10 – Cardinals (cut RB Edgerrin James, DE Travis LaBoy, and CB Rod Hood) – James was a high-dollar free-agent acquisition three seasons ago, and he had two good seasons before beginning to decline last season. With the emergence of Tim Hightower last year and the selection of Beanie Wells in the first round, James became extraneous. The question is whether he has enough left to still contribute somewhere or if he’s just having the end-of-career dropoff that all running backs seem to have. Regardless, he’s had a great career with more than 12,000 rushing yards. LaBoy was one of Arizona’s big-money signings last year (5 years, $22 million), but injuries limited his effectiveness, and he only had four sacks last year. His price tag was just too high. Hood started 14 games last year, but he wasn’t good enough, and the Cards replaced him with Bryant McFadden in free agency.

9 – Bengals (cut OT Levi Jones, RBs Chris Perry and Gary Russell, S Mike Doss and Ps Kyle Larson and Ryan Plackemeier) – Jones was once a top-10 pick, and he started for a long time for Cincinnati. But injuries sapped his effectiveness over the past few years, and the Bengals finally replaced him by drafting Andre Smith at No. 6 overall this year. Jones would have been cut earlier, but Cincinnati waited to get his replacement in house before pulling the plug. Jones could still land somewhere as a backup tackle who’s good enough to play in a pinch but probably can’t play 16 games without getting dinged up. For his sake, we’ll hope he lands with a contender in that kind of role after years of meaningless games in Cincy.  Perry was a former first-round pick who fought injuries so often that he never really lived up to his potential. He was talked about as a starter going into the ’08 season after the Bengals released Rudi Johnson, but injuries derailed him again. Still, Perry is a good enough pass catcher to at least get a look as a third-down back elsewhere if he can stay healthy. Russell was a waiver claim from Pittsburgh just before the draft, but after the Bengals picked two backs, he became expendable. Doss was a former Colts prospect who disappointed for a second team. Larson and Plackemeier were cut after the Bengals drafted Kevin Huber, who looks to take over the punting job.

8 – Cowboys (cut DE/OLB Greg Ellis) – Ellis came to Dallas in 1998 in the midst of a firestorm, because the Cowboys picked him in the top 10 instead of selecting Randy Moss. While Ellis was never the difference maker that Moss was and is. He had 77 sacks in his career and was also a solid run-stopper. When Bill Parcells came to Dallas and switched the defense to a 3-4, Ellis was unhappy with his role. Still, as an outside linebacker, he tallied 12 sacks and won comeback player of the year honors in ’07 coming off an injury. That would suggest the Ellis still has something to contribute in a limited pass rushing role somewhere like Carolina or Washington. The Cowboys, meanwhile, will rely on former first-round pick Anthony Spencer to finally emerge as an impact guy. But Spencer has a long way to go to fill Ellis’ shoes.

7 - Steelers (cut ILB Larry Foote and P Dirk Johnson) – Foote has started every game for five years in a row, but ’07 first-rounder Lawrence Timmons is ready to take that spot.  Foote is a solid run-stuffer who has to come off the field in obvious passing situations. Those limitations made his $2.8 million salary-cap number too rich for the Steelers.

7 (con’t) – Redskins (cut OT Jon Jansen and WR James Thrash) -  Jansen was a stalwart of the Redskins’ offensive line for 10 seasons after joining the team as a second-round pick. He started 123 games in that time, almost all at right tackle. He was a physical run blocker who held his own in the passing game as well. He missed most of the 2007 season with an injury, though, and last year he only started 11 games. Although he was never a Pro Bowler, he was generally an asset as a starter until the last couple of years. But declining performance, coupled with a contract that lasts until 2011, made him expendable. The Skins don’t really have a replacement lined up, unless they want to depend on Jeremy Bridges or recent fill-in Stephon Heyer. So they may have to invest in a veteran – someone like a Jon Runyan - to fill in until they get a replacement ready to go. Thrash, a 12-year vet, failed his physical due to a bulging disc in his neck. He’s never been a top receiver, but he’s always found a role as a backup and special-teams dynamo. He carved out a pretty good career, and Washington seems open to bringing him back if he gets healthy. But if this is it, he should be proud.

6 - Lions (cut CB Travis Fisher, OT George Foster, QB Drew Henson, and LB Alex Lewis) – Fisher was brought over last year from St. Louis to be a starter, but Detroit spent most of this offseason signing corners to replace him. He still considered himself a starter, which might have been why the new regime cut the cord so quickly. Still, Fisher will latch on somewhere. Foster, a former first-round pick in Denver, was part of the package the Lions got in exchange for CB Dre Bly a couple of years ago. But Foster never lived up to his potential, and after Detroit added Jon Jansen and Ephriam Salaam this offseason, someone had to go, and Foster was that someone. Henson, a former top prospect both in baseball and football, was Detroit’s No. 3 quarterback last year, but he was released as the Lions put in a claim on John Beck (see above). Henson’s chances to make it in the NFL are just about gone. Lewis was a five-year Lion who played most on special teams, but he became replacable as Detroit worked to improve its talent at linebacker this offseason.

6 (con’t) – Falcons (cut QB Michael Vick, C Alex Stepanovich and OT Renardo Foster) – It’s hard to know how to compare Vick, who hasn’t played in two years, to other cuts because at this point, the Falcons have moved on. They have a new franchise quarterback in Matt Ryan and a new playing style. Plus, they were basically forced to release Vick so that they didn’t end up having to pay him when he is eventually reinstated. So Vick is now free to try to find a team. His talents fit the new Wildcat fad across the league, but it’s going to be hard for a team to stomach the firestorm of publicity (or even criticism) that would come with signing Vick. This release is just the next step in a drama that still has miles to go. Stepanovich and Foster were once both prospects, but they fell in line as mere backups in Atlanta. Maybe a change of scenery will help, or maybe they’re just not all that good.

5 – Rams (cut LB Pisa Tinoisamoa) - Tinoisamoa – known as as The Tower here on FR — was the Rams’ leading tackler in 2008 with 135 stops, so it was somewhat surprising that he was released just after the team’s first minicamp. But the Tower Pisa was leaning too much the previous two years as he missed a bunch of time with injury. Once the Rams invested a second-round pick in James Laurinaitis, the Tower’s starting spot was gone. He’s not special, but he’s an effective inside ‘backer who can clean up tackles if he’s protected. With so many teams moving to 3-4 defenses, there will be someone who can use the Tower at one of those inside spots, at least for two downs. He doesn’t merit a big contract, but he does deserve a starting spot in the league.

