I can simply say, that last night I watched a really good and entertaining football game. The Fiesta Bowl, in my eyes, was going to look like an atomic bomb. Texas was going to show up, mad that OU got the nod, and just break every bone in every Buckeye frame.
I was surprised however. Ohio State played the best they could have, utilizing all of their facilities to take a lead into the last two minutes of the game. Texas certainly didn't play their best game, but when they wanted to be you could tell they were the superior team. Two bonehead plays by Colt McCoy made the game close, stopping Texas drives in the red zone. And Ohio State, like any good team should do, took everything that Texas gave them.
But...let's jump back to reality for a moment. For the third straight year, Ohio State has gone to a BCS game and lost. Not quite as badly this year (probably because they didn't play an SEC team) but none the less the Big Ten goes another year without a BCS win. Way to go.
We are seeing the future of Ohio State football with Terrelle Pryor. He's the man. But can he throw the ball to himself next year without Todd Boeckman running around? Not to mention, Malcolm Jenkins, where are you and why did you win the Thorpe award?
So, another season of Big Ten football is over. And their biggest name and the 11th team both lost in their BCS games. Way to go guys. The Mountain West has more BCS victories in the past two years than you do.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
Where is Terrell Davis?
At the beginning of last week, amidst the obvious firings of NFL coaches after the regular season's conclusion, many were shocked to hear that Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan would be joining the group of dismissed coaches.
Shanahan, who falls under the Bill Walsh coaching tree, won back to back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998 and kept the Broncos fairly relevant for an extended period of time including four playoff appearances...three of which ended in the Wild Card Round.
But this Shanahan situation is something very similar to what we've seen already in the past few months. Shanahan has created a level of expectancy in Denver and throughout the state of Colorado. The Broncos are revered as one of the most competitive teams in the NFL. He has a really nice young quarterback, or so it seems and his years of putting anyone in the backfield and them running for 1,000 yards seems like a time period that's gone.
So there are plenty of folks who are confused and upset about this firing. But for it's explanation, look no further than 180 miles due east of where I'm sitting right now. Shanahan's firing is exactly like that of Phil Fulmer's firing at Tennessee. It comes down to what are you doing for me lately. It comes down to building a program/franchise to a level where mediocrity is simply unacceptable. It comes down to the fact that championships can only buy you so much time.
I'm not going to put it up here, but understand that the Vols and the Broncos have had a lot in common. A lot of, not living up to expectations. So, like in any other job, you have to identify the issue and fix it. In this case, I believe that the records are not in Shanahan's favor, just as they weren't in the favor of Fulmer. Not to mention, this year Denver completely flopped.
You can only build these things up for so long before nothing can be done to save yourself. And exactly what happened to Fulmer is what's happened to Shanahan. Maybe he'll go back to the 49ers as the OC. That would be nice.
Shanahan, who falls under the Bill Walsh coaching tree, won back to back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998 and kept the Broncos fairly relevant for an extended period of time including four playoff appearances...three of which ended in the Wild Card Round.
But this Shanahan situation is something very similar to what we've seen already in the past few months. Shanahan has created a level of expectancy in Denver and throughout the state of Colorado. The Broncos are revered as one of the most competitive teams in the NFL. He has a really nice young quarterback, or so it seems and his years of putting anyone in the backfield and them running for 1,000 yards seems like a time period that's gone.
So there are plenty of folks who are confused and upset about this firing. But for it's explanation, look no further than 180 miles due east of where I'm sitting right now. Shanahan's firing is exactly like that of Phil Fulmer's firing at Tennessee. It comes down to what are you doing for me lately. It comes down to building a program/franchise to a level where mediocrity is simply unacceptable. It comes down to the fact that championships can only buy you so much time.
I'm not going to put it up here, but understand that the Vols and the Broncos have had a lot in common. A lot of, not living up to expectations. So, like in any other job, you have to identify the issue and fix it. In this case, I believe that the records are not in Shanahan's favor, just as they weren't in the favor of Fulmer. Not to mention, this year Denver completely flopped.
You can only build these things up for so long before nothing can be done to save yourself. And exactly what happened to Fulmer is what's happened to Shanahan. Maybe he'll go back to the 49ers as the OC. That would be nice.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
My New Year's Resolution
The New Year is upon us. With it comes the firing of NFL coaches, the greatest day in sports and the reminder that i believe it's 47 days until pitchers and catchers report to camp.
It's also that time of year where gyms are packed, grocery stores are only crowded in the produce and organic sections, and cigarette sales are down as people are trying their hardest to fulfil their New Year's Resolutions.
Traditionally, I hate these things. Why? Because they always fail. Or at least the people who claim to have them fail at fulfilling their dreams. By the end of February, my gym will be back to being nice and quiet, Oreo's will fly off the shelves and Marlboro will be back on top.
But this year, I am here to give you hope. I have a New Year's Resolution and that is to keep No Owens going. There's so much going on in probably all of our lives right now that it's important that we take time to do the things that we love to do. I like writing about sports, expressing my opinions, and talking at you about why Tim Tebow is the most overrated player in the history of college football and how Pat White will probably go down as the most underrated. Talking about how Manny Ramirez is worth every penny he asks for and that the Yankees, believe it or not, are getting worse.
Moral of the story is this. My goal is to get No Owens back in 09. There's a lot to talk about, and I will find the time to do it. For all ten of you.
It's also that time of year where gyms are packed, grocery stores are only crowded in the produce and organic sections, and cigarette sales are down as people are trying their hardest to fulfil their New Year's Resolutions.
Traditionally, I hate these things. Why? Because they always fail. Or at least the people who claim to have them fail at fulfilling their dreams. By the end of February, my gym will be back to being nice and quiet, Oreo's will fly off the shelves and Marlboro will be back on top.
But this year, I am here to give you hope. I have a New Year's Resolution and that is to keep No Owens going. There's so much going on in probably all of our lives right now that it's important that we take time to do the things that we love to do. I like writing about sports, expressing my opinions, and talking at you about why Tim Tebow is the most overrated player in the history of college football and how Pat White will probably go down as the most underrated. Talking about how Manny Ramirez is worth every penny he asks for and that the Yankees, believe it or not, are getting worse.
Moral of the story is this. My goal is to get No Owens back in 09. There's a lot to talk about, and I will find the time to do it. For all ten of you.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
The Reaction...From All Sides
Yesterday when I found out that Tennessee Head Football Coach had agreed to step down at the end of the season, I didn't know what to think. At first, I was so fired up I didn't know what to do with myself. Then I got hit with the, "This guy is all I know of Tennessee Football" bit. Then I thought about Butch Davis and it didn't really matter.
Fulmer is a rare bread for sure. He's spent, for the most part, his entire collegiate and professional career in Knoxville, working his way up the ladder. In a football sense, he is the epitome of the American dream (that on election day, Barack Obama wants to take away from you) that if you work hard you will rise to the top. To the top he did rise, raising the Sears BCS Trophy after defeating my once beloved Florida State Seminoles in the first ever BCS Championship game.
I believe Coach Fulmer loves the University of Tennessee more than just about anyone. For that, it is without question that I, as well as you, should respect his hard word and time spent, all with success and a commitment to the program.
But I honestly believe that what he did yesterday, "stepping down at the end of the season" was what deep down he felt was the right thing for Tennessee. I mentioned Florida State a few moments ago, and the irony is amazing.
What do these teams have in common: Nebraska, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, Tennessee, Florida State? Those are the teams listed in chronological order from 1994-1999 who won the national championship (Nebraska and Michigan tied in 1997). The above listed programs more or less dominated the 90's with the help of Miami in the first half of the decade. Of those teams, only Florida State's head coach will coach next year, and only Tom Osbourne went out on his own terms (outside of Steve Spurrier going to the NFL). Florida State and Tennessee have been put in the same category recently, needing to find what they had in the 90's to compete. Many believe that Bowden isn't far behind, and though Fulmer has a great resume, Bowden's is considerably more impressive, buying him a little more time.
What I'm getting at is that college football is just a different game. Coach Fulmer should be commended as he has been the most competitive for the longest period of time of the coaches of those teams above. But the game is different now. Players may love the fatherly approach that Fulmers and Bowdens and Carrs have, but that isn't equating into the wins that the fiery and energetic younger types are like Carroll, Meyer, Miles and Saban.
The game has simply changed. Not even Steve Spurrier can have success in the SEC building a program the same way he did with the Gators. Coach Fulmer in an interview earlier this year said something along the lines of, "We didn't just become bad coaches overnight." I don't think he and his staff did, but I think he and his staff didn't adjust and adapt to what the world is today in the SEC, and competitive college football in general. I'd say that Mack Brown is still a throw back guy, but he surrounds himself with the fiery young coaches to bring it all together. That's called adapting to your surroundings and continuing to build a program. Tennessee got in a rut, where they could be fairly competitive in their league, but keep in mind, Fulmer is O-fer against Urban Meyer, about even with Mark Richt, and let's just say Nick Saban was never too kind to him. Those are programs that are adapting, and now, Tennessee has the chance with a bunch of talent and the best defensive player in the SEC to come in an adapt. And the luxury that I think Tennessee has, more so than Alabama, is that the talent is here to run any offense besides the spread, and I don't see that coming.
Coach Fulmer will be remembered for being a great football coach, having a great career, and winning a National Championship. I hate it that he isn't leaving on "his own terms" but it's the right thing for the university and it's the right thing for the program. A guy who gives that much of his life to one institution should be beyond commended for his efforts. But we all need to learn a lesson from this, that we need to adapt to our surroundings...
Fulmer is a rare bread for sure. He's spent, for the most part, his entire collegiate and professional career in Knoxville, working his way up the ladder. In a football sense, he is the epitome of the American dream (that on election day, Barack Obama wants to take away from you) that if you work hard you will rise to the top. To the top he did rise, raising the Sears BCS Trophy after defeating my once beloved Florida State Seminoles in the first ever BCS Championship game.
I believe Coach Fulmer loves the University of Tennessee more than just about anyone. For that, it is without question that I, as well as you, should respect his hard word and time spent, all with success and a commitment to the program.
But I honestly believe that what he did yesterday, "stepping down at the end of the season" was what deep down he felt was the right thing for Tennessee. I mentioned Florida State a few moments ago, and the irony is amazing.
What do these teams have in common: Nebraska, Florida, Michigan, Nebraska, Tennessee, Florida State? Those are the teams listed in chronological order from 1994-1999 who won the national championship (Nebraska and Michigan tied in 1997). The above listed programs more or less dominated the 90's with the help of Miami in the first half of the decade. Of those teams, only Florida State's head coach will coach next year, and only Tom Osbourne went out on his own terms (outside of Steve Spurrier going to the NFL). Florida State and Tennessee have been put in the same category recently, needing to find what they had in the 90's to compete. Many believe that Bowden isn't far behind, and though Fulmer has a great resume, Bowden's is considerably more impressive, buying him a little more time.
