Holiday Bowl Blues

Good luck to the Longhorns tonight. They've beat no one, played no one, and might easily get their butts handed to them tonight in the Holiday Bowl.

Game prediction: Texas 38 ASU 35

First Week of Bowl Games

The picks:
Navy over Utah
Memphis over Florida Atlantic
Cincinatti over Southern Miss
Nevada over New Mexico
BYU over UCLA
Boise State over East Carolina

These are straight win picks - I don't know the spread. Perhaps my luck will change...

RR to AA?

Rich Rodriguez is going to Michigan. All I can say is thank God, perhaps ESPN will quit making up stories about Les Miles leaving LSU for Ann Arbor. It's one thing for Kirk Herbstreit to announce on the day of the SEC Championship that Miles is leaving - and be completely wrong. It's another thing for ESPN to report, two days after he signs an extension with LSU no less, that Miles lied when he denied he was leaving, and will in fact be going to the Wolverines. Would you be surprised if Stuart Scott came onto SportsCenter tonight and declared that Rich Rodriguez's real name is Les Miles, and that the embattled Tigers coach is in fact going to be Michigan's head coach?

Furthermore, there has been great praise from media darlings about Michigan pulling off a great hire. Whether this comes to fruition is not can be debated. Personally, I think you are looking at a situation like what you have in Florida - you can expect the spread offense to work in most cases, until you match up with a team with the same talent and speed as you have. Florida finished this year 9-3 under the vaunted attack of spread option guru Urban Meyer. His National Title from last year was the result of his defense (a defense recruited by Ron Zook, by the way). The Wolverines may find out that the "greatest hire in Michigan history" might become the next Bill Callahan of college football.

Still, you gotta give the folks in Ann Arbor credit. Not many schools are willing to plunge into the athletic department of another instiution so brutally as Michigan has with regards to West Virgina in the past 8 months. They have taken their highly regarded football coach this week, and just a few months back, lured John Beilien from the bench of a budding Mountaineer basketball program. My how the college world has turned, when folks in Michigan are picking through the boondocks of Morgantown for the next great coach.

As for fans of West Virginia who feel betrayed, angry, upset, hurt, cheated, or any of the like - I have one word for you. Pittsburgh. You might be losing a coach able to manage a high score spread attack, but when it comes to the biggest of big games, he'll always come up short. In the illustruous West Virginia career of RR, the best win of his program was - Louisville in 2005?

Come to think of it, has Michigan dropped the ball with this hire? I bid they have indeed, and RR will be back coaching his flag football offense in a subrate conference befor the end of this decade.

It's Been a Month - Sorry

It’s been awhile since anything of merit has caused me such distress that I felt the need to comment on it. Since my last post, college football has completely blown up in our faces. At this point, picking Bowl Games would be an absolute sham, because based on the way this season has gone, there is no way to possibly accurately guess who might win. That being said, I fully intend on getting those picks posted online this week.

What I would prefer to discuss revolves around the University of Arkansas football program. Specifically, the hiring of new head coach Bobby Petrino. My allegiances to Texas aside, the Razorbacks have made a huge mistake. Let’s forget his miserable 3-10 record with the Atlanta Falcons this year, and dive into the character of Bobby Petrino the man, and what he is committed to.

Follow this career path for the new coach in Fayetteville. In July of 2006, Petrino, a hot commodity following 4 successful years at Louisville, signed a 10 year 25.5 million contract extension to stay with the Cardinals through 2016. Fast forward a grand total of 6 months, about 5% of his promised tenure, and Petrino bolted Louisville to return to the NFL and the Atlanta Falcons. Between December 2006 and December 2007, and 13 NFL games, Petrino decided that the NFL wasn’t for him, and just yesterday he left his 5 year dear with the Falcons on the table and bolted for Arkansas.

Question - Is the man the Razorback nation thinks will lead them to the top of the SEC? This guy commits to coaching stints about as well as Rosie O’Donnell commits to her diet. Honestly, are there people in Arkansas not worried that Petrino may take the vacant Michigan job next week?

At some point in the near future, collegiate athletic directors and the NCAA should find a way to make these carousel coaching changes stop. How this can be done, I am not sure. It seems odd to me that universities who are left high and dry by coaching changes don’t exert some influence with university attorneys to force a coach’s hand. In some way, I wish they would force coaches to pay the length of their contract should they decide to leave early. The hypocritical part that gets me going is the way the schools and the NCAA treat student athletes in comparison - if a freshman at Texas A&M decides sheep humping isn’t for him, a transfer to UT or OU would require a mandatory 1 year red shirt year and a loss of a season of eligibility. Perhaps a similar rule for coaches should go into effect.

Now I am no sympathizer for the National Football League in any way. Yet you can’t help but feel for the Atlanta Falcons in this situation. Owner Arthur Blake must be sipping on the Jack Daniels, wondering what he did so wrong in the last year to impose this evil Santa Christmas. First, his expunged star QB, the former face of the franchise whom he poured millions of dollars into, is sentenced to jail for 23 months. Follow that up with his current crop of players flashing “Free Vick” t-shirts and posters supporting the dog beater on a nationally televised game, making sane folks like me wonder what is wrong with those players. Oh, and don’t forget about the 10,000 fans who bothered to show up for the football game, many of whom were sporting Vick’s #7 jersey in support of their fallen hero. (On a side note, if a white guy came to a baseball game wearing a wearing a Mark McGuire jersey, he’d be crucified for supporting the steroid pumping embarrassment of MLB. A black man sports a Vick replica, and he’s recognized as staying loyal. You figure it out.) Follow this up with the Falcons head coach quitting on the team the next day, and you can understand the feeling of despair coming out of the ATL.

Hopefully, NFL owners have figured it out in the wake of Petrino-flight and Saban-bolt. DO NOT HIRE COLLEGE COACHES FOR PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL. The Dallas Cowboys hired Jimmy Johnson from the University of Miami in the early ‘90s, and now every owner thinks they can pull the hot name from the college ranks and make the Super Bowl. Keep in mind, the Cowboys’ great coach Johnson was aided in his success by a trio of Hall of Famers in Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin. In the wake of Johnson’s departure from Dallas, the Cowboys won 3 more division titles, reached 2 NFC Championship games, and won the Super Bowl. Perhaps it wasn’t the innovative musings of the collegiate trained Johnson that brought the early ‘90s dynasty to Big D.

The point is, NFL owners should recognize collegiate coaches as egotistical maniacs, who want their program to be all about them, their rules, their schemes, their players, their curfews, their feuds, their graduation rates, their offenses, their defenses, their mandatory team volunteer activities, their pep rallies, their wind sprints, their spring practices. Collegiate coaches cannot take those dictator attitudes into today’s modern game - when they do, they feel lost, can’t win, and bolt home. It’s a pretty common occurrence these days. Perhaps the NFL can figure it out…

Here’s hoping Petrino gets what he deserves in Arkansas - a 3-9 season next year.

Two Picks

Weekend Picks


Let us try this one again. For the weekend, my heart is on break, as my beloved Longhorns are off, awaiting the sheep humpers from College Station.

Michigan +4.5 vs. Ohio State
Ohio State has impressed me little this season, haven beaten up the cupcake schedule laid before them in preconference play, and swamping the overmatched Big 10 schedule until last week, when Ron Zook’s juggernaut from Illinois came into Columbus and spanked the Buckeyes around like Ike Turner’s bitch. Michigan has been even less impressive, but honestly someone must win this borefest, and this one says its going to be the Wolverines in Lloyd Carr, Chad Henne, Mike Hart, and Justin Long’ last game.