4  – Broncos (cut RBs Selvin Young and J.J. Arrington, LBs Boss Bailey and Louis Green) – Young entered last year as a starter, but injuries limited him to just eight games. After drafting Knowshon Moreno and signing three vets, there was no more room for Young in Denver. He should end up as a backup somewhere in the league, though. The Broncos added Arrington as part of their free-agency binge, and even with the glut of running backs Denver brought in – Arrington, Correll Buckhatler, Lamont Jordan, and Moreno – Arrington looked to have a solid role based on underrated his triple threat skills. But Arrington had a knee injury in Arizona, and he never was healthy enough to pass a physical in Denver. The Broncos lost about $100,000 but had protected themselves against a greater loss by the way they structured Arrington’s contract.  His departure won’t be a huge blow at running back, but he would have helped if he had been healthy. Bailey, brother of Broncos star CB Champ Bailey, started six games last year before suffering a knee injury and undergoing microfracture surgery. The former Lion is undersized and hasn’t performed well enough in the pros to really carve out a role. If he can prove he’s healthy, he might find a roster spot for a team that plays a 4-3, but this knee surgery might prove to be the end for him. Green is a special-teams ace who is replacable, especially considering the system change the Broncos are undergoing right now.

3 - Saints (cut DTs Brian Young and Hollis Thomas and LS Kevin Houser) - Young is a solid veteran who has been so battered by injuries that his effectiveness has been severely limited. Unfortunately, this could be the end of the line for him, but if he gets healthy he can fit into someone’s rotation as a backup. Thomas is a huge inside player who missed most of last season with injury. Because of his size, someone will take a look to see if he can still play 15-20 snaps a game. Houser had been the Saints’ long snapper since 2000, but the team decided Jason Kyle was an upgrade there and so they made the switch and cut Houser. He should find work elsewhere, either in camp or because of injury during the season.

3 (con’t) – Buccaneers (cut QB Brian Griese) - Griese’s second tour of duty in Tampa Bay came to an end, and it wasn’t unexpected. After signing Luke McCown to a backup-quality deal in the offseason, then adding Byron Leftwich, and then drafting Josh Freeman in the first round, there was simply no room for Griese. The 11-year veteran still has enough to be a decent backup if he wants to keep playing, but he also has been around long enough that retirement could be an option. If it is, the former third-round pick who succeeded John Elway can rest in the fact that he had a solid if unspectacular career.

2 – Dolphins (cut QB John Beck) – Beck was a second-round pick in ’07, but once his advocate Cam Cameron was fired, he quickly fell out of favor with new decision-maker Bill Parcells. It took just one year for Chad Henne to pass Beck as the Dolphins’ signal-caller of the future. Beck still has talent, so he’ll get another shot (apparently next in Detroit as a backup).

2 (con’t) 49ers (cut S Jimmy Williams) – The former Atlanta second-round pick was out of football last year after flaming out with the Falcons. The 49ers had signed him earlier in the offseason as a flier, but he obviously didn’t leave an impression during minicamps, because he was quickly released. Williams has size, but how many chances does he have left?

2 (con’t) Jaguars (cut CB William James and QB Cleo Lemon) – James, formerly known as Will Peterson, spent eight years in the NFL, the last one with Jacksonville. He’s probably a marginal NFL player at best at this point, which means he’s a roster fill-in but not much more. Lemon was once thought to have potential, and he actually started some games with the Dolphins, but Jacksonville chose to go with Todd Bouman as its backup quarterback instead. Lemon at this point is no better than a No. 3 QB.

2 (con’t) – Jets (cut TE Bubba Franks) – Franks, the long-time Packer, had only six catches in his first season with the Jets in ’08. In fact, his primary role might have been as terminology translator for Brett Favre once Favre joined the Jets in training camp. The Jets resigned Franks in the offseason but released him on the eve of training camp. That seems to indicate that Franks is getting very close to the end of his career.

1 – Chargers (cut TE Scott Chandler and CB DeJuan Tribble) – San Diego gave up on Chandler, a fourth-rounder in ’07, and Tribble, a sixth-rounder last year, after selecting this year’s draft picks.

1 (con’t) – Patriots (cut RB Patrick Pass) – Pass, one of only 7 Patriots who was on all three Super Bowl winners, has been out of football since 2007. He signed with the Patriots in early June but was released one week later, which seems to indicate that he is in fact done with his NFL career.

1 (con’t) – Raiders (cut LB Stryker Sulak) – In an unusual move, the Raiders cut Sulak, a sixth-round pick, before he even signed a contract or reported to training camp. That’s either a failure in scouting – teams should have enough players on their draft board that a sixth-rounder is someone they like – or an organizational cheapness that’s regrettable. Either way, it’s not a good sign. Sulak, who hasn’t gotten a paycheck or any signing bonus yet because he had not yet signed, could land somewhere else, but he would basically be an undrafted free agent there who faces long odds to make a roster.

10 – Rams (cut OT Orlando Pace, WR Torry Holt, and TE Anthony Becht) – Pace played 12 years with the Rams, and was at a high level for most of those. He made 7 Pro Bowls and was a top 5 left tackle for quite a while. (I always considered him behind Walter Jones and Jonathan Ogden but on par with anyone else in the league.) But Pace was hurt much of ’06 and ’07, and he wasn’t the same player when he came back last year. The Rams don’t yet have an adequate replacement, but they figure to take one at No. 2 overall in the draft next month. As for Pace, at this point he’s a marginal starter who would probably fit best as a veteran backup for a contender than as a starter somewhere. He’s also big enough to move to the right side if he’s willing to do so. Becht started 11 games last year but has never lived up to his hype as a first-round pick back in 2000.
Holt spent 10 years in St. Louis and played at a high level throughout. He’s made 7 Pro Bowls and compiled numbers that will put him on a Hall of Fame short list when his career is done. While he’s no longer the unstoppable force he was in the Greatest Show on Turf days, he still is an above-average receiver who would be a boon to a contender like Tennessee, Philadelphia, the Giants, or his hometown Panthers (if they ever clear adequate cap space). I’d take Holt over Marvin Harrison in a heartbeat. As for the Rams, they’ve now lost two of the stalwarts of their Super Bowl teams in Holt and Pace. That has to be a huge blow to their fans, who must now hope that these moves will expedite the rebuilding process. The Pace move might, but losing Holt isn’t worth saving what was a fair price ($8M) against the cap.

