Yesterday’s crazy finish to the Iron Bowl may have been the most dramatic finish to a football game that I’ve ever seen. Even without a rooting interest in the game, I had the same reaction to the final play as every other sports fan. Pure shock. What, other than sports, can make grown men and women react like this…

Or this…

Or this…

Or even this…

For more reactions, Barstool has a nice complilation.

Yesterday was yet another reminder of why we love sports so much and why we care. It was exhilarating.

Of course, in these situations you can’t forget about the other side of the coin.

Given the stakes, the entire game was fantastic. It was a great game even without such a shocking ending. But the ending solidified it as one of the top 5 college football games of all-time. The irony of Nick Saban fighting for the extra second to try the field goal only to have that second cost him a chance at another national title would sound cliche in a movie. You gotta love sports.

I know that this happened over a month ago but I just found it… Childish Gambino, aka Donald Glover, stopped by Sway’s radio show at Sirius XM and spit an awesome freestyle over Drake’s “Pound Cake.” Sometimes, it’s tough to know whether these “freestyles” are written or performed off the top of their heads. This one feels completely legitimate to me though, especially because he even stops in the middle, starts talking and then picks up where he left off as if he never stopped. That part was definitely not rehearsed.

Whether the lines were prepared or not, I really enjoyed this freestyle and I think Childish Gambino deserves more attention. He’s super talented as evidenced by his successful acting career, writing credits on 30 Rock (Tina Fey even rapped on his latest mixtape), his stand-up special on Comedy Central and his ever-evolving rap career. Still trying to figure out what he enjoys most, Glover gave up his cushy network gig on NBC’s Community and he’s got a new album coming out next week. The good thing for Childish Gambino/Glover is that he’s great at everything he does.

Recently, he said that he’s done making albums but I hope he has a change of heart – or at least that he continues to make music, even if he doesn’t release another traditional album.  As the self described son of Kanye, it’s not always easy to figure out where he is coming from but I really enjoy pretty much anything Glover does. Whether it’s music, acting, stand-up or writing, I’ll co-sign whatever he puts out – just keep it coming.

Well, that one hurt. After rattling off 4 straight wins, the Giants had everyone excited about a possible playoff run despite an 0-6 start. That dream came to an end on Sunday after a 24-21 loss to the division-rival Cowboys. Neither team played particularly well but Dallas came out on top thanks to a 14-play, game-winning FG drive. The Giants overcame a 15 point, second-half deficit and tied the game in 4th but credit to Romo for leading a game-clinching drive that didn’t even give us a chance to answer.

We had every opportunity to win the game, which makes it all the more frustrating, but the breaks did not go our way. In a microcosm of our season, we made too many mistakes, committed costly turnovers and didn’t make the big plays. Victor Cruz fumbled while fighting for a couple of extra yards and the Cowboys ran it back for a touchdown. We failed to score touchdowns in the red zone, settling for field goals twice after being inside the 10. Finally, we allowed the Cowboys to convert two pivotal third downs on the final drive of the game. You can’t do those type of things and expect to win.

On a positive note, the return of Andre Brown has sparked the Giants running game. It’s really surprising that we lost a game in which we ran for over 200 yards as a team. If only Brown never got hurt… I wonder what could have been. Being realistic, it was a long shot for us to overcome our 0-6 start and make the playoffs but I was beginning to think it was possible. Credit to Dallas though for sweeping us this season and now they can battle it out with the Eagles for the division title.

Going forward, you never know who might collapse or how this season might turn out. There have been plenty of upsets and each week is harder to predict that the last. That being said, the Giants are very unlikely to being playing in the Meadowlands hosted Super Bowl this year – and that’s disappointing. But you can’t win it all every year and these are the types of seasons that make years like 2007 and 2011 all the more special.

Please, please, please Outkast make it happen. Rumors have surfaced about a reunion concert at Coachella 2014 and if they are true, this is the best music news of the year. One of the absolute best hip-hop groups have gone too long without performing together.

I will not miss their reunion concert no matter how far I have to travel or how much I have to spend. My iPod has not been updated since 2008 and thanks to my Outkast section, I’m more than okay with that. It amazes me how I can just listen to hours upon hours of Andre 3000 and Big Boi.

I’m just hoping this isn’t a false rumor because the idea has already been planted in my head. I can’t imagine a world where Mr. Benjamin and Big Boi are not performing in the California desert next April. Excuse me while I go Git up, git out and get some.

