CFB Week 14 (11/29-12/1) News and Picks--Last Week!
- Thread starter RJ Esq
- Start date
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Added:
OU -2' (-110)
OU hasn't lost a step and has Bradford back. Freshman, I know, but he's a good stabilizing force on offense and the only real loss from the Tech game is now Demarco Murray. While Murray is a talent, OU is deep at running back and will roll.
Add in that OU plays for the Big XII almost every year, have an edge in coaching and on defense, etc., and I'll take OU laying less than a field goal.
Think this will be a relatively high scoring affair, but for some reason I believe the total will fall right around the total or slightly under.
OU -2' (-110)
OU hasn't lost a step and has Bradford back. Freshman, I know, but he's a good stabilizing force on offense and the only real loss from the Tech game is now Demarco Murray. While Murray is a talent, OU is deep at running back and will roll.
Add in that OU plays for the Big XII almost every year, have an edge in coaching and on defense, etc., and I'll take OU laying less than a field goal.
Think this will be a relatively high scoring affair, but for some reason I believe the total will fall right around the total or slightly under.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="storytitle"> CFN's 5 Thoughts for the Week </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="primaryimage" valign="top">
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Staff
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Nov 25, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
5 Thoughts this week from the CFNers on the hot topics.
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
Five Thoughts: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4
Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10
Week 11 | Week 12
An Open Letter To Heisman Voters [FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2]By Pete Fiutak [/SIZE][/FONT]
1. Dear Heisman voters,
You're thinking too hard.
I know you’re unable to wrap your arms around the idea of Tim Tebow winning the Heisman. Maybe it’s the sideburns. Maybe it’s that he’s annoyingly peppy. Maybe it’s the three losses. Whatever it is, the discussion appears to still be open, and now you’re thinking that Darren McFadden has been the “most outstanding college football player in the United States for 2007.” Not only are you wrong, but there’s no case whatsoever that can be made for McFadden over Tebow on any level. If you want to argue for Pat White or Chase Daniel on some sort of a MVP level, that's different. It's wrong when it comes to this year's Heisman race, but it's a different sort of debate.
First of all, if you’re not going to vote for Tebow because he’s a sophomore, then relinquish your privilege to someone smarter. We’ll make sure to find something shiny to amuse you, get you a helmet, and cover all the corners in your house with foam so you don’t injure yourself. You’re a silly, silly person.
If you’re voting for McFadden because you think he’s the most talented player, then you’re not voting for the Heisman for the right reason. McFadden is the better pro prospect than Tebow. So is Glenn Dorsey. So is Jake Long. It’s not about who the most talented player is, it’s about who the most outstanding player is in a college football season. At this point, an argument could be made that Tebow isn’t just the most outstanding player in 2007, but history will remember his last 12 games among the greatest ever put together.
So how does McFadden have Tebow beat in the Heisman race this year? I'm looking for anyone to provide one cogent reason why and how No. 5 has been better than No. 15. A monster game against LSU isn't enough.
Tebow set the SEC record with 22 touchdown runs (take a second to think about all the great SEC backs Tebow has passed by) while McFadden finished with 16. Remembering he's a quarterback, Tebow has rushed for 838 yards to McFadden's 1,725. Along with one of the greatest rushing seasons in the history of college football for a quarterback, Tebow was No. 1 in the nation in passing efficiency for a while, and now is No. 2 with 3,132 yards and 29 touchdowns and just six picks. He hasn't thrown more than one interception in a game this year.
Sure, McFadden went nuts on LSU and went ballistic against South Carolina, but where was he against Auburn when he was held to 43 yards? How about the pedestrian 88 yards against Mississippi State? Seven of his 15 touchdown runs came against Florida International, North Texas and Chattanooga, and he has averaged a nice, but not unbelievable, 5.66 yards per carry. While Tebow has lost three games, McFadden has lost four.
Tebow, who has a 3.77 GPA, has been consistently terrific from Western Kentucky on through Florida State with at least one rushing and passing touchdown in every game, two or more rushing touchdowns in seven games, and two or more passing scores in ten games. He’s the first player in the history of college football to run for 20 touchdowns and throw for 20 (read that again and let it sink in for a moment), and it’s not like he did it in Conference USA. He had an all-timer of a season in the SEC while gutting it out through an injured shoulder and now a broken thumb …and the race is supposedly wide open?! (Heavy sigh.)
This is nothing against McFadden. He's one of the greatest talents to ever play college football and he had a phenomenal season. This isn't an anti-Run D.M.C. debate. It’s an argument to hope voters finally recognize one of the greatest performances in the history of the sport.
Stay handsome,
Fiu
P.S. No, I didn’t book a room. Why do you ask?
If You Want To See The BCS Blown Up Real Goooood ...[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2]By Pete Fiutak [/FONT][/SIZE]
2. If you want to see changes made to the current BCS format and want to see the debate really get rolling, get out your Pitt and Oklahoma cheerleader outfits.
Let’s nip this one in the bud right now. No, Georgia doesn’t deserve to be in the national championship discussion and shouldn’t be even be considered. Not now. That dream died, or at least should've, when Kentucky QB Andre Woodson came up short on a two-point conversion attempt in the Wildcats' four overtime loss to Tennessee.
Georgia is one of the hottest teams in the nation and might be, at the moment, the fourth best team in America. If Pitt beats West Virginia and Oklahoma beats Missouri, then theoretically, Ohio State and Georgia, currently third and fourth respectively in the latest BCS rankings, would move up into the top two slots if nothing else radical changes.
The BCS powers-that-be aren't above making changes on the fly, and it needs to quickly throw in an anti-2001 Nebraska and 2003 Oklahoma rule into the mix. If you're not going to have a playoff, then the regular season has to mean everything, and that means you cannot play for the national title if you can't even win your own conference. Double that if you can't even win your own division. If the regular season serves as a playoff, then Tennessee knocked out Georgia by winning the East, just like Colorado should've knocked out Nebraska in 2001 and Kansas State should've booted Oklahoma out of the discussion in 2003.
If you can’t even prove that you’re the best team in your own division, how can you even be considered among the two best teams in the country?
Want to put Georgia in the BCS? Yeah, absolutely. The Dawgs deserve one of the big ten spots. But that’s it.
One Shining Moment (but without the dopey song)[SIZE=-1]By [/SIZE] [SIZE=-1] John Harris[/SIZE]
3. With all that coaches do – the time they all spend on the road recruiting, the time spent watching film, the time spent game-planning for the opponent – it sometimes takes just one win to change lives. Of all the games played and coached, one measly win. Or, in some cases, one loss. For the past month, rumor had it that Houston Nutt was as good as gone as the head coach at the University of Arkansas. Play out the string and the right reverend was going to be clearing out his desk. Well, what’s a win over the #1 team in the country worth? A game in which Nutt’s staff clearly outcoached Les Miles and his staff on their way to the memorable 50-48 three overtime victory over LSU in Baton Rouge. So, what happens now, Arkansas – can you fire a guy after one of the greatest victories in Arkansas history? It’s not been a fun last year and there’s no excuse for Springdale-gate, but look at the body of work, people. Pretty solid. However, in the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world, this one win could help Nutt keep his job.
Then, think about Les Miles. With the Michigan job hanging over his head like a dark cloud, he was still LSU’s coach. LSU fans supported ‘their’ guy, not all of them, mind you (c’mon this is the SEC), but a large section of purple and gold did. Notice the past tense. After the game, Miles wouldn’t need a packing company to move his stuff to Ann Arbor; a few thousand would show up at his door to help him pack and leave. LSU wins and Miles remains on a pedestal. LSU lost, however, and LSU folks turning against Miles might be the reason The Hat is wearing Maize and Blue next season.
And, it was all because of one game. One glorious, unexplainable game.
But Greg Robinson Might Be Pushing The Theory
By Richard Cirminiello
4. ‘Tis the season for turnover in the coaching ranks, a natural and necessary process in a business that’s driven by immediate results now more than ever. No matter what angle you look from, Bill Callahan at Nebraska, Dennis Franchione at Texas A&M, and Ed Orgeron at Ole Miss had to go. Too much history. Too many hurdles to overcome. More firings are on their way, some of which are no-brainers and others that’ll get questioned for months. When expectations aren’t being met, canning the head coach is about as popular as benching an underachieving quarterback. However, the best move by an athletic director can sometimes be the one that’s never made. This was abundantly evident in Saturday night’s epic showdown for the Big 12 North and a possible spot in the National Championship game between Missouri and Kansas. Wasn’t it just a couple of years ago that both Mizzou’s Gary Pinkel and Kansas’ Mark Mangino had squatter’s rights on college football’s hot seat? Pinkel couldn’t win in November, and Mangino was never getting over the hump. While the complaints and the cries for change may have been legitimate, the ADs in Columbia and Lawrence saw something that kept them from pulling the trigger…something that wasn’t available to the rest of us. The two schools have flourished this season, delivering 11 victories and getting a ton of national attention, both of which will pay dividends when bowl bids are handed out and high school recruits commit. Patience has certainly paid off for the Tigers and the Jayhawks, a lesson that certain schools should consider following.
If your favorite whipping boy’s head doesn’t roll in December, keep Missouri and Kansas in mind. There just might be a good reason he’s coming back to a campus near you for one more year. And it might be because success is just around the corner. No Need To Break That Non-Conference Sweat By Matthew Zemek
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
5[/FONT]. Watching Missouri and Kansas Saturday night, it was impossible to deny the fact that two teams were playing a huge late-season game without having quality resumes, especially out of conference. The Tigers and Jayhawks played a generally entertaining game, but when two top five teams have so few non-conference tests on their schedule (Missouri did play Illinois in a neutral-site game, but other than that, UM and KU played nobody outside of the Big 12), a huge backyard Border War loses some of its luster.
When two teams play for a division title at the end of a long season, I want to know that the division and its member conference have fared well against other upper-division teams across the country. But with Kansas having received no tests before Nov. 24, it was hard to compare the Jawhawks to other teams throughout America. If Kansas were to play an SEC team or a Pac-10 team in a bowl game, it would be difficult to make a prediction for the simple reason that the Big 12 and every other conference usually manage to shield their own member schools from showcase non-conference matchups. This creates a college football equivalent of inbreeding that makes honest evaluations very elusive, if not downright misleading.
Remember when Texas and Ohio State played their home-and-home in 2005 and 2006? Those two games told the nation a great deal about both teams in each of those two seasons. Without that kind of non-conference matchup in 2007, it's small wonder that the chase for the national title is as muddled and confused as it is right now.
College football power brokers--especially athletic directors and coaches--need to be willing to stage significant non-conference games throughout each season. Otherwise, you'll have more Hawaiis, more Kansases, and generally more teams who can stay inside the protective bubble of their conference without facing a stern test from the outside world. This is when altered national title debates can feel like rigged political elections. This is when college football's national championship remains in the realm of the mythical, and becomes cheapened to an even greater degree.
College basketball--in just a few weeks, as a matter of fact--will once again offer the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. College football--ideally, with all its FBS programs--needs to provide a very similar event if the sport wants to crown truly deserving and non-controversial national champions.
Kansas did get exposed on Saturday, but the fact remains that if the Jayhawks had won against Missouri, they still would have had a very thin resume for a national title contender. Beefing up every single non-conference schedule--in all BCS conferences--is something this sport so desperately needs. If an event such as a Pac-10/SEC Challenge will improve the reputation of the sport (and I don't see how it won't), everyone should be jumping at the opportunity to make something happen. Maybe someone will get it right one of these days. Until then, however, we'll see more and more teams threatening to play for the national title despite having done precious little to earn just such a chance.
</td></tr></tbody></table>
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Staff
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Nov 25, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
5 Thoughts this week from the CFNers on the hot topics.
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
Five Thoughts: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4
Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10
Week 11 | Week 12
An Open Letter To Heisman Voters [FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2]By Pete Fiutak [/SIZE][/FONT]
1. Dear Heisman voters,
You're thinking too hard.
I know you’re unable to wrap your arms around the idea of Tim Tebow winning the Heisman. Maybe it’s the sideburns. Maybe it’s that he’s annoyingly peppy. Maybe it’s the three losses. Whatever it is, the discussion appears to still be open, and now you’re thinking that Darren McFadden has been the “most outstanding college football player in the United States for 2007.” Not only are you wrong, but there’s no case whatsoever that can be made for McFadden over Tebow on any level. If you want to argue for Pat White or Chase Daniel on some sort of a MVP level, that's different. It's wrong when it comes to this year's Heisman race, but it's a different sort of debate.
First of all, if you’re not going to vote for Tebow because he’s a sophomore, then relinquish your privilege to someone smarter. We’ll make sure to find something shiny to amuse you, get you a helmet, and cover all the corners in your house with foam so you don’t injure yourself. You’re a silly, silly person.
If you’re voting for McFadden because you think he’s the most talented player, then you’re not voting for the Heisman for the right reason. McFadden is the better pro prospect than Tebow. So is Glenn Dorsey. So is Jake Long. It’s not about who the most talented player is, it’s about who the most outstanding player is in a college football season. At this point, an argument could be made that Tebow isn’t just the most outstanding player in 2007, but history will remember his last 12 games among the greatest ever put together.
So how does McFadden have Tebow beat in the Heisman race this year? I'm looking for anyone to provide one cogent reason why and how No. 5 has been better than No. 15. A monster game against LSU isn't enough.
Tebow set the SEC record with 22 touchdown runs (take a second to think about all the great SEC backs Tebow has passed by) while McFadden finished with 16. Remembering he's a quarterback, Tebow has rushed for 838 yards to McFadden's 1,725. Along with one of the greatest rushing seasons in the history of college football for a quarterback, Tebow was No. 1 in the nation in passing efficiency for a while, and now is No. 2 with 3,132 yards and 29 touchdowns and just six picks. He hasn't thrown more than one interception in a game this year.
Sure, McFadden went nuts on LSU and went ballistic against South Carolina, but where was he against Auburn when he was held to 43 yards? How about the pedestrian 88 yards against Mississippi State? Seven of his 15 touchdown runs came against Florida International, North Texas and Chattanooga, and he has averaged a nice, but not unbelievable, 5.66 yards per carry. While Tebow has lost three games, McFadden has lost four.
Tebow, who has a 3.77 GPA, has been consistently terrific from Western Kentucky on through Florida State with at least one rushing and passing touchdown in every game, two or more rushing touchdowns in seven games, and two or more passing scores in ten games. He’s the first player in the history of college football to run for 20 touchdowns and throw for 20 (read that again and let it sink in for a moment), and it’s not like he did it in Conference USA. He had an all-timer of a season in the SEC while gutting it out through an injured shoulder and now a broken thumb …and the race is supposedly wide open?! (Heavy sigh.)
This is nothing against McFadden. He's one of the greatest talents to ever play college football and he had a phenomenal season. This isn't an anti-Run D.M.C. debate. It’s an argument to hope voters finally recognize one of the greatest performances in the history of the sport.
Stay handsome,
Fiu
P.S. No, I didn’t book a room. Why do you ask?
If You Want To See The BCS Blown Up Real Goooood ...[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2]By Pete Fiutak [/FONT][/SIZE]
2. If you want to see changes made to the current BCS format and want to see the debate really get rolling, get out your Pitt and Oklahoma cheerleader outfits.
Let’s nip this one in the bud right now. No, Georgia doesn’t deserve to be in the national championship discussion and shouldn’t be even be considered. Not now. That dream died, or at least should've, when Kentucky QB Andre Woodson came up short on a two-point conversion attempt in the Wildcats' four overtime loss to Tennessee.
Georgia is one of the hottest teams in the nation and might be, at the moment, the fourth best team in America. If Pitt beats West Virginia and Oklahoma beats Missouri, then theoretically, Ohio State and Georgia, currently third and fourth respectively in the latest BCS rankings, would move up into the top two slots if nothing else radical changes.
The BCS powers-that-be aren't above making changes on the fly, and it needs to quickly throw in an anti-2001 Nebraska and 2003 Oklahoma rule into the mix. If you're not going to have a playoff, then the regular season has to mean everything, and that means you cannot play for the national title if you can't even win your own conference. Double that if you can't even win your own division. If the regular season serves as a playoff, then Tennessee knocked out Georgia by winning the East, just like Colorado should've knocked out Nebraska in 2001 and Kansas State should've booted Oklahoma out of the discussion in 2003.
If you can’t even prove that you’re the best team in your own division, how can you even be considered among the two best teams in the country?
Want to put Georgia in the BCS? Yeah, absolutely. The Dawgs deserve one of the big ten spots. But that’s it.
One Shining Moment (but without the dopey song)[SIZE=-1]By [/SIZE] [SIZE=-1] John Harris[/SIZE]
3. With all that coaches do – the time they all spend on the road recruiting, the time spent watching film, the time spent game-planning for the opponent – it sometimes takes just one win to change lives. Of all the games played and coached, one measly win. Or, in some cases, one loss. For the past month, rumor had it that Houston Nutt was as good as gone as the head coach at the University of Arkansas. Play out the string and the right reverend was going to be clearing out his desk. Well, what’s a win over the #1 team in the country worth? A game in which Nutt’s staff clearly outcoached Les Miles and his staff on their way to the memorable 50-48 three overtime victory over LSU in Baton Rouge. So, what happens now, Arkansas – can you fire a guy after one of the greatest victories in Arkansas history? It’s not been a fun last year and there’s no excuse for Springdale-gate, but look at the body of work, people. Pretty solid. However, in the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world, this one win could help Nutt keep his job.
Then, think about Les Miles. With the Michigan job hanging over his head like a dark cloud, he was still LSU’s coach. LSU fans supported ‘their’ guy, not all of them, mind you (c’mon this is the SEC), but a large section of purple and gold did. Notice the past tense. After the game, Miles wouldn’t need a packing company to move his stuff to Ann Arbor; a few thousand would show up at his door to help him pack and leave. LSU wins and Miles remains on a pedestal. LSU lost, however, and LSU folks turning against Miles might be the reason The Hat is wearing Maize and Blue next season.
And, it was all because of one game. One glorious, unexplainable game.
But Greg Robinson Might Be Pushing The Theory
By Richard Cirminiello
4. ‘Tis the season for turnover in the coaching ranks, a natural and necessary process in a business that’s driven by immediate results now more than ever. No matter what angle you look from, Bill Callahan at Nebraska, Dennis Franchione at Texas A&M, and Ed Orgeron at Ole Miss had to go. Too much history. Too many hurdles to overcome. More firings are on their way, some of which are no-brainers and others that’ll get questioned for months. When expectations aren’t being met, canning the head coach is about as popular as benching an underachieving quarterback. However, the best move by an athletic director can sometimes be the one that’s never made. This was abundantly evident in Saturday night’s epic showdown for the Big 12 North and a possible spot in the National Championship game between Missouri and Kansas. Wasn’t it just a couple of years ago that both Mizzou’s Gary Pinkel and Kansas’ Mark Mangino had squatter’s rights on college football’s hot seat? Pinkel couldn’t win in November, and Mangino was never getting over the hump. While the complaints and the cries for change may have been legitimate, the ADs in Columbia and Lawrence saw something that kept them from pulling the trigger…something that wasn’t available to the rest of us. The two schools have flourished this season, delivering 11 victories and getting a ton of national attention, both of which will pay dividends when bowl bids are handed out and high school recruits commit. Patience has certainly paid off for the Tigers and the Jayhawks, a lesson that certain schools should consider following.
If your favorite whipping boy’s head doesn’t roll in December, keep Missouri and Kansas in mind. There just might be a good reason he’s coming back to a campus near you for one more year. And it might be because success is just around the corner. No Need To Break That Non-Conference Sweat By Matthew Zemek
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
5[/FONT]. Watching Missouri and Kansas Saturday night, it was impossible to deny the fact that two teams were playing a huge late-season game without having quality resumes, especially out of conference. The Tigers and Jayhawks played a generally entertaining game, but when two top five teams have so few non-conference tests on their schedule (Missouri did play Illinois in a neutral-site game, but other than that, UM and KU played nobody outside of the Big 12), a huge backyard Border War loses some of its luster.
When two teams play for a division title at the end of a long season, I want to know that the division and its member conference have fared well against other upper-division teams across the country. But with Kansas having received no tests before Nov. 24, it was hard to compare the Jawhawks to other teams throughout America. If Kansas were to play an SEC team or a Pac-10 team in a bowl game, it would be difficult to make a prediction for the simple reason that the Big 12 and every other conference usually manage to shield their own member schools from showcase non-conference matchups. This creates a college football equivalent of inbreeding that makes honest evaluations very elusive, if not downright misleading.
Remember when Texas and Ohio State played their home-and-home in 2005 and 2006? Those two games told the nation a great deal about both teams in each of those two seasons. Without that kind of non-conference matchup in 2007, it's small wonder that the chase for the national title is as muddled and confused as it is right now.
College football power brokers--especially athletic directors and coaches--need to be willing to stage significant non-conference games throughout each season. Otherwise, you'll have more Hawaiis, more Kansases, and generally more teams who can stay inside the protective bubble of their conference without facing a stern test from the outside world. This is when altered national title debates can feel like rigged political elections. This is when college football's national championship remains in the realm of the mythical, and becomes cheapened to an even greater degree.
College basketball--in just a few weeks, as a matter of fact--will once again offer the Big Ten-ACC Challenge. College football--ideally, with all its FBS programs--needs to provide a very similar event if the sport wants to crown truly deserving and non-controversial national champions.
Kansas did get exposed on Saturday, but the fact remains that if the Jayhawks had won against Missouri, they still would have had a very thin resume for a national title contender. Beefing up every single non-conference schedule--in all BCS conferences--is something this sport so desperately needs. If an event such as a Pac-10/SEC Challenge will improve the reputation of the sport (and I don't see how it won't), everyone should be jumping at the opportunity to make something happen. Maybe someone will get it right one of these days. Until then, however, we'll see more and more teams threatening to play for the national title despite having done precious little to earn just such a chance.
</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="storytitle"> Weekly Affirmation - Season of Soul Searching </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="primaryimage" valign="top">
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Matt Zemek
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Nov 25, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Next week, the national conversation will rightly focus on the freshly-established BCS Championship Game, along with the other major bowl games. This week therefore offers an appropriate occasion for a final commentary on the larger world of college football, and it what means to all of us.
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
ByMatthew Zemek
Mr. Zemek's e-mail: mzemek@hotmail.com
Short-Form Weekly Affirmation: Fast Track Gold Club
First, however, a few quick hitters on the national scene and the championship chase. One risks being obvious here, but at a certain point in time, it’s necessary to identify what’s right in front of your nose.
The first thing that needs to be said, front and center, about all the teams involved in the pursuit of New Orleans is that they are all doing what they’re being asked to do. The comments below on the various title contenders have little to do with the teams themselves; the Weekly Affirmation is concerned with the paper-thin resumes and soft schedules of these teams, which cheapens the national championship and detracts from the reputation of this sport (again!). The point of knocking these teams’ resumes is not to criticize the teams themselves, but to agitate for systemic reform—namely, a plus-one at the very least and ideally a Final Four after the BCS bowls. Now, on with the show…
If West Virginia plays turnover-free ball, it will almost certainly defeat whichever team it plays. With turnovers, the Mountaineers will just as surely be toast in a high-stakes BCS battle.
If Ohio State wins the national championship and you still (amazingly) think the BCS is actually a good system, ask Georgia and USC if they would have liked a shot at the Buckeyes. Ohio State will deserve to be in the Superdome on January 7 if Missouri loses to Oklahoma, but in the same breath, this team—a tremendous overachiever but still a shell of last year’s Columbus club—would wind up being one of the least impressive national title game participants in college football history. Same goes for a West Virginia team that did what it was supposed to do, but yet found precious little quality opposition on its schedule. For Ohio State to win a title without going through Georgia or USC would cast a long and dark shadow over this season, providing still more proof (WHAT?! The BCS debacles in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2006 weren’t enough to make you hate this god-awful system that has destroyed college football’s integrity and smothered the sport’s soul?) that the Bull Crap Series is one of the worst creations in the history of mankind. Doctor, doctor, please get a plus-one to the house, stat! (Where did all the discussion about a plus-one go, anyway? Wasn’t there supposedly momentum behind such a plan? Good grief…)
Missouri is doing everything it’s being asked to do, along with the ‘Eers and the Bucks. However, just ask yourself this question: how much value should a team derive from beating a team it already lost to? If splitting a season series with Oklahoma is good enough to get the Tigers into the Big Game in the Big Easy (and the sad thing is that it would be hard to deny Missouri’s claim!), what does that say about the stature, heft and substance of the schedules possessed by America’s top teams? Kansas—nervous, inexperienced, and outclassed in the face of Missouri’s onslaught—proved to be less than an elite team after getting waxed in its first really difficult game of 2007. Therefore, Missouri’s achievements—a win over Kansas, a win over a solid Illinois team, and a split against OU—would represent the resume of a national title game participant. Again, we’d have a team contesting a title after going through a regular season with alarmingly few stiff tests. This is not what college football is supposed to allow.
Each major FBS program should play one top 40 team and one top 15 team out of conference, at the very least. This sport cries out for substantive and significant matchups that will allow any relevant football observer—the writers, the coaches, the Harris Poll folks, the computer geeks, and others—to make truly informed decisions based on an ample supply of evidence. In this and every other college football season (with precious few exceptions), the sport and its finest analytical minds simply lack enough legitimate evidence to make informed comparisons at the end of each season. Don’t pretend that eight conference games (nine in the Pac-10) and a few non-conference cupcakes offer a legitimate basis for saying that one team deserves to compete for the national title, while another one doesn’t. There is rarely if ever enough evidence to make a clear and convincing case for BCS title aspirants at this time of year. It’s a crime that won’t send people plunging into poverty or homelessness, but a crime it still is. Don’t you forget that.
Ugh. Sounds like time to move on to an essay.
Long-Form Weekly Affirmation: Premium Members
This week's essay begins and ends with a question that is meant to connect college football to the lives we lead: just what are we chasing in our devotion to college football? Phrased differently, how do we define and limit the value of this sport within our own human journeys and experiences? In just one week, another regular season will be in the books, and since bowl games lack the stature and cachet they used to possess, you'll slip into that wistful mental posture that begins to confront life without college football once the first week of January slips away. These days, right now, are--for many of you--the final delicious moments of an Autumnal sojourn that, once again, has come and gone much too quickly. Before you face the end of the regular season and nine months without a full plate of Saturday fun, it's worth thinking about the real meaning of college football in your own life.
Just what are we chasing? What are we pursuing? When the fortunes of our teams--and, by extension, the schools they represent--rise and fall, what does that mean for us? How deeply does this sport cut into our psyches and reveal our true feelings about everything under the sun? How much do outside events--in which other people, and very young people at that, compete on the gridiron in games that are then evaluated to produce rankings systems conceived by people with computer formulas in their brains--affect our own moods and manners? These are questions worth asking--of ourselves, our significant others, our friends, and the fans we run into at bars, tailgate parties, and stadium aisles.
Just what are we chasing?
And why is a columnist seemingly obsessed with such a question?
After this week of Thanksgiving and the reflections that accompanied it, I can't shake the notion that the retirement of Lloyd Carr--coupled with the impending BCS firestorm that's going to leave at least a few times crying foul on the night of December 2, 2007--has made me even more uncertain about the reasons why we care about college football. More specifically, the sport's current upheavals--one in Ann Arbor, one in the BCS standings--have forced this columnist to go even deeper in the honest search for what's real, and what's fake; what matters in life, and what doesn't.
Say what you want about Lloyd Carr the coach (I'll defend his record to my dying day, that's for sure), but Lloyd Carr the man is and always has been above reproach. The loyal Bo Schembechler assistant-turned-head coach embodied the meaning of integrity for his entire career in Ann Arbor, which stretched back to 1980. You didn't need to see last Monday's press conference live to appreciate the fuller measure of the man. As a columnist myself, I found that reading Mitch Albom's coverage of Carr's exit for the Detroit Free Press conveyed the significance of the moment, and the magnitude of the man at its center. This isn't just because Albom is an acclaimed and gifted writer who--by virtue of working for a Detroit paper--enjoyed extra access to Carr and the people around him. No, I found Albom's coverage of the Carr retirement to be far more than adequate because of Albom's own personal journey, made famous in his memorable runaway bestseller, Tuesdays With Morrie.
You know Mitch Albom's basic life story, right? Hard-charging columnist, talking head, and do-everything personality runs the rat race, only to find that the big-time lifestyle erodes his character and harms his meaningful relationships. Morrie Schwartz, his old mentor at Brandeis University, is found talking to Ted Koppel on a Nightlinebroadcast about a severe illness, leading the wayward Albom to seek out his teacher. The reunion marks the beginning of a life turnaround for Albom, as a series of Tuesdays spent at Morrie's side reminds the hotshot columnist about the things that really matter in life. Ever since that reunion, Albom--still doing voluminous and first-rate work as a columnist and also as a novelist--is now much more grounded, empathic, sober (in the sense of being aware, levelheaded and clear-eyed about life), and other-centered. In many ways, Mitch Albom is (now) America's best and foremost representation of a sportswriter who makes meaningful connections between these (in many ways) ostensibly trivial games and various dimensions of the larger human experience. In week one, the Weekly Affirmation mentioned the late, great David Halberstam as a source of journalistic inspiration. Now, in the next-to-last week of the season, before the BCS demands our complete attention, this column points to Mitch Albom as another profound example of how sportswriting can and does serve a much larger purpose than merely evaluating Xs, Os, victories, and championships.
What's real, and what isn't? Just what are we pursuing here?
It's precisely because Mitch Albom experienced a profound personal awakening that he could write with such wisdom, depth, clarity and humanity about Lloyd Carr. (A simple Google would lead you to Albom's full collection of Carr columns over the past few weeks.) In his reflections on Carr, Albom did what this columnist sincerely tries to do each week (though not nearly as well as the master in Detroit): remind all of us why we should care about sports, and--within that context of caring--to value the things that really matter in competitive sports. College football might just be a game, but you wouldn't be reading this column or visiting this website--and sportswriters like me wouldn't even exist--if our culture viewed sports as unimportant.
Athletic competition--especially in the from of the violent sport of college football--is not the same as war, and should never be confused with truly life-and-death elements of the human experience. Yet, college football evidently matters to a lot of Americans; otherwise, we wouldn't have the proliferation of blogs, talk shows, podcasts, magazines, season preview annuals, recruiting services, content providers, and other entities that engulf the college football industry. If college football was merely just a form of relaxation or innocent and leisurely diversion, these Saturday spectacles wouldn't be so thoroughly scrutinized by so many people. There's something very deep, primal and subterranean about college football passions that is almost impossible to express. This particular sport has a way of pushing people's buttons and eliciting emotions with origination points that run so deep inside so many souls that we aren't even remotely aware of the extent to which we are consumed by college football. Perhaps the long wait from early January through the end of August makes us half-mad, leading us to vent our emotions for the following four months with overflowing intensity. That's probably part of the equation, but it certainly doesn't tell the whole story.
The question of this essay needs to be asked with a little more specificity and detail: in light of Mitch Albom's journey as a sportswriter, and in light of Lloyd Carr's exit from the coaching stage without receiving full due for his accomplishments, just what are we chasing when we follow this sport? Even more particularly, what were Lloyd Carr's harshest critics--inside and outside the media--pursuing when they insisted that Carr be fired, in some cases as early as three or four years ago? What are people pursuing when they insist that a coach be fired as soon as any adversity emerges on any team or at any school? What were Notre Dame fans chasing when they ran Ty Willingham out of South Bend? What were Ole Miss fans pursuing when they ran David Cutcliffe off the ranch a few years ago in Oxford? What got under the skin of Syracuse fans when they grumbled about Paul Pasqualoni a few years ago? What so fully irritated Pittsburgh fans when they hounded Walt Harris a few years ago? What were Miami fans pursuing when they cried for the canning of Larry Coker? The fans at these (and other similar) programs are now in manifestly worse positions than they were before. As the saying goes, "Watch what you wish for; you just might get it." But aside of the fates encountered by these programs, the deeper and more important question is, "what are we pursuing when we seek the blood of coaches and demand that the guillotine fall on the necks of men who have generally won and served universities with honor?" What makes so many people--perhaps very sane and cerebral at their 9-to-5 jobs during the workweek--so agitated when the subject is the state school's head football coach?
In one of his columns on Lloyd Carr, Albom came up with a stunning gem of an observation that should reverberate in the soul of any fan or journalist who is eager--too eager--to jump on a head coach when things go even slightly wrong... as was the case with Albom before Morrie Schwartz permanently changed his life. As a sportswriter who used to be full of himself but then came to see--through his Tuesday sessions with an old, beloved teacher--a way toward a more compassionate and healthy way of living, Albom could speak with total honesty when he wrote the following sentences, which once applied to his own mindset:
"It's amazing, in modern sports, how the build-up to a coach's departure can get so noisy, so angry, so inflamed -- but as soon as it happens, things get nostalgic. None of those buzzing bees who wanted Carr fired was in sight or earshot Monday (at the retirement press conference). It's as if these folks go underground as soon as the prey is taken, like locusts momentarily satiated, until someone new comes for them to come after.
Well, that's someone else's worry now. When asked what advice he would give a new coach, Carr's first response was "be able to take a punch."
Yes, it's an unfair life and a hard world. Nothing worthwhile comes easily, either, and that's the way things ought to be. However, this doesn't mean that public figures should have to absorb punches just because they're public figures. As much as I will excoriate a public figure when s/he does something I believe to be very wrong and inappropriate, I won't rip someone just to make waves or create headlines, and somehow, that seems to be a motivation that causes a lot of people who are cerebral in their better moments to become unhinged on far too many occasions. At some point along the line, the intensity surrounding college football and the usual debates about its two overriding concerns--namely, how well should the program do on a consistent basis, and how well is the coach performing in accordance with those standards--has been cranked up to an alarmingly unhealthy degree. The Internet has dialed up the volume, and technology has exponentially increased the immediacy and totality with which coaches and programs are scrutinized. It is in this overheated, overhyped context that we have to step back and realize, once again: just what are we pursuing when we care about college football?
Lloyd Carr decided it was time for him to retire well before he actually stepped down. With that said, however, should a single soul in Ann Arbor have desired--independent of Carr's own thought process--to see Carr step aside as Michigan's coach? A number of other men have led their own programs with equal amounts of integrity and character, and some of them have done so with even more national titles and other prizes. But no one could ever exceed Lloyd Carr in terms of doing things the right way at a storied program loaded with its accompanying set of through-the-roof pressures. Bill Martin, Michigan's athletic director, wished he could clone Carr. I can't imagine another AD saying anything else in a remotely similar situation.
What are we pursuing when we love college football, folks? Are we insisting that our program must go undefeated each year? Do we have to win the big rivalry game 60 percent of the time, even if the rival has a legend on its own sideline and even if we still win 10 games a year and make January 1 bowl games? Are we, as fans, insisting that domination must be an annual expectation, no exceptions allowed? Where do graduation rates fit into the picture? What about the holistic well being of the young (very young!) men who play this sport for our entertainment? Does it matter if a coach loses four games a season, but teaches his players how to carry themselves in all facets of life, thereby equipping them for careers beyond football and challenges beyond sports?
The question should now be understood in its most profound sense: just what are we chasing or hungering for when we care about and follow college football?
The Lloyd Carr story allows us to now segue to the other annual element of this sport which generates publicity equal to the major coaching changes that periodically alter the landscape of college football. The item in question? The BCS rankings and their end-of-season controversies. As this season's multi-car pileup comes to a close and one team is sure to cry foul, it's worth asking, with a slightly different focus in mind: just what are we pursuing in these BCS debates? What are we chasing when we arrive at--and engage in--these annual late-November, early-December pissing contests among fans of different schools and conferences?
On a superficial level, it's understandable: fans won't just defend their own teams, but also the conferences that contain them. But while teams have their own personalities and leadership dynamics, conferences are too large and impersonal to be viewed in a particularly intimate way. Conference evaluations, from year to year, are certainly easier to make than a lot of individual team evaluations. Why is it, then, that statements about conferences are often taken just as personally as team evaluations? From receiving a lot of e-mails over the past seven years, I can testify to this reality: people get very, very wounded when you say something unflattering about their football conference. It's all because of these BCS rankings and the tiresome debates that emerge from them. No one wants to be left out of the big game--that's the American way, the American value system, the American psyche. If you're not in the big event, you're not much of anything. That's the way it is these days... and that's how it has been for some time.
Not that it should be, of course. So the question must be asked again: just what are we chasing with these BCS debates? One can't help but look at national presidential politics for a moment (irrespective of any particular party or candidate, of course; we'll keep this general and very non-partisan).
When we sit down, clear our minds, calmly analyze all the information available to us, and then determine the best objective candidate for a BCS title game, just how different is this process from presidential races? More specifically, one could ask this question to focus the debate: just how democratic is either process in this, the country most iconically associated with democracy (aside of Ancient Greece)?
Take off your partisan hats, folks, and try to see this as objectively as possible without perceiving any tilt toward one team (or candidate) or the other: in the BCS and national politics, an uneven playing field inherently exists, with the only difference being that in college football, the results can--once in a great while, in a sport played every year and not just every four years--actually produce a fair outcome. Let's try to be bracingly and brutally honest: every team and presidential candidate, while having an equal chance at the big prize on a theoretical level, does not enjoy equal competitive parity. Hopefully, we can agree on this without making too much of a fuss.
It would be dishonest to say that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama didn't enjoy a substantial built-in edge over the rest of their Democratic competitors. Similarly, it would be dishonest to say that Rudy Giuliani, because of his association with 9/11 (side note: this is not a commentary on whether this 9/11 link should or shouldn't be positive or negative; no e-mail on that subject, please--this isn't a politics column), didn't enjoy something of a built-in advantage over the Republican field. Taken as a larger group, it would be hard to deny that the top four or five contenders in the GOP race didn't enjoy a substantial edge over the lower-tier candidates (Paul, Tancredo, Hunter, Brownback, etc.). From the beginning, the deck is always stacked to a certain extent in presidential politics. There will be slight variations, but at the end, it will invariably come down to one of the top two or three candidates in each field, and more specifically, the ones with the most publicity and the biggest "brand names." After all, if a certain woman wins next year's general election, we will wind up having at least 24 straight years, and possibly (if Clinton is re-elected in 2012) 28, with members of just two families occupying the White House. Name recognition rules in politics, just as it always has in advertising.
Such is also the case in college football. Don't you try to deny it.
You know it, I know it, and the American people know it: if Kansas had Oklahoma's football tradition and Oklahoma had (well...) Kansas's football tradition, there's little doubt that KU would have been No. 1 midway through the season, long before Saturday's game against Missouri. But since the Jayhawks lack a brand name as a football school, they had to slowly make their way up the ladder before this past weekend's big clash against the Tigers. All of the big brand names in college football get the preseason poll leverage that enables them to stay in the national title race much longer than other teams. Only two clubs can make the title game, but the pool of potential winners is small... much smaller than any of us might realize. Hawaii, going into Friday night's game against Boise State, was undefeated with a schedule not that different from the one possessed by Kansas. Yet, the Warriors were on the fringe of the at-large BCS discussion, and completely out of sight with respect to the national championship debate. These are but a few of the many examples that routinely show--in each and every college football season--how the brand name programs have the deck stacked in their favor. The system might not be rigged--the course of events can always upset the apple cart--but it's certainly not fair, democratic or equitable. Not convinced of this point? Why, then, is it the case that whenever there's a really intense debate in college football, the only true democratic solution--play a game and determine the winner in a context of authentic competition, not subjective comparisons and verbal speculation--is rarely if ever staged?
Doesn't this sound a lot like national presidential politics?
There's nothing more inherent to real freedom--honest-to-goodness, full-blooded, democracy-breathing freedom--than the ability to choose from an appreciably wide range of options. An "A or B" choice between two entities that encompass huge and untidy collections of perspectives isn't much of a choice. When given a choice between just two (maybe three) competing entities in a country as diverse and complex as ours, that's really not much of a choice at all. In both presidential politics and the BCS debate (both in full flower right now on a talk show near you), the same basic scenario ultimately, inevitably and invariably emerges: voters (be they citizens in New Hampshire or writers and coaches in the college football community) wind up having to make a choice between philosophies more than between objective records of fact and merit. In presidential politics, we have the clash between who's genuinely better and who's electable; in the BCS, we have clashes among several worldviews, but perhaps most prominently, this football argument features a collision between a belief in the team that's most deserving of a chance to play for the title, and--on the other hand--a belief in the team that's most likely to play well in the title game and represent itself (and its conference) with distinction.
In both presidential politics and the BCS, we very rarely--if ever--get fully democratic solutions, with the one exception occurring in college football, when (luckily) two and ONLY TWO unbeaten teams get to decide a title at the end of the season. Not yet convinced? Just think for a little bit.
In multi-car pileup seasons such as this one, it's absolutely foolish to claim to know--on an empirical level or something close to it--what would in fact happen if two teams played on a given day in a given place. The lack of playoff or (at the very least) plus-one championship games in college football represents a clear lack of democracy that only makes these BCS arguments that much more of a shadowy shell game played by college football's administrators and power brokers. Why we invest so much anger and passion in an inherently undemocratic system is a question that we should ask ourselves with much greater frequency these days.
Is it any different in presidential politics? Hardly. Again, if you're not convinced, just pause for a bit and consider something very simple.
Ever wondered why our presidential debates (primary and general election) are formatted the way they are? Ever wondered why debates couldn't be more free-form in nature? Ever considered why debates and, for that matter, public candidate forums and town halls, all involve such painfully scripted, calibrated and vague language? Just who decided that debates and other centrally important (or at least, visible) campaign events should acquire this particular format and design? It sure wasn't the will of the people--we can be confident of that. Did the people of the United States want the BCS? Were college football fans ever polled and asked what they preferred: old bowl system, BCS hybrid, plus-one, or outright four-team post-bowl playoff? Hell, no. The will of the masses is always ignored. TV and corporations call the shots, with lazy institutional media structures and organizations acting in ways that pad their revenue streams instead of serving the public. News talk radio shows playing up silly and inane aspects of Hillary Clinton's cleavage (or John Edwards's hair, or Mitt Romney's religion, or Fred Thompson's acting career) are rooted in the same media problems as are the proliferation of bombast-filled sports talk shows that carry on about the BCS as though this stuff actually matters.
You know it, I know it, and the American people know it: this stuff doesn't matter. The will of the average person, the ordinary Joe, the diehard fan, is never listened to. We shouldn't any longer delude ourselves into thinking that our voice actually matters. More specifically, we shouldn't think that our voice matters as long as our actions (and more specifically, our lifestyle habits, particularly relative to our consumption patterns as consumers) stay the same.
If you really wanted to affect the BCS race and the long-term health of the BCS as a whole, you know what you should do? You have to change your consumption patterns so as to undercut the BCS' revenue-making machines and the TV networks' credibility. This isn't a pleasant answer, but if you're truly tired of seeing your team or conference get screwed, and if you're finally and fully fed up with this undemocratic system, it does represent the way out of the darkness. Don't travel to your team's bowl game. Don't buy an ESPN-manufactured product of any kind. Believe me: while this idea is almost impossible to imagine, allow it to enter your mind: just what would indeed happen if a team's fan base was so intent on creating change that it boycotted one game, on one day in this very long life of ours? Just think about this. Picture the environment. Then picture everyone boycotting the ESPN broadcast of that game as well. Picture hotels and bars and all other sources of tourism and dollars drying up completely for one game, one day, one afternoon. Picture that possibility. Picture the Rose Bowl half-empty, as Ohio State--perhaps jobbed in the BCS title race and leapfrogged by West Virginia--had a fan base that decided not to travel to Pasadena.