What I'm getting at is that college football is just a different game. Coach Fulmer should be commended as he has been the most competitive for the longest period of time of the coaches of those teams above. But the game is different now. Players may love the fatherly approach that Fulmers and Bowdens and Carrs have, but that isn't equating into the wins that the fiery and energetic younger types are like Carroll, Meyer, Miles and Saban.
The game has simply changed. Not even Steve Spurrier can have success in the SEC building a program the same way he did with the Gators. Coach Fulmer in an interview earlier this year said something along the lines of, "We didn't just become bad coaches overnight." I don't think he and his staff did, but I think he and his staff didn't adjust and adapt to what the world is today in the SEC, and competitive college football in general. I'd say that Mack Brown is still a throw back guy, but he surrounds himself with the fiery young coaches to bring it all together. That's called adapting to your surroundings and continuing to build a program. Tennessee got in a rut, where they could be fairly competitive in their league, but keep in mind, Fulmer is O-fer against Urban Meyer, about even with Mark Richt, and let's just say Nick Saban was never too kind to him. Those are programs that are adapting, and now, Tennessee has the chance with a bunch of talent and the best defensive player in the SEC to come in an adapt. And the luxury that I think Tennessee has, more so than Alabama, is that the talent is here to run any offense besides the spread, and I don't see that coming.
Coach Fulmer will be remembered for being a great football coach, having a great career, and winning a National Championship. I hate it that he isn't leaving on "his own terms" but it's the right thing for the university and it's the right thing for the program. A guy who gives that much of his life to one institution should be beyond commended for his efforts. But we all need to learn a lesson from this, that we need to adapt to our surroundings...
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Bringing Down Penn State Fans
Interesting title, I know and you wonder, after the biggest win in about the past 20 years of Nittany Lions football can it possibly be done? Well, you've come to the right place.
Congratulations Penn State fans, you went on the road and beat a team that gets run out of the stadium by the class of the Pac-10. Congrats. What does this mean? It means that you are on the tightest leash of any other school in the country. Why? Well because of the following: America knows that Ohio State is a fraud, and you just beat them in their house, in a game that a freshman quarterback literally handed to you. Now, you have the title of being the Big Ten team to get embarrassed by an SEC team in the BCS Title game, or possibly a Big Twelve team this year.
But I will thank you for this, by beating Ohio State, you did not only get rid of them for the rest of the year, but you made USC's win over the Buckeyes much less meaningful...so everything has to go right for the Trojans to get into the title game.
So Penn State fans, if you lose another game this year...since you have the biggest joke of a schedule of all time, gear up for a physical beatdown of by either the winner of the UGA/UF game or Alabama. Pick your poisons.
But here's my favorite Penn State business. In 1994, Penn State had an amazing team and in fact, one of the best I've ever seen. Only thing is they went undefeated, took care of their business, but another team did the same named Nebraska...and they were the greatest team I've ever seen and of all-time. Since then, Penn State fans have been complaining about the media hating them, and thought that in 2002, Larry Johnson not winning the Heisman was a conspiracy.
I've never like LJ...never thought he was that good. He's had two GREAT seasons in the NFL, conveniently right before his holdout/contract year. I don't think he's cracked the 800 yard barrier in any other year.
This guy is the prototype steroid user and while the NFL is busy "randomly" testing people for their games in England, guys like LJ can get paid for juicing. LJ is the NFL's Juan Gonzalez and anyone who offered to pay LJ what they did get's what they deserve. Sorry Chiefs fans, but you got taken for a ride...and for you Penn State fans, sorry that your only hope for a great player in this day and age was caused by illegal substance. Try to make a media controversy out of that.
Congratulations Penn State fans, you went on the road and beat a team that gets run out of the stadium by the class of the Pac-10. Congrats. What does this mean? It means that you are on the tightest leash of any other school in the country. Why? Well because of the following: America knows that Ohio State is a fraud, and you just beat them in their house, in a game that a freshman quarterback literally handed to you. Now, you have the title of being the Big Ten team to get embarrassed by an SEC team in the BCS Title game, or possibly a Big Twelve team this year.
But I will thank you for this, by beating Ohio State, you did not only get rid of them for the rest of the year, but you made USC's win over the Buckeyes much less meaningful...so everything has to go right for the Trojans to get into the title game.
So Penn State fans, if you lose another game this year...since you have the biggest joke of a schedule of all time, gear up for a physical beatdown of by either the winner of the UGA/UF game or Alabama. Pick your poisons.
But here's my favorite Penn State business. In 1994, Penn State had an amazing team and in fact, one of the best I've ever seen. Only thing is they went undefeated, took care of their business, but another team did the same named Nebraska...and they were the greatest team I've ever seen and of all-time. Since then, Penn State fans have been complaining about the media hating them, and thought that in 2002, Larry Johnson not winning the Heisman was a conspiracy.
I've never like LJ...never thought he was that good. He's had two GREAT seasons in the NFL, conveniently right before his holdout/contract year. I don't think he's cracked the 800 yard barrier in any other year.
This guy is the prototype steroid user and while the NFL is busy "randomly" testing people for their games in England, guys like LJ can get paid for juicing. LJ is the NFL's Juan Gonzalez and anyone who offered to pay LJ what they did get's what they deserve. Sorry Chiefs fans, but you got taken for a ride...and for you Penn State fans, sorry that your only hope for a great player in this day and age was caused by illegal substance. Try to make a media controversy out of that.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Legends Update
Often times, when discussing sports when we were younger, our friends will say, "God, I wonder what happened to that guy?"
Well, while listening to the Jim Rome Show today, on Rome's home station 570 KLAC AM Los Angeles, I just heard a promo for a show later in the day which included a report from Gino Torretta on college football. Needless to say, they didn't give a time for you to tune in. So if you're wondering what Gino's doing these days, now you sort of know.
Well, while listening to the Jim Rome Show today, on Rome's home station 570 KLAC AM Los Angeles, I just heard a promo for a show later in the day which included a report from Gino Torretta on college football. Needless to say, they didn't give a time for you to tune in. So if you're wondering what Gino's doing these days, now you sort of know.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Eric Berry - Best Football Player Ever
As an irritated Tennessee fan, people will say to you, "Why are you still going to these games?" Well, I can tell you because, A. I paid for the tickets but most importantly B. because I still do have pride in my team. Just because we are under producing and not utilizing the talent on our field doesn't mean I'm not going to be a fan anymore.
But if I was...I'd still go for one reason: SEC teams still run offensive plays in the vicinity of Eric Berry, and as long as they're doing that, something great is happening at Tennessee.
Berry, a sophomore safety, is believed by most to be a starter since he walked on campus. If I recall correctly, he started his second game...due to Jarod Parish going down with an injury known as, being terrible, in the first series of the first game of the year at Berkeley. He ended the season with five picks and was named the SEC Freshman Defensive Player of the Year as well as a unanimous Freshman All-American.
This year, well, Berry has taken it to the next level, leading the nation in interceptions (5) and has been named SEC Defensive Player of the Week twice as of this morning after his 10 tackle, one sack, 2 pass breakups, and one 71-yard interception return for a touchdown night this past weekend (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5UwgsTIBU8) which lead to an "Eric Berry" chant in Neyland Stadium. Not to mention the hit of the year on Georgia's Knowshon Moreno ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZKTaC9-jDQ).
This kid is a safety, flying around and not only picking balls off with standard flair, but absolutely punishing people in his way He's a safety who's worth the price of admission. Not only does he have the 10 picks on his career, but he also has 397 return yards off of those interceptions...he's averaging 40 yards a touch. Why isn't this kid getting touches on offense?
Something happened 11 years ago that most Vol fans will never forget...Peyton Manning didn't win the Heisman, and CB Charles Woodson of Michigan did. As a sophomore, there is no way you can tell me that Woodson was what Berry is right now...Berry just needs to touches all over the field. Coach Fulmer says things like, "Eric is so valuable on defense and special teams (blocking) that we can't afford to allow him to get fatigued by getting him reps on offense and in the return game..." Do you think Eric Berry can get fatigued? What are 3-4 extra plays really going to do to this guy? Was he fatigued in the fourth quarter after running that pick back? Seriously Phil.
If UT had any sense of anything, they'd be campaigning for Berry to be the second defensive player in history to win the Heisman. He's that good, that explosive. Keep in mind, Woodson's Heisman winning year, he had eight picks for...seven return yards while having zero responsibility for stopping the run. Berry played quarterback in high school, and was pretty amazing...and Fulmer talks about getting him the ball on a reverse or something. Who cares? Throw him the ball in space! The guy goes 40 yards every time he touches the ball! Are these guys nuts?
Berry is going to get his Thorpe Award(s) and his All-America Honors and maybe a shot at the big one, coach/program willing. But Berry is also just the best guy of all time as well. He legacy at UT is growing faster than any other legends of Neyland Stadium, with the stories of Berry staying late to work with the managing staff to get jersey and shorts ready for practice and hosting his brothers (yes he has two twin brothers who play QB and RB and seem to be at UT every weekend...) during their Spring Break to come play soccer with the UT Women's Soccer team so they could all work on their footwork together.
Some day, Berry is going to be a top 10 NFL draft pick and have his #14 retired with the likes of Peyton Manning and Reggie White. The guy plays safety and might seriously go down as the greatest player in Tennessee history. Not only can he play, but he's as good of a guy off the field as he is on it. So what else is there to say...other than, GIVE HIM THE BALL.
This ki
But if I was...I'd still go for one reason: SEC teams still run offensive plays in the vicinity of Eric Berry, and as long as they're doing that, something great is happening at Tennessee.
Berry, a sophomore safety, is believed by most to be a starter since he walked on campus. If I recall correctly, he started his second game...due to Jarod Parish going down with an injury known as, being terrible, in the first series of the first game of the year at Berkeley. He ended the season with five picks and was named the SEC Freshman Defensive Player of the Year as well as a unanimous Freshman All-American.
This year, well, Berry has taken it to the next level, leading the nation in interceptions (5) and has been named SEC Defensive Player of the Week twice as of this morning after his 10 tackle, one sack, 2 pass breakups, and one 71-yard interception return for a touchdown night this past weekend (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5UwgsTIBU8) which lead to an "Eric Berry" chant in Neyland Stadium. Not to mention the hit of the year on Georgia's Knowshon Moreno ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZKTaC9-jDQ).
This kid is a safety, flying around and not only picking balls off with standard flair, but absolutely punishing people in his way He's a safety who's worth the price of admission. Not only does he have the 10 picks on his career, but he also has 397 return yards off of those interceptions...he's averaging 40 yards a touch. Why isn't this kid getting touches on offense?
