| | | | | | | |  Tuesday, October 2, 2001
Melissa Stark talks back
By Melissa Stark
Special to ABC Sports Online
A lot of people want to talk to Monday Night Football's Melissa Stark. Ten of you got the chance, courtesy of ABC Sports Online.
The MNF sideline reporter recently answered user questions about the NFL's surprise teams and pre-game superstitions, among other topics. Below are Stark's responses to users who e-mailed their questions.
Click here to send your questions to Melissa. Her answers are posted every Thursday.
In this season so far there's a lot of teams surprising with their play. Who do you think has been the biggest surprise on the league so far?
Yosu Errasti -- Austin, Texas
|  | | Jon Kitna threw for 154 yards and a TD in the Bengals' upset win over the Ravens. |
Melissa Stark: I'd say the Cincinnati Bengals are the biggest surprise to this point. Beating Baltimore was huge for them. The key to that victory was their defense, which forced six turnovers and exposed how important the loss of Jamal Lewis was to the Ravens. Jon Kitna played great, throwing a TD pass and running for another.
The San Diego Chargers have been a surprise as well, but given they've beaten Washington and Dallas, it remains to be seen whether or not this is truly a turnaround story.
And these two teams play each other on Sunday in San Diego. Who would have thought that both these teams would be undefeated heading into this game?
With Doug Flutie at the helm, with what looks to be an explosive LaDainian Tomlinson in the backfield, and an already good defense, do the San Diego Chargers have a realistic chance of not only making the playoffs, but maybe even taking the division?
LelandSanders A. Gradney -- Lawton/Ft. Still, Okla.
Melissa Stark: I don't think they'll do either. They're definitely a better team, but they've beaten two of the worst teams in the league, so that doesn't necessarily make them playoff bound.
They have Denver and Oakland in their division, and those teams will be 1-2 in the AFC West. Both the Broncos and Raiders are substantially better than the Chargers, but what the Chargers do have working for them is a weak schedule. They host Cincinnati this week, and then face Cleveland and New England, so they can conceivably start 5-0.
Do you ever wish you could leave early when the game is a blowout?
Ken Reed -- Salem, Ore.
Melissa Stark: (laughing) It definitely starts to drag, just as it does for the fans. For example, this Monday night's game seemed to take forever. In the third quarter I just found myself looking at my watch.
But looking at the bright side, I have a better chance of getting most of my stories in. Because the game is not as exciting, I can fill in with more personal, human interest-type information about the team. But you definitely lose that adrenaline rush.
I was wondering what your thoughts were on the Philadelphia Eagles this year?
Pat O'Connor -- Philadelphia
Melissa Stark: I think the Eagles are a very tough team. Donovan McNabb has another year of experience, and they have a toughness on defense that distinguishes them. If a team is not 100 percent prepared to play them, then Philly will beat the heck out of them, as the Seattle Seahawks found out on Sunday.
The offense remains the question mark, but they looked pretty good. McNabb is the key, obviously, and Duce Staley's shoulder injury will hurt them. Correll Buckhalter, their fourth-round pick out of Nebraska, looked good in relief of Staley, gaining 52 yards on 18 carries and four catches for 50 yards. Staley is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Cowboys.
The NFC East is by far the worst division in the league, and the team they have to measure themselves against is the New York Giants, and we'll see that matchup on Monday Night Football from Giants Stadium in three weeks.
Do you believe that the agreement reached between the league and the officials was the most beneficial for both parties for the long term?
Joseph Leal -- Oklahoma
Melissa Stark: Yes. It's better to get the regular officials out there. After Week 1, the regular officials wanted to get back on the field, so the decision of taking the package -- a six-year deal with a 50 percent pay increase in the first year and 100 percent in the fourth year -- was a no-brainer. Had they not taken the deal, there would have been further outcry from the players.
The regular refs need to be out there. Bad refs can definitely ruin a game. In three of the 15 games in Week 1, not one holding penalty was called. That's unheard of. In others, penalties were marched off the wrong distances, and the officials almost cost the Oakland Raiders their Week 1 win at Kansas City.
|  | | Bruce Smith was one of many players to have problems with replacement officials in Week 1. |
There was an amazing story from Bruce Smith. He complained to a replacement referee in the game against San Diego game about safety issues that he thought were being disregarded: Someone hit him in the back 20 yards off the line of scrimmage; facemask penalties went unnoticed.