Wouldn't ESPN, ABC, The Tournament of Roses, and the BCS execs react to such a scene by--pardon my French--soiling their undergarments?
You can laugh at such a scenario; it's very unlikely, of course. I realize that. But let's allow ourselves to think about what would happen if certain actions were taken by fans who realize how little a voice they actually have in this process. What would happen if our nation's citizens--over 300 million of them (now)--took to the streets to protest political realities and the lack of real democracy in presidential electoral politics? What would happen?
We might look at life and dismiss these possibilities without a second thought, but then again, it might just be that if you want to do something badly enough, you have to be willing to participate in difficult actions, perhaps over an extended period of time. More often that we care to admit, the solution to a very difficult and troubling life problem is something that goes against our instincts and shatters our comfort zones.
Disgusted with politics? The solution might be to become more politically active, against all inclinations. Disgusted with college football's BCS process? You might have to abstain from watching games in the short run, on TV or in person. Hate what TV and media outlets are doing in politics, college football, and all realms of American life? Well, stop watching TV on the networks you can't stand... but who cover politics and college football on a 24/7 basis and dominate the airwaves to begin with. The solutions to these conflicts might indeed run squarely against our desires to enjoy football games and other pleasures. But would they be worth it? It's a question that merits consideration, at the very least.
What are we really chasing, in college football and in life? What is the purpose of all that we do, all that we watch, and all that we care about? Where is all this taking us, and where SHOULD all this take us? These are important questions--for all facets or our lives--that we should continually ask ourselves in the upcoming months--January through August--when football will leave our radar screens... but perhaps not our consciences.
We'll see you next week, as we'll discuss the bowl matchups. You might like your own team's matchup, but maybe you'll feel that a boycott might be in order. The sweet taste of democracy in action could prove to be even more intoxicating than a plane flight and a seat at the 30-yard line for one stretch of roughly 200 minutes.</td></tr></tbody></table>
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Matt Zemek
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Nov 25, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Next week, the national conversation will rightly focus on the freshly-established BCS Championship Game, along with the other major bowl games. This week therefore offers an appropriate occasion for a final commentary on the larger world of college football, and it what means to all of us.
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
ByMatthew Zemek
Mr. Zemek's e-mail: mzemek@hotmail.com
Short-Form Weekly Affirmation: Fast Track Gold Club
First, however, a few quick hitters on the national scene and the championship chase. One risks being obvious here, but at a certain point in time, it’s necessary to identify what’s right in front of your nose.
The first thing that needs to be said, front and center, about all the teams involved in the pursuit of New Orleans is that they are all doing what they’re being asked to do. The comments below on the various title contenders have little to do with the teams themselves; the Weekly Affirmation is concerned with the paper-thin resumes and soft schedules of these teams, which cheapens the national championship and detracts from the reputation of this sport (again!). The point of knocking these teams’ resumes is not to criticize the teams themselves, but to agitate for systemic reform—namely, a plus-one at the very least and ideally a Final Four after the BCS bowls. Now, on with the show…
If West Virginia plays turnover-free ball, it will almost certainly defeat whichever team it plays. With turnovers, the Mountaineers will just as surely be toast in a high-stakes BCS battle.
If Ohio State wins the national championship and you still (amazingly) think the BCS is actually a good system, ask Georgia and USC if they would have liked a shot at the Buckeyes. Ohio State will deserve to be in the Superdome on January 7 if Missouri loses to Oklahoma, but in the same breath, this team—a tremendous overachiever but still a shell of last year’s Columbus club—would wind up being one of the least impressive national title game participants in college football history. Same goes for a West Virginia team that did what it was supposed to do, but yet found precious little quality opposition on its schedule. For Ohio State to win a title without going through Georgia or USC would cast a long and dark shadow over this season, providing still more proof (WHAT?! The BCS debacles in 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2006 weren’t enough to make you hate this god-awful system that has destroyed college football’s integrity and smothered the sport’s soul?) that the Bull Crap Series is one of the worst creations in the history of mankind. Doctor, doctor, please get a plus-one to the house, stat! (Where did all the discussion about a plus-one go, anyway? Wasn’t there supposedly momentum behind such a plan? Good grief…)
Missouri is doing everything it’s being asked to do, along with the ‘Eers and the Bucks. However, just ask yourself this question: how much value should a team derive from beating a team it already lost to? If splitting a season series with Oklahoma is good enough to get the Tigers into the Big Game in the Big Easy (and the sad thing is that it would be hard to deny Missouri’s claim!), what does that say about the stature, heft and substance of the schedules possessed by America’s top teams? Kansas—nervous, inexperienced, and outclassed in the face of Missouri’s onslaught—proved to be less than an elite team after getting waxed in its first really difficult game of 2007. Therefore, Missouri’s achievements—a win over Kansas, a win over a solid Illinois team, and a split against OU—would represent the resume of a national title game participant. Again, we’d have a team contesting a title after going through a regular season with alarmingly few stiff tests. This is not what college football is supposed to allow.
Each major FBS program should play one top 40 team and one top 15 team out of conference, at the very least. This sport cries out for substantive and significant matchups that will allow any relevant football observer—the writers, the coaches, the Harris Poll folks, the computer geeks, and others—to make truly informed decisions based on an ample supply of evidence. In this and every other college football season (with precious few exceptions), the sport and its finest analytical minds simply lack enough legitimate evidence to make informed comparisons at the end of each season. Don’t pretend that eight conference games (nine in the Pac-10) and a few non-conference cupcakes offer a legitimate basis for saying that one team deserves to compete for the national title, while another one doesn’t. There is rarely if ever enough evidence to make a clear and convincing case for BCS title aspirants at this time of year. It’s a crime that won’t send people plunging into poverty or homelessness, but a crime it still is. Don’t you forget that.
Ugh. Sounds like time to move on to an essay.
Long-Form Weekly Affirmation: Premium Members
This week's essay begins and ends with a question that is meant to connect college football to the lives we lead: just what are we chasing in our devotion to college football? Phrased differently, how do we define and limit the value of this sport within our own human journeys and experiences? In just one week, another regular season will be in the books, and since bowl games lack the stature and cachet they used to possess, you'll slip into that wistful mental posture that begins to confront life without college football once the first week of January slips away. These days, right now, are--for many of you--the final delicious moments of an Autumnal sojourn that, once again, has come and gone much too quickly. Before you face the end of the regular season and nine months without a full plate of Saturday fun, it's worth thinking about the real meaning of college football in your own life.
Just what are we chasing? What are we pursuing? When the fortunes of our teams--and, by extension, the schools they represent--rise and fall, what does that mean for us? How deeply does this sport cut into our psyches and reveal our true feelings about everything under the sun? How much do outside events--in which other people, and very young people at that, compete on the gridiron in games that are then evaluated to produce rankings systems conceived by people with computer formulas in their brains--affect our own moods and manners? These are questions worth asking--of ourselves, our significant others, our friends, and the fans we run into at bars, tailgate parties, and stadium aisles.
Just what are we chasing?
And why is a columnist seemingly obsessed with such a question?
After this week of Thanksgiving and the reflections that accompanied it, I can't shake the notion that the retirement of Lloyd Carr--coupled with the impending BCS firestorm that's going to leave at least a few times crying foul on the night of December 2, 2007--has made me even more uncertain about the reasons why we care about college football. More specifically, the sport's current upheavals--one in Ann Arbor, one in the BCS standings--have forced this columnist to go even deeper in the honest search for what's real, and what's fake; what matters in life, and what doesn't.
Say what you want about Lloyd Carr the coach (I'll defend his record to my dying day, that's for sure), but Lloyd Carr the man is and always has been above reproach. The loyal Bo Schembechler assistant-turned-head coach embodied the meaning of integrity for his entire career in Ann Arbor, which stretched back to 1980. You didn't need to see last Monday's press conference live to appreciate the fuller measure of the man. As a columnist myself, I found that reading Mitch Albom's coverage of Carr's exit for the Detroit Free Press conveyed the significance of the moment, and the magnitude of the man at its center. This isn't just because Albom is an acclaimed and gifted writer who--by virtue of working for a Detroit paper--enjoyed extra access to Carr and the people around him. No, I found Albom's coverage of the Carr retirement to be far more than adequate because of Albom's own personal journey, made famous in his memorable runaway bestseller, Tuesdays With Morrie.
You know Mitch Albom's basic life story, right? Hard-charging columnist, talking head, and do-everything personality runs the rat race, only to find that the big-time lifestyle erodes his character and harms his meaningful relationships. Morrie Schwartz, his old mentor at Brandeis University, is found talking to Ted Koppel on a Nightlinebroadcast about a severe illness, leading the wayward Albom to seek out his teacher. The reunion marks the beginning of a life turnaround for Albom, as a series of Tuesdays spent at Morrie's side reminds the hotshot columnist about the things that really matter in life. Ever since that reunion, Albom--still doing voluminous and first-rate work as a columnist and also as a novelist--is now much more grounded, empathic, sober (in the sense of being aware, levelheaded and clear-eyed about life), and other-centered. In many ways, Mitch Albom is (now) America's best and foremost representation of a sportswriter who makes meaningful connections between these (in many ways) ostensibly trivial games and various dimensions of the larger human experience. In week one, the Weekly Affirmation mentioned the late, great David Halberstam as a source of journalistic inspiration. Now, in the next-to-last week of the season, before the BCS demands our complete attention, this column points to Mitch Albom as another profound example of how sportswriting can and does serve a much larger purpose than merely evaluating Xs, Os, victories, and championships.
What's real, and what isn't? Just what are we pursuing here?
It's precisely because Mitch Albom experienced a profound personal awakening that he could write with such wisdom, depth, clarity and humanity about Lloyd Carr. (A simple Google would lead you to Albom's full collection of Carr columns over the past few weeks.) In his reflections on Carr, Albom did what this columnist sincerely tries to do each week (though not nearly as well as the master in Detroit): remind all of us why we should care about sports, and--within that context of caring--to value the things that really matter in competitive sports. College football might just be a game, but you wouldn't be reading this column or visiting this website--and sportswriters like me wouldn't even exist--if our culture viewed sports as unimportant.
Athletic competition--especially in the from of the violent sport of college football--is not the same as war, and should never be confused with truly life-and-death elements of the human experience. Yet, college football evidently matters to a lot of Americans; otherwise, we wouldn't have the proliferation of blogs, talk shows, podcasts, magazines, season preview annuals, recruiting services, content providers, and other entities that engulf the college football industry. If college football was merely just a form of relaxation or innocent and leisurely diversion, these Saturday spectacles wouldn't be so thoroughly scrutinized by so many people. There's something very deep, primal and subterranean about college football passions that is almost impossible to express. This particular sport has a way of pushing people's buttons and eliciting emotions with origination points that run so deep inside so many souls that we aren't even remotely aware of the extent to which we are consumed by college football. Perhaps the long wait from early January through the end of August makes us half-mad, leading us to vent our emotions for the following four months with overflowing intensity. That's probably part of the equation, but it certainly doesn't tell the whole story.
The question of this essay needs to be asked with a little more specificity and detail: in light of Mitch Albom's journey as a sportswriter, and in light of Lloyd Carr's exit from the coaching stage without receiving full due for his accomplishments, just what are we chasing when we follow this sport? Even more particularly, what were Lloyd Carr's harshest critics--inside and outside the media--pursuing when they insisted that Carr be fired, in some cases as early as three or four years ago? What are people pursuing when they insist that a coach be fired as soon as any adversity emerges on any team or at any school? What were Notre Dame fans chasing when they ran Ty Willingham out of South Bend? What were Ole Miss fans pursuing when they ran David Cutcliffe off the ranch a few years ago in Oxford? What got under the skin of Syracuse fans when they grumbled about Paul Pasqualoni a few years ago? What so fully irritated Pittsburgh fans when they hounded Walt Harris a few years ago? What were Miami fans pursuing when they cried for the canning of Larry Coker? The fans at these (and other similar) programs are now in manifestly worse positions than they were before. As the saying goes, "Watch what you wish for; you just might get it." But aside of the fates encountered by these programs, the deeper and more important question is, "what are we pursuing when we seek the blood of coaches and demand that the guillotine fall on the necks of men who have generally won and served universities with honor?" What makes so many people--perhaps very sane and cerebral at their 9-to-5 jobs during the workweek--so agitated when the subject is the state school's head football coach?
In one of his columns on Lloyd Carr, Albom came up with a stunning gem of an observation that should reverberate in the soul of any fan or journalist who is eager--too eager--to jump on a head coach when things go even slightly wrong... as was the case with Albom before Morrie Schwartz permanently changed his life. As a sportswriter who used to be full of himself but then came to see--through his Tuesday sessions with an old, beloved teacher--a way toward a more compassionate and healthy way of living, Albom could speak with total honesty when he wrote the following sentences, which once applied to his own mindset:
"It's amazing, in modern sports, how the build-up to a coach's departure can get so noisy, so angry, so inflamed -- but as soon as it happens, things get nostalgic. None of those buzzing bees who wanted Carr fired was in sight or earshot Monday (at the retirement press conference). It's as if these folks go underground as soon as the prey is taken, like locusts momentarily satiated, until someone new comes for them to come after.
Well, that's someone else's worry now. When asked what advice he would give a new coach, Carr's first response was "be able to take a punch."
Yes, it's an unfair life and a hard world. Nothing worthwhile comes easily, either, and that's the way things ought to be. However, this doesn't mean that public figures should have to absorb punches just because they're public figures. As much as I will excoriate a public figure when s/he does something I believe to be very wrong and inappropriate, I won't rip someone just to make waves or create headlines, and somehow, that seems to be a motivation that causes a lot of people who are cerebral in their better moments to become unhinged on far too many occasions. At some point along the line, the intensity surrounding college football and the usual debates about its two overriding concerns--namely, how well should the program do on a consistent basis, and how well is the coach performing in accordance with those standards--has been cranked up to an alarmingly unhealthy degree. The Internet has dialed up the volume, and technology has exponentially increased the immediacy and totality with which coaches and programs are scrutinized. It is in this overheated, overhyped context that we have to step back and realize, once again: just what are we pursuing when we care about college football?
Lloyd Carr decided it was time for him to retire well before he actually stepped down. With that said, however, should a single soul in Ann Arbor have desired--independent of Carr's own thought process--to see Carr step aside as Michigan's coach? A number of other men have led their own programs with equal amounts of integrity and character, and some of them have done so with even more national titles and other prizes. But no one could ever exceed Lloyd Carr in terms of doing things the right way at a storied program loaded with its accompanying set of through-the-roof pressures. Bill Martin, Michigan's athletic director, wished he could clone Carr. I can't imagine another AD saying anything else in a remotely similar situation.
What are we pursuing when we love college football, folks? Are we insisting that our program must go undefeated each year? Do we have to win the big rivalry game 60 percent of the time, even if the rival has a legend on its own sideline and even if we still win 10 games a year and make January 1 bowl games? Are we, as fans, insisting that domination must be an annual expectation, no exceptions allowed? Where do graduation rates fit into the picture? What about the holistic well being of the young (very young!) men who play this sport for our entertainment? Does it matter if a coach loses four games a season, but teaches his players how to carry themselves in all facets of life, thereby equipping them for careers beyond football and challenges beyond sports?
The question should now be understood in its most profound sense: just what are we chasing or hungering for when we care about and follow college football?
The Lloyd Carr story allows us to now segue to the other annual element of this sport which generates publicity equal to the major coaching changes that periodically alter the landscape of college football. The item in question? The BCS rankings and their end-of-season controversies. As this season's multi-car pileup comes to a close and one team is sure to cry foul, it's worth asking, with a slightly different focus in mind: just what are we pursuing in these BCS debates? What are we chasing when we arrive at--and engage in--these annual late-November, early-December pissing contests among fans of different schools and conferences?
On a superficial level, it's understandable: fans won't just defend their own teams, but also the conferences that contain them. But while teams have their own personalities and leadership dynamics, conferences are too large and impersonal to be viewed in a particularly intimate way. Conference evaluations, from year to year, are certainly easier to make than a lot of individual team evaluations. Why is it, then, that statements about conferences are often taken just as personally as team evaluations? From receiving a lot of e-mails over the past seven years, I can testify to this reality: people get very, very wounded when you say something unflattering about their football conference. It's all because of these BCS rankings and the tiresome debates that emerge from them. No one wants to be left out of the big game--that's the American way, the American value system, the American psyche. If you're not in the big event, you're not much of anything. That's the way it is these days... and that's how it has been for some time.
Not that it should be, of course. So the question must be asked again: just what are we chasing with these BCS debates? One can't help but look at national presidential politics for a moment (irrespective of any particular party or candidate, of course; we'll keep this general and very non-partisan).
When we sit down, clear our minds, calmly analyze all the information available to us, and then determine the best objective candidate for a BCS title game, just how different is this process from presidential races? More specifically, one could ask this question to focus the debate: just how democratic is either process in this, the country most iconically associated with democracy (aside of Ancient Greece)?
Take off your partisan hats, folks, and try to see this as objectively as possible without perceiving any tilt toward one team (or candidate) or the other: in the BCS and national politics, an uneven playing field inherently exists, with the only difference being that in college football, the results can--once in a great while, in a sport played every year and not just every four years--actually produce a fair outcome. Let's try to be bracingly and brutally honest: every team and presidential candidate, while having an equal chance at the big prize on a theoretical level, does not enjoy equal competitive parity. Hopefully, we can agree on this without making too much of a fuss.
It would be dishonest to say that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama didn't enjoy a substantial built-in edge over the rest of their Democratic competitors. Similarly, it would be dishonest to say that Rudy Giuliani, because of his association with 9/11 (side note: this is not a commentary on whether this 9/11 link should or shouldn't be positive or negative; no e-mail on that subject, please--this isn't a politics column), didn't enjoy something of a built-in advantage over the Republican field. Taken as a larger group, it would be hard to deny that the top four or five contenders in the GOP race didn't enjoy a substantial edge over the lower-tier candidates (Paul, Tancredo, Hunter, Brownback, etc.). From the beginning, the deck is always stacked to a certain extent in presidential politics. There will be slight variations, but at the end, it will invariably come down to one of the top two or three candidates in each field, and more specifically, the ones with the most publicity and the biggest "brand names." After all, if a certain woman wins next year's general election, we will wind up having at least 24 straight years, and possibly (if Clinton is re-elected in 2012) 28, with members of just two families occupying the White House. Name recognition rules in politics, just as it always has in advertising.
Such is also the case in college football. Don't you try to deny it.
You know it, I know it, and the American people know it: if Kansas had Oklahoma's football tradition and Oklahoma had (well...) Kansas's football tradition, there's little doubt that KU would have been No. 1 midway through the season, long before Saturday's game against Missouri. But since the Jayhawks lack a brand name as a football school, they had to slowly make their way up the ladder before this past weekend's big clash against the Tigers. All of the big brand names in college football get the preseason poll leverage that enables them to stay in the national title race much longer than other teams. Only two clubs can make the title game, but the pool of potential winners is small... much smaller than any of us might realize. Hawaii, going into Friday night's game against Boise State, was undefeated with a schedule not that different from the one possessed by Kansas. Yet, the Warriors were on the fringe of the at-large BCS discussion, and completely out of sight with respect to the national championship debate. These are but a few of the many examples that routinely show--in each and every college football season--how the brand name programs have the deck stacked in their favor. The system might not be rigged--the course of events can always upset the apple cart--but it's certainly not fair, democratic or equitable. Not convinced of this point? Why, then, is it the case that whenever there's a really intense debate in college football, the only true democratic solution--play a game and determine the winner in a context of authentic competition, not subjective comparisons and verbal speculation--is rarely if ever staged?
Doesn't this sound a lot like national presidential politics?
There's nothing more inherent to real freedom--honest-to-goodness, full-blooded, democracy-breathing freedom--than the ability to choose from an appreciably wide range of options. An "A or B" choice between two entities that encompass huge and untidy collections of perspectives isn't much of a choice. When given a choice between just two (maybe three) competing entities in a country as diverse and complex as ours, that's really not much of a choice at all. In both presidential politics and the BCS debate (both in full flower right now on a talk show near you), the same basic scenario ultimately, inevitably and invariably emerges: voters (be they citizens in New Hampshire or writers and coaches in the college football community) wind up having to make a choice between philosophies more than between objective records of fact and merit. In presidential politics, we have the clash between who's genuinely better and who's electable; in the BCS, we have clashes among several worldviews, but perhaps most prominently, this football argument features a collision between a belief in the team that's most deserving of a chance to play for the title, and--on the other hand--a belief in the team that's most likely to play well in the title game and represent itself (and its conference) with distinction.
In both presidential politics and the BCS, we very rarely--if ever--get fully democratic solutions, with the one exception occurring in college football, when (luckily) two and ONLY TWO unbeaten teams get to decide a title at the end of the season. Not yet convinced? Just think for a little bit.
In multi-car pileup seasons such as this one, it's absolutely foolish to claim to know--on an empirical level or something close to it--what would in fact happen if two teams played on a given day in a given place. The lack of playoff or (at the very least) plus-one championship games in college football represents a clear lack of democracy that only makes these BCS arguments that much more of a shadowy shell game played by college football's administrators and power brokers. Why we invest so much anger and passion in an inherently undemocratic system is a question that we should ask ourselves with much greater frequency these days.
Is it any different in presidential politics? Hardly. Again, if you're not convinced, just pause for a bit and consider something very simple.
Ever wondered why our presidential debates (primary and general election) are formatted the way they are? Ever wondered why debates couldn't be more free-form in nature? Ever considered why debates and, for that matter, public candidate forums and town halls, all involve such painfully scripted, calibrated and vague language? Just who decided that debates and other centrally important (or at least, visible) campaign events should acquire this particular format and design? It sure wasn't the will of the people--we can be confident of that. Did the people of the United States want the BCS? Were college football fans ever polled and asked what they preferred: old bowl system, BCS hybrid, plus-one, or outright four-team post-bowl playoff? Hell, no. The will of the masses is always ignored. TV and corporations call the shots, with lazy institutional media structures and organizations acting in ways that pad their revenue streams instead of serving the public. News talk radio shows playing up silly and inane aspects of Hillary Clinton's cleavage (or John Edwards's hair, or Mitt Romney's religion, or Fred Thompson's acting career) are rooted in the same media problems as are the proliferation of bombast-filled sports talk shows that carry on about the BCS as though this stuff actually matters.
You know it, I know it, and the American people know it: this stuff doesn't matter. The will of the average person, the ordinary Joe, the diehard fan, is never listened to. We shouldn't any longer delude ourselves into thinking that our voice actually matters. More specifically, we shouldn't think that our voice matters as long as our actions (and more specifically, our lifestyle habits, particularly relative to our consumption patterns as consumers) stay the same.
If you really wanted to affect the BCS race and the long-term health of the BCS as a whole, you know what you should do? You have to change your consumption patterns so as to undercut the BCS' revenue-making machines and the TV networks' credibility. This isn't a pleasant answer, but if you're truly tired of seeing your team or conference get screwed, and if you're finally and fully fed up with this undemocratic system, it does represent the way out of the darkness. Don't travel to your team's bowl game. Don't buy an ESPN-manufactured product of any kind. Believe me: while this idea is almost impossible to imagine, allow it to enter your mind: just what would indeed happen if a team's fan base was so intent on creating change that it boycotted one game, on one day in this very long life of ours? Just think about this. Picture the environment. Then picture everyone boycotting the ESPN broadcast of that game as well. Picture hotels and bars and all other sources of tourism and dollars drying up completely for one game, one day, one afternoon. Picture that possibility. Picture the Rose Bowl half-empty, as Ohio State--perhaps jobbed in the BCS title race and leapfrogged by West Virginia--had a fan base that decided not to travel to Pasadena.
Wouldn't ESPN, ABC, The Tournament of Roses, and the BCS execs react to such a scene by--pardon my French--soiling their undergarments?
You can laugh at such a scenario; it's very unlikely, of course. I realize that. But let's allow ourselves to think about what would happen if certain actions were taken by fans who realize how little a voice they actually have in this process. What would happen if our nation's citizens--over 300 million of them (now)--took to the streets to protest political realities and the lack of real democracy in presidential electoral politics? What would happen?
We might look at life and dismiss these possibilities without a second thought, but then again, it might just be that if you want to do something badly enough, you have to be willing to participate in difficult actions, perhaps over an extended period of time. More often that we care to admit, the solution to a very difficult and troubling life problem is something that goes against our instincts and shatters our comfort zones.
Disgusted with politics? The solution might be to become more politically active, against all inclinations. Disgusted with college football's BCS process? You might have to abstain from watching games in the short run, on TV or in person. Hate what TV and media outlets are doing in politics, college football, and all realms of American life? Well, stop watching TV on the networks you can't stand... but who cover politics and college football on a 24/7 basis and dominate the airwaves to begin with. The solutions to these conflicts might indeed run squarely against our desires to enjoy football games and other pleasures. But would they be worth it? It's a question that merits consideration, at the very least.
What are we really chasing, in college football and in life? What is the purpose of all that we do, all that we watch, and all that we care about? Where is all this taking us, and where SHOULD all this take us? These are important questions--for all facets or our lives--that we should continually ask ourselves in the upcoming months--January through August--when football will leave our radar screens... but perhaps not our consciences.
We'll see you next week, as we'll discuss the bowl matchups. You might like your own team's matchup, but maybe you'll feel that a boycott might be in order. The sweet taste of democracy in action could prove to be even more intoxicating than a plane flight and a seat at the 30-yard line for one stretch of roughly 200 minutes.</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="storytitle"> Monday Morning QB - Letter to Alabama Fans </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="primaryimage" valign="top">
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Matt Zemek
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Nov 25, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
In the college football industry, victory often masks weaknesses while losses just as often hide considerable strengths. This week's column is a letter to Alabama fans who now know what it's like to experience both of those realities in a yo-yo of a season that is now over.
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
ByMatthew Zemek
Mr. Zemek's e-mail: mzemek@hotmail.com
It’s been said in this space many times before, and it needs to be said again: when a columnist dares to advance criticisms in the wake of a victory, it's extremely hard for fan bases to view such remarks in an honest light. Surely, the reasoning goes, the writer is bitter and hateful toward the program. Surely, only the worst of the worst could dare criticize a team, coach or player in a moment of elation and triumph.
But then, there's the other side of the equation: a columnist can praise a team even in the aftermath of a bad defeat or--gasp!--a series of losses. Granted, this happens rarely, but one thing I've always maintained in this business over the past several years is that, when given a chance to show true and genuine impartiality, a professional sportswriter will step up to the plate and deliver.
Alabama fans (especially those who've kept close tabs on me over the past few years, especially since the 2006 Cotton Bowl), you have arrived at just such a moment.
In the recent past, when this columnist ripped the UA administration for firing Mike Shula and paying Nick Saban $32 million, you expressed your vigorous disagreement and manifest displeasure. And when this columnist dared to criticize the performance of quarterback John Parker Wilson after the great late escape against Arkansas, a lot of you understandably felt that you were witnesses to a cruel and savage attack that was unwarranted. Surely, a writer had a vendetta against Nick Saban and the entire Alabama program; no encouraging words would ever again be written about Crimson Tide football by the same man who just didn't understand why Mike Shula had to be fired.
Well, you'd be wrong, Bama fans. Encouraging words are part of this week's post-Thanksgiving menu in the Monday Morning Quarterback.
One of the particularly difficult challenges of life is found in the face of the many upheavals and rollercoaster rides that affect us as emotional and vulnerable flesh-and-blood beings. It's all too easy to be very high in moments of triumph, and very low in moments of defeat. It takes a long time (if ever) to finally follow the advice of the poet Rudyard Kipling: "Meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same." This is human nature; it's a hard beast to understand, let alone control. But try one must in the attempt to get a handle on the deepest emotions that pour out of our deepest selves.
Within the framework provided by competitive sports--including but not limited to college football--it is unerringly and unceasingly true that extremes (good or bad) don't get revealed in individual games or moments. Greatness and ineptitude are both exposed only after extended glimpses into the souls of athletes, in both individual and team-based contexts. For example, this columnist clearly made a big mistake when he felt it appropriate to call Kentucky an elite team after the LSU win. At the end of this season, the Wildcats are still a decent team, but no one would call them the cream of the crop. This writer failed to allow the entire season to play out, a definite no-no that was properly refuted by the rhythms of college football and the systems of the sports gods.
With all this having been said, then, what about the 2007 Alabama Crimson Tide? What to make of this season, this team, and this coach? After the losses to Mississippi State and especially Louisiana-Monroe, a tidal wave of criticism engulfed the Tide; this past Saturday’s Iron Bowl loss didn’t exactly help, either. In the aftermath of the UL-Monroe shocker, a number of national writers and talking heads wondered aloud about the value of Saban's $32 million deal. The pile-on amounted to a lot of cheap and easy huffing and puffing from a national press corps that, like a vulture seeing a dead body, swooped in for the pickings with impunity.
Bama fans, I'm here to tell you: just as I told you in moments of victory that you weren't nearly as good as you thought you were, I'm going to tell you in moments of defeat and disappointment that you weren't nearly as bad as you might now think you are. This 2007 season was far from a colossal failure or some grand collapse. Nick Saban did an entirely respectable job of coaching this team, which overachieved solely by virtue of coming as close to the SEC West title as it ultimately did. The win-loss record might not reflect it, but progress should certainly be the buzzword in Tuscaloosa after an up-and-down campaign.
The Alabama season can be summed up thusly: a number of wins were the byproduct of noticeably good fortune, while a number of losses emerged because of alarmingly bad luck and a catastrophic sense of timing. The 2007 Tide played like world-beaters when endowed with supreme confidence, but once this team lost its positive freight-train momentum during the course of the season, everything spiraled downward due to an inability to minimize bad patches. In many ways, this team was little different from any other college football squad: it thrived in the immediate aftermath of confidence-creating crucibles, but crumbled in the wake of spirit-sapping, soul-shredding setbacks. Teams must endure this wrenching emotional rollercoaster before learning how to win on a consistent basis. The inability to attain gargantuan gridiron goals should not lead Tide fans to think that this program's evolution was retarded or halted in 2007. This was a necessary step in a long-term process.
The loss to Louisiana-Monroe was obviously shocking on an immediate gut level, but in the same breath, it shouldn't have been hard for anyone to understand: just two weeks earlier, Alabama came within one fourth-down stop of beating LSU to take over first place in the SEC West. Then--on the basis of essentially one play (a 100-yard pick-six just before halftime)--the Tide lost at Mississippi State in a game where Saban didn't coach poorly at all. When this team took the field in Bryant-Denny Stadium against a Sun Belt opponent, there was very little to play for in an objective sense. The West would not be won, a big bowl bid was out of the question, and Auburn week was just around the corner. Tell me: human nature being what it is, would YOU have maxed out like a madman against (Louisiana) Monroe? I have the emotional honesty to admit that if I were a front-line starter for the Tide--a 20-year-old kid still learning a lot about myself and the world--I'd have also sagged and slumped on that afternoon in Tuscaloosa. Who are we kidding?
The firestorm of cheap and easy "fast food" criticism from national writers after the Monroe mess was--while predictable--so disappointing because it was delivered so casually and automatically. There was little to no acknowledgment of the emotional reality facing the Alabama team at the time. It was as though the game was treated as a science formula based on various statistical weights and measures. Well, if you've learned one thing from my columns over the past seven years, Bama fans (and other regular readers), you should know that mental toughness is the number one virtue in competitive sports. A little extra innate ability--and a few extra tenths of a second in the 40-meter dash--won't exactly hurt, but when you get down to brass tacks in college football or any other form of big-time athletics, the foremost key is for the mind to be clear and sharp enough to get out of the way. Only when the mind is healthy can the body of the human athlete perform at a pronounced peak. Only when the mind is right can talent spill out in full flower on a gridiron... or a hardwood slab... or a grassy diamond... or a tennis rectangle... or a hockey rink. The mind is the gateway to a fully functioning body; without mental toughness, specimens--as chiseled or cut as they might in fact be--turn into impotent and quavering shells of hollowed-out humans.
Alabama's loss to UL-Monroe wasn't a failure of talent or an indictment of a team's quality. The setback wasn't a reflection on Nick Saban or a verdict on the 2007 season. No, the game was merely a reflection of one afternoon's emotional tank... a tank that was understandably running on empty. Bama was rarely as good in 2007 as its best victories suggested, but the Tide were certainly far better than their worst losses might superficially indicate.
In any sport--anytime and anyplace--it's so easy to think that one loss represents a full-blown collapse, or that one great victory means that zero problems exist on the horizon. Consider the examples of individual stars such as Roger Federer and Tiger Woods. When either man loses just once on a big stage, a large chorus of doubters emerges in a 21st century edition of "The Great Inquisition." You'd think that Federer could barely hold a tennis racquet from the way the Swiss superstar gets buried in the aftermath of any defeat. The man won 87 percent of his tennis matches in 2007, while once again winning three major titles. Yet, many observers pronounced that Federer had a down year. But when Federer reminded everyone of his brilliance at a season-ending championship tournament a few weeks ago, all those criticisms were quickly forgotten. Cheap and easy fast-food commentary experienced the quick death it definitely deserved. Such has also been the case whenever Tiger fails to win a major golf tournament: one major per year (a great year for any "normal" golfer) is cause for talk of a "slump" to emerge in the world inhabited by Woods.
You should clearly be able to see how ludicrous this kind of commentary in fact is.
Good, honest sports analysis--in college football and in any other field of athletic endeavor--will have the levelheadedness needed to be contrarian in nature. When the tidal wave of popular sentiment gets caught up in the euphoria of victory, a sports analyst needs to apply the brakes and point out relevant weaknesses or shortcomings in the beloved hometown team. But when the energies of human emotions bring about an avalanche of attacks and assaults upon the same ballclub (or individual coach, or individual player) during moments of misery and disappointment, a sports analyst needs to show why the sky isn't falling after all. Fans get too starry-eyed in victory, and too devastated in defeat. Triumph makes us human beings too full of ourselves, while a loss makes us far too despairing and bitter. Good sports analysts--columnists with a conscience--will have the courage to speak out against the prevailing sentiment on most occasions. Those who resist the easy temptation to dole out "fast food criticism"--as was the case in the aftermath of Alabama's loss to Louisiana-Monroe--are the writers who earn the respect of the Monday Morning Quarterback and the Weekly Affirmation.
One can only hope, Alabama fans, that future football seasons will witness better and more responsible handling of your team's ups and downs, as should be the case with any other college football program.
</td></tr></tbody></table>
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Matt Zemek
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Nov 25, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
In the college football industry, victory often masks weaknesses while losses just as often hide considerable strengths. This week's column is a letter to Alabama fans who now know what it's like to experience both of those realities in a yo-yo of a season that is now over.
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
ByMatthew Zemek
Mr. Zemek's e-mail: mzemek@hotmail.com
It’s been said in this space many times before, and it needs to be said again: when a columnist dares to advance criticisms in the wake of a victory, it's extremely hard for fan bases to view such remarks in an honest light. Surely, the reasoning goes, the writer is bitter and hateful toward the program. Surely, only the worst of the worst could dare criticize a team, coach or player in a moment of elation and triumph.
But then, there's the other side of the equation: a columnist can praise a team even in the aftermath of a bad defeat or--gasp!--a series of losses. Granted, this happens rarely, but one thing I've always maintained in this business over the past several years is that, when given a chance to show true and genuine impartiality, a professional sportswriter will step up to the plate and deliver.
Alabama fans (especially those who've kept close tabs on me over the past few years, especially since the 2006 Cotton Bowl), you have arrived at just such a moment.
In the recent past, when this columnist ripped the UA administration for firing Mike Shula and paying Nick Saban $32 million, you expressed your vigorous disagreement and manifest displeasure. And when this columnist dared to criticize the performance of quarterback John Parker Wilson after the great late escape against Arkansas, a lot of you understandably felt that you were witnesses to a cruel and savage attack that was unwarranted. Surely, a writer had a vendetta against Nick Saban and the entire Alabama program; no encouraging words would ever again be written about Crimson Tide football by the same man who just didn't understand why Mike Shula had to be fired.
Well, you'd be wrong, Bama fans. Encouraging words are part of this week's post-Thanksgiving menu in the Monday Morning Quarterback.
One of the particularly difficult challenges of life is found in the face of the many upheavals and rollercoaster rides that affect us as emotional and vulnerable flesh-and-blood beings. It's all too easy to be very high in moments of triumph, and very low in moments of defeat. It takes a long time (if ever) to finally follow the advice of the poet Rudyard Kipling: "Meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same." This is human nature; it's a hard beast to understand, let alone control. But try one must in the attempt to get a handle on the deepest emotions that pour out of our deepest selves.
Within the framework provided by competitive sports--including but not limited to college football--it is unerringly and unceasingly true that extremes (good or bad) don't get revealed in individual games or moments. Greatness and ineptitude are both exposed only after extended glimpses into the souls of athletes, in both individual and team-based contexts. For example, this columnist clearly made a big mistake when he felt it appropriate to call Kentucky an elite team after the LSU win. At the end of this season, the Wildcats are still a decent team, but no one would call them the cream of the crop. This writer failed to allow the entire season to play out, a definite no-no that was properly refuted by the rhythms of college football and the systems of the sports gods.
With all this having been said, then, what about the 2007 Alabama Crimson Tide? What to make of this season, this team, and this coach? After the losses to Mississippi State and especially Louisiana-Monroe, a tidal wave of criticism engulfed the Tide; this past Saturday’s Iron Bowl loss didn’t exactly help, either. In the aftermath of the UL-Monroe shocker, a number of national writers and talking heads wondered aloud about the value of Saban's $32 million deal. The pile-on amounted to a lot of cheap and easy huffing and puffing from a national press corps that, like a vulture seeing a dead body, swooped in for the pickings with impunity.
Bama fans, I'm here to tell you: just as I told you in moments of victory that you weren't nearly as good as you thought you were, I'm going to tell you in moments of defeat and disappointment that you weren't nearly as bad as you might now think you are. This 2007 season was far from a colossal failure or some grand collapse. Nick Saban did an entirely respectable job of coaching this team, which overachieved solely by virtue of coming as close to the SEC West title as it ultimately did. The win-loss record might not reflect it, but progress should certainly be the buzzword in Tuscaloosa after an up-and-down campaign.
The Alabama season can be summed up thusly: a number of wins were the byproduct of noticeably good fortune, while a number of losses emerged because of alarmingly bad luck and a catastrophic sense of timing. The 2007 Tide played like world-beaters when endowed with supreme confidence, but once this team lost its positive freight-train momentum during the course of the season, everything spiraled downward due to an inability to minimize bad patches. In many ways, this team was little different from any other college football squad: it thrived in the immediate aftermath of confidence-creating crucibles, but crumbled in the wake of spirit-sapping, soul-shredding setbacks. Teams must endure this wrenching emotional rollercoaster before learning how to win on a consistent basis. The inability to attain gargantuan gridiron goals should not lead Tide fans to think that this program's evolution was retarded or halted in 2007. This was a necessary step in a long-term process.
The loss to Louisiana-Monroe was obviously shocking on an immediate gut level, but in the same breath, it shouldn't have been hard for anyone to understand: just two weeks earlier, Alabama came within one fourth-down stop of beating LSU to take over first place in the SEC West. Then--on the basis of essentially one play (a 100-yard pick-six just before halftime)--the Tide lost at Mississippi State in a game where Saban didn't coach poorly at all. When this team took the field in Bryant-Denny Stadium against a Sun Belt opponent, there was very little to play for in an objective sense. The West would not be won, a big bowl bid was out of the question, and Auburn week was just around the corner. Tell me: human nature being what it is, would YOU have maxed out like a madman against (Louisiana) Monroe? I have the emotional honesty to admit that if I were a front-line starter for the Tide--a 20-year-old kid still learning a lot about myself and the world--I'd have also sagged and slumped on that afternoon in Tuscaloosa. Who are we kidding?
The firestorm of cheap and easy "fast food" criticism from national writers after the Monroe mess was--while predictable--so disappointing because it was delivered so casually and automatically. There was little to no acknowledgment of the emotional reality facing the Alabama team at the time. It was as though the game was treated as a science formula based on various statistical weights and measures. Well, if you've learned one thing from my columns over the past seven years, Bama fans (and other regular readers), you should know that mental toughness is the number one virtue in competitive sports. A little extra innate ability--and a few extra tenths of a second in the 40-meter dash--won't exactly hurt, but when you get down to brass tacks in college football or any other form of big-time athletics, the foremost key is for the mind to be clear and sharp enough to get out of the way. Only when the mind is healthy can the body of the human athlete perform at a pronounced peak. Only when the mind is right can talent spill out in full flower on a gridiron... or a hardwood slab... or a grassy diamond... or a tennis rectangle... or a hockey rink. The mind is the gateway to a fully functioning body; without mental toughness, specimens--as chiseled or cut as they might in fact be--turn into impotent and quavering shells of hollowed-out humans.
Alabama's loss to UL-Monroe wasn't a failure of talent or an indictment of a team's quality. The setback wasn't a reflection on Nick Saban or a verdict on the 2007 season. No, the game was merely a reflection of one afternoon's emotional tank... a tank that was understandably running on empty. Bama was rarely as good in 2007 as its best victories suggested, but the Tide were certainly far better than their worst losses might superficially indicate.
In any sport--anytime and anyplace--it's so easy to think that one loss represents a full-blown collapse, or that one great victory means that zero problems exist on the horizon. Consider the examples of individual stars such as Roger Federer and Tiger Woods. When either man loses just once on a big stage, a large chorus of doubters emerges in a 21st century edition of "The Great Inquisition." You'd think that Federer could barely hold a tennis racquet from the way the Swiss superstar gets buried in the aftermath of any defeat. The man won 87 percent of his tennis matches in 2007, while once again winning three major titles. Yet, many observers pronounced that Federer had a down year. But when Federer reminded everyone of his brilliance at a season-ending championship tournament a few weeks ago, all those criticisms were quickly forgotten. Cheap and easy fast-food commentary experienced the quick death it definitely deserved. Such has also been the case whenever Tiger fails to win a major golf tournament: one major per year (a great year for any "normal" golfer) is cause for talk of a "slump" to emerge in the world inhabited by Woods.
You should clearly be able to see how ludicrous this kind of commentary in fact is.
Good, honest sports analysis--in college football and in any other field of athletic endeavor--will have the levelheadedness needed to be contrarian in nature. When the tidal wave of popular sentiment gets caught up in the euphoria of victory, a sports analyst needs to apply the brakes and point out relevant weaknesses or shortcomings in the beloved hometown team. But when the energies of human emotions bring about an avalanche of attacks and assaults upon the same ballclub (or individual coach, or individual player) during moments of misery and disappointment, a sports analyst needs to show why the sky isn't falling after all. Fans get too starry-eyed in victory, and too devastated in defeat. Triumph makes us human beings too full of ourselves, while a loss makes us far too despairing and bitter. Good sports analysts--columnists with a conscience--will have the courage to speak out against the prevailing sentiment on most occasions. Those who resist the easy temptation to dole out "fast food criticism"--as was the case in the aftermath of Alabama's loss to Louisiana-Monroe--are the writers who earn the respect of the Monday Morning Quarterback and the Weekly Affirmation.
One can only hope, Alabama fans, that future football seasons will witness better and more responsible handling of your team's ups and downs, as should be the case with any other college football program.