Something happened 11 years ago that most Vol fans will never forget...Peyton Manning didn't win the Heisman, and CB Charles Woodson of Michigan did. As a sophomore, there is no way you can tell me that Woodson was what Berry is right now...Berry just needs to touches all over the field. Coach Fulmer says things like, "Eric is so valuable on defense and special teams (blocking) that we can't afford to allow him to get fatigued by getting him reps on offense and in the return game..." Do you think Eric Berry can get fatigued? What are 3-4 extra plays really going to do to this guy? Was he fatigued in the fourth quarter after running that pick back? Seriously Phil.
If UT had any sense of anything, they'd be campaigning for Berry to be the second defensive player in history to win the Heisman. He's that good, that explosive. Keep in mind, Woodson's Heisman winning year, he had eight picks for...seven return yards while having zero responsibility for stopping the run. Berry played quarterback in high school, and was pretty amazing...and Fulmer talks about getting him the ball on a reverse or something. Who cares? Throw him the ball in space! The guy goes 40 yards every time he touches the ball! Are these guys nuts?
Berry is going to get his Thorpe Award(s) and his All-America Honors and maybe a shot at the big one, coach/program willing. But Berry is also just the best guy of all time as well. He legacy at UT is growing faster than any other legends of Neyland Stadium, with the stories of Berry staying late to work with the managing staff to get jersey and shorts ready for practice and hosting his brothers (yes he has two twin brothers who play QB and RB and seem to be at UT every weekend...) during their Spring Break to come play soccer with the UT Women's Soccer team so they could all work on their footwork together.
Some day, Berry is going to be a top 10 NFL draft pick and have his #14 retired with the likes of Peyton Manning and Reggie White. The guy plays safety and might seriously go down as the greatest player in Tennessee history. Not only can he play, but he's as good of a guy off the field as he is on it. So what else is there to say...other than, GIVE HIM THE BALL.
This ki
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Football In Texas and The Great Plains
So for as long as the few of you have read this blog, you’ve heard nothing but, “SEC owns (insert conference, team, political ideology here).”
SEC Football is still the most competitive grouping of sports teams, probably in the world. I mean, look at what happened last weekend…Georgia struggled with a struggling Tennessee team and could have lost that game. LSU was absolutely killed by Florida, and still, Vanderbilt is still atop the SEC East, even after losing to Mississippi State.
Eight hours before Tim Tebow jumping jacked his way off the field in the Swamp, Texas pulled what some think could be the biggest upset of the year. Personally, I gave Texas no chance, whatsoever, to win that game. In fact, I think it was my #9 game overall in confidence in my pick’em league.
Texas was flat out impressive. They played just as fast as OU and purely matched their athleticism. Colt McCoy, who No Owens has never really understood, and still may not, looked great. He’s the cross between Major Applewhite and Vince Young; a guy who can beat you with great athletic ability, but has that swagger that Applewhite that gets his team right where they need to be…behind him, following him to a big win. Was their defense questionable? Sure, but who didn’t expect that to happen? They found every way to beat OU, and did so in a big way. That is one balanced team.
I think my #10 confidence game was Mizzou. Yeah, as you can read, I wasn’t too productive this week. Who thought, a 41 year old man could figure out how to slow down Chase Daniel? I didn’t see the game but from what I understand, all of Chase Daniel’s interceptions came in the red zone. Ok, so Mizzou got there, moved the ball, but if you can get your guys to make plays when they need them most, you show true grit. And grit is what it takes to win big games. Ask Colt McCoy.
So the question right now is this…without internet sitting here in 16F, I don’t have the rankings in front of me. So, honestly, since I have been in either a car or airplane for about every hour I haven’t been in my bed for the past couple of days, I don’t know who the #1 team in the nation is. But what I do know, is there are probably as many Big 12 teams in the top 25 as there are SEC teams. Top to bottom, is the Big 12 as strong as the SEC? I mean, A&M is bad. Baylor is Baylor and Tennessee is winless in conference play. Something tells me, I mean, possibly, that the Vols could beat the bottom teams in the Big 12, but at this point, they’d probably be better off with Bud Kilmer as their coach. Paul Walker knows he’s available.
But…here at No Owens, who cares? We care about championships. And the Big 12 this year might be better poised to make a run at a BCS Title than any team in the SEC. It’s just getting too rugged in the SEC…Georgia isn’t as good as advertised, LSU forgot how to play, and Percy Harvin is becoming healthy all while we don’t really know what this Alabama thing is. We will see what happens when they have to line up and go up against an LSU d-line, and that beast, 94 I think, who plays DT for Auburn. Who knew that JPW would be the most impressive QB in the SEC? Most certainly not me…nor RePete Smith. But you have a lot of Big 12 teams sitting quite pretty waiting for the SEC teams to continue to lose…and what if something happens where Penn State goes unblemished? What a disaster that would be.
The problem here is that no one really looks like the #1 team in the country. All while USC, lost early…yippee. But if any of the teams look poised to be the champs, you’ve got to look to the Big12…even after Tech played out a tough win this past weekend. What’s going to happen? Who knows, but if you’re a Big 12 fan, you have to like where things are going.
SEC Football is still the most competitive grouping of sports teams, probably in the world. I mean, look at what happened last weekend…Georgia struggled with a struggling Tennessee team and could have lost that game. LSU was absolutely killed by Florida, and still, Vanderbilt is still atop the SEC East, even after losing to Mississippi State.
Eight hours before Tim Tebow jumping jacked his way off the field in the Swamp, Texas pulled what some think could be the biggest upset of the year. Personally, I gave Texas no chance, whatsoever, to win that game. In fact, I think it was my #9 game overall in confidence in my pick’em league.
Texas was flat out impressive. They played just as fast as OU and purely matched their athleticism. Colt McCoy, who No Owens has never really understood, and still may not, looked great. He’s the cross between Major Applewhite and Vince Young; a guy who can beat you with great athletic ability, but has that swagger that Applewhite that gets his team right where they need to be…behind him, following him to a big win. Was their defense questionable? Sure, but who didn’t expect that to happen? They found every way to beat OU, and did so in a big way. That is one balanced team.
I think my #10 confidence game was Mizzou. Yeah, as you can read, I wasn’t too productive this week. Who thought, a 41 year old man could figure out how to slow down Chase Daniel? I didn’t see the game but from what I understand, all of Chase Daniel’s interceptions came in the red zone. Ok, so Mizzou got there, moved the ball, but if you can get your guys to make plays when they need them most, you show true grit. And grit is what it takes to win big games. Ask Colt McCoy.
So the question right now is this…without internet sitting here in 16F, I don’t have the rankings in front of me. So, honestly, since I have been in either a car or airplane for about every hour I haven’t been in my bed for the past couple of days, I don’t know who the #1 team in the nation is. But what I do know, is there are probably as many Big 12 teams in the top 25 as there are SEC teams. Top to bottom, is the Big 12 as strong as the SEC? I mean, A&M is bad. Baylor is Baylor and Tennessee is winless in conference play. Something tells me, I mean, possibly, that the Vols could beat the bottom teams in the Big 12, but at this point, they’d probably be better off with Bud Kilmer as their coach. Paul Walker knows he’s available.
But…here at No Owens, who cares? We care about championships. And the Big 12 this year might be better poised to make a run at a BCS Title than any team in the SEC. It’s just getting too rugged in the SEC…Georgia isn’t as good as advertised, LSU forgot how to play, and Percy Harvin is becoming healthy all while we don’t really know what this Alabama thing is. We will see what happens when they have to line up and go up against an LSU d-line, and that beast, 94 I think, who plays DT for Auburn. Who knew that JPW would be the most impressive QB in the SEC? Most certainly not me…nor RePete Smith. But you have a lot of Big 12 teams sitting quite pretty waiting for the SEC teams to continue to lose…and what if something happens where Penn State goes unblemished? What a disaster that would be.
The problem here is that no one really looks like the #1 team in the country. All while USC, lost early…yippee. But if any of the teams look poised to be the champs, you’ve got to look to the Big12…even after Tech played out a tough win this past weekend. What’s going to happen? Who knows, but if you’re a Big 12 fan, you have to like where things are going.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Coming Together As A Nation
Much can be said for the state of America right now. As the government spends your money to promoting actions that would put a few names in old Joe McCarthy's pocket while the most absurd candidates are fighting to lead our country, many people are looking at themselves in the mirror and asking themselves...what can I do now?
I've got the answer for you. Get behind the Tampa Bay Rays with everything you've got.
Never before has there been one team that no one has really cared about with a shot at going to the World Series. Who likes the Red Sox? Who cares about the Phillies or Dodgers (outside of the ManRam)? Would it be great to see the ManRam in Dodger blue crushing everything in site off, over and into the Green Monster? Well, yeah. But...what he, like Jonathan Moxon, is only one man.
The Rays winning a World Series would defy every odd, arguably in baseball history. Never before has a sport been so invested in it's players. You know the salaries and who gets them. But if you go to a Rays game, who's name would you see on the back of a fan's jersey? Crawford? Well, he's hurt anyway. Kazmir? No, I didn't misspell the title of the Zeppelin classic. Longoria? That's Evan not Eva.
You don't know these guys. I mean, I barely know who they are. But they are the American League Eastern Division Champions not named Yankees or Red Sox. So this team of young kids with nothing to lose are staring down the most coveted championship in American sports. A bunch of guys you've never heard of, who play hard, lay down bunts, and pitch well top to bottom...who play the game the way it was meant to be played. The way it was coached to you in little league.
If you need something to get excited about, hurry up and get excited about the Rays. It's an easy thing to do, and believe you me, you won't be the only one.
I've got the answer for you. Get behind the Tampa Bay Rays with everything you've got.
Never before has there been one team that no one has really cared about with a shot at going to the World Series. Who likes the Red Sox? Who cares about the Phillies or Dodgers (outside of the ManRam)? Would it be great to see the ManRam in Dodger blue crushing everything in site off, over and into the Green Monster? Well, yeah. But...what he, like Jonathan Moxon, is only one man.
The Rays winning a World Series would defy every odd, arguably in baseball history. Never before has a sport been so invested in it's players. You know the salaries and who gets them. But if you go to a Rays game, who's name would you see on the back of a fan's jersey? Crawford? Well, he's hurt anyway. Kazmir? No, I didn't misspell the title of the Zeppelin classic. Longoria? That's Evan not Eva.
You don't know these guys. I mean, I barely know who they are. But they are the American League Eastern Division Champions not named Yankees or Red Sox. So this team of young kids with nothing to lose are staring down the most coveted championship in American sports. A bunch of guys you've never heard of, who play hard, lay down bunts, and pitch well top to bottom...who play the game the way it was meant to be played. The way it was coached to you in little league.
If you need something to get excited about, hurry up and get excited about the Rays. It's an easy thing to do, and believe you me, you won't be the only one.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Next Year Isn't Here
You know what doesn't help? Walking seven in five innings.
