Before I get to what the most intriguing stories to follow this season will be, let me go on record and be the first to say that we're in for an exciting, yet very strange football season in 2010.
When you mix in agents, suspensions, the NCAA's convenient timing for handing down rulings on the status of kids with troubled pasts and the greed of big time programs looking for even bigger television revenue paychecks, the weird and unexpected is bound to happen at the drop of a dime. And this year it looks like it will be on a routine basis.
Here are the top storylines to follow this off-season:
What happens at USC?
-One of two things is going to happen with the USC Trojans this year. Lane Kiffin will show everybody he can actually coach by leading the Trojans to at least 10 wins and become the game's new villain all over again. Or, the Trojans will go in the tank after realizing they're playing for pride instead of the customary BCS Bowl that we've all grown accustom to seeing them in over the past decade and Kiffin will have to endure more verbal jabs than one of Floyd Mayweather's opponents at a pre-fight promotional event. Personally, I'm rooting for Kiffin and the Trojans to be the most dangerous team on probation since Terry Bowden's Auburn team in the early 90's.
While the wave of talented players is not quite the same as it was before Kiffin left to coach the Oakland Raiders in the middle part of this decade, the Trojans still have a talented QB in Matt Barkley and one of the best defensive units in the Pac-10. Is it enough to win the conference in a probation year? Only time will tell.
A new challenger in the Big 12 South
-There's no such thing as a sure thing in college football, but I'm willing to bet you Bo Pelini and the Nebraska Cornhuskers will be back at Cowboys Stadium in December to take another shot at the Big 12 Championship.
The question is whether or not anybody can knock Texas and Oklahoma off their perch in the Big 12 South. Since Mack Brown and Bob Stoops arrived at their respective schools, everybody else in the division has basically been reduced to second class citizens. Sure, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma State have pulled the occasional rabbit out of their hat from time to time, but nobody has really ever threatened the stranglehold the two juggernauts have taken over the division.
Texas Tech is always a dicey road trip for anybody in conference and they're bound to pick somebody off now that Tommy Tuberville has made tackling a requirement instead of the option it appeared to be during the Mike Leach era. Oklahoma State will score points because that's just what they do. Without players like Dez Bryant, Russell Okung and Perish Cox though, it's hard to believe this is the year the Cowboys finally break through and make their first appearance in the conference championship game. Baylor might go to a bowl this season now that Robert Griffin is back from a knee injury, but they're not going to win the division.
That leaves Texas A&M.
Yes, I said it. The once proud program of my childhood that was run into a ditch by Dennis Franchione now has offensive weapons across the board and a QB in Jerrod Johnson who has the tools to win a game by himself if necessary. Whether or not the Aggies make a push for the Big 12 South's throne will come down to how well a young offensive line protects Johnson and how well their defense adjusts a new 3-4 scheme
If there was ever a year to catch Texas and Oklahoma in the South, this is it. Whether or not anybody has the guts to step up to the plate and actually do it will be something to pay attention to as the season goes on.
Boise State's shot at playing for the crystal ball
-Say what you want about the strength of their conference, the Boise State Broncos are for real.
There's still a list of talking heads who will tell you the Broncos are frauds, but all they keep doing is showing up big when it matters most.
Every year, the argument against the Broncos is that they haven't gone out and played anybody. That won't be the case this year. The Broncos open the year on Monday in the nation's capital against a dark horse championship contender in Virginia Tech in what amounts to a glorified home game for the Hokies. If they survive that, they'll have to deal with Oregon State at the end of this month. If Chris Petersen and company get through non-conference unscathed and run the table in the WAC, there's no reason they should be passed up by a one loss team from any other league for a spot in the title game.
The aftermath of the agent scandal that reared its ugly head this summer
-Butch Davis and the North Carolina Tar Heels are about to have their season derailed before it even starts do to some of their players alleged interactions with agents and an academic scandal. South Carolina TE Wesley Saunders is on the shelf for at least tonight's game against Southern Miss because he's still being investigated by the NCAA for possible dealings with an agent. (I know Steve Spurrier says it's because he violated team rules, but that's just Spurrier doing what he can to protect his player.)