</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
BCS Bustin': The Week in Realpolitik
By SMQ
Posted on Mon Nov 26, 2007 at 09:27:44 AM EDT
Except for the twisted “logic” of spots 6 and 7, if that noun could be applicable to such amnesiac foolishness, there is no reason to be alarmed:
<table cellpadding="3" cellspacing="3"> <caption align="top">Updated BCS Standings, 11-25</caption> <tbody><tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(191, 88, 88) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="center">Rank</td> <td align="center">Team</td> <td align="center">BCS Pts.</td> <td align="center">Harris</td> <td align="center">Coaches</td> <td align="center">Comp. Avg.</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">1.</td> <td align="left">Missouri</td> <td align="center">.978</td> <td align="center">1</td> <td align="center">2</td> <td align="center">1</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="center">2.</td> <td align="left">West Virginia</td> <td align="center">.971</td> <td align="center">2</td> <td align="center">1</td> <td align="center">2</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">3.</td> <td align="left">Ohio State</td> <td align="center">.919</td> <td align="center">3</td> <td align="center">3</td> <td align="center">3</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="center">4.</td> <td align="left">Georgia</td> <td align="center">.827</td> <td align="center">4</td> <td align="center">4</td> <td align="center">5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">5.</td> <td align="left">Kansas</td> <td align="center">.792</td> <td align="center">6</td> <td align="center">T-5</td> <td align="center">4</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="center">6.</td> <td align="left">Virginia Tech</td> <td align="center">.781</td> <td align="center">7</td> <td align="center">T-5</td> <td align="center">6</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">7.</td> <td align="left">LSU</td> <td align="center">.774</td> <td align="center">5</td> <td align="center">7</td> <td align="center">7</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="center">8.</td> <td align="left">Southern Cal</td> <td align="center">.693</td> <td align="center">9</td> <td align="center">9</td> <td align="center">T-10</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">9.</td> <td align="left">Oklahoma</td> <td align="center">.683</td> <td align="center">8</td> <td align="center">8</td> <td align="center">12</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="center">10.</td> <td align="left">Florida</td> <td align="center">.618</td> <td align="center">11</td> <td align="center">11</td> <td align="center">T-10</td> </tr> </tbody></table> My instincts tell me the race is between three equally viable one-loss teams, but the margins in the numbers show this is not true: if West Virginia and Missouri win Saturday, they will play for the self-ordained mythical championship in January. No style points, no scoreboard watching, no number crunching – WVU and Mizzou only have to win, by hook or crook. We’ll look at how “fair” this is later in the week by comparing resumés, but it’s academic. Both human polls favor the Mountaineers and Tigers, and not one of the computer polls ranks the Buckeyes ahead of WVU; one (Richard Billingsley’s) does prefer OSU to Missouri, but it’s tossed from the average in both cases as the high computer score for Ohio State and the low for Mizzou. From OSU’s perspective, there is no conceivable way to make up a half point without playing.
Obviously, the Buckeyes will be in with a loss by either West Virginia or (more likely) Missouri, and the odds of one or the other actually happening are probably about even, so it is, technically, a three-horse race – the tidiest scenario is a Missouri loss and subsequent overhyped Ohio State-West Virginia collision. But as long as surging USC is the opponent in the Granddaddy, OSU’s stance should be the same:
Who needs your stinkin’ championship? The AP and a couple dozen other polls are out there, independent of the BCS and no doubt itching for controversy, and they haven’t signed away their right to take the Rose Bowl or any other game into account. Define your own stakes in Pasadena and let the chips fall where they may.
Outlandish scenarios leading to a meeting of Ohio State and any one of the half dozen teams immediately behind the Buckeyes – one of which will actually occur, if form holds:
Georgia gets in. Missouri and West Virginia both lose, bumping the Bulldogs up to play Ohio State. Whether UGA can hold off any of the four two-loss teams behind it as said teams capture conference championships is the x-factor; for best results, the Dogs should be rooting for Tennessee, Boston College, UCLA and Oklahoma and hope the latter’s win over Missouri isn’t impressive enough to make the leap to number two.
Kansas gets in. Nein. For the love of god, nein.
Time to work your magic, big guy.
- - -
Virginia Tech gets in. Nein again, basically, but infinitismally possible if Missouri and West Virginia lose and the Hokies’ margin over Boston College is too overwhelmingly huge to be denied. Providing voters continue to deny the overwhelmingly huge loss Tech suffered in September to... LSU gets in. Losses by Missouri and West Virginia, a shaky win by Virginia Tech (or win by Boston College) and a little anti-Georgia P.R. by Gary Danielson on the Tigers’ behalf during the SEC Championship – he should know: Saturday will be the sixth time Danielson and Lundquist call an LSU game this year – might do the trick. I like LSU, personally, and I'm having a hard time figuring out how the Tigers fell below both Kansas and Virginia Tech (argh!), but at any rate, the timing of the Arkansas loss puts them too far back to realistically jump five spots.
USC gets in. Missouri, West Virginia, Virginia Tech and LSU all lose, and the Trojans’ win over UCLA is enough to hold off Oklahoma.
Oklahoma gets in. West Virginia, Virginia Tech and LSU all lose, and either USC loses to UCLA or the Sooners’ win over Missouri is enough to leap SC – and Kansas and Georgia.
Now: Ignore all of that, because it requires at minimum that Pittsburgh upset West Virginia Saturday, which is so unthinkable – especially in tandem with an otherwise realistic loss by Missouri to Oklahoma, even in an “oh, this season!” sort of way – that any scenario not including the Mountaineers, Midwestern Tigers or Buckeyes is fantasy.
<!-- poll box -->
<table align="center" width="40%"><tbody><tr><td>
</td></tr></tbody></table>
By SMQ
Posted on Mon Nov 26, 2007 at 09:27:44 AM EDT
Except for the twisted “logic” of spots 6 and 7, if that noun could be applicable to such amnesiac foolishness, there is no reason to be alarmed:
<table cellpadding="3" cellspacing="3"> <caption align="top">Updated BCS Standings, 11-25</caption> <tbody><tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(191, 88, 88) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="center">Rank</td> <td align="center">Team</td> <td align="center">BCS Pts.</td> <td align="center">Harris</td> <td align="center">Coaches</td> <td align="center">Comp. Avg.</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">1.</td> <td align="left">Missouri</td> <td align="center">.978</td> <td align="center">1</td> <td align="center">2</td> <td align="center">1</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="center">2.</td> <td align="left">West Virginia</td> <td align="center">.971</td> <td align="center">2</td> <td align="center">1</td> <td align="center">2</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">3.</td> <td align="left">Ohio State</td> <td align="center">.919</td> <td align="center">3</td> <td align="center">3</td> <td align="center">3</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="center">4.</td> <td align="left">Georgia</td> <td align="center">.827</td> <td align="center">4</td> <td align="center">4</td> <td align="center">5</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">5.</td> <td align="left">Kansas</td> <td align="center">.792</td> <td align="center">6</td> <td align="center">T-5</td> <td align="center">4</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="center">6.</td> <td align="left">Virginia Tech</td> <td align="center">.781</td> <td align="center">7</td> <td align="center">T-5</td> <td align="center">6</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">7.</td> <td align="left">LSU</td> <td align="center">.774</td> <td align="center">5</td> <td align="center">7</td> <td align="center">7</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="center">8.</td> <td align="left">Southern Cal</td> <td align="center">.693</td> <td align="center">9</td> <td align="center">9</td> <td align="center">T-10</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center">9.</td> <td align="left">Oklahoma</td> <td align="center">.683</td> <td align="center">8</td> <td align="center">8</td> <td align="center">12</td> </tr> <tr></tr><tr style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234) none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;"> <td align="center">10.</td> <td align="left">Florida</td> <td align="center">.618</td> <td align="center">11</td> <td align="center">11</td> <td align="center">T-10</td> </tr> </tbody></table> My instincts tell me the race is between three equally viable one-loss teams, but the margins in the numbers show this is not true: if West Virginia and Missouri win Saturday, they will play for the self-ordained mythical championship in January. No style points, no scoreboard watching, no number crunching – WVU and Mizzou only have to win, by hook or crook. We’ll look at how “fair” this is later in the week by comparing resumés, but it’s academic. Both human polls favor the Mountaineers and Tigers, and not one of the computer polls ranks the Buckeyes ahead of WVU; one (Richard Billingsley’s) does prefer OSU to Missouri, but it’s tossed from the average in both cases as the high computer score for Ohio State and the low for Mizzou. From OSU’s perspective, there is no conceivable way to make up a half point without playing.
Obviously, the Buckeyes will be in with a loss by either West Virginia or (more likely) Missouri, and the odds of one or the other actually happening are probably about even, so it is, technically, a three-horse race – the tidiest scenario is a Missouri loss and subsequent overhyped Ohio State-West Virginia collision. But as long as surging USC is the opponent in the Granddaddy, OSU’s stance should be the same:
Who needs your stinkin’ championship? The AP and a couple dozen other polls are out there, independent of the BCS and no doubt itching for controversy, and they haven’t signed away their right to take the Rose Bowl or any other game into account. Define your own stakes in Pasadena and let the chips fall where they may.
Outlandish scenarios leading to a meeting of Ohio State and any one of the half dozen teams immediately behind the Buckeyes – one of which will actually occur, if form holds:
Georgia gets in. Missouri and West Virginia both lose, bumping the Bulldogs up to play Ohio State. Whether UGA can hold off any of the four two-loss teams behind it as said teams capture conference championships is the x-factor; for best results, the Dogs should be rooting for Tennessee, Boston College, UCLA and Oklahoma and hope the latter’s win over Missouri isn’t impressive enough to make the leap to number two.
Kansas gets in. Nein. For the love of god, nein.
Time to work your magic, big guy.
- - -
Virginia Tech gets in. Nein again, basically, but infinitismally possible if Missouri and West Virginia lose and the Hokies’ margin over Boston College is too overwhelmingly huge to be denied. Providing voters continue to deny the overwhelmingly huge loss Tech suffered in September to... LSU gets in. Losses by Missouri and West Virginia, a shaky win by Virginia Tech (or win by Boston College) and a little anti-Georgia P.R. by Gary Danielson on the Tigers’ behalf during the SEC Championship – he should know: Saturday will be the sixth time Danielson and Lundquist call an LSU game this year – might do the trick. I like LSU, personally, and I'm having a hard time figuring out how the Tigers fell below both Kansas and Virginia Tech (argh!), but at any rate, the timing of the Arkansas loss puts them too far back to realistically jump five spots.
USC gets in. Missouri, West Virginia, Virginia Tech and LSU all lose, and the Trojans’ win over UCLA is enough to hold off Oklahoma.
Oklahoma gets in. West Virginia, Virginia Tech and LSU all lose, and either USC loses to UCLA or the Sooners’ win over Missouri is enough to leap SC – and Kansas and Georgia.
Now: Ignore all of that, because it requires at minimum that Pittsburgh upset West Virginia Saturday, which is so unthinkable – especially in tandem with an otherwise realistic loss by Missouri to Oklahoma, even in an “oh, this season!” sort of way – that any scenario not including the Mountaineers, Midwestern Tigers or Buckeyes is fantasy.
<!-- poll box -->
<table align="center" width="40%"><tbody><tr><td>
</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Sherman to be named Aggies head coach
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0237893561790135"; google_alternate_color = "ffffff"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; //2007-06-19: entries google_ad_channel = "0603066557"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "003399"; google_color_text = "333333"; google_color_url = "999999"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-0237893561790135&dt=1196094294360&lmt=1196094294&alt_color=ffffff&format=300x250_as&output=html&correlator=1196094294360&channel=0603066557&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanblogs.com%2Ftexas_am%2F007329.php&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=333333&color_link=003399&color_url=999999&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&cc=100&ga_vid=700325724.1194291038&ga_sid=1196094294&ga_hid=308213439&ga_fc=true&flash=9&u_h=1024&u_w=1280&u_ah=1024&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=1&u_java=true&u_nplug=18&u_nmime=67" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe> The Dallas Morning News is reporting that Texas A&M is set to name Houston Texans offensive coordinator Mike Sherman as new head coach of the Aggies.
Sherman was the Aggies OL coach from 1989 to '93 before leaving to coach for one season at UCLA. He returned to College Station as OL coach from 1995 to 1996, before accepting a position with the Green Bay Packers.
Sherman became the head coach of the Packers in 2000 and led Green Bay from 2000-2004.
A&M has scheduled an 11am press conference to introduce Sherman.
Apparently Sherman has the blessing of Texans owner Bob McNair.
With Sherman, the Aggies have an "insider" who will honor and respect the traditions at A&M. In the end, that was obviously a key consideration for those involved in the search. The boosters at A&M have always given as much consideration to how you win, so I can see where Sherman will make many Aggie alums very happy. Another key factor must have been that Sherman wanted to be the A&M coach. Badly.
The general concensus is that Sherman is a "teaching" coach and will be likely be able to develop players at A&M. He certainly did a good job recruiting on the OL during his previous stints in College Station. And will be able to sit down with recruits and give them the "I know what it takes to get you to the NFL" that has worked so very well for Pete Carroll and Southern Cal. I'm not suggesting that he is going to knock Mack Brown from his annual top-ten recruiting perch, but he certainly will give the Aggies some lift.
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0237893561790135"; google_alternate_color = "ffffff"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; //2007-06-19: entries google_ad_channel = "0603066557"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "003399"; google_color_text = "333333"; google_color_url = "999999"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-0237893561790135&dt=1196094294360&lmt=1196094294&alt_color=ffffff&format=300x250_as&output=html&correlator=1196094294360&channel=0603066557&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanblogs.com%2Ftexas_am%2F007329.php&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=333333&color_link=003399&color_url=999999&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&cc=100&ga_vid=700325724.1194291038&ga_sid=1196094294&ga_hid=308213439&ga_fc=true&flash=9&u_h=1024&u_w=1280&u_ah=1024&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=1&u_java=true&u_nplug=18&u_nmime=67" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe> The Dallas Morning News is reporting that Texas A&M is set to name Houston Texans offensive coordinator Mike Sherman as new head coach of the Aggies.
Sherman was the Aggies OL coach from 1989 to '93 before leaving to coach for one season at UCLA. He returned to College Station as OL coach from 1995 to 1996, before accepting a position with the Green Bay Packers.
Sherman became the head coach of the Packers in 2000 and led Green Bay from 2000-2004.
A&M has scheduled an 11am press conference to introduce Sherman.
Apparently Sherman has the blessing of Texans owner Bob McNair.
"First, let me say that we don't want to lose Mike because he's a terrific coach," McNair told the Chronicle. "But I think A&M could search for a long time and not find a better candidate than Mike Sherman. "We would highly recommend Mike for the job, and we'd wish him the best."
Interestingly enough, it does not appear that the Aggies ever officially contacted Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville. The Tigers coach told reporters that he had not been contacted and was looking forward to discussing an extension with AU.
With Sherman, the Aggies have an "insider" who will honor and respect the traditions at A&M. In the end, that was obviously a key consideration for those involved in the search. The boosters at A&M have always given as much consideration to how you win, so I can see where Sherman will make many Aggie alums very happy. Another key factor must have been that Sherman wanted to be the A&M coach. Badly.
The general concensus is that Sherman is a "teaching" coach and will be likely be able to develop players at A&M. He certainly did a good job recruiting on the OL during his previous stints in College Station. And will be able to sit down with recruits and give them the "I know what it takes to get you to the NFL" that has worked so very well for Pete Carroll and Southern Cal. I'm not suggesting that he is going to knock Mack Brown from his annual top-ten recruiting perch, but he certainly will give the Aggies some lift.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
It's official: Bill Lynch signs four year contract.
As had been rumored over the weekend, IU has signed Bill Lynch to a long-term contract to serve as coach through the 2011 season. Here's the IU press release (yes, it says through 2012, but the contract expires on July 1, 2012, so essentially its a four season deal). As I have documented before, this isn't a slam dunk. Lynch's previous record as head coach is mixed. Still, he did a solid job this year and can go forward and make this his program, his staff, and so forth. This deal certainly eliminates some near-term heartburn of a coaching search during bowl preparation and the alienation of many prominent football program alumni. As for the long term, who knows?
If you read the whole release, this item might grab your attention:
P.S. Is Michigan really going to hire Kirk Ferentz? Really?
As had been rumored over the weekend, IU has signed Bill Lynch to a long-term contract to serve as coach through the 2011 season. Here's the IU press release (yes, it says through 2012, but the contract expires on July 1, 2012, so essentially its a four season deal). As I have documented before, this isn't a slam dunk. Lynch's previous record as head coach is mixed. Still, he did a solid job this year and can go forward and make this his program, his staff, and so forth. This deal certainly eliminates some near-term heartburn of a coaching search during bowl preparation and the alienation of many prominent football program alumni. As for the long term, who knows?
If you read the whole release, this item might grab your attention:
"Appointing Bill Lynch is a very positive step for Indiana University," Floyd Keith, Black Coaches and Administrators Executive Director, said. "With the difficult circumstances that have transpired at IU in the past year, Bill performed in a very positive and professional way. I don't think there was any other decision that could have been made. He'll be just super - Indiana has made a sound, smart and logical choice in selecting Bill Lynch."
If you are wondering why, exactly, the BCA director is endorsing the hiring of a white guy who got fired by Ball State, consider that Keith worked with Bill Mallory as an IU assistant (Keith was quarterbacks coach, if I recall correctly), although it doesn't appear that the two worked together. This certainly is consistent with the theme emerging: everyone who knows Lynch well or has worked with him seems to think the world of the guy. There was an interesting letter to the editor in yesterday's Indianapolis Star from longtime Ball State tennis coach Bill Richards, who gives a glowing endorsement of Lynch's character and says this about the Ball State job at the time:He did a good job at Ball State with one arm tied behind his back. Our stadium was arguably the worst in Division I-A; he had restrictions on how many out-of-state players he could recruit; extreme restrictions on salary dollars and recruiting dollars, and was generally given three or four losses a year to the Floridas, Clemsons and Auburns for big paydays. Our program hit the bottom. How he handled the adversity is something I respect so much I really can't put it in words.
The program rebounded with a divisional championship and a 6-6 record in his last two years. He had it moving back in the right direction. Even though I am a few years older, he taught me so much. I am thankful and proud to have been able to be associated with him for several years. It will be a real shame if he isn't given the (IU) job on a permanent basis.
I would love to know more about the information in bold. In any event, congratulations, Coach Lynch. As it stands today, you are the first IU coach since Bo McMillin (1934-1947) with a career winning record at IU. You get a head coaching job without suffering the transition costs normally associated with coaching changes. Make the best of it.
P.S. Is Michigan really going to hire Kirk Ferentz? Really?
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Putting Lipstick On A Pig
By Nestor Section: Football
Posted on Mon Nov 26, 2007 at 07:55:42 AM EDT
The traditional media in Southern California is already pulling out the old story line of how once again Southern Cal and UCLA are squaring off with Rose Bowl on the line. And of course all of this works conveniently for these hacks because the matchup fits their little narrative of an overwhelming favorite Trojan squad taking on the gutty little Bruins.
It’s pretty original stuff, that has been shoved down our throats during the mediocre years of Donahue, when his perennial underachieving UCLA teams would try to salvage their disappointing season by making a stand in the last game.
Our players are eating it all up, working overtime to put lipstick on the pig:
"The fact that we still got life right now, even though we don't control our own destiny, is great," Davis said. "We're going to do our best to handle our end of the deal, then wait to see if some other stuff works out.
"If we make it to the Rose Bowl, so be it. I'll love every second of it."
So would Dorrell, who has endured a season of diminishing returns until now, leaving his future murky. The Bruins talked about national-title possibilities when the season began. That stopped in Salt Lake City, after Utah pasted them, 44-6. The players continued to carry "Pac-10 Champions: finish" wristbands, cutting them off after losing to Arizona on Nov. 3.
With the nonconference gaffes against Utah and Notre Dame, and a rash of injuries that sent them on a three-game losing streak in conference play, the Bruins were scrambling just to be bowl-eligible.
Then came UCLA's shutout victory over a similarly depleted Oregon team.
"This season hasn't turned out the way we wanted it to, but this gives us hope," Davis said. "This gives us a chance."
Now a victory and a little help could make the Bruins the first team to reach the Rose Bowl with five losses.
"It's amazing," tailback Chris Markey said. "With the ups and downs, all the injuries, to know that we can still make it to the Rose Bowl, play in our home, is a wonderful feeling."
Uh yes, the injury excuse, which is now a full blown campaign to save an incompetent football coach. I am not going to go into detail in rebutting the ludicrous excuse. We have collectively done that already here and here.
But what is just so pathetic is to hear a kid like Chris Markey feeling “wonderful” about a 6-5 football team, which is going into it’s last game as almost a 3 TD underdog, looking to pull off an “upset” for a shot at the Rose Bowl in a very mediocre conference. Listening and reading these guys it is clear, these kids have no idea about being winners and no clue on what it is like to be part of an elite championship caliber athletic programs, unlike their peers in other athletic programs at UCLA.
Fortunately though not everyone is falling for the lipstick on pig routine. Steve Dilbeck from the DN quoted Dan Guerrero over the weekend and wrote about how UCLA will be judging the Doofus based on the body of his work. Apparently Steve wasn’t the only one to exhibit a modicum of sanity. Jeff Miller from the OC Register, (a Trojan of all people, who we have previously taken to task for taking ridiculous dig at our 100 titles), was able to see through the meaningless win against Oregon:Now, want to consider something really crazy? How about UCLA's 16-0 victory over Oregon saving Karl Dorrell's job?
Yeah right, no season is that bizarre. The guess here is, baring an unlikely Rose Bowl bid, the coach already is fired every way but formally, which is the right move. After Dorrell's nearly five seasons, it's tough to identify the program's improvement.
It would have been difficult to dismiss him following triumphs over Oregon and USC, had the victory Saturday been more believable.
But the Bruins didn't beat the team that was first in the Pac-10 entering this weekend; they beat what little remains of that team.
The Ducks were without a 100-percent Jonathan Stewart and minus their quarterback, Dennis Dixon, which is sort of like a car minus its keys. The thing can be pushed along, but it's not capable of actually running.
So Dixon's absence helped the Bruins on Saturday but, ultimately, probably hurt their coach.
It’s too bad though that Jeff’s colleague – Mark Whicker – is intent on shilling for our incompetent football coach. Apparently Mark took the time to answer our brushback on a column he wrote trotting out all the injury excuses for Karl Dorrell. Mark made this pitch on behalf of the Doofus:I think Karl is a great representative of UCLA who has cleaned up a lot of things there. You're right, the loss to Utah was inexplicable. Just like the win over USC was last year. Obviously Karl would be better off if the administration and the fan base supported him instead of writing him off basically after one season. But such loyalty is too much to ask of UCLA people.
Mark didn’t bother to mention the Notre Dame debacle. Neither did he mention the embarrassment against Washington State or Arizona State or Florida State or Notre Dame from last year or Washington State from last year or Oregon or Fresno State or Wyoming, you get the picture. Mark didn’t have time to mention how preceding to this season – you know what was supposed to be the “show me” season – the Doofus was 1-10 on the road against teams with a winning record, 3-11 against ranked teams, 2-7 against top 10 teams, 8-17 against teams with a winning record, and 10 losses to unranked teams. Again that was before this season’s debacle. But Mark didn’t have time to go into those facts and instead take a broad swipe at the loyalty of Bruin Nation.
But Mark inadvertently slipped out this in his latest column celebrating Eric McPick. Here is Mark on what has happened since that play:And what has changed, really?
UCLA followed up its USC high with a nasty fall at the Emerald Bowl, losing to Florida State. It comes into Saturday's rematch with a 6-5 record and a chance to make the Rose Bowl game ….
Mark goes on to mention how this year is different, because the TrOJies are at home and they are playing for revenge, and they are OMG awesome. Whatever. We have heard that nonsense before too.
But Mark really slipped out how nothing has changed since last year’s game despite all the BS about this year being the show me season.
And we still have morons in the local traditional media trying to do their best to shill and make excuses for incompetent UCLA head coaches, who have no business holding on to their jobs. Like I said putting lipstick on a pig.
GO BRUINS.
By Nestor Section: Football
Posted on Mon Nov 26, 2007 at 07:55:42 AM EDT
The traditional media in Southern California is already pulling out the old story line of how once again Southern Cal and UCLA are squaring off with Rose Bowl on the line. And of course all of this works conveniently for these hacks because the matchup fits their little narrative of an overwhelming favorite Trojan squad taking on the gutty little Bruins.
It’s pretty original stuff, that has been shoved down our throats during the mediocre years of Donahue, when his perennial underachieving UCLA teams would try to salvage their disappointing season by making a stand in the last game.
Our players are eating it all up, working overtime to put lipstick on the pig:
"The fact that we still got life right now, even though we don't control our own destiny, is great," Davis said. "We're going to do our best to handle our end of the deal, then wait to see if some other stuff works out.
"If we make it to the Rose Bowl, so be it. I'll love every second of it."
So would Dorrell, who has endured a season of diminishing returns until now, leaving his future murky. The Bruins talked about national-title possibilities when the season began. That stopped in Salt Lake City, after Utah pasted them, 44-6. The players continued to carry "Pac-10 Champions: finish" wristbands, cutting them off after losing to Arizona on Nov. 3.
With the nonconference gaffes against Utah and Notre Dame, and a rash of injuries that sent them on a three-game losing streak in conference play, the Bruins were scrambling just to be bowl-eligible.
Then came UCLA's shutout victory over a similarly depleted Oregon team.
"This season hasn't turned out the way we wanted it to, but this gives us hope," Davis said. "This gives us a chance."
Now a victory and a little help could make the Bruins the first team to reach the Rose Bowl with five losses.
"It's amazing," tailback Chris Markey said. "With the ups and downs, all the injuries, to know that we can still make it to the Rose Bowl, play in our home, is a wonderful feeling."
Uh yes, the injury excuse, which is now a full blown campaign to save an incompetent football coach. I am not going to go into detail in rebutting the ludicrous excuse. We have collectively done that already here and here.
But what is just so pathetic is to hear a kid like Chris Markey feeling “wonderful” about a 6-5 football team, which is going into it’s last game as almost a 3 TD underdog, looking to pull off an “upset” for a shot at the Rose Bowl in a very mediocre conference. Listening and reading these guys it is clear, these kids have no idea about being winners and no clue on what it is like to be part of an elite championship caliber athletic programs, unlike their peers in other athletic programs at UCLA.
Fortunately though not everyone is falling for the lipstick on pig routine. Steve Dilbeck from the DN quoted Dan Guerrero over the weekend and wrote about how UCLA will be judging the Doofus based on the body of his work. Apparently Steve wasn’t the only one to exhibit a modicum of sanity. Jeff Miller from the OC Register, (a Trojan of all people, who we have previously taken to task for taking ridiculous dig at our 100 titles), was able to see through the meaningless win against Oregon:Now, want to consider something really crazy? How about UCLA's 16-0 victory over Oregon saving Karl Dorrell's job?
Yeah right, no season is that bizarre. The guess here is, baring an unlikely Rose Bowl bid, the coach already is fired every way but formally, which is the right move. After Dorrell's nearly five seasons, it's tough to identify the program's improvement.
It would have been difficult to dismiss him following triumphs over Oregon and USC, had the victory Saturday been more believable.
But the Bruins didn't beat the team that was first in the Pac-10 entering this weekend; they beat what little remains of that team.
The Ducks were without a 100-percent Jonathan Stewart and minus their quarterback, Dennis Dixon, which is sort of like a car minus its keys. The thing can be pushed along, but it's not capable of actually running.
So Dixon's absence helped the Bruins on Saturday but, ultimately, probably hurt their coach.
It’s too bad though that Jeff’s colleague – Mark Whicker – is intent on shilling for our incompetent football coach. Apparently Mark took the time to answer our brushback on a column he wrote trotting out all the injury excuses for Karl Dorrell. Mark made this pitch on behalf of the Doofus:I think Karl is a great representative of UCLA who has cleaned up a lot of things there. You're right, the loss to Utah was inexplicable. Just like the win over USC was last year. Obviously Karl would be better off if the administration and the fan base supported him instead of writing him off basically after one season. But such loyalty is too much to ask of UCLA people.
Mark didn’t bother to mention the Notre Dame debacle. Neither did he mention the embarrassment against Washington State or Arizona State or Florida State or Notre Dame from last year or Washington State from last year or Oregon or Fresno State or Wyoming, you get the picture. Mark didn’t have time to mention how preceding to this season – you know what was supposed to be the “show me” season – the Doofus was 1-10 on the road against teams with a winning record, 3-11 against ranked teams, 2-7 against top 10 teams, 8-17 against teams with a winning record, and 10 losses to unranked teams. Again that was before this season’s debacle. But Mark didn’t have time to go into those facts and instead take a broad swipe at the loyalty of Bruin Nation.
But Mark inadvertently slipped out this in his latest column celebrating Eric McPick. Here is Mark on what has happened since that play:And what has changed, really?
UCLA followed up its USC high with a nasty fall at the Emerald Bowl, losing to Florida State. It comes into Saturday's rematch with a 6-5 record and a chance to make the Rose Bowl game ….
Mark goes on to mention how this year is different, because the TrOJies are at home and they are playing for revenge, and they are OMG awesome. Whatever. We have heard that nonsense before too.
But Mark really slipped out how nothing has changed since last year’s game despite all the BS about this year being the show me season.
And we still have morons in the local traditional media trying to do their best to shill and make excuses for incompetent UCLA head coaches, who have no business holding on to their jobs. Like I said putting lipstick on a pig.
GO BRUINS.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Nebraska interviews LSU's Pelini, Buffalo's Gill
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0237893561790135"; google_alternate_color = "ffffff"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; //2007-06-19: entries google_ad_channel = "0603066557"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "003399"; google_color_text = "333333"; google_color_url = "999999"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-0237893561790135&dt=1196094420516&lmt=1196094420&alt_color=ffffff&format=300x250_as&output=html&correlator=1196094420516&channel=0603066557&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanblogs.com%2Fnebraska%2F007327.php&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=333333&color_link=003399&color_url=999999&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&cc=100&ga_vid=700325724.1194291038&ga_sid=1196094294&ga_hid=2009447664&ga_fc=true&flash=9&u_h=1024&u_w=1280&u_ah=1024&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=1&u_java=true&u_nplug=18&u_nmime=67" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe> The Nebraska Cornhuskers wasted no time in startingt the search for their next head coach following Saturday's firinig of Bill Callahan.
Unbeknownst to LSU AD Skip Bertman, a private plane left Lincoln carrying interim athletic director Tom Osborne and UNL chancellor Harvey Perlman arrived in Baton Rouge shortly after 3 p.m.on Sunday to interview LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini.
Osborne was given permission by Buffalo AD Warde Manuel to interview former Huskers assistant Turner Gill, the Bulls’ second-year head coach.
Pelini was the Huskers' defensive coordinator under Solich in 2003 after working eight years as an NFL assistant.
There are reports that several other names are on the Nebraska short list, including Wake Forest Head Coach Jim Grobe, but no published details on interviews at this point.
Tom Dienhart says that consensus candidates Brian Kelly (Cincinnati HC) and Paul Johnson (Navy) are not on the Nebraska list. Then again, it's Tom Dienhart... so that may or may not be accurate. I can certainly see how Johnson's triple-option - which many consider a more evolved version of Nebraska's old offense - would certainly fit the mold at NU.
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0237893561790135"; google_alternate_color = "ffffff"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; //2007-06-19: entries google_ad_channel = "0603066557"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "003399"; google_color_text = "333333"; google_color_url = "999999"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-0237893561790135&dt=1196094420516&lmt=1196094420&alt_color=ffffff&format=300x250_as&output=html&correlator=1196094420516&channel=0603066557&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanblogs.com%2Fnebraska%2F007327.php&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=333333&color_link=003399&color_url=999999&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&cc=100&ga_vid=700325724.1194291038&ga_sid=1196094294&ga_hid=2009447664&ga_fc=true&flash=9&u_h=1024&u_w=1280&u_ah=1024&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=1&u_java=true&u_nplug=18&u_nmime=67" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe> The Nebraska Cornhuskers wasted no time in startingt the search for their next head coach following Saturday's firinig of Bill Callahan.
Unbeknownst to LSU AD Skip Bertman, a private plane left Lincoln carrying interim athletic director Tom Osborne and UNL chancellor Harvey Perlman arrived in Baton Rouge shortly after 3 p.m.on Sunday to interview LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini.
Told of the flight to Baton Rouge, LSU athletic director Skip Bertman said, "Are you kidding me?" Bertman said nobody from Nebraska contacted him regarding Pelini, but added, "It's probably not absolutely, positively mandatory for an assistant. I don’t suppose he felt he had to contact me, I guess."
The plane, owned by Norfolk Iron and Metal, left Baton Rouge after two-and-a-half hours bound for Atlanta, which is home to the search firm hired to assist the Huskers in locating a new coach.
Osborne was given permission by Buffalo AD Warde Manuel to interview former Huskers assistant Turner Gill, the Bulls’ second-year head coach.
Reached by phone Sunday afternoon, Manuel told the Journal Star: “I think it’s tremendous. Turner is absolutely ready to coach at Nebraska. He’s done a great job, an awesome turnaround. Although I would hate to lose him, he would be a great coach there.†Manuel believes an interview will take place “in the next day or so.â€
Gill quarterbacked the Huskers in the early 1980s and was an assistant under Osborne and Frank Solich. He left in 2004, after Callahan's first season.
Pelini was the Huskers' defensive coordinator under Solich in 2003 after working eight years as an NFL assistant.
There are reports that several other names are on the Nebraska short list, including Wake Forest Head Coach Jim Grobe, but no published details on interviews at this point.
Tom Dienhart says that consensus candidates Brian Kelly (Cincinnati HC) and Paul Johnson (Navy) are not on the Nebraska list. Then again, it's Tom Dienhart... so that may or may not be accurate. I can certainly see how Johnson's triple-option - which many consider a more evolved version of Nebraska's old offense - would certainly fit the mold at NU.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
From thewizardofodds.blogspot.com:
Snapshots From Week 13
A look back at the week that was from TV Tan Line. This man watches a lot of football. Check out his review of the week's games by clicking here.
Snapshots From Week 13
A look back at the week that was from TV Tan Line. This man watches a lot of football. Check out his review of the week's games by clicking here.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Morning Coffee Is Ready To Talk Criticism
by HornsFan Mon Nov 26, 2007 at 12:41:21 AM EDT
If you're not spinning from Texas' inexplicable 9-3 season that featured defeats to Kansas State, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M (arguably the only three games which mattered), fear not - a quick perusal of the official Longhorn football channels should provide you with all the spin you need.
***For starters, the home page of Texas Sports on late Friday afternoon was a feature on the men's basketball team and their evening tip with New Mexico State. Nominally, not a huge deal, except that Texas basketball is #6 on the athletic department's agenda on a normal weekend, right behind: (1) Texas football recap, (2) Texas football box score, (3) Texas football photos in action, (4) Texas football postseason look ahead, and (5) Texas football commentary from Bill Little.
***Speaking of Bill Little, he's done an especially nice job of spinning the embarrassing loss to A&M. I wish I'd thought of it myself, honestly:
The strangest season in recent college football history continues to baffle, confuse, frustrate and yes, disappoint, folks all the way from Austin, Texas, to Baton Rouge, La., to Los Angeles and beyond. Nothing was as it seemed, and reality appeared to be an illusion. In a universe where everything thing is constantly changing, what all of us yearn for is consistency in something. And that, in the end, was the most frustrating thing for Mack Brown and his Texas Longhorns last Friday in College Station. In fact, the toughest part to understand about this season is that too often, it appeared the only consistency was inconsistency.
But then, that wasn’t just about Texas; it was about everything related to this 2007 season in college football.
For a while, it appeared that there were three potentially great teams—Southern Cal, LSU, and Oklahoma. Now, barring unforeseen circumstances, all three will not be playing in the National Championship game.
If you're not fluent in Spin, I'll be glad to translate that for you: "My dear Longhorn fans, lest ye be too disappointed in the struggles of 2007, let us remember that it's been a crazy year for LOTS of teams!"
In other news, you should plan on asking your professor to ignore the tardiness of your paper because there were a half dozen of your classmates who also failed to turn in the assignment on time. Because failure is relative, right?
***And last, though I can't confirm this one just yet, I'll bet you dollars to donuts that we're in for a repeat of 2006 and no Monday press conference from Mack Brown. As more than a few of you have pointed out, the strategy from Bellmont when things aren't going well is to hunker down, let the storm pass, and jump back in for the next phase of the news cycle.
"I'll be back in a week. Or two. Did you see that LSU lost?"
Okay, now that I've got the Cynical Asshole Segment out of the way, let's talk a little more concretely about what's got to happen from here forward. At the end of the day, I don't totally blame Mack Brown or Bellmont Hall for trying to spin damage control; though I'd rather they didn't, it's more or less par for the course. There aren't many big NCAA athletic departments who are going to get out in front of the storm, and with big money stakes come big money corporate maneuvers. That's just how the game is played.
And in fact, I'd note that the one message that was repeated at BON more than any other over the last three days was that, "This is what Mack will do. This is how things will go. Nothing will ever change."
Accepting, then, that this is the SOP, it might be more beneficial to ask: "What can be done?" After all, we aren't the first group of disgruntled stakeholders who feel like the decisionmakers are all too content with the status quo. So if you're really displeased with the way things are going, consider one of the following:
<ins>Contact the Longhorn Foundation.</ins> You know as well as I do that with matters like these, money talks. If you're a donor to the program, let the Longhorn Foundation know that you're unhappy with the way the money is being spent. Considering the overall health of Longhorn athletics in general, and Longhorn football in particular, I'd suggest finding a tactful way to note your desire for change, but I can't say I see anything wrong with noting that you've been voting with your dollars and will continue to do so, based on the responsiveness of the recipient. [Longhorn Foundation Fax Number: (512) 471-7706 / Email, Director of Longhorn Foundation, Craig Helwig: craig.helwig@athletics.utexas.edu]
<ins>Pen a letter to the Statesman.</ins> It may not be the world's premier newspaper, but we do know for a fact that the folks at Belmont read it. We can also be sure that those who are writing the AAS Texas content will be more likely to ask critical questions if they know they're backed by a swell of fan (reader) discontent. [Send a letter to the AAS Sports Desk.]
<ins>Make your voice known here at BON.</ins> I can't promise you that anyone in the know will read your take if you post it here, but I do know that when movements - even grassroots one - reach critical mass, decisionmakers take notice. Though posting here is an indirect way of letting your opinion be known, it's a good start. Pen a diary. Make an argument. Be persuasive. Offer solutions. If I could suggest one course of action to someone who had a strong opinion, it would be to do your best to persuade others to your point of view. There are lots of reasons why "heady" discourse is so strongly encouraged here, but chief among them is that anyone can bark about general failure - few can articulate persuasive ideas to fix them. If you've got a good idea for fixing the problems Mack Brown's dealing with right now, let us know. We all know something's broken, but it's hard to put a finger on what should be done. Lead the way.
With all that said... there's a segment of the UT fanbase out there that's reacted a bit defensively about all this unrest. Some of it is justified, but some (I'd argue) is not. To those who think there's too much complaining, I note that there are two lines of criticism that need to be addressed (and which don't merit the same response):
Criticism 1: Mack Brown is to be blamed for the problems with Texas football right now, and the solution to these problems won't come about until there's a new head coach at Texas.
Criticism 2: Mack Brown is responsible for the problems with Texas football right now, and the solution to these problems involves making staff changes he is generally unwilling to make.
I don't blame some folks for stepping up to defend Mack Brown against the first line of criticism. I count myself among those who think swinging the angry axe at Mack Brown's head would cause more problems than it would solve. And I think that Mack Brown - warts and all - is consistently underrated as a problem solver. The man may drive fans mad with the way he deliberately works through things his way, but he gets the benefit of the doubt for his overall body of work, which includes a national championship. Calling for Mack Brown's head strikes me as myopic as blitzing Robert Killebrew.
However, those unhappy with the unrest right now do need to articulate a different line of reasoning against the second criticism. As a fan who generally supports Mack Brown and is grateful for what he's done at Texas, I do think we've reached a point where he's surrounded by too much that is comfortable.
I think most of us can look at our line of work and think about a time when plowing forward with "what we know" is no longer sufficient to keep us at the top of the game. Whether that's learning the ins and outs of new media marketing, or figuring out how to increase your direct sales to customers, or adjusting the branding of your product to an evolving marketplace, the lesson in every business is the same: you have to stay out at the forefront of the curve if you want to remain ultra-competitive. More often than not, that means integrating new people and ideas to help you evolve from what it is you know best.
Mack Brown doesn't need to teach himself the Xs and Os of the newest, sexiest offensive or defensive schemes. But there comes a time when being surrounded by that which you're comfortable with no longer serves you well. Mack can choose to ride that comfortable horse into the sunset, or he can choose to invigorate his staff with some hungry young talent who will help challenge the way he coaches football for the remainder of his career.
If he decides to stick with what he knows? I think most of us agree that it's more likely than not that Texas football will continue to be very good, but not necessarily elite. But Mack Brown might want to think long and hard about whether he wants his coaching finale to include another push for greatness. And if, as he says, that's what he wants to do, then making some uncomfortable changes right now seems like the prudent thing to do. Duane Akina has proven an unsuitable hire. And Greg Davis may represent too much of a comfort food for this program to jump out of its current slump.
Mack's got this program in the right position to field great teams. But turning that positioning into top market value is going to require some innovation. And I don't think that's an unfair criticism to make.
By the way, I'd like to note that if anyone's been watching Tennessee Titans games this season, you'll have to agree that succeeding with Vince Young is not simply a matter of inevitability. The Texas coaching staff deserves credit for putting together the team and scheme that it did to lead to that national title. I know it's sexy to say that the only reason Mack Brown won the national title was because of Vince Young, but it always has (and still does) struck me as a lazy argument. For all the criticism I'm happy to direct towards the UT staff right now, I can't find it in me to take anything away from the job they did in 2004-05 with Vince Young and his teammates.
Do we win a national title without Vince? Clearly not. But is it instructive to talk about a coach not winning a national title "without the help of his superstars"? Not really. If winning these things were a simple matter, we'd not have had nine national champions in the nine years since Mack Brown arrived in Austin. The BCS came to being in 1998, Mack Brown's first in Austin. In order, Tennessee, Florida State, Oklahoma, Miami, Ohio State, LSU, USC, Texas, and Florida have won the title. If Missouri and West Virginia win next week, we'll have our tenth different national champion in ten years.
Cheapening Mack Brown's national championship strikes me as a bit petty, and an unfortunate distraction from the real issues. Mack Brown deserves every bit of glory he's received for that crystal trophy.
The most instructive criticism of Mack Brown will focus on his inability to win conference championships. I have no interest in taking away what he did with Vince Young; he did that era right - winning a conference and national title. What I'm concerned about is picking up conference titles without Vince Young. That... has been a problem.
I don't understand those who want to take away from Mack's national title; I agree wholeheartedly with those who expect better Big 12 results from Mack Brown. Keeping the two separate is, in my opinion, for the best.
--PB--
by HornsFan Mon Nov 26, 2007 at 12:41:21 AM EDT
***For starters, the home page of Texas Sports on late Friday afternoon was a feature on the men's basketball team and their evening tip with New Mexico State. Nominally, not a huge deal, except that Texas basketball is #6 on the athletic department's agenda on a normal weekend, right behind: (1) Texas football recap, (2) Texas football box score, (3) Texas football photos in action, (4) Texas football postseason look ahead, and (5) Texas football commentary from Bill Little.