The Cubs looked so bad yesterday, it's unreal. Remember that time I talked about contemplating that the Cubs being "the Cubs" is better than the Cubs that have a high payroll and win back to back division titles?
The Cubs played really well in the regular season. For about a month, the Cubs played with the fire and magic that makes you believe. Then they put it in cruise control and started beating people down. It's not the Cubs. This is not what it's like to be a Cubs fan. Focusing on success, and expecting success isn't what being a Cubs fan is about.
It's interesting because so much of the talk about one of my other main teams, the Vols, is about attendance this weekend, and how mad the fans are. Tennessee fans, and most SEC fans are said to be the most loyal in sports, but when things go south...they get off the bandwagon. Cubs fans, no matter what, love their team. More than anything with an unrivaled passion. So when teams have great years, it means something.
That stadium last night was dead. Why? Because the fans there knew they were going to have their rears in the seats 8 months ago. Think about 2003. Who expected that run? No one and that city was alive...and the entire city went on a two week bender after the NLCS. Look at the Red Sox and what they've become. What does it mean to be a Red Sox fan now? Nothing. Absolutely nothing, it means as much as being a Yankees fan. And that's what the Cubs are turning into. The, "expect to win" mentality isn't what built the most loyal fan base in the world. It's the hope that they can turn it around, the hours of heartache, and the joy in winning any game against the Cardinals or Mets.
This isn't the Cubs. And look what they did yesterday. They laid one fat egg. Walk the bases loaded...I've got news for you, that never ends well. Then, ManRam hits a "meaningless" home run. You think that was meaningless? First of all, if I was Lou Pinella, I'd see to it that Manny didn't take a swing all series. Walk that guy, every time, high school baseball style with the coach saying "Put Him On" to the ump and the hitter just goes to first without a pitch. Why? Because last night he hit a ball 420 off his ankles. You think that was meaningless? That showed everyone that you can't pitch to this guy. He's the best hitter there is, and if he has to, he can win games by himself. That wasn't a meaningless home run, that made a statement. To me at least.
Sure, it was only one game. And maybe the Cubs can turn this around, beat Manny and make a run at the title. But if this continues, the Cubs are taking 100 years of regular season woes and throwing them all into a five game series. And it doesn't mean anything. At least in 2003, it meant something. When the Cubs were on their way to winning the division in the last weekend of the season, I mean, I'm getting chills thinking about it, watching the stadium on TV, and what it really meant. The Cubs have become a business. And I don't know if I honestly like it.
The Cubs looked so bad yesterday, it's unreal. Remember that time I talked about contemplating that the Cubs being "the Cubs" is better than the Cubs that have a high payroll and win back to back division titles?
The Cubs played really well in the regular season. For about a month, the Cubs played with the fire and magic that makes you believe. Then they put it in cruise control and started beating people down. It's not the Cubs. This is not what it's like to be a Cubs fan. Focusing on success, and expecting success isn't what being a Cubs fan is about.
It's interesting because so much of the talk about one of my other main teams, the Vols, is about attendance this weekend, and how mad the fans are. Tennessee fans, and most SEC fans are said to be the most loyal in sports, but when things go south...they get off the bandwagon. Cubs fans, no matter what, love their team. More than anything with an unrivaled passion. So when teams have great years, it means something.
That stadium last night was dead. Why? Because the fans there knew they were going to have their rears in the seats 8 months ago. Think about 2003. Who expected that run? No one and that city was alive...and the entire city went on a two week bender after the NLCS. Look at the Red Sox and what they've become. What does it mean to be a Red Sox fan now? Nothing. Absolutely nothing, it means as much as being a Yankees fan. And that's what the Cubs are turning into. The, "expect to win" mentality isn't what built the most loyal fan base in the world. It's the hope that they can turn it around, the hours of heartache, and the joy in winning any game against the Cardinals or Mets.
This isn't the Cubs. And look what they did yesterday. They laid one fat egg. Walk the bases loaded...I've got news for you, that never ends well. Then, ManRam hits a "meaningless" home run. You think that was meaningless? First of all, if I was Lou Pinella, I'd see to it that Manny didn't take a swing all series. Walk that guy, every time, high school baseball style with the coach saying "Put Him On" to the ump and the hitter just goes to first without a pitch. Why? Because last night he hit a ball 420 off his ankles. You think that was meaningless? That showed everyone that you can't pitch to this guy. He's the best hitter there is, and if he has to, he can win games by himself. That wasn't a meaningless home run, that made a statement. To me at least.
Sure, it was only one game. And maybe the Cubs can turn this around, beat Manny and make a run at the title. But if this continues, the Cubs are taking 100 years of regular season woes and throwing them all into a five game series. And it doesn't mean anything. At least in 2003, it meant something. When the Cubs were on their way to winning the division in the last weekend of the season, I mean, I'm getting chills thinking about it, watching the stadium on TV, and what it really meant. The Cubs have become a business. And I don't know if I honestly like it.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The Quarterback Position In Knoxville
I don't like to dwell, often, about posts specifically related to Tennessee Football. But somethings are just meant to be, and with the 1-3 start, there's without question some reasons to talk.
As you know, I was high on the Vols pre-season. I thought they had a tough road, but I thought they certainly had the talent to be not just competitive, but very, very competitive, not only in the SEC, but by season's end, the national picture. Then Norm Chow happened. Then Jonathan Crompton happened, and more Arian Foster than we know what to do with.
It's almost hard to find a place to start with how bad things are looking. I was high on Crompton coming into the year, I really was. Big kid, strong arm, but apparently, he's the dumbest person of all time, best said by Gary Danielson's comment, "I mean, is this kid coached to not throw touchdown passes..." after he apparently didn't see a streaking Denarius Moore all alone in the endzone last Saturday against Auburn.
This kid is so bad, it's unreal. It's almost like there's someone in the second row in a catchers outfit, crouched down signaling for the fastball, and Crompton just looks to deliver the heat up into the 2nd row each throw on the sideline. Apparently, this kid can't see the middle of the field. Apparently, this kid sees his first read as being covered, and throws the ball into the next zipcode.
I've never seen anyone like this. How do you not complete a ball in the fourth quarter? The Vols defense was as good as about anyone in the nation, especially in the second half of last Saturday's game. But the kid couldn't complete a pass to save his life, let alone the life of his team in the SEC race.
And the fumbles are out of control. Say what you want, but I know the position of quarterback. Execution was always another story, but I know the position. And the fumble on Saturday wasn't Arian Foster's fault. Sure, he didn't help Crompton out too much, but Foster didn't grab at the ball. It's Crompton's job to get him the football regardless how small of a cradle that Foster gives him to work with, and that I why I put the blame on Crompton.
If we had anyone serviceable at the quarterback position, we'd be 3-1 at least. And that doesn't include being down only 14-10 at halftime against Florida. Sure, anything could have happened, but we could have won that game with the way our defense played. Ok, special teams is another story as well.
But this is on the quarterback. He's miserable, absolutely terrible. I won't even get into what I think about the offensive coordinator. But at this point, at 1-3, the head coach has to do something to show the fans that there is something coming. Give us something to believe in. He has said that putting Eric Berry in the backfield might not give us anything that Gerald Jones can't with his package. Maybe that's the case, but if Eric Berry is lined up at quarterback, at least every fan that knows anything about the Vols would go absolutely nuts and would be more excited at that point in time than at any other time throughout the course of this season.
1-3 is terrible but honestly, I believe we are one terrible player away from having the ability to win the rest of our games, with the way our defense is playing. We don't need much if they keep this up. Not a whole lot at all. But just one time, please, just once, put in anyone. I don't care who it is, but we can't continue to be competitive with Crompton at quarterback, so we might as well try something else.
As you know, I was high on the Vols pre-season. I thought they had a tough road, but I thought they certainly had the talent to be not just competitive, but very, very competitive, not only in the SEC, but by season's end, the national picture. Then Norm Chow happened. Then Jonathan Crompton happened, and more Arian Foster than we know what to do with.
It's almost hard to find a place to start with how bad things are looking. I was high on Crompton coming into the year, I really was. Big kid, strong arm, but apparently, he's the dumbest person of all time, best said by Gary Danielson's comment, "I mean, is this kid coached to not throw touchdown passes..." after he apparently didn't see a streaking Denarius Moore all alone in the endzone last Saturday against Auburn.
This kid is so bad, it's unreal. It's almost like there's someone in the second row in a catchers outfit, crouched down signaling for the fastball, and Crompton just looks to deliver the heat up into the 2nd row each throw on the sideline. Apparently, this kid can't see the middle of the field. Apparently, this kid sees his first read as being covered, and throws the ball into the next zipcode.
I've never seen anyone like this. How do you not complete a ball in the fourth quarter? The Vols defense was as good as about anyone in the nation, especially in the second half of last Saturday's game. But the kid couldn't complete a pass to save his life, let alone the life of his team in the SEC race.
And the fumbles are out of control. Say what you want, but I know the position of quarterback. Execution was always another story, but I know the position. And the fumble on Saturday wasn't Arian Foster's fault. Sure, he didn't help Crompton out too much, but Foster didn't grab at the ball. It's Crompton's job to get him the football regardless how small of a cradle that Foster gives him to work with, and that I why I put the blame on Crompton.
If we had anyone serviceable at the quarterback position, we'd be 3-1 at least. And that doesn't include being down only 14-10 at halftime against Florida. Sure, anything could have happened, but we could have won that game with the way our defense played. Ok, special teams is another story as well.
But this is on the quarterback. He's miserable, absolutely terrible. I won't even get into what I think about the offensive coordinator. But at this point, at 1-3, the head coach has to do something to show the fans that there is something coming. Give us something to believe in. He has said that putting Eric Berry in the backfield might not give us anything that Gerald Jones can't with his package. Maybe that's the case, but if Eric Berry is lined up at quarterback, at least every fan that knows anything about the Vols would go absolutely nuts and would be more excited at that point in time than at any other time throughout the course of this season.
1-3 is terrible but honestly, I believe we are one terrible player away from having the ability to win the rest of our games, with the way our defense is playing. We don't need much if they keep this up. Not a whole lot at all. But just one time, please, just once, put in anyone. I don't care who it is, but we can't continue to be competitive with Crompton at quarterback, so we might as well try something else.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Into This Weekend, Status Update
First, I will begin with the status of No Owens Sports. It's central office is now moved to a secure location, which will most likely lead to a stronger array of posts weekly. This is good, this is very good, for all parties. That being said, let's dive into the weekend.
Before we get into college football, the playoff races in Major League Baseball are shaping up very nicely. Sure, the Cubs and Angels have more or less locked up their divisions, and the second place team in the AL East will more than likely get the Wild Card. Other than that, there's a lot up in the air, and plenty of drama to go with. The NL East is where it was last year, minus the whole meltdown and Carlos Delgado, apparently, acting like an MVP Candidate. That, and the AL East leading RAYS can't seem to get a sell out in their ball park, not even now. It's amazing how many, die hard, RAYS fans there are now.