No word has come down yet on the status of Alabama's wrecking ball Marcel Dareus and USC is so thin at certain positions after the NCAA hit them with sanctions for the transgressions of Reggie Bush that they've had to stop tackling in practice for fear of injury.
The NCAA has already handed out some stiff penalties and it's pretty much a guarantee they'll be swinging the discipline hammer even more when all the facts come out about how much was really going between the players in questions and the agents who were allegedly footing the bill in hopes of landing one of the numerous potential first round draft picks.
Whether or not college athletes need to be paid is a debate for another time. In this current climate though, where coaches salaries are skyrocketing by the semester and schools are switching conference affiliations for better multi-million dollar television contracts, it's pretty obvious at this point that something has to be done.
***A quick rant for the day:
-What the NCAA did to Ole Miss QB Jeremiah Masoli earlier this week was despicable and ridiculous all rolled into one.
Masoli did everything required of him to be eligible to play for the Rebels this season. Graduate with a year of eligibility left? Check! Find another place to play that offers a graduate program that his former school didn't? Check!
The fact that the NCAA conveniently waited until just days before the season opener to rule him ineligible is a measured act of callousness and is a clear sign that somebody on that board has decided to make an example out of the former Oregon standout.
Sure, Masoli started this thing by squandering his second chance with Chip Kelley, but for them to wait until just a few days before he tries to hit the reset button on his life is sad on so many different levels.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
My mini preview for the 2010 college football season
Hello followers of mosvoice!
I know it's been a while since I've picked up my pen, but I'm back after snapping out of another corporate-induced funk.
Today marks the start of the 2010 college football season and I think we can all agree that life is worth living again. That's no disrespect to the Rangers and their run towards the AL West Championship, but there's nothing like football-filled Saturday afternoons in the fall.
This year, I'm taking a little detour from the standard picks and predictions that you'd normally get from me. I'm still going to tell you who's going to win the big games every week, but I'm going to look more at the storylines and teams that will have a behind the scenes impact on how this season ends. (Think upstarts and upsets!)
Once again, it's great to be back for another college football season. With that said, let's get to it!
I know it's been a while since I've picked up my pen, but I'm back after snapping out of another corporate-induced funk.
Today marks the start of the 2010 college football season and I think we can all agree that life is worth living again. That's no disrespect to the Rangers and their run towards the AL West Championship, but there's nothing like football-filled Saturday afternoons in the fall.
This year, I'm taking a little detour from the standard picks and predictions that you'd normally get from me. I'm still going to tell you who's going to win the big games every week, but I'm going to look more at the storylines and teams that will have a behind the scenes impact on how this season ends. (Think upstarts and upsets!)
Once again, it's great to be back for another college football season. With that said, let's get to it!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
My June Top 25
It's that time again people. June is upon us and we are all starting to look forward to what promises to be another heart-stopping and undoubtedly controversial college football season.
I've got a lot of stuff planned for the upcoming season, but the following is what I think the Top 25 should be at the moment.
***Needless to say, these rankings are very fluid. It's still just June and my personal experience with the game has shown me that weird things are bound to happen when you're dealing with a bunch of 18-22 year olds who have a little too much free time on their hands.
1. Alabama- They are the defending champs, right? Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson are still the most physical running back tandem in the nation, right? Greg McElroy can still throw it to Julio Jones on third down, right? Sure, Rose Bowl hero Marcel Derreus, Donta Hightower and Mark Baron will be leading a defense breaking in a bunch of talentednew parts but they're still going to be coached by Nick Saban and Kirby Smart, right? Unless the answer to one of the previous questions changes, the Tide will stay on top of this poll.
2. Bosie St. - Laugh if you want, the Broncos are for real people. They've got virtually everybody back from a 13-0 team and Chris Peterson is one of the best coaching minds in the land. Period. I'm sure we'll all be watching the opener in the nation's capital against Virginia Tech on Sept. 6th. In the meantime though, let's all pray the Mountain West formally asks the Broncos to for their hand in marriage. Excuse me, I mean expansion.
3. Ohio St.- Isn't it amazing how good the vibe is around the Buckeyes when they're coming off a Rose Bowl win as opposed to getting shalacked by an SEC juggernaut in a BCS Championship Game? We all know Jim Tressell's style. At this point, the Buckeyes just need to make sure Terrelle Pryor's surgically repaired knee is 100% before Miami comes to town on Sept.11.