***Speaking of Bill Little, he's done an especially nice job of spinning the embarrassing loss to A&M. I wish I'd thought of it myself, honestly:
The strangest season in recent college football history continues to baffle, confuse, frustrate and yes, disappoint, folks all the way from Austin, Texas, to Baton Rouge, La., to Los Angeles and beyond. Nothing was as it seemed, and reality appeared to be an illusion. In a universe where everything thing is constantly changing, what all of us yearn for is consistency in something. And that, in the end, was the most frustrating thing for Mack Brown and his Texas Longhorns last Friday in College Station. In fact, the toughest part to understand about this season is that too often, it appeared the only consistency was inconsistency.
But then, that wasn’t just about Texas; it was about everything related to this 2007 season in college football.
For a while, it appeared that there were three potentially great teams—Southern Cal, LSU, and Oklahoma. Now, barring unforeseen circumstances, all three will not be playing in the National Championship game.
If you're not fluent in Spin, I'll be glad to translate that for you: "My dear Longhorn fans, lest ye be too disappointed in the struggles of 2007, let us remember that it's been a crazy year for LOTS of teams!"
In other news, you should plan on asking your professor to ignore the tardiness of your paper because there were a half dozen of your classmates who also failed to turn in the assignment on time. Because failure is relative, right?
***And last, though I can't confirm this one just yet, I'll bet you dollars to donuts that we're in for a repeat of 2006 and no Monday press conference from Mack Brown. As more than a few of you have pointed out, the strategy from Bellmont when things aren't going well is to hunker down, let the storm pass, and jump back in for the next phase of the news cycle.
"I'll be back in a week. Or two. Did you see that LSU lost?"
And in fact, I'd note that the one message that was repeated at BON more than any other over the last three days was that, "This is what Mack will do. This is how things will go. Nothing will ever change."
Accepting, then, that this is the SOP, it might be more beneficial to ask: "What can be done?" After all, we aren't the first group of disgruntled stakeholders who feel like the decisionmakers are all too content with the status quo. So if you're really displeased with the way things are going, consider one of the following:
<ins>Contact the Longhorn Foundation.</ins> You know as well as I do that with matters like these, money talks. If you're a donor to the program, let the Longhorn Foundation know that you're unhappy with the way the money is being spent. Considering the overall health of Longhorn athletics in general, and Longhorn football in particular, I'd suggest finding a tactful way to note your desire for change, but I can't say I see anything wrong with noting that you've been voting with your dollars and will continue to do so, based on the responsiveness of the recipient. [Longhorn Foundation Fax Number: (512) 471-7706 / Email, Director of Longhorn Foundation, Craig Helwig: craig.helwig@athletics.utexas.edu]
<ins>Pen a letter to the Statesman.</ins> It may not be the world's premier newspaper, but we do know for a fact that the folks at Belmont read it. We can also be sure that those who are writing the AAS Texas content will be more likely to ask critical questions if they know they're backed by a swell of fan (reader) discontent. [Send a letter to the AAS Sports Desk.]
<ins>Make your voice known here at BON.</ins> I can't promise you that anyone in the know will read your take if you post it here, but I do know that when movements - even grassroots one - reach critical mass, decisionmakers take notice. Though posting here is an indirect way of letting your opinion be known, it's a good start. Pen a diary. Make an argument. Be persuasive. Offer solutions. If I could suggest one course of action to someone who had a strong opinion, it would be to do your best to persuade others to your point of view. There are lots of reasons why "heady" discourse is so strongly encouraged here, but chief among them is that anyone can bark about general failure - few can articulate persuasive ideas to fix them. If you've got a good idea for fixing the problems Mack Brown's dealing with right now, let us know. We all know something's broken, but it's hard to put a finger on what should be done. Lead the way.
Criticism 1: Mack Brown is to be blamed for the problems with Texas football right now, and the solution to these problems won't come about until there's a new head coach at Texas.
Criticism 2: Mack Brown is responsible for the problems with Texas football right now, and the solution to these problems involves making staff changes he is generally unwilling to make.
I don't blame some folks for stepping up to defend Mack Brown against the first line of criticism. I count myself among those who think swinging the angry axe at Mack Brown's head would cause more problems than it would solve. And I think that Mack Brown - warts and all - is consistently underrated as a problem solver. The man may drive fans mad with the way he deliberately works through things his way, but he gets the benefit of the doubt for his overall body of work, which includes a national championship. Calling for Mack Brown's head strikes me as myopic as blitzing Robert Killebrew.
However, those unhappy with the unrest right now do need to articulate a different line of reasoning against the second criticism. As a fan who generally supports Mack Brown and is grateful for what he's done at Texas, I do think we've reached a point where he's surrounded by too much that is comfortable.
I think most of us can look at our line of work and think about a time when plowing forward with "what we know" is no longer sufficient to keep us at the top of the game. Whether that's learning the ins and outs of new media marketing, or figuring out how to increase your direct sales to customers, or adjusting the branding of your product to an evolving marketplace, the lesson in every business is the same: you have to stay out at the forefront of the curve if you want to remain ultra-competitive. More often than not, that means integrating new people and ideas to help you evolve from what it is you know best.
Mack Brown doesn't need to teach himself the Xs and Os of the newest, sexiest offensive or defensive schemes. But there comes a time when being surrounded by that which you're comfortable with no longer serves you well. Mack can choose to ride that comfortable horse into the sunset, or he can choose to invigorate his staff with some hungry young talent who will help challenge the way he coaches football for the remainder of his career.
If he decides to stick with what he knows? I think most of us agree that it's more likely than not that Texas football will continue to be very good, but not necessarily elite. But Mack Brown might want to think long and hard about whether he wants his coaching finale to include another push for greatness. And if, as he says, that's what he wants to do, then making some uncomfortable changes right now seems like the prudent thing to do. Duane Akina has proven an unsuitable hire. And Greg Davis may represent too much of a comfort food for this program to jump out of its current slump.
Mack's got this program in the right position to field great teams. But turning that positioning into top market value is going to require some innovation. And I don't think that's an unfair criticism to make.
Do we win a national title without Vince? Clearly not. But is it instructive to talk about a coach not winning a national title "without the help of his superstars"? Not really. If winning these things were a simple matter, we'd not have had nine national champions in the nine years since Mack Brown arrived in Austin. The BCS came to being in 1998, Mack Brown's first in Austin. In order, Tennessee, Florida State, Oklahoma, Miami, Ohio State, LSU, USC, Texas, and Florida have won the title. If Missouri and West Virginia win next week, we'll have our tenth different national champion in ten years.
Cheapening Mack Brown's national championship strikes me as a bit petty, and an unfortunate distraction from the real issues. Mack Brown deserves every bit of glory he's received for that crystal trophy.
The most instructive criticism of Mack Brown will focus on his inability to win conference championships. I have no interest in taking away what he did with Vince Young; he did that era right - winning a conference and national title. What I'm concerned about is picking up conference titles without Vince Young. That... has been a problem.
I don't understand those who want to take away from Mack's national title; I agree wholeheartedly with those who expect better Big 12 results from Mack Brown. Keeping the two separate is, in my opinion, for the best.
--PB--
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Vols' Hardesty questionable for LSU
Posted: Sunday November 25, 2007 9:24PM; Updated: Sunday November 25, 2007 9:24PM
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said he's concerned that running back Montario Hardesty may not be able to play Saturday against LSU in the Southeastern Conference championship.
Fulmer said Hardesty, who splits time in the backfield with starter Arian Foster, aggravated an ankle injury in Saturday's 52-50 win over Kentucky in four overtimes.
The sophomore sprained his ankle Oct. 27 against South Carolina, but did not miss any playing time. He entered Saturday's game averaging
The coach also said cornerback Brent Vinson may need shoulder surgery after the season is over, but will play Saturday against LSU in the Southeastern Conference championship.
Fulmer indicated that Vinson's shoulder popped out and back into place during the game Saturday, but said he expects the freshman will be able to play this weekend.
Defensive end Xavier Mitchell suffered a shoulder stinger against the Wildcats, but returned to play during the game.
"It's been a rugged season," Fulmer said. "Our kids have found toughness and resiliency and fought back and played sometimes with some pain."
Posted: Sunday November 25, 2007 9:24PM; Updated: Sunday November 25, 2007 9:24PM
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said he's concerned that running back Montario Hardesty may not be able to play Saturday against LSU in the Southeastern Conference championship.
Fulmer said Hardesty, who splits time in the backfield with starter Arian Foster, aggravated an ankle injury in Saturday's 52-50 win over Kentucky in four overtimes.
The sophomore sprained his ankle Oct. 27 against South Carolina, but did not miss any playing time. He entered Saturday's game averaging
The coach also said cornerback Brent Vinson may need shoulder surgery after the season is over, but will play Saturday against LSU in the Southeastern Conference championship.
Fulmer indicated that Vinson's shoulder popped out and back into place during the game Saturday, but said he expects the freshman will be able to play this weekend.
Defensive end Xavier Mitchell suffered a shoulder stinger against the Wildcats, but returned to play during the game.
"It's been a rugged season," Fulmer said. "Our kids have found toughness and resiliency and fought back and played sometimes with some pain."
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Morning Coffee Is Ready To Talk Criticism
by HornsFan Mon Nov 26, 2007 at 12:41:21 AM EDT
If you're not spinning from Texas' inexplicable 9-3 season that featured defeats to Kansas State, Oklahoma, and Texas A&M (arguably the only three games which mattered), fear not - a quick perusal of the official Longhorn football channels should provide you with all the spin you need.
***For starters, the home page of Texas Sports on late Friday afternoon was a feature on the men's basketball team and their evening tip with New Mexico State. Nominally, not a huge deal, except that Texas basketball is #6 on the athletic department's agenda on a normal weekend, right behind: (1) Texas football recap, (2) Texas football box score, (3) Texas football photos in action, (4) Texas football postseason look ahead, and (5) Texas football commentary from Bill Little.
***Speaking of Bill Little, he's done an especially nice job of spinning the embarrassing loss to A&M. I wish I'd thought of it myself, honestly:
The strangest season in recent college football history continues to baffle, confuse, frustrate and yes, disappoint, folks all the way from Austin, Texas, to Baton Rouge, La., to Los Angeles and beyond. Nothing was as it seemed, and reality appeared to be an illusion. In a universe where everything thing is constantly changing, what all of us yearn for is consistency in something. And that, in the end, was the most frustrating thing for Mack Brown and his Texas Longhorns last Friday in College Station. In fact, the toughest part to understand about this season is that too often, it appeared the only consistency was inconsistency.
But then, that wasn’t just about Texas; it was about everything related to this 2007 season in college football.
For a while, it appeared that there were three potentially great teams—Southern Cal, LSU, and Oklahoma. Now, barring unforeseen circumstances, all three will not be playing in the National Championship game.
If you're not fluent in Spin, I'll be glad to translate that for you: "My dear Longhorn fans, lest ye be too disappointed in the struggles of 2007, let us remember that it's been a crazy year for LOTS of teams!"
In other news, you should plan on asking your professor to ignore the tardiness of your paper because there were a half dozen of your classmates who also failed to turn in the assignment on time. Because failure is relative, right?
***And last, though I can't confirm this one just yet, I'll bet you dollars to donuts that we're in for a repeat of 2006 and no Monday press conference from Mack Brown. As more than a few of you have pointed out, the strategy from Bellmont when things aren't going well is to hunker down, let the storm pass, and jump back in for the next phase of the news cycle.
"I'll be back in a week. Or two. Did you see that LSU lost?"
Okay, now that I've got the Cynical Asshole Segment out of the way, let's talk a little more concretely about what's got to happen from here forward. At the end of the day, I don't totally blame Mack Brown or Bellmont Hall for trying to spin damage control; though I'd rather they didn't, it's more or less par for the course. There aren't many big NCAA athletic departments who are going to get out in front of the storm, and with big money stakes come big money corporate maneuvers. That's just how the game is played.
And in fact, I'd note that the one message that was repeated at BON more than any other over the last three days was that, "This is what Mack will do. This is how things will go. Nothing will ever change."
Accepting, then, that this is the SOP, it might be more beneficial to ask: "What can be done?" After all, we aren't the first group of disgruntled stakeholders who feel like the decisionmakers are all too content with the status quo. So if you're really displeased with the way things are going, consider one of the following:
<ins>Contact the Longhorn Foundation.</ins> You know as well as I do that with matters like these, money talks. If you're a donor to the program, let the Longhorn Foundation know that you're unhappy with the way the money is being spent. Considering the overall health of Longhorn athletics in general, and Longhorn football in particular, I'd suggest finding a tactful way to note your desire for change, but I can't say I see anything wrong with noting that you've been voting with your dollars and will continue to do so, based on the responsiveness of the recipient. [Longhorn Foundation Fax Number: (512) 471-7706 / Email, Director of Longhorn Foundation, Craig Helwig: craig.helwig@athletics.utexas.edu]
<ins>Pen a letter to the Statesman.</ins> It may not be the world's premier newspaper, but we do know for a fact that the folks at Belmont read it. We can also be sure that those who are writing the AAS Texas content will be more likely to ask critical questions if they know they're backed by a swell of fan (reader) discontent. [Send a letter to the AAS Sports Desk.]
<ins>Make your voice known here at BON.</ins> I can't promise you that anyone in the know will read your take if you post it here, but I do know that when movements - even grassroots one - reach critical mass, decisionmakers take notice. Though posting here is an indirect way of letting your opinion be known, it's a good start. Pen a diary. Make an argument. Be persuasive. Offer solutions. If I could suggest one course of action to someone who had a strong opinion, it would be to do your best to persuade others to your point of view. There are lots of reasons why "heady" discourse is so strongly encouraged here, but chief among them is that anyone can bark about general failure - few can articulate persuasive ideas to fix them. If you've got a good idea for fixing the problems Mack Brown's dealing with right now, let us know. We all know something's broken, but it's hard to put a finger on what should be done. Lead the way.
With all that said... there's a segment of the UT fanbase out there that's reacted a bit defensively about all this unrest. Some of it is justified, but some (I'd argue) is not. To those who think there's too much complaining, I note that there are two lines of criticism that need to be addressed (and which don't merit the same response):
Criticism 1: Mack Brown is to be blamed for the problems with Texas football right now, and the solution to these problems won't come about until there's a new head coach at Texas.
Criticism 2: Mack Brown is responsible for the problems with Texas football right now, and the solution to these problems involves making staff changes he is generally unwilling to make.
I don't blame some folks for stepping up to defend Mack Brown against the first line of criticism. I count myself among those who think swinging the angry axe at Mack Brown's head would cause more problems than it would solve. And I think that Mack Brown - warts and all - is consistently underrated as a problem solver. The man may drive fans mad with the way he deliberately works through things his way, but he gets the benefit of the doubt for his overall body of work, which includes a national championship. Calling for Mack Brown's head strikes me as myopic as blitzing Robert Killebrew.
However, those unhappy with the unrest right now do need to articulate a different line of reasoning against the second criticism. As a fan who generally supports Mack Brown and is grateful for what he's done at Texas, I do think we've reached a point where he's surrounded by too much that is comfortable.
I think most of us can look at our line of work and think about a time when plowing forward with "what we know" is no longer sufficient to keep us at the top of the game. Whether that's learning the ins and outs of new media marketing, or figuring out how to increase your direct sales to customers, or adjusting the branding of your product to an evolving marketplace, the lesson in every business is the same: you have to stay out at the forefront of the curve if you want to remain ultra-competitive. More often than not, that means integrating new people and ideas to help you evolve from what it is you know best.
Mack Brown doesn't need to teach himself the Xs and Os of the newest, sexiest offensive or defensive schemes. But there comes a time when being surrounded by that which you're comfortable with no longer serves you well. Mack can choose to ride that comfortable horse into the sunset, or he can choose to invigorate his staff with some hungry young talent who will help challenge the way he coaches football for the remainder of his career.
If he decides to stick with what he knows? I think most of us agree that it's more likely than not that Texas football will continue to be very good, but not necessarily elite. But Mack Brown might want to think long and hard about whether he wants his coaching finale to include another push for greatness. And if, as he says, that's what he wants to do, then making some uncomfortable changes right now seems like the prudent thing to do. Duane Akina has proven an unsuitable hire. And Greg Davis may represent too much of a comfort food for this program to jump out of its current slump.
Mack's got this program in the right position to field great teams. But turning that positioning into top market value is going to require some innovation. And I don't think that's an unfair criticism to make.
By the way, I'd like to note that if anyone's been watching Tennessee Titans games this season, you'll have to agree that succeeding with Vince Young is not simply a matter of inevitability. The Texas coaching staff deserves credit for putting together the team and scheme that it did to lead to that national title. I know it's sexy to say that the only reason Mack Brown won the national title was because of Vince Young, but it always has (and still does) struck me as a lazy argument. For all the criticism I'm happy to direct towards the UT staff right now, I can't find it in me to take anything away from the job they did in 2004-05 with Vince Young and his teammates.
Do we win a national title without Vince? Clearly not. But is it instructive to talk about a coach not winning a national title "without the help of his superstars"? Not really. If winning these things were a simple matter, we'd not have had nine national champions in the nine years since Mack Brown arrived in Austin. The BCS came to being in 1998, Mack Brown's first in Austin. In order, Tennessee, Florida State, Oklahoma, Miami, Ohio State, LSU, USC, Texas, and Florida have won the title. If Missouri and West Virginia win next week, we'll have our tenth different national champion in ten years.
Cheapening Mack Brown's national championship strikes me as a bit petty, and an unfortunate distraction from the real issues. Mack Brown deserves every bit of glory he's received for that crystal trophy.
The most instructive criticism of Mack Brown will focus on his inability to win conference championships. I have no interest in taking away what he did with Vince Young; he did that era right - winning a conference and national title. What I'm concerned about is picking up conference titles without Vince Young. That... has been a problem.
I don't understand those who want to take away from Mack's national title; I agree wholeheartedly with those who expect better Big 12 results from Mack Brown. Keeping the two separate is, in my opinion, for the best.
by HornsFan Mon Nov 26, 2007 at 12:41:21 AM EDT
***For starters, the home page of Texas Sports on late Friday afternoon was a feature on the men's basketball team and their evening tip with New Mexico State. Nominally, not a huge deal, except that Texas basketball is #6 on the athletic department's agenda on a normal weekend, right behind: (1) Texas football recap, (2) Texas football box score, (3) Texas football photos in action, (4) Texas football postseason look ahead, and (5) Texas football commentary from Bill Little.
***Speaking of Bill Little, he's done an especially nice job of spinning the embarrassing loss to A&M. I wish I'd thought of it myself, honestly:
The strangest season in recent college football history continues to baffle, confuse, frustrate and yes, disappoint, folks all the way from Austin, Texas, to Baton Rouge, La., to Los Angeles and beyond. Nothing was as it seemed, and reality appeared to be an illusion. In a universe where everything thing is constantly changing, what all of us yearn for is consistency in something. And that, in the end, was the most frustrating thing for Mack Brown and his Texas Longhorns last Friday in College Station. In fact, the toughest part to understand about this season is that too often, it appeared the only consistency was inconsistency.
But then, that wasn’t just about Texas; it was about everything related to this 2007 season in college football.
For a while, it appeared that there were three potentially great teams—Southern Cal, LSU, and Oklahoma. Now, barring unforeseen circumstances, all three will not be playing in the National Championship game.
If you're not fluent in Spin, I'll be glad to translate that for you: "My dear Longhorn fans, lest ye be too disappointed in the struggles of 2007, let us remember that it's been a crazy year for LOTS of teams!"
In other news, you should plan on asking your professor to ignore the tardiness of your paper because there were a half dozen of your classmates who also failed to turn in the assignment on time. Because failure is relative, right?
***And last, though I can't confirm this one just yet, I'll bet you dollars to donuts that we're in for a repeat of 2006 and no Monday press conference from Mack Brown. As more than a few of you have pointed out, the strategy from Bellmont when things aren't going well is to hunker down, let the storm pass, and jump back in for the next phase of the news cycle.
"I'll be back in a week. Or two. Did you see that LSU lost?"
And in fact, I'd note that the one message that was repeated at BON more than any other over the last three days was that, "This is what Mack will do. This is how things will go. Nothing will ever change."
Accepting, then, that this is the SOP, it might be more beneficial to ask: "What can be done?" After all, we aren't the first group of disgruntled stakeholders who feel like the decisionmakers are all too content with the status quo. So if you're really displeased with the way things are going, consider one of the following:
<ins>Contact the Longhorn Foundation.</ins> You know as well as I do that with matters like these, money talks. If you're a donor to the program, let the Longhorn Foundation know that you're unhappy with the way the money is being spent. Considering the overall health of Longhorn athletics in general, and Longhorn football in particular, I'd suggest finding a tactful way to note your desire for change, but I can't say I see anything wrong with noting that you've been voting with your dollars and will continue to do so, based on the responsiveness of the recipient. [Longhorn Foundation Fax Number: (512) 471-7706 / Email, Director of Longhorn Foundation, Craig Helwig: craig.helwig@athletics.utexas.edu]
<ins>Pen a letter to the Statesman.</ins> It may not be the world's premier newspaper, but we do know for a fact that the folks at Belmont read it. We can also be sure that those who are writing the AAS Texas content will be more likely to ask critical questions if they know they're backed by a swell of fan (reader) discontent. [Send a letter to the AAS Sports Desk.]
<ins>Make your voice known here at BON.</ins> I can't promise you that anyone in the know will read your take if you post it here, but I do know that when movements - even grassroots one - reach critical mass, decisionmakers take notice. Though posting here is an indirect way of letting your opinion be known, it's a good start. Pen a diary. Make an argument. Be persuasive. Offer solutions. If I could suggest one course of action to someone who had a strong opinion, it would be to do your best to persuade others to your point of view. There are lots of reasons why "heady" discourse is so strongly encouraged here, but chief among them is that anyone can bark about general failure - few can articulate persuasive ideas to fix them. If you've got a good idea for fixing the problems Mack Brown's dealing with right now, let us know. We all know something's broken, but it's hard to put a finger on what should be done. Lead the way.
Criticism 1: Mack Brown is to be blamed for the problems with Texas football right now, and the solution to these problems won't come about until there's a new head coach at Texas.
Criticism 2: Mack Brown is responsible for the problems with Texas football right now, and the solution to these problems involves making staff changes he is generally unwilling to make.
I don't blame some folks for stepping up to defend Mack Brown against the first line of criticism. I count myself among those who think swinging the angry axe at Mack Brown's head would cause more problems than it would solve. And I think that Mack Brown - warts and all - is consistently underrated as a problem solver. The man may drive fans mad with the way he deliberately works through things his way, but he gets the benefit of the doubt for his overall body of work, which includes a national championship. Calling for Mack Brown's head strikes me as myopic as blitzing Robert Killebrew.
However, those unhappy with the unrest right now do need to articulate a different line of reasoning against the second criticism. As a fan who generally supports Mack Brown and is grateful for what he's done at Texas, I do think we've reached a point where he's surrounded by too much that is comfortable.
I think most of us can look at our line of work and think about a time when plowing forward with "what we know" is no longer sufficient to keep us at the top of the game. Whether that's learning the ins and outs of new media marketing, or figuring out how to increase your direct sales to customers, or adjusting the branding of your product to an evolving marketplace, the lesson in every business is the same: you have to stay out at the forefront of the curve if you want to remain ultra-competitive. More often than not, that means integrating new people and ideas to help you evolve from what it is you know best.
Mack Brown doesn't need to teach himself the Xs and Os of the newest, sexiest offensive or defensive schemes. But there comes a time when being surrounded by that which you're comfortable with no longer serves you well. Mack can choose to ride that comfortable horse into the sunset, or he can choose to invigorate his staff with some hungry young talent who will help challenge the way he coaches football for the remainder of his career.
If he decides to stick with what he knows? I think most of us agree that it's more likely than not that Texas football will continue to be very good, but not necessarily elite. But Mack Brown might want to think long and hard about whether he wants his coaching finale to include another push for greatness. And if, as he says, that's what he wants to do, then making some uncomfortable changes right now seems like the prudent thing to do. Duane Akina has proven an unsuitable hire. And Greg Davis may represent too much of a comfort food for this program to jump out of its current slump.
Mack's got this program in the right position to field great teams. But turning that positioning into top market value is going to require some innovation. And I don't think that's an unfair criticism to make.
Do we win a national title without Vince? Clearly not. But is it instructive to talk about a coach not winning a national title "without the help of his superstars"? Not really. If winning these things were a simple matter, we'd not have had nine national champions in the nine years since Mack Brown arrived in Austin. The BCS came to being in 1998, Mack Brown's first in Austin. In order, Tennessee, Florida State, Oklahoma, Miami, Ohio State, LSU, USC, Texas, and Florida have won the title. If Missouri and West Virginia win next week, we'll have our tenth different national champion in ten years.
Cheapening Mack Brown's national championship strikes me as a bit petty, and an unfortunate distraction from the real issues. Mack Brown deserves every bit of glory he's received for that crystal trophy.
The most instructive criticism of Mack Brown will focus on his inability to win conference championships. I have no interest in taking away what he did with Vince Young; he did that era right - winning a conference and national title. What I'm concerned about is picking up conference titles without Vince Young. That... has been a problem.
I don't understand those who want to take away from Mack's national title; I agree wholeheartedly with those who expect better Big 12 results from Mack Brown. Keeping the two separate is, in my opinion, for the best.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Roof fired at Duke
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0237893561790135"; google_alternate_color = "ffffff"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; //2007-06-19: entries google_ad_channel = "0603066557"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "003399"; google_color_text = "333333"; google_color_url = "999999"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-0237893561790135&dt=1196099312764&lmt=1196099312&alt_color=ffffff&format=300x250_as&output=html&correlator=1196099312764&channel=0603066557&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanblogs.com%2Fduke%2F007332.php&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=333333&color_link=003399&color_url=999999&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&cc=100&ga_vid=700325724.1194291038&ga_sid=1196099313&ga_hid=1988280525&ga_fc=true&flash=9&u_h=1024&u_w=1280&u_ah=1024&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=1&u_java=true&u_nplug=18&u_nmime=67" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe> Duke Univeristy will hold a press conference today to announce that Ted Roof has been fired as head coach.
The Blue Devils were 6-45 under Roof, although two of those wins were during his time as interim head coach. Duke currently owns a 25-game losing streak in the ACC.
Famed Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski spoke out this weekend in support of the Blue Devils football program, but said that the university must make more of a committment to field a winner.
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0237893561790135"; google_alternate_color = "ffffff"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; //2007-06-19: entries google_ad_channel = "0603066557"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "003399"; google_color_text = "333333"; google_color_url = "999999"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-0237893561790135&dt=1196099312764&lmt=1196099312&alt_color=ffffff&format=300x250_as&output=html&correlator=1196099312764&channel=0603066557&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanblogs.com%2Fduke%2F007332.php&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=333333&color_link=003399&color_url=999999&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&cc=100&ga_vid=700325724.1194291038&ga_sid=1196099313&ga_hid=1988280525&ga_fc=true&flash=9&u_h=1024&u_w=1280&u_ah=1024&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=1&u_java=true&u_nplug=18&u_nmime=67" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe> Duke Univeristy will hold a press conference today to announce that Ted Roof has been fired as head coach.
The Blue Devils were 6-45 under Roof, although two of those wins were during his time as interim head coach. Duke currently owns a 25-game losing streak in the ACC.
Famed Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski spoke out this weekend in support of the Blue Devils football program, but said that the university must make more of a committment to field a winner.
Speaking after his team’s 78-43 win over Eastern Kentucky, the winningest basketball coach in Duke’s history questioned the university’s commitment to football.
“Whether you do or not, the attitude to win (championships) has to be there in everything that you do,†Krzyzewski said. “That to me is the missing ingredient, not one person.â€
Krzyzewski, who has won three national championships, says simply expressing the desire to win - and not simply “compete†- in football should be among Duke’s first objectives.
“If I’m recruiting your son, and I say, 'We want you to come here because we’re going to be competitive,' and the next guy comes in (saying) 'We want to win a championship,'" Krzyzewski said. "You only play once, right? I’m going to go with the person that wants to win a championship.â€
It's hard to argue with Coach K and no - Duke hasn't given enough support to the football team.“Whether you do or not, the attitude to win (championships) has to be there in everything that you do,†Krzyzewski said. “That to me is the missing ingredient, not one person.â€
Krzyzewski, who has won three national championships, says simply expressing the desire to win - and not simply “compete†- in football should be among Duke’s first objectives.
“If I’m recruiting your son, and I say, 'We want you to come here because we’re going to be competitive,' and the next guy comes in (saying) 'We want to win a championship,'" Krzyzewski said. "You only play once, right? I’m going to go with the person that wants to win a championship.â€
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
PETE CARROLL’S ENCHANTED GRIDIRON GROTTO
This week’s random notes and observations come to you, as always, from deep inside Pete Carroll’s Enchanted Gridiron Grotto. It’s champagne bath week in honor of the thumping of Arizona State, meaning that champagne is all we’re bathing in down here for a while, meaning a helluva ant problem is on the way pronto.
The Grotto this week is brought to you by Jared, who wants you to know that if you’re looking for a cheap whore detector, you can purchase a wide variety of them at your local Jared jeweler.
<object height="355" width="425">
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WezgAIBY6Ys&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></object></p> Last night, during EDSBS Live, the discussion board broke out with a long chain on the infamous dog of dubious pedigree that nipped Jerraud Powers, Auburn DB, in the waning minutes of the Iron Bowl. Elroy the Racist Dog, as we’ll now call him, elicited the following string of comments that had us barely able to continue the show:
That dog has Birth of a Nation on DVD
That dog hates running quarterbacks.
That dog won’t eat peanut butter.
That dog has plenty of black friends. Really! He does!
That dog hated the Cosby show.
That dog doesn’t understand why Jimmy the Greek was fired.
Brent Schaeffer still looks, at each game, like a talented athlete attempting the quarterback position for the first time no matter how many games he’s actually played under center.
Nebraska’s defense would have allowed 35 points to Craig James’ flag football team.
He went to Jared to buy me some shiny fossilized carbon! God, you monkeys are so easily impressed. We can’t escape from these commercials. One on the radio this morning touted the best name for a pearl necklace we’ve ever heard: THE LADIES’ PEARLMASTER. It’s got a Hemi in it made from real lightning! REAL LIGHTNING!
Robert Killebrew again earned the Emily Post award for best etiquette displayed by a linebacker, courteously allowing Aggie defenders to run clean around him and his gentle, supportive tackle attempts all day long. He’s earned a spot in the hearts of Longhorn fans everywhere. A lesion, really, from stress and aggravation, one that may very well kill some of them one day in the distant future.
Kept waiting for someone to bare their breasts in the live shots from Baton rouge. Sadly, the only nudity seen during the game was Mike the Tiger lolling on his back in his cage. Full-frontal tiger penis action that got every Chinese pharmacist giddy with the thought of massive profit.
The Father-in-law notes that one of the Aggie cadets has an Eagle Scout badge on. You could dress yourself up like Timmy in a Rug Rats episode where they all pretend to be soldiers couldn’t you? Bucket on head, putter in hand, wearing someone’s name Best Buy name tag and a pair of cowboy boots, couldn’t
Rodderick Muckleroy, Texas: another fake alias we must love.
During the LSU game, Jacob Hester rolled into the endzone with an Arkansas helmet rolling behind him. There could have been a head in there, and we would not have been surprised.
A fullback dive in a different formation is still a fullback dive–when you hit it right, it’s like legal theft. Peyton Hillis did this in stunning fashion in the Arkansas game. When he gets back there, he’s only fighting the wind on the way to the endzone. It’s wishbone wonderfulish.
<object height="355" width="425">
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/y5alq9LRUNk&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></object></p> In the Longhorn/Aggie game, Fran called a fake FG and got it. In the Missouri/Kansas game, Pinkel did the same on the first drive of the game and got clobbered short of the first down. Stupidity and daring are often the same coat put on different ways.
Les Miles picayune tactics watch: Miles used a time out to stop the clock, possibly giving them Ark. a full minute to score provided they get the ball back. Kirk Ferentz will never do that at Michigan. He’ll also have a hell of time winning ten games a year, as Miles has done at LSU.
We’d never, ever want to coach against an Arkansas team in overtime. You don’t want to get in a hammer fight with them. That’s the only weapon they bring to the fight, and the last thing a fatigued team of any kind wants to see are three hot running backs begging to piledrive a game into submission. It’s second to watching Auburn’s kickoff
Asshole route on Tennessee’s first TD. The press will refer to these as “jerk” routes, but at the heart of the West Coast-lite attack run by David Cutcliffe (and in the pros, Jon Gruden) is a burning desire to make one guy on your defense look like a total fucking asshole. That is precisely what happens as Arian Foster runs through a play-action fake, scoots into the left flat, and up the sidelines for a wheel route TD with no one near him. The collected thoughts of everyone in the stadium practically seethed the word “asshole.”
My, Virginia students look conspicuously well-scrubbed.
Hawaii fans celebrated their TDs with the tradition of throwing spare receipts onto the field. Judging from recent reports of fan behavior, those could also be bail receipts. In the universal television conference, only Dog The Bounty Hunter informs us of anything going on in Hawaii, so they must be bail receipts, since the show makes the state look like one long methamphetamine bust with Dog eventually incarcerating everyone, including himself. Leland, watch this guy. I mean, me.
Again, we can’t really remember how Virginia scored against Virginia Tech. We never do. A quarterback draw? PI call for 15? Double steal with a suicide squeeze? They’re in the lead, and we can’t remember how? They play amnesiaball, never doing anything particularly memorable.
CBS played the Killers’ cover of Joy Division’s “Shadowplay” on a commercial break. Little known is the fact that Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis was an immense Baylor fan. This is also why he hanged himself.
From an uproarious ESPN interview during the USF/Pitt game: George Selvie, on sacks:
“Sacking the quarterback, it’s all good…I compare getting a sack to getting honeybuns, my favorite food. They’re so soft…so sweet…”
He then maws down on a honey bun he’s had waiting as a prop the whole time, and his eyes flood with an almost sexual delight. This, for some reason, moves us. Selvie wasn’t putting on an act: he obviously has some sort of metaphysical connection with honeybuns the rest of us don’t have. (Mangino Fulmer Friedgen joke content insert here.)
Metaphors you do not have to invent, part one. Bostick throws a pick six. The camera flashes to Dave Wannstedt. He is on crutches. Just like the Pitt football program.
There you go, all on a plate. No fixins’ needed.
USF DT Allen Cray gets in a nice bellyflop sack on Pitt qb Ryan Bostick. The kind where Bostick probably pissed himself a bit on impact.
History comes full circle as Matthew Stafford pulls a reverse Godsey on Georgia Tech and rumbles through for a TD on an option play against the Jackets. Stafford likely had the same conversation that Friedgen had with Godsey after the run:
Godsey: “Hey, coach, did you see me pulling away with my speed?”
Friedgen: “George, I don’t think they believed you had the ball.”
The whole Giggity giggity thing isn’t about plagiarism–it’s about outright theft from two sources, Big Daddy Drew and the Ernest T. character from Andy Griffith. Jones and Nutt are friends, so it only stands to reason that Nutt would talk like Jones, just with less clarity and with the caps lock on. Remember: amateurs imitate, pros steal, or at least that’s what T.S. Eliot said, along with “Mehhh, I can’t play sports because of my weltschmerz and bad arches,” and “Why, that would be like trusting a Johnny, for God’s sakes!”
Yay! Audible bullshits and fuck yeahs in the background of the USF/Pitt game.
On CBS, Steve Beurlein says the fake punt Kentucky gets a first down on wasn’t planned. This comes after the cameras catch Rich Brooks visibly mouthing “We’re going for it” before the commercial break. Great moment in broadcasting, especially when Beurlein convinces his broadcast partner of this after the break.
Metaphors you do not have to invent, part two: Todd Reesing, fresh from taking a sack and ending Kansas’ chances of winning a national title or Big 12 title, gets up with a solid ten pounds of dirt stuck in his facemask.
This week’s random notes and observations come to you, as always, from deep inside Pete Carroll’s Enchanted Gridiron Grotto. It’s champagne bath week in honor of the thumping of Arizona State, meaning that champagne is all we’re bathing in down here for a while, meaning a helluva ant problem is on the way pronto.
The Grotto this week is brought to you by Jared, who wants you to know that if you’re looking for a cheap whore detector, you can purchase a wide variety of them at your local Jared jeweler.
<object height="355" width="425">
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WezgAIBY6Ys&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></object></p> Last night, during EDSBS Live, the discussion board broke out with a long chain on the infamous dog of dubious pedigree that nipped Jerraud Powers, Auburn DB, in the waning minutes of the Iron Bowl. Elroy the Racist Dog, as we’ll now call him, elicited the following string of comments that had us barely able to continue the show:
That dog has Birth of a Nation on DVD
That dog hates running quarterbacks.
That dog won’t eat peanut butter.
That dog has plenty of black friends. Really! He does!
That dog hated the Cosby show.
That dog doesn’t understand why Jimmy the Greek was fired.
Brent Schaeffer still looks, at each game, like a talented athlete attempting the quarterback position for the first time no matter how many games he’s actually played under center.
Nebraska’s defense would have allowed 35 points to Craig James’ flag football team.
He went to Jared to buy me some shiny fossilized carbon! God, you monkeys are so easily impressed. We can’t escape from these commercials. One on the radio this morning touted the best name for a pearl necklace we’ve ever heard: THE LADIES’ PEARLMASTER. It’s got a Hemi in it made from real lightning! REAL LIGHTNING!
Robert Killebrew again earned the Emily Post award for best etiquette displayed by a linebacker, courteously allowing Aggie defenders to run clean around him and his gentle, supportive tackle attempts all day long. He’s earned a spot in the hearts of Longhorn fans everywhere. A lesion, really, from stress and aggravation, one that may very well kill some of them one day in the distant future.
Kept waiting for someone to bare their breasts in the live shots from Baton rouge. Sadly, the only nudity seen during the game was Mike the Tiger lolling on his back in his cage. Full-frontal tiger penis action that got every Chinese pharmacist giddy with the thought of massive profit.
The Father-in-law notes that one of the Aggie cadets has an Eagle Scout badge on. You could dress yourself up like Timmy in a Rug Rats episode where they all pretend to be soldiers couldn’t you? Bucket on head, putter in hand, wearing someone’s name Best Buy name tag and a pair of cowboy boots, couldn’t
Rodderick Muckleroy, Texas: another fake alias we must love.
During the LSU game, Jacob Hester rolled into the endzone with an Arkansas helmet rolling behind him. There could have been a head in there, and we would not have been surprised.
A fullback dive in a different formation is still a fullback dive–when you hit it right, it’s like legal theft. Peyton Hillis did this in stunning fashion in the Arkansas game. When he gets back there, he’s only fighting the wind on the way to the endzone. It’s wishbone wonderfulish.
<object height="355" width="425">
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/y5alq9LRUNk&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></object></p> In the Longhorn/Aggie game, Fran called a fake FG and got it. In the Missouri/Kansas game, Pinkel did the same on the first drive of the game and got clobbered short of the first down. Stupidity and daring are often the same coat put on different ways.
Les Miles picayune tactics watch: Miles used a time out to stop the clock, possibly giving them Ark. a full minute to score provided they get the ball back. Kirk Ferentz will never do that at Michigan. He’ll also have a hell of time winning ten games a year, as Miles has done at LSU.
We’d never, ever want to coach against an Arkansas team in overtime. You don’t want to get in a hammer fight with them. That’s the only weapon they bring to the fight, and the last thing a fatigued team of any kind wants to see are three hot running backs begging to piledrive a game into submission. It’s second to watching Auburn’s kickoff
Asshole route on Tennessee’s first TD. The press will refer to these as “jerk” routes, but at the heart of the West Coast-lite attack run by David Cutcliffe (and in the pros, Jon Gruden) is a burning desire to make one guy on your defense look like a total fucking asshole. That is precisely what happens as Arian Foster runs through a play-action fake, scoots into the left flat, and up the sidelines for a wheel route TD with no one near him. The collected thoughts of everyone in the stadium practically seethed the word “asshole.”
My, Virginia students look conspicuously well-scrubbed.
Hawaii fans celebrated their TDs with the tradition of throwing spare receipts onto the field. Judging from recent reports of fan behavior, those could also be bail receipts. In the universal television conference, only Dog The Bounty Hunter informs us of anything going on in Hawaii, so they must be bail receipts, since the show makes the state look like one long methamphetamine bust with Dog eventually incarcerating everyone, including himself. Leland, watch this guy. I mean, me.
Again, we can’t really remember how Virginia scored against Virginia Tech. We never do. A quarterback draw? PI call for 15? Double steal with a suicide squeeze? They’re in the lead, and we can’t remember how? They play amnesiaball, never doing anything particularly memorable.
CBS played the Killers’ cover of Joy Division’s “Shadowplay” on a commercial break. Little known is the fact that Joy Division frontman Ian Curtis was an immense Baylor fan. This is also why he hanged himself.
From an uproarious ESPN interview during the USF/Pitt game: George Selvie, on sacks:
“Sacking the quarterback, it’s all good…I compare getting a sack to getting honeybuns, my favorite food. They’re so soft…so sweet…”
He then maws down on a honey bun he’s had waiting as a prop the whole time, and his eyes flood with an almost sexual delight. This, for some reason, moves us. Selvie wasn’t putting on an act: he obviously has some sort of metaphysical connection with honeybuns the rest of us don’t have. (Mangino Fulmer Friedgen joke content insert here.)
Metaphors you do not have to invent, part one. Bostick throws a pick six. The camera flashes to Dave Wannstedt. He is on crutches. Just like the Pitt football program.
There you go, all on a plate. No fixins’ needed.
USF DT Allen Cray gets in a nice bellyflop sack on Pitt qb Ryan Bostick. The kind where Bostick probably pissed himself a bit on impact.
History comes full circle as Matthew Stafford pulls a reverse Godsey on Georgia Tech and rumbles through for a TD on an option play against the Jackets. Stafford likely had the same conversation that Friedgen had with Godsey after the run:
Godsey: “Hey, coach, did you see me pulling away with my speed?”
Friedgen: “George, I don’t think they believed you had the ball.”
The whole Giggity giggity thing isn’t about plagiarism–it’s about outright theft from two sources, Big Daddy Drew and the Ernest T. character from Andy Griffith. Jones and Nutt are friends, so it only stands to reason that Nutt would talk like Jones, just with less clarity and with the caps lock on. Remember: amateurs imitate, pros steal, or at least that’s what T.S. Eliot said, along with “Mehhh, I can’t play sports because of my weltschmerz and bad arches,” and “Why, that would be like trusting a Johnny, for God’s sakes!”
Yay! Audible bullshits and fuck yeahs in the background of the USF/Pitt game.
On CBS, Steve Beurlein says the fake punt Kentucky gets a first down on wasn’t planned. This comes after the cameras catch Rich Brooks visibly mouthing “We’re going for it” before the commercial break. Great moment in broadcasting, especially when Beurlein convinces his broadcast partner of this after the break.
Metaphors you do not have to invent, part two: Todd Reesing, fresh from taking a sack and ending Kansas’ chances of winning a national title or Big 12 title, gets up with a solid ten pounds of dirt stuck in his facemask.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Respect Colorado's Authorita
Posted Nov 26th 2007 12:09PM by Brian Cook
Filed under: Colorado Football, Big 12, NCAA FB Video, The Word
This year, ESPN switched up its player introductions for college football, adding a little circular area of the screen where some player, coach or quasi-celebrity associated with the team would introduce the lineups.
From what I can gather, most people think this is a stupid idea. It lengthens the time the introductions take -- several times this year, plays on the opening drive have been largely obscured -- and the end result is usually somewhere between wooden and embarrassing. Sometimes you'll get an entertaining nickname for one of the players, but that's about it.