Oklahoma -7.5 vs. Texas Tech
Following the beatdown in Austin last week, Tech head coach Mike Leach berated officials for reversing some calls against the Red Raiders. Perhaps Leach should berate his “revamped” defense in big games. Against Texas, the Raiders gave up 59 points. Against Colorado, Tech gave up 31 points. Against Missouri, 41 points. Against Oklahoma State, 49 points. Notice the trend? In games Texas Tech needed to win to show their mettle this season, the defense has played a little bit better than Britney Spears new album has sold. In other words - it exists, and it may have sold a few copies, but it’s just the result of an ongoing trainwreck. Until Tech moves past their sports complex and hires some quality coaches, the folks in Lubbock will have to remain satisfied with sour grape coaches blaming officials for letting another Top 25 team drop ½ a hundred points on an overvalued defense. Don’t expect that change to come this week. OU rolls on its way to the Big 12 South Championship.

Those are the only two picks of the week. More would be silly - this way I am sure to get 100% on the week…

Stephon Marbury

Make or Break date for Duane Akina

The University of Texas defensive coordinator faces a heck of a challenge this Saturday. Duane Akina, a member of the Texas defensive staff for 10 years, was given the reins to control the defense this season in what many thought was a long overdue acknowledgement of continued success by Texas coach Mack Brown. Over the past four season, Akina has been labeled Assistant Defensive Coordinator, a position many folks scratched their heads about.

In 2004, Brown brought in Greg Robinson, a former NFL Defensive Coordinator for the Kansas City Chiefs, to lead the Longhorns D. He did so, helping take Texas to the 2005 Rose Bowl. Akina came in 2nd place during the interview process.

In 2005, after Robinson moved on to the head coach at Syracuse, Brown hired Auburn defensive coordinator Gene Chizic. All he did was lead the D to a victory against powerhouse USC for a National Championship. Akina came in 2nd place during the interview process.

Chizic returned in 2006, but bolted for the head job at Iowa State before this year. So the 2007 year was finally Akina's year. He's been less than stellar.

The defense is ranked 88th nationally against the pass. What is worse, a team once predicated defensively on creating turnovers has shown a glaring inability to force mistakes from opposing offenses. At one point this season, Texas had gone 10 quarters without forcing any turnovers. The Longhorns loss to Oklahoma can be attributed in part to the fact that OU made Texas cough it up, while the UT defense couldn't force the Sooners to put the ball on the ground.

As Texas Tech heads into Austin this weekend, there are many folks, myself included, worried about the UT defense against the Red Raiders #1 ranked passing attack. In years past, Texas has been able to offset the Tech video game offense with team speed - getting to the quarterback and forcing bad throws or decsisions which lead to turnovers. Texas has not shown the ability to do so this year - if the Horns can't force turnovers against Central Arkansas, what makes them think they can force Tech QB Graham Harrell into hurried passes?

Pundits point out that Missouri and Colorado were able to slow down the Texas Tech pass attack, and few would argue that the athletes in Columbia and Boulder don't match up with the boys in Austin. Hence the pressure on Duan Akina. To be a top coordinator at one of the premier football schools in the country means having the ability to draw up game plans allowing for you to beat the teams you should. If Akina can't find a way to turn the inconsistent D around, you can expect some upset Longhorns come Saturday night, and some Red Raiders may be rubbing my previous post in my face...

http://www.sportswithandy.com/2007/10/whats-wrong-with-texas-tech.html

11.5 Million?

People sometimes ask what I would do if I won the lottery. And we're not talking about the little $3 million variety. Let's go for broke - the whole Powerball $267 million! Sweetness.

The first thing - I would send Texas A&M and Nebraska $8.5 and $3 million respectively. These represent the exact dollar amounts that the Aggies and Huskers would owe their coaches, Dennis Francione and Bill Callahan, in the event the university chooses to fire them.

A&M and Nebraska are embarrassing the Big 12. There are currently 4 teams in the top 15 (3 in the top 6) of the BCS standings from the Big 12, and pundits around the country still find the conference subpar. The top teams in the conference have a combined record of 25-2 (OU, Kansas, Missouri). Take the top 3 teams from any other conference, including the vaunted SEC, and you won't find a better winning percentange. (For arguments' sake, the SEC is 22-6, with LSU, Auburn, and Georgia) And yet, the Big 12 is highly regarded as a conferene that is "down" this year. Why? Simple - two of the most recognized programs in the country from the conference are being ridden into the ground by a couple of lame duck coaches.

Since my posting regarding the upcoming firings of Fran and Callahan on Oct 15, the Aggies are 1-2, and the Cornhuskers are winless.

Perhaps tonight is the night for my winning numbers...

Bowl Predicitons following Saturday

Another weekly shakeup atop the BCS finds Boston College come down from their perch. After Florida State played the spoiler role, BC’s loss may help in putting some order into the finished product of this helter skelter 2007 college football season. As indicated below, the topsy turvey order of college football that we all feared (a BCS complete with Hawaii, Boston College, South Florida, ect.) may be avoided after all.

BCS National Championship
LSU (#1 - SEC Champ) vs. Oklahoma (#2 - Big 12 Champ)

Sugar Bowl
Georgia (at large) vs. Texas (at large)

Orange Bowl
Virginia Tech (ACC Champ) vs. Ohio State (at large)

Fiesta Bowl
Hawaii (at large) vs. West Virginia (Big East Champ)

Rose Bowl
Oregon (Pac 10 Champ) vs. Michigan (Big 10 Champ)

The team with the biggest snub this year? Missouri. After beating Kansas in a defecto conference championship semifinal, the Tigers will come up short against Oklahoma in San Antonio. With the same record as Texas, the Tigers will watch as tradition and traveling power will propel the Longhorns into what should arguable be their spot in the Sugar Bowl.

Alice is gayer than me

Alice wrote the last blog. She is gayer than me. I told you so. Mike and I like stippers. Who are not gay.




I hate OU

So, I'm still gay.

I just want to thank my family for helping me get through this time in my life.

Thanks, family. I'm so gay. I'm gayer than OU. I'm gayer than a poodle. I'm gayer than push-up contests.

Hearts and butt sex,
Andy

I am Gay!

But besides that, I want to put in writing that Les Miles will be the coach at Michigan next year.

Oh yeah, I am a douchebag.

Mike and Alice

They will not drink with me. I am drinking alone. It's not fun. Because I am the only one drinking. And Texas has just come back from 21 points down again. We rock. I think. This might not work well for me.

BCS

Do you think the loss to Navy knocks 1-9 ND out of the BCS?

Notre Dame

Navy.

Really????


Navy?


And did Charlie Weiss really have to wear a Bill Belicik sweatshirt?


And again...

Navy???

The Idiocy of the Non Sports World

Check this story out - the true sole of Texas revealed...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,306719,00.html


Of course, the IQ in Phoenix may not be much better...

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,306556,00.html


Seriously, what is wrong with people?

Joe Torre - Who Cares?

I hate the NY Yankees. And here's why. Making the firing of Joe Torre and the search for his replacement a public affair during the World Series and the playoffs is "bush league". Which explains why it was no surprise that a soon to be former NY Yankee, Alex Rodriguez, made the same asinine move announcing his imminent departure from the Bronx as the Red Sox were on the cusp of sweeping the Rockies.

Now I am no Sox fan. They are overpaid, overexposed prima donas just like their Yankee counterparts. But you do feel slightly for them having this 2nd title in 4 years swept under the rug by their arch-rivals. Players earn the right to make it to the highest stage in their sport after a season of hard work, and their glory is muted by the offseason moves of the damn Yankees! It's rather disgusting to be honest with you.