9- Cowboys (cut WR Terrell Owens, S Roy Williams) — Owens’ release has been huge news this week because he is still one of the best known players in the entire league. He’s a true No. 1 receiver, even though his dominance is starting to wane just a bit. (He’s behind Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Smith, Andre Johnson, Randy Moss, Calvin Johnson, and maybe a couple of others on the wide receiver hierarchy now.) But the idea that Roy Williams (receiver edition) can replace what Owens did is farfetched. The Cowboys will undoubtedly miss Owens’ talents. But few players in the last decade have made the waves Owens has, and that’s something the Cowboys won’t miss. The question is whether the absence of T.O.-related hullaballoo will help Dallas in the end. The Cowboys still have weapons, and they have the talent and the offensive line personnel to be a dominant running team. That’s the approach that will make this cut work. If the Cowboys try to fling the ball around as much as they did last year, the offense will start to sputter because of T.O.’s absence.
As for Roy Williams (the safety edition), that move doesn’t hurt nearly as much. Williams was a top-10 draft pick, but he is a safety who plays the run really well and plays the pass unbelievably poorly. Ever since the Cowboys moved to a 3-4 scheme under Bill Parcells several years ago, Williams has been a bad fit for the defense. So moving on is better for him and for the Cowboys. Dallas still needs safety help, but Williams’ tenure had gone so far south that he was never going to be able to provide it there.

8 – Giants (cut WR Plaxico Burress) -  Burress delivered on his big salary with the Giants until last year, when he was suspended for chronic disregard for team meetings and then shut down following his hyper-publicized gun incident. He can still play at a high level, but his problems make his ‘09 availability a question. Still, some team will take a flier – for 2010 if not next season.

7 – Redskins (cut DE Jason Taylor) – Taylor battled injuries and only had 3.5 sacks in his year in Washington, and he agreed to be released instead of staying in D.C. in the offseason for the team’s training program. The best analysis I’ve heard on this is that it might have been because he was so misused by the Redskins. For some reason, the Redskins left Andre Carter in the prime pass-rushing position and used Taylor more as a run-stopper. Taylor can still help a team in a pass-rush role, especially if he can save his dancing legs for somewhat limited duty. Washington wasn’t going to use him correctly, but someone will figure out how to.

6 – Panthers (cut CB Ken Lucas) – Lucas was a solid starter in Carolina for four years after arriving as a big-ticket free agent from Seattle. In fact, in his first year as a Panther, Lucas was a top-5 corner league-wide. His physical style fit well in Carolina’s off coverage system. But Lucas has slipped a bit over the past couple of years, and Carolina was ready to move Richard Marshall into the starting lineup across from Chris Gamble. Lucas is still good enough to be at least a starter somewhere else, but given the Panthers’ roster and ultra-tight salary cap situation, the move makes sense. Still, it’s going to be a loss for the Panthers.

6 (con’t) – Ravens (cut CB Samari Rolle and LB Nick Griesen) – Rolle had been with the Ravens for four years, and when he started in Baltimore he was still among the elite corners in the league. But last year was not a good one for Samari (or Doorknob, as I still like to call him). He missed six games because of injury and never was able to get healthy enough to play at an elite level. He wasn’t going to start for Baltimore, so he requested his release. The Ravens also cut Rolle’s fellow starting CB Chris McAlister, and so their secondary is in major upheaval. Baltimore has signed Dominique Foxworth, who will definitely start even though he’s probably not even above average as an NFL starter. The other starting spot goes to Fabian Washington, at least for now. The Ravens tried to do right by Rolle by letting him go as he wanted, but they might have done wrong by themselves in the process. Griesen signed a 3-year deal last year to be an inside linebacker and special-teamer, but he never could make an impact in the defensive 11 last year. He could be a decent backup for someone but not much more.

5 – Jaguars (cut WR Matt Jones) – Jones, a former college quarterback turned first-round pick at receiver, is coming off his best season (65 catches, 761 yards, 2 TD) of four in Jacksonville. But off-the-field problems led to his release. Jones missed three games last year on a league-mandated substance-abuse suspension after a cocaine-related arrest last summer. But recently, he spent a week in jail for violating the plea agreement that resolved that charge by drinking alcohol. It seems that Jones was given an ultimatim and didn’t abide by it. It’s a loss for the Jaguars, who have also cut WR Jerry Porter and let former first-rounder Reggie Williams enter free agency as well. They need to find some wide receiver help and may be hoping that Michael Crabtree falls to them at No. 8 overall in the draft.

5 (con’t) – Dolphins (cut DE Vonnie Holliday) – Holliday is a long-time veteran defensive end who is still an acceptable part of a rotation. But he’s no longer an impact starter, and his Dolphins contract paid him as one. Holliday would actually be a pretty good fit as Taylor’s replacement in Washington or in a similar role where he’s looked at more as a run-stuffer than a pass rusher.

5 (con’t) - Saints (cut FB Mike Karney, CB Mike McKenzie and S Kevin Kaesviharn) – Karney is a good, old-fashioned fullback. He’s not much of a runner outside of short-yardage sets, and he doesn’t catch many passes, but he can block. The Saints replaced him with Heath Evans, who has more skills with the ball in his hands. But Karney has a place as a blocker somewhere. (That somewhere will be St. Louis.) McKenzie used to be a big, physical corner, but he has missed most of the last two years with two separate knee injuries. It makes sense for the Saints to release him and save $4.5 million, especially once they added CB Jabari Greer. McKenzie might have trouble finding work because of his physical situation, but he’s worth noting because his 11-year career was quality. Kaesviharn was let go after the Saints signed safeties Darren Sharper and Pierson Prioleau. He’s an average safety, or maybe a little below that level, and so no great loss. Still, he could hook on elsewhere.

4 – Browns (cut OT Kevin Shaffer) – Shaffer started all but one game over the past three years, playing one season at left tackle before moving to the right side after Cleveland drafted Joe Thomas. He’s probably still good enough to start, and his ability to play both sides makes him even more valuable. He should be able to find a new gig relatively quickly.

4 (con’t) – 49ers (cut OT Jonas Jennings) – Jennings was a big-money signing in San Francisco a couple of years back, but injuries kept him from full effectiveness in San Francisco. He was released to make room for Marvel Smith, who will likely take over Jennings’ ORT spot.