However, that general thumbs-down has one huge exception. Eric Cartman introduced the Colorado Buffaloes as they took on Nebraska on Friday, and it was sweet:
<object height="355" width="425">
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/a9kp6l6bWNc&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></object>
The defense after the jump.
(Via The Game and Awful Announcing)
<object height="355" width="425">
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/69nIToQ24i4&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></object>
Correction: Eric Cartman is in fourth grade. He is not a CU alum.
Filed under: Colorado Football, Big 12, NCAA FB Video, The Word
This year, ESPN switched up its player introductions for college football, adding a little circular area of the screen where some player, coach or quasi-celebrity associated with the team would introduce the lineups.
From what I can gather, most people think this is a stupid idea. It lengthens the time the introductions take -- several times this year, plays on the opening drive have been largely obscured -- and the end result is usually somewhere between wooden and embarrassing. Sometimes you'll get an entertaining nickname for one of the players, but that's about it.
However, that general thumbs-down has one huge exception. Eric Cartman introduced the Colorado Buffaloes as they took on Nebraska on Friday, and it was sweet:
<object height="355" width="425">
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/a9kp6l6bWNc&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></object>
The defense after the jump.
(Via The Game and Awful Announcing)
<object height="355" width="425">
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/69nIToQ24i4&rel=1&border=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></object>
Correction: Eric Cartman is in fourth grade. He is not a CU alum.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Bowden getting contract extension
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0237893561790135"; google_alternate_color = "ffffff"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; //2007-06-19: entries google_ad_channel = "0603066557"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "003399"; google_color_text = "333333"; google_color_url = "999999"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-0237893561790135&dt=1196129858500&lmt=1196129857&alt_color=ffffff&format=300x250_as&output=html&correlator=1196129858484&channel=0603066557&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanblogs.com%2Fclemson%2F007338.php&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=333333&color_link=003399&color_url=999999&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&cc=100&ga_vid=1546096358.1193703380&ga_sid=1196129858&ga_hid=790858342&ga_fc=true&flash=9&u_h=768&u_w=1280&u_ah=738&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=1&u_java=true&u_nplug=26&u_nmime=104" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe> TigerIllustrated reports that Clemson is in negotiations with Tommy Bowden to extend the coach's contract past his current 2010 deal.
Bowden is 69-41 in nine seasons at Clemson and his Tigers are on the verge of their first 10-win season in 17 years.
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0237893561790135"; google_alternate_color = "ffffff"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; //2007-06-19: entries google_ad_channel = "0603066557"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "003399"; google_color_text = "333333"; google_color_url = "999999"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-0237893561790135&dt=1196129858500&lmt=1196129857&alt_color=ffffff&format=300x250_as&output=html&correlator=1196129858484&channel=0603066557&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanblogs.com%2Fclemson%2F007338.php&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=333333&color_link=003399&color_url=999999&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&cc=100&ga_vid=1546096358.1193703380&ga_sid=1196129858&ga_hid=790858342&ga_fc=true&flash=9&u_h=768&u_w=1280&u_ah=738&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=1&u_java=true&u_nplug=26&u_nmime=104" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe> TigerIllustrated reports that Clemson is in negotiations with Tommy Bowden to extend the coach's contract past his current 2010 deal.
The 53-year old met briefly with Clemson Athletics Director Terry Don Phillips on Monday, two days after the Tigers defeated arch-rival South Carolina 23-21 to pick up win No. 9 on the season. Phillips told Bowden Monday he was pleased with the progress of the program and would offer an extension, according to a 6:48 PM EST email from Clemson Sports Information Director Tim Bourret sent to members of the media.
There will be further meetings to discuss the terms of the contract in the coming days, the email stated.
Bowden's deal was last restructured in 2004, adding extra years and a substantial buyout to the contract. This extension is expected to also boost Bowden's salary, as well as that of his assistants. There will be further meetings to discuss the terms of the contract in the coming days, the email stated.
Bowden is 69-41 in nine seasons at Clemson and his Tigers are on the verge of their first 10-win season in 17 years.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Doba out at Washington State
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0237893561790135"; google_alternate_color = "ffffff"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; //2007-06-19: entries google_ad_channel = "0603066557"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "003399"; google_color_text = "333333"; google_color_url = "999999"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-0237893561790135&dt=1196129886328&lmt=1196129886&alt_color=ffffff&format=300x250_as&output=html&correlator=1196129886328&channel=0603066557&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanblogs.com%2Fwashington_state%2F007337.php&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=333333&color_link=003399&color_url=999999&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&cc=100&ga_vid=1546096358.1193703380&ga_sid=1196129858&ga_hid=1479789419&ga_fc=true&flash=9&u_h=768&u_w=1280&u_ah=738&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=1&u_java=true&u_nplug=26&u_nmime=104" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe> The AP is reporting that Bill Doba is out as head coach of the Washington State Cougars.
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0237893561790135"; google_alternate_color = "ffffff"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; //2007-06-19: entries google_ad_channel = "0603066557"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "003399"; google_color_text = "333333"; google_color_url = "999999"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-0237893561790135&dt=1196129886328&lmt=1196129886&alt_color=ffffff&format=300x250_as&output=html&correlator=1196129886328&channel=0603066557&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanblogs.com%2Fwashington_state%2F007337.php&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=333333&color_link=003399&color_url=999999&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&cc=100&ga_vid=1546096358.1193703380&ga_sid=1196129858&ga_hid=1479789419&ga_fc=true&flash=9&u_h=768&u_w=1280&u_ah=738&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=1&u_java=true&u_nplug=26&u_nmime=104" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe> The AP is reporting that Bill Doba is out as head coach of the Washington State Cougars.
Bill Doba will not return as football coach at Washington State after a 5-7 season in which the team missed going to a bowl game for a fourth consecutive year, a source in the athletics department told The Associated Press on Monday. It was not immediately clear if he resigned or was fired. A formal announcement was scheduled.
Doba will not return despite an emotional 42-35 win over archrival Washington on Saturday that gave him a 3-2 record against the cross-state rivals from Seattle.
Doba, 67, had a 30-29 record in five seasons at Washington State, which is based in Pullman. He is one of only a handful of coaches to have a winning career record at the Pacific 10 Conference school.
Doba will not return despite an emotional 42-35 win over archrival Washington on Saturday that gave him a 3-2 record against the cross-state rivals from Seattle.
Doba, 67, had a 30-29 record in five seasons at Washington State, which is based in Pullman. He is one of only a handful of coaches to have a winning career record at the Pacific 10 Conference school.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Houston Nutt Resigns As Arkansas Head Coach
Jump to Comments At the 6:30 pm press conference Houston Nutt made it known that he resigned the position of Arkansas Razorback Head Football Coach this morning. Reggie Herring was named interim head coach for the bowl game. Jeff Long will begin the search for a new head coach as soon as possible. Chancellor White will ask the Razorback foundation to release the “Golden Handcuffs” and treat Houston as if he had been fired (He’ll be getting a nice severance package). KATV, Arkansas Sports 360, and the Memphis Commercial Appeal are reporting that Houston is one of two lead candidates for the Ole Miss Rebels job that was vacated when Ed Orgeron was fired this past weekend. Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Rick Neuheisel, a former Colorado and Washington coach, is the other lead candidate although Nutt is the firm leader.
Jump to Comments At the 6:30 pm press conference Houston Nutt made it known that he resigned the position of Arkansas Razorback Head Football Coach this morning. Reggie Herring was named interim head coach for the bowl game. Jeff Long will begin the search for a new head coach as soon as possible. Chancellor White will ask the Razorback foundation to release the “Golden Handcuffs” and treat Houston as if he had been fired (He’ll be getting a nice severance package). KATV, Arkansas Sports 360, and the Memphis Commercial Appeal are reporting that Houston is one of two lead candidates for the Ole Miss Rebels job that was vacated when Ed Orgeron was fired this past weekend. Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Rick Neuheisel, a former Colorado and Washington coach, is the other lead candidate although Nutt is the firm leader.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Jim Grobe And His Never-Ending Job Candidacy
Posted Nov 26th 2007 8:00PM by Ian Cohen
Filed under: Nebraska Football, ACC, Big 12, BCS, NCAA FB Rumors, NCAA FB Coaching, Wake Forest Football
I know we all like to use college football as possible equivalents for real life situations, and considering that some people follow a coach's every move more than that of their significant other, one could see the relationship between team and coach as being corporeal. Sometimes, you go your separate ways for reasons that seem shortsighted, but ultimately are important. I realized that an ex who only had a Rod Stewart covers CD to show for her last three months of music purchases may not have been the best match for me. By the same token, Nebraska axed Frank Solich knowing that it might have been a little irrational, but ultimately, a change needed to be made on both parts. And sometimes you need to need to change things up because you can't trust the person you've committed to. See: Tommy Tuberville's possible move to <strike>Texas A&M</strike> god knows where. But if you've experienced the relationship equivalent of what Bill Callahan did to Nebraska, you've either been on daytime TV or you founded Dashboard Confessional.<strike>
</strike>
There's reason to believe (so maybe that Rod Stewart stuff did kinda take hold) that the Nebraska opening will be treated by the media in a similar fashion that the Alabama one did last year. You know the drill: school steeped in history, but most of their success on a national level came before a time most current recruits were alive for and the expectations have not been diminished one bit from "possibly irrational. " Though it remains to be seen whether the next Nebraska coach will become so under circumstances that turn him into the next Nick Saban, but I'm sure that everyone's favorite lil' engine that could, Wake Forest's Jim Grobe, will be mentioned as if coaching in Winston-Salem couldn't possibly satisfy one of America's greatest coaches (albeit one who totally blew the game against Virginia by a: not testing the Cavs' secondary and b: not trying to improve their field position on the game-deciding field goal). <strike>
</strike>
What does Grobe have to offer Nebraska? Well, thanks to the development of Riley Skinner, they've gone a little more beyond the Mouse Trap-intricate battery of run plays that never, ever work on PlayStation. But it still bears a resemblance to what a modernized triple option might look like. Moreover, Nebraska has always been known for developing walk-on talent and although Grobe has been becoming more of an impact recruiter (particularly in Florida), he didn't exactly reach the Orange Bowl with the Tom Lemming-approved. Also, Grobe has held it down at one of DI-A's most academically reputable schools, so they likely won't have to worry about Colorado-like funny business when high school kids drop by on recruiting weekends.
But once again, would Grobe accept the Nebraska job? Mind you, he was a much-bandied about candidate last year coming off the Orange Bowl win and he decided to take a relatively lucrative extension at Wake, a place where he's pretty much a god and capable of competing for a BCS bowl every single year. In spite of a tough-looking schedule to kick off the year (Nebraska wasn't in shambles yet) and a heartbreaking loss to a charmed Virginia team, Wake still ended the year 8-4 and appear headed for the Meineke Car Care Bowl, a damn-near home game. Not bad for what's considered an "off" season...and Skinner's still got two more years of eligibility, not to mention whoever becomes the halfback du jour (or whatever is French for "of the year").
So here we are again with the relationship comparisons. Grobe's current situation is like having a "7" with an awesome personality that loves you unconditionally. Do you ditch it for something that's far more sexy, but can ruin your life? Unsure what sort of buyout goes along with Grobe's contract, but here's thinking that going way outside the Cornhusker family would be a mistake for both parties.
Filed under: Nebraska Football, ACC, Big 12, BCS, NCAA FB Rumors, NCAA FB Coaching, Wake Forest Football
</strike>
There's reason to believe (so maybe that Rod Stewart stuff did kinda take hold) that the Nebraska opening will be treated by the media in a similar fashion that the Alabama one did last year. You know the drill: school steeped in history, but most of their success on a national level came before a time most current recruits were alive for and the expectations have not been diminished one bit from "possibly irrational. " Though it remains to be seen whether the next Nebraska coach will become so under circumstances that turn him into the next Nick Saban, but I'm sure that everyone's favorite lil' engine that could, Wake Forest's Jim Grobe, will be mentioned as if coaching in Winston-Salem couldn't possibly satisfy one of America's greatest coaches (albeit one who totally blew the game against Virginia by a: not testing the Cavs' secondary and b: not trying to improve their field position on the game-deciding field goal). <strike>
</strike>
What does Grobe have to offer Nebraska? Well, thanks to the development of Riley Skinner, they've gone a little more beyond the Mouse Trap-intricate battery of run plays that never, ever work on PlayStation. But it still bears a resemblance to what a modernized triple option might look like. Moreover, Nebraska has always been known for developing walk-on talent and although Grobe has been becoming more of an impact recruiter (particularly in Florida), he didn't exactly reach the Orange Bowl with the Tom Lemming-approved. Also, Grobe has held it down at one of DI-A's most academically reputable schools, so they likely won't have to worry about Colorado-like funny business when high school kids drop by on recruiting weekends.
But once again, would Grobe accept the Nebraska job? Mind you, he was a much-bandied about candidate last year coming off the Orange Bowl win and he decided to take a relatively lucrative extension at Wake, a place where he's pretty much a god and capable of competing for a BCS bowl every single year. In spite of a tough-looking schedule to kick off the year (Nebraska wasn't in shambles yet) and a heartbreaking loss to a charmed Virginia team, Wake still ended the year 8-4 and appear headed for the Meineke Car Care Bowl, a damn-near home game. Not bad for what's considered an "off" season...and Skinner's still got two more years of eligibility, not to mention whoever becomes the halfback du jour (or whatever is French for "of the year").
So here we are again with the relationship comparisons. Grobe's current situation is like having a "7" with an awesome personality that loves you unconditionally. Do you ditch it for something that's far more sexy, but can ruin your life? Unsure what sort of buyout goes along with Grobe's contract, but here's thinking that going way outside the Cornhusker family would be a mistake for both parties.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Can't Change? Or Won't?
by HornsFan Mon Nov 26, 2007 at 06:30:31 PM EDT
Last night right at 11:30, Scipio Tex at Barking Carnival and I threw up posts on our respective sites. As it turned out, there was a good bit of overlap to portions of our posts. Scipio, arguing that the oft-heard "Mack Brown is a good CEO" line is a gross mischaracterization, had this to say:
The average Joe thinks of a CEO as a glib promoter with solid organizational skills, good outreach, and quick spin. Nice skills to have, but ancillary to the work of real management. The primary obligations of senior management are to enforce a vitality curve, create efficiencies, develop others, call out and address poor performance, mobilize the disparate to a common goal, and work diligently, if not ruthlessly, to increase the dynamism of the total organization. Mack does one of those things well (bringing different camps together) and the rest horridly. He ricochets between micromanagement and absentee delegation (The classic Hersey S1/S4 managerial swing), hires within a narrow comfort zone of yes-men, can’t bear to make the tough call, indulges nepotism in himself and his staff, has skin as thin as onion paper, evidences shoddy results in grooming others, stifles staff dissent and necessary creative tension, and values tenure over talent.
These aren’t the hallmarks of an effective senior manager. Unless you’re a Ken Lay devotee.
(I encourage you to read the entire post, which is excellent.) Meanwhile, I was posting about the apparent comfort level Mack Brown's slipped into, and why it might not be serving him well:
As a fan who generally supports Mack Brown and is grateful for what he's done at Texas, I do think we've reached a point where he's surrounded by too much that is comfortable. I think most of us can look at our line of work and think about a time when plowing forward with "what we know" is no longer sufficient to keep us at the top of the game. Whether that's learning the ins and outs of new media marketing, or figuring out how to increase your direct sales to customers, or adjusting the branding of your product to an evolving marketplace, the lesson in every business is the same: you have to stay out at the forefront of the curve if you want to remain ultra-competitive. More often than not, that means integrating new people and ideas to help you evolve from what it is you know best.
Mack Brown doesn't need to teach himself the Xs and Os of the newest, sexiest offensive or defensive schemes. But there comes a time when being surrounded by that which you're comfortable with no longer serves you well. Mack can choose to ride that comfortable horse into the sunset, or he can choose to invigorate his staff with some hungry young talent who will help challenge the way he coaches football for the remainder of his career.
Where our posts diverge is in the final framing of the big issue: where I suggest Mack Brown may well be capable of making adjustments that help cure much of which ails him, Scipio's conclusion suggests that such a transformation is not within Mack's capabilities at all.
Like all great salespeople, Mack Brown’s first and most necessary sale is to himself. Like most marketers, his vision far exceeds his technical and managerial acumen. When his ambitions are thwarted, and absent the gift of ruthless self-appraisal, he looks externally - to the fans, to football mysticism and cliche, to specious and deceiving benchmarks that suggest that he’s not really failing at all. Good organizations are about solid systems, not personality cults. Being bombarded with the notion that Mack is a tremendous CEO doesn’t make it so.
Talking about all this meta stuff can get tiresome very quickly, but if ever there were a time for it, surely it's now, at the close of a disappointing season that reflected glaring systemic weaknesses. And I think there's a very real divide among Texas fans about those systemic problems: some believe they're not only a reflection of Mack Brown's weaknesses, but that the chatter about systemic change is in large part a waste of time. That is, Mack isn't capable of making the requisite changes.
The other segment of the fanbase remains hopeful that meaningful change is within Mack Brown's grasp. I'd guess that the motivations for this optimism are myriad (ranging from his national title, to his sincerity as a man, all the way to needing a coping mechanism for one's sports fandom), but the fact remains that there are a lot of us who don't want to believe that Texas football is confined to good-not-great for the rest of Mack's tenure.
Can we say that there's a right or wrong way to look at this? I'd argue that it's a little too soon to pen in ink the story of Mack's final seasons at Texas, but I think almost everyone agrees - on both sides - that Mack's track record lends itself to skeptical viewing. Though his accomplishments are many, the systemic weaknesses we've all been talking about have more or less come to define his reputation.
For now, we're each left to choose what we want to believe about the future at Texas under Mack Brown. Me? I think the Hallmark Card in me wants to believe that this year's struggles might lead Mack Brown to make the sort of evaluation - self and otherwise - with which he's heretofore been uncomfortable. Is that naive? I dunno; I'm not exactly counting on it, and you won't find me among the suprised if Texas football has plateaued. I know as well as anyone that people rarely change at the fundamental level - generally, we are who we are.
And yet, it does happen. I recently finished editing a book of interviews from a Washington D.C.-based radio program and I'll never forget listening to and editing the interview with former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. By the end of the interview he was crying softly as he talked about the lessons he'd learned since the Vietnam War. The one thing that stood out above all else in that interview was that, with age and experience, McNamara had fundamentally changed. More than that, there had come a distinct moment in time where he made a conscious decision that doing so was necessary.
His legacy and Mack Brown's are two completely different beasts, but like the heart attack victim who decides to eat well and exercise, the convict who renounces violence and finds religion, or the workaholic father who finally decides to prioritize his family, there do exist transformational moments in a man's life and career that can profoundly affect how he conducts his business.
Is the disappointment of this season the kind of low point that might prompt Mack Brown to make a similar self-evaluation? Oh, probably not, but hey - sometimes life delivers a Hallmark ending.
Keep hope alive!
by HornsFan Mon Nov 26, 2007 at 06:30:31 PM EDT
Last night right at 11:30, Scipio Tex at Barking Carnival and I threw up posts on our respective sites. As it turned out, there was a good bit of overlap to portions of our posts. Scipio, arguing that the oft-heard "Mack Brown is a good CEO" line is a gross mischaracterization, had this to say:
The average Joe thinks of a CEO as a glib promoter with solid organizational skills, good outreach, and quick spin. Nice skills to have, but ancillary to the work of real management. The primary obligations of senior management are to enforce a vitality curve, create efficiencies, develop others, call out and address poor performance, mobilize the disparate to a common goal, and work diligently, if not ruthlessly, to increase the dynamism of the total organization. Mack does one of those things well (bringing different camps together) and the rest horridly. He ricochets between micromanagement and absentee delegation (The classic Hersey S1/S4 managerial swing), hires within a narrow comfort zone of yes-men, can’t bear to make the tough call, indulges nepotism in himself and his staff, has skin as thin as onion paper, evidences shoddy results in grooming others, stifles staff dissent and necessary creative tension, and values tenure over talent.
These aren’t the hallmarks of an effective senior manager. Unless you’re a Ken Lay devotee.
(I encourage you to read the entire post, which is excellent.) Meanwhile, I was posting about the apparent comfort level Mack Brown's slipped into, and why it might not be serving him well:
As a fan who generally supports Mack Brown and is grateful for what he's done at Texas, I do think we've reached a point where he's surrounded by too much that is comfortable. I think most of us can look at our line of work and think about a time when plowing forward with "what we know" is no longer sufficient to keep us at the top of the game. Whether that's learning the ins and outs of new media marketing, or figuring out how to increase your direct sales to customers, or adjusting the branding of your product to an evolving marketplace, the lesson in every business is the same: you have to stay out at the forefront of the curve if you want to remain ultra-competitive. More often than not, that means integrating new people and ideas to help you evolve from what it is you know best.
Mack Brown doesn't need to teach himself the Xs and Os of the newest, sexiest offensive or defensive schemes. But there comes a time when being surrounded by that which you're comfortable with no longer serves you well. Mack can choose to ride that comfortable horse into the sunset, or he can choose to invigorate his staff with some hungry young talent who will help challenge the way he coaches football for the remainder of his career.
Where our posts diverge is in the final framing of the big issue: where I suggest Mack Brown may well be capable of making adjustments that help cure much of which ails him, Scipio's conclusion suggests that such a transformation is not within Mack's capabilities at all.
Like all great salespeople, Mack Brown’s first and most necessary sale is to himself. Like most marketers, his vision far exceeds his technical and managerial acumen. When his ambitions are thwarted, and absent the gift of ruthless self-appraisal, he looks externally - to the fans, to football mysticism and cliche, to specious and deceiving benchmarks that suggest that he’s not really failing at all. Good organizations are about solid systems, not personality cults. Being bombarded with the notion that Mack is a tremendous CEO doesn’t make it so.
Talking about all this meta stuff can get tiresome very quickly, but if ever there were a time for it, surely it's now, at the close of a disappointing season that reflected glaring systemic weaknesses. And I think there's a very real divide among Texas fans about those systemic problems: some believe they're not only a reflection of Mack Brown's weaknesses, but that the chatter about systemic change is in large part a waste of time. That is, Mack isn't capable of making the requisite changes.
The other segment of the fanbase remains hopeful that meaningful change is within Mack Brown's grasp. I'd guess that the motivations for this optimism are myriad (ranging from his national title, to his sincerity as a man, all the way to needing a coping mechanism for one's sports fandom), but the fact remains that there are a lot of us who don't want to believe that Texas football is confined to good-not-great for the rest of Mack's tenure.
Can we say that there's a right or wrong way to look at this? I'd argue that it's a little too soon to pen in ink the story of Mack's final seasons at Texas, but I think almost everyone agrees - on both sides - that Mack's track record lends itself to skeptical viewing. Though his accomplishments are many, the systemic weaknesses we've all been talking about have more or less come to define his reputation.
For now, we're each left to choose what we want to believe about the future at Texas under Mack Brown. Me? I think the Hallmark Card in me wants to believe that this year's struggles might lead Mack Brown to make the sort of evaluation - self and otherwise - with which he's heretofore been uncomfortable. Is that naive? I dunno; I'm not exactly counting on it, and you won't find me among the suprised if Texas football has plateaued. I know as well as anyone that people rarely change at the fundamental level - generally, we are who we are.
And yet, it does happen. I recently finished editing a book of interviews from a Washington D.C.-based radio program and I'll never forget listening to and editing the interview with former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. By the end of the interview he was crying softly as he talked about the lessons he'd learned since the Vietnam War. The one thing that stood out above all else in that interview was that, with age and experience, McNamara had fundamentally changed. More than that, there had come a distinct moment in time where he made a conscious decision that doing so was necessary.
His legacy and Mack Brown's are two completely different beasts, but like the heart attack victim who decides to eat well and exercise, the convict who renounces violence and finds religion, or the workaholic father who finally decides to prioritize his family, there do exist transformational moments in a man's life and career that can profoundly affect how he conducts his business.
Is the disappointment of this season the kind of low point that might prompt Mack Brown to make a similar self-evaluation? Oh, probably not, but hey - sometimes life delivers a Hallmark ending.
Keep hope alive!
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Black Monday for Coaches
Wow. Today, many hammers were brought down on a handful of FBS coaches.
We already knew that Dennis Franchione was done at A&M, but before I could credulously confabulate the Texas A&M situation, they've already hired Mike Sherman. It'll be interesting to see if his west coast style will translate to the college game or he'll be a repeat of former NFLers like Dave Wannstedt, Bill Callahan, or......
Chan Gailey got fired today. Georgia Tech was mulling over the thought for a while and an average 7-5 season when the Yellow Jackets were supposed to compete for the ACC title was all the administration needed to can the guy.
Jeff Bower stunningly will not be back to coach Southern Miss (after yet another bowl appearance). The Golden Eagles should miss their coach who has been there for the last 17 years! Word isn't clear on whether or not he "resigned" or if he was fired. I'm still wondering why he should leave. Maybe he did it on his own power (I doubt that though).
Ted Roof also got the boot at Duke for winning a total of 6 games in his career. I don't care where that is, it's horrible. Duke is one of the toughest coaching jobs in the nation.
Houston Nutt is also reportedly out at Arkansas. This was a long time coming, but I suppose the upset victory over LSU wasn't enough to detour the administration's mind about his job at Arkansas.
Also, Sonny Lubick was offered a job in the athletic department while Joe Novak is likely to call it quits at Northern Illinois.
Wow. Today, many hammers were brought down on a handful of FBS coaches.We already knew that Dennis Franchione was done at A&M, but before I could credulously confabulate the Texas A&M situation, they've already hired Mike Sherman. It'll be interesting to see if his west coast style will translate to the college game or he'll be a repeat of former NFLers like Dave Wannstedt, Bill Callahan, or......
Chan Gailey got fired today. Georgia Tech was mulling over the thought for a while and an average 7-5 season when the Yellow Jackets were supposed to compete for the ACC title was all the administration needed to can the guy.
Jeff Bower stunningly will not be back to coach Southern Miss (after yet another bowl appearance). The Golden Eagles should miss their coach who has been there for the last 17 years! Word isn't clear on whether or not he "resigned" or if he was fired. I'm still wondering why he should leave. Maybe he did it on his own power (I doubt that though).
Ted Roof also got the boot at Duke for winning a total of 6 games in his career. I don't care where that is, it's horrible. Duke is one of the toughest coaching jobs in the nation.
Houston Nutt is also reportedly out at Arkansas. This was a long time coming, but I suppose the upset victory over LSU wasn't enough to detour the administration's mind about his job at Arkansas.
Also, Sonny Lubick was offered a job in the athletic department while Joe Novak is likely to call it quits at Northern Illinois.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Will Miami's Top Players Jump Ship?
Posted Nov 26th 2007 4:04PM by Ian Cohen
Filed under: Miami Football, ACC, BCS, NFL Prospects
Outside of a rogue win against Florida State (which certainly can't be considered all that impressive, all things told), Miami's season...well, you'd be hard-pressed to figure out a way that could somehow make it worse. Losing to Duke, maybe...Luke Campbell publicly disavowing them, certainly. Well, what if I told you that they're looking at a 2008 where they lose their best players on either side of the ball to the NFL Draft? I imagine that wouldn't be so terrible if they were seniors, considering that Randy Shannon is supposedly a monster on the recruiting trail. But what if they were rising seniors, giving the hint that they could leave because they're just so damn sick of losing?
Well, that's what could go down with DE Calais Campbell and CB Kenny Phillips, who are weighing their options during the next month without a bowl game to distract them. So says Campbell,
Filed under: Miami Football, ACC, BCS, NFL Prospects
Well, that's what could go down with DE Calais Campbell and CB Kenny Phillips, who are weighing their options during the next month without a bowl game to distract them. So says Campbell,
''This is the first time I've had a losing season ever, on any level,'' Campbell said. ``And it's tough. I really don't know about what decision I'll make. I have to sit down and talk to my parents and family, coaches and teammates.''
Both Campbell and Phillips project as nothing less than mid-first round prospects, and there's a good chance that both could land in the top ten (particularly Campbell). Considering that defense is going to have to carry the day until Miami develops some kind of offensive identity, even a blow this expected could be terribly damaging to the Canes next year.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Longtime Colorado State coach's tenure may be done
Posted: Monday November 26, 2007 3:52PM; Updated: Monday November 26, 2007 5:50PM
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) -- Colorado State University has offered football coach Sonny Lubick a job as an associate athletic director but school officials stopped short of saying he has been fired or has resigned.
Lubick, who has two years remaining on his coaching contract, is 108-74 in 15 seasons at Colorado State and led the Rams to nine bowl games. But they have had losing records three out of the past four seasons and finished 3-9 this year after beating Wyoming on Friday.
University president Larry Penley said the school and Lubick are in "retirement negotiations." He said students, boosters and alumni have become frustrated with the program's performance.
Penley and athletic director Paul Kowalczyk said in written statements they wanted Lubick to remain with the school in some capacity. Kowalczyk said if Lubick accepts a job as senior associate athletic director, he would focus on fundraising and function as a "goodwill ambassador."
Kowalczyk said the school has offered to pay Lubick his base coaching salary for the remainder of his contract. Lubick is paid an estimated $530,000 annually but it was not immediately clear how much of that is his base.
Kowalczyk also said Lubick's assistants would be paid for the next three months or until they find other jobs.
Penley "has made it very clear that Sonny Lubick will always have a place at Colorado State University," Kowalczyk said.
"Sonny's reputation, record and service to CSU have clearly earned that. Any discussions we're having at this point are focused on his plans and what he'd like to do in the next phase of a very distinguished career."
Kowalczyk canceled a news conference scheduled for Monday afternoon, but the school said Kowalczyk and Lubick would meet with reporters on Tuesday.
Posted: Monday November 26, 2007 3:52PM; Updated: Monday November 26, 2007 5:50PM
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) -- Colorado State University has offered football coach Sonny Lubick a job as an associate athletic director but school officials stopped short of saying he has been fired or has resigned.
Lubick, who has two years remaining on his coaching contract, is 108-74 in 15 seasons at Colorado State and led the Rams to nine bowl games. But they have had losing records three out of the past four seasons and finished 3-9 this year after beating Wyoming on Friday.
University president Larry Penley said the school and Lubick are in "retirement negotiations." He said students, boosters and alumni have become frustrated with the program's performance.
Penley and athletic director Paul Kowalczyk said in written statements they wanted Lubick to remain with the school in some capacity. Kowalczyk said if Lubick accepts a job as senior associate athletic director, he would focus on fundraising and function as a "goodwill ambassador."
Kowalczyk said the school has offered to pay Lubick his base coaching salary for the remainder of his contract. Lubick is paid an estimated $530,000 annually but it was not immediately clear how much of that is his base.
Kowalczyk also said Lubick's assistants would be paid for the next three months or until they find other jobs.
Penley "has made it very clear that Sonny Lubick will always have a place at Colorado State University," Kowalczyk said.
"Sonny's reputation, record and service to CSU have clearly earned that. Any discussions we're having at this point are focused on his plans and what he'd like to do in the next phase of a very distinguished career."
Kowalczyk canceled a news conference scheduled for Monday afternoon, but the school said Kowalczyk and Lubick would meet with reporters on Tuesday.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Ferentz-to-Michigan Rumors Gain, Lose Steam
Posted Nov 26th 2007 3:37PM by Mark Hasty
Filed under: Iowa Football, Michigan Football, NCAA FB Rumors, NCAA FB Coaching
After FanHouse blogger Brian Cook posted on his personal site about Kirk Ferentz possibly being offered Michigan's head coaching job, many interpreted the ensuing media silence as a sign that this rumor was nothing more than a rumor. A couple media outlets in Iowa commented on the MGoBlog report, and it's certainly been grist for the talk-radio mill today, but is there anything to this rumor?
Well, we finally have our first official comment on the matter. Iowa athletic director Gary Barta has said that Michigan hasn't asked for permission to talk to Kirk Ferentz. Brian, in a post from earlier today, says that these days some of these dealings go on behind closed doors, which is true.
Barta hasn't been the athletic director at Iowa for very long, but he's already had experience with losing and hiring a prominent coach. Steve Alford left Iowa to become New Mexico's head basketball coach earlier this year. What happened back then?
Barta came right out and said he gave the Lobos permission to talk to Alford. Sure, that was a different situation. Few in Iowa were sorry to see Alford leave, and Alford was probably pretty happy to see Johnson County in his rear-view mirror.
The Hawkeye fan base is disappointed after a third straight mediocre season, but message board opinion is not overwhelmingly against Ferentz. The Iowa media largely seems to regard the Hawkeyes as a seven- or eight-win program with occasional excursions higher and lower. Many Hawkeye fans would like to see offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe step down, but he and Ferentz are a package deal.
In short, there's not much reason for Barta to hide any potential interest from Michigan. I know I said before Brian's post that this rumor is just strange enough that there may be something to it, but Barta's denial suggests to me that nothing has happened yet. After all, even if Ferentz does leave for Michigan for another job, Barta's not leaving, and he needs people to believe him if he is to do his job.
Filed under: Iowa Football, Michigan Football, NCAA FB Rumors, NCAA FB Coaching
Well, we finally have our first official comment on the matter. Iowa athletic director Gary Barta has said that Michigan hasn't asked for permission to talk to Kirk Ferentz. Brian, in a post from earlier today, says that these days some of these dealings go on behind closed doors, which is true.
Barta hasn't been the athletic director at Iowa for very long, but he's already had experience with losing and hiring a prominent coach. Steve Alford left Iowa to become New Mexico's head basketball coach earlier this year. What happened back then?
Barta came right out and said he gave the Lobos permission to talk to Alford. Sure, that was a different situation. Few in Iowa were sorry to see Alford leave, and Alford was probably pretty happy to see Johnson County in his rear-view mirror.
The Hawkeye fan base is disappointed after a third straight mediocre season, but message board opinion is not overwhelmingly against Ferentz. The Iowa media largely seems to regard the Hawkeyes as a seven- or eight-win program with occasional excursions higher and lower. Many Hawkeye fans would like to see offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe step down, but he and Ferentz are a package deal.
In short, there's not much reason for Barta to hide any potential interest from Michigan. I know I said before Brian's post that this rumor is just strange enough that there may be something to it, but Barta's denial suggests to me that nothing has happened yet. After all, even if Ferentz does leave for Michigan for another job, Barta's not leaving, and he needs people to believe him if he is to do his job.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Sherman to Texas A&M: Good Hire?
Posted Nov 26th 2007 3:35PM by Bruce Ciskie
Filed under: Big 12, Texas A&M Football, NCAA FB Coaching
We learned earlier today that Texas A&M had chosen a replacement for departed football coach Dennis Franchione. Former NFL head coach and current NFL assistant Mike Sherman has been named as A&M's new coach, signing a seven-year deal.
Sherman spent six years as head coach of the Green Bay Packers, compiling an impressive 57-39 record. Despite that mark, he was highly unpopular in Green Bay by the time he was let go by general manager Ted Thompson after the 2005 season.
He was snapped up almost immediately by the Houston Texans, where he worked as an assistant head coach last year and then as the offensive coordinator this year. Now, he moves back to Texas A&M, where he served as an assistant under R.C. Slocum in two separate stints.
Given how unhappy Aggie fans were with Franchione, I'm left to wonder if they'd be happy with the university hiring a paper bag to coach the football team. He went 32-28 in five years at A&M, and never got the program over the proverbial hump. They beat Texas the last two years, but there have been enough embarrassing losses along the way to make some people miss Slocum, who was also basically shoved out of town.
So there oughta be at least some sort of a honeymoon for Sherman.
But is this a good hire by Texas A&M?
For the 13 or so people who actually read my blog, you might remember a couple of rather scathing posts I have written in the past that were directed at Sherman. Among the happy thoughts:
First off, while I was very hard on Sherman as a head coach in Green Bay, much of his downfall came as a result of his work as the general manager. He wasn't particularly good at dealing with the business side of the game, and when he was stripped of his GM duties in Green Bay, team president Bob Harlan cited the Mike McKenzie debacle as one of the moments that made it clear Sherman couldn't handle the dual role.
(McKenzie, now with the Saints, held out of training camp before the 2004 season and only reported after two weeks in order to force the Packers to trade him, which they did.)
While I was no fan of Sherman as a GM, I did like a few things about Sherman. For starters, he is a good family man. This isn't a factor lost on me when I consider his viability as a college coach. College football is a place where coaches can afford to treat players like family, because they're not usually around long enough for the message to get old.
Sherman will bring energy. He'll work his tail off to get things right. He will run a clean program, making sure his players represent the university in a dignified manner. Along those lines, he will always represent the university well, both with the media and with potential recruits.
His offense will work in college football. Sherman likes to run the ball, and if he can get quality play out of Ron Dayne, I'm thinking he'll do well as an offensive coach in college. He'd be smart to meet with some spread offense gurus and employ some of the spread with his offense. But he can get the offense going.
One of the biggest question marks surrounding this hire surrounds Sherman's ability as a recruiter. If his work as a GM is any indicator, he'll need help. But Sherman's not ego-driven. If he needs help, he'll do it, as he did when he hired Mark Hatley to be his right-hand personnel man in Green Bay (Hatley died before the 2004 season).
His issues with communication while GM of the Packers were because of his work in a dual capacity. He should have no such problems in a college environment.
As long as Sherman can adjust his offense a bit, he should be just fine. He already took a good first step, giving up some salary to help with his budget for assistant coaches. Sherman had a reputation for trying to be everywhere while working in Green Bay, and the fact that he wants a higher budget for assistants shows that he understands the need for guys around him who can recruit for the program as well as he can. The head coach simply can't go to every high school game and visit every teenager and his family. It wouldn't work. Sherman appears prepared to delegate authority, and his previous experience in College Station means he should have a good understanding of the atmosphere and expectations there.
My verdict (not that Texas A&M asked me): Good hire. He wants to be there, and he will be a solid ambassador for this program.
Filed under: Big 12, Texas A&M Football, NCAA FB Coaching
Sherman spent six years as head coach of the Green Bay Packers, compiling an impressive 57-39 record. Despite that mark, he was highly unpopular in Green Bay by the time he was let go by general manager Ted Thompson after the 2005 season.
He was snapped up almost immediately by the Houston Texans, where he worked as an assistant head coach last year and then as the offensive coordinator this year. Now, he moves back to Texas A&M, where he served as an assistant under R.C. Slocum in two separate stints.
Given how unhappy Aggie fans were with Franchione, I'm left to wonder if they'd be happy with the university hiring a paper bag to coach the football team. He went 32-28 in five years at A&M, and never got the program over the proverbial hump. They beat Texas the last two years, but there have been enough embarrassing losses along the way to make some people miss Slocum, who was also basically shoved out of town.
So there oughta be at least some sort of a honeymoon for Sherman.
But is this a good hire by Texas A&M?
For the 13 or so people who actually read my blog, you might remember a couple of rather scathing posts I have written in the past that were directed at Sherman. Among the happy thoughts:
The NFL isn't all about the coaches. The NFL isn't all about the coaches. Please, let this be true. The NFL isn't all about the coaches. It better be true, because if it's all about the coaches, the Packers are doomed on Sunday. (Romeo) Crennel could down twenty Cap'n 'n' Cokes before the game and still outcoach Sherman.
Nothing like facing a superb pass rush and throwing the ball 61 times while running less than half that. Brilliant. Sherman tried to excuse it as the team being in the two-minute offense a lot. Nope. The playcalling sucked. The team was in the two-minute offense when they didn't need to be, and they had chances to run the ball that they wasted trying to get Favre to throw short passes against a quick defense that eats those kinds of things alive.
So, yeah. Before I endorse this hire, I sure figure that I have some explaining to do. Allow me.First off, while I was very hard on Sherman as a head coach in Green Bay, much of his downfall came as a result of his work as the general manager. He wasn't particularly good at dealing with the business side of the game, and when he was stripped of his GM duties in Green Bay, team president Bob Harlan cited the Mike McKenzie debacle as one of the moments that made it clear Sherman couldn't handle the dual role.
(McKenzie, now with the Saints, held out of training camp before the 2004 season and only reported after two weeks in order to force the Packers to trade him, which they did.)
While I was no fan of Sherman as a GM, I did like a few things about Sherman. For starters, he is a good family man. This isn't a factor lost on me when I consider his viability as a college coach. College football is a place where coaches can afford to treat players like family, because they're not usually around long enough for the message to get old.
Sherman will bring energy. He'll work his tail off to get things right. He will run a clean program, making sure his players represent the university in a dignified manner. Along those lines, he will always represent the university well, both with the media and with potential recruits.
His offense will work in college football. Sherman likes to run the ball, and if he can get quality play out of Ron Dayne, I'm thinking he'll do well as an offensive coach in college. He'd be smart to meet with some spread offense gurus and employ some of the spread with his offense. But he can get the offense going.
One of the biggest question marks surrounding this hire surrounds Sherman's ability as a recruiter. If his work as a GM is any indicator, he'll need help. But Sherman's not ego-driven. If he needs help, he'll do it, as he did when he hired Mark Hatley to be his right-hand personnel man in Green Bay (Hatley died before the 2004 season).
His issues with communication while GM of the Packers were because of his work in a dual capacity. He should have no such problems in a college environment.
As long as Sherman can adjust his offense a bit, he should be just fine. He already took a good first step, giving up some salary to help with his budget for assistant coaches. Sherman had a reputation for trying to be everywhere while working in Green Bay, and the fact that he wants a higher budget for assistants shows that he understands the need for guys around him who can recruit for the program as well as he can. The head coach simply can't go to every high school game and visit every teenager and his family. It wouldn't work. Sherman appears prepared to delegate authority, and his previous experience in College Station means he should have a good understanding of the atmosphere and expectations there.
My verdict (not that Texas A&M asked me): Good hire. He wants to be there, and he will be a solid ambassador for this program.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Notre Dame WR David Grimes Apparently Has a Hole in the Middle of His Palm
Posted Nov 26th 2007 2:55PM by Brian Stouffer
Filed under: Notre Dame Football, Pac 10, NCAA FB Media Watch, NCAA FB Scandal, NCAA FB Video, Stanford Football
At least, according to the Pac 10 replay officials. I've watched this play a hundred times and still for the life of me cannot figure out what the replay official was thinking. For those of you who didn't see Notre Dame's "thrilling" 21-14 victory over Stanford, this play came in the third quarter. Jimmy Clausen sailed a deep pass way over the head of David Grimes, who improbably accelerated into the end zone and made an absolutely incredible diving catch in the end zone. The refs on the field (Big East refs, for what it's worth) signaled for a touchdown, but for good measure decided to let the folks upstairs have a look. Here's what they saw (remember, replay officials can only look at the camera angles provided to the TV station, so there was no secret reverse angle):
<object height="355" width="425">
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sHNGihl40u4&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></object>
The decision? Indisputable video evidence showed that this was not a catch. Actually, that wasn't the call. The replay officials reversed the call and later explained that because the ball moved after Grimes' hand hit the ground, the only logical inference to be drawn is that the ball hit the ground. Now, I'm no engineer, but I'm fairly sure that the energy from a hand hitting the ground can transfer through the hand and make the ball move, even if the ball doesn't impact the ground. Regardless, though, the standard for overturning the call on the field is "indisputable video evidence", not "a logical argument can conceivably be constructed explaining a set of circumstances where the call on the field was incorrect."
Keep in mind, too, that this isn't the first documented disaster by Pac 10 replay reviews. Two weeks ago, this unspeakably bad call in the UW-OSU game earned the replay officials a one-game suspension, and the Oregon-Oklahoma onside kick call remains eternally puzzling. Okay, bad calls are a part of the game, but when year in and year out, one set of replay officials consistently sets the benchmark for incompetence, it might be time to have a look at what's going on.
