Garbage Time Sports Fall 2011: What We've Missed
The NFL's Surprise Four 
Through Week 10, the Bills, Bengals, Niners, and Lions were a combined 30-11, and all sitting in playoff position. The combined record of those four last year? 26-54. 
Year of the Rookie Quarterback
Five rookie signal-callers have played significant roles on their teams through the NFL's Week 11. Most notable: Bengal Andy Dalton's 2,239 yards and 15 passing scores and Panther Cam Newton's 3,300 total yards and 19 TDs. Christian Ponder (Vikings) and Blaine Gabbert (Jaguars) have both started over half of their teams games, and Jake Locker (Titans) could see his first start after three solid relief appearances. 

*Stats as of Week 11
Tebow (Somehow) Gets it Done 
Playing in a specially tailored offense that reminds many of the Broncos' smashmouth days nearly a decade ago, Tebow has won four of his first five starts as Denver's quarterback in 2011. The personal stats may be ugly (11 total pass completions in Weeks 10 and 11), but Tebow has shown enough to Elway and co. that they deemed Kyle Orton expendable on November 21st. Have faith.
Bengals Win Big in Palmer Trade
After months of Mike Brown-bashing, a pseudo-retirement by Carson Palmer, and deep-rooted resentment in Cincinnati, the Palmer Ordeal ended paradoxically: with joy. The disgruntled QB was sent to his native California to replace the injured Jason Campbell as a Raider, and the Bengals stole a 2011 first rounder and a 2012 second rounder (that could become a first depending on whether the Raiders make the 2012 or '13 AFC Championship). The Cold War of Resentment finally came to an end with Palmer tanning in his beloved Cali sun, and Cincy dreaming of a future brighter than Brian Scalabrine's pasty belly. 
MLB Powerhouses Fall Short
The MLB's two biggest bullies (along with their combined $375,665,407 million payroll and 199-125 record) were knocked out early by their Division Series foes. The Phils fell to the Cards, and the Yanks to the Tigers. But hey, look on the bright side: it's just another excuse to spend disproportianate amounts of money this offseason.
Joe Frazier Dies
On November 7, Smokin’ Joe Frazier died after a short battle with liver cancer. The legendary heavyweight boxer won a gold medal in 1964, but is known for his three fights against Muhammad Ali. Frazier defeated Ali in 1971 during "The Fight of the Century" at Madison Square Garden, but lost to him in 1974 and 1975.
Dan Wheldon's Fatal Accident
Dan Wheldon, the two-time and reigning Indy 500 Champion, was killed in a 15-car crash at the Las Vegas Indy 300. The accident inspired much discourse over the safety of IndyCar racing. He had a wife and two young sons.
Barack Obama sat courtside and watched No. 1 North Carolina beat Michigan State 67-55 on Friday, November 11, in the Carrier Classic on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson. The game marked the first college hoops game on an active aircraft carrier and kicked the season off to a great start. 
College Basketball Gets off to a Flying Start
(Get it?)
The biggest question entering the 2011-12 season was when Sidney Crosby would return. The Penguins were very conservative in bringing him back, and, after sitting 20 games, he debuted against the Islanders on November 21. Although many believed the Pens would ease Crosby back into the rotation and limit his ice time, he made an immediate impact in 21 shifts. He finished with four points on two goals and two assists in Pittsburgh’s 5-0 win. 
Sid (Finally) Returns
Mo Rises to the Top
On September 19, Mariano Rivera closed out the Yankees’ 6-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins to earn his 602nd save and pass Trevor Hoffman to set the record for the most saves in an MLB career. 
Pittsburgh and Syracuse were accepted as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, extending the league's current membership to 14 schools. They'll be joining the Dukies and UNC, which makes it almost a given the ACC will replace the Big East as the best conference in college basketball.  
Pitt, Cuse to ACC
Coach K became Division I's winningest coach when No. 6 Duke beat Michigan State 74-69 on Tuesday, November 15, in the State Farm Champions Classic at Madison Square Garden. Behind Andre Dawkin’s 26 points and Seth Curry’s 20, the Blue Devils gave Mike Krzyzewski his 903rd win, breaking the tie with Knight, Krzyzewski's college coach at Army and his mentor throughout his professional career. Even before embracing his family, Krzyzewski, with tears in his eyes, went right across the court and hugged Knight, who broadcasted the game. 
