Test. And Observation

Testing my Googlereader today and decided to post on this page and see how it appears in my reader.  Saw my last post was from April 2011.  I said Tim Duncan is annoying.  Well, its 2012, and the Spurs are playing OKC in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals.  And Tim Duncan is still annoying.

Tim Duncan is annoying

I usually like athletes who are humble, do good work for the community, and are respectable citizens - i.e. they don't bang their teammates wives.  However, I can't stand Tim Duncan.  In fact, if I saw Duncan right now, I would deliver a Superkick to his stupid face so hard that his dumb little dragon tatoo on his shoulder would fly off.  He's a whiny little baby.  The NBA should craft the following apology letter to Timmy:

Dear Tim,
Please accept our most sincere apologies for having called a foul on you over the course of your 15 year career. We realize now that in over 1.5 decades, not once have you held, hacked, pushed, blocked, tripped, elbowed, shoved, kneed, or hindered the movement of your opponent's attempt to score in any way.  Our bad.  Please also understand that we recognize that, in total, we have missed a least 1,285,089 fouls that we should have called on players defending you over the years, meaning we've not awarded you enough free throws.  As such, we are granting you 6 more NBA titles, 3 scoring championships, and will go ahead and assume you are the leader in points scored in NBA history.  Despite your current decline in abilities, we will also force the Memphis Grizzlies to forfeit Games 6 and 7 of this first round series, so your fans can watch you fling your arms up in despair at the referees calls (or non calls) for the remainder of the 2011 NBA Playoffs.

I hate him.

Big East to 10 teams...TCU?

TCU won't be joining the Big 12.  Move on, Horned Frog fans.  But with the recent announcement by the Big East that the conference will expand to at least 2 teams, talk in Ft. Worth has swirled regarding TCU moving to the home of West Virginia, Syracuse, Louisville, and the rest.

The move would be a mistake.  Sure, the Big East has a guaranteed spot at the BCS bowl table.  And their basketball league is second to none (though their is debate about whether or not expansion would include the basketball league - which is twice the size of the football conference teams).  From a strictly football perspective, TCU has more to lose than gain in the current system by heading to the weakest conference in the BCS world.


Boise State is coming to the Mountain West next year, guaranteeing the conference a premier showdown each year between the current non-BCS darlings of the past few seasons: TCU and Boise State.  It would surprise no one to find one of those two teams playing for the BCS title THIS season (assuming TCU can get by Utah this weekend, it seems more likely to expect celebration in Ft. Worth than Idaho).

Compare a potential MWC and Big East with the move by the Horned Frogs:
Starting in 2012
Mountain West: TCU, Air Force, Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State, Wyoming, UNLV, San Diego State, Nevada, New Mexico

Big East: Louisville, West Virginia, Syracuse, TCU, Central Florida, South Florida, Cincinnatti, UCONN, Pittsburgh, Rutgers

Does the MWC really look that much worse than the Big East?  Staying in the MWC gives a better shot of strength of schedule to TCU as they compete for national titles in football than leaving for the Big East does. 

We all know it's not about the best thing for competitive nature or what makes sense on the field, but its all about the cash.  And until the MWC gets a seat at the BCS table, they won't have the cash to keep up with even the likes of the mediocre Big East.  Should they get the invite, I'm sure TCU will take it.  Whether it produces better results on the football field is a question that remains up for debate.

As an aside - is there any way if BYU and Utah had stayed in the MWC that he BCS could have denied that conference an automatic bid?
Think about this conference: BYU, Utah, TCU, Air Force, Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State, Wyoming, UNLV, San Diego State, Nevada, New Mexico.  Tantalizing.  And certainly better than the Big East.  Perhaps on par with the watered down Big 12.

Who dressed up as Cliff Lee last night?

The Texas Rangers must have forgotten something in Arlington on their way to San Francisco to face the Giants last night in Game 1 of the World Series - Cliff Lee.  Not sure who it was that trotted out there in Lee's #33 jersey, but it certainly wasn't the same guy who owned a 3-0 record with a 0.75 ERA in the 2010 post-season.

The Lee-imposter wasn't able to locate any of his off speed pitches, allowing the Giants to tee off on his first and second pitch fastballs.  The pinpoint accuracy that allowed the real Cliff Lee to dominate Tampa and New York clearly wasn't there - the only pitch that got close to the strike zone was his fast ball.  Lee's stuff isn't dominating enough if his accuracy is off, and it showed last night.