High-def screencaps after the jump:
Filed under: Notre Dame Football, Pac 10, NCAA FB Media Watch, NCAA FB Scandal, NCAA FB Video, Stanford Football
At least, according to the Pac 10 replay officials. I've watched this play a hundred times and still for the life of me cannot figure out what the replay official was thinking. For those of you who didn't see Notre Dame's "thrilling" 21-14 victory over Stanford, this play came in the third quarter. Jimmy Clausen sailed a deep pass way over the head of David Grimes, who improbably accelerated into the end zone and made an absolutely incredible diving catch in the end zone. The refs on the field (Big East refs, for what it's worth) signaled for a touchdown, but for good measure decided to let the folks upstairs have a look. Here's what they saw (remember, replay officials can only look at the camera angles provided to the TV station, so there was no secret reverse angle):
<object height="355" width="425">
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sHNGihl40u4&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></object>
The decision? Indisputable video evidence showed that this was not a catch. Actually, that wasn't the call. The replay officials reversed the call and later explained that because the ball moved after Grimes' hand hit the ground, the only logical inference to be drawn is that the ball hit the ground. Now, I'm no engineer, but I'm fairly sure that the energy from a hand hitting the ground can transfer through the hand and make the ball move, even if the ball doesn't impact the ground. Regardless, though, the standard for overturning the call on the field is "indisputable video evidence", not "a logical argument can conceivably be constructed explaining a set of circumstances where the call on the field was incorrect."
Keep in mind, too, that this isn't the first documented disaster by Pac 10 replay reviews. Two weeks ago, this unspeakably bad call in the UW-OSU game earned the replay officials a one-game suspension, and the Oregon-Oklahoma onside kick call remains eternally puzzling. Okay, bad calls are a part of the game, but when year in and year out, one set of replay officials consistently sets the benchmark for incompetence, it might be time to have a look at what's going on.
High-def screencaps after the jump:
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
RAIN OF HAMMERS, CONT’D, CONT’D: BOWERS, ROBINSON, ETC
The Day of the Long pen-Knives continues as resignation letters and “sources” chirp away.
Jeff Bower, longtime Southern Miss coach, is out after a 17 year tenure. SMQ, the blogosphere’s resident Golden Eagle fan, promises pending commentary. Our own input on the situation is that coaches with a 17-year run of taking a mid-size football program in Hattiesburg, Mississippi to bowl games are rare, and should be kept as long as possible. Unless they’ve pulled the coup of the century and are prepared to announce Nick Saban as their new coach, they have misjudged their human resource situation gravely.
Ted Roof, Duke coach, is fired after six wins in his entire four year tenure as Duke coach. Coach K thinks they should only field sports in which they will be competitive, because you know what a drain the football program’s been on the success of the Duke basketball team over the years.
Northern Illinois head coach Joe Novak is retiring, opening up another spot in the MAC. (HT: DevilGrad, who has nothing but nice things to say about Novak and his job putting the NIU program together from little more than old twine and hope.)
And finally, the next hammer to strike home will allegedly be Greg Robinson, Syracuse coach, who looks thrilled to be where he is right now.
About to sneeze. Please don’t ruin it. This is all I have left: sneeze-rush endorphines.
The Day of the Long pen-Knives continues as resignation letters and “sources” chirp away.
Jeff Bower, longtime Southern Miss coach, is out after a 17 year tenure. SMQ, the blogosphere’s resident Golden Eagle fan, promises pending commentary. Our own input on the situation is that coaches with a 17-year run of taking a mid-size football program in Hattiesburg, Mississippi to bowl games are rare, and should be kept as long as possible. Unless they’ve pulled the coup of the century and are prepared to announce Nick Saban as their new coach, they have misjudged their human resource situation gravely.
Ted Roof, Duke coach, is fired after six wins in his entire four year tenure as Duke coach. Coach K thinks they should only field sports in which they will be competitive, because you know what a drain the football program’s been on the success of the Duke basketball team over the years.
Northern Illinois head coach Joe Novak is retiring, opening up another spot in the MAC. (HT: DevilGrad, who has nothing but nice things to say about Novak and his job putting the NIU program together from little more than old twine and hope.)
And finally, the next hammer to strike home will allegedly be Greg Robinson, Syracuse coach, who looks thrilled to be where he is right now.
About to sneeze. Please don’t ruin it. This is all I have left: sneeze-rush endorphines.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
No More Mr. Nice Guy: Bower Fired at Southern Miss
By SMQ
Posted on Mon Nov 26, 2007 at 01:20:22 PM EDT
Jeff Bower was fired this morning, two days after securing his 14th straight winning season at Southern Miss, per "sources close to the program" or "a member of the football staff." My dad, a USM alum who spent a year decades ago as an assistant with Bower, thinks this is "just awful." I don’t know.
His will be the widespread sentiment even among partisans with no such personal ties, because as long as Bower has been the face of a regional, non-mystique program like Southern Miss, it felt like you knew him. He’s just a guy in manner and speech, and ostensibly deserves some loyalty – he was a successful quarterback at USM in the seventies, an assistant for most of the next decade and a half and his teams in the late nineties were good enough to finish in the top 20 twice (1997 and 1999), shut out Alabama and inch within a couple spots of the top ten as late as November (2000) and dominate its new conference, as good a five-year run as any coach has ever had in Hattiesburg, and good enough to draw serious overtures from bigger schools. Bower was rumored to be the man to replace Ray Goff at Georgia, his home state, but he didn’t go. He was true to his school, graduated his players at a terrific clip, never had a hint of NCAA scrutiny, and that, along with the consistent winning records and bowl games, turned Bower into a kind of low-key institution. Everything Lloyd Carr was to Michigan, Jeff Bower was to Southern Miss.
That analogy cuts both ways, though. As with Carr, despite the undeniable, admirable consistency, Bower’s greatest success is a decade behind him, and the coaching reaper has loomed larger with every new disappointment. Bigger schools have not called in years, not because everybody just knew he was so unwilling to go, but because Southern Miss football dropped off the map. The schemes never changed, the offense never rose from the bottom third of the national rankings; never five wins, true, but never ten, either. Three Conference USA titles in the league’s first four seasons were met with just one over the last eight, and the "winning record" streak consistently hinged on salvaging unfulfilling, 7-5 records against UAB, East Carolina or Arkansas State at the end of the year, even as Louisville and TCU bolted for greener pastures and a respectable league rapidly deteriorated into a midweek distraction, the MAC of the South, with no teams anywhere near the polls. His teams are 16-36 this decade against teams that finished with winning records, any teams, and of the big wins over BCS teams in that span – over Alabama and Oklahoma State in 2000, Ok. State again in 2001, Illinois in 2002, Nebraska in 2004, N.C. State in 2006 – only that Nebraska team (final record: 5-6 in Bill Callahan’s first season) even finished within a game of .500. The biggest victory of the last three seasons was an ordinary home win last year against Houston, which later avenged the loss in the conference championship.
The current team, returning an overwhelming number of starters off a division title in 2006, was the unanimous favorite to win C-USA in the summer, and I predicted it would win double digit games for the first time in Bower’s tenure. With a conference championship game and a bowl game on top of a twelve-game regular season, there was no excuse not to expect that kind of success against such a depleted conference with no other apparent challenger. This was not Bower’s worst team, but against that backdrop, it was his most disappointing. It’s not like the expectations are unrealistic, or that coaches are under a daily pressure cooker. USM is not the kind of place that pulls its hair out with every loss; it is excusable, for example, to lose at Boise State, which has lost once on its home field in five years. It is not excusable, however, to be thoroughly trounced without an ounce of fight or a clue on national television. And it certainly is not excusable under any circumstances – through whatever combination of injuriy, malaise, weather, disease, depression or famine – to follow that disgraceful performance with an all-time horror show of a defeat to winless and completely hapless Rice at home. Bower’s fate may have been sealed there – the subsequent loss to Central Florida was bad, and the subsequent loss to Memphis was bad, but to lose at home to Rice, Rice – Rice! – a team that actually managed to look more inept in victory that night than even its horrible numbers could convey, was the final, depressing link in the evolution from stale to absolutely putrid, the worst defeat of Bower’s career, and doubly unacceptable given the high goals the team still had intact to that point. The season was spoiled there, and with it possibly everything Bower had built Southern Miss to stand for as a mentally tough team that takes care of its business. Anything is possible after a loss to Rice. The bottom is suddenly, horrifyingly visible. There is another bowl game in three weeks, but clinging to an uninspring, six-point win over Arkansas State to secure a trip to the PapaJohns.com Bowl (it’s not sponsored by the restaurant chain, see, but by the web site of the restaurant chain) does not cleanse the foul taste of sub-mediocrity.
The look we know all to well.
- - -
The shame is that Bower had to be pushed after all he’s done for the university, and couldn’t read the writing on the wall and leave on his own terms. He does deserve that. And the move is obviously a risky one, because the odds of USM getting another boss that meets the expectations of a conference championship every three years or so – or that even does what Bower did in guiding the program to eleven bowl games in twelve years – are dramatically lower than the odds of hiring a worn-out retread or generic coach who turns the program into Memphis or UAB, a mediocre team with a seven or eight-win ceiling and a two or three-win floor, and hardly any way to distinguish which result you may get from year-to-year. This describes most of Conference USA right now, and the only reason it hasn’t described Southern Miss as far as I can tell is that Jeff Bower, at the very least, has never allowed the bottom to fall out to such an embarrassing degree. So the Eagles can do much, much worse, and the odds may be that they will. Can they do better? Yes – briefly. A young hire that pays off in quick success is certainly possible, and will be great for the program in the short term, before he’s poached for big bucks by a bigger school on his way up the ladder. Mid-majors all want to make the splash hire, the Urban Meyer, Bobby Petrino, Steve Kragthorpe, Dennis Franchione, Dirk Koetter, Dan Hawkins who will take the program back into the polls, but the reality is that those coaches will move up quickly or, if they stay – like Bower or his nearest longtime parallels, Pat Hill at Fresno State and simultaneously-deposed Sonny Lubick at Colorado State – they will eventually succumb to the limitations of the location and drift back to the pack, and that coach will eventually stagnate and be forced out. See not only Bower and Lubick, but LaVell Edwards and Fisher DeBerry before them. Hill’s time will come. Chris Peterson will be paid lavishly soon to leave Boise State; ditto Bronco Mendenhall at BYU, or else his program will eventually move to the middle, too, as it did for Edwards. There are no exceptions to this.
I prefer Southern go the supernova route, hire a young, innovative guy and hope he pays spectacular dividends before moving on. At least we’d have those three or four great seasons and get a glimpse at the moon before descending back to Earth. Because in the long run, Southern Miss is just Southern Miss, and I don’t know that anyone can do a better job with that over an extended period of time than Jeff Bower.
By SMQ
Posted on Mon Nov 26, 2007 at 01:20:22 PM EDT
Jeff Bower was fired this morning, two days after securing his 14th straight winning season at Southern Miss, per "sources close to the program" or "a member of the football staff." My dad, a USM alum who spent a year decades ago as an assistant with Bower, thinks this is "just awful." I don’t know.
His will be the widespread sentiment even among partisans with no such personal ties, because as long as Bower has been the face of a regional, non-mystique program like Southern Miss, it felt like you knew him. He’s just a guy in manner and speech, and ostensibly deserves some loyalty – he was a successful quarterback at USM in the seventies, an assistant for most of the next decade and a half and his teams in the late nineties were good enough to finish in the top 20 twice (1997 and 1999), shut out Alabama and inch within a couple spots of the top ten as late as November (2000) and dominate its new conference, as good a five-year run as any coach has ever had in Hattiesburg, and good enough to draw serious overtures from bigger schools. Bower was rumored to be the man to replace Ray Goff at Georgia, his home state, but he didn’t go. He was true to his school, graduated his players at a terrific clip, never had a hint of NCAA scrutiny, and that, along with the consistent winning records and bowl games, turned Bower into a kind of low-key institution. Everything Lloyd Carr was to Michigan, Jeff Bower was to Southern Miss.
That analogy cuts both ways, though. As with Carr, despite the undeniable, admirable consistency, Bower’s greatest success is a decade behind him, and the coaching reaper has loomed larger with every new disappointment. Bigger schools have not called in years, not because everybody just knew he was so unwilling to go, but because Southern Miss football dropped off the map. The schemes never changed, the offense never rose from the bottom third of the national rankings; never five wins, true, but never ten, either. Three Conference USA titles in the league’s first four seasons were met with just one over the last eight, and the "winning record" streak consistently hinged on salvaging unfulfilling, 7-5 records against UAB, East Carolina or Arkansas State at the end of the year, even as Louisville and TCU bolted for greener pastures and a respectable league rapidly deteriorated into a midweek distraction, the MAC of the South, with no teams anywhere near the polls. His teams are 16-36 this decade against teams that finished with winning records, any teams, and of the big wins over BCS teams in that span – over Alabama and Oklahoma State in 2000, Ok. State again in 2001, Illinois in 2002, Nebraska in 2004, N.C. State in 2006 – only that Nebraska team (final record: 5-6 in Bill Callahan’s first season) even finished within a game of .500. The biggest victory of the last three seasons was an ordinary home win last year against Houston, which later avenged the loss in the conference championship.
The current team, returning an overwhelming number of starters off a division title in 2006, was the unanimous favorite to win C-USA in the summer, and I predicted it would win double digit games for the first time in Bower’s tenure. With a conference championship game and a bowl game on top of a twelve-game regular season, there was no excuse not to expect that kind of success against such a depleted conference with no other apparent challenger. This was not Bower’s worst team, but against that backdrop, it was his most disappointing. It’s not like the expectations are unrealistic, or that coaches are under a daily pressure cooker. USM is not the kind of place that pulls its hair out with every loss; it is excusable, for example, to lose at Boise State, which has lost once on its home field in five years. It is not excusable, however, to be thoroughly trounced without an ounce of fight or a clue on national television. And it certainly is not excusable under any circumstances – through whatever combination of injuriy, malaise, weather, disease, depression or famine – to follow that disgraceful performance with an all-time horror show of a defeat to winless and completely hapless Rice at home. Bower’s fate may have been sealed there – the subsequent loss to Central Florida was bad, and the subsequent loss to Memphis was bad, but to lose at home to Rice, Rice – Rice! – a team that actually managed to look more inept in victory that night than even its horrible numbers could convey, was the final, depressing link in the evolution from stale to absolutely putrid, the worst defeat of Bower’s career, and doubly unacceptable given the high goals the team still had intact to that point. The season was spoiled there, and with it possibly everything Bower had built Southern Miss to stand for as a mentally tough team that takes care of its business. Anything is possible after a loss to Rice. The bottom is suddenly, horrifyingly visible. There is another bowl game in three weeks, but clinging to an uninspring, six-point win over Arkansas State to secure a trip to the PapaJohns.com Bowl (it’s not sponsored by the restaurant chain, see, but by the web site of the restaurant chain) does not cleanse the foul taste of sub-mediocrity.
The look we know all to well.
- - -
The shame is that Bower had to be pushed after all he’s done for the university, and couldn’t read the writing on the wall and leave on his own terms. He does deserve that. And the move is obviously a risky one, because the odds of USM getting another boss that meets the expectations of a conference championship every three years or so – or that even does what Bower did in guiding the program to eleven bowl games in twelve years – are dramatically lower than the odds of hiring a worn-out retread or generic coach who turns the program into Memphis or UAB, a mediocre team with a seven or eight-win ceiling and a two or three-win floor, and hardly any way to distinguish which result you may get from year-to-year. This describes most of Conference USA right now, and the only reason it hasn’t described Southern Miss as far as I can tell is that Jeff Bower, at the very least, has never allowed the bottom to fall out to such an embarrassing degree. So the Eagles can do much, much worse, and the odds may be that they will. Can they do better? Yes – briefly. A young hire that pays off in quick success is certainly possible, and will be great for the program in the short term, before he’s poached for big bucks by a bigger school on his way up the ladder. Mid-majors all want to make the splash hire, the Urban Meyer, Bobby Petrino, Steve Kragthorpe, Dennis Franchione, Dirk Koetter, Dan Hawkins who will take the program back into the polls, but the reality is that those coaches will move up quickly or, if they stay – like Bower or his nearest longtime parallels, Pat Hill at Fresno State and simultaneously-deposed Sonny Lubick at Colorado State – they will eventually succumb to the limitations of the location and drift back to the pack, and that coach will eventually stagnate and be forced out. See not only Bower and Lubick, but LaVell Edwards and Fisher DeBerry before them. Hill’s time will come. Chris Peterson will be paid lavishly soon to leave Boise State; ditto Bronco Mendenhall at BYU, or else his program will eventually move to the middle, too, as it did for Edwards. There are no exceptions to this.
I prefer Southern go the supernova route, hire a young, innovative guy and hope he pays spectacular dividends before moving on. At least we’d have those three or four great seasons and get a glimpse at the moon before descending back to Earth. Because in the long run, Southern Miss is just Southern Miss, and I don’t know that anyone can do a better job with that over an extended period of time than Jeff Bower.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Missouri tight end struggling with ankle injury
Posted: Monday November 26, 2007 1:18PM; Updated: Monday November 26, 2007 1:18PM
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri tight end Chase Coffman has an ankle injury and is questionable for Saturday's Big 12 championship game against No. 9 Oklahoma.
Coffman, the career leader in touchdown passes for the top-ranked Tigers, missed the second half of Missouri's 36-28 win over then-No. 2 Kansas this past Saturday.
"He will be in a boot until Wednesday morning, then he'll practice Wednesday and Thursday," coach Gary Pinkel said Monday on a conference call. "We think he'll be back, but he would certainly be questionable at this time."
Coffman is Missouri's third-leading receiver with 51 catches for 523 yards and seven touchdowns this season. He holds the school record with 20 TD catches.
Posted: Monday November 26, 2007 1:18PM; Updated: Monday November 26, 2007 1:18PM
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri tight end Chase Coffman has an ankle injury and is questionable for Saturday's Big 12 championship game against No. 9 Oklahoma.
Coffman, the career leader in touchdown passes for the top-ranked Tigers, missed the second half of Missouri's 36-28 win over then-No. 2 Kansas this past Saturday.
"He will be in a boot until Wednesday morning, then he'll practice Wednesday and Thursday," coach Gary Pinkel said Monday on a conference call. "We think he'll be back, but he would certainly be questionable at this time."
Coffman is Missouri's third-leading receiver with 51 catches for 523 yards and seven touchdowns this season. He holds the school record with 20 TD catches.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="storytitle"> Who's Hot & Who's Not - Nov. 25 </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="primaryimage" valign="top">
Oregon QB Justin Roper
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Pete Fiutak
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Nov 26, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Alabama in November, Oregon vs. UCLA passing, Allen Patrick, Stephen McGee and more in the latest Who's Hot & Not.
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
[SIZE=-1]Past Hot and Not: [/SIZE] Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4
Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10
Week 11 | Week 12
Who’s Hot …
Texas A&M QB Stephen McGee vs. Texas
McGee could go on to be President of the United States, win the Nobel Prize and be People's Sexiest Man Alive, but around College Station he'll be known for beating Texas twice and almost pulling off the upset of upsets against the Vince Young national title squad of 2005. Off the bench three years ago, he optioned his way to 108 yards and two touchdowns in the closer-than-the-score 40-29 loss. Last year, he only completed seven of 13 passes for 58 yards, but he ran for 95 yards and a touchdown in a 12-7 win that ruined UT's Big 12 title dream. This season, with Texas pushing towards a possible at-large BCS game, he ran for 30 yards and a score and threw for 362 yards and three touchdowns in the 38-30 Aggie win.
Oklahoma RB Allen Patrick vs. Oklahoma State
The unsung Sooner running back over the past two years, Patrick has done a nice job of filling in when needed. He got in a little bit of mop-up work against Oklahoma State in 2005 and ran three times for 31 yards and a touchdown. Last year, in place of Adrian Peterson, he tore off 163 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries in the 27-21 win over the Cowboys. Last week, with DeMarco Murray out with an injured knee, Patrick ran for 202 yards and two touchdowns, and caught an 11-yard scoring pass, in the 49-17 win. Next up is Missouri in the Big 12 championship.
Cincinnati QB Ben Mauk
Mauk has been overshadowed in a conference with Pat White and Brian Brohm, but he leads the Big East in passing efficiency and has turned out to be a superstar after transferring from Wake Forest and overcoming an arm injury. After throwing for 431 yards and four touchdowns, with a rushing score, against Syracuse, the senior has completed 61% of his throws for 2,787 yards and 27 touchdowns with just six interceptions on the year (to go along with 335 rushing yards and three scores). He hasn't thrown a pick in has last three games, and he hasn't thrown more than one interception in a game this year.
Fresno State QB Tom Brandstater vs. the Big 12Brandstater might not be David Carr or Trent Dilfer quite yet, but he has certainly looked like the next great Fresno State quarterback against the Big 12 teams. He completed 21 of 31 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns in the 47-45 loss to Texas A&M in early September, and he lit up Kansas State last week completing 23 of 29 passes for 313 yards and two scores with a rushing touchdown. Brandstater, a junior, gets to face the Wildcats again next year and faces New Mexico State this week.
UCF RB Kevin Smith
2,164 yards and 25 touchdowns. Again, 2,164 yards and 24 touchdowns. Again, two-thousand, one-hundred and sixty-four yards and twenty-five touchdowns. Oh yeah, and 21 catches for 230 yards and a score. Smith has come up with one of the greatest seasons in college football history that went completely and totally unnoticed. With the Conference USA title game coming up against the porous Tulsa defense, and the bowl game, Smith has a chance to finish with a 2,500-yard season. Who’s Not … Oregon vs. UCLA passing
In UCLA's 16-0 win over Oregon, Brady Leaf, Justin Roper and Cody Kempt combined to complete 11 of 39 passes for 105 yards and three interceptions. UCLA's Ben Olson and Osaar Rasshan combined to complete four of 17 passes for 64 yards and two picks, with Rasshan going a Blutosky-like 0-for-7 with a pick. That means between five quarterbacks, the two teams combined to completed 15 of 56 passes (28%) for 169 yards and five interceptions.
Alabama in November
On October 20, things appeared to be coming together for Alabama under Nick Saban with a 41-17 trashing of eventual East champion Tennessee to get to 6-2. After two weeks off, there was an acceptable tough loss to LSU, an offensive meltdown in the loss to Mississippi State, an all-timer of a clunker against UL Monroe, and now, worst of all, a sixth straight loss to Auburn. After going 0-for-4 in November, that means that over the last five years, Alabama has gone 3-13 in November with all three wins coming against Mississippi State.
San Diego State run defense
The Aztec defense has gone from bad to awful, especially against the run, allowing 275 yards to UNLV three weeks ago, then 569 yards and eight scores to Air Force, and then last week, 376 yards and six touchdowns to TCU. That's 945 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in the last two games alone. Up next is BYU to close out the year.
Missouri punting
The nation's No. 1 team has one major flaw: punting. Adam Crossett really isn't that bad, he averaged 39 yards per kick last year, but the Tigers are dead-last in America in net punting averaging a mere 30 yards per kick. Fortunately for the Tigers, Oklahoma, who has the nation's No. 1 kickoff return unit, only averaged 7.79 yards per punt return.
Tulsa defense
If you want to see a fun and exciting shootout, check out UCF vs. Tulsa in the Conference USA title game. Tulsa's offense leads the nation with 548 yards per game, but the defense has been abysmal over the last two games against Army and Rice, allowing 328 passing yards and three touchdowns, and 491 yards of total offense, to a bad Black Knight offense two weeks ago, and last week allowed 700 yards of total offense, including 541 passing yards, to Chase Clement and Rice. The Golden Hurricane has allowed 400 yards of total offense ore more in nine games with two 500 yarders, a 600 yarder, and no a 700-yard day. UCF cranked out 453 yards in its 44-23 win over Tulsa in October.</td></tr></tbody></table>
Oregon QB Justin Roper
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Pete Fiutak
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Nov 26, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Alabama in November, Oregon vs. UCLA passing, Allen Patrick, Stephen McGee and more in the latest Who's Hot & Not.
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
[SIZE=-1]Past Hot and Not: [/SIZE] Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4
Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10
Week 11 | Week 12
Who’s Hot …
Texas A&M QB Stephen McGee vs. Texas
McGee could go on to be President of the United States, win the Nobel Prize and be People's Sexiest Man Alive, but around College Station he'll be known for beating Texas twice and almost pulling off the upset of upsets against the Vince Young national title squad of 2005. Off the bench three years ago, he optioned his way to 108 yards and two touchdowns in the closer-than-the-score 40-29 loss. Last year, he only completed seven of 13 passes for 58 yards, but he ran for 95 yards and a touchdown in a 12-7 win that ruined UT's Big 12 title dream. This season, with Texas pushing towards a possible at-large BCS game, he ran for 30 yards and a score and threw for 362 yards and three touchdowns in the 38-30 Aggie win.
Oklahoma RB Allen Patrick vs. Oklahoma State
The unsung Sooner running back over the past two years, Patrick has done a nice job of filling in when needed. He got in a little bit of mop-up work against Oklahoma State in 2005 and ran three times for 31 yards and a touchdown. Last year, in place of Adrian Peterson, he tore off 163 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries in the 27-21 win over the Cowboys. Last week, with DeMarco Murray out with an injured knee, Patrick ran for 202 yards and two touchdowns, and caught an 11-yard scoring pass, in the 49-17 win. Next up is Missouri in the Big 12 championship.
Cincinnati QB Ben Mauk
Mauk has been overshadowed in a conference with Pat White and Brian Brohm, but he leads the Big East in passing efficiency and has turned out to be a superstar after transferring from Wake Forest and overcoming an arm injury. After throwing for 431 yards and four touchdowns, with a rushing score, against Syracuse, the senior has completed 61% of his throws for 2,787 yards and 27 touchdowns with just six interceptions on the year (to go along with 335 rushing yards and three scores). He hasn't thrown a pick in has last three games, and he hasn't thrown more than one interception in a game this year.
Fresno State QB Tom Brandstater vs. the Big 12Brandstater might not be David Carr or Trent Dilfer quite yet, but he has certainly looked like the next great Fresno State quarterback against the Big 12 teams. He completed 21 of 31 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns in the 47-45 loss to Texas A&M in early September, and he lit up Kansas State last week completing 23 of 29 passes for 313 yards and two scores with a rushing touchdown. Brandstater, a junior, gets to face the Wildcats again next year and faces New Mexico State this week.
UCF RB Kevin Smith
2,164 yards and 25 touchdowns. Again, 2,164 yards and 24 touchdowns. Again, two-thousand, one-hundred and sixty-four yards and twenty-five touchdowns. Oh yeah, and 21 catches for 230 yards and a score. Smith has come up with one of the greatest seasons in college football history that went completely and totally unnoticed. With the Conference USA title game coming up against the porous Tulsa defense, and the bowl game, Smith has a chance to finish with a 2,500-yard season. Who’s Not … Oregon vs. UCLA passing
In UCLA's 16-0 win over Oregon, Brady Leaf, Justin Roper and Cody Kempt combined to complete 11 of 39 passes for 105 yards and three interceptions. UCLA's Ben Olson and Osaar Rasshan combined to complete four of 17 passes for 64 yards and two picks, with Rasshan going a Blutosky-like 0-for-7 with a pick. That means between five quarterbacks, the two teams combined to completed 15 of 56 passes (28%) for 169 yards and five interceptions.
Alabama in November
On October 20, things appeared to be coming together for Alabama under Nick Saban with a 41-17 trashing of eventual East champion Tennessee to get to 6-2. After two weeks off, there was an acceptable tough loss to LSU, an offensive meltdown in the loss to Mississippi State, an all-timer of a clunker against UL Monroe, and now, worst of all, a sixth straight loss to Auburn. After going 0-for-4 in November, that means that over the last five years, Alabama has gone 3-13 in November with all three wins coming against Mississippi State.
San Diego State run defense
The Aztec defense has gone from bad to awful, especially against the run, allowing 275 yards to UNLV three weeks ago, then 569 yards and eight scores to Air Force, and then last week, 376 yards and six touchdowns to TCU. That's 945 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in the last two games alone. Up next is BYU to close out the year.
Missouri punting
The nation's No. 1 team has one major flaw: punting. Adam Crossett really isn't that bad, he averaged 39 yards per kick last year, but the Tigers are dead-last in America in net punting averaging a mere 30 yards per kick. Fortunately for the Tigers, Oklahoma, who has the nation's No. 1 kickoff return unit, only averaged 7.79 yards per punt return.
Tulsa defense
If you want to see a fun and exciting shootout, check out UCF vs. Tulsa in the Conference USA title game. Tulsa's offense leads the nation with 548 yards per game, but the defense has been abysmal over the last two games against Army and Rice, allowing 328 passing yards and three touchdowns, and 491 yards of total offense, to a bad Black Knight offense two weeks ago, and last week allowed 700 yards of total offense, including 541 passing yards, to Chase Clement and Rice. The Golden Hurricane has allowed 400 yards of total offense ore more in nine games with two 500 yarders, a 600 yarder, and no a 700-yard day. UCF cranked out 453 yards in its 44-23 win over Tulsa in October.</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Houston Nutt Out at Arkansas, In at Ole Miss?
Posted Nov 26th 2007 10:50PM by Andy Katzer
Filed under: Mississippi Football, SEC, Arkansas Football, NCAA FB Coaching
Finally, the speculation can end. It is official now: as of Monday night, the constantly-embattled, often-criticized, sometimes-insane Houston Nutt is no longer the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. That much we've seen coming for some time now, though not many of us would have imagined Arkansas actually asking Nutt to stay and offering him a new contract in the $2.4 million range -- and Nutt turning down said contract to walk away from the school -- but that's what ESPN.com is reporting.
Meanwhile, the Memphis Commercial Appeal is reporting that Nutt is already in negotiations to become the next head coach at Ole Miss (replacing the newly fired Ed Orgeron), and that a deal could be announced "early this week." The Jackson (MS) Clarion Ledger also cites "several sources at Ole Miss" as saying Nutt is the frontrunner for the Rebels' job, with an announcement possibly coming Tuesday. Both papers say Rick Neuheisel has been considered for the Ole Miss opening, but that Nutt is their man. Should things fall through in Oxford, Rivals.com lists Nutt as a candidate for Georgia Tech's and Baylor's openings as well.
The interesting thing about Nutt to Ole Miss is that in his farewell news conference, Nutt spoke about how much he loved Arkansas and how it was his "dream job." That's not hard to believe, seeing as how Nutt is a native Arkansan. But should Nutt actually become the Rebels head coach (and what a smooth transition for Ole Miss fans from the wackiness of Coach O to the wackiness of Nutt), he'll have to face his former school every year.
As for the Arkansas opening, rumor and speculation have another Arkansas alum, Butch Davis, as the Razorbacks' top target, but can they get him out of Chapel Hill now that he's signed a new contract?
Filed under: Mississippi Football, SEC, Arkansas Football, NCAA FB Coaching
Finally, the speculation can end. It is official now: as of Monday night, the constantly-embattled, often-criticized, sometimes-insane Houston Nutt is no longer the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. That much we've seen coming for some time now, though not many of us would have imagined Arkansas actually asking Nutt to stay and offering him a new contract in the $2.4 million range -- and Nutt turning down said contract to walk away from the school -- but that's what ESPN.com is reporting.
Meanwhile, the Memphis Commercial Appeal is reporting that Nutt is already in negotiations to become the next head coach at Ole Miss (replacing the newly fired Ed Orgeron), and that a deal could be announced "early this week." The Jackson (MS) Clarion Ledger also cites "several sources at Ole Miss" as saying Nutt is the frontrunner for the Rebels' job, with an announcement possibly coming Tuesday. Both papers say Rick Neuheisel has been considered for the Ole Miss opening, but that Nutt is their man. Should things fall through in Oxford, Rivals.com lists Nutt as a candidate for Georgia Tech's and Baylor's openings as well.
The interesting thing about Nutt to Ole Miss is that in his farewell news conference, Nutt spoke about how much he loved Arkansas and how it was his "dream job." That's not hard to believe, seeing as how Nutt is a native Arkansan. But should Nutt actually become the Rebels head coach (and what a smooth transition for Ole Miss fans from the wackiness of Coach O to the wackiness of Nutt), he'll have to face his former school every year.
As for the Arkansas opening, rumor and speculation have another Arkansas alum, Butch Davis, as the Razorbacks' top target, but can they get him out of Chapel Hill now that he's signed a new contract?
Yanks27Sox9
CTG Partner
goin' against ya on that one...so good health, bro.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Too much Mizzou love on this board. :cheers:
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
DODGING A BULLET NAMED DENNIS
Yahoo’s Jason King has a nice, long-form story on the rise of downtrodden Kansas football program to its newfound goodness, replete with details like Mangino and assistants personally cleaning years of grubby fingerprints off the walls before recruiting visits and such. It also lets in a hint that Mangino is not very nice, and may in fact be downright mean, something we find shocking–shocking, Nigel!–in a successful head coach.
We imagine this all stems from a deep, unending unhappiness in the hardwiring of Mangino’s system. But don’t trust us–the film doesn’t lie.
<object height="355" width="425">
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s3_ZxYg1r88&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></object></p> But past the puffy, up-from-the-bootstraps vibe and hints of unpleasantness, there’s also a well reported flash of a frightening alternate reality and a former AD doing what ADs rarely do: speaking publicly and candidly not only about the hiring process, but about the candidates’ own behavior during the process. Kansas could have been Texas A&M ‘07 had it not been for Dennis Franchione practically oozing sleazegrease in an exchange with former Kansas AD Al Bohl.
One minute Franchione seemed ready to accept the job, the next he’d changed his mind. The end came when Franchione told Bohl he needed a little more time because he wanted to see if he was going to be a candidate for the Notre Dame job, which came open when Bob Davie was fired on Dec. 2. That same day, Bohl rescinded his offer to Franchione and hired Mangino.
Franchione had, at that point, hadn’t even finished one season with Alabama and was already throwing it around to both Notre Dame and Kansas. Kansas search committee member Ray Evans puts it better than we ever could, Hedley Lamarr comparisons be damned:
Six years later it looks like we may have dodged a bullet.
A bullet named Dennis, who could be coaching in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Dallas, Texas, or in the Canadian Football League in a few weeks, for all we know.
Yahoo’s Jason King has a nice, long-form story on the rise of downtrodden Kansas football program to its newfound goodness, replete with details like Mangino and assistants personally cleaning years of grubby fingerprints off the walls before recruiting visits and such. It also lets in a hint that Mangino is not very nice, and may in fact be downright mean, something we find shocking–shocking, Nigel!–in a successful head coach.
We imagine this all stems from a deep, unending unhappiness in the hardwiring of Mangino’s system. But don’t trust us–the film doesn’t lie.
<object height="355" width="425">
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/s3_ZxYg1r88&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></object></p> But past the puffy, up-from-the-bootstraps vibe and hints of unpleasantness, there’s also a well reported flash of a frightening alternate reality and a former AD doing what ADs rarely do: speaking publicly and candidly not only about the hiring process, but about the candidates’ own behavior during the process. Kansas could have been Texas A&M ‘07 had it not been for Dennis Franchione practically oozing sleazegrease in an exchange with former Kansas AD Al Bohl.
One minute Franchione seemed ready to accept the job, the next he’d changed his mind. The end came when Franchione told Bohl he needed a little more time because he wanted to see if he was going to be a candidate for the Notre Dame job, which came open when Bob Davie was fired on Dec. 2. That same day, Bohl rescinded his offer to Franchione and hired Mangino.
Franchione had, at that point, hadn’t even finished one season with Alabama and was already throwing it around to both Notre Dame and Kansas. Kansas search committee member Ray Evans puts it better than we ever could, Hedley Lamarr comparisons be damned:
Six years later it looks like we may have dodged a bullet.
A bullet named Dennis, who could be coaching in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Dallas, Texas, or in the Canadian Football League in a few weeks, for all we know.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Nutt to Ole Miss
By BigCountry85 Section: Diaries
Posted on Tue Nov 27, 2007 at 10:16:44 AM EDT
Bumped from the diaries. The state of Mississippi just got a lot more competitive.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3129559
Just hours after leaving Arkansas Nutt agreed to take the Ole Miss job. It says he meets the criteria they are looking for in a proven winner. I'm not sure if he can carry his winning at Arkansas over to Ole Miss, but they do have some good young talent there. My guess is recruiting will probably not be as good as it was under Orgeron. He might not be a good head coach, but the man sure can recruit.
<table align="center" width="400"><tbody><tr><td align="center">
</td></tr><tr><td align="center">"It's all falling into place..."</td></tr></tbody></table>
By BigCountry85 Section: Diaries
Posted on Tue Nov 27, 2007 at 10:16:44 AM EDT
Bumped from the diaries. The state of Mississippi just got a lot more competitive.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3129559
Just hours after leaving Arkansas Nutt agreed to take the Ole Miss job. It says he meets the criteria they are looking for in a proven winner. I'm not sure if he can carry his winning at Arkansas over to Ole Miss, but they do have some good young talent there. My guess is recruiting will probably not be as good as it was under Orgeron. He might not be a good head coach, but the man sure can recruit.
<table align="center" width="400"><tbody><tr><td align="center">
</td></tr><tr><td align="center">"It's all falling into place..."</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Air Force accepts Armed Forces Bowl invitation
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0237893561790135"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; //2007-11-27: entries, fanblogs, inpost google_ad_channel = "0603066557+5452098552+3119009114"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "003399"; google_color_text = "333333"; google_color_url = "999999"; google_ui_features = "rc:10"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-0237893561790135&dt=1196182908232&lmt=1196182907&format=300x250_as&output=html&correlator=1196182908216&channel=0603066557%2B5452098552%2B3119009114&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanblogs.com%2Fair_force%2F007340.php&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=333333&color_link=003399&color_url=999999&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&ui=rc%3A10&cc=100&ga_vid=700325724.1194291038&ga_sid=1196182908&ga_hid=578290155&ga_fc=true&flash=9&u_h=1024&u_w=1280&u_ah=1024&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=1&u_java=true&u_nplug=18&u_nmime=67" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe> For the first time since 2002, the Air Force Academy is going to a bowl game - and a fitting one at that.
On Monday afternoon, the Falcons accepted a bid to play on ESPN in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 31 in Fort Worth, Texas.
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0237893561790135"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; //2007-11-27: entries, fanblogs, inpost google_ad_channel = "0603066557+5452098552+3119009114"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "003399"; google_color_text = "333333"; google_color_url = "999999"; google_ui_features = "rc:10"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-0237893561790135&dt=1196182908232&lmt=1196182907&format=300x250_as&output=html&correlator=1196182908216&channel=0603066557%2B5452098552%2B3119009114&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanblogs.com%2Fair_force%2F007340.php&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=333333&color_link=003399&color_url=999999&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&ui=rc%3A10&cc=100&ga_vid=700325724.1194291038&ga_sid=1196182908&ga_hid=578290155&ga_fc=true&flash=9&u_h=1024&u_w=1280&u_ah=1024&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=1&u_java=true&u_nplug=18&u_nmime=67" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe> For the first time since 2002, the Air Force Academy is going to a bowl game - and a fitting one at that.
On Monday afternoon, the Falcons accepted a bid to play on ESPN in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 31 in Fort Worth, Texas.
“It’s special,†Air Force senior quarterback Shaun Carney said. “It’s something that we planned on doing. It was part of our goals at the beginning of the season. Every Christmas we’d keep telling ourselves, we’re not going to do this again†and not go to the postseason.
“Finally we have the opportunity.â€
Air Force will face a to-be-determined opponent from the Pac 10 or Big 10 conferences.“Finally we have the opportunity.â€
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Baylor gets OK to interview Briles
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0237893561790135"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; //2007-11-27: entries, fanblogs, inpost google_ad_channel = "0603066557+5452098552+3119009114"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "003399"; google_color_text = "333333"; google_color_url = "999999"; google_ui_features = "rc:10"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-0237893561790135&dt=1196183163841&lmt=1196183163&format=300x250_as&output=html&correlator=1196183163826&channel=0603066557%2B5452098552%2B3119009114&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanblogs.com%2Fbaylor%2F007339.php&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=333333&color_link=003399&color_url=999999&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&ui=rc%3A10&cc=100&ga_vid=700325724.1194291038&ga_sid=1196182908&ga_hid=1224662159&ga_fc=true&flash=9&u_h=1024&u_w=1280&u_ah=1024&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=1&u_java=true&u_nplug=18&u_nmime=67" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe> Despite the "Houston Nutt" to Baylor talk, it appears that the first Houston on the Bears wish list is Cougars coach Art Briles. And BU may get their wish as the University of Houston has agreed to allow Briles to interview for the Baylor position. Briles will interview with Baylor today in Dallas.
Briles has a sliding scale buyout in his contract, with a diminishing buyout term for each year he remains at Houston.
I think this would be the perfect hire for Baylor -- by far.
Briles has a great reputation within Texas and has proven to be a solid recruiter. A coach who came up through the Texas high school ranks, Briles rolled up four Texas state high school championships at Stephenville and has maintained his connections among the state's coaches.
While Baylor has not been competitive in the Big XII, there's no reason to think that Briles can't be successful on the bigger stage with his offensive system. And while Baylor may only be a stepping stone for Briles -- he's been rumored as a future replacement for Leach at his alma mater, Texas Tech -- the Bears can certainly reap the benefits now.
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0237893561790135"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; //2007-11-27: entries, fanblogs, inpost google_ad_channel = "0603066557+5452098552+3119009114"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "003399"; google_color_text = "333333"; google_color_url = "999999"; google_ui_features = "rc:10"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-0237893561790135&dt=1196183163841&lmt=1196183163&format=300x250_as&output=html&correlator=1196183163826&channel=0603066557%2B5452098552%2B3119009114&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanblogs.com%2Fbaylor%2F007339.php&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=333333&color_link=003399&color_url=999999&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&ui=rc%3A10&cc=100&ga_vid=700325724.1194291038&ga_sid=1196182908&ga_hid=1224662159&ga_fc=true&flash=9&u_h=1024&u_w=1280&u_ah=1024&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=1&u_java=true&u_nplug=18&u_nmime=67" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe> Despite the "Houston Nutt" to Baylor talk, it appears that the first Houston on the Bears wish list is Cougars coach Art Briles. And BU may get their wish as the University of Houston has agreed to allow Briles to interview for the Baylor position. Briles will interview with Baylor today in Dallas.
"Art asked for permission to talk to Baylor, and I said OK," said UH athletic director Dave Maggard. "We talked about it. I asked if he really felt that he needed to do this, and he said that it was something he needed to do. I told him that I wanted him to stay in Houston. That was it."
Briles - who owns a 34-28 record with the Cougars - is considered one of the top young coaches in the country. His Houston teams have played in four bowl games in five years and won the Conference USA title in 2006. Following the 2006 season, Briles had his contract extended at UH and received a bump in pay to $975,000.Briles has a sliding scale buyout in his contract, with a diminishing buyout term for each year he remains at Houston.
I think this would be the perfect hire for Baylor -- by far.
Briles has a great reputation within Texas and has proven to be a solid recruiter. A coach who came up through the Texas high school ranks, Briles rolled up four Texas state high school championships at Stephenville and has maintained his connections among the state's coaches.
While Baylor has not been competitive in the Big XII, there's no reason to think that Briles can't be successful on the bigger stage with his offensive system. And while Baylor may only be a stepping stone for Briles -- he's been rumored as a future replacement for Leach at his alma mater, Texas Tech -- the Bears can certainly reap the benefits now.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="storytitle"> Tues. Question - WVU or OSU? Who deserves it? </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="primaryimage" valign="top">
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Staff
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Nov 27, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Who deserves a spot in the BCS Championship Game more, Ohio State or West Virginia?