3 -  Bears (cut OL Terrance Metcalf) – Metcalf spent 7 years with the Bears after joining the team as a third-round pick, but he never panned out as a starter – getting just 25 starts during his Chicago tenure. Metcalf should have seized a starting guard last year to replace Ruben Brown, but he couldn’t. That’s why he’s gone. He could fit in as a backup elsewhere, but if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t be a shock.

2 –  Broncos (cut LS Mike Leach, RB Cory Boyd, and QB Darrell Hackney) – Good long snappers can work forever, and so Leach won’t have trouble getting a new gig. The Broncos decided he was expendable after new head coach Josh McDaniels imported his former New England snapper Lonnie Paxton and paid him a million bucks a year. Leach won’t get that kind of coin (no longer snapper should), but he’ll find work somewhere. (That somewhere will be Arizona.)

2 (con’t) – Bengals (cut S Dexter Jackson) – Cincy let Jackson, a former Super Bowl Most Valuable Player, go after three seasons. Jackson had started 25 total games for the Bengals in 2006 and ’07 but only three last season. Jackson might be close to being done, but he could also be a solid veteran reserve for a team with playoff aspirations — kind of a “break glass in case of emergency” guy.

2 (con’t) – Browns (cut WR Joe Jurevicius) – Jurevicius has had some productive seasons over his 11-year career, but a staph infection cost him the entire ’08 season. If he can get healthy, he could still step in somewhere as a No. 4 receiver and possession specialist. But health is still a huge question.

2 (con’t) – Steelers (cut RB Gary Russell) – Russell got to play in some short-yardage situations last year because rookie Rashard Mendenhall was hurt, and Russell scored three regular-season touchdowns and one in the Super Bowl, but he didn’t really distinguish himself. He could fit in as a third or fourth tailback for someone, but he’s not really a rotation-quality runner.

1- Chiefs (cut QB Quinn Gray, WR Will Franklin, and LS Jean-Phillippe Darche) – The six-year vet still could be a decent No. 2 quarterback, but with Matt Cassel joining Tyler Thigpen and Brodie Croyle in K.C., Gray wasn’t going to make that roster. But with many other talented quarterbacks still on the market (J.P. Losman, Rex Grossman, Kyle Boller, Byron Leftwich, etc.), Gray will have a hard time finding work anytime soon.

1 (con’t) – Colts (cut RB Clifton Dawson) – Dawson had a moment or two, but a numbers crunch knocked him out of Indy. He could be a backup elsewhere.

1 (con’t) – Vikings (cut LB Vinny Ciurciu) – This move made me laugh because it reminded me of a story. Ciurciu is a decent backup linebacker and special teamer who got his first real NFL action in Carolina when I was covering the team. The writers on the beat with me always laughed about an interview in which one of Ciurciu’s teammates was talking about him and kept calling him “Choo-Choo” (instead of the proper Chur-choo). So I hope that Choo-Choo gets another job, because a name that good needs to stick around.

Here are 6 reasons why February is the worst sports month, after the first Sunday:
1. The NBA and NHL are trolling along with their near meaningless regular season.
2. Nascar is not my sport…but it’s back if you’re into that mindless driving in circles kinda thing.
3. Baseball is not yet about baseball but rather about steroids and ARod (again)
4. The NFL scouting combine is coming…get pumped! Um, maybe if we followed a team that was bad.
5. Tiger is coming back, that might draw a little attention from me
6. College basketball (save Pitt proving to be a legit contender) is about 2 weeks from interesting

Ah, but at least we have Jeff Reed and the curious case of Max Starks.

Besides Skippy throwing a toddler tantrum at Sheetz for not having the towels to dry his hands and Max Starks (8.451 mil in ’09) raking in more money than it would have cost to keep Alan Fanaca (8 mil) in town, Here’s what a few of the Steelers have been up to since finishing off the Cardinals in XLIII.

• Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes has been making the rounds…Disney World, Leno (intervew at about 10:30 left in the show), Live with regis and Kelly (though I couldn’t find a clip of it), at halftime of an NBA game, and picking up a fine for that Lebronesque celebration (Lebron’s not happy).

Holmes with SI cover model Bar Refaeli

• Gary Russell lending support to the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh
• Ben Roethlisberger on Letterman and hanging with Pens owner Mario Lemieux
• Ben’s sister Carlee is playing some college hoops for Oklahoma
• Jeff Reed dropped the puck at that same Pens game Ben was at…I hope his hands didn’t get wet.
• Of course, Troy, James Farrior and James Harrison spent some time in Hawaii
• The team has been active adding depth to the offseason roster, 10 players were signed
• Hines Ward had shoulder surgery, none needed for the knee
• Lamarr Woodly went home

Good News: Mendenhall’s shoulder is on the mend…way ahead of schedule.
Here’s a few questions for Kevin Colbert (presumably at the scouting combine) by th Columbus-Dispatch
Steelers show interest in Penn State center A.Q. Shipley

The game’s first score was a rushing touchdown by Gary Russell, which put the Steelers up 7-0. Next, Jeff Reed kicked the shortest field goal in Super Bowl history, an 18-yarder which made it 10-0.  The Cardinals scored off a touchdown pass by Kurt Warner, who had stumbled earlier during the play, but kept his balance and threw it in the corner. Next, they drove deep to the end zone again, but on the next play the ball was picked off by James Harrison. Harrison followed blocking all the way to the end zone for the longest interception return for a touchdown ever-100 yards. He made a fumble recovery but it was declared incomplete.

Pittsburgh made another field goal which put them up 20-7, but Arizona came roaring back with a 1-yard pass for a touchdown to Larry Fitzgerald. The Steelers were then put deep on their own 1-yard line off of a punt with 3rd and 20 to go, or something like that. Ben Roethlisberger made a great pass to Santonio Holmes for a first down, but what?!? Holding, offense. Safety. Then the Cardinals scored again with a long touchdown pass and run to Fitzgerald. Yet again, he evaded all defenders and made his way for a touchdown putting them up 23-20. With 2 minutes left the Steelers drove all the way to the end zone. Then, a Ben Roethlisberger pass to Santonio Holmes. In the corner of the end zone. With 3 DBs on him. The world held its breath. He came down to earth.

TOUCHDOWN!!!