Coach K Wins #903
MLB Award Winners
Justin Verlander, who finished the season with a 24-5 record, a 2.40 ERA, and 250 strikeouts, won both the AL Cy Young and MVP. He also pitched his second career no-hitter at Toronto on May 7 and became the first starting pitcher in a quarter-century to win MVP.

Ryan Braun beat out Matt Kemp to win the NL MVP. The four-time All-Star had 33 homers and 111 RBIs, scored 109 runs, and stole 33 bases as Milwaukee won a franchise-best 96 games. His 77 extra-base hits was tops in the league.
Left-hander Clayton Kershaw won the NL Cy Young after going 21-5 and leading the league in ERA (2.28) and strikeouts (248).
Al Davis Dies
After six decades in football, the legendary Raiders boss passed away at 82. Despite leaving a unique impact on the game of football, the cushy and loving reception to his death was contrary to the universally crotchety view of Davis during the past few years. He'd been made out as downright villainous, so treating his passing like that of Santa Claus seemed ill-fitted and, quite frankly, hollow. 
Cards Win a Wild World Series
With both sides miles apart in negotiations, the fall heeded a number of progressive conclusions that doomed the 2011-2012 season. On October 4th, the preseason was canceled. On October 10th, the first two weeks of games were killed and eventually, on October 28th, the entirety of November. After the players refused a last-ditch offer on November 14th, the union decertified (by dissolving into a trade association) and games were canceled through December 15th the next day. With players now filing anti-trust lawsuits in two states, the chance of a season, however shortened, is becoming less likely.
NBA Season in Jeopardy After Fruitless Talks
Despite not getting into the postseason until the season's 162nd game, facing a 3-2 deficit in the World Series, and twice being down to their final strike, the Cards reached the top of the baseball world on October 28th. Albert Pujols' three homer Game 3 was nothing compared to the Game 6 thriller in which St. Louis came from behind after being down two in both the ninth and tenth innings, to win on a walk off homerun in the eleventh. David Freese, the Series MVP, played perhaps the greatest single game in postseason history, not only hitting the walk off homer, but also banging a two-out, two-strike, two-RBI triple to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth.  Following the Series, Cards skipper Tony La Russa announced his retirement after 33 years a major league manager.
In unquestionably the most anticipated college football game of the season, the No. 1 LSU Tigers traveled to Tuscaloosa to take on the No. 2 Alabama Tide. Both SEC powerhouses were known for their stellar defenses, which was apparent in the game. Neither team found the end zone, even with extra time. LSU ended up winning 9 to 6 on a 25-yard field goal in overtime.
LSU-'Bama Ends Up Strictly Defensive
Manning's Neck Injury Dooms the Proud Colts
After ten weeks of NFL action, the MVP thus far could not be clearer: Peyton Manning’s neck. With Manning, the Colts were projected to be a Super Bowl contender. Without him, they remain winless. Neck surgery forced the Indianapolis quarterback to miss the season opener, snapping a streak of consecutive starts at 227, second all-time behind Brett Favre’s 321. With the Colts as far from the playoff picture as possible, Manning is unlikely to return this season even if his health may allow him to. For all of you fantasy owners that picked Manning in the second round thinking you had a steal, I feel for ya.
Thrilling Maui Invitational Gets the Real College Basketball Season Started
There are a number of prestigious tournaments that kick off the college basketball season. But none more than the Maui Invitational. The tournament featured a strong field consisting of big name programs like UCLA, Tennessee, Memphis, Michigan, Georgetown, Kansas, and Duke. No. 6 Duke and No. 14 Kansas were clearly the favorites. The two handled the field with ease and met in the final on November 23. As the two traded baskets all game, it wasn’t until Duke’s backup point guard, who was in the game instead of highly-touted freshman Austin Rivers, hit two clutch 3s to put the Blue Devils ahead. The second, which came with just twenty seconds left as the shot clock neared 0, was on off-balanced shot with a swarm of defenders in his face. Duke ended up winning 68-61 to win its fifth Maui Invitational title. Thornton, Mason Plumlee, and Ryan Kelly, who won tournament MVP, stole the spotlight from Austin Rivers and Seth Curry, both of which have been criticized for their shot selection thus far.