4. Virginia Tech- If it wasn't for Alabama's Ingram and Richardson, the Hokies' combo of Ryan Williams and Darren Evans would be getting a lot more burn across the board. Williams, the ACC's ROY in '09, is a Heisman candidate and a 1st round pick the second he decides he wants to play on Sundays. Evans might be on that same plane if he hadn't missed all of last season with a knee injury. The Hokies will run the ball. We know Bud Foster will always put a salty defense on the field and the special teams play in Blacksburg has become an institution all to itself. The Hokies' season, however, will come down to how many plays QB Tyrod Taylor can make with his arm and not his feet. Week 1 in Washington D.C. against Bosie St. should be fun.
5. Texas- The sentiment coming out of Austin this spring was that the Horns are going to go back to running the football to help ease Garrett Gilbert into his role as the full-time starter at QB. (We'll see.) As usual, the Horns' non-conference slate is cake. The season , on the other hand, will ultimately be decided by what happens in Dallas against the Sooners on Oct. 2nd and what happens in Lincoln against the Cornhuskers two weeks later.
6. Iowa- They'll never be fun to watch, but Adrian Clayborn and the Hawkeyes will definitely have a say in who wins the Big 10 this year.
7. TCU- There are plenty of questions for the Frogs heading into the season. How good will All-Conference LB Tank Carder be after coming back from off-season shoulder surgery. Who's going to replace sack master Jerry Hughes? Will there be a hangover from the Fiesta Bowl loss to Bosie St.? Whatever the case may be, they'd be wise to have things figured out when they meet Oregon State at Cowboys Stadium on Sept. 4.
8. Florida- Even with this being the first year "AT" (After Tebow), things have been pretty quiet down in Gainseville. Oh, wait a second. There was that minor dust up Urban Meyer had at practie with that reporter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgqQshESm8s
9. Nebraksa- I thought about putting them a little lower. Then I looked at the group behind them and realized the Huskers have the best defense of anybody else competing for this spot.
10. Wisconsin-Is John Clay healthy yet? He should be by Sept. 4. Is their Big 10 schedule pretty managable? After hosting the Buckeyes and visiting the Hawkeyes in October, things should be pretty smooth.
11. Oregon- Do you think Chip Kelley saw a one year suspension for Jeremiah Masoli coming after that Rose Bowl loss to Ohio State? You think he saw having to rely on Nate Costa or Darron Thomas to run his offense for the 2010 season? Of course not, but that's the hand he's been dealt and that's the one he'll have to play with.
12. Miami- Randy Shannon finally got his contract extension and the Canes are loaded with talent. Now all they have to do is figure out a way to survive another early season death march that begins with a road trip to Ohio State on Sept. 11.
13. Oklahoma- If Landry Jones and the latest version of what should be another stiff defense under Bob Stoops and Brent Venables can lead the Sooners back to the top of the Big 12, last season's rash of injuries and disappointments will be seen as a blessing in disguise.
14. Pitt- With Cincinatti changing head coaches, there is no reason why the Panthers shouldn't win the Big East.
15. USC- After a decade of domination, the Trojans are suddenly one of the country's true wild cards. There's still plenty of talent in the land of Troy, and everybody will definitely be watching how Lane Kiffin does in his first year as the Trojans' new head coach. In the meantime, we're all waiting to see how big the hammer is the NCAA is about to swing at the Trojans' athletics department in light of the recent scandals involving Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo.
16. Arkansas- Points won't be a problem with Ryan Mallett and his cast of talented skill players. The amount of noise the Hogs make this season though is soley dependent on how much improvement they've made on the defensive side of the ball. Whatever it is the Hogs accomplish this season, we at least know they'll look good doing it in their new uniforms. http://angrytrey.blogspot.com/2010/05/new-arkansas-football-uniform.html
17. Georgia Tech- Will they win the ACC again? Who knows, but I'm willing to bet Paul Johnson and the Yellow Jackets will be heard from at some point this season.
18. Cincinatti- Brian Kelley, Tony Pike and Mardy Gillyard are all gone. That's ok because Zack Colleros will be throwing the ball to Armon Binns and taking plays from new head coach Butch Jones.
