I can't say the pressure on me was as bad as sports writer Stefan Fatsis when he attempted a field goal at Broncos training camp for a book he was writing, but I'm willing to bet taking the last penalty in a shootout to win a soccer game (which I've done) could probably compare.  Check out the video.  Its a pretty entertaining story and it gives you a little glimpse of what athletes sometimes go through during competition.

I'm pretty sure many of you can agree with me on the fact that it's time for the hard hitting action to return. I'm tired of hearing about big name players in Green Bay (no names mentioned) whining about how he was forced to retire early to make the front office happy and now he wants to play again. Does anyone else feel sorry for Aaron Rodgers? This poor guy has gone through some traumatic experiences and has yet to be a full-time starter for an NFL team. He has seen his face value plummet during the NFL draft. He sat patiently at his table, waiting to hear his name called. He was considered to be a #1 overall pick and instead set the precedence for Brady Quinn. And now he's got a future hall of famer claiming that he wants to come out of retirement and that the Packers should give him the starting job or release him. It has to do wonders for the kids confidence if the Pack's front office was to even consider giving Favre the job back (whoops, mentioned his name...)

Then there is the situation in Dallas. Who else is waiting for this team to implode? You've got T.O. on the offensive side of the ball, teaming up with new found best friend Tony Romo. I still can't get over the tearful escapade that Owens pulled when trying to show support for his starting QB. Then again, this team is my pre-season pick to win the Superbowl so I suppose I can't bash them too much.

The defense includes recently re-instated Adam "Pacman" Jones, except that we're not supposed to use the name Pacman anymore. So instead, Adam Jones the football player will now try to resurrect his career in big D. He has a lot to prove to the league and it's not going to be easy considering he's playing on the same squad with the likes of Tank Johnson and Roy Williams. Is this the 2008 version of "America's Team", criminal intent included with the whole package?

Jason Taylor is the newest Redskin and, obviously, this signing is going to lead to an immediate championship in Washington. I mean, c'mon, how can you not win a Superbowl when you have such a stellar QB in Jason Campbell and a defense bolstered by a future hall of famer? If you add this all in with the consistent rotation of wide receivers, the spectacular decision making that decided to take a TE with the second overall pick in their draft, and Dan Snyder (enough said), a non-betting man couldn't pass up the offer to pick this team to go all the way. There is no way that the defending Superbowl champs and the NFC favorites are going to be able to contend.

New England would be smart to leave Wes Welker exactly where he is; the slot is his best position on the field and moving Jabbar Gaffney into the second spot would be the most outstanding move they could make. Losing Stallworth is not the end of the world and, quite frankly, Gaffney seems to have his heart in the game a bit more then Dante did. It's hard to think of a team that had a 4th WR on their roster with the talent that Gaffney possesses. It makes it difficult to look past New England as a Superbowl shoo-in this season.

Jeremy Shockey has found a new home. He better change his attitude to play for a team as holy as the Saints. Shockey got what he wanted when handed a quick ticket out of the big apple and off to a team that has a potent offense that will know how to use him. His personal connections with head coach Sean Payton will be a great upgrade, not to mention his ability to spread the Saints offense out. Colston, Bush, and Shockey are now all targets for one of the best offensive-minded QB's in the NFL... now all they need is defense... again.

There is so much going on in the NFL! We are only a week and a half away from the beginning of pre-season. Yes, it's a tease, but it's a start. Soon enough, September will roll around and Sundays will have meaning again! So until next time, sweet dreams of touchdowns, field goals, sacks, first downs, cheerleaders, Tom Brady, and anything else football related... you're not human if you don't sleep soundly with something this exciting right around the corner!

Shaun Suisham of the Washington Redskins. . . is it real? I think if it was real the Redskins would be going for that perfect season the Pats couldn't achieve.  Very unlikely. 

This will be the second year in a row that TKS will have this opportunity.

"We are thankful to be able to part of the SDSU Coaching Staff for a day and help instruct and evaluate players for the 2009 season.  We had a great time last year and looking for a bigger and better camp this year.  We had a great turnout and are expecting over 50 kids. We look forward to continuing our relationship with SDSU and build a strong kicking contingent at the MESA."  --John Matich, Owner, The Kicking System

This years camp includes the following:

* Kicking Technique
* Cutting Edge Stretching and Conditioning for kickers
* Competitions and Awards!
* Exposure to SDSU coaches
* Instruction from current and and former college kickers
* Learn the TKS System of kicking!
* Special Guest Speech during Lunch 

Click here for registration:

http://www.kickingsystem.com/camps.html 

Finally, as close to a complete game as you could ask for.  So many times this season the Bears were able to play well in one phase of the game while being disturbingly awful in another.  Today, they were able to put it all together and show everyone what they are capable of. 