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
<table id="table2" align="right" border="0" cellspacing="4" width="200"> <tbody><tr> <td bgcolor="#ffffcc"> Past TQs
- What BCS matchups do you want? - LSU, Oregon or Kansas - The leading 5 for the Heisman - Early Pick It: LSU vs. Ohio State - Three BCS sleepers - Midseason Bests - 3 Big Calls for the Second Half - The biggest disappointment - 5 most overrrated teams - I was dead/on right/wrong about ... - USC, LSU or Oklahoma?l - Was the App St win good or bad for college football?
- 3 Sleeper Teams
- Predicting the Season - 3 things we're sure of - What to look for on Signing Day
- Bears or Colts? - Early bowl surprises and trends - 3 things to look for from the bowls - Do you want the Alabama job? - What are the 3 best non-BCS bowls? - Who's 2nd in the Heisman race? - Michigan-OSU rematch? - Michigan or Ohio State? - Should Louisville be No. 3? - The nat'l title game will be ... - The best one-loss team - Rule changes to help the flow - The Midseason Stuff - The real top five ranking - The early coach of the year is ...? - These three teams are for real, these three aren't
- After 2 weeks, who's better, who's worse?
- 10 Greatest Quarterbacks of All-Time
- 10 Greatest Defensive Players of All-Time
- 10 Greatest Regular Season Games of All-Time
- 10 Greatest Playmakers of All-Time
- 10 Worst Heisman Winners
- 10 Greatest Bowl Games
- All-Time Offensive Team
- All-Time Defensive Team </td> </tr> </tbody></table> [FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2] Pete Fiutak [/SIZE][/FONT]<o
>[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2][/FONT]</o> Q: West Virginia or Ohio State? Who deserves to get one of the BCS Championship spots?[/SIZE]
A: If I had to pick which team is better, I'd say Ohio State from top to bottom, although I'm not sure West Virginia's spread wouldn't do to the Buckeye D what Juice Williams and the Illinois attack did. However, when it's about who would deserve to take one of the spots for the national title, assuming Missouri beats Oklahoma, I'd put in West Virginia.
The strength of schedule difference is negligible, with Ohio State clocking in at 46th and West Virginia at 48th. I don't like that the Buckeyes lost at home late in the year when it had everything on the line and only two games to go before getting to the BCS championship. College football doesn't have a playoff, but that Illinois game served as one.
West Virginia's loss to South Florida doesn't look all that great in hindsight, but try to remember what a hot team that was at the time. That was a beartrap of a game in Tampa, with a sold out crown in a nationally televised night game and an electric atmosphere. With Pat White hurt, the Mountaineers still almost pulled off the win.
My big problem with WVU is the lack of a signature wow win. Ohio State beat Michigan and Wisconsin. West Virginia barely got by Cincinnati. Beating Maryland and Mississippi State is nice, but that's not exactly whacking LSU and USC. Even so, if I'm splitting hairs, I'd put Pat White and the boys in.
Richard Cirminiello [FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2][/FONT] <o> </o><o> </o> [FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2][/SIZE][/FONT] <o> </o><o>[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2][/SIZE][/FONT]</o> Q: West Virginia or Ohio State? Who deserves to get one of the BCS Championship spots?
A: What makes this such a terrific question is that it’s so sneaky tough to answer. Take emotion out of the equation, and go ahead and try to find tangible separation between the Mountaineers and the Buckeyes. It’s harder to locate than you think. Both schools have one loss by less than 10 points to a 9-3 team, and have yet to deliver a defining win over a top-notch opponent. In and out of conference, both schools’ schedules have been relatively cushy. Let me first admit that the fan in me would much rather see West Virginia in the title game than Ohio State. New blood, jaw-dropping offensive talent, and a potential match up with Missouri that would create more fireworks than the folks at Grucci. Plus, I hate the fact that the Buckeyes ascent toward New Orleans has come after playing their final regular season game. That said, after taking an unbiased look at both teams’ bodies of work, Ohio State deserves the bid by the slightest of margins. Yeah, it’s a down year for the conference, but navigating the Big Ten is still tougher than getting through the Big East, which had Connecticut as its runner-up this season. Here’s an attempt at science behind the decision: Against teams ranked in the top 45 of the BCS, both programs are 4-1 with very similar losses. The debate can be boiled down to which school’s four quality wins are more impressive. Ohio State has beaten Wisconsin, Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State. West Virginia has taken down Cincinnati, Connecticut, Rutgers, and Mississippi State. Edge Buckeyes…barely and begrudgingly
John Harris<o>[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2][/SIZE][/FONT]</o> Q: West Virginia or Ohio State? Who deserves to get one of the BCS Championship spots?[/SIZE]
A: When you start to compare Ohio State and West Virginia, as it relates to one of the BCS National championship game slots, it’s like comparing Count Chocula and Cocoa Pebbles, not much difference – a chocolately good breakfast no matter how you slice it, right?
However, this argument is a bit more clear-cut to me than deciding my chocolate cereal of choice. I think that West Virginia deserves that spot over Ohio State and over any other one loss team. The Mountaineers had one loss on the road in a tough environment early in the season, while Ohio State lost at home in November. Does it matter when a team loses? Heck, yes. In this system that we have, it sure does. The Big East is better overall this season than the Big Ten; that doesn’t always indicate that the champion from that conference should be in the game, but here, it does help bolster the argument.
Plus, I want to see if anyone can stop a fully healthy West Virginia offense on turf indoors under perfect conditions. Michael Bradley<o><o>[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2][/FONT]</o> Q: West Virginia or Ohio State? Who deserves to get one of the BCS Championship spots?[/SIZE]Neither West Virginia nor Ohio State can be considered a truly legitimate national title hopeful, thanks in large part to the schedules they have played and the relative weakness of their respective conferences. And, given that Missouri will lose to Oklahoma next Saturday, the two schools will likely be playing for the "national title." But, you want one, and I'll go with Ohio State, because the Buckeyes are a more balanced team.
West Virginia's offense is great because of its ground potential and the surprise element of the quick pass. But if the Mountaineers ever had to throw on a consistent basis, they would be cooked. OSU's Todd Boeckman isn't a star QB, but he is more than serviceable and has some solid targets at his disposal. When it comes to defense, the Buckeyes have the edge as well, in just about every area. West Virginia has some talent on that side of the ball, but the Buckeye front seven is dominant.
So, it's the Buckeyes. And since there will be an OSU-WVU matchup in New Orleans, consider this an early prediction on the game's outcome.
Matthew Zemek</o>
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2][/SIZE][/FONT] <o> </o><o> </o> <o><o>[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2][/FONT]</o> Q: West Virginia or Ohio State? Who deserves to get one of the BCS Championship spots?[/SIZE]<o></o></o> A: Once again--as was the case with LSU and Oregon--the only mature, adult, responsible way to decide this debate is to play a game. Period.
Pretending to know which team is more deserving is naive at best, willfully ignorant at worst. Both West Virginia and Ohio State played garbage non-conference schedules, and they both played in particularly bad conferences (with the SEC and Pac-10 having subpar years, but years that were still better than the Big Ten, Big East and ACC; the Big XII is a hard conference to get a handle on).
Who's more deserving? There's no good or fair answer.
Now that that point has been hammered home, my editor demands an answer anyway.
If you put a gun to my head and formally demand one team only, I'd say Ohio State. The Buckeyes loss came to a better team (even though it happened at home), and relative to the potential of both teams entering the season, Ohio State generally played much closer to its overall capabilities. West Virginia has more skill position talent than OSU, but the Mountaineers simply committed too many turnovers in too many games to be viewed as more deserving than the Buckeyes of a berth in the Big Easy. WVU left too many points on the field, while Ohio State has played in accordance with its personality under Jim Tressel.
This isn't fair. This isn't a legitimate debate (and moreover, it won't matter--WVU leads OSU in the BCS standings). But for what it's worth, if you forced me to give you one team, I'd tell you that the Buckeyes were just a shade more deserving than the Mountaineers.
</td></tr></tbody></table>
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Staff
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Nov 27, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Who deserves a spot in the BCS Championship Game more, Ohio State or West Virginia?
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
<table id="table2" align="right" border="0" cellspacing="4" width="200"> <tbody><tr> <td bgcolor="#ffffcc"> Past TQs
- What BCS matchups do you want? - LSU, Oregon or Kansas - The leading 5 for the Heisman - Early Pick It: LSU vs. Ohio State - Three BCS sleepers - Midseason Bests - 3 Big Calls for the Second Half - The biggest disappointment - 5 most overrrated teams - I was dead/on right/wrong about ... - USC, LSU or Oklahoma?l - Was the App St win good or bad for college football?
- 3 Sleeper Teams
- Predicting the Season - 3 things we're sure of - What to look for on Signing Day
- Bears or Colts? - Early bowl surprises and trends - 3 things to look for from the bowls - Do you want the Alabama job? - What are the 3 best non-BCS bowls? - Who's 2nd in the Heisman race? - Michigan-OSU rematch? - Michigan or Ohio State? - Should Louisville be No. 3? - The nat'l title game will be ... - The best one-loss team - Rule changes to help the flow - The Midseason Stuff - The real top five ranking - The early coach of the year is ...? - These three teams are for real, these three aren't
- After 2 weeks, who's better, who's worse?
- 10 Greatest Quarterbacks of All-Time
- 10 Greatest Defensive Players of All-Time
- 10 Greatest Regular Season Games of All-Time
- 10 Greatest Playmakers of All-Time
- 10 Worst Heisman Winners
- 10 Greatest Bowl Games
- All-Time Offensive Team
- All-Time Defensive Team </td> </tr> </tbody></table> [FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2] Pete Fiutak [/SIZE][/FONT]<o
>[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2][/FONT]</o> Q: West Virginia or Ohio State? Who deserves to get one of the BCS Championship spots?[/SIZE]A: If I had to pick which team is better, I'd say Ohio State from top to bottom, although I'm not sure West Virginia's spread wouldn't do to the Buckeye D what Juice Williams and the Illinois attack did. However, when it's about who would deserve to take one of the spots for the national title, assuming Missouri beats Oklahoma, I'd put in West Virginia.
The strength of schedule difference is negligible, with Ohio State clocking in at 46th and West Virginia at 48th. I don't like that the Buckeyes lost at home late in the year when it had everything on the line and only two games to go before getting to the BCS championship. College football doesn't have a playoff, but that Illinois game served as one.
West Virginia's loss to South Florida doesn't look all that great in hindsight, but try to remember what a hot team that was at the time. That was a beartrap of a game in Tampa, with a sold out crown in a nationally televised night game and an electric atmosphere. With Pat White hurt, the Mountaineers still almost pulled off the win.
My big problem with WVU is the lack of a signature wow win. Ohio State beat Michigan and Wisconsin. West Virginia barely got by Cincinnati. Beating Maryland and Mississippi State is nice, but that's not exactly whacking LSU and USC. Even so, if I'm splitting hairs, I'd put Pat White and the boys in.
Richard Cirminiello [FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2][/FONT] <o
> </o><o> </o> [FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2][/SIZE][/FONT] <o> </o><o>[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2][/SIZE][/FONT]</o> Q: West Virginia or Ohio State? Who deserves to get one of the BCS Championship spots?A: What makes this such a terrific question is that it’s so sneaky tough to answer. Take emotion out of the equation, and go ahead and try to find tangible separation between the Mountaineers and the Buckeyes. It’s harder to locate than you think. Both schools have one loss by less than 10 points to a 9-3 team, and have yet to deliver a defining win over a top-notch opponent. In and out of conference, both schools’ schedules have been relatively cushy. Let me first admit that the fan in me would much rather see West Virginia in the title game than Ohio State. New blood, jaw-dropping offensive talent, and a potential match up with Missouri that would create more fireworks than the folks at Grucci. Plus, I hate the fact that the Buckeyes ascent toward New Orleans has come after playing their final regular season game. That said, after taking an unbiased look at both teams’ bodies of work, Ohio State deserves the bid by the slightest of margins. Yeah, it’s a down year for the conference, but navigating the Big Ten is still tougher than getting through the Big East, which had Connecticut as its runner-up this season. Here’s an attempt at science behind the decision: Against teams ranked in the top 45 of the BCS, both programs are 4-1 with very similar losses. The debate can be boiled down to which school’s four quality wins are more impressive. Ohio State has beaten Wisconsin, Michigan, Penn State, and Michigan State. West Virginia has taken down Cincinnati, Connecticut, Rutgers, and Mississippi State. Edge Buckeyes…barely and begrudgingly
John Harris<o
>[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2][/SIZE][/FONT]</o> Q: West Virginia or Ohio State? Who deserves to get one of the BCS Championship spots?[/SIZE] A: When you start to compare Ohio State and West Virginia, as it relates to one of the BCS National championship game slots, it’s like comparing Count Chocula and Cocoa Pebbles, not much difference – a chocolately good breakfast no matter how you slice it, right?
However, this argument is a bit more clear-cut to me than deciding my chocolate cereal of choice. I think that West Virginia deserves that spot over Ohio State and over any other one loss team. The Mountaineers had one loss on the road in a tough environment early in the season, while Ohio State lost at home in November. Does it matter when a team loses? Heck, yes. In this system that we have, it sure does. The Big East is better overall this season than the Big Ten; that doesn’t always indicate that the champion from that conference should be in the game, but here, it does help bolster the argument.
Plus, I want to see if anyone can stop a fully healthy West Virginia offense on turf indoors under perfect conditions. Michael Bradley<o
><o>[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2][/FONT]</o> Q: West Virginia or Ohio State? Who deserves to get one of the BCS Championship spots?[/SIZE]Neither West Virginia nor Ohio State can be considered a truly legitimate national title hopeful, thanks in large part to the schedules they have played and the relative weakness of their respective conferences. And, given that Missouri will lose to Oklahoma next Saturday, the two schools will likely be playing for the "national title." But, you want one, and I'll go with Ohio State, because the Buckeyes are a more balanced team.West Virginia's offense is great because of its ground potential and the surprise element of the quick pass. But if the Mountaineers ever had to throw on a consistent basis, they would be cooked. OSU's Todd Boeckman isn't a star QB, but he is more than serviceable and has some solid targets at his disposal. When it comes to defense, the Buckeyes have the edge as well, in just about every area. West Virginia has some talent on that side of the ball, but the Buckeye front seven is dominant.
So, it's the Buckeyes. And since there will be an OSU-WVU matchup in New Orleans, consider this an early prediction on the game's outcome.
Matthew Zemek</o
>[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2][/SIZE][/FONT] <o
> </o><o> </o> <o><o>[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2][/FONT]</o> Q: West Virginia or Ohio State? Who deserves to get one of the BCS Championship spots?[/SIZE]<o></o></o> A: Once again--as was the case with LSU and Oregon--the only mature, adult, responsible way to decide this debate is to play a game. Period.Pretending to know which team is more deserving is naive at best, willfully ignorant at worst. Both West Virginia and Ohio State played garbage non-conference schedules, and they both played in particularly bad conferences (with the SEC and Pac-10 having subpar years, but years that were still better than the Big Ten, Big East and ACC; the Big XII is a hard conference to get a handle on).
Who's more deserving? There's no good or fair answer.
Now that that point has been hammered home, my editor demands an answer anyway.
If you put a gun to my head and formally demand one team only, I'd say Ohio State. The Buckeyes loss came to a better team (even though it happened at home), and relative to the potential of both teams entering the season, Ohio State generally played much closer to its overall capabilities. West Virginia has more skill position talent than OSU, but the Mountaineers simply committed too many turnovers in too many games to be viewed as more deserving than the Buckeyes of a berth in the Big Easy. WVU left too many points on the field, while Ohio State has played in accordance with its personality under Jim Tressel.
This isn't fair. This isn't a legitimate debate (and moreover, it won't matter--WVU leads OSU in the BCS standings). But for what it's worth, if you forced me to give you one team, I'd tell you that the Buckeyes were just a shade more deserving than the Mountaineers.
</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
<table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="storytitle"> Cavalcade of Whimsy - The Coaching Situations </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="primaryimage" valign="top">
Texas A&M head coach Mike Sherman
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Pete Fiutak
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Nov 27, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Mike Sherman? While he could turn out to be great for Texas A&M, did the program have to hire him so quickly? Breaking down the coaching vacancies and hires, like Houston Nutt going to Ole Miss, next year's Heisman race, the two stars left out of the Doak Walker Award voting, and more in the latest Cavalcade of Whimsy.
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Fiu's Cavalcade of Whimsy[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
a.k.a. Frank Costanza's Festivus Airing of the Grievances [/FONT] [FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2]
By Pete Fiutak
What's your beef? ... E-mail with your thoughts
Past Whimsies [/SIZE][/FONT] 2006 Season | Preseason Part One, Part Two | Week 1
Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8
Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11, Part 1 | Week 11, Part 2 | Week 12
If this column sucks, it’s not my fault … like Alabama football after losing to UL Monroe, and like America after the 9/11 and Pearl Harbor attacks, the “catastrophic event” of a column had to rebound. As you’ll see, like the Tide against Auburn, it didn’t.
“Oh, I see. This is all part of the theme, right? Sure. And you're just stage actors pretending to be filthy drunkards. Bravo. Bravo, everyone. Long live the theater.” … (to the 2007 college football season so far). Clap, clap, clap (make the clap faster) clap, clap, clap, clap (get out of chair while wildly applauding) clap, clap, clap, CLAP, CLAP, CLAP (whistling and hooting in appreciation) CLAP, CLAP, CLAP.
If you haven’t had fun this season, and if you haven’t woken up every Saturday morning excited about the Christmas present of games about to be unwrapped, then I, and a vat of Paxil, can’t help you.
The equivalent of camping outside a Best Buy on Thanksgiving night to be the first in the store Friday morning to buy a Walkman … It’s not that Texas A&M hired Mike Sherman, he might turn out to be solid, but it’s that it had to happen RIGHT NOW. At the very least, couldn’t there have been more of a search? It didn’t need to be done as Dennis Franchione was turning in his key to the executive bathroom. Confused Aggie fans are right in wanting to see just who might have been available after the bowls are over.
“I'm so scared! Oh no, the Germans are coming after me. They're so big and strong! Oh, protect me from the Germans! The Germans.” … There’s no truth to the rumor that Bob Stoops and Mack Brown spent Monday afternoon frantically padding their résumé on Monster.com after their deepest, darkest fears have come true: The Shermanator is in College Station.
“A deja vu is usually a glitch in the Matrix. It happens when they change something.” … Isn’t it great? We finally get to end the speculation and see Oklahoma actually have to play Missouri … uh, oh yeah. Well, the debates can finally stop as Virginia Tech and Boston College will settle it on the field after … what? Oh, that’s right. At least the Conference USA title game should be interesting to see what Kevin Smith and the UCF offense can do against Tulsa and it’s porous … really? 44-23 Knights? So what, exactly, is the reason behind playing these three conference championship games if these they already played each other?
Will Coach Michigan For Food … So, Michigan fans, you still want Les Miles? He has one of the three most talented teams in America, along with USC and Oklahoma, and couldn’t get the job done at home against a mediocre Arkansas team. Michigan doesn’t know anything about having loaded teams that can’t come through in crunch time, does it? (cough, cough) Bill Frieder (cough, cough).
Now that Mike Sherman is off the board … I’ve got the ideal Michigan head coach: Dennis Franchione. Oh sure, he might not do much in conference play and might lead the program to a consistent fourth place finish in the league very year, but at least the guy knows how to win a rivalry game.
But I’m still most afraid of the Viva Viagra guys … The ads from a four-day college football weekend pop quiz
1) Who’s creepier, Burt Reynolds, fresh from his stint at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, in the Dell ad, or the little girl obsessed with the mirrors that supposedly make a TV better?
2) What brand of TV has those mirrors, and do you remotely care enough to make you want to buy that TV.
3) Beyonce in the DirecTV “Upgrade” ad or the woman at the end of the electric razor ad with the guy with a medicine cabinet full of his own heads? Discuss.
What's 4,000 yards between friends? … I just filled out my ballot for the Doak Walker Award voting Darren McFadden 1, Ray Rice 2, Mike Hart 3. Those were my only three choices. I guarantee you will never again see a year when two, 2,000-yard backs couldn’t even make the Doak Walker list of finalists. I’m not saying UCF’s Kevin Smith and Tulane’s Matt Forte are the most talented backs in America, but Smith might end his 2007 season with 2,500 rushing yards and Forte finished up with 2,127 yards and 23 touchdowns. Even if they were on the ballot I’d still vote McFadden first, but Forte has rushed for 402 more yards than the Arkansas star with eight more touchdowns, and Smith has run for 439 more yards and ten more scores. I don’t care if you’re playing in the Sun Belt, if you’re putting up the numbers these two did, more credit is deserved.
"The peanut is neither a pea nor a nut. Discuss."… 1) Now that Fresno State is 44th in the latest BCS rankings and Florida State is 45th, who’s the real FSU? 2) If it’s the University of Missouri and the University of Kansas, then why are they called MU and KU respectively?
“So, that's it then, hmm? Just like a young man coming in for a quickie. I feel so unsatisfied.” … If it’s Missouri and West Virginia for the national title, fine. I don’t need one of the preseason big names like Ohio State, USC or LSU to be in it. Not this season. However, if ever there was a year in need of a playoff, this is it.
On the morning of January 8th, are you going to be completely sold on your national champion? We can still have all the drama we’ve had all season long if a playoff is almost only limited to conference champions. Put in the six BCS champions, the highest ranked independent or non-BCS champion, and leave one at-large slot open for the highest ranked team left on the board. I firmly believe that you shouldn’t play for the national title if you can’t win your conference, but I’ll concede just a little to the hottest-team theorists out there.
Think about how great this would be:
- Missouri/Oklahoma winner vs. Hawaii
- West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech/Boston College winner
- Ohio State vs. LSU/Tennessee winner
- USC vs. Georgia
The regular season would still mean absolutely everything, and there’d be no room for any whining or complaining because every BCS team will have had a shot, you’re giving one little guy a chance, and you’re acknowledging one other team that was fantastic at the end of the year because it jelled or got healthy.
But don’t be banking on ol’ No. 5 to be “bringing the wood” for anyone but the Miami Dolphins … Not to get ahead of ourselves, but the 2008 Heisman race should be out of this world. Assume the front-runners will be: Florida QB Tim Tebow, Missouri QB Chase Daniel, Ohio State RB Chris Wells, West Virginia QB Pat White, Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell, Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford, Texas QB Colt McCoy, Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree, Boise State RB Ian Johnson, Wisconsin RB P.J. Hill, Kansas QB Todd Reesing, and USC QB Mitch Mustain or Mark Sanchez. Now imagine what the race will be like if Darren McFadden, Steve Slaton, Rashard Mendenhall, Jonathan Stewart, Jamaal Charles, Felix Jones, Ray Rice and/or Kevin Smith don’t bolt early for the big league.
Chris Myers will be following Colt Brennan at the end to see if he proposes to some cheerleader … There’s no argument when it comes to Hawaii and the BCS. Remember, we’re not talking about the national title or a playoff here; we’re talking about a glorified exhibition game. If Hawaii goes 12-0, then it should absolutely without question have one of the BCS spots (which it’ll automatically get by finishing in the top 12).
Of course, it helps when you play almost no one outside of your own conference … You want to know why alumni, fans and administrations have no more patience and want to crank things up to 11 at the soonest possible moment? Missouri and Kansas. Those two took a few years to get to a national title level, but they did it. If they could ascend to the heights they did this season, then you can understand why Nebraska and Texas A&M was so itchy to try to capture the same sort of magic.
Maybe the wealthy alumni of the rest of the SEC can pool their money to buyout Meyer’s contract … Notice all those Florida seniors kissing their parents on Senior Day? No? That’s because there weren’t that many. There won’t be the mass exit of underclassmen to the NFL like there was last year, so hopefully you enjoyed this 9-3 Gator season because it’s not happening again for a while. Of course, fans in Athens are saying the same thing about their Dawgs, too.
Would Missouri be Hillary or Rudy? … Be honest. You’re fine with the presidential candidates, but if it weren’t for the rules and restrictions, you’d rather see Bill Clinton vs. Arnold Schwarzenegger for the big prize. You’re fine with the likelihood of West Virginia and Missouri, but if it weren’t for the rules and restrictions, you’d rather see LSU play USC for the big prize.
“That's great to give something back like that. I'd love to find time to do volunteer work. Just the other day I saw this golden retriever that-- He had like a gimp, and he couldn't really-- It made me feel terrible. I wish there was something I could do.” … The NCAA needs to put in a rule against going for two when a team is embarrassingly behind. Texas Southern, down 59-6, trying for a two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter against Houston made me feel all sad inside.
This is the worst-looking game I ever saw. You watch a game like this, I’ll be you get a free bowl of soup. … If Oregon vs. UCLA wasn’t the worst college football game played in the last decade, I want to see what was. I sat through Gigli from start to finish just to see how bad a movie could be. If you didn’t see the Ducks and Bruins, you have to try to find a copy of the game somewhere just so you can say you saw it. In the 16-0 UCLA win, the two teams combined for 22 first downs, 368 yards of total offense, 22 punts and six turnovers. Oregon was five of 22 on third down conversions, while UCLA was two of 17. The signature of this tour-de-force was the passing from both sides with Oregon completing 11 of 39 passes for 105 yards and three interceptions, and UCLA completing four of 17 passes for 64 yards and two interceptions. Trust me, the game was even worse than the stats.
The C.O.W. airing of the grievances followed by the feats of strength
More coaching openings will pop up over the next several days, Colorado State is a sure-thing, but for right now, here are the 12 key openings and the overviews of their situations.
12. SMU
Prestige Factor: Stepping-stone job
Ideal Candidate Would Have … success at the D-I level as a top-notch offensive coordinator or with an exciting offense that could work anywhere. Previous success at some level in Texas is a must.
They Should Think About … Rice head coach David Bailiff
The Skinny: The program has never been able to overcome the 1987 death penalty brought on by the sins of the heyday, but the team is in good enough shape for someone to step in right away and succeed in Conference USA play. Former head man Phil Bennett didn’t have much success, but this was supposed to be a big year with the building blocks he put in place.
11. Northern Illinois
Prestige Factor: A destination for an older head coach, a stepping-stone for a younger one
Ideal Candidate Would Have … a media-savvy older coach with name recognition and good energy. Being able to own the greater Chicago area is a must.
They Should Think About … Big Ten Network analyst Gerry DiNardo
The Skinny: The stability of Joe Novak for 12 seasons turned the program into a bit of a MAC power that couldn’t get over the hump. The potential is there to make this the MAC’s premier program by getting the huge Chicago alumni base fired up and generating a buzz with a coach who’s not afraid to work the media 24/7. While the Huskies will likely go young, they should take a cue from the immediate success Ohio had with Frank Solich and get a bit of a proven commodity. Injuries killed the team this season; the team can win it all next year.
10. Southern Miss
Prestige Factor: Decent. The chance is there for a young head coach to up his stock in a hurry.
Ideal Candidate Would Have … fresh ideas. After 14 extremely successful seasons under Jeff Bower, the tradition of great defense isn’t going anywhere. Someone who can upgrade the offensive profile would be nice.
They Should Think About … Tulsa offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn
The Skinny: With a reputation for wanting to play anyone, anywhere and any time, USM wasn’t afraid to take on the big boys under Bower, and that’s a tradition that must continue. It’s not like the program went into the tank under Bower; it’s still more than good enough to win the Conference USA title right now. However, for all the success, a little bit of new blood won’t be a bad thing.
9. Duke
Prestige Factor: None. It’s considered one of the toughest jobs in America.
Ideal Candidate Would Have … a quirk. Duke will never be able to get the talents to win the ACC title on skill, but an offensive wizard who can run the spread to near-perfection would throw a scare into the rest of the league. Remember, the program was good back when Steve Spurrier’s offense was rolling.
They Should Think About … Appalachian State head coach Jerry Moore
The Skinny: If Wake Forest can win an ACC title and if Northwestern can be a consistent competitor in the Big Ten, then Duke can follow the same blueprint. This isn’t an ideal job for a young coach looking to make some noise right away, but getting an established D-IAA star or a decent coordinator (think Al Golden moving from Virginia to Temple) could change things around in a year or two.
8. Baylor
Prestige Factor: None. A coach can make a big name for himself with the slightest bit of success.
Ideal Candidate Would Have … in-roads in Texas. Baylor is a different type of Big 12 school because of its private status. The coach has to come up with a big-time offensive idea, like Guy Morriss tried to do with the Texas Tech passing attack, only with more success.
They Should Think About … North Texas head coach Todd Dodge
The Skinny: As far as the tough job openings go, this is far more difficult than Duke because the rest of the South is so nasty. Oklahoma and Texas will be in the national title discussion every year, Oklahoma State/T. Boone U. is improving, and Texas Tech and Texas A&M will always be bowl bound. Forget about the defense. Some alumni might like the idea of Mike Singletary, but the Bears need an effective offense that can outbomb teams on the right day. Trying to get in defensive struggles against Oklahoma and Texas won’t work. Houston’s Art Briles will likely get the gig.
7. Washington State
Prestige Factor: Medium to low. Only Stanford is a tougher Pac 10 situation.
Ideal Candidate Would Have … the offensive wizard tag. You have to be able to put up consistent points on the board in the Pac 10, and Wazzu has been successful when it’s been able to crank up the offense on everyone. Defense, schmefense; this is the Pac 10.
They Should Think About … Boise State head coach Chris Petersen
The Skinny: The early talk is about Mike Price coming back to his old stomping grounds, but take a look at how his UTEP teams went into the tank in crunch time during his reign. The program doesn’t have the fan base or the overall cache of the other Pac 10 teams, but the right coach can win there right away. Bill Doba wasn’t bad, but he managed to be on the wrong side of seemingly every close game.
6. Ole Miss
Prestige Factor: Not as much as Ole Miss thinks it has.
Ideal Candidate Would Have Had … the ability to win right now, but with a realistic eye on building for the future. Even though the program needs time to turn things around, forget about any sort of a five-year building plan under Houston Nutt. As the administration has shown with David Cutcliffe and Ed Orgeron, win now or die. They Should’ve Thought About …Baltimore Ravens assistant coach Rick Neuheisel
The Skinny: Orgeron actually had the right idea and the right plan in place building from the lines out, and now it'll be up to Nutt to provide some stability and some instant pop after his tumultuous stint at Arkansas. Despite going winless in SEC play, there were enough close losses and enough competitive performances to hope for a relatively quick turnaround under the former Arkansas head man, but it this simply a case of going through someone else's trash? Getting to a bowl in the next two years is a must, as is beating Mississippi State.
5. Georgia Tech
Prestige Factor: Better than you might think. It’s a solid job that opening that’ll attract its share of big names. In a big city with an administration that wants to crank things up to another level right now, Tech should be able to have its pick of several big-time names.
Ideal Candidate Would Have … the media savvy to win over Atlanta. Georgia is the top dog in the state, even in Atlanta, so it’ll require a charismatic head man who can sell the program as more than just a second-fiddle.
They Should Think About … UCF head coach George O’Leary
The Skinny: No, Tech isn’t going to go rehire O’Leary. Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher and Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp are the likely front-runners, but don’t rule out a shocker of a name being thrown into the mix before all is said and done. Going the pro route actually worked a bit with Gailey, and Tech might at least consider throwing a feeler phone call to Oakland Raider head man Lane Kiffin or Atlanta head coach Bobby Petrino.
4. Texas A&M
Prestige Factor: Not remotely close to as high as Aggie fans think it is.
Ideal Candidate Would Have Had … more of a “wow’ factor. Mike Sherman has a nice résumé and should certainly be able to step in and get the Aggies to bowl games every year, but he’s not going to force Oklahoma or Texas to close up shop.
They Should’ve Thought About … North Carolina head coach Butch Davis
The Skinny: Sherman certainly knows the program and is part of the Aggie family, but is he really the guy to take the program to that next level it’s been dying to get to for several years? As disappointing and embarrassing as the Dennis Franchione era became, he beat Texas over the last two years. Sherman can be great right away, but he has to come up with wins over the Longhorns right away.
3. Arkansas
Prestige Factor: Relatively high. Depending on who you believe, this is a powder keg of a program ready to blow up, or Houston Nutt basically maxed it out in a nasty SEC West. The next head coach will be walking into an extremely interesting situation.
Ideal Candidate Would Have … a mega-name. In a conference full of heavyweight head men, the Hogs need someone who won’t blink at the idea of game-planning against Nick Saban and Urban Meyer.
They Should Think About … North Carolina head coach Butch Davis
The Skinny: Watch out for this to be Alabama-lite. Arkansas will make a run after several monster names, including a few from the NFL, only to be rebuffed like Bama was last year, although on a much less public scale, before getting a high-powered coordinator like Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher.
2. Nebraska
Prestige Factor: Obviously great, but this isn’t a job for a big-name coach who’ll want to make the program his. The bigger problem will be the unattainable expectations. Husker fans want to be in the national title hunt every year, but the mid-1990s are long gone and in the new Big 12 world, programs like Missouri and Kansas have become powers.
Ideal Candidate Would Have … the ability to function in Tom Osborne’s shadow. Nebraska wants a head coach with Husker ties, but it can’t be at the expense of getting the top candidate possible.
They Should Think About … Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez
The Skinny: It might not have worked, but former athletic director Steve Pederson was right the program needed a fresh coat of paint … to a point. The offense actually worked under Callahan, but the defense went bye-bye, and at a place like Nebraska, that’s inexcusable. It’ll either be LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini or Buffalo head man, and former Husker great, Turner Gill, but Pelini might want to hang around Baton Rouge to see if he could potentially step into a much, much better situation if Les Miles bolts for Ann Arbor.
1. Michigan
Prestige Factor: The leader and the best. Along with Notre Dame football and North Carolina basketball, it’s the premier job in college sports.
Ideal Candidate Would Have … the ability to not be starry-eyed when it comes to the Michigan tradition. Urban Meyer was able to blow off the Steve Spurrier factor and make Florida his from the start. Michigan’s new head man can’t get bogged down by trying to play to the crowd. Basically, the program needs a stone-cone killer, a rainmaker who can step in and make everyone do a collective “yeeeeesh.”
They Should Think About … Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops
The Skinny: Michigan can get almost any college coach it wants outside of Meyer, Nick Saban, Charlie Weis, Jim Tressel and Pete Carroll. The job is that big. I’m not joking when it comes to pursuing Stoops, a former Iowa player who would fit perfectly into the Big Ten, while scaring the bejeebers out of Ohio State. Oklahoma is big; Michigan is bigger. Les Miles is the name at the top of everyone’s list, but don’t be shocked if Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz is in the running late in the game.
Nuggets for the upcoming week, now made with white meat, at participating restaurants …
- The college version of overtime is head-and-shoulders better than the NFL version, but it needs to be tweaked. The drives should start on the 35 instead of the 25 and teams should have to go for two after touchdowns from the start instead of after the second overtime.
- Note to the Rose Bowl: you don’t have to take a Big Ten team if it’s not the champion. The Big Ten – Pac 10 thing only really matters if you get the best teams from each league. If you lose Ohio State to the BCS Championship, take Georgia.
- It's not like a normal free kick, the opposing team needs to have possession first, but couldn’t Kansas have gone for an onside kick after the safety late in the Missouri loss? As crazy as this sounds, if you remember the situation, I thought the safety was actually a plus for KU because it moved the ball out a little bit.
- The most interesting game you didn’t pay attention to last weekend was Tulsa’s win over Rice. Owl QB Chase Clement accounted for 601 yards of total offense as Rice hung 700 on the Golden Hurricane. With Tulsa’s porous defense, the Conference USA title game will be a shootout.
- Tim Tebow is the obvious First Team All-SEC quarterback, but a little love has to go to Tennessee’s Erik Ainge. He put up a whale of a year with a slew of no-name receivers compared to last year’s group.
C.O.W. shameless gimmick item … The weekly five Overrated/Underrated aspects of the world
1) Overrated: Chick-fil-A anti-beef ads ... Underrated: Fast Food Nation
2) Overrated: Fat Joe Montana in the NFL Network ads … Underrated: Fat Jim Kelly in the ESPN ads
3) Overrated: Playing your stars on special teams ... Underrated: Oklahoma RB DeMarco Murray
4) Overrated: Several top job openings ... Underrated: Checking out the contract situation after beating Alabama for a sixth time in a row
5) Overrated: Virginia Tech at No. 6... Underrated: LSU at No. 7 despite beating the Hokies 48-7.
My Heisman ballot this week will be … I'm holding the ballot in my hand. "I hearby designate Tim Tebow, Florida, As my First Choice to receive the Heisman Memorial Trophy, awarded to the most outstanding college football player in the United State for 2007. To the best of my knowledge, he conforms to the rules governing this vote."
My Second Choice is: Chase Daniel, Missouri
My Third Choice is: Pat White, West Virginia
If White or Daniel lose this weekend, I'll put Darren McFadden in the slot.
“You know I'm born to lose, and gambling's for fools/But that's the way I like it baby, I don't wanna live forever” … The three lines this week that appear to be a tad off. (1-2 again. I'm really not this bad if you look at my overall picks for the site, but if actually care about this segment, all you're worried about is consistency one way or the other, and that's me … 12-24-1 overall.) … 1) Washington +28.5 over Hawaii, 2) Florida Atlantic +15.5 over Troy, 3) Army +14 over Navy
Sorry this column sucked, but it wasn’t my fault … I had everything right there for the taking needing just a home win over an average team and a win in a championship game to be in the championship, and then Darren McFadden had other ideas.
</td></tr></tbody></table>
Texas A&M head coach Mike Sherman
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> <table bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1" width="60%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap" valign="middle">By Pete Fiutak
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Nov 27, 2007
</td> <td nowrap="nowrap">
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
Mike Sherman? While he could turn out to be great for Texas A&M, did the program have to hire him so quickly? Breaking down the coaching vacancies and hires, like Houston Nutt going to Ole Miss, next year's Heisman race, the two stars left out of the Doak Walker Award voting, and more in the latest Cavalcade of Whimsy.
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]Fiu's Cavalcade of Whimsy[/FONT]
[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif]
a.k.a. Frank Costanza's Festivus Airing of the Grievances [/FONT] [FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2]
By Pete Fiutak
What's your beef? ... E-mail with your thoughts
Past Whimsies [/SIZE][/FONT] 2006 Season | Preseason Part One, Part Two | Week 1
Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8
Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11, Part 1 | Week 11, Part 2 | Week 12
If this column sucks, it’s not my fault … like Alabama football after losing to UL Monroe, and like America after the 9/11 and Pearl Harbor attacks, the “catastrophic event” of a column had to rebound. As you’ll see, like the Tide against Auburn, it didn’t.
“Oh, I see. This is all part of the theme, right? Sure. And you're just stage actors pretending to be filthy drunkards. Bravo. Bravo, everyone. Long live the theater.” … (to the 2007 college football season so far). Clap, clap, clap (make the clap faster) clap, clap, clap, clap (get out of chair while wildly applauding) clap, clap, clap, CLAP, CLAP, CLAP (whistling and hooting in appreciation) CLAP, CLAP, CLAP.
If you haven’t had fun this season, and if you haven’t woken up every Saturday morning excited about the Christmas present of games about to be unwrapped, then I, and a vat of Paxil, can’t help you.
The equivalent of camping outside a Best Buy on Thanksgiving night to be the first in the store Friday morning to buy a Walkman … It’s not that Texas A&M hired Mike Sherman, he might turn out to be solid, but it’s that it had to happen RIGHT NOW. At the very least, couldn’t there have been more of a search? It didn’t need to be done as Dennis Franchione was turning in his key to the executive bathroom. Confused Aggie fans are right in wanting to see just who might have been available after the bowls are over.
“I'm so scared! Oh no, the Germans are coming after me. They're so big and strong! Oh, protect me from the Germans! The Germans.” … There’s no truth to the rumor that Bob Stoops and Mack Brown spent Monday afternoon frantically padding their résumé on Monster.com after their deepest, darkest fears have come true: The Shermanator is in College Station.
“A deja vu is usually a glitch in the Matrix. It happens when they change something.” … Isn’t it great? We finally get to end the speculation and see Oklahoma actually have to play Missouri … uh, oh yeah. Well, the debates can finally stop as Virginia Tech and Boston College will settle it on the field after … what? Oh, that’s right. At least the Conference USA title game should be interesting to see what Kevin Smith and the UCF offense can do against Tulsa and it’s porous … really? 44-23 Knights? So what, exactly, is the reason behind playing these three conference championship games if these they already played each other?
Will Coach Michigan For Food … So, Michigan fans, you still want Les Miles? He has one of the three most talented teams in America, along with USC and Oklahoma, and couldn’t get the job done at home against a mediocre Arkansas team. Michigan doesn’t know anything about having loaded teams that can’t come through in crunch time, does it? (cough, cough) Bill Frieder (cough, cough).
Now that Mike Sherman is off the board … I’ve got the ideal Michigan head coach: Dennis Franchione. Oh sure, he might not do much in conference play and might lead the program to a consistent fourth place finish in the league very year, but at least the guy knows how to win a rivalry game.
But I’m still most afraid of the Viva Viagra guys … The ads from a four-day college football weekend pop quiz
1) Who’s creepier, Burt Reynolds, fresh from his stint at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, in the Dell ad, or the little girl obsessed with the mirrors that supposedly make a TV better?
2) What brand of TV has those mirrors, and do you remotely care enough to make you want to buy that TV.
3) Beyonce in the DirecTV “Upgrade” ad or the woman at the end of the electric razor ad with the guy with a medicine cabinet full of his own heads? Discuss.
What's 4,000 yards between friends? … I just filled out my ballot for the Doak Walker Award voting Darren McFadden 1, Ray Rice 2, Mike Hart 3. Those were my only three choices. I guarantee you will never again see a year when two, 2,000-yard backs couldn’t even make the Doak Walker list of finalists. I’m not saying UCF’s Kevin Smith and Tulane’s Matt Forte are the most talented backs in America, but Smith might end his 2007 season with 2,500 rushing yards and Forte finished up with 2,127 yards and 23 touchdowns. Even if they were on the ballot I’d still vote McFadden first, but Forte has rushed for 402 more yards than the Arkansas star with eight more touchdowns, and Smith has run for 439 more yards and ten more scores. I don’t care if you’re playing in the Sun Belt, if you’re putting up the numbers these two did, more credit is deserved.
"The peanut is neither a pea nor a nut. Discuss."… 1) Now that Fresno State is 44th in the latest BCS rankings and Florida State is 45th, who’s the real FSU? 2) If it’s the University of Missouri and the University of Kansas, then why are they called MU and KU respectively?
“So, that's it then, hmm? Just like a young man coming in for a quickie. I feel so unsatisfied.” … If it’s Missouri and West Virginia for the national title, fine. I don’t need one of the preseason big names like Ohio State, USC or LSU to be in it. Not this season. However, if ever there was a year in need of a playoff, this is it.
On the morning of January 8th, are you going to be completely sold on your national champion? We can still have all the drama we’ve had all season long if a playoff is almost only limited to conference champions. Put in the six BCS champions, the highest ranked independent or non-BCS champion, and leave one at-large slot open for the highest ranked team left on the board. I firmly believe that you shouldn’t play for the national title if you can’t win your conference, but I’ll concede just a little to the hottest-team theorists out there.
