NFL Beginnings and Ends, Battle in the East, and Roddick Ends an Era of US Men’s Tennis
by Kaylyn Thornal, Founder & Contributing Writer
We’ve been away launching our college platform down at the Cowboy Classic in Dallas last weekend, and though it’s good to be home, we all had a great time meeting so many amazing Alabama and Michigan fans! Check out all the action in the Cowboys Classic photoblog. Back to work with today’s Fanzooloo Sports Daily Top 3.
1. Loss of NFL figurehead. Former Baltimore Raven’s owner Art Modell 
died yesterday. He was 87. Modell was one of the most influential figures in the NFL. A beloved owner in Cleveland, he lost a lot of fans when he moved the struggling team to Baltimore to become the Ravens in 1996. Among Modell’s accomplishments: he was president of the NFL from 1967 to 1969, chaired negotiations for the first collective bargaining agreement with the players in 1968, and helped bring Monday Night Football to ABC in 1970.
2. Upset in New York. The Dallas Cowboys beat the New York Giants 24-17 in 
the NFL season opener last night at MetLife Stadium in New York. In possibly one of the biggest anticipated NFL openers, it was the Dallas Cowboys, not the world champion New York Giants, that looked poised and ready for prime time. As third receiver Kevin Ogletree, who caught ZERO touchdown passes last season, became a new Dallas star catching 2 TDs last night. Both teams got off to a slow start and had difficulty moving the ball, but it was a Tony Romo interception which was returned to the two yard line that turned the tide for the Cowboys – and not in the way you might think. That 2 yard stop was only converted into a 3 point field goal and America got a glimpse of the new and improved Cowboys defense which sacked Eli Manning 3 times and held him to 21 of 32 for 213 yards in the Giants’ first loss since Game 14 of last season. True, it’s only one game, but no one fumbled on the 1 yard line, and that is a huge step forward. This win means more to possibly no one than QB Tony Romo, who has endured endless critique after countless mishaps, starting with a fumble on the 1 yard line at the NFL opener last year in MetLife vs the Jets. That fumble seemed to foreshadow the tone of the following bumbling and inconsistent 2011 season. Perhaps the poise and confidence Romo displayed in last night’s game will do the same. This Cowboys fan certainly does hope.
Romo 22/29 att/rec, 307 yards, 3 TD passes, 1 int, Ogletree 8 rec, 114 yards, 2 TDs, 40 LG
3. Battle for the Best. The New York Yankees beat Tampa Bay last night to reclaim the 
sole No.1 coveted spot in the NL East just one game over the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees looked to be a for sure clinch of the conference title but lost a 10 game lead over the last month and now are struggling to hold on. But this battle is long from over as the Yankees face the Orioles in Baltimore the next 4 days, with Tampa Bay just 2.5 games back. This is what September baseball is all about! If you’re anywhere near Baltimore get your butt to the park for what is sure to be an incredible series at one of the best ballparks in the country.
More information & tickets for Orioles Park at Camden Yards
OUT WEST the Los Angeles Dodgers are 4.5 games behind the Giants heading into San Francisco this weekend. Tickets.
EXTRA: Andy Roddick retired yesterday after his loss at the US Open. Roddick won the 2003 U.S. Open title and is the last American man to have won the title in over a decade. What does that say about American tennis?