Just my two cents...

Why am I so dumb?

Seriously. In theory, sports wagering should be a 50/50 bet. You can just flip a coin and predict whether a team will cover the spread or not. Right? Then how is it that one man can watch so much sports, and yet be so flipping stupid when it comes to picking games.

Honestly, I love to gamble. It's a fault, and one I have worked to correct, but I still get the thrill of knowing that I took a chance and won, whether it be a 1000 Wednesday night basketball game, or a $1.50 parlay on either college football games. The problem is, I never win. Ever. I used to! Really, I did. But now, it seems the oddsmakers have determined a formula that allows them to ensure that someone will be taking my hard earned money home with them after each Saturday.

I think my record is under .400 when I post online. Perhaps a new method? This week, I will flip a coin. Let's see if I can do any better.

Big Game College Picks 2

Last week's record: 3 - 9
Overall Record (2007): 3 - 9

Let's try this again (PICKS IN CAPS):

USC+3 vs oregon
TEXAS TECH -13.5 vs colorado
CAL +3.5 vs arizona state
PENN ST. +4 vs ohio state
SOUTH FLORIDA -4.5 vs uconn
NEBRASKA +21.5 vs texas
BAYLOR +24.5 vs kstate
MISSOURI -28 vs iowa state
TAMU +2.5 vs kansas
VIRGINIA -3 vs ncstate

Maybe these will be better. Maybe not. Good luck!

Porn on ESPN

As I watched last night's Boston College vs. Virginia Tech thriller, I couldn't help but find myself wondering if in the midst of reaching for my beer I had sat on the remote and changed the channel to skinamax. There was so much weiner sucking going on from Criag James (fag), Todd Blackledge (fag) and Chris Fowler (a football god - he's excused) I thought we were at the Gay Disneyworld affair. Something tells me BC QB Matt Ryan should check his pants for those guys' lipstick when he wakes up this morning.

The best quote from the 3some (an appropiate word) - following an impressive drive to cut the Tech lead to 10-7, one of the queers in the booth announced "That is the stuff Heisman campaigns are made of." While the statement doesn't look so ridiculous in retrospect (Ryan did lead the improbably comeback), at the time it seemed rather odd. Here was a guy who had played like my left testicle for the better part of 3 and 1/2 quarters (getting sacked, throwing doodoo passes, crapping his pants once, throwing 2 INTs and 0 TDs), and following a drive against a prevent defense leading to a score, the ESPN crew was ready to annoint the 2nd coming. Had Va Tech recovered the ensuing onside kick like they should have, Ryan would be at the bottom of everyone's list for Heisman - tabbed a player who can't win the big one. Tech's inability to fall on the friggin ball allowed Ryan to take the field against a tired defense, and lead the drive for the winning score.

All kudos to Ryan for doing so. But don't subject me to man-porn love for a guy who played a lousy football game up till the last 4:11. If Ryan pulls the Heisman out of his hat, and BC makes it to the title game, they should send thousands of thank you cards to Virginia Tech for blowing a game it had in the bag. At some point, coaches will learn two things in football #1 - You must practice onside kick recovery, regardless of the dangers involved. #2 - Playing prevent defense with a lead is a terrible idea, especially when that lead has been built on constant QB pressure.

As for Stuart Scott and his band of merry queer-os:

I get it ESPN - your offices are in Connecticut. Real close to Boston. You like everything in the northeast quadrant of the country. You really like the Patriots (have we a heard a PEEP about defending Super Bown Champ Indianapolis, the only other undefeated team in the NFL from ESPN). You really like the Red Sox (you almost get the feeling that Sportscenter hosts think it's "cute" the Rockies made it this far). You want to have sex with Matt Ryan (who, by the way, was the 37th rated passer in the country going into last night's game. Not to mention BC has played teams ranked below 70 in BCS Sarisan ratings in 7 of their 8 games - that sounds like an old Notre Dame schedule).

Atlanta Falcons

Dear Jerry Jones,
The Atlanta Falcons just cut Grady Jackson, a veteran defensive lineman with a penchant for getting tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Last season alone, Jackson had 11.5 TFL. Through 7 games this year, he has 5.5, including one sack. That means he's gotten to a running back in the backfield 4.5 times already this season! Do you think someone in Valley Ranch is on the phone with Jackson or his agent right now?

For a team that signed NFL thug Tank Johnson, they damn well better be. If we can sign someone three months removed from jail, then we can certainly go after a player known league wide as a quality person and player. Who wouldn't want someone who could get into the backfield and disrupt the offense?

Lord knows Jackson's former teammate DeAngelo (is that a real name??) Hall does. Hall has been critical of the Atlanta regime throughout the season, including a fine and benching for a verbal spat with first year head coach Bobby Petrino. In regards to the release of Jackson, Hall said, "I don't know what kind of message is being sent by letting Grady go...But a lot of guys feel like everyone from the top down is kinda turning it in."

Well duh! This is a franchise that less than a decade ago was in the Super Bowl, and as recently as 5 years ago was the future of the league. Then, as they say, it went to the dogs. Michael Vick's fall from the face of the league to the ass of the league brought an entire team and franchise with him. It's sad.

And the Cowboys should take advantage. Get Jackson, and shore up a defense ranked 21st in scoring defense this year.

What's wrong with Texas Tech?

Texas Tech has an inferiority complex. No one likes to be 2nd fiddle, especially in a state with egos the size of Texas. And certainly no one wants to be the third fiddle...

Now I have many Texas Tech friends near and dear to me. In all liklihood, this post may earn me a swift kick to the balls. But after watching the trouncing Missouri put onto the hapless Red Raiders, I've come to a conclusion - the folks in Lubbock cannot push their sports heroes into the upper-echelon of collegiate athletics until a major attitude change sweeps the Tech community.

Frankly, I can't figure out what the problem is. The football team should have no troubles recruiting top ranked Texas-grown talent. There is more than enough to go around. With so many high schools moving to the spread offense, skill players should be lining up to get into head coach Mike Leach's pass happy system. Defensive players may desire to attend the biggest NFL factory in the state in Austin, but Tech has produced its share of NFL stars, notably Zach Thomas of the Miami Dolphins, widely regarded as one of the leauge toughest inside linebackers.

The men's basketball program received a much needed kick in the butt upon the arrival of Bob Knight, and have since taken that momentum further than folks thought they could. But when it comes to getting the best talent recruting can buy, Knight's boys keep coming up short. It may be that none of the pampered superstars coming out of the high school ranks want to play for someone nicknamed the General. Certainly it is not because Tech sells itself short on facilities (with the new bball arena) or fine looking, willing coeds (of which there are aplently at EVERY Texas school). The Red Raiders should be a consistant threat to make the sweet 16 every year, not fighting for its NCAA tourney life each March.

So what is the major problem in Lubbock? They can't beat anyone of significance when it matters. Turning an above average collegiate program into a perenial conerence champion contender takes a certain attitude, and the players, coaches, and fans of Texas Tech do not have it. When they play Texas, the city and school go crazy after a win. It's a monumental upset of biblical proportions, the likes of which students tell their grandkids, or friends relish 4 years later (I was at the football game where Simms cost you Longhorns your championship in Lubbock!) When they play Texas A&M, Tech goes into some kind of crazed mad scientist mode, where everything in the world stops mattering. Nothing is more important than beating those sheep humpers from College Station.

So when Tech has a chance to prove to the country they are ready to compete on the grand stages, as they did this past weekend with a trip to Missouri, they stumble. This is becoming a trend for the Raiders - while they have owned the folks at A&M, they have seemed to lose games they need to establish themselves as a top contender in the conference. And the worst part is - they don't seem to care.