When the Cardinals got the ball back, they tried to drive for the touchdown, but to no avail. Lamar Woodleyforced a fumble and the Steelers fell on it, clinching the game. Penalties plagued the Cardinals all game long, and they led to some costly first downs for the Steelers. Santonio Holmes was awarded the MVP award, as he well deserved.

But the season is over and I can’t  wait for next year!!!

P.S. Sorry, but Wednesday I’ll preview the Nationals future for the upcoming baseball season.

Trailing 23-20 inside the final minute, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger found Santonio Holmes in the back of the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.

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Roethlisberger completed 21 of 30 passes for 256 yards and a touchdown but also threw an interception. Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, meanwhile finished 31 of 43 for 377 yards with three touchdowns, of which wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald caught two, and an interception.

Roethlisberger thought he had given Pittsburgh the lead on the first drive of the game when the quarterback dived into the end zone from a yard but Arizona challenged the call and the touchdown was nullified as replays showed his knee was down. Jeff Reed then chipped an 18-yard field goal to put the Steelers 3-0 up.

The advantage was extended to 10-0 at the start of the second quarter as Gary Russell drove in from a yard on third down and Reed added the extra point. Arizona hit back when Anquan Boldin’s 45-yard reception was followed by Ben Patrick’s acrobatic one-yard catch in the endzone.

However, quarterback Kurt Warner was intercepted on the Pittsburgh goalline just before half-time and James Harrison took the ball back 100 yards for a touchdown to give the Steelers a 17-7 lead at the interval.

Reed converted a 21-yard field goal with 2:16 left in the third to make the score 20-7 but Larry Fitzgerald caught a one-yard pass from Kurt Warner to bring the Cardinals within six points with under eight minutes remaining in the game.

Arizona recorded a safety with just under three minutes to go when Pittsburgh were penalised for holding with the ball at their own one-yard line after Roethlisberger had connected with Holmes to seemingly get them out of trouble.

Worse was to follow for the Steelers as Warner found Fitzgerald over the middle and the wide receiver outran the chasing defenders for a 64-yard score to put the Cardinals up 23-20.

However, with 35 seconds remaining Roethlisburger found Santonio Holmes with a six-yard pass in the back of the end zone and the wide receiver athletically stretched to haul the ball in and seal the win.

This year, at Raymond James Stadium, would the Pittsburgh Steelers or the Arizona Cardinals be the ones dancing on knaves?

Televised by NBC, the first quarter began with the Steelers at a first and goal within minutes of game-play.  Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s surged the ball into the end zone himself a few plays later.   Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt challenged the TD call and won.  Roethlisberger was down by contact just before the goal line.  Steelers kicker Jeff Reed put the ball nineteen yards through the goal posts.  No TD but yes FG.  Pittsburgh 3 and Arizona 0.

The second quarter sparked off with a TD by Steelers running back Gary Russell.  Cardinals tight end Ben Patrick made a TD catch nearly halfway through the second quarter.  Pittsburgh 10 and Arizona 7.   Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby intercepted Ben Roethlisberger in the bottom of the quarter.   HOLY HORSEY SAUCE AND A COWBOY HAT!!!! With under twenty seconds left on the clock, Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner meant to throw the ball to wide receiver Anquan Boldin in the end zone but Steelers linebacker James Harrison snatched the prolate spheroid and ran back all the way to the other side of the field (forward rolling to the front, right corner of the end zone and sandwiched by two Cardinals).  A 100 yard interception return for a TD–the longest play in super Bowl history.  Pittsburgh 17 and Cardinals 7.

The third quarter done ticked five minutes and James Harrison nearly turned the corner again by scooping up what was first ruled a live ball but then was overturned and deemed a dead ball.  Kurt Warner threw an incomplete pass and not an interception.  Eight minutes later, the Steelers increased their lead with a field goal…for about a nanosecond.  It was retracted on account of a penalty on Cardinals strong safety Adrian Wilson.  Three plays later, the Steelers tried the field goal again.  Pittsburgh 20 and Arizona 7.

The fourth quarter beat its drum halfway and Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald made a TD catch in the back right corner of the end zone.  The ball made contact with his helmet before he got his hands around it.  Pittsburgh 20 and Arizona 14.  When the clock got to under four minutes, I was thinking it’d be pretty neat if the Cardinals won.  Would they be able to do it, though?  Cheese Louise the Pyrenees.  The Steelers incurred an offensive holding call in the end zone, which gave the Cardinals a safety.  Pittsburgh 20 and Arizona 16.  TANGY TOMATO SAUCE AND TORTELLINI!!!! With fewer than three minutes in the quarter, Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald got their syncopation on for sixty-four yards and a TD.  Arizona 23 and Pittsburgh 20.  A minute left and Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes got to the five yard line.  Roethlisberger threw to Holmes again (no catch), and then again.  Catch.  Thirty-five seconds left on the clock.  Was it a confirmed TD?  Indeed.  Pittsburgh 27 and Arizona 23.  Well, the Cardinals came and saw but did not supercede.  THE STEELERS HAVE WON SUPER BOWL XLIII, “the first franchise in Super Bowl history to win six Super Bowls,” Al Michaels noted.

Observations & Miscellania:

1.  Al Michaels and John Madden provided the commentary.

2.  Faith Hill (and a gospel choir) sang “America the Beautiful.”

3.  The national anthem was performed by Jennifer Hudson.

4. GI Joe movie trailer! Holy hovan rolls.

5. Lynn Swann, Roger Craig, John Elway, and General David H. Petraeus were a part of the coin toss (well he actually tossed the coin).  Terry McAulay was the referee.  Arizona won the toss and chose to let the Steelers take to offense first.

6.  The Steelers wore yellow pants and white jerseys.  The Cardinals wore white pants and red jerseys.

7.  John Madden commented on Ben Roethlisberger’s bottom-first-quarter scrambling as evidence that he’s like “Superman…he’s just so big and strong.”

8.  Creepy.  SoBe commercial with NFL ballers doing Swan Lake.

9.  Cuba Gooding Jr. was in attendance, sitting in the shadows of the stands.  He wore glasses, a dark hat, and a trench coat-esque jacket.  Al Michaels made a reference to Jerry Maguire.

10.  After coming back from the commercial break which proceeded Larry Fitzgerald’s fourth quarter TD catch, one of the cameras cut to an extreme close-up of Fitzgerald taking a sip of red liquid from a bottle sans label.  Was he drinking Powerade or Gatorade? Hmmm.  Correction.  The label was transparent.  A subsequent shot revealed that he was drinking Gatordade.  G2 fruit punch.