Luckily, Rangers fans are pretty sure whoever that was last night (I'm thinking perhaps a jealous Kevin Millwood dropped about 50 LBs and snuck into the game) wasn't the real CL33.  It better not be, or this could be an epic fail for another Texas team in the World Series.

Big 12 Blog - Big 12 Power Rankings – Week 2

Big 12 Blog - Big 12 Power Rankings – Week 2: "Big 12 Blog - Big 12 Power Rankings – Week 2, Sept. 11"

Bush Gives up Heisman

Former USC running back Reggie Bush announced today that he will give up the 2005 Heisman Trophy.  Former Texas QB, and runner up to Bush, Vince Young has openly stated that he would accept the trophy given should the Heisman trust decide to award it to VY.

2 thoughts - first, the Heisman trust absolutely should decide to either call for a revote from Heisman voters for the 2005 award, or they should simply give it to the player who finished 2nd.  The trust set a standard of rules which requires the Heisman to be awarded to an eligible NCAA athlete.  Bush, clearly, didn't fit the mold.  If championships can be taken away from USC for using ineligible players, then its not without reason to take away awards for the same violations.  Assuming Bush wasn't eligible, voters would likely have picked Young for his monstorous 2005 campaign.  Giving the award to the man who finished second in the voting who also meets the Heisman credentials doesn't cheapen the award.  Leaving the statue un-awarded merely acknowledges the fact that the Heisman was awarded to Bush The Cheater, who vacated it for his indiscretions.  What truly cheapens the award more?

There have been arguments made that stripping Bush and giving it to Young opens an interesting can of worms in regards to previous Heisman winners of questionable character.  The most commonly compared example would be OJ Simpson - the argument goes if we're willing to take the Heisman away from Bush, then we have to look at all the past winners who have gone on and committed questionable actions on or off the field of play, like Simpson, and potentially strip these winners as well.  Hogwash.  Simpson, while a wife killer, did nothing during his tenure at USC to make him ineligible for the Heisman .  Perhaps he's ineligible to be a role model or to get into Heaven, but there's no rules for Heisman trophy winners that you have to spend your life being a good citizen.  Nor does it say you can't be someone who gets away with murder later down the line.  It simply says you must be eligible by NCAA guidelines when you win the award.  Simpson was.  Bush wasn't.  It's apples to oranges.

The good news, though, is even the Heisman trust votes (incorrectly) to leave the trophy vacant, there remains another trophy sitting in Austin that proves who the better player for 2005 really was.  So while Bush's 500 plus yard game against Fresno State secured him a tainted Heisman trophy, VY saved his best game for the Rose Bowl.  Perhaps now, the Heisman can finally right the original wrong from that fateful season.  And if not?  Well, Texas fans still have 41-38

Miles Austin extension?

Sure, he was great last year. And sure, Jerry Jones LOVES to overpay as many players as he possibly can. But word of the Cowboys camp is that wide receiver Miles Austin signed a long term, 6 year deal with Dallas. This coming off of his breakout 2009, where Miles caught 81 balls for 1320 yards, good enough for 6th all time in Dallas history. While the move makes some Cowboys fans happy, those in the know are more than a bit skeptical at the move.

Rewarding a player with a record breaking season is fine. But GM Jerry Jones already did that for MA. This past June, Austin received a one year deal worth over 3 million dollars for 2010. Why not have Miles honor that deal, and then pay the big bucks next summer if his production remains at the 2009 level? There is no guarantee that Austin will be as productive in 2010 as he was last year - his best season before last year was 2008. His total receptions? 13.

If he catches another 70 plus balls for over 1000 yards, then sure - pay the man. In fact, pay him a BUNCH, because you've established Tony Romo's go to guy for the next 5 - 7 years. But giving players long term deals based on the results of one season is a move that oftentimes backfires. Ask the Washington Redskins, who rewarded Albert Haynesworth for an All Pro year in 2008 by signing him to the biggest contract of the 08 offseason. Now they're looking to trade him, or outright cut him.

Here's hoping Austin makes Jones look like a genius, and leads the NFC in catches in 2010. He's a great guy, good with the community, and an inspiration for hard workers everywhere. I'm just not sure he's worth the cost that Jones is going to pay.

Although, when you're the guy who builds a 1,000,000,000 dollar stadium, a 6 year deal seems like a drop in the bucket.