Reports surfaced early Tuesday morning that the Mets met with Robinson Cano’s people late Monday night. The free-agent second baseman is seeking a $300 million deal and it’s hard not to laugh when you hear that this meeting took place.

The Mets have made it clear that they are not  looking to get tied up in a $100 million contract this offseason, let alone $300 million. I guess there’s no harm in taking a meeting but I kind of imagine this one being a waste of time for everyone involved. It would be equivalent to me walking into an Ashton Martin dealership and discussing the Vanquish.

No one is serious about a deal here and I wouldn’t be surprised if the Mets held this meeting to try and give Cano some leverage over the Yankees. President Randy Levine said the team wants Cano but won’t pay him $300 million over ten years and now the question becomes, will anyone?

Cano is by far the prize of this free agent market but is he worth the largest contract in baseball history?  If one thing is for sure, it’s that the Mets are NOT the team that can give it to him. No other GM is nervous that Cano is meeting with the Mets and no one is taking this seriously.

It might excite some fans to hear that we are involved with Cano but let’s be real about our budget and live within our means. We’ve had enough trouble getting a meeting with free agent shortstop Stephen Drew – that’s where our focus should be. Hopefully Sandy can learn from what the Indians did last season and sign consistent veterans at reasonable prices to put together a winning roster.

As good as Cano is, tying up $300 million in one player is not the answer. Just ask the Angels how they feel about the $200 million they owe Pujols over the next 8 years, including $30 million in his age 41 season. So goes the offseason where headlines like ‘Mets meet with agents for free agent Cano’ are both laughable and valid at the same time.

After starting off the season with 6 straight losses, the Giants remain in the playoff hunt thanks to the ineptitude of the other teams in the NFC East. We’ve rattled off three wins in a row and now we have the good fortune of facing an Aaron Rodgers-less Packers team.

If the Giants win this week, it sets up a huge division game against Dallas next week. I’m assuming the team wants to avenge the opening game loss to Dallas as much as I do. In doing so, the Giants would also propel themselves ahead of the Cowboys in the NFC East standings.

I’m just grateful to be in this position given such a putrid start and although our current 3-game winning streak hasn’t come against the cream of the crop, the playoffs are still a possibility. And once you get into the playoffs, anything can happen, as we demonstrated in 2011. Furthermore, this year’s Super Bowl is at MetLife Stadium and that can only provide extra motivation.

It’s still an uphill battle but Eli and company need to continue to take it one game at a time and improve week to week. Our defense is showing signs of life and most importantly the pass rush has returned from the dead. There are still many problems to fix on special teams and offense but the return of Andre Brown should help balance our offensive attack.

The division remains wide open with no one over .500 and the 3-6 Giants have the experience to come out on top. I can’t believe we’re still alive but somehow we are and wins in the next two weeks can put us back in prime position to make a late-season run. Our last couple of such runs, in 2007 and 2011, led to Super Bowls.

Given what I was thinking after Week 6, I’m more than happy to be in this position – and I think the rest of the division knows that they should have put us away when they had the chance.

Jimmy Fallon has done it again. I am not a huge fan of Mariah Carey but this is a phenomenal “sketch” idea and I enjoyed every second of it. The reactions of the superfans when Mariah walked through the door were legitimately priceless. Fallon continues to churn out clever and entertaining videos day after day and his audience will only continue to grow as he transitions to 11:30. Kudos to Mariah for participating as well.

This also got me thinking as to which artists would give me the same reaction. It’s tough to say but if I had to pick a top three, I think it would be Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen and Eric Clapton. I am a superfan of all three and each has an amazing music catalog and history. Having this opportunity with any artist would be the opportunity of a lifetime but those three legends would excite me the most – maybe even evoking a reaction like that of the Mariah superfans.

Remember 10 years ago when the Red Sox were a cursed franchise with tortured fans who were destined to never see another World Series title? It wasn’t that long ago but it certainly feels like it after the Red Sox clinched their third World Series in the last 10 seasons on Wednesday. Just last year they were a 93-loss team in the cellar but it didn’t take long for them to return to the penthouse.

The outcome of Game 6 was never in doubt. Rookie phenom Michael Wacha couldn’t continue his postseason magic and Victorino delivered with the bases loaded again. Boston built a 6-0 lead and never looked back. David Ortiz had a World Series for the ages, hitting over .600 and earning the World Series MVP. Congrats to the Red Sox and their fans who got to enjoy a World Series victory at Fenway Park for the first time since 1918.