Leach continues to deny that his spread offense will work wonders against the cupcakes of college football but fail when you aren't playing Northwest eastern Missouri College for Women. When you line up with Missouri, Oklahoma State, Texas, OU on a consistant basis, you have to realize that the talent and speed possessed on both sides of the ball may hinder your video game attack. Spreading the field is fine. Not running the ball enough to threaten any teams is not. After watching enough tape and playing the same scheme, good coaches find ways to beat you - the current popular formula is to put man pressure against the Tech recievers, bump them at the line so they are off their timing routes, and get pressure on the QB. Saturday in Columbia, Missouri knocked Tech QB Graham Harrell to the ground throughout the game, forcing the overhyped Heisman contender into a season worse 4 INTs. This has been the formula each team has used to beat Tech over the past 5 years - and still Leach refuses to change anything. I mean, would it hurt him to run a draw every now and then, and get one of his running backs to slip by the blitzing ends from an overaggressive defense???

Why doesn't someone step up for the Red Raiders? The answer - Texas Tech fans are loyal to the death. Of everyone in their program. No one that I know has criticized Mike Leach - in fact they praise he creativity week in and week out. No one in the Tech family was critical of Bob Knight when his teams came up short in years past. In both cases, fans argue the programs are at a higher level then ever before. This is true, but the potential is there for so much more, but the fans, alumni, students, and admnistration seem to be satisfied with the status quo. It's like watching smart kids get B's. You know this is good, but you know that A's are better...

This is not how big time college sports work. You must succeed at the highest level, or we remove you. Failure is not an option. How many fans from UT-Austin are clamoring for a new offensive coordinator? Do you think Coach Fran will see another day past the annaul showdown with Texas after his abysmal stint at TAMU?

Tech needs to raise the bar and its expectations, get out of the "underdog / undersold" mold, quit praising Jesus when it beats Texas, stop living to kill Aggies, and recognize that good programs expect greatness each year, not once every blue moon. The facilities, coaches, and athletes are there - can the Texas Tech Red Raider Nation finally grow up?

Charlie Weiss vs. Tyrone Willingham

I haven't really bagged on Notre Dame and its struggling football team this year - kinda tough to beat a dead horse. But I came across an interesting blog this week comparing the 2 most recent coaches in South Bend. Some of the stats may surprise you - not me.

A few of the notable statistics:

Winning %
Fatty: 60%
Willingham: 58%

Record vs. Top 25
Fatty: 4-8 (33%)
Willingham: 7-8 (46%)

Record vs. USC
Fatty: 0-3
Willingham: 0-3

Record vs. Michigan
Fatty: 1-2
Willingham: 2-1

What do these stats mean? Thoughts abound that this particular author believes the Irish's current coach is an overrated, overfed, overhyped cousin of Jabba the Hut. These accusations are true - Charlie Weiss is an overrated, overfed, overhyped cousin of Jabba the Hut. However, let's not allow my hatred of Charlie Weiss to confound the issue at hand. The University of Notre Dame is a racist institution. They fired a black coach who displayed the same level of ability in numerous major areas as his predecessor. Logic dictates that ND officials should pull the carpet out from under Weiss, but we all know this won't happen. What makes it all the more maddenning is the fact that the only reason Fatty McWeiss gets to keep his fat pooch rolling up and down the South Bend sidelines is his team ALMOST beat an overrated USC team in 2005. Almost. His entire coaching legacy at Notre Dame is based on a loss. Unless you want to count the current records he holds based on the last 9 games:

* Worst opening-day loss ever (33-3 to Georgia Tech)

* Worst start ever (0-5)

* Worst loss to USC (38-0)

* Worst home loss in 51 year (38-0 to USC)

Not to mention the 7 consecutive losses dating back to last year of over 20 points per game...

Willingham may not have been better. His inability to turn the University of Washington around over the past 3 years indicates as much. Weiss may be the better recruiter - if you believe the rankings of 18 year high schoolers and their potential at the collegiate level, Weiss has brought in 2 top 10 recruiting classes over the past two seasons. But numbers rarely lie - Weiss has done no better on the field than Willingham in similar amounts of time. To border sounding like Al Sharpton, "Where's the justice" in this?

And they say we in the south are the racists...

World Series

Unbelievable. How do those Red Sox do it? Call me a conspiracy theorist, but I got a feeling Bud Selig had something to do with it. Or maybe not - Boston did outscore Cleveland 30-5 over the last 3 games of the ALCS. I don't any umpire can affect the outcome of three games so blatantly.

So we move onto the World Series, between Boston and Colorado. The upstart (still expansion team to me) Rockies versus the juggernaut Red Sox. It's kinda funny - in the midst of all the Yankee spending spree bashing surrounding Major League Baseball, people seem to sometimes forget that in its own right, Boston exhibits the same spending attitude as their arch rivals in the Bronx. Payroll in Boston topped 180 million this year.

Oddsmakers have the Red Sox favored, and rightfully so. But they also had the Rockies as underdogs in their two previous playoff series. And no one can really tell what people in Vegas would have put the odds at for Colorado to win 21 of 22 games over the final weeks of the regular season just to sneak into the playoffs. I guess that's why they play the game.

Going into the series, I tend to think the BoSox will win in 5. They have a dominant bullpen, anchored by one of the big's best closers in Jonathan Papelbon. What will set the tone is the play of ALCS MVP Josh Beckett, who has quietly become our generations best post season performer. Consider: he has 2 regular season shutouts in his regular season career. His post season? He's already racked up 3 in under 20 starts, including the dominating performances in this year's ALCS. Those with longer memory spans will recall his commanding performances in the 2003 World Series for the Florida Marlins (a performance which earned him his current job as the Red Sox ace). Tack on the offensive firepower of Manny and Big Papi, and I think the Rockies may have more than they bargained for.

Colorado will win one game in Denver, probably amidst thick snow flurries. But don't expect much more from the Rockies. The pick is Beantown in 5, with Beckett getting two more dominating postseason starts, a World Series MVP, and a spot in Red Sox history.

Fire Greg Davis

Fire him. For God's Sake, fire Greg Davis. The man is the worse coordinator in ALL sports. His players exceptional athletic ability makes his terrible calls look OK. In other situations, he costs UT points. Against Baylor so far, I have seen the following two disappointments:

1) 4th and goal. He calls the option. The option?? Have we run that all year? Result of the play - fumble Texas. Gee, I wonder why. Could it be you called a play that we've NOT run all year! Let's not forget - on 1st and 2nd and goal, Texas ran from the 3 yard out of the shotgun. No smashmouth football for us.

2) The playaction pass. Colt McCoy is not fooling anyone with the zone read. No one is afraid of his breakaway abilities out of the backfield. Either he will hand off to his RB or pass. Go under center.

Greg Davis sucks.

And he's fat.

He's the Charlie Weiss of the Big 12.

Big Game College Picks

I've tried this in the past, but with low results (thanks to my friend Clark for pointing this out for me...)

But what the heck - if I go on a hotstreak, then I may be the next Brandon Lang.

Texas - 25 vs Baylor
KSTATE + 3 vs Oklahoma State
Nebraska - 2 vs Texas A&M
OU -30 vs Iowa State
Texas Tech +3.5 vs Missouri
Kansas - 4.5 vs Colorado

I know, I know, all Big 12 games. But what else do I know? I'll throw some SEC and ACC matchups in here as well.

Florida -7 vs Kentucky
Auburn +10.5 vs LSU
Tennesse vs Alabama
Virginia +4 vs Maryland
Miami vs Florida State

So here are the picks. No explanation for any of them except that I rock.