Think about how great this would be:
- Missouri/Oklahoma winner vs. Hawaii
- West Virginia vs. Virginia Tech/Boston College winner
- Ohio State vs. LSU/Tennessee winner
- USC vs. Georgia
The regular season would still mean absolutely everything, and there’d be no room for any whining or complaining because every BCS team will have had a shot, you’re giving one little guy a chance, and you’re acknowledging one other team that was fantastic at the end of the year because it jelled or got healthy.
But don’t be banking on ol’ No. 5 to be “bringing the wood” for anyone but the Miami Dolphins … Not to get ahead of ourselves, but the 2008 Heisman race should be out of this world. Assume the front-runners will be: Florida QB Tim Tebow, Missouri QB Chase Daniel, Ohio State RB Chris Wells, West Virginia QB Pat White, Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell, Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford, Texas QB Colt McCoy, Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree, Boise State RB Ian Johnson, Wisconsin RB P.J. Hill, Kansas QB Todd Reesing, and USC QB Mitch Mustain or Mark Sanchez. Now imagine what the race will be like if Darren McFadden, Steve Slaton, Rashard Mendenhall, Jonathan Stewart, Jamaal Charles, Felix Jones, Ray Rice and/or Kevin Smith don’t bolt early for the big league.
Chris Myers will be following Colt Brennan at the end to see if he proposes to some cheerleader … There’s no argument when it comes to Hawaii and the BCS. Remember, we’re not talking about the national title or a playoff here; we’re talking about a glorified exhibition game. If Hawaii goes 12-0, then it should absolutely without question have one of the BCS spots (which it’ll automatically get by finishing in the top 12).
Of course, it helps when you play almost no one outside of your own conference … You want to know why alumni, fans and administrations have no more patience and want to crank things up to 11 at the soonest possible moment? Missouri and Kansas. Those two took a few years to get to a national title level, but they did it. If they could ascend to the heights they did this season, then you can understand why Nebraska and Texas A&M was so itchy to try to capture the same sort of magic.
Maybe the wealthy alumni of the rest of the SEC can pool their money to buyout Meyer’s contract … Notice all those Florida seniors kissing their parents on Senior Day? No? That’s because there weren’t that many. There won’t be the mass exit of underclassmen to the NFL like there was last year, so hopefully you enjoyed this 9-3 Gator season because it’s not happening again for a while. Of course, fans in Athens are saying the same thing about their Dawgs, too.
Would Missouri be Hillary or Rudy? … Be honest. You’re fine with the presidential candidates, but if it weren’t for the rules and restrictions, you’d rather see Bill Clinton vs. Arnold Schwarzenegger for the big prize. You’re fine with the likelihood of West Virginia and Missouri, but if it weren’t for the rules and restrictions, you’d rather see LSU play USC for the big prize.
“That's great to give something back like that. I'd love to find time to do volunteer work. Just the other day I saw this golden retriever that-- He had like a gimp, and he couldn't really-- It made me feel terrible. I wish there was something I could do.” … The NCAA needs to put in a rule against going for two when a team is embarrassingly behind. Texas Southern, down 59-6, trying for a two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter against Houston made me feel all sad inside.
This is the worst-looking game I ever saw. You watch a game like this, I’ll be you get a free bowl of soup. … If Oregon vs. UCLA wasn’t the worst college football game played in the last decade, I want to see what was. I sat through Gigli from start to finish just to see how bad a movie could be. If you didn’t see the Ducks and Bruins, you have to try to find a copy of the game somewhere just so you can say you saw it. In the 16-0 UCLA win, the two teams combined for 22 first downs, 368 yards of total offense, 22 punts and six turnovers. Oregon was five of 22 on third down conversions, while UCLA was two of 17. The signature of this tour-de-force was the passing from both sides with Oregon completing 11 of 39 passes for 105 yards and three interceptions, and UCLA completing four of 17 passes for 64 yards and two interceptions. Trust me, the game was even worse than the stats.
The C.O.W. airing of the grievances followed by the feats of strength
More coaching openings will pop up over the next several days, Colorado State is a sure-thing, but for right now, here are the 12 key openings and the overviews of their situations.
12. SMU
Prestige Factor: Stepping-stone job
Ideal Candidate Would Have … success at the D-I level as a top-notch offensive coordinator or with an exciting offense that could work anywhere. Previous success at some level in Texas is a must.
They Should Think About … Rice head coach David Bailiff
The Skinny: The program has never been able to overcome the 1987 death penalty brought on by the sins of the heyday, but the team is in good enough shape for someone to step in right away and succeed in Conference USA play. Former head man Phil Bennett didn’t have much success, but this was supposed to be a big year with the building blocks he put in place.
11. Northern Illinois
Prestige Factor: A destination for an older head coach, a stepping-stone for a younger one
Ideal Candidate Would Have … a media-savvy older coach with name recognition and good energy. Being able to own the greater Chicago area is a must.
They Should Think About … Big Ten Network analyst Gerry DiNardo
The Skinny: The stability of Joe Novak for 12 seasons turned the program into a bit of a MAC power that couldn’t get over the hump. The potential is there to make this the MAC’s premier program by getting the huge Chicago alumni base fired up and generating a buzz with a coach who’s not afraid to work the media 24/7. While the Huskies will likely go young, they should take a cue from the immediate success Ohio had with Frank Solich and get a bit of a proven commodity. Injuries killed the team this season; the team can win it all next year.
10. Southern Miss
Prestige Factor: Decent. The chance is there for a young head coach to up his stock in a hurry.
Ideal Candidate Would Have … fresh ideas. After 14 extremely successful seasons under Jeff Bower, the tradition of great defense isn’t going anywhere. Someone who can upgrade the offensive profile would be nice.
They Should Think About … Tulsa offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn
The Skinny: With a reputation for wanting to play anyone, anywhere and any time, USM wasn’t afraid to take on the big boys under Bower, and that’s a tradition that must continue. It’s not like the program went into the tank under Bower; it’s still more than good enough to win the Conference USA title right now. However, for all the success, a little bit of new blood won’t be a bad thing.
9. Duke
Prestige Factor: None. It’s considered one of the toughest jobs in America.
Ideal Candidate Would Have … a quirk. Duke will never be able to get the talents to win the ACC title on skill, but an offensive wizard who can run the spread to near-perfection would throw a scare into the rest of the league. Remember, the program was good back when Steve Spurrier’s offense was rolling.
They Should Think About … Appalachian State head coach Jerry Moore
The Skinny: If Wake Forest can win an ACC title and if Northwestern can be a consistent competitor in the Big Ten, then Duke can follow the same blueprint. This isn’t an ideal job for a young coach looking to make some noise right away, but getting an established D-IAA star or a decent coordinator (think Al Golden moving from Virginia to Temple) could change things around in a year or two.
8. Baylor
Prestige Factor: None. A coach can make a big name for himself with the slightest bit of success.
Ideal Candidate Would Have … in-roads in Texas. Baylor is a different type of Big 12 school because of its private status. The coach has to come up with a big-time offensive idea, like Guy Morriss tried to do with the Texas Tech passing attack, only with more success.
They Should Think About … North Texas head coach Todd Dodge
The Skinny: As far as the tough job openings go, this is far more difficult than Duke because the rest of the South is so nasty. Oklahoma and Texas will be in the national title discussion every year, Oklahoma State/T. Boone U. is improving, and Texas Tech and Texas A&M will always be bowl bound. Forget about the defense. Some alumni might like the idea of Mike Singletary, but the Bears need an effective offense that can outbomb teams on the right day. Trying to get in defensive struggles against Oklahoma and Texas won’t work. Houston’s Art Briles will likely get the gig.
7. Washington State
Prestige Factor: Medium to low. Only Stanford is a tougher Pac 10 situation.
Ideal Candidate Would Have … the offensive wizard tag. You have to be able to put up consistent points on the board in the Pac 10, and Wazzu has been successful when it’s been able to crank up the offense on everyone. Defense, schmefense; this is the Pac 10.
They Should Think About … Boise State head coach Chris Petersen
The Skinny: The early talk is about Mike Price coming back to his old stomping grounds, but take a look at how his UTEP teams went into the tank in crunch time during his reign. The program doesn’t have the fan base or the overall cache of the other Pac 10 teams, but the right coach can win there right away. Bill Doba wasn’t bad, but he managed to be on the wrong side of seemingly every close game.
6. Ole Miss
Prestige Factor: Not as much as Ole Miss thinks it has.
Ideal Candidate Would Have Had … the ability to win right now, but with a realistic eye on building for the future. Even though the program needs time to turn things around, forget about any sort of a five-year building plan under Houston Nutt. As the administration has shown with David Cutcliffe and Ed Orgeron, win now or die. They Should’ve Thought About …Baltimore Ravens assistant coach Rick Neuheisel
The Skinny: Orgeron actually had the right idea and the right plan in place building from the lines out, and now it'll be up to Nutt to provide some stability and some instant pop after his tumultuous stint at Arkansas. Despite going winless in SEC play, there were enough close losses and enough competitive performances to hope for a relatively quick turnaround under the former Arkansas head man, but it this simply a case of going through someone else's trash? Getting to a bowl in the next two years is a must, as is beating Mississippi State.
5. Georgia Tech
Prestige Factor: Better than you might think. It’s a solid job that opening that’ll attract its share of big names. In a big city with an administration that wants to crank things up to another level right now, Tech should be able to have its pick of several big-time names.
Ideal Candidate Would Have … the media savvy to win over Atlanta. Georgia is the top dog in the state, even in Atlanta, so it’ll require a charismatic head man who can sell the program as more than just a second-fiddle.
They Should Think About … UCF head coach George O’Leary
The Skinny: No, Tech isn’t going to go rehire O’Leary. Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher and Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp are the likely front-runners, but don’t rule out a shocker of a name being thrown into the mix before all is said and done. Going the pro route actually worked a bit with Gailey, and Tech might at least consider throwing a feeler phone call to Oakland Raider head man Lane Kiffin or Atlanta head coach Bobby Petrino.
4. Texas A&M
Prestige Factor: Not remotely close to as high as Aggie fans think it is.
Ideal Candidate Would Have Had … more of a “wow’ factor. Mike Sherman has a nice résumé and should certainly be able to step in and get the Aggies to bowl games every year, but he’s not going to force Oklahoma or Texas to close up shop.
They Should’ve Thought About … North Carolina head coach Butch Davis
The Skinny: Sherman certainly knows the program and is part of the Aggie family, but is he really the guy to take the program to that next level it’s been dying to get to for several years? As disappointing and embarrassing as the Dennis Franchione era became, he beat Texas over the last two years. Sherman can be great right away, but he has to come up with wins over the Longhorns right away.
3. Arkansas
Prestige Factor: Relatively high. Depending on who you believe, this is a powder keg of a program ready to blow up, or Houston Nutt basically maxed it out in a nasty SEC West. The next head coach will be walking into an extremely interesting situation.
Ideal Candidate Would Have … a mega-name. In a conference full of heavyweight head men, the Hogs need someone who won’t blink at the idea of game-planning against Nick Saban and Urban Meyer.
They Should Think About … North Carolina head coach Butch Davis
The Skinny: Watch out for this to be Alabama-lite. Arkansas will make a run after several monster names, including a few from the NFL, only to be rebuffed like Bama was last year, although on a much less public scale, before getting a high-powered coordinator like Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher.
2. Nebraska
Prestige Factor: Obviously great, but this isn’t a job for a big-name coach who’ll want to make the program his. The bigger problem will be the unattainable expectations. Husker fans want to be in the national title hunt every year, but the mid-1990s are long gone and in the new Big 12 world, programs like Missouri and Kansas have become powers.
Ideal Candidate Would Have … the ability to function in Tom Osborne’s shadow. Nebraska wants a head coach with Husker ties, but it can’t be at the expense of getting the top candidate possible.
They Should Think About … Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez
The Skinny: It might not have worked, but former athletic director Steve Pederson was right the program needed a fresh coat of paint … to a point. The offense actually worked under Callahan, but the defense went bye-bye, and at a place like Nebraska, that’s inexcusable. It’ll either be LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini or Buffalo head man, and former Husker great, Turner Gill, but Pelini might want to hang around Baton Rouge to see if he could potentially step into a much, much better situation if Les Miles bolts for Ann Arbor.
1. Michigan
Prestige Factor: The leader and the best. Along with Notre Dame football and North Carolina basketball, it’s the premier job in college sports.
Ideal Candidate Would Have … the ability to not be starry-eyed when it comes to the Michigan tradition. Urban Meyer was able to blow off the Steve Spurrier factor and make Florida his from the start. Michigan’s new head man can’t get bogged down by trying to play to the crowd. Basically, the program needs a stone-cone killer, a rainmaker who can step in and make everyone do a collective “yeeeeesh.”
They Should Think About … Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops
The Skinny: Michigan can get almost any college coach it wants outside of Meyer, Nick Saban, Charlie Weis, Jim Tressel and Pete Carroll. The job is that big. I’m not joking when it comes to pursuing Stoops, a former Iowa player who would fit perfectly into the Big Ten, while scaring the bejeebers out of Ohio State. Oklahoma is big; Michigan is bigger. Les Miles is the name at the top of everyone’s list, but don’t be shocked if Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz is in the running late in the game.
Nuggets for the upcoming week, now made with white meat, at participating restaurants …
- The college version of overtime is head-and-shoulders better than the NFL version, but it needs to be tweaked. The drives should start on the 35 instead of the 25 and teams should have to go for two after touchdowns from the start instead of after the second overtime.
- Note to the Rose Bowl: you don’t have to take a Big Ten team if it’s not the champion. The Big Ten – Pac 10 thing only really matters if you get the best teams from each league. If you lose Ohio State to the BCS Championship, take Georgia.
- It's not like a normal free kick, the opposing team needs to have possession first, but couldn’t Kansas have gone for an onside kick after the safety late in the Missouri loss? As crazy as this sounds, if you remember the situation, I thought the safety was actually a plus for KU because it moved the ball out a little bit.
- The most interesting game you didn’t pay attention to last weekend was Tulsa’s win over Rice. Owl QB Chase Clement accounted for 601 yards of total offense as Rice hung 700 on the Golden Hurricane. With Tulsa’s porous defense, the Conference USA title game will be a shootout.
- Tim Tebow is the obvious First Team All-SEC quarterback, but a little love has to go to Tennessee’s Erik Ainge. He put up a whale of a year with a slew of no-name receivers compared to last year’s group.
C.O.W. shameless gimmick item … The weekly five Overrated/Underrated aspects of the world
1) Overrated: Chick-fil-A anti-beef ads ... Underrated: Fast Food Nation
2) Overrated: Fat Joe Montana in the NFL Network ads … Underrated: Fat Jim Kelly in the ESPN ads
3) Overrated: Playing your stars on special teams ... Underrated: Oklahoma RB DeMarco Murray
4) Overrated: Several top job openings ... Underrated: Checking out the contract situation after beating Alabama for a sixth time in a row
5) Overrated: Virginia Tech at No. 6... Underrated: LSU at No. 7 despite beating the Hokies 48-7.
My Heisman ballot this week will be … I'm holding the ballot in my hand. "I hearby designate Tim Tebow, Florida, As my First Choice to receive the Heisman Memorial Trophy, awarded to the most outstanding college football player in the United State for 2007. To the best of my knowledge, he conforms to the rules governing this vote."
My Second Choice is: Chase Daniel, Missouri
My Third Choice is: Pat White, West Virginia
If White or Daniel lose this weekend, I'll put Darren McFadden in the slot.
“You know I'm born to lose, and gambling's for fools/But that's the way I like it baby, I don't wanna live forever” … The three lines this week that appear to be a tad off. (1-2 again. I'm really not this bad if you look at my overall picks for the site, but if actually care about this segment, all you're worried about is consistency one way or the other, and that's me … 12-24-1 overall.) … 1) Washington +28.5 over Hawaii, 2) Florida Atlantic +15.5 over Troy, 3) Army +14 over Navy
Sorry this column sucked, but it wasn’t my fault … I had everything right there for the taking needing just a home win over an average team and a win in a championship game to be in the championship, and then Darren McFadden had other ideas.
</td></tr></tbody></table>
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Mediocrity at any price for Longhorns
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/cnishared/js/NewsworthyAudioC2L.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/cnishared/newsworthy/statesman/sports/stories/longhorns/11/27/statesman_sports_stories_longhorns_11_27_1127sptletter.js"></script>By Russell S. Phillips
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Kirk Bohls hit it right on the head when he said this about Mack Brown: "His staff's inability to adjust quickly, and his extreme loyalty to his staff, a loyalty that may exceed his devotion to the school and his players."
That is possibly the most frustrating thing about living with today's status quo. I was the kid who as a third-grader caught the UT shuttle bus at Enfield Road just to hang out at Clark Field. I was the kid who scrounged $3 to sit in the knothole section every week. I was the kid who came home beaming with a piece of Earl's tear-away jersey, as though it were the Shroud of Turin. Ultimately, I chose to attend UT simply because I couldn't picture myself anywhere else.
At College Station, I caught myself thinking, "You know, I'd send my kids here before I put them at Texas." It was heartbreaking.
What was once as magical as Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny has turned into a pastime for the rich. Campus is filled with people who try to find new ways to embrace the celebrated weirdness of the town. And Bellmont is populated by people who think that "We're Texas" is a powerful enough motto that other teams should just lay down. Well, this year proved that the best facilities, the fullest trophy cases and all the other junk that adds up to $90 a ticket is just that — junk.
Mediocrity is expensive at any price. Mack showed up embracing tradition and genuinely enamored with our tradition. Now it just seems that he is a bit of a mercenary. He's got his soundbite lines — "I've got to do a better job ... ." Come on, Mack, convince us that you care first! Instead of just being mad about living in the fishbowl with constant media scrutiny, fall in love with the game again.
Quit circling the wagons of loyalty around your old buddy coaches, Mack. Tenure only applies to the academic staff. Your favorite line about how "ya gotta give credit to ... ." is making you lose your own credibility.
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/cnishared/js/NewsworthyAudioC2L.js"></script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://alt.coxnewsweb.com/cnishared/newsworthy/statesman/sports/stories/longhorns/11/27/statesman_sports_stories_longhorns_11_27_1127sptletter.js"></script>By Russell S. Phillips
Click-2-ListenTuesday, November 27, 2007
Kirk Bohls hit it right on the head when he said this about Mack Brown: "His staff's inability to adjust quickly, and his extreme loyalty to his staff, a loyalty that may exceed his devotion to the school and his players."
That is possibly the most frustrating thing about living with today's status quo. I was the kid who as a third-grader caught the UT shuttle bus at Enfield Road just to hang out at Clark Field. I was the kid who scrounged $3 to sit in the knothole section every week. I was the kid who came home beaming with a piece of Earl's tear-away jersey, as though it were the Shroud of Turin. Ultimately, I chose to attend UT simply because I couldn't picture myself anywhere else.
At College Station, I caught myself thinking, "You know, I'd send my kids here before I put them at Texas." It was heartbreaking.
What was once as magical as Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny has turned into a pastime for the rich. Campus is filled with people who try to find new ways to embrace the celebrated weirdness of the town. And Bellmont is populated by people who think that "We're Texas" is a powerful enough motto that other teams should just lay down. Well, this year proved that the best facilities, the fullest trophy cases and all the other junk that adds up to $90 a ticket is just that — junk.
Mediocrity is expensive at any price. Mack showed up embracing tradition and genuinely enamored with our tradition. Now it just seems that he is a bit of a mercenary. He's got his soundbite lines — "I've got to do a better job ... ." Come on, Mack, convince us that you care first! Instead of just being mad about living in the fishbowl with constant media scrutiny, fall in love with the game again.
Quit circling the wagons of loyalty around your old buddy coaches, Mack. Tenure only applies to the academic staff. Your favorite line about how "ya gotta give credit to ... ." is making you lose your own credibility.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
English, DeBord meet with AD Martin to talk opening
Posted: Monday November 26, 2007 11:48PM; Updated: Monday November 26, 2007 11:48PM
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan athletic director Bill Martin is meeting with two of outgoing football coach Lloyd Carr's assistants about the opening.
Carr announced Nov. 19 that he was resigning after 13 seasons. He has a 121-40 record for a .752 winning percentage, seventh among active coaches.
Martin interviewed defensive coordinator Ron English on Monday, and offensive coordinator Mike DeBord was to meet Martin on Tuesday, the assistants told the Detroit Free Press.
"It was how you expect an interview to go with a boss you've had for several years," English said after the interview.
English said he understands the handicap of not having head coaching experience.
"It depends on (Martin). He has to weigh what's more important to him," English said. "If the head coaching experience is critical and you don't have that, it's hard to have it. ... It's certainly an honor. I appreciate it here and it's been a good experience."
DeBord declined to call his planned meeting a formal interview.
"I'm supposed to talk and we'll see how the talk goes," DeBord said. "No, really. I haven't been told anything right now. ... I'm just going to meet with Bill to talk."
DeBord served as Central Michigan's head coach in 2000-03.
Martin declined to comment on the search but said, "I haven't had any flights on jets, I haven't left Ann Arbor." He said was working hard on the search.
Posted: Monday November 26, 2007 11:48PM; Updated: Monday November 26, 2007 11:48PM
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan athletic director Bill Martin is meeting with two of outgoing football coach Lloyd Carr's assistants about the opening.
Carr announced Nov. 19 that he was resigning after 13 seasons. He has a 121-40 record for a .752 winning percentage, seventh among active coaches.
Martin interviewed defensive coordinator Ron English on Monday, and offensive coordinator Mike DeBord was to meet Martin on Tuesday, the assistants told the Detroit Free Press.
"It was how you expect an interview to go with a boss you've had for several years," English said after the interview.
English said he understands the handicap of not having head coaching experience.
"It depends on (Martin). He has to weigh what's more important to him," English said. "If the head coaching experience is critical and you don't have that, it's hard to have it. ... It's certainly an honor. I appreciate it here and it's been a good experience."
DeBord declined to call his planned meeting a formal interview.
"I'm supposed to talk and we'll see how the talk goes," DeBord said. "No, really. I haven't been told anything right now. ... I'm just going to meet with Bill to talk."
DeBord served as Central Michigan's head coach in 2000-03.
Martin declined to comment on the search but said, "I haven't had any flights on jets, I haven't left Ann Arbor." He said was working hard on the search.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Clemson, Bowden discuss contract
Posted: Monday November 26, 2007 8:25PM; Updated: Monday November 26, 2007 8:25PM
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) -- Work began Monday to keep coach Tommy Bowden at Clemson with athletic director Terry Don Phillips offering to extend the coach's contract.
Bowden met briefly with athletic director Terry Don Phillips two days after the No. 16 Tigers beat South Carolina 23-21 -- his seventh win over Clemson's instate rival in nine seasons.
Athletic spokesman Tim Bourret said Phillips told Bowden he was pleased with the program's progress and would offer an extension to a deal that has three seasons remaining.
Bourret said there would be further meetings to discuss terms.
A message left with Bowden was not immediately returned.
The school last restructured Bowden's deal in 2003, when the Tigers saved the coach's job with a rousing four-game win streak to close a 9-4 season.
The victory string included Bowden's first win over his father Bobby's team, Florida State, a 63-17 drubbing of South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium and a defeat of top-10 Tennessee in the Peach Bowl.
Bowden received an extension through 2010 that time that did not include a raise, but hefty penalties if Bowden or the school wanted to end the relationship.
This season, it would cost Clemson $2.5 million if it chose to fire Bowden. The coach would have to pay just as much if he left for another school.
That buyout didn't look quite as unaffordable midway through the season, after Clemson followed a 4-0 start with consecutive losses to Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech.
The Tigers got going again with four consecutive wins and set up a home showdown against Boston College for a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game. However, the Eagles ended Clemson's hope for its first conference crown in 16 years with a 20-17 victory.
A few rumbles about Bowden's future were heard after that loss. Former Clemson star defensive lineman Brentson Buckner joked on a local radio show last Wednesday night that if Bowden lost to South Carolina, he would bring the bubble wrap and rent the moving van.
But Clemson beat South Carolina on Saturday night on Mark Buchholz's 35-yard field goal as time expired.
Bowden's name has surfaced for a couple of openings this fall, the theory going that he'd had enough of the inflated expectations of Clemson's fans.
The Tigers have won five of their last six. A bowl victory -- the Peach or Gator are Clemson's most probable postseason destinations -- and the Tigers would have their first 10-win season since 1990.
Bowden is 69-41 in nine seasons at Clemson. He's won eight or more games for three consecutive years, the first time that's happened since a run of seven in a row from 1986-91 when the Tigers were the unquestioned ACC kings.
Posted: Monday November 26, 2007 8:25PM; Updated: Monday November 26, 2007 8:25PM
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) -- Work began Monday to keep coach Tommy Bowden at Clemson with athletic director Terry Don Phillips offering to extend the coach's contract.
Bowden met briefly with athletic director Terry Don Phillips two days after the No. 16 Tigers beat South Carolina 23-21 -- his seventh win over Clemson's instate rival in nine seasons.
Athletic spokesman Tim Bourret said Phillips told Bowden he was pleased with the program's progress and would offer an extension to a deal that has three seasons remaining.
Bourret said there would be further meetings to discuss terms.
A message left with Bowden was not immediately returned.
The school last restructured Bowden's deal in 2003, when the Tigers saved the coach's job with a rousing four-game win streak to close a 9-4 season.
The victory string included Bowden's first win over his father Bobby's team, Florida State, a 63-17 drubbing of South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium and a defeat of top-10 Tennessee in the Peach Bowl.
Bowden received an extension through 2010 that time that did not include a raise, but hefty penalties if Bowden or the school wanted to end the relationship.
This season, it would cost Clemson $2.5 million if it chose to fire Bowden. The coach would have to pay just as much if he left for another school.
That buyout didn't look quite as unaffordable midway through the season, after Clemson followed a 4-0 start with consecutive losses to Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech.
The Tigers got going again with four consecutive wins and set up a home showdown against Boston College for a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game. However, the Eagles ended Clemson's hope for its first conference crown in 16 years with a 20-17 victory.
A few rumbles about Bowden's future were heard after that loss. Former Clemson star defensive lineman Brentson Buckner joked on a local radio show last Wednesday night that if Bowden lost to South Carolina, he would bring the bubble wrap and rent the moving van.
But Clemson beat South Carolina on Saturday night on Mark Buchholz's 35-yard field goal as time expired.
Bowden's name has surfaced for a couple of openings this fall, the theory going that he'd had enough of the inflated expectations of Clemson's fans.
The Tigers have won five of their last six. A bowl victory -- the Peach or Gator are Clemson's most probable postseason destinations -- and the Tigers would have their first 10-win season since 1990.
Bowden is 69-41 in nine seasons at Clemson. He's won eight or more games for three consecutive years, the first time that's happened since a run of seven in a row from 1986-91 when the Tigers were the unquestioned ACC kings.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Mizzou's Coffman questionable
Sprained ankle could keep TE out of Big 12 title game
Posted: Monday November 26, 2007 8:15PM; Updated: Monday November 26, 2007 8:15PM
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- A sprained right ankle Chase Coffman first sustained at Oklahoma in mid-October is making the tight end the lone question mark for top-ranked Missouri in the Big 12 championship game on Saturday night.
Coffman, a junior and half of the Tigers' dangerous tight-end duo along with senior Martin Rucker, reinjured the ankle in the third quarter of Missouri's 36-28 victory over Kansas on Saturday night. The ankle has been placed in a cast for a few days, and Coffman will attempt to practice on Wednesday.
Coach Gary Pinkel said Coffman was questionable for the rematch against Oklahoma in San Antonio. He is third on the team with 51 catches, along with a 10.3-yard average and seven touchdowns. Rucker, a senior, leads the nation's tight ends with 75 receptions.
Coffman enjoys hurdling tacklers and has 1,664 career receiving yards. That's second in school history only to Rucker, who has 2,080.
"Hopefully he'll be ready to go," Pinkel said. "We're going to think positive. If anybody can get himself ready to play, it's Chase."
Coffman has the only significant injury for Missouri, seeking a 12-win season for the first time in school history.
"We've been pretty fortunate for the most part," Pinkel said. "We're a pretty healthy team. We're a little nicked and bruised."
Coffman was injured when a player rolled onto his leg during an extra-point kick and played a minor role in spoiling the Jayhawks' undefeated season, totaling two catches for 14 yards.
"We could kind of do without me, I guess, as you see," Coffman said. "I'd love to be out there and I'm going to be working as hard as I can, getting in the training room as much as possible, so I can be out there on Saturday."
Coffman said there was nothing unusual about the initial injury, but he's been unable to return to 100 percent since.
"Somebody tackled me at kind of a weird angle and kind of twisted it a little strange," Coffman said. "The Oklahoma game is when it started, and it's been kind of nagging me ever since."
Sprained ankle could keep TE out of Big 12 title game
Posted: Monday November 26, 2007 8:15PM; Updated: Monday November 26, 2007 8:15PM
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- A sprained right ankle Chase Coffman first sustained at Oklahoma in mid-October is making the tight end the lone question mark for top-ranked Missouri in the Big 12 championship game on Saturday night.
Coffman, a junior and half of the Tigers' dangerous tight-end duo along with senior Martin Rucker, reinjured the ankle in the third quarter of Missouri's 36-28 victory over Kansas on Saturday night. The ankle has been placed in a cast for a few days, and Coffman will attempt to practice on Wednesday.
Coach Gary Pinkel said Coffman was questionable for the rematch against Oklahoma in San Antonio. He is third on the team with 51 catches, along with a 10.3-yard average and seven touchdowns. Rucker, a senior, leads the nation's tight ends with 75 receptions.
Coffman enjoys hurdling tacklers and has 1,664 career receiving yards. That's second in school history only to Rucker, who has 2,080.
"Hopefully he'll be ready to go," Pinkel said. "We're going to think positive. If anybody can get himself ready to play, it's Chase."
Coffman has the only significant injury for Missouri, seeking a 12-win season for the first time in school history.
"We've been pretty fortunate for the most part," Pinkel said. "We're a pretty healthy team. We're a little nicked and bruised."
Coffman was injured when a player rolled onto his leg during an extra-point kick and played a minor role in spoiling the Jayhawks' undefeated season, totaling two catches for 14 yards.
"We could kind of do without me, I guess, as you see," Coffman said. "I'd love to be out there and I'm going to be working as hard as I can, getting in the training room as much as possible, so I can be out there on Saturday."
Coffman said there was nothing unusual about the initial injury, but he's been unable to return to 100 percent since.
"Somebody tackled me at kind of a weird angle and kind of twisted it a little strange," Coffman said. "The Oklahoma game is when it started, and it's been kind of nagging me ever since."
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Texas Bowl Options
by HornsFan Tue Nov 27, 2007 at 06:13:35 PM EDT
I got an email wondering about the bowl scenarios as we head into Championship Saturday.
Texas in the Cotton Bowl? Do you really see this happening? Just want your thoughts. I know a lot depends on Saturday down in San Antonio. --Jason D.--
This was more complicated before last weekend, but now it's far more straightforward. Sort of. Okay, just barely.
<ins>Texas to a BCS Bowl</ins> Not Applicable. The Longhorns would be in the mix had they beat A&M. As is, there is no scenario in which Texas is selected for a BCS Bowl.
<ins>Texas to Cotton, Holiday, or Gator Bowl</ins> Think of it this way: there are four Big 12 teams (Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, and Texas) competing for five bowl spots. Texas is only in the mix for the non-BCS Bowls. OU is highly unlikely to receive a BCS invitation if they lose to Missouri. So we can break it down by the outcome on Saturday:
<ins>If Missouri beats Oklahoma</ins>
(1) Missouri goes to BCS Title Game
(2) Fiesta Bowl gets to choose replacement for losing Big 12 champ to title game
A. Fiesta Bowl selects Kansas to replace Missouri
i. This places two Big 12 teams in the BCS, which means the Gator Bowl chooses after the Cotton and Holiday Bowl. Cotton Bowl would choose either Texas or OU. It's anyone's guess who they prefer.
B. Fiesta Bowl selects team besides Kansas to replace Missouri
i. If Kansas is still chosen as an at-large BCS team by another bowl (or the Fiesta Bowl's second at-large spot), same outcome as [2A] above.
ii. If Kansas is not selected as a BCS at-large team, then the Big 12 would have one team in the BCS Bowls and the Gator Bowl would have its first choice among Kansas, OU, and Texas. Cotton Bowl and Holiday Bowl choose next. Hard to figure who the Gator Bowl would want, but I'd expect they'd take advantage of the opportunity to have Texas or OU play.
<ins>If Oklahoma beats Missouri</ins>
(1) Oklahoma goes to the Fiesta Bowl
(2) BCS Bowls decide whether to select 11-2 Missouri or 11-1 Kansas as at-large BCS team
A. A BCS Bowl selects Missouri or Kansas as an at large team.
i. Same as [2A] above.
B. A BCS Bowl does not choose Missouri or Kansas as an at-large BCS team
ii. Same as [2B] above.
<ins>Relevant Selection Facts for Bowls to Consider</ins>
*The last time Texas played in the Cotton Bowl was the 2002 season.
*The last time Oklahoma played in the Cotton Bowl was the 2001 season.
*Without Notre Dame bowl eligible, the Gator Bowl more or less has to take a Big 12 team this year.
<ins>Best Guesses at Bowls</ins>
If Missouri wins the Big 12 Title
National Title Game: Missouri vs West Virginia/Ohio State
Fiesta Bowl: Kansas vs At-Large
Cotton Bowl: Texas/OU vs SEC
Holiday Bowl: Texas/OU vs Pac 10
Gator Bowl: Texas Tech vs ACC Runner Up
If Oklahoma wins the Big 12 Title<sup>1</sup>
[Scenario 1]
Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs At Large
Gator Bowl: Texas vs ACC Runner Up
Cotton Bowl: Missouri vs SEC
Holiday Bowl: Kansas vs Pac 10
[Scenario 2]
Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs At Large
Rose Bowl: Georgia vs USC
Orange Bowl: ACC Champ vs Kansas/Missouri
Cotton Bowl: Texas/KU/MU vs SEC
Holiday Bowl: Texas/KU/MU vs Pac 10
Gator Bowl: Texas Tech vs ACC Runner Up
<sup>1</sup> Oklahoma winning the Big 12 makes things very awkward for Missouri and Kansas getting an at-large BCS bid. The Rose Bowl would lose Ohio State, and have its first choice at a replacement. Do they take Kansas or Missouri? Eek, hard to say. Assuming they take Georgia or stretch for Illinois (to keep the Big 10 involved), that would leave Missouri and Kansas hoping for a spot as either the Fiesta Bowl's at large (Against OU? Awkward.) or the Orange Bowl's at-large. The Sugar Bowl is going to be stuck with Hawaii, unless the Rainbow Warriors lose to UW on Saturday. Also, this assumes West Virginia actually beats Pittsburgh. As AW said, if the Mountaineers lose, it's BCS chaos.
by HornsFan Tue Nov 27, 2007 at 06:13:35 PM EDT
I got an email wondering about the bowl scenarios as we head into Championship Saturday.
Texas in the Cotton Bowl? Do you really see this happening? Just want your thoughts. I know a lot depends on Saturday down in San Antonio. --Jason D.--
This was more complicated before last weekend, but now it's far more straightforward. Sort of. Okay, just barely.
<ins>Texas to a BCS Bowl</ins> Not Applicable. The Longhorns would be in the mix had they beat A&M. As is, there is no scenario in which Texas is selected for a BCS Bowl.
<ins>Texas to Cotton, Holiday, or Gator Bowl</ins> Think of it this way: there are four Big 12 teams (Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, and Texas) competing for five bowl spots. Texas is only in the mix for the non-BCS Bowls. OU is highly unlikely to receive a BCS invitation if they lose to Missouri. So we can break it down by the outcome on Saturday:
<ins>If Missouri beats Oklahoma</ins>
(1) Missouri goes to BCS Title Game
(2) Fiesta Bowl gets to choose replacement for losing Big 12 champ to title game
A. Fiesta Bowl selects Kansas to replace Missouri
i. This places two Big 12 teams in the BCS, which means the Gator Bowl chooses after the Cotton and Holiday Bowl. Cotton Bowl would choose either Texas or OU. It's anyone's guess who they prefer.
B. Fiesta Bowl selects team besides Kansas to replace Missouri
i. If Kansas is still chosen as an at-large BCS team by another bowl (or the Fiesta Bowl's second at-large spot), same outcome as [2A] above.
ii. If Kansas is not selected as a BCS at-large team, then the Big 12 would have one team in the BCS Bowls and the Gator Bowl would have its first choice among Kansas, OU, and Texas. Cotton Bowl and Holiday Bowl choose next. Hard to figure who the Gator Bowl would want, but I'd expect they'd take advantage of the opportunity to have Texas or OU play.
<ins>If Oklahoma beats Missouri</ins>
(1) Oklahoma goes to the Fiesta Bowl
(2) BCS Bowls decide whether to select 11-2 Missouri or 11-1 Kansas as at-large BCS team
A. A BCS Bowl selects Missouri or Kansas as an at large team.
i. Same as [2A] above.
B. A BCS Bowl does not choose Missouri or Kansas as an at-large BCS team
ii. Same as [2B] above.
<ins>Relevant Selection Facts for Bowls to Consider</ins>
*The last time Texas played in the Cotton Bowl was the 2002 season.
*The last time Oklahoma played in the Cotton Bowl was the 2001 season.
*Without Notre Dame bowl eligible, the Gator Bowl more or less has to take a Big 12 team this year.
<ins>Best Guesses at Bowls</ins>
If Missouri wins the Big 12 Title
National Title Game: Missouri vs West Virginia/Ohio State
Fiesta Bowl: Kansas vs At-Large
Cotton Bowl: Texas/OU vs SEC
Holiday Bowl: Texas/OU vs Pac 10
Gator Bowl: Texas Tech vs ACC Runner Up
If Oklahoma wins the Big 12 Title<sup>1</sup>
[Scenario 1]
Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs At Large
Gator Bowl: Texas vs ACC Runner Up
Cotton Bowl: Missouri vs SEC
Holiday Bowl: Kansas vs Pac 10
[Scenario 2]
Fiesta Bowl: Oklahoma vs At Large
Rose Bowl: Georgia vs USC
Orange Bowl: ACC Champ vs Kansas/Missouri
Cotton Bowl: Texas/KU/MU vs SEC
Holiday Bowl: Texas/KU/MU vs Pac 10
Gator Bowl: Texas Tech vs ACC Runner Up
<sup>1</sup> Oklahoma winning the Big 12 makes things very awkward for Missouri and Kansas getting an at-large BCS bid. The Rose Bowl would lose Ohio State, and have its first choice at a replacement. Do they take Kansas or Missouri? Eek, hard to say. Assuming they take Georgia or stretch for Illinois (to keep the Big 10 involved), that would leave Missouri and Kansas hoping for a spot as either the Fiesta Bowl's at large (Against OU? Awkward.) or the Orange Bowl's at-large. The Sugar Bowl is going to be stuck with Hawaii, unless the Rainbow Warriors lose to UW on Saturday. Also, this assumes West Virginia actually beats Pittsburgh. As AW said, if the Mountaineers lose, it's BCS chaos.
RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Road to a split championship?
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0237893561790135"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; //2007-11-27: entries, fanblogs, inpost google_ad_channel = "0603066557+5452098552+3119009114"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "003399"; google_color_text = "333333"; google_color_url = "999999"; google_ui_features = "rc:10"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-0237893561790135&dt=1196211138968&lmt=1196211138&format=300x250_as&output=html&correlator=1196211138968&channel=0603066557%2B5452098552%2B3119009114&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanblogs.com%2Fhawaii%2F007345.php&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=333333&color_link=003399&color_url=999999&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&ui=rc%3A10&cc=100&ga_vid=1546096358.1193703380&ga_sid=1196211139&ga_hid=1235756819&ga_fc=true&flash=9&u_h=768&u_w=1280&u_ah=738&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=1&u_java=true&u_nplug=26&u_nmime=104" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe> Given the penchant that top 5 teams have developed of losing to unranked teams, one must like West Virginia's chances of dropping the ball this weekend. Oklahoma defeating Missouri would hardly be an upset.
This would leave Ohio State vs Pick a team in the National Championship game. I guarantee that team would not be Hawaii, but they could be as high as BCS #8 if this happens. They are higher in the Human polls than they are in the BCS standings already.
What if Ohio State then loses the championship game, and Hawaii wins a BCS bowl? Hawaii would be undefeated and every other bowl subdivision team would have at least two losses.
The BCS champion will be the team that defeated Ohio State. With no undefeated teams, or even one loss teams to choose from, except Hawaii, might enough AP voters decide to cast a protest vote for Hawaii to put them on top?
Unlike computers, human voters can respond strongly against percieved injustices. Hawaii may have played a championship subdivision strength schedule but, unlike Appalatian State who also has 2 losses, they did not lose a single game, much less two.
Would thay have gone undefeated if they were in a BCS conference? Probably not, but I am sure they would welcome an invite to join one and see!
In closing a few BCS Bowl stats to consider:
Non-BCS teams in BCS Bowls: 2-0
Average MOV of Non-BCS teams in a BCS Bowl: +14.5
Last time a non BCS team won a national championship: 1984
<script type="text/javascript"><!-- google_ad_client = "pub-0237893561790135"; google_ad_width = 300; google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_format = "300x250_as"; google_ad_type = "text_image"; //2007-11-27: entries, fanblogs, inpost google_ad_channel = "0603066557+5452098552+3119009114"; google_color_border = "FFFFFF"; google_color_bg = "FFFFFF"; google_color_link = "003399"; google_color_text = "333333"; google_color_url = "999999"; google_ui_features = "rc:10"; //--> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script><iframe name="google_ads_frame" src="http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-0237893561790135&dt=1196211138968&lmt=1196211138&format=300x250_as&output=html&correlator=1196211138968&channel=0603066557%2B5452098552%2B3119009114&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fanblogs.com%2Fhawaii%2F007345.php&color_bg=FFFFFF&color_text=333333&color_link=003399&color_url=999999&color_border=FFFFFF&ad_type=text_image&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Freader%2Fview%2F&ui=rc%3A10&cc=100&ga_vid=1546096358.1193703380&ga_sid=1196211139&ga_hid=1235756819&ga_fc=true&flash=9&u_h=768&u_w=1280&u_ah=738&u_aw=1280&u_cd=32&u_tz=-480&u_his=1&u_java=true&u_nplug=26&u_nmime=104" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" vspace="0" hspace="0" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="250" scrolling="no" width="300"></iframe> Given the penchant that top 5 teams have developed of losing to unranked teams, one must like West Virginia's chances of dropping the ball this weekend. Oklahoma defeating Missouri would hardly be an upset.
This would leave Ohio State vs Pick a team in the National Championship game. I guarantee that team would not be Hawaii, but they could be as high as BCS #8 if this happens. They are higher in the Human polls than they are in the BCS standings already.
What if Ohio State then loses the championship game, and Hawaii wins a BCS bowl? Hawaii would be undefeated and every other bowl subdivision team would have at least two losses.
The BCS champion will be the team that defeated Ohio State. With no undefeated teams, or even one loss teams to choose from, except Hawaii, might enough AP voters decide to cast a protest vote for Hawaii to put them on top?
Unlike computers, human voters can respond strongly against percieved injustices. Hawaii may have played a championship subdivision strength schedule but, unlike Appalatian State who also has 2 losses, they did not lose a single game, much less two.
Would thay have gone undefeated if they were in a BCS conference? Probably not, but I am sure they would welcome an invite to join one and see!
In closing a few BCS Bowl stats to consider:
Non-BCS teams in BCS Bowls: 2-0
Average MOV of Non-BCS teams in a BCS Bowl: +14.5
Last time a non BCS team won a national championship: 1984
Similar threads