The AL East is really a compelling race. I don't know if it's a true, "David vs. Goliath" type story, but it's pretty close. I mean, how does a team with Josh Beckett's salary not beat the RAYS easily. Or, the Yankees for that matter. I'd like to get into it, but you can imagine what this focus is today.
Tomorrow is pretty much the biggest day of my year. Fortunately, I don't have to go into the land of jersey, jean-short, weird chain-wearing land to see the game this year. I'm referring to Gainesville, not Roy Oswalt's family reunions.
Tennessee hosts Florida tomorrow at 3:30 Eastern tomorrow on CBS. The sad thing is, I have no confidence int he Vols whatsoever going into this game. Like, the Tennessee coaching staff has given me no reason to have any faith. The guys are terrible and it seems that we have an amateur as an offensive coordinator. All of this being said, UT, wins games like this that they really shouldn't or aren't supposed to.
What's interesting about the last point is that up until about five or six years ago, games that UT shouldn't win didn't exist. They should have business winning every game and every team they play should expect that anything than their best is going to cause a rout in the favor of the Vols.
So say the Vols come out, control the line of scrimmage on offense, run the ball well and win the game. What does that mean? Does it mean the Vols are back in the scene and have the ability and swagger to run the rest of the table in the East? Who knows. Regardless of the outcome of this game, the coaching staff at UT still needs a tweak, barring the Vols ripping off 10 in a row, which seems unlikely, especially right now. So even if the Vols pull the upset (pull the upset at home is a pretty terrible concept) it shouldn't all of a sudden mean that Coach Fulmer is the man in Knoxville.
Mind you, for any SEC non-believers out there, while the Vols and Gators play at 3:30, don't forget that LSU@Auburn is a prime time game, so too is Georgia@Arizona State. I still think that LSU is a force that no one is really paying attention to yet. Watch out. As for Georgia, they are running into a pretty mad ASU team after losing last week. Not that that means anything to the Dawgs or anything but we shall see.
Outside of that, here's my favorite story. So we know what happened to Ohio State last weekend. Which we all knew, but riddle me this...Terrelle Pryor is about the worst thing that could have happened to that team this year. If Pryor wasn't in the picture, there would be no quarterback controversy as proven Todd Boeckman wouldn't be forced into trying to learn some new offensive schemes. Also, he wouldn't lose his rhythm throughout the course of a game, with the high demand to get snaps for Pryor. In my opinion, Ohio State is a worse team with Pryor than they are with him right now. I don't know what he was thinking when he didn't go to Michigan, but as of right now, that would have been a move that would have benefited both parties, in my opinion, if that's possible.
I enjoy the weekend, as best as possible.
Before we get into college football, the playoff races in Major League Baseball are shaping up very nicely. Sure, the Cubs and Angels have more or less locked up their divisions, and the second place team in the AL East will more than likely get the Wild Card. Other than that, there's a lot up in the air, and plenty of drama to go with. The NL East is where it was last year, minus the whole meltdown and Carlos Delgado, apparently, acting like an MVP Candidate. That, and the AL East leading RAYS can't seem to get a sell out in their ball park, not even now. It's amazing how many, die hard, RAYS fans there are now.
The AL East is really a compelling race. I don't know if it's a true, "David vs. Goliath" type story, but it's pretty close. I mean, how does a team with Josh Beckett's salary not beat the RAYS easily. Or, the Yankees for that matter. I'd like to get into it, but you can imagine what this focus is today.
Tomorrow is pretty much the biggest day of my year. Fortunately, I don't have to go into the land of jersey, jean-short, weird chain-wearing land to see the game this year. I'm referring to Gainesville, not Roy Oswalt's family reunions.
Tennessee hosts Florida tomorrow at 3:30 Eastern tomorrow on CBS. The sad thing is, I have no confidence int he Vols whatsoever going into this game. Like, the Tennessee coaching staff has given me no reason to have any faith. The guys are terrible and it seems that we have an amateur as an offensive coordinator. All of this being said, UT, wins games like this that they really shouldn't or aren't supposed to.
What's interesting about the last point is that up until about five or six years ago, games that UT shouldn't win didn't exist. They should have business winning every game and every team they play should expect that anything than their best is going to cause a rout in the favor of the Vols.
So say the Vols come out, control the line of scrimmage on offense, run the ball well and win the game. What does that mean? Does it mean the Vols are back in the scene and have the ability and swagger to run the rest of the table in the East? Who knows. Regardless of the outcome of this game, the coaching staff at UT still needs a tweak, barring the Vols ripping off 10 in a row, which seems unlikely, especially right now. So even if the Vols pull the upset (pull the upset at home is a pretty terrible concept) it shouldn't all of a sudden mean that Coach Fulmer is the man in Knoxville.
Mind you, for any SEC non-believers out there, while the Vols and Gators play at 3:30, don't forget that LSU@Auburn is a prime time game, so too is Georgia@Arizona State. I still think that LSU is a force that no one is really paying attention to yet. Watch out. As for Georgia, they are running into a pretty mad ASU team after losing last week. Not that that means anything to the Dawgs or anything but we shall see.
Outside of that, here's my favorite story. So we know what happened to Ohio State last weekend. Which we all knew, but riddle me this...Terrelle Pryor is about the worst thing that could have happened to that team this year. If Pryor wasn't in the picture, there would be no quarterback controversy as proven Todd Boeckman wouldn't be forced into trying to learn some new offensive schemes. Also, he wouldn't lose his rhythm throughout the course of a game, with the high demand to get snaps for Pryor. In my opinion, Ohio State is a worse team with Pryor than they are with him right now. I don't know what he was thinking when he didn't go to Michigan, but as of right now, that would have been a move that would have benefited both parties, in my opinion, if that's possible.
I enjoy the weekend, as best as possible.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Vince Young Is A Certified Whack Job
Before we get into today's topic, let me remind you of something outstanding.
The other day I was watching ESPN and the best thing ever came across the bottom line: Michelle Wie to Enter LPGA Qualifying School.
It's about time her own tour figured out she's terrible.
As many of you know, I am a huge Vince Young fan. I love the guy on the field. I think he has an athletic ability and a drive synonymous with about no one I've ever seen. At the same point, he apparently has a mental condition stronger than anyone I've ever seen to go with it.
You know there are issues when the cops are called to find the franchise player of a football team because he's gone missing without his cell phone. I mean, what if this was a false alarm and he just went into Waffle House to grab a bite and his phone was just in his car charging? Is it in his contract to have his phone on him at all times? How much would my new favorite player Chad Ocho Cinqo love that concept? He'd duct tape one of those TAG phones to his helmet.
So Vince is a "Me" guy. He's not a "Team" guy. What gives? Now that I go back and think about it, it was the same thing in college. Except being a "Me" and "Team" guy was the same thing because he was that squad. So today, there are all of these character issues with Vince, and I'm not even going to speculate as to where they really, deeply come from. But what I do know, is that whatever this is, is affecting him to be a game changer on the field.
Living in Nashville, I have to listen to all of these Titans fans and Nashvillians say things like, "I knew all along we should have drafted Jay Cutler." Because Cutler looked good against the Raiders on Monday, who are about the worst team ever (no offense to some readers), he apparently is the best thing since sliced bread. Sure, Cutler may have a better career than Vince, but he wasn't the value pick at #3. In that draft, there were four guys capable of going #1 and none of them played in the SEC.
And to further address my point, Young is the perfect quarterback for the Titans. Why? Look at the Titans and how the organization has been structured since it's been in Nashville. Be a power running team, play solid defense and with on that side of the ball, and keep the budget down. So when you aren't an offensive minded team, basically by business structure, how perfect is it to draft a guy who has the ability to go the distance from the moment he takes the snap? That's an added dimension that you are getting a fairly reasonable value, all things considered, and the guy has won more games than he's lost as a starter in this league with a couple of those wins coming with the natural ability that he possesses.
Sure, he throws some bad balls. He threw two awful picks this past Sunday. But at the same rate, he also had two key balls dropped by his receivers. Does he turn the ball over too much? Yeah, but he's also got a defense that allows you to make a few mistakes. They are that good, believe me. So to me, all things considered, Young is the perfect guy for that team, as a player.
The issue now is how do you take control of your team as a quarterback. It's funny because in the past two weeks, I've heard so much about the two quarterbacks in this state and their reactions to adversity (Vince and the Vols Jonathan Crompton). Vince is a good kid, I think. He's cocky, but he can be, and he's got the swagger of a star. The question is, where is it? Where has it gone? And why is it effecting him on the level that it apparently is, off the field. Because what I see is a guy bringing his off the field problems down the tunnel and on the field on Sundays.
Maybe things are pretty bad at home and in the old neighborhood in Houston as has been speculated. But I saw an interview once with of all people Keith Richards where he said something along the lines of, "Getting out on stage every night is the only time I get some piece and quiet." Meaning to me, that life can be demanding, but he gets out there to do the thing he loves to do, and lets everything else go, and nothing matters. Maybe when he's back on the field in 2-4 weeks, he can use his love of the game of football to get him through whatever other problems he's been having.
The other day I was watching ESPN and the best thing ever came across the bottom line: Michelle Wie to Enter LPGA Qualifying School.
It's about time her own tour figured out she's terrible.
As many of you know, I am a huge Vince Young fan. I love the guy on the field. I think he has an athletic ability and a drive synonymous with about no one I've ever seen. At the same point, he apparently has a mental condition stronger than anyone I've ever seen to go with it.
You know there are issues when the cops are called to find the franchise player of a football team because he's gone missing without his cell phone. I mean, what if this was a false alarm and he just went into Waffle House to grab a bite and his phone was just in his car charging? Is it in his contract to have his phone on him at all times? How much would my new favorite player Chad Ocho Cinqo love that concept? He'd duct tape one of those TAG phones to his helmet.
So Vince is a "Me" guy. He's not a "Team" guy. What gives? Now that I go back and think about it, it was the same thing in college. Except being a "Me" and "Team" guy was the same thing because he was that squad. So today, there are all of these character issues with Vince, and I'm not even going to speculate as to where they really, deeply come from. But what I do know, is that whatever this is, is affecting him to be a game changer on the field.
Living in Nashville, I have to listen to all of these Titans fans and Nashvillians say things like, "I knew all along we should have drafted Jay Cutler." Because Cutler looked good against the Raiders on Monday, who are about the worst team ever (no offense to some readers), he apparently is the best thing since sliced bread. Sure, Cutler may have a better career than Vince, but he wasn't the value pick at #3. In that draft, there were four guys capable of going #1 and none of them played in the SEC.