Nebraska -2
OU -30
Texas -25
Kansas -4.5
Texas Tech vs Missouri - over 75
Kansas State +3.5
Kentucky +7
LSU -10.5
Tennessee -1
Virginia ML to win over Maryland
Miami vs Florida St. Under 44.5

USF loss - and other funness of college sports

How about that. Another top 5 team loses to an unranked opponent in the 2007 football season. For those counting, that makes a total of 6. Unreal.

For all the hubbub going into last night's showdown at Rutgers, it seems something was loss. Most glaring, we are talking about the fact that college football fans around the nation were tuned into RUTGERS VS. SOUTH FLORIDA! Seriously, what is happening in the world of college football?

No knock on the folks from Jersey and Tampa, but this is NOT the marquee matchup everyone built it up to be. Certainly you have two programs on the rise. But let's be honest here for a minute - no one REALLY cares. There is a reason that Big East matchups with BCS implications are ending up on the ESPN Thursday night game. The folks in Bristol know full well the teams gathering momentum in the Big Least cannot compete for ratings with traditional powers of other schools. Perhaps on the field the gaps are narrowing, but as polls, computers, and the much-maligned BCS shows, college football is not always about what is played on the field.

The simple fact is, the South Florida's of the world are eons away from competing with the Texas's that dominate the national football scene (stealing of hand signs be damned). Years of prestige, history, fan support, and tradition cannot be dethroned by an upset victory over West Virginia - just like Rutgers couldn't dominate the scene in 2006 with the victory over Louisville.

In plain English, Louisville, South Florida, West Virginia, Cincinnatti, UCONN, and the rest of the Big East are not football powers. ESPN may want them to be for ratings - just like they want Matt Ryan from Boston College to be the Heismann trophy winner - but facts show these teams cannot compete on the bottom line with the major programs in the country. They may sneak up every now and then and take a bite out of national title picture, but at the end of the day - Texas, Oklahoma, USC, Florida, LSU, Ohio State, Michigan, Notre Dame (dammit all), Auburn, and the other big schools will find themselves pairing off for the title.

However, these games do make Thursday nights pretty fun...

Wrong Hotseat

So Nebraska fired their Athletic Director Steve Pederson. I wonder how long until Bill Calahan follows him out the door. I figure if its not by the end of next week's home loss to Texas A&M, we;ll be able to see the torches from the lynch mobs in Lincoln from space.

Do you think Nebraska's interim AD will be able to lure exiled coach Frank Solich back? 9-3 sounds mighty good to Conrhusker fans everywhere.

Shows what I know at Nebraska

Ok, so earlier today I said they needed to fire Bill Callahan at Nebraska. Great news, they fired his boss instead. Not sure what the administrators in Lincoln are thinking. It's said the AD let the program as a whole drop considerably, not just the football team. Of course, let's be honest. No one in Nebraska gives two shakes of a corn husk if the women's water polo team is successful or not. It's all about Conrhusker football. And the teams back to back losses have cost Steve Perderson his job. I, for one, am happy. While it has been nice to domiate Nebraska over the pass few years, as a Longhorn fan I yearn for the days when traveling to Lincoln was a challenge, and bringing the Cornhuskers to Austin generated excitement state wide. Do you think it's unrealistic for the new AD to call Coach Solich at Ohio University and get him back? 9-3 sounds pretty good right now (see prior post - HOTSEAT)

Midseason Review Revisited

See previous blog re: Midseason College Review. Take this for next week too – apparently the entire season will run this way. Does anyone want to win a national title? At this rate, my beloved Longhorns may get themselves back into the chase before you know it…

There are 6 teams left undefeated. My guess is after Saturday, there will be less. My picks to lose:

South Florida – yes, they dominated Central Florida, a program on the rise. But this Thursday, the Bulls will travel to Rutgers. I don’t know if you are aware, but this is in New Jersey. Home of Tony Soprano, Bruce Springstein, and Bon Jovi. This year’s version of Rutgers (South Florida) will find out from last year’s version of Rutgers (uh, Rutgers) how much high expectations can affect your play, especially in a hostile environment. Ray Rice runs the Scarlet Knights to victory.

Kansas (maybe) – Until they play someone who we recognize a REAL football power this year, or get that signature win showing us the Jayhawks are for real, I am not willing to bet on Kansas this year. Traveling to Colorado is always a challenge (just ask Oklahoma), though the talent on this year’s Kansas team seems thus far to be far superior to Mark Mangini’s teams of the pass. Todd Ressing leads KU’s resurgent offense as the first year QB, avering 275 ypg. As recently as last week, the Jayhawks had the #5 offense in the country based on total yardage (currently #7). Where KU supporters point to (and rightfully so) is the defense played in Lawrence this year. In total D, Kansas ranks 3rd – in points given up per game, KU is 2nd behind only Ohio State at 9.5 points per game. These numbers are impressive – but the question remains: can they beat anyone of merit? With CU, Missouri, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State in the next 4 games, we should find out just how good Kansas really is. My guess? 2-2 over the next four weeks, starting this Saturday in Boulder.

Hotseat City

Shocking revelations? Not on the menu today. Today we tackle who to fire in the Big 12, because the rest of the country is laughing at what has become a lackluster, uncompetitive conference.

It starts at the top - or should we say bottom, for some coaching staffs. The front runner - Bill Callahan at the University of Nebraska. I bet NU administrators are clamoring for the days of Frank Solich (the coach they fired after he finished a season 9-3). Since coming to Lincoln, Callahan has shown the same shortcomings he exhibited when coaching the NFL's Oakland Raiders - namely that his reputation as a west coach offensive genius is unearned. The real problem over the past few years has been the disappearance of the Cornhuksers once vaunted defensive unit. Back in their heyday, the Nebraska Black Shirts were some of the hardest hitting, most ball-hawking defenses in the country, regularaly ranked among the nations elite. What they have now is a team giving up 38 points in ONE half to Oklahoma State, following a week in which they were dominated by Missouri. I bet ex-Husker head coach Tom Osborne is turning over in his, uh – Senator seat.

Coach # 2 to go – Coach Fran. What more does a coach need to succeed? Huge fan support, world class facilities, ridiculous amounts of “tradition” and no pretty coed cheerleaders on the sideline to distract your players? It should be the perfect situation in which to rebuild a once proud football school. The problem is, Coach Fran is a wuss. You know that sleezy friend we all have: the one who has a great family life, a wealthy wife, beautiful children, a great job – but screws it all up for a wild night with some hooker name Shameeka. That’s Fran. He has the tools in his hands to make the Aggies a power, but he is so pathetic at being a real man, he has no chance. Take the Miami game – he was afraid to run big Javorski Lane. The Texas Tech game? Afraid to bring pressure on Tech QB Graham Harrell – instead opting to sit back in zone and avoid the big plays. What was the big thing coming out of College Station when they fired RC Slocum? The offense was too predictable and run oriented. Now we have Coach Fran, and the offense looks the same without the normal dominating attitude once exhibited.

The great thing about these two? They will square off this weekend in Lincoln. Some say it’s a chance for one of these teams to turn their seasons around. I say it’s a chance for school officials to get together at the 50 yard line prior to kick off and kill two birds with one stone…

Midseason College Review

Midseason Review

Well, that was weird. What else can you say after the first 6 weeks of the college football season? I know it’s not exactly the mid point of the season just yet, but amidst the large number of “stunning” upsets we’ve seen thus far, it seems appropriate to put some perspective into the almost-midway point of the 2007 college football year.