19. Oregon State- They're still underappreciated on the national scene, but all Mike Riley does every year is put a team on the field that gets better every week and usually throws a monkey wrench into somebody's late season run. TCU should be on high alert.
20. Houston- After a season that flirted with a possible long shot at the BCS flamed out in a turnover-filled loss to Air Force, Case Keenum and company will be looking to finish the job this year. They better make it happen quick, because Keenum's eligibility is up after this year and it's only a matter of time before a big time school from a BCS conference throws a big check at head coach Kevin Sumlin.
21. Penn State- Did anybody else see that holey sock masquerading as the Nittany Lions' offensive line in the spring game? They probably need to get that in order before they go to Tuscaloosa on Sept. 11 or Marcel Derreus might be responsible for sending another QB to the showers a little earlier than expected.
22. Utah- You know the Utes have arrived as a program because they went 10-3 last year, won another bowl game and it was considered a down year for them.
23. Florida State- There's plenty of talent on the offensive side of the ball and Christian Ponder is about as good as any triggerman in the country. The amount of time it takes for the Semionles to get back to prominence depends on how fast they adapt to new defensive cordinator Mark Stoops and his zone blitzing scheme.
24. North Carolina- Ok Butch Davis! It's time to do something big now. You've been on tabacco road for a few seasons now and you've built a defense stocked with at least 6-8 legitimate NFL draft picks on it. I guess we'll know a lot after that first game in the Georgia Dome against LSU.
25. UConn- The more I think about the job Randy Edsal is doing, the more I start thinking of him as the east coast's version of Mike Riley.
***Who's missing?
*LSU- The Tigers have top 10 talent, but Jordan Jefferson hasn't convinced anybody that he can win a big game against a top notch team and the thought of having to depend on Les Miles' decision making in the last two minutes of the game suddenly scares the hell out of me.
I've got a lot of stuff planned for the upcoming season, but the following is what I think the Top 25 should be at the moment.
***Needless to say, these rankings are very fluid. It's still just June and my personal experience with the game has shown me that weird things are bound to happen when you're dealing with a bunch of 18-22 year olds who have a little too much free time on their hands.
1. Alabama- They are the defending champs, right? Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson are still the most physical running back tandem in the nation, right? Greg McElroy can still throw it to Julio Jones on third down, right? Sure, Rose Bowl hero Marcel Derreus, Donta Hightower and Mark Baron will be leading a defense breaking in a bunch of talentednew parts but they're still going to be coached by Nick Saban and Kirby Smart, right? Unless the answer to one of the previous questions changes, the Tide will stay on top of this poll.
2. Bosie St. - Laugh if you want, the Broncos are for real people. They've got virtually everybody back from a 13-0 team and Chris Peterson is one of the best coaching minds in the land. Period. I'm sure we'll all be watching the opener in the nation's capital against Virginia Tech on Sept. 6th. In the meantime though, let's all pray the Mountain West formally asks the Broncos to for their hand in marriage. Excuse me, I mean expansion.
3. Ohio St.- Isn't it amazing how good the vibe is around the Buckeyes when they're coming off a Rose Bowl win as opposed to getting shalacked by an SEC juggernaut in a BCS Championship Game? We all know Jim Tressell's style. At this point, the Buckeyes just need to make sure Terrelle Pryor's surgically repaired knee is 100% before Miami comes to town on Sept.11.
4. Virginia Tech- If it wasn't for Alabama's Ingram and Richardson, the Hokies' combo of Ryan Williams and Darren Evans would be getting a lot more burn across the board. Williams, the ACC's ROY in '09, is a Heisman candidate and a 1st round pick the second he decides he wants to play on Sundays. Evans might be on that same plane if he hadn't missed all of last season with a knee injury. The Hokies will run the ball. We know Bud Foster will always put a salty defense on the field and the special teams play in Blacksburg has become an institution all to itself. The Hokies' season, however, will come down to how many plays QB Tyrod Taylor can make with his arm and not his feet. Week 1 in Washington D.C. against Bosie St. should be fun.