The Bears resurrected their identity as a running team that plays fast, stingy defense.  Sure, the offense wasn't lighting things up, but you have to be excited that we stuck to the run game and were efficient in it.  Our defense played well for the second straight game.  Outside linebacker Jamar Williams had five tackles in place of the injured Lance Briggs and looks like he could make Briggs expendable if it ever were to come to that.  I want to see more of what Williams can do but he has a ton of upside.  Brian Urlacher played like a man bitter that he'll be missing a trip to Hawaii this year.  Amazingly, his interception return for a touchdown was the first of his career.  Shocking.  Doesn't Raiders linebacker Thomas Howard have a few THIS YEAR?

 Last but not least, you have to commend our special teams unit for the two blocked punts that really turned the tide in our favor.  Charles "Peanut" Tillman has now blocked two in the last few games.  The man is brilliant and it appears that cutting off his dreads will have no effect on his playmaking abilities.  Kudos to Robbie Gould for that curveball field goal too.  The Bears just know how to play in nasty conditions.  It is quite relieving to know what plagues are team isn't an issue of personnel (some might argue) but in fact, a matter of consistency.  The three phases are solid at least--if only they would be willing to show up at the same time.

Otra de las cosas que mas me gustan en este deporte, es que su liga en EUA le gusta la perfección, sin embargo saben que parte del deporte es el error humano en la apreciación de los árbitros, por lo que dan la oportunidad a los entrenadores en jefe de pedir la revision de las jugadas, que también estan limitadas. Además la regla limita a que solamente los árbitros podran pedir la revisión de jugadas escenciales solamente en los dos últimos minutos de cada cuarto. Y dice la regla que tendrá que haber 0 dudas de que la decisión fue incorrecta. De este modo existen desiciones que cambian la historia de los partidos, creando así un juego mas justo y perfecto y, sobre todo, emocionante. Esa es mi opinión.

Hoy el juego entre los Cafés de Cleveland contra los Cuervos de Baltimore fue muy extraño. Y mas aún emocionante. Y por demás, la patada histórica que le dió a los café la oportunidad de empatar el partido y por consiguiente no perderlo.

Despues de varias intercepciones, errores de jugadas, una anotación de mas de 100 yardas, llegan a faltar como 3 segundos del 4o Cuarto, el juego estaba 27-30 a favor de Baltimore. En la última jugada del partido envían a Phil Dawson a intentar un gol de campo de 51 yardas, cuando el más largo que había logrado fue de 45. Al momento de patear la pelota se va desviando ligeramente con el viento, y golpea uno de los postes del  marco de anotación enviando la pelota hacia adentro del área delimitada por los mismos. Sin embargo cuando cae rebota en el poste que sostiene el travesaño horizontal y la pelota regresa al campo. Deficil de creer desde el punto de vista de que niplaneado no lo hubiera logrado hacer. Sin embargo los arbitros la declaran mala y de esa manera Cleveland pierde los tres puntos del empate. Cuando estaban empezando a irse a los lockers, le arbitro principal anuncia que revisará la jugada, que terminó revirtiendo la decisión original. Con esto Cleveland empata el partido, gana el volado para iniciar el tiempo extra y anotan otro gol de campo para así ganar el juego.

De ese modo el partido se torno más emocionante, gano el que era justo que ganara y todos contentos se fueron a su casa. Bueno, creo que los de Baltimore no lo estuvieron tanto. ;)

Les recomiendo ver la jugada en la NFL.com, tiene mejor calidad que el video de youtube.com

By: David YoungBlood

Sports Writer

Junior kicker Jason Ricks hit a field goal with seconds remaining and Oklahoma State survived another shootout to defeat Kansas State 41-39 on Saturday for its first homecoming victory in four years.

“Obviously, it was a big win for Oklahoma State,” coach Mike Gundy said. “It was nice that we could come through on Homecoming. We had tremendous fan support; it’s what makes OSU special. I just want to give it up for our fans and the way they came out and supported out team.”

Oklahoma State (5-3, 3-1 Big 12) looked sharp on offense again, piling up 510 total yards, including 329 yards on the ground, to outscore the high-powered passing offense of Kansas State (4-3, 2-2 Big 12) and maintain a tie for 1st place in the Big 12 South.