The big stunner of the year? Call it a toss up between the Michigan Wolverines blowing what should have been a home snoozer against Appalachian State or USC widening some eyes with a loss to lowly Stanford. Here’s the kicker – I expect to see USC and Michigan in Pasadena for this year’s Rose Bowl. Michigan is quietly rebuilding their year following the early season debacle against ASU. The home loss to Oregon suffered the following wee does not look as embarrassing for Lloyd Carr’s boys as it may have at the time – Oregon is a top 10 team who took the current #2 team to the wire two weeks ago (Cal escaped Eugene with a 31-24 win). With the lack of any potential contenders save Ohio State at the end of the year, it is conceivable to think Michigan (then 9-2) could be hosting OSU for a shot a Pasadena. I’ll ride with the Wolverines. As for USC – they still have the talent to win out in the Pac 10, which with Cal and Oregon still on the schedule is a very attainable goal. Despite the stunner in LA, USC’s fate is still in its hands as the season moves forward, and betting against a Pete Carroll coached team hasn’t been the wisest of moves over the past decade. Given the way the college season has gone thus far, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Trojans return the National title game. With games at Oregon and Cal, two top 10 teams, the BCS numbers could skyrocket up for USC in the coming month.

On a side note -Strangely, the Wolverines fell out of the top 25 after the Miracle in the Big House by the boys from Boone, while the Trojans of USC fell all the way to…10. Odd – ASU was a two time defending I-AA national champion, while Stanford hasn’t done anything of real significance in the post Tyrone Willingham days. I’d take ASU in a head to head matchup against Stanford, but the media darlings as we know them at ESPN still feel like USC is a top ten team?

The funny thing about the season thus far, especially in the past two weeks, is that we have all accepted that on any Saturday, the Stanfords, South Floridas, and Appalachian States of the world can beat the worldbeaters. But I think a shot of perspective would do the trick now. We are at the midpoint of a wonderfully entertaining college football season. And we have learned that parity is the key to this year’s campaign. But the season is 12 weeks for a reason. The BCS games are still attended by the tops in the country, and this seasons lineup, despite the early round shakeups, will likely mirror seasons past. One losses and two losses (OK, Notre Dame, sometimes three) may be detrimental to your National Title hopes, but your BCS dreams are alive and well. So while we’ve had a hell of a September and October, don’t expect January to look much different than prior years.

Mid Season Bowl Predictions

ROSE: Michigan vs. USC

SUGUAR: Florida vs. Va Tech

FIESTA: Ohio State vs. West Virginia

ORANGE: Boston College vs. California

NATIONAL TITLE: LSU vs. Oklahoma

Week 2 - Picks

Penn State (-17) over Notre Dame
First and foremost - whoever plays Notre Dame, pick that team. All year, disregardless of the spread. After the Irish's trouncing of Penn State in 2006, expect Joe Pa and the boys from Happy Valley to run it up big time against Jabba the Hut and the boys.

Baylor (-6) over Rice
With a new head coach, new offensive, and just, well being Rice, the Owls should get trounced by Baylor. Guy Morriss has been turning the Bears around recently, and after the tough and tumble game against TCU last week, Baylor will be ready for some big time football.

Georgia (-4) over South Carolina
Lots of people like Spurrier's team going into Athens and covering against an unproven Georgia team. Until SC wins a big game against a big time SEC opponent, I expect the Bulldogs to handle the Gamecocks by a TD or more.

Miami (+10.5) at Oklahoma
OU is getting way too much respect after trouncing North Texas. Remember, North Texas is the team who hired a high school football coach to take over in Denton. While I think Todd Dodge will turn the Mean Green around in the future, this year's team is abysmal. OU will still have trouble against teams with a decent collection of athletes, including the Miami Hurricanes. The 10.5 points may be too much, even in Norman.

Va Tech (+12.5) at LSU
This game will be a defensive battle. I doubt the winner scores more than 17 points, and barring a shutout, odds are a 13 point victory is unlikely. Virginia Tech played an underrated East Carolina team amidst great emotion in Blacksburg. LSU pounded a terrible Mississippii State team. If you want to get crazy, go ahead and bet the parlay - Va Tech and the UNDER

Greatness

I saw this blog posted at foxsports.com

How fantastic!

http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/lisa4usc/2007/09/06/CALLING_CHARLIE_WEIS_OUT_HERE_AND_NOWI_AM_ON_A_RANT

College Football Preview: #4 West Virginia

Two names: Pat White and Steve Slayton. Summing up the chances for the Mountaineers of West Virginia can be done with just those four little words. True, the top receiving threat from 2006 is back, as well as three offensive lineman. And the defense will return Erik Witts, the hard hitting safety roaming the secondary for the Mountaineers who led the team in tackles last year. What Coach Rich Rodriguez will rely on, though, are the two work horses who will vie for attention in Morgantown as well as New York City for the Heismann Trophy.

Over the past few years, Rodriguez’s innovative spread offense has helped WVU become a national force amongst voters of all polls. With the drubbing of Georgia (ignore the furious comeback late in the game by the Bulldogs - WVU spanked the SEC champs for 3 quarters) in the Sugar Bowl following the 2005 season, WVU followed up with a near return trip to the BCS last year.

The only thing keeping them from returning to the top of the mountain, and potentially taking one of the two spots in New Orleans will be the health of their dynamic duo in the backfield. If Slayton and White can both stay healthy, expect WVU to be in it at the end when they run their own personal gauntlet at Rutgers and home to Louisville in late October.

As mentioned previously, defense will NOT win the Big East, and there is little chance that Louisville or Rutgers would have the strength to stop West Virginia down the stretch. Expect one upset loss (they still face South Florida this year), but a return to the BCS.

College Football Preview: #5 Louisville

With likely the top pick in next year’s draft at the helm, Louisville looks to fight its way out of what has become a top heavy loaded Big East to make a return trip to the BCS.

The offense will be led by fragile but fantastic Briam Brohm, who returned for his senior despite pundits projecting him as a top round draft pick in last year’s NFL draft. With a new head coach, the theory goes that a new offense will hamper Brohm’s ability to put up his typical jaw dropping numbers. The reality is, new head man Steve Kragthorpe will handle the reins and likely keep the Cardinals attack intact. To do otherwise might be career suicide - the passing attach returns three of its top receivers. An inexperienced backfield may be the only weak link for the Orange Bowl Champions offense.

On the defensive side of the ball, Kragthorpe will look to replace a depleted secondary. Let’s be honest - in the Big East, the only thing stopping Louisville from running the table is their battles with West Virgnia and Rutgers. Both of those games will be shootouts, with the emphasis on high scoring offensive matchups - defenses will NOT determine the winner of the Big East.

Expect a 11-1 season, and a tie with West Virginia atop the conference. Trips to Raleigh to play new head coach Tom O’Brian and the NC State Wolfpak and a pilgrimage to Lexington for a matchup with underrated Kentucky might be trap games for the Cardinals.

College Football Preview: #6 Oklahoma

Adrian Peterson? We don’t need no Adrian Peterson. So say the folks in Norman, and the reality is they may just be right. Allen Patrick and DeMarco Murray will likely step into AD’s shoes with no problems. Factor in the return of one of the nation’s nastiest offensive lines, and you can pretty much assume the Sooners will rely heavily on their ground game, and rightfully so. Waiting in the aftermath of the Rhett Bomar incident last season was oft-beleaguered senior QB Paul Thompson. Bomar’s crimes may be more costly this year, as OU will likely start Joel Hazle to start the opener against North Texas. Don’t be surprised to see true freshman Keith Nichol to be undercenter by the time the Sooners travel to Dallas for their annual showdown with Texas.