And to further address my point, Young is the perfect quarterback for the Titans. Why? Look at the Titans and how the organization has been structured since it's been in Nashville. Be a power running team, play solid defense and with on that side of the ball, and keep the budget down. So when you aren't an offensive minded team, basically by business structure, how perfect is it to draft a guy who has the ability to go the distance from the moment he takes the snap? That's an added dimension that you are getting a fairly reasonable value, all things considered, and the guy has won more games than he's lost as a starter in this league with a couple of those wins coming with the natural ability that he possesses.
Sure, he throws some bad balls. He threw two awful picks this past Sunday. But at the same rate, he also had two key balls dropped by his receivers. Does he turn the ball over too much? Yeah, but he's also got a defense that allows you to make a few mistakes. They are that good, believe me. So to me, all things considered, Young is the perfect guy for that team, as a player.
The issue now is how do you take control of your team as a quarterback. It's funny because in the past two weeks, I've heard so much about the two quarterbacks in this state and their reactions to adversity (Vince and the Vols Jonathan Crompton). Vince is a good kid, I think. He's cocky, but he can be, and he's got the swagger of a star. The question is, where is it? Where has it gone? And why is it effecting him on the level that it apparently is, off the field. Because what I see is a guy bringing his off the field problems down the tunnel and on the field on Sundays.
Maybe things are pretty bad at home and in the old neighborhood in Houston as has been speculated. But I saw an interview once with of all people Keith Richards where he said something along the lines of, "Getting out on stage every night is the only time I get some piece and quiet." Meaning to me, that life can be demanding, but he gets out there to do the thing he loves to do, and lets everything else go, and nothing matters. Maybe when he's back on the field in 2-4 weeks, he can use his love of the game of football to get him through whatever other problems he's been having.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
And Now, The NFL
With the obsession that No Owens has with college football (and now Sarah Palin), it's tough to really get fired up about the world's biggest league, the NFL. What's interesting is there is actually a lot to get fired up about in the NFL.
First, lets start with the New Orleans Saints. As most teams in the NFC continue to struggle to find themselves, the under achieving Saints from last year have added yet another offensive weapon in Jeremy Shockey at tight end. Not to mention, Robert Meachem has decided he wants to show up. So, if Reggie Bush can figure out how to be an NFL back, the Saints will have the best offense in the NFL. Yes, that's right, the NFL. They will be more balanced than the Patriots should the Saints find a consistent running game. Now, you have a hurricane in Louisiana, that tends to bode well for the Saints. Can their defense stop anyone? Probably enough to keep it under 28 points per game, because I get the Saints score more than that per game.
After insulting the Patriots, we might as well get to them. It's going to be interesting to see just how smart their coaching staff is. Why? First, it's hard to have the kind of success they had offensively two years in a row in the NFL, especially running their style of offense. Ask the Rams. Keep in mind that the Pats and Colts run two very different types of offenses. The Colts are much more balanced, making them better suited for the long term, which is why their 11+ win consistency hasn't been met by the Patriots. Not to mention their defense isn't a bunch of hungry rent-a-players. They are players built to stay/last. That being said, of the two super powers in the AFC, I like the Colts to have the better year, assuming they can stay healthy. They are going to need to find an alternative to Marvin Harrison going forward. Personally, I can't believe they let Early Doucet get away from them. He would have been a perfect fit to be the next Marvin. But what do I know?
What I do know is that I think this is the year for the Jaguars in the AFC. Assuming the Patriots are going to be down a little this year, and assuming the Colts are going to have issues with their health, look for the Jaguars to take a Wild Card birth to the Super Bowl. They aren't built to win their division, but they are built to win a Super Bowl. Stingy defense and a solid running game to go with a great quarterback that will be recognized as one of the league's best at year's end. Maybe not in your fantasy league, but overall. This guy is a player. And as much as I hate to want a Gator to succeed, I think Fred Taylor is one of the best running backs of all time never to get any credit. I think a ring would do a lot for his creds, and potentially get him into the Hall.
And of course, I can't get out of this without talking about the Packers. I hate to draw comparisons to the college game, and it is ironic, but look at LSU last year. LSU went into the year with all the talent in the world coming back, but sans their quarterback. And Matt Flynn (now Packer clipboard holder) had to keep it simple and not turn the ball over. That's what he did and they won a title. I think what we've seen from Rodgers, as I've said before, is that he just needs to be an expert in this offense and facilitate. He's not flashy and he doesn't have to be. Leave that to Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, and James Jones. One thing to watch for is this...Ryan Grant will be the biggest bust of all fantasy drafts. Figure it out for yourself, but he's not the best running back on that team, and won't be the starter come week three.
Going into the season, if I was forced to pick a Super Bowl match up, it would be New Orleans and Jacksonville. Apparently, the Panthers are going to be back this year as are the Eagles. I'll buy into the Panthers, but I'll believe the Eagles when I see it. What I do see is an interesting year in the NFL. You should too.
First, lets start with the New Orleans Saints. As most teams in the NFC continue to struggle to find themselves, the under achieving Saints from last year have added yet another offensive weapon in Jeremy Shockey at tight end. Not to mention, Robert Meachem has decided he wants to show up. So, if Reggie Bush can figure out how to be an NFL back, the Saints will have the best offense in the NFL. Yes, that's right, the NFL. They will be more balanced than the Patriots should the Saints find a consistent running game. Now, you have a hurricane in Louisiana, that tends to bode well for the Saints. Can their defense stop anyone? Probably enough to keep it under 28 points per game, because I get the Saints score more than that per game.
After insulting the Patriots, we might as well get to them. It's going to be interesting to see just how smart their coaching staff is. Why? First, it's hard to have the kind of success they had offensively two years in a row in the NFL, especially running their style of offense. Ask the Rams. Keep in mind that the Pats and Colts run two very different types of offenses. The Colts are much more balanced, making them better suited for the long term, which is why their 11+ win consistency hasn't been met by the Patriots. Not to mention their defense isn't a bunch of hungry rent-a-players. They are players built to stay/last. That being said, of the two super powers in the AFC, I like the Colts to have the better year, assuming they can stay healthy. They are going to need to find an alternative to Marvin Harrison going forward. Personally, I can't believe they let Early Doucet get away from them. He would have been a perfect fit to be the next Marvin. But what do I know?
What I do know is that I think this is the year for the Jaguars in the AFC. Assuming the Patriots are going to be down a little this year, and assuming the Colts are going to have issues with their health, look for the Jaguars to take a Wild Card birth to the Super Bowl. They aren't built to win their division, but they are built to win a Super Bowl. Stingy defense and a solid running game to go with a great quarterback that will be recognized as one of the league's best at year's end. Maybe not in your fantasy league, but overall. This guy is a player. And as much as I hate to want a Gator to succeed, I think Fred Taylor is one of the best running backs of all time never to get any credit. I think a ring would do a lot for his creds, and potentially get him into the Hall.
And of course, I can't get out of this without talking about the Packers. I hate to draw comparisons to the college game, and it is ironic, but look at LSU last year. LSU went into the year with all the talent in the world coming back, but sans their quarterback. And Matt Flynn (now Packer clipboard holder) had to keep it simple and not turn the ball over. That's what he did and they won a title. I think what we've seen from Rodgers, as I've said before, is that he just needs to be an expert in this offense and facilitate. He's not flashy and he doesn't have to be. Leave that to Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, and James Jones. One thing to watch for is this...Ryan Grant will be the biggest bust of all fantasy drafts. Figure it out for yourself, but he's not the best running back on that team, and won't be the starter come week three.
Going into the season, if I was forced to pick a Super Bowl match up, it would be New Orleans and Jacksonville. Apparently, the Panthers are going to be back this year as are the Eagles. I'll buy into the Panthers, but I'll believe the Eagles when I see it. What I do see is an interesting year in the NFL. You should too.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Life, Back to Normal
Or at least close to it.
Tonight, we finally get college football back. Sure, there isn't really anything exciting to watch match up-wise. I mean, South Carolina and NC State being your #1 option?
Great! It's COLLEGE FOOTBALL!
As previously stated and now quite late, the preseason predictions.
ACC: The ACC is pretty much a terrible conference right now. If this was 1999, things would be different. But it's almost ten years later. What is Florida State going to do? I actually really like Miami this year. I really like Miami. I think Miami is going to play Florida a lot tighter in week two than anyone thinks. But they are at least one year away. Clemson is again, a top ten team going into the year. Their quarterback, apparently, is a big time player, along with their two-headed monster in the backfield, on paper, say that Clemson is the favorite. Well, I don't buy it. I'll take Virginia Tech.
Big 10: Who's going to beat Ohio State? Outside of USC? If Ohio State loses a conference game this year, they should fire Jim Tressel. Period. They have no business whatsoever losing a game in that conference. The Big 10 is abysmal. Ohio State should walk over that conference.
Big 12: As far as I'm concerned, the Big 12 is the most intriguing conference in the nation this year. There are a number of teams at the top of that conference that can get it done, and Texas isn't one of them. Oklahoma and Missouri are great teams with great offenses. So is Texas Tech, who has probably the greatest offense in America. I think Texas Tech, this year, is a serious threat Oklahoma and the national picture. On paper, Oklahoma is the most balanced team in the conference and they should win the conference. I like Oklahoma, but Missouri sure is tempting. I've gone back and forth on this for weeks, but I see Missouri in the North and Oklahoma in the South with OU winning the rematch.
Big East: Again, West Virginia has no business losing any game, outside of their mid-season clash with Auburn, this year if Pat White stays healthy. If Pat White stays healthy, he should win the Heisman as he's the most dynamic and valuable player in the country. If he doesn't, well, then there's an issue. I think one way or the other, White will stay healthy enough to get WVU into another BCS game, but they his health could get them into a title game. If they're lucky.
Pac-10: Why shouldn't USC win this conference? I don't know, but for some reason, I just don't really like the Trojans this year. I could be wrong, very wrong. But to me they don't seem as strong as they have in previous years. Part of the problem with how great "those" USC teams were is that it's so hard to replace such great players, and Mark Sanchez, though a highly touted recruit, is not Matt Leinart. Personally, I think Joe McKnight is the most overly hyped recruit I've possibly ever seen. Sure, a lot of that has to do with him being "The Next Reggie Bush" but you can't expect that, and he's not in Bush's class. Oh, and who's going to catch the ball? Patrick Turner hasn't blossomed in LA. Their big TE is gone. USC is going to have a great defense, as usual, but they aren't going to be able to get by on defense alone when their offense, probably isn't the best in the Pac-10. Watch for a very competitive Pac-10 this year. I'm going to go on a limb, but I like Oregon to win the conference. And watch out for Arizona to win a at least one big game. They are going to score points.
