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Stat of the Week
Week of October 29, 2007
(9)
The number of plays (9) it took Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan to lead the Eagles on a 92 yard scoring drive during the fourth quarter against Virginia Tech on October 26. The senior QB connected with Rich Gunnell on a 16 yard strike to get Boston College on the board—but with only 2:11 left on the clock and his team still trailing 10-7, it took an onside kick recovery for Ryan to get a shot at keeping the Eagles perfect on the season. It took only seven plays for him to find the end zone a second time. Ryan connected with Andre Callender from 24 yards out with only :11 left on the clock to improve the number two ranked team in the BCS standings to 8-0 on the season.
Congratulations to the Boston Red Sox on winning the seventh World Series title in franchise history.
World Series Numbers
(1)
The number of at bats (1) for Red Sox outfielder Bobby Kielty. The seldom-used outfielder hit only one homerun in 52 at bats for Boston during the regular season and he did not bat at all during the first three games of the World Series. He got the first World Series at bat of his career in the eighth inning of game four—and he hit a solo homerun that was the difference in a 4-3 victory.
(3)
The number of saves (3) for Boston closer Jonathan Papelbon. He was on the mound to close out games two, three, and four. Papelbon, who was sixth in the league with 37 saves during the regular season, struck out Seth Smith for the final out of the World Series.
(6)
The number of runs (6) for Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell. He posted a .500 on-base percentage for the series after batting 6 for 15 with three walks. Lowell also hit three doubles and a homerun—and earned series MVP honors.
(8)
The number of consecutive games (8) won by the Red Sox in the World Series. They lost the final game of the 1986 World Series to the New York Mets—but swept St. Louis in 2004, and swept Colorado in 2007.
(33)
The number of games (33) Red Sox rookie outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury played during the regular season. He began the season playing Class-AA ball, but batted .353 in limited action for the big club. Ellsbury impressed manager Terry Francona enough to not only earn a spot on the post-season roster, but he also started all four games in the World Series—and he hit .438 with four doubles and four runs.
(93)
The number of pitches (93) for Boston pitcher Josh Beckett during game one. He struck out nine batters, but gave up only six hits and one run during seven strong innings. Beckett, who led the majors with 20 wins during the regular season, earned his fourth win of the post-season—and picked up his second career ring.
Stat of the Week
Week of October 22, 2007
(27)
The number of touchdown passes (27) for Tom Brady through week seven of the NFL season. The Patriots quarterback was good on 21 of 25 attempts for 354 yards and six touchdowns against Miami on Sunday. Brady has already surpassed his touchdown totals from 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2006, as New England improved to 7-0.
Honorable Mentions (Too many good numbers this week to pass these up!)
(8)
The number of field goals (8) for Tennessee Titans kicker Rob Bironas against the Houston Texans during their week seven match-up. The former Best Buy security guard, who also played Arena League football after being cut by three NFL franchises, set an NFL record for field goals in a single game. The Titans kicker was good on a 29 yard attempt as time expired to negate a furious 29 point fourth quarter rally by Houston as the Titans won 38-36.
(10)
The number of rushing touchdowns (10) for Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow. The sophomore Heisman candidate led the Gators to a 45-37 victory against conference foe Kentucky Wildcats this past Saturday to put Florida back in the hunt for another SEC title. Tebow passed for 256 yards and four touchdowns, rushed for another, and he is currently the highest rated passer in the nation. It was also the tenth consecutive game Tebow scored a rushing touchdown, giving him the longest current streak in the NCAA.
(2)
The current BCS ranking (2) for Boston College. Seriously? We'll find out this week when the Eagles visit Blacksburg to take on the Hokies of Virginia Tech.
Stat of the Week
Week of October 15, 2007
(607)
The number of yards (607) rushing for rookie running back Adrian Peterson of the Minnesota Vikings through week six of the NFL season. The former Sooner came into week six as the ninth leading rusher in the NFL, but after he ran all over Chicago for 224 yards and three touchdowns—including scoring runs of 67 and 73 yards—he is currently the league's leading rusher. Peterson also returned four kicks for a total of 128 yards, and his 53 yard kick return after Chicago scored a game-tying touchdown with 1:38 left in the fourth quarter set up the Vikings offense for a game-winning field goal.
Stat of the Week
Week of October 8, 2007
(99)
The number of consecutive seasons (99) Cubs’ fans have said “Wait ‘til next year.” Las Vegas odds-makers back in April gave the Arizona Diamondbacks 50/1 odds at winning the 2007 World Series, but those same bookies gave the Chicago Cubs 8/1 odds. Just saying Colorado, Arizona, and N.L. pennant in the same breath feels unnatural, and is definitely not something MLB experts were planning for last April. The Cubs and Phillies would have been a dream match-up for a league championship series, what with all the baggage those two franchises carry around—but instead it will either be the Rockies or the Diamondbacks who claim the pennant this year. At least the Cubs can feel normal, sitting at home, watching the Fall Classic on the tube with the rest of us.
Stat of the Week
Week of October 1, 2007
(500)
The winning percentage (.500) for the Washington Nationals against the New York Mets. The only teams Washington played during the final two weeks of the season were the Mets and Phillies. The Mets spent 140 days in first, but it was the Nationals who won the N.L. East title down the stretch—for Philly of course—by going 5-1 against New York. The Nationals split 18 games on the season for a 9-9 record against the Mets, but Washington was only 2-5 down the stretch against Philly, and only 6-12 for the season. The Mets lost the 2007 division title to the Phillies by one game.
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