Whether the inexperienced QB can lead the rest of a loaded team remains to be seen. Truth be told, the offense won’t need to be all that prolific, considering the talent coming back to the returning Big 12 Champs. The top 6 players, including all starters, return to the Sooners’ secondary, along with their 13 interceptions. In addition, the run defense will be stout, as up the middle OU brings back one of the nations leading linebacking and defensive line corps.

Adding a talented team with a top defense and effective ground game usually means a great chance at a national championship. What will hold Oklahoma back is the lack of a reliable quarterback. By the Texas game, which will determine the Big 12 Champion, OU will be alternating Hazle and Nichol, looking for the best bet. Texas will win out against the Sooners, and coach Bob Stoops will likely go with the young and athletic Nichol. Expect OU to finish the regular season 10-2, with losses to Texas and potentially Miami, Missouri, or Texas Tech.

# 7 Ohio State University

What a time of year to live in Columbus! As great as things have been for the University of Florida, they have been just as bad in Buckeye land. What could be worse than losing back to back major team sport national titles than to lose them to the same team! It’s been a rough 365 days for OSU, and don’t expect the future to be any brighter.

After losing a large majority of last year’s team, the only reason Ohio State made the top 10 relies on their rather weak regular season schedule and a rather experienced offensive line (3 returning starters) The big uglies upfront anchor a team that lost key players at the skill positions, including Heisman winner Troy Smith, All Big 10 performers Antonio Pittman (RB), Ted Ginn Jr., and Anthony Gonzales (WR). In their stead will likely step Todd Boekman, a junior QB with limited collegiate experience, two receivers with 46 catches between them last year, and a running back by committee, anchored by Chris Wells, who was the Buckeyes bruising 3rd down back in 2006.

The defense also lost 6 starters, but return the top linebacker in the nation with James Laurinaitis and a plethora of talented young players. Remember, this is a team many expected to slip last year with a defense lacking experience and depth, but they were able to prove the naysayers wrong with a more than sufficient defensive attack

Why the high ranking? Like many other big time programs, Ohio State has stepped into the “we don’t rebuild, we reload” mode. . With a top five recruiting class in 3 of the last 5 years, Ohio State should have no shortcoming when it comes to athletes on the field. What they lack in experience, Jim Tressell has always been able to make up for in overloaded talent. Expect an early season slip up, against perhaps Washington on the road, before two key showdowns with Wisconsin and Michigan. Like their Wolverine counterparts, OSU will likely slip up in one of those games, keeping them from the national championship. Of course, if Florida finds it’s way to New Orleans for the BCS Championship, that might be just what the doctor ordered for the Buckeye nation.

College Football Preview #8 Michigan

Anyone remember the 2004 Michigan football season? The year Chad Henne and Mike Hart became common words in Ann Arbour, and folks in Michigan had visions of National Titles dancing in their heads. It seemed like last year may have been the Wolverines best chance, but upon meeting the best of the best in Ohio State and USC, the Wolverines found out their meager regular season schedule set them up for failure.

Expect the same in 2007 from Lloyd Carr’s bunch. On defense, just 6 stars return from last year’s dominant squad. Michigan’s undervalued conservative offense may be the key again this year. With a focus on the running game, Michigan was a top 10 team insofar as time of possession last year, and turned the ball over only 12 times. With some experienced players back on offense, if Carr wants to make any serious push in the title picture, he will need Henne and Hart to at least match those great feats from last season. To stretch the defense, look for Mario Manningham to get deep against some weaker competition early on in the season.
The schedule sets up rather nicely for the Wolverines, with the major challenge coming at the end of the season with games at Wisconsin and closing out by welcoming Ohio State to the Big House. It could be possible that Michigan enters those games 9-1, or possibly 10-0, but don’t expect them to come out of those two games unscathed. It comes down to this: Michigan hasn't won a big game with Henne and Hart leading the way, and I expect this to hinder them as well in 2007.

Chris Benoit

Finding myself at a loss for words is a rare feat, but upon learning of the death and the tragic incidents surrounding WWE superstar Chris Benoit, I find it hard to find the appropriate words. Last night, when Vince McMahon appeared to kick off Monday Night Raw and explained that Benoit, his wife, and his son were found dead in Atlanta, I, like much of the world, was stunned. What has transpired over the past 24 hours has turned stunned into confused, angered, and hurt.
Aside from Ric Flair (WOOOOOOOOOO!), Benoit has always been one of my favorite in-ring performers. Like legions of other wrestling fans, I was always impressed with the Crippler’s intensity between the ropes. His mic skills left something to be desired, but you could fee his passion for the business when he knife-edge chopped the hell out of some poor schmo’s chest. No matter his status in the storyline, or his place on a PPV card, you knew that Benoit was going to give it his all, and leave it all in the ring.
Now, we find that the former world champion ended his career and his life by snuffing the breath from his wife and seven year old son, and hanging himself in the aftermath. How can we continue to idiolize and respect such a monster? For so many events in my life, things have been black and white, but when confronted with a hero of mine ending his existence in such a horrific and disgusting way, I find it hard to simply condemn him and his actions. As years go by, perhaps respect for his abilities in the ring can overshadow his tormented life out of it – the reality is pro wrestling will take a large hit from this episode (Benoit appears to have been using anabolic steroids), and the Crippler’s legacy will be forever tarnished. For now, I pray for the extended family of Chris Benoit, his wife and son, and all those like me searching for answers.

College Football Preview #9 Florida

Can the Gators continue their dominance of relative college sports? What a time to live in Gainsville, right? This is a place that has celebrated 3 straight titles, with a football title sandwiched between 2 basketball championships. Quite a contrast from living in Columbus (sorry Ohio State), where being a bridesmaid has been a rather popular university function of late (2 straight championship losses to these Gators will do that to you!) As for this year’s football unit, I find it hard pressed to put these guys into the top 10, with the major losses to the NFL from last years squad looming large. But hey, who am I to argue with a team that’s done what the kids in Florida have done over the past 2 years.

That being said, the defense, which was instrumental in picking apart the aforementioned Buckeyes last January in the BCS title game, loses all but two key players. Urban Meyer may find that building a team with the speed of the D he inherited last year may be a bit tricky.

Like other major players, however, UF has had little trouble in recruiting strong in talent rich area, especially home grown Florida talent. The offense will be led by one such wonder, Tim Tebow, who was instrumental in last year’s title run by bringing a variety in to replace incumbent starter Chris Leak. However, with the weight of the offense completely on his shoulders, look for Tebow to stumble out of the gate early. For all the verbal punishment Leak received over his 4 year career in Florida, his ability to slip defenders and make plays downfield were key in getting the Gators to the top in 2006. Tebow is a better fit for Meyer’s spread offense, and many pundits are expecting this year’s Gator team to more resemble Meyer’s old Utah Utes teams led by Alex Smith. In the overly athletic and defensive minded SEC, this could spell trouble for Tebow and a young group of unproved wide receivers. The spread relies heavily on the knowledge and reads of a QB, and the sophomore may not be able to make the quick decisions required for success against the speedy and complicated defenses he will face week after week.

In other words, I think Meyer’s spread offense will falter this year, and without the outstanding speed on defense he had at his disposal last year, don’t expect a repeat appearance in the BCS for the Gators. I think a home loss to Tennessee and a road shellacking at LSU will put the Gators at 10-2 for the year.