11.  According to Al Michaels, the imagery on the Jumbotron is five seconds behind what happens in real-time.  Thus, when Larry Fitzgerald was watching himself run towards the end zone in the bottom of the fourth quarter, he had passed the ten yard line but he was seeing himself at the fifteen yard line. Wow, watching the past.

12.  Slow-motion instant replay footage after Santonio Holmes made the game-changing TD in the fourth quarter included his using the ball like a bottle of some kind, shaking imaginary things onto his hand.  He then threw the ball into the air (probably backwards).  After the TD was confirmed, there was footage of Larry Fitzgerald, in extreme close-up, mouth “oh no.”

13.  It was heart-scraping to see the juxtaposed images of Larry Fitzgerald and Santonio Holmes.

Get game summary, stats, and play-by-play here.

One of the cameras cut to an extreme close-up of Chargers punter Brett Scifres (pronounced “sigh-fruh-ss”) after that TD.  He wore the look of shock and irritation.

The second quarter continued beyond seven minutes and then Vincent Jackson made a job-dropping leap of a forty-three yard catch.  Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin challenged the complete pass call.  He won the challenge.  Jackson caught the ball in mid-air, but upon hitting the turf, the ball bounced out of his hands.  The Chargers had to punt the ball away.  Nate Kaeding attempted a forty-two yard field goal with two minutes on the clock.  He did it.  San Diego 10 and Pittsburgh 7.  Steelers running back Willie Parker was able to zip across the front, left corner of the end zone with fewer than seventy seconds left in the quarter.  Thus, going into halftime Pittsburgh 14 and San Diego 10.

The third quarter started with Steelers on offense.  That drive, consisting of thirteen plays, ticked all the way to seven minutes for a touchdown by tight end Heath Miller.  Pittsburgh 21 and San Diego 10.  The Chargers shoved back with a sixty-three yard kick-return by running back Darren Sproles.  One play later, Steelers linebacker Larry Foote recovered a loose Chargers ball (technically, his teammate James Harrison got to the ball first but Foote came up with it).  Chargers head coach Norv Turner challenged the interception ruling.  He lost the challenge.  Towards the bottom of the quarter, Steelers punter Mitch Berger kicked the ball down the field, which bounced off Chargers strong safety Eric Weddle’s helmet.   The Steelers got the ball back.

The fourth quarter lashed out without a TD or a field goal by the Steelers…as the previous plays had suggested would surely happen.  But they got that missed score soon enough.  Running back Gary Russell broke the plane sufficiently for a TD.  Pittsburgh 28 and San Diego 10.  Steelers defensive end Brett Kiesel sacked Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers a couple plays later.  After he got up, Kiesel took three to four steps while doing a downward figure-eight, row-row-row-your-boat movement with his arms.   The Chargers got a TD on the board courtesy of wide receiver Legedu Naanee (the first of his career) with about nine minutes on the clock.  Willie Parker got his galloping legs into the end zone some five minutes later.  Pittsburgh 35 and San Diego 17.  Byron Leftwich stepped in as Steelers quarterback for Ben Roethlisberger in the bottom of the quarter.  With under two minutes to play, Darren Sproles ran sixty-two yards into the end zone for a TD.  Pittsburgh 35 and San Diego 24.  Final score.

Observations & Miscellania:

1.  Jim Nantz and Phil Simms were the commentators.  They both wore dark suits, light blue button-down shirts, and v-neck sweaters.  Nantz wore a silverish/blue tie and a bluish-gray sweater, Simms a silver and bluish-gray, fat, diagonally striped tie and a dark blue/or black sweater.

2.  What’s this?  While Nate Kaeding was putting up the extra point in the top of the first quarter, the commentators mentioned something about Vincent Jackson’s DUI from the past week.

3.  The Steelers wore yellow pants–black stripe down the outer leg–and black jerseys with yellow sleeves.  The Chargers wore blue pants with–white/bolt stripe down the outer leg–and white jerseys.  The uniforms made me think of yellow jackets and blueberry muffins.

4.  Read more about The Fortune Cookie here.

5.  Chargers tight end Antonio Gates has a great speaking voice.  Watch him on Craig Ferguson’s show from last year.   Gates’s voice reminds me of Tone Loc ‘s. You know. “Funky Cold Medina.”

6.  Chargers linebacker Shaun Phillips got elbowed in the adam’s apple/throat area in the bottom of the second quarter.  He walked off the field a couple minutes later.  To his left? An Asian man.  A Dr. Calvin Wong, methinks.  The Chargers’ opthamologist is Dr. Mihir (Max) Parikh.

Get game summary, stats, and play-by-play here.

artwork by Adam Tredowski

Interzone 220 should be out on January 5th.  In the Bookzone this time we will have:

The Physiognomy/Memoranda/The Beyond by Jeffrey Ford (reviews and interview by Rick Kleffel)

The Gabble And Other Stories by Neal Asher (review by Tony Lee)

Agent To The Stars by John Scalzi (review by Juliet McKenna)

The Engine’s Child by Holly Phillips (review by Mike Cobley)

The Magic: The Story of a Film/Real-Time World/Ersatz Wines by Christopher Priest (reviews and career overview by Andy Hedgecock)

Doctor Who: The Writer’s Tale by Russell T. Davies & Benjamin Cook/The Torchwood Archives by Gary Russell/Doctor Who: Shining Darkness by Mark Michalowski/Doctor Who: The Doctor Trap by Simon Messingham/Doctor Who: Ghosts of India by Mark Morris/Torchwood: Pack Animals by Peter Anghelides/Torchwood: Skypoint by Phil Ford/Torchwood: Almost Perfect by James Goss (reviews by Paul F. Cockburn)

There are more reviews and commentary from Tony Lee (again), Nick Lowe and David Langford.

There’s also fiction from Jason Stoddard, Leah Bobet,  Gareth L. Powell, Eugie Foster, Rudy Rucker, and Neil Williamson.  I’m particularly looking forward to the stories from the last three for personal reasons.  As well as being my editor at The Fix, Eugie is a damned fine fantasy writer.  Neil is another member of the Glasgow SF Writers Circle and is far too talented for his own good.  And Rudy Rucker is Rudy Rucker.  The man is psychologically incapable of writing dull fiction.

From the cover inwards, this already feels like one of my favourite issues.

Interzone: the gift that keeps on giving.  Sign someone up here.