Smith said the referee told him, "You play football, I'll referee. If you get hurt, you get hurt."
Smith was incredulous at the statement. He wrote a complaint to Commissioner Tagliabue. He said he'd never heard anything like that in his 16-year career.
What are your thoughts on the self-destruction of the Vikings? Do you think they have had to deal with so much off the field that it has become impossible for them to focus on the field?
Brad Madlem -- New Smyrna Beach, Fla.
Melissa Stark: It's as much the distraction as much as it's the actual loss of Stringer as an All-Pro player. Even more important was the loss of Robert Smith. A good offense is a balanced offense, and in one fell swoop, they lost one of the best running backs in the league without having a suitable replacement.
This puts a huge amount of pressure on the passing game because defenses know the only way they can lose to Minnesota is to give up big pass plays. Daunte Culpepper, Randy Moss and Cris Carter are great, but not so great that they can make up for a lack of a running game.
And Robert Griffith's broken fibula is a big setback for the Vikings' defense. The strong safety went to the Pro Bowl last year and started 70 straight games prior to the injury. He'll be out at least six weeks.
I think they'll rebound, but they won't go as far as they did last year.
Some players have pre-game superstitions. Do you?
Brian Hosty -- Spotsylvania, Va.
Melissa Stark: We do a rehearsal about 45 minutes before the game, and once we've done that, I get pretty serious and focused and don't want to socialize or chat with people on the field. I think about the stories I've prepared for the game and go over them in my mind a few times. That's when the adrenaline starts going.
My Monday is pretty organized as far as my schedule, but it's all work-related. As far as stuff like not stepping on the lines or wearing a pair of lucky socks, I don't do that.
The Colts are putting up offensive numbers reminiscent of the Rams a couple of years ago when they won the Super Bowl and their defense is playing much better, but no one mentions them as an elite team. What do you think their chances are of making it to the big dance?
Arthur -- Indianapolis
Melissa Stark: They have a leading offense, without a doubt. Peyton Manning is one of the top quarterbacks in the league. Edgerrin James is a top back, and Marvin Harrison is excellent. Jerome Pathon has looked great also.
But I'm not convinced about their defense. Neither the Bills nor the Jets provided much of a challenge for them, but the Colts have still given up an average of 25 points per game through two games.
They added speed and athleticism on the defensive line with Christian Peter, but they still haven't been able to amount much of a pass rush. And with the exception of Chad Cota, their secondary leaves a lot to be desired.
However, based on their offense alone, the Colts are a playoff contender, for sure.
I was wondering what sort of career goals you have set for yourself as you continue to gain exposure on a national stage. Without getting too specific, do you see yourself always covering sports or could you see venturing into the news/talk show arena?
Mark Tortora -- Glastonbury, Conn.
Melissa Stark: I love my job. I couldn't think of any better job in the world for me right now. I just got married and eventually will want to start a family, which will make the traveling aspect of the job difficult. When that happens, I'll want a job where I don't have to travel. Whether that's in sports or in some other aspect of television, I don't know.
The way the business is now, it can actually be all-encompassing. People used to ask me where I wanted to be in 10 years or five years, and at the time I never could have predicted I'd be doing Monday Night Football. Sometimes things happen that you just can't plan for, and that's my approach now.
Do you think this could be the end for Terrell Davis? It looks to be his third straight injury-plagued season, and considering his degenerative knee condition, is it possible for him to bounce back?
Truman Freshour -- Portland, Ore.
Melissa Stark: I'm worried about Terrell Davis, and it's a shame, because he's a great back and a classy guy. It looks like he has a recurring problem with his right knee. As more surgery gets performed, the more vulnerable he becomes to future injury, whether it's to that knee or to some other part of his body, because he's overcompensating for the injured knee. It's hard to maintain the physical condition that one needs to perform on a Davis-like level, and repetitive injuries like this make it more difficult still.
A few backs have come back from repeated knee injuries: Terry Allen and Robert Smith are examples. Look at Jamal Anderson and Garrison Hearst. Who knows if they will ever be the same?
I don't think this surgery will end Davis' career, but the future for him is pretty bleak.
Ask Melissa Stark:
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