College Football Preview #9 Florida

Can the Gators continue their dominance of relative college sports? What a time to live in Gainsville, right? This is a place that has celebrated 3 straight titles, with a football title sandwiched between 2 basketball championships. Quite a contrast from living in Columbus (sorry Ohio State), where being a bridesmaid has been a rather popular university function of late (2 straight championship losses to these Gators will do that to you!) As for this year’s football unit, I find it hard pressed to put these guys into the top 10, with the major losses to the NFL from last years squad looming large. But hey, who am I to argue with a team that’s done what the kids in Florida have done over the past 2 years.

That being said, the defense, which was instrumental in picking apart the aforementioned Buckeyes last January in the BCS title game, loses all but two key players. Urban Meyer may find that building a team with the speed of the D he inherited last year may be a bit tricky.

Like other major players, however, UF has had little trouble in recruiting strong in talent rich area, especially home grown Florida talent. The offense will be led by one such wonder, Tim Tebow, who was instrumental in last year’s title run by bringing a variety in to replace incumbent starter Chris Leak. However, with the weight of the offense completely on his shoulders, look for Tebow to stumble out of the gate early. For all the verbal punishment Leak received over his 4 year career in Florida, his ability to slip defenders and make plays downfield were key in getting the Gators to the top in 2006. Tebow is a better fit for Meyer’s spread offense, and many pundits are expecting this year’s Gator team to more resemble Meyer’s old Utah Utes teams led by Alex Smith. In the overly athletic and defensive minded SEC, this could spell trouble for Tebow and a young group of unproven wide receivers. The spread relies heavily on the knowledge and reads of a QB, and the sophomore may not be able to make the quick decisions required for success against the speedy and complicated defenses he will face week after week.

In other words, I think Meyer’s spread offense will falter this year, and without the outstanding speed on defense he had at his disposal last year, don’t expect a repeat appearance in the BCS for the Gators. I think a home loss to Tennessee and a road shellacking at LSU will put the Gators at 10-2 for the year.

College Football Preview #10 UCLA

Any team which knocked out the potential national champions from the previous year returning 20 starters seems to have earned the right to enter my top 10. The Bruins finished 2006 with a 7-6 record, but keep in mind they were one luck of the Notre Dame Irish play away from 8-5.

The 2007 schedule is a doozie, as all 3 of UCLA’s non-conference opponents are coming off of bowl game worthy seasons. Expect an early season battle for QB to dominate the headlines, as Ben Olson will look to reclaim his starting job from Patrick Cowan following a season ending injury last season. To take the pressure off the winner of the QB battle, expect the Bruins to focus on improving their 3.9 yards per rush, and expect Chrisk Markey to lead the way for UCLA in rushing again.

The defense will be anchored by one of the best lines in the country, including Bruce Davis, who finished ’06 with 12.5 sacks. Also returning are Freshman All American Reggie Carter and the Bruins leading tackler in 2006, safety Chris Horton.

The Bruins schedule on first glance seems favorable, with the annual game vs. USC the major obstacle. Charlie Weiss and his merry men of Irish come to town October 6. expect UCLA to enact some revenge following last year’s heartbreak. On the reverse hand, fully expect USC to destroy the Bruins following the miracle win of last year. UCLA should be satisfied with a 2 loss season, and an outside chance at the BCS.

College Football Pre Season Preview

My first ever pre season college football preview will be coming shortly. I will likely run down a top 10, as well as predict the conference champions and the 5 BCS games. Keep checking back in the coming weeks.

Was he or wasn't he?

The question of the night following the last play of Game 3 of the NBA Finals - did Spurs forward Bruce Bowen foul LeBron James prior to the King's release of what became a failed attempt to tie the game?

The answer - irrelevant. James FT% has been subpar for the majority of the season and the playoffs, and I'd bet a turkey sandwhich he would have missed at least one just like he did in last year's Game 7 vs. the Pistons in the Conference Semi-Finals. The playoffs have been a great stage for the growth of James, but lest we forget, this is a 22 year old kid. Sure, he has Greg Odonitis, and looks to be in his mid 30's, but the reality is asking James to lead the group of ragtags around him past the juggernaut from San Antonio is a bit much. I won't be one to criticize the young man - we should all just sit back and enjoy watching the evolution of a great talent. Remember, it took Jordan 7 years to get to his first finals, and he made it with Scottie Pippen in his side pocket. Lay of King James - he isn't a choke artist or afraid to take the big shot. He should be commended for leading the talent weak Cavs this far.

NBA Yawner

The finals are upon us - or wait, are they over yet? Cleveland and San Antonio may care about what is happening right now, but the rest of us? Not a chance.

Honestly, like the rest of you, I likely thought that the Finals would showcase the final coming out of King LeBron James. After Game 5 vs. Detroit, how could one expect less? But like a 2007 plate appearance by Lance Berkman, we've been left wanting.

Perhaps this is an indication of what is wrong with sports in general. We are always looking for the NEXT something or other. What's wrong with the current version of the spors we adore. Let's face it - the 1980's and 1990's are over. I like my 80's rock music and 90's pop culture just as much as the next guy, but the sports heydays from the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Joe Montana, the Cowboys, the Great One, Dale Earnherdt Sr. are over. What we have now is the media blitz of sportscenter driven events, and it's time to either embrace it or let it go. But every 13 year old kid growing up the projects with a decent J and some sweet crossovers can't be the next MJ. The fiarhaired QB from Notre Dame can't be the next Montana. The Junior can't be the Senior (it takes winning a race in NASCAR to accomplish this, something Dale Jr. can't seem to handle these days)

Perhaps we can sit back and enjoy what we have now...


But damn, those glory days were great.

NFL Playoff preview

NFL Game Preview

New Orleans Saints 24
Chicago Bears 14

New England 31
Indianapolis 27

College Hoops

It’s been a long while since I’ve been online here. Sports hasn’t stopped without me, and the number one story while I was away? For me, it was the Notre Dame loss in the Sugar Bowl. My hatred for them Irish runs deep. Ohio State and Michigan were able to prove just how overrated the Big 10 really is. Amazing ending to the college football season. Nothing makes the southern heart swell like watching a bunch of overmatched northern Yankees like Ohio State get pounded by some southern Florida speed. Greatness.

Our focus must now shift, however, as football begins to wind down. Upcoming is the meat of the college basketball season. Conference games have begun in earnest, and the only clear thing at this point of the season is that college basketball is down. Way down. It’s clearly lightyears behind their counterparts on the gridiron as far as massive casual fan interest. And why not? The teams rosters flip flop like pancakes on a Sunday at Waffle House. The teams with season, experienced players are Nevada, Air Force, or South-western-Idaho State Tech. The point being, without marquee teams having marquee players playing in marquee games, the sport as a whole will suffer.

But what about Florida, Andy???? They brought back their entire starting lineup from the national championship team. Florida just may be the shot in the arm the sport needs. We need a team to dominate a season. Each sport needs its Yankees – that team which can contend every year and give other teams a model to shoot for. In college hoops, there are no traditional powers with great rivalries. The players don’t stay around long enough to create great matchups year in and year out. Even the greatest game in the sport, Duke vs. North Carolina, has been a yawner over the past few years, as the Heels and Devils can recreate those magic games of the early 90’s.

There is no consistency, no tradition. The sport is in dire straights, with the ratings and attendance dropping year after year. Unless schools and coaches get together to work out a way to rebuild the traditions and excellence that was college hoops of the 80’s and 90’s, the trends will continue. Football keeps players for 3 years. Even baseball, once a recruit commits to a school, keeps players that minimum of 3 years. With the great talent in college bball jumping ship after just one year now, the marquee names and players will continue to head to the pros, and college hoops fans will continue in languish in what is quickly deteriorating showing in college hoops.