The Night of the Collapse(s)
Baseball went crazy for a night to end it's 2011 regular season, with a series of serendipitous events that capped one of the oddest months in league history. Leading Tampa Bay by nine games on September 4th, the Red Sox lost 16 of their next  23 to enter  Game 162 tied with the Rays. The Sox then blew a save in the bottom of the ninth inning to lose 4-3 against Baltimore, and the Rays erased a 7-0 deficit to win in extras against the Yankees. What had a 99.6% chance of happening in early September slipped out of the Sox grasp in a matter of minutes. The Boston implosion came as a result of porous pitching, but in the NL, the Braves collapsed thanks to a complete offensive letdown through the season's final month. Squandering what was an 8.5 game lead over the Cardinals on September 6th (and a 3 game lead with 5 to play), Atlanta lost their last five contests and joined the Sox on the train to the longest winter imaginable.
The Sports Scandal of a Generation
Everything that came out of the Penn State scandal reeked of sports' most problematic element: entitlement. Jocks, coaches, teams, and entire programs are pumped up by a hungry media (of which we're an admitted part of) and an adoring fan base. A casing of invincibility surrounds these figures, lessening morals and belittling any authority. Nobody can tell you not to do something if you're on top of the world, and that's how many involved with sports feel. We saw it with people like Tiger Woods and Ben Roethlisberger on an individual level, and Penn State just magnified the problem on a larger scale. The answer isn't simply "sports are too big". Belittling their importance is ignorant and insulting to the people that love them so much. Instead, the focus needs to be shifted back to the joy of what the games bring us. Once the incessant posturing and invincibility complexes cease, we can return to the true experience of the games we love. What happens on the field, the intensity of competition, the glory of victory: these are the things we need to pump up.
Jets Open to Loving Winnipeg
Any attempt at a description of Opening Night at the MTS Center on October 8th would fall short. It was insane. Mind blowing. Take it from a Winnipegger himself: the city is crazier about their sport than perhaps any other place in North America. "Lets Go Jets" chants ring out on the streets and during country music concerts, the season ticket waitlist grows like a weed, and it seems the MTS Center breaks sound barriers set by actual jets for every home game. It's football in Green Bay on steroids. Take my native word for it.
After being indicted by the Pennsylvania Attorney General on 40 counts of sex crimes against young boys on November 4th, former Penn State Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky became the center of a scandal that took down an administration, a living legend, and an entire state university. Once Sandusky was arrested, the press caught fire with descriptions of various allegations that Sandusky abused children he had met through his charity The Second Mile and during his volunteer coaching jobs at a local high school. Every major news outlet ran a preliminary story on the scandal, focusing mostly on a 2002 incident in which recievers coach Mike McQueery (then a graduate assistant), walked in on Sandusky with a ten year old boy in the locker room showers. After reporting the incident to his superiors, a slow and broken up process heeded no immediate action or even a report to the police. Clearly, there was some wrongdoing in the chain of command; from Coach Joe Paterno to Athletic Director Tim Curley, to Senior Vice President Gary Shultz an administrative breakdown had occurred that let a child sex crime go unmentioned for the betterment of the football program and the university. Responding to the media firestorm in haste, Penn State President Graham Spanier made a doomed remark about the school's unconditional support of Curley and Shultz, both of whom would soon be found guilty of grand jury perjury and failure to report suspected child abuse. Once the gravity of the situation became apparent, the Board of Trustees ousted Spanier and Paterno, making their first major moves to clean house and start anew. Given Paterno's aura and status, students rioted over the university's decision to fire him after his tenure as the greatest coach in college football history. It was a terrible end to an incredible career. Penn State is now left to pick up the pieces of a program and university shattered.
Galaxy wins MLS Cup
The L.A. Galaxy and Houston Dynamo faced off for the MLS Cup on November 20. Galaxy forward Landon Donovan scored in the 72nd minute to give L.A. the 1-0 victory. The game marks the first championship that Donovan and David Beckham won in their five years, acting as a vindicator of the "Beckham Experiment". Chances of Becks re-signing are slim, but his time this side of the pond will no longer be viewed as somewhat of a failure.
Those are the major events of the fall that we failed to cover in a timely fashion. We thank you again, on our second anniversary, for your viewership and support. The blog, however time consuming, has been an integral part of our lives over the past two years, and your reading, commenting, and mentioning of our posts is what gives our work value.