SEC: Ah yes, the SEC. This year, I think the SEC is too competitive for it's own good. That being said, I think there are some teams coming back to the pack. Look, Georgia isn't the best team in the country. I don't know who is. But they have a lot of trouble catching the football and that's not going to be helped with their starting left tackle out. Their defense isn't what it was last year. And they were hot last year. How long can a hot streak last? Sure, everyone has their flaws, just like Florida's entire defense has. Florida is going to score their points, and they will make their big plays on defense. Is Tennessee a better team than both the Dawgs and Gators? I don't know, but I think they are all on a much more even playing field than the experts think. In the West, it's obviously LSU and Auburn, and I'm not quite sold on Auburn. Though I see Auburn beating Tennessee at Auburn, I still think I like LSU. They are just as strong everywhere on the field as they were last year, and mind you, Glenn Dorsey was banged up all year, so what's the difference? My prediction is this: Tennessee beats Florida in Knoxville, for Florida's only conference loss, Tennessee loses at Auburn and at Georgia, and Georgia loses to LSU, Florida, and someone else down the road. LSU bounces back and beats Florida (who will lose to Florida State) in the SEC Championship game with Tennessee and LSU representing the SEC in the BCS. How's that sound?
All things considered, I think Oklahoma will beat Ohio State for the National Title. I don't see Pat White staying healthy enough to get WVU there. He hasn't done it in the past, I don't see it starting now. Unfortunately, I don't see Pat White winning the Heisman either. Though he should, it looks like he won't. Tebow will be there with Florida playing the the post season, but his numbers won't be the same. ESPN will find a way to get him there though. Keep in mind, last year Tebow won the award by default...If I had to take someone today, I'd take Beanie Wells. Should he win it? I don't know, probably not. But there isn't going to be anyone in the north to challenge his votes.
It's back, it's back tonight, and most notably on Monday night. But get ready for a wild year in college football. We aren't lucky enough to have a '99 Florida State team that everyone knows is going to run the table, no questions asked. So get ready for the debates at the bars with your buddies, because this year is going to get flat out nasty.
Tonight, we finally get college football back. Sure, there isn't really anything exciting to watch match up-wise. I mean, South Carolina and NC State being your #1 option?
Great! It's COLLEGE FOOTBALL!
As previously stated and now quite late, the preseason predictions.
ACC: The ACC is pretty much a terrible conference right now. If this was 1999, things would be different. But it's almost ten years later. What is Florida State going to do? I actually really like Miami this year. I really like Miami. I think Miami is going to play Florida a lot tighter in week two than anyone thinks. But they are at least one year away. Clemson is again, a top ten team going into the year. Their quarterback, apparently, is a big time player, along with their two-headed monster in the backfield, on paper, say that Clemson is the favorite. Well, I don't buy it. I'll take Virginia Tech.
Big 10: Who's going to beat Ohio State? Outside of USC? If Ohio State loses a conference game this year, they should fire Jim Tressel. Period. They have no business whatsoever losing a game in that conference. The Big 10 is abysmal. Ohio State should walk over that conference.
Big 12: As far as I'm concerned, the Big 12 is the most intriguing conference in the nation this year. There are a number of teams at the top of that conference that can get it done, and Texas isn't one of them. Oklahoma and Missouri are great teams with great offenses. So is Texas Tech, who has probably the greatest offense in America. I think Texas Tech, this year, is a serious threat Oklahoma and the national picture. On paper, Oklahoma is the most balanced team in the conference and they should win the conference. I like Oklahoma, but Missouri sure is tempting. I've gone back and forth on this for weeks, but I see Missouri in the North and Oklahoma in the South with OU winning the rematch.
Big East: Again, West Virginia has no business losing any game, outside of their mid-season clash with Auburn, this year if Pat White stays healthy. If Pat White stays healthy, he should win the Heisman as he's the most dynamic and valuable player in the country. If he doesn't, well, then there's an issue. I think one way or the other, White will stay healthy enough to get WVU into another BCS game, but they his health could get them into a title game. If they're lucky.
Pac-10: Why shouldn't USC win this conference? I don't know, but for some reason, I just don't really like the Trojans this year. I could be wrong, very wrong. But to me they don't seem as strong as they have in previous years. Part of the problem with how great "those" USC teams were is that it's so hard to replace such great players, and Mark Sanchez, though a highly touted recruit, is not Matt Leinart. Personally, I think Joe McKnight is the most overly hyped recruit I've possibly ever seen. Sure, a lot of that has to do with him being "The Next Reggie Bush" but you can't expect that, and he's not in Bush's class. Oh, and who's going to catch the ball? Patrick Turner hasn't blossomed in LA. Their big TE is gone. USC is going to have a great defense, as usual, but they aren't going to be able to get by on defense alone when their offense, probably isn't the best in the Pac-10. Watch for a very competitive Pac-10 this year. I'm going to go on a limb, but I like Oregon to win the conference. And watch out for Arizona to win a at least one big game. They are going to score points.
SEC: Ah yes, the SEC. This year, I think the SEC is too competitive for it's own good. That being said, I think there are some teams coming back to the pack. Look, Georgia isn't the best team in the country. I don't know who is. But they have a lot of trouble catching the football and that's not going to be helped with their starting left tackle out. Their defense isn't what it was last year. And they were hot last year. How long can a hot streak last? Sure, everyone has their flaws, just like Florida's entire defense has. Florida is going to score their points, and they will make their big plays on defense. Is Tennessee a better team than both the Dawgs and Gators? I don't know, but I think they are all on a much more even playing field than the experts think. In the West, it's obviously LSU and Auburn, and I'm not quite sold on Auburn. Though I see Auburn beating Tennessee at Auburn, I still think I like LSU. They are just as strong everywhere on the field as they were last year, and mind you, Glenn Dorsey was banged up all year, so what's the difference? My prediction is this: Tennessee beats Florida in Knoxville, for Florida's only conference loss, Tennessee loses at Auburn and at Georgia, and Georgia loses to LSU, Florida, and someone else down the road. LSU bounces back and beats Florida (who will lose to Florida State) in the SEC Championship game with Tennessee and LSU representing the SEC in the BCS. How's that sound?
All things considered, I think Oklahoma will beat Ohio State for the National Title. I don't see Pat White staying healthy enough to get WVU there. He hasn't done it in the past, I don't see it starting now. Unfortunately, I don't see Pat White winning the Heisman either. Though he should, it looks like he won't. Tebow will be there with Florida playing the the post season, but his numbers won't be the same. ESPN will find a way to get him there though. Keep in mind, last year Tebow won the award by default...If I had to take someone today, I'd take Beanie Wells. Should he win it? I don't know, probably not. But there isn't going to be anyone in the north to challenge his votes.
It's back, it's back tonight, and most notably on Monday night. But get ready for a wild year in college football. We aren't lucky enough to have a '99 Florida State team that everyone knows is going to run the table, no questions asked. So get ready for the debates at the bars with your buddies, because this year is going to get flat out nasty.
Friday, August 22, 2008
How Soon We Forget
Remember how fired up everyone was about the Olympics last week? And even more so the week before that?
Well, how things have changed.
Honestly, I really could care less these days. Why? Well, because I know all the results. And then NBC tries to pawn off the events from "Last Night" in China as if we didn't all know what happened.
I mean, even America can't force the sun to rise at different times that are more convenient for us, but this is really just killing the Olympics for the countries where households have TV's in North America. Swimming traditionally has been a morning sport, so we lucked out on that. Courtesy of Beach Volleyball also being a morning sport, I have found a reason to get into that. But we all know when that Bolt guy wins thanks to every website. So...am I going to wait around to listen to more Michael Phelps lifetime achievements that aren't being hosted by Dick Enberg or some other story about NBC celebrating Communism by Mary Carillo?
Seriously though. These Mary Carillo things are out of control. I'm sick of this celebration that NBC promotes of Chinese culture. They're Communists. They're the economic enemy of the United States, among other things. Basically, they stand for nothing that America does. Sure, they have a rich heritage that goes back long before George Washington was around but I'd sure like to see NBC, America's station covering the Olympics, the station that brought us Seinfeld, take a little anti-Communist stance.
However, I was at lunch yesterday with a co-worker. And I said, "Ron, check that out." He says, "Oh man, what sport is that?"
"TEAM HANDBALL."
Needless to say, I've hooked another one on the HANDBALL bandwagon. This is a sport that Americans could dominate given the chance. Give me some Arena Football players, a couple of minor league baseball players, and Doc Gooden, and I'll take on anyone.
Well, how things have changed.
Honestly, I really could care less these days. Why? Well, because I know all the results. And then NBC tries to pawn off the events from "Last Night" in China as if we didn't all know what happened.
I mean, even America can't force the sun to rise at different times that are more convenient for us, but this is really just killing the Olympics for the countries where households have TV's in North America. Swimming traditionally has been a morning sport, so we lucked out on that. Courtesy of Beach Volleyball also being a morning sport, I have found a reason to get into that. But we all know when that Bolt guy wins thanks to every website. So...am I going to wait around to listen to more Michael Phelps lifetime achievements that aren't being hosted by Dick Enberg or some other story about NBC celebrating Communism by Mary Carillo?
Seriously though. These Mary Carillo things are out of control. I'm sick of this celebration that NBC promotes of Chinese culture. They're Communists. They're the economic enemy of the United States, among other things. Basically, they stand for nothing that America does. Sure, they have a rich heritage that goes back long before George Washington was around but I'd sure like to see NBC, America's station covering the Olympics, the station that brought us Seinfeld, take a little anti-Communist stance.
However, I was at lunch yesterday with a co-worker. And I said, "Ron, check that out." He says, "Oh man, what sport is that?"
"TEAM HANDBALL."
Needless to say, I've hooked another one on the HANDBALL bandwagon. This is a sport that Americans could dominate given the chance. Give me some Arena Football players, a couple of minor league baseball players, and Doc Gooden, and I'll take on anyone.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Because Michael Phelps Made You Forget...
College Football is less than two weeks away. I don't think you understand just how amazing it is that we are going straight from the Olympics into college football. The single most unifying sporting event in America to the single most house-dividing, fight-driven, relationship ending sport there is. How ironic is this?
Going into the year, obviously, the big story is the SEC with their boatload of teams in the top 20. But, as we've analyzed about Florida having history not on their side with their offense along with injuries, as well as Georgia's schedule and now injuries, what are you to make of it?
What that's going to turn into is Big Ten fans talking about how weak the SEC is when there are a bunch of beat up three loss teams. Not to mention you are looking at a strong likelihood of a SEC Championship game re-match from last year if both teams can stay healthy. Again, I don't see an SEC team playing against Ohio State this year. I just think it's too tough.
I'm rambling and I know that I am. After posting pictures yesterday, I have just been dying to come up with a reason to talk to you about why I like Oklahoma, and that's because their quarterback has more French Open Titles than all the other teams in the nation, combined:
Yes, that's right, Justine Henin is looking to lead Oklahoma to an elusive BCS win and possibly a shot at the title. Their defense is stacked and Henin returns as the most efficient passer in the nation.