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Senior running back Dantrell Savage led the way again for the Cowboys, finishing with 124 rushing yards—his fourth straight game with more than 100 yards on the ground—and a touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Zac Robinson was 11-25 with 181 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, adding 109 rushing yards.

“I thought he did a heck of a job,” offensive coordinator Larry Fedora said of Robinson. “He made some plays when they had to be made, pulling the ball down, scrambling; he did some phenomenal things today.”

The offense failed to click early and the Wildcats jumped out to a quick lead. Trailing 14-0, quarterback Zac Robinson would throw deep to senior receiver Adarius Bowman, only to have it intercepted on the Wildcat 1-yard line by senior defensive back Byron Garvin.

Near the end of the first quarter, the offense would start to find its rhythm, as Robinson and freshman running back Kendall Hunter slashed through the Wildcat defense to set up a 24-yard touchdown pass, with Robinson throwing the fade to freshman receiver Dez Bryant, who made a leaping grab to draw the Pokes within 14-7.

The Kansas State offense was relentless, however, scoring on a yard pass to senior receiver Jordy Nelson, who would finish the game with 12 catches for 176 yards and three touchdowns. The Cowboys immediately struck back, with sophomore Perrish Cox returning the ensuing kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to make the score 21-14. It was the longest return by a Cowboy since Barry Sanders returned a kick 100 yards in 1988.

“We challenged Perrish all week on special teams, and he stepped up and made a play,” Gundy said. “We’d been struggling on offense, and that was a huge momentum swing.”

After a forced fumble by Cowboy safety Quentin Moore, the Cowboys marched down the field again. A deep pass from junior receiver Seth Newton to Bowman was broken up at the last second by senior Marcus Watts, but the Pokes still made it to the K-State 2 before senior running backs Julius Crosslin and Dantrell Savage were stopped short of the goal line on four straight runs, giving the ball back to the Wildcats on downs.

The Cowboys got the ball back with 1:59 left in the first half and drove to the 10-yard line, when Bryant appeared to be pushed out of the end zone but didn’t get the call. OSU settled for a field goal and trailed 21-17 at half.

On the first drive of the second half, the Cowboys survived a Robinson interception that was ruled incomplete upon review, and Hunter picked up a first down on a crucial 4th and 2 to set up a 7-yard touchdown run by Savage as OSU took its first lead of the game, 24-21.

Trailing 28-24 near the end of the third quarter, a Cowboy punt hit off the leg of a Wildcat player and was recovered by the Pokes. Oklahoma State drove down to the KSU 4, but was again struck by miscues, as a holding call backed the Pokes up. However, on 3rd and 9 from the 10, Bryant caught a short pass and squirted by defenders for his second touchdown of the game to put OSU up 31-28.

After a Kansas State field goal tied the game at 31-31, Robinson connected with junior tight end Brandon Pettigrew, who shook off a Wildcat tackler and sprinted in for a ?-yard touchdown with less than five minutes remaining to put the Pokes on top, 38-31, and conjure memories of his game-winning catch against Texas Tech.

“Brandon did was he does when we get the ball in his hands,” Fedora said. “He makes a play. More times than not when he touches the ball, he makes something happen.”

Kansas State looked unstoppable on offense, though, and drove right back down the field to score a touchdown and bring the game to 38-37 with 1:10 left. Rather than kick the extra point for the tie, however, the Wildcats went for two and converted on a pass to Nelson to go up 39-38.

Bowman, who finished with six catches for 81 yards, said the team’s faith never wavered, even trailing with just barely more than a minute remaining.

“I looked at our offense and said, ‘if they leave us a minute on the clock, we’re gonna win,’” Bowman said. “I got faith in our offense.”

Senior receiver Tommy Devereaux returned the kickoff to the OSU 42 to give the Cowboys good field position. Robinson threw up a pass to Savage, who leaped over a defender and hauled it in for a 24-yard gain down to the 18-yard line.

The Cowboys let the clock run down to six seconds left in the game, then Ricks’ 26-yard field goal split the uprights with :02 remaining and the Cowboys won 41-39.

“I really think this win could spark us off to a lot more wins this season,” Bowman said. “To win the Big XII South, this was a must-win game. Our confidence is really high, and I think it’s only going to carry on throughout the rest of the season.”

If you missed this play then you missed out on the play of the weekend! LSU's fake field goal attempt was righteous!!

You can go here and vote for ESPN's Pontiac Game Changing Performance and watch 4 incredible plays from this weekend!