"BATTLE OF THE BIRDS" SET FOR SUNDAY

by Jordan M. Iwanyszyn

Sunday brings another NFC Championship Game, and another for my team, the Philadelphia Eagles. This is their fifth of this young century.

They will meet another team that deserves to be where they are, the suddenly-hot Arizona Cardinals.

The story of this NFC title game is primarily about the teams who are there, more specifically, the fact that these two teams did not dominate through much of the regular season.

Philadelphia floundered through the first half of the season, with the low points coming with a tie to the lowly Cincinnati Bengals, and a blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens, who are playing the Pittsburgh Steelers in tomorrow's AFC title game. Suddenly, after the benching of quarterback Donovan McNabb, the Eagles went on to win six of their last seven as it currently stands. The lone loss in that time nearly cost the season.

Just before Christmas, the Eagles had a chance to control their playoff destiny with a win over the mediocre Washington Redskins. All the Birds could muster was a field goal in a 20-3 loss, leading many "experts" to declare their season over. The Eagles would still be in the hunt, but they would have to beat Dallas the following week, along with help needed by Oakland, who would have to beat Tampa Bay, and Houston, who would have to beat Chicago. Tampa Bay losing would be highly unlikely, thought many, including yours truly.

However, it all happened. Oakland beat Tampa Bay by seven. Houston beat Chicago by that much, as well. All that was left was for Philly to beat the hated rivals from Dallas. Not only did the Birds beat the Cowboys, they drubbed them 44-6! That clinched an unlikely playoff spot for Philly as a wild card seeded at No. 6 in the NFC spectrum of the playoffs.

Philly went on the road to defeat the NFC North Champion Minnesota Vikings 26-14, which set up a Divisional Round play-off game against the despised rival New York Giants. The Giants came into the game as the NFC East champs, and the No. 1 seed for the NFC. Games the previous day gave the Eagles and their fans hope, though, as the AFC's No. 1 Tennessee lost to wild-card team Baltimore, and NFC No. 2 Carolina lost to Arizona in a blow-out. The Eagles came to East Rutherford, New Jersey with confidence against New York, and Giants' QB Eli Manning had a long day as the Birds defense led the way to a 23-11 win. The offense for Philly also performed well enough to grind out more points than the opposition.

That set up a NFC title match with the Arizona Cardinals, which followed a different path through the regular season.

After a 7-3 start which put them in position to run away with the lackluster NFC West, The Cards lost four of their last six in the regular season, including a 48-20 drubbing to the Eagles in Philadelphia on Thanksgiving day. However, Arizona ended with a 9-7 record, enough to clinch the West and grab the NFC's fourth seed, the least for a divisional winner.

The Cards found their swagger again in the playoffs. After holding off Atlanta in a 30-24 win in the wild-card round, Arizona had to go on the road to Charlotte to play the Carolina Panthers. Until this time, the Cards had not won a single game in the East this season. That changed as Arizona slammed the NFC's No. 2 seed 33-13 after forcing six turnovers.

So now, that sets up a BATTLE OF THE BIRDS in the Arizona desert tomorrow afternoon. A solid Philly defense will meet a hot Arizona offense. A strong Eagle rushing attack will try to give the Cards fits through the afternoon. It promises to be a good matchup. It starts at 3 PM ET on Fox.

I pick the Eagles by three, but this one could go either way...

"MIRACLE ON THE HUDSON"

Story by Jordan M. Iwanyszyn

That is what Drudge Report called a heroic rescue after US Airways Flight 1549 was landed in New York's Hudson River Thursday afternoon after reportedly sustaining a bird strike.

It truly was a miracle in the fact that all 155 people aboard had survived, despite temperatures in New York of the single-digit variety, and ice forming on the shores of the Hudson.

The pilot, Chesley B. Sullenberger III, is a modern-day hero. A former U.S. Air Force captain, he has now been flying commercially for 28 years. He first flew for Pacific Southwest Airlines, and then for US Airways when it acquired PSA. He has reportedly put in 19,000 hours of flight, and it showed. His skills and leadership were crucial in the survival of all aboard.

The Airbus A320 had left LaGuardia International Airport in New York and reached an altitude of 3,200 feet in the space of a minute-and-a-half, when it had hit what appears to have been some geese, which caused thrust in both engines to be lost. It what could have been a catastrophe, especially if the plane crashed somewhere in Manhattan, Sullenberger was able to engineer a calculated water landing, thus averting serious loss of life and property. It is truly amazing!

The good hearts of Americans shined through in this event, as well. Within moments, numerous watertaxis and ferryboats that saw the whole thing unfold descended onto the scene, and scooped out the passengers of the downed plane. Their quick response ensured that no one suffered severe injury due to the cold. It also ensured that no one would go down with the plane in the event that it would have started to sink, which didn't happen, thank God.

This is truly a remarkable and heart-warming story in this day-in-age when we hear so much negative about disasters and the crooks in life. Through the potential for serious harm, it was averted and the heroism of our fellow countrymen shined through. Just like the response after 9/11 from Americans, and many all over the world, people put others before their own self-interest. Because of that, not a single person lost their life!

This truly was a miracle, and an example of the good hearts of the vast majority of the people of America!

Former Senate Majority Leader Frist Pulls Himself Out Of 2010 Contest For Tennessee Governor, Wamp And Gibbons In On GOP Side, No One Yet For Dems.

by Jordan M. Iwanyszyn

Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Republican from Tennessee, decided against running for governor of his state in 2010 on Sunday. The departure of his name from the race sets up a likely crowded field for both Republicans and Democrats.

Two Republicans eager to jump into the race if Frist didn't made their intentions clear quickly. Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons jumped in Sunday, and was followed by Rep. Zach Wamp of Chattanooga with an announcement Monday.

That likely won't be the whole field. Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam, a wealthy former oil executive whose family founded Pilot Corp., is reportedly about to embark on a cross-state tour to announce a bid. Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey, a state senator from northeast Tennessee, is considering it, but says financial and fundraising support will be crucial in his decision. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, a solid conservative from the wealthy southern Nashville suburbs in Williamson County, reportedly made it known through her press secretary that she is also considering a bid. Other GOP candidates may also make a bid.

On the Democratic side, the biggest name that often comes up is that of Rep. Lincoln Davis, who represents a mostly rural district in eastern Middle Tennessee. He has not committed to a race yet, however. Former State House Majority Leader Kim McMillan from Clarksville has already formed an exploratory committee to allow her to raise funds for a race. Freshman State Senator Andy Berke of Chattanooga is "exploring the possibility". State Senator Roy Herron and Knoxville developer Doug Horne may also make bids.

Should the above make up the field, count on Haslam, Wamp, and Blackburn to lead the GOP, and Davis to be the frontrunner for the Dems.

We'll watch this one....

Candidates lining up for run at governor's office in 2010
Wamp declares gubernatorial candidacy
Tennessee: Race to succeed Wamp could get crowded (on who will replace Wamp in the U.S. House)
Wamp Announces Run for Tennessee Governor - CQPolitics
Frist Says No Bid For Governor In 2010