I’m a Mets fan but I’ve always respected Boston’s passion and that historic “lyric little bandbox of a ballpark,” as John Updike would say. 95 years is a long time and the energy in that ballpark last night was electric. Fenway Park was the center of the sports world and Boston fans have a night that they will never forget.

The Red Sox have to be considered the team of the 2000s – they’re the only franchise with 3 World Series titles since the turn of the century. While that might make Yankees fans sick, I didn’t have a much of a problem with the way things turned out last night.

I sat and watched the game from the exact same seat that I sat in 6 months earlier during the Boston Marathon bombing. Back then, I watched in shock and disbelief as a manhunt unfolded live on television, holding a city hostage. Last night, I watched that same city and its people come together to celebrate their beloved Red Sox. It felt right to watch the city rejoice – the emotion was palpable through the television.

The Red Sox winning the World Series doesn’t change the fact that the bombings happened and it doesn’t fix the lives that were ruined by the senseless act. But it does give Boston a reason to celebrate their city’s resilience and strength. Sports has a way of bringing people together and taking on a greater significance. The way the players, owners and GM addressed the fans after the game confirmed that fact. The Yankees deserved the same fate in the 2001 World Series following the September 11th attacks and although they didn’t win it, just competing in that World Series was a cathartic and emotional experience for the city.

“Boston Strong” was born out of a terrible day in April but it became the motto of a city and its baseball team. The Red Sox have always been there to bond the people of Boston together and it was very cool to watch everyone revel in a World Series title. It was a fantastic postseason with many memorable moments and in the end, I think the best team won it all. Next year is a new season but 2013 will forever be about Boston’s worst to first turnaround and Boston Strong.

I just discovered HAIM thanks to ALT Nation on Sirius XM and The Wire is an infectious song that has been impossible to get out of my head. The band consists of three sisters from Los Angeles ranging in ages from 22-27. They’ve got a great alt-rock vibe with some hip hop/R&B style mixed in and they’re signed to Jay-Z’s label ROC Nation.

Good on HOVA for recognizing a unique sound and yes that is Jorma from The Lonely Island in the video. There should be more good things to come from HAIM but in the meantime try getting The Wire out of your head after your first listen. It’s impossible.

“I don’t even know what happened actually.” – Carlos Beltran.

That’s coming from a guy in his 16th year in the league who just played in his 48th postseason game of his career. Beltran’s been around the game for a while and he’s never seen an ending quite like the one at Busch Stadium on Saturday. In fact, in the 108 previous World Series in baseball history, no game has ever ended like Game 3 on the 2013 Fall Classic. That’s what makes baseball (and sports) so special. You can never predict what is going to happen.

An obstruction call is a tough way to decide a game but I do believe it was the right call. Based on Rule 7.06, the runner was obstructed from running home, whether Middlebrooks meant to do it or not. The call was also made right away at third. Like I said, it’s a tough way to decide a game, especially one as fantastic as this one, but rules are rules.

After the call, chaos ensued as the Red Sox came out to argue while the Cardinals celebrated. Fans in the stands didn’t even know why their team had won. Without a doubt, it was one of the most bizarre endings to a game that I’ve ever witnessed. The Red Sox have now lost 2 games in this series thanks to errant throws to third base.

While the obstruction call stole all of the headlines, this game was so much more than that. The biggest takeaway for me is that John Farrell got completely outmanaged by Mike Matheny. He was completely in over of his head dealing with the pitcher’s spot in the order and he ended up leaving Napoli on the bench for the entire game. Meanwhile, he let a relief pitcher hit in a tie game in the 9th, only to take him out after 1 out the following inning. Farrell also admitted that he should have double-switched Saltalamacchia out for David Ross when he brought in Workman. Those mistakes are inexcusable and they played a large role in the Red Sox losing the game.

Baseball is exponentially more fun in a national league park, at least for me. The absence of the DH complicates things and it requires so much more strategy and forethought. It’s like playing chess while the other manager is playing checkers. Farrell’s inexperience with the National League style of play hurt the Red Sox big time and he needs to figure it out fast or this series will never make it back to Boston.

The drama was building all night with big hits and outs from rookies and veterans alike. Game 3 will always be remembered for its unique ending but it was a fantastic baseball game all around. It was a reminder of what makes the game so entertaining and it’s what we should show those who claim baseball is “boring.”

Both teams now have to put the obstruction call behind them and focus on Game 4. You can bet that tonight’s game will be just as close and intense. This has been a fantastic World Series to cap off a phenomenal postseason and the rest of this series is going to be electric.