I like Missouri in the North and I like West Virginia, but if all plays out, I really think you are going to see Oklahoma play Ohio State. Now, are those the two best teams? Of course not. But that doesn't mean that's how it's going to go down. Later next week, look for a more in-depth look at the season and the conference predictions from No Owens. But for now, feel free to understand that Sam Bradford and Justin Henin are the same person.
Going into the year, obviously, the big story is the SEC with their boatload of teams in the top 20. But, as we've analyzed about Florida having history not on their side with their offense along with injuries, as well as Georgia's schedule and now injuries, what are you to make of it?
What that's going to turn into is Big Ten fans talking about how weak the SEC is when there are a bunch of beat up three loss teams. Not to mention you are looking at a strong likelihood of a SEC Championship game re-match from last year if both teams can stay healthy. Again, I don't see an SEC team playing against Ohio State this year. I just think it's too tough.
I'm rambling and I know that I am. After posting pictures yesterday, I have just been dying to come up with a reason to talk to you about why I like Oklahoma, and that's because their quarterback has more French Open Titles than all the other teams in the nation, combined:
Yes, that's right, Justine Henin is looking to lead Oklahoma to an elusive BCS win and possibly a shot at the title. Their defense is stacked and Henin returns as the most efficient passer in the nation.
I like Missouri in the North and I like West Virginia, but if all plays out, I really think you are going to see Oklahoma play Ohio State. Now, are those the two best teams? Of course not. But that doesn't mean that's how it's going to go down. Later next week, look for a more in-depth look at the season and the conference predictions from No Owens. But for now, feel free to understand that Sam Bradford and Justin Henin are the same person.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Sorry Brian, But You Brought This Upon Yourself
Before I get into Alicia Sacramone being the biggest choker in women's gymnastics history (whatever that means) let's quickly analyze that all things considered, she is Brian Urlacher's sister. Or him. Either way, they look exactly the same, and their neck is the same size.
I can rag on Sacramone for the following reasons: first because she's twenty, in college and just like I can rag on any college athlete for choking, I can do the same to her whereas getting all over a sixteen year old isn't very nice, or in the case of the Chinese, a twelve year old. Secondly, because I was actually watching gymnastics.
Look, I am no expert in gymnastics. But I do know that this Sacramone fell, twice, and basically cost her American teammates the gold after the Beijing Middle School team left the door wide open for them. So the question, I suppose, becomes, did the Americans deserve to be in the gold medal fight anyway? I mean, I don't know.
But from what I can tell, gymnastics is rigged. This new scoring system basically gives everyone a head start, which is absurd. The Olympics is about giving your best performance, leaving it all out there, and seeing if you are the best. The new scoring system doesn't do that. It allows someone to be rewarded for choosing something harder to do, before they take to the mat. The difficulty should be rolled into the final score, not given a pre-determined amount. And then you get the crazy Chinese who do these ultra sophisticated moves, don't execute them and still get huge scores just because they were hard. Not to mention, when they don't execute, they still get monster scores. Look, it's rigged.
The Olympics have been pretty strong though. I mean, I actually got to watch TEAM HANDBALL the other day. I didn't know what to do with myself and when it was on the next morning, I really didn't know what was happening. I thought I was dreaming. Team Handball is probably the best sport ever and I'm glad it's getting air time. Even the other day at lunch I overheard someone telling a fellow patron about it's amazingness. Watch it, YouTube it, do something, but check this game out. It rocks.
And then there is this swimmer from America. He's absolutely amazing. But we knew that. He really hasn't had any business losing any of his races that he's been in, except that 4x100 free relay, which was without question, the best sporting event I've watched in years. I would love to know just how many Americans, sitting on their couch watching that and when the Americans out-touched the Frogs, jumped out, fist pumped and yelled, "YES!" I wonder who Johnny Depp was rooting for?
The American team is doing just fine, heading into the track and field events, where the Chinese aren't going to be as strong. The badmintons and ping pongs won't be as much of a factor in the overall medal count then. As long as we can keep Urlacher on the sidelines, we should be alright.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Five Colored Rings
I'm not sure who schedules this stuff, but the PGA Championship, which is Tigerless meaning most people other than me don't care, and the start of the Olympics, are both this weekend. What TV executives looked at the calendar along with the PGA and thought, "This is a great weekend?"
So this year is the last year of softball and baseball is gone. Yet we still care about precision air rifle shooting, apparently. It's a small miracle that basketball still exists. What I'm getting at is the summer games are pretty inferior to those in the winter. Sure we have the swimming story lines of Michael Phelps and Dara Torres, but you can pretty much look at past times in swimming and know who's going to win. It's pretty tough to just shave a half-second off your time with the medal ceremony on the line. Track I find to be another story. Because you're going so much faster on flat ground with wind conditions that actually do assist, and I think you can kick it into another gear if necessary. But in most cases, in most of the "speed" events you know who's going to win going in.
What's sad is the American spirit at these Olympics. America, at the present, is a pretty separated country. There are a lot of unhappy folks with what's going on here. How cool would it be if some team or someone came out of no where and as cheesy as it sounds, "capture the hearts of most Americans?" People talk about how awful things are right now (even though people still flock to the malls and buy stuff they can't afford so in other words Americans just make bad personal choices but find reasons to blame someone else other than themselves) but like in 1980, how great if there was a team, an event that everyone could relate to? What if even, even coming from me, the men's soccer team came out of no where to win the gold? I mean, I'm a soccer hater but an American first, and that would be pretty amazing.
Americans are passionate about their sports. So much that they physically fight with fans of other teams and hold people's teams of preference against their moral character. I do. If you're a Florida fan, I probably don't like you. But for two weeks, if we could channel all of our energy into a team that we all relate to, the United States Olympic Team, I think it would do us all a lot of good.
So this year is the last year of softball and baseball is gone. Yet we still care about precision air rifle shooting, apparently. It's a small miracle that basketball still exists. What I'm getting at is the summer games are pretty inferior to those in the winter. Sure we have the swimming story lines of Michael Phelps and Dara Torres, but you can pretty much look at past times in swimming and know who's going to win. It's pretty tough to just shave a half-second off your time with the medal ceremony on the line. Track I find to be another story. Because you're going so much faster on flat ground with wind conditions that actually do assist, and I think you can kick it into another gear if necessary. But in most cases, in most of the "speed" events you know who's going to win going in.
What's sad is the American spirit at these Olympics. America, at the present, is a pretty separated country. There are a lot of unhappy folks with what's going on here. How cool would it be if some team or someone came out of no where and as cheesy as it sounds, "capture the hearts of most Americans?" People talk about how awful things are right now (even though people still flock to the malls and buy stuff they can't afford so in other words Americans just make bad personal choices but find reasons to blame someone else other than themselves) but like in 1980, how great if there was a team, an event that everyone could relate to? What if even, even coming from me, the men's soccer team came out of no where to win the gold? I mean, I'm a soccer hater but an American first, and that would be pretty amazing.
Americans are passionate about their sports. So much that they physically fight with fans of other teams and hold people's teams of preference against their moral character. I do. If you're a Florida fan, I probably don't like you. But for two weeks, if we could channel all of our energy into a team that we all relate to, the United States Olympic Team, I think it would do us all a lot of good.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Catching Up With News
As I had no reasons to watch the Yankees last night, I threw Casino Royale in the DVD player. When it was done, Sportscenter came on when the breaking news was that Brett Favre had been traded to the New York Jets. What's interesting is, I didn't really feel anything. I wasn't upset that Favre was no longer a Packer. I wasn't happy about it either. I guess it was just something that was expected now, and best for both sides that the Packer/Favre saga was over.
Now, the first time I see him in a different green, things might be different.
No Owens previously put out their stance, backing the team and their decisions. But the differences that the Packers and Favre apparently had, even after the Packers went to make sure Favre was ok with retiring shortly after he announced as they wanted him back, were apparently too much for Favre who was allegedly going to get a chance to fight for a starting job. Would he have won it? Probably. But at the end it was Favre that wanted out. And the Packers were able to keep him out of the division.
So today, the Aaron Rodgers era officially begins. And I don't think the Packers are going to drop off too far. They have too good of a defense and too good of players on the offensive side of the ball. The Jets on the other hand, well, good luck, Brett.
Moving on.
The Florida Gators are hurting a little bit. Three of their key offensive players haven't been going full speed, if at all early in camp: receiver Percy Harvin, track star Chris Rainey, and tight end Cornelius Ingram. So many are high on the Gators going into the year but pre-season injuries aren't what the Gators need. They open with Hawaii at home and then host the Miami Hurricanes. You can bet that will be one physical game and then the Gators head to Knoxville for a 3:30 CBS showdown with the Vols. As many are high on the Gators, unlike No Owens as much, note they still aren't sold on a running back. We haven't really seen this super fast Chris Rainey, but we'll see how a track star really fares against football players. And also, they have a lot of faith riding on USC transfer Emmanuel Moody.
Is USC really that much more competitive than Florida? I mean, if he couldn't play at USC, do you think he's going to make it in the SEC? Don't get your hopes up in the backfield, Gator fan.
And in Baseball. ManRam is hitting somewhere around .600 since he's been a Dodger. Watch out. The Cubs will most likely draw the Dodgers in the first round. Interesting match up that we'll get into another time.
Now, the first time I see him in a different green, things might be different.
No Owens previously put out their stance, backing the team and their decisions. But the differences that the Packers and Favre apparently had, even after the Packers went to make sure Favre was ok with retiring shortly after he announced as they wanted him back, were apparently too much for Favre who was allegedly going to get a chance to fight for a starting job. Would he have won it? Probably. But at the end it was Favre that wanted out. And the Packers were able to keep him out of the division.
So today, the Aaron Rodgers era officially begins. And I don't think the Packers are going to drop off too far. They have too good of a defense and too good of players on the offensive side of the ball. The Jets on the other hand, well, good luck, Brett.
Moving on.
The Florida Gators are hurting a little bit. Three of their key offensive players haven't been going full speed, if at all early in camp: receiver Percy Harvin, track star Chris Rainey, and tight end Cornelius Ingram. So many are high on the Gators going into the year but pre-season injuries aren't what the Gators need. They open with Hawaii at home and then host the Miami Hurricanes. You can bet that will be one physical game and then the Gators head to Knoxville for a 3:30 CBS showdown with the Vols. As many are high on the Gators, unlike No Owens as much, note they still aren't sold on a running back. We haven't really seen this super fast Chris Rainey, but we'll see how a track star really fares against football players. And also, they have a lot of faith riding on USC transfer Emmanuel Moody.
Is USC really that much more competitive than Florida? I mean, if he couldn't play at USC, do you think he's going to make it in the SEC? Don't get your hopes up in the backfield, Gator fan.
And in Baseball. ManRam is hitting somewhere around .600 since he's been a Dodger. Watch out. The Cubs will most likely draw the Dodgers in the first round. Interesting match up that we'll get into another time.
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