Jarrod challenges DWNY to a “Just a Minute” duel at the Orlando convention.

The Hurricane Who party is sold out, so Jarrod and Tuddle to invite everyone to come drink at the pub after the event, even if this violates fire codes.

Tuddle has a plan to get John Barrowman to come to the Orlando convention…it’s not a well thought out plan though.

Listen Now:

> Timelines Season 1 Episode 4

Normally I follow only a little horse-racing and whatever activities my children are passionate about… but during Olympics, I turn into a fanatic who is emotionally invested in every dramatic story. 

Today I’m broken up over our local guy, Gary Russell, Jr. who got dehydrated and doesn’t get to compete in wrestling.   He was a bantamweight favorite for a medal.  And the part of the story that got to me was this tough guy sitting in his mother’s lap fighting back tears.  I’ve been following this wrestling family’s progress for ages, waiting to see how he fared in Beijing.  I’m crushed.  I cried.  Audibly. 

While my family works and studies and exercises and lives, I sit transfixed through as much Olympics coverage as I can, hooting, hollering, cheering and crying over human interest stories.  Athletes I’ve never heard of become my focus.  And I can’t believe that others are blissfully unaware of a kid from a country I can’t find on a map whose mother found him in a dumpster with no arms but who is now a shot-putter.  Ok, I made that one up… but seriously… I’m transfixed, obsessed, involved, sold out.  Why isn’t everyone else?

Stats and medals are great.  But what got these folks there?  Who sacrificed?  What does this mean to a family, town, village?  Whose hopes and dreams and investments fueled the training sessions and who have been the cheerleaders?  What happens next if there is a victory vs. a “can’t compete; got dehydrated” outcome?

Stories.  The Olympics is nothing but.  And I love stories.  They’re basically the record, for each of us, of God’s movement in our particular lives.  For his purposes.  And though we don’t always know what he’s up to, the chapters are endlessly fascinating.

And the Olympics creates a big fat storybook.  And I love to read.

The big news in boxing is the ousting of USA’s Gary Russell and Great Britain’s Frankie Gavin due to their failure to make weight. Both probably would have medaled so this is huge, and of course, extremely unfortunate for both to come so far and get so close.

On my way to the first session of boxing…until later..

Until later…

Although, to be honest, I sort of wish I hadn’t bothered. I, like many Who fans, have been waiting patiently for a proper, grown-up, direct market comic ever since – or even long before – the Russell Davies era began. I even wrote about my dream series a while back – published by Marvel, written by Paul Cornell, drawn by Bryan Hitch. It’d be great, I tells ya. Anyway, to those who have been waiting for a great Who comic – this, sadly, isn’t it.

The thing with IDW is that, for all their skill at snagging film and TV licences, they’re not exactly the best at turning out decent comics to go with them. And they simply can’t attract the sort of established talent that would be needed to do something like Doctor Who justice. Writer Gary Russell has plenty of Who pedigree, of course – former Doctor Who Magazine editor, author of many books, former producer of the Big Finish audio adventures and currently “in” with the Cardiff team – but here he turns in a story that’s merely a passable, by-the-numbers romp, rather than anything particularly engaging. It’s nice to see the Sycorax show up again, but there’s a disappointing lack of reference to The Christmas Invasion; and Russell doesn’t yet seem to have learned to tailor his writing style to comics, with a quite cringe-inducing third-person narration in the opening couple of pages (one which also suffers from grammatical errors, reflecting badly on the editor).

But it’s Nick Roche’s art that really cheapens this. Apart from a nice replication of the Gallifreyan Citadel (as seen in The Sound of Drums), it looks absolutely rotten. The character design is all over the place – Martha’s head changes shape from panel to panel, never actually alighting on anything remotely resembling human, never mind Freema Agyeman’s loveliness; while the Doctor contorts left, right and centre in an almost Liefeldian disregard for the laws of anatomy. I don’t particularly relish being so critical of up-and-coming British or Irish talent, but this just isn’t good enough.

If you want simplistic adventure fodder, and don’t mind it being clumsily drawn, then this is fine. But if you do want that, then you can already get it quite easily – the comic strips in DWM have been like this ever since the relaunch, and there’s even more kid-orientated fare in the weekly Doctor Who Adventures. But there’s absolutely nothing for the older, discerning, comics-reading fan – and as such, IDW’s series feels like a massive wasted opportunity.

And okay, so they can’t attract A-list talent, but why not a quick phone call to Alan Barnes and Martin Geraghty? They did some excellent Paul McGann strips for DWM in the ‘90s, and have already shown their adeptness with Tennant’s Doctor courtesy of a recent story that was head-and-shoulders above the rest of the new series comics. They’d almost certainly have come up with something more compelling – and better-looking – than this lightweight, inconsequential fluff. In fact, you half wonder if the reason why it hasn’t made it across the pond is simply that the BBC caught a glimpse of some preview pages…

I just want to start saying that I’m not an old school fan – I started watching Doctor Who with the new 2005 series. I love Eccleston as the Doctor as well as Rose. I didn’t quite like Tennant as the new Doctor at first, but eventually, I grew to love him. I can’t say the same for Martha Jones’ character, because she just wasn’t Rose. I guess I like them blonde. Anyway, back to the review of Doctor Who #1.

The story goes on about Martha Jones wanting to taste chocolate milk shakes from around the galaxies. They get to a space station but a Sycorax kidnaps the Doctor with the intent of keeping him in his collection of “unique species”. He’s in to make a profit out of it. Martha Jones helps rescue the Doctor and they free the other hostages and travel back to the safety of London.

This issue feels like a teaser to an episode of the series. The “enemy” feels a bit off, not being on the same level as the Doctor. It just doesn’t feel menacing, and because of that the story lacks tension. With the TV series how they can escape or survive the enemy always keeps you guessing – but here’s it’s just predictable. The art also feels a bit too “cartoon-ish” for the series, almost as if it’s targeted to kids. Sadly, I cannot recommend this book. Skip it and stick to the TV series. (Grade: D+)

-Daniel Yanez

“You always have hope,” Russell said. “We came from a similar situation — mine might be a little worse than his — but it always gave me a clear road when I got here to show that I can still do it.”

Russell’s opportunity may come a lot sooner than he or anyone else could have expected.

