The Day-After Syndrome

One of sports reporters' (and sports fans; I'm not sure what the difference is, anyway) most predictable tendencies is their penchant for making the most recent game more important than pretty much all other history put together. And there's no better or more consistent example of this tendency than the Daily Bandwagon--er, Quickie. Here are some excerpts from today's column, which is highly typical:

As an early Jags bandwagoneer the first time around (and, um, among the first off), I'm happy to climb back aboard after a textbook "prove-it" win, upending the Colts at Indy thanks to yet another "cardiac Cats" thriller. Here's a slogan to throw at doubters: First place is first place.

Although Shanoff is famous for making disastrous predictions and then writing the very next day as if nothing had happened, his most recent prognostications have gotten so bad that even he has been forced to acknowledge them (see "The ALCS is over," below). But now he's back on with the Jags! For sure!

Prove-It Game (... or Not): Between two rising teams, NYG proved that 4-1 was a facade, but DET proved they're for real (3-0 on road).

Remember the rule: The most recent game is worth more than all the other previous games put together. The Giants lost yesterday, so they stink. That 4-1 record they compiled the first six weeks? A "facade."

Vick's Impotence: Who isn't ready to finally declare the West Coast offense the sorriest waste of Vick's talent (7/21, 2 INT).

I have a feeling I'm going to get pretty tired of pointing this out, but what was the offense run by Steve Young, only the greatest running QB in the history of the game? Oh yeah, it was the West Coast. I once heard Steve say that you score touchdowns by making plays, but you win games (and championships) by running an offense. All these critics of Vick-as-West-Coast-QB have yet to actually propose an offensive scheme. What do they want? The wishbone? Sandlot? "Okay, everybody go out. I'll just start to run after the 3-mississippi rush."

A brief note on the World Series. Opinion in the press seems to be split over whether or not the Series will come back to Fenway. Hello? Y'all might remember that both LCS' started out with a 2-0 lead for the home team, and both ended up going 7 games. It's likely that the St. Louis pessimists are looking at the Game 3 matchup (Martinez vs. Suppan) and proclaiming a blowout. But look at their respective postseason stats:

Martinez (1-1, 5.40 ERA)
Suppan (2-1, 2.84 ERA)

If you erased the last names, which side would you bet on?