Full Story: Steelers’ Russell running out of nowhere – [Pittsburgh Tribune Review]

This is Jonathan Morris’s debut story and he has written a script that has a lot of pace and more importantly it had the entertaining factor. The Actors in this all work well and the use of Silurians are used in a constuctive way and you get the feeling that the story isnt around just to say ‘Hay, lets have the Siluairans, that would be good for a laugh’. They are integral to what makes the story what it is.

Colin Baker is very good as we have come to expect and it is interesting to see his version of the doctor develop to what it has got to now and it shows what could have been achieved with the role given the right people and scripts. Maggie Stables is excellent as Evelyn, this is now her fifth story and the role is a good companion. Daniel Hogarth is very good as Tulok and all the other cast members which included Jez Fielder who payed Frobisher in the Holy Terror and the writer of Jubilee Robert Shearman.

The script is very good and moves along at a great pace and overall this is a very good story which was helped with a batch of good actors and good musice. One of the all-time greats of the Big Finish series.’

This is the debut story for Evelyn Smythe, Evelyn is played by Maggie Stables who previously appeared in the first story ‘The Sirens of Time’, she is very good in the role. The plot is very good and the way that the Doctor and Evelyn are bought together is not the usual way for Doctor Who. The idea that Evelyn is instrumental to the story and that her very existence is a different and yet thoroughly enthralling. She is written in such a caring way that is used as a good emotional point. Jacqueline Rayner has written a script that moves at a steady pace and characters that are of all ranges.

Colin Baker is good as the Doctor and Maggie Stables is brilliant as a new companion its unusual that Doctor Who would have a companion that isn’t the typical mid 20′s screaming woman and so the addition of Evelyn is a great creative move. By creating a new companion that hasn’t been seen on TV means that there will be no preconceptions of the character and that means that we can get to know the character like those who watched Peri or Mel when they first appeared in the TV series. Other characters in the story also work well in this story, Anah Ruddin was very good as the Queen. She played the role with sympathy and care. Sean Jackson and Jez Fielder are a good double act as George Crow and William Leaf and add a bit of comedy relief to the tension at the beginning of episode 2 as the story starts to pick up on the pace.

Overall this is a very good story with a good script and a good direction. It is a fine start for the character of Evelyn and bodes well for the future.

…and nothing short of a

 planetary rescue will save it from

 the environmental cataclysm of

 dangerous climate change.

 Those are not the words of eco-

warriors but the considered

 opinion of a group of eminent

 scientists writing in a peer-

reviewed scientific journal.

By Steve Connor, Science Editor

Published: 19 June 2007

Six scientists from some of the leading scientific institutions in the United States have issued what amounts to an unambiguous warning to the world: civilisation itself is threatened by global warming.

They also implicitly criticise the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for underestimating the scale of sea-level rises this century as a result of melting glaciers and polar ice sheets.

Instead of sea levels rising by about 40 centimetres, as the IPCC predicts in one of its computer forecasts, the true rise might be as great as several metres by 2100. That is why, they say, planet Earth today is in “imminent peril”.

In a densely referenced scientific paper published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A some of the world’s leading climate researchers describe in detail why they believe that humanity can no longer afford to ignore the “gravest threat” of climate change.

“Recent greenhouse gas emissions place the Earth perilously close to dramatic climate change that could run out of control, with great dangers for humans and other creatures,” the scientists say. Only intense efforts to curb man-made emissions of carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouse gases can keep the climate within or near the range of the past one million years, they add.

The researchers were led by James Hansen, the director of Nasa’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, who was the first scientist to warn the US Congress about global warming.

The other scientists were Makiko Sato, Pushker Kharecha and Gary Russell, also of the Goddard Institute, David Lea of the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Mark Siddall of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University in New York.

In their 29-page paper, “Climate Change and trace gases”, the scientists frequently stray from the non-emotional language of science to emphasise the scale of the problems and dangers posed by climate change.

In an email to The Independent, Dr Hansen said: “In my opinion, among our papers this one probably does the best job of making clear that the Earth is getting perilously close to climate changes that could run out of our control.”

The unnatural “forcing” of the climate as a result of man-made emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases threatens to generate a “flip” in the climate that could “spark a cataclysm” in the massive ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland, the scientists write.

Dramatic flips in the climate have occurred in the past but none has happened since the development of complex human societies and civilisation, which are unlikely to survive the same sort of environmental changes if they occurred now.

“Civilisation developed, and constructed extensive infrastructure, during a period of unusual climate stability, the Holocene, now almost 12,000 years in duration. That period is about to end,” the scientists warn. Humanity cannot afford to burn the Earth’s remaining underground reserves of fossil fuel. “To do so would guarantee dramatic climate change, yielding a different planet from the one on which civilisation developed and for which extensive physical infrastructure has been built,” they say.

Dr Hansen said we have about 10 years to put into effect the draconian measures needed to curb CO2 emissions quickly enough to avert a dangerous rise in global temperature. Otherwise, the extra heat could trigger the rapid melting of polar ice sheets, made far worse by the “albedo flip” – when the sunlight reflected by white ice is suddenly absorbed as ice melts to become the dark surface of open water.

The glaciers and ice sheets of Greenland in the northern hemisphere, and the western Antarctic ice sheet in the south, both show signs of the rapid changes predicted with rising temperatures. “

The albedo flip property of ice/water provides a trigger mechanism. If the trigger mechanism is engaged long enough, multiple dynamical feedbacks will cause ice sheet collapse,” the scientists say. “We argue that the required persistence for this trigger mechanism is at most a century, probably less.”

The latest assessment of the IPCC published earlier this year predicts little or no contribution to 21st century sea level from Greenland or Antarctica, but the six scientists dispute this interpretation. “The IPCC analyses and projections do not well account for the nonlinear physics of wet ice sheet disintegration, ice streams and eroding ice shelves, nor are they consistent with the palaeoclimate evidence we have presented for the absence of discernible lag between ice sheet forcing and sea-level rise,” the scientists say.

Their study looked back over more than 400,000 years of climate records from deep ice cores and found evidence to suggest that rapid climate change over a period of centuries, or even decades, have in the past occurred once the world began to heat up and ice sheets started melting. It is not possible to assess the dangerous level of man-made greenhouse gases.

“However, it is much lower than has commonly been assumed. If we have not already passed the dangerous level, the energy infrastructure in place ensures that we will pass it within several decades,” the scientists say in their findings.

“We conclude that a feasible strategy for planetary rescue almost surely requires a means of extracting [greenhouse gases] from the air.”

http://environment.independent.co.uk/climate_change/

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