5. Texas- The sentiment coming out of Austin this spring was that the Horns are going to go back to running the football to help ease Garrett Gilbert into his role as the full-time starter at QB. (We'll see.) As usual, the Horns' non-conference slate is cake. The season , on the other hand, will ultimately be decided by what happens in Dallas against the Sooners on Oct. 2nd and what happens in Lincoln against the Cornhuskers two weeks later.
6. Iowa- They'll never be fun to watch, but Adrian Clayborn and the Hawkeyes will definitely have a say in who wins the Big 10 this year.
7. TCU- There are plenty of questions for the Frogs heading into the season. How good will All-Conference LB Tank Carder be after coming back from off-season shoulder surgery. Who's going to replace sack master Jerry Hughes? Will there be a hangover from the Fiesta Bowl loss to Bosie St.? Whatever the case may be, they'd be wise to have things figured out when they meet Oregon State at Cowboys Stadium on Sept. 4.
8. Florida- Even with this being the first year "AT" (After Tebow), things have been pretty quiet down in Gainseville. Oh, wait a second. There was that minor dust up Urban Meyer had at practie with that reporter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgqQshESm8s
9. Nebraksa- I thought about putting them a little lower. Then I looked at the group behind them and realized the Huskers have the best defense of anybody else competing for this spot.
10. Wisconsin-Is John Clay healthy yet? He should be by Sept. 4. Is their Big 10 schedule pretty managable? After hosting the Buckeyes and visiting the Hawkeyes in October, things should be pretty smooth.
11. Oregon- Do you think Chip Kelley saw a one year suspension for Jeremiah Masoli coming after that Rose Bowl loss to Ohio State? You think he saw having to rely on Nate Costa or Darron Thomas to run his offense for the 2010 season? Of course not, but that's the hand he's been dealt and that's the one he'll have to play with.
12. Miami- Randy Shannon finally got his contract extension and the Canes are loaded with talent. Now all they have to do is figure out a way to survive another early season death march that begins with a road trip to Ohio State on Sept. 11.
13. Oklahoma- If Landry Jones and the latest version of what should be another stiff defense under Bob Stoops and Brent Venables can lead the Sooners back to the top of the Big 12, last season's rash of injuries and disappointments will be seen as a blessing in disguise.
14. Pitt- With Cincinatti changing head coaches, there is no reason why the Panthers shouldn't win the Big East.
15. USC- After a decade of domination, the Trojans are suddenly one of the country's true wild cards. There's still plenty of talent in the land of Troy, and everybody will definitely be watching how Lane Kiffin does in his first year as the Trojans' new head coach. In the meantime, we're all waiting to see how big the hammer is the NCAA is about to swing at the Trojans' athletics department in light of the recent scandals involving Reggie Bush and O.J. Mayo.
16. Arkansas- Points won't be a problem with Ryan Mallett and his cast of talented skill players. The amount of noise the Hogs make this season though is soley dependent on how much improvement they've made on the defensive side of the ball. Whatever it is the Hogs accomplish this season, we at least know they'll look good doing it in their new uniforms. http://angrytrey.blogspot.com/2010/05/new-arkansas-football-uniform.html
17. Georgia Tech- Will they win the ACC again? Who knows, but I'm willing to bet Paul Johnson and the Yellow Jackets will be heard from at some point this season.
18. Cincinatti- Brian Kelley, Tony Pike and Mardy Gillyard are all gone. That's ok because Zack Colleros will be throwing the ball to Armon Binns and taking plays from new head coach Butch Jones.
19. Oregon State- They're still underappreciated on the national scene, but all Mike Riley does every year is put a team on the field that gets better every week and usually throws a monkey wrench into somebody's late season run. TCU should be on high alert.
20. Houston- After a season that flirted with a possible long shot at the BCS flamed out in a turnover-filled loss to Air Force, Case Keenum and company will be looking to finish the job this year. They better make it happen quick, because Keenum's eligibility is up after this year and it's only a matter of time before a big time school from a BCS conference throws a big check at head coach Kevin Sumlin.
21. Penn State- Did anybody else see that holey sock masquerading as the Nittany Lions' offensive line in the spring game? They probably need to get that in order before they go to Tuscaloosa on Sept. 11 or Marcel Derreus might be responsible for sending another QB to the showers a little earlier than expected.
22. Utah- You know the Utes have arrived as a program because they went 10-3 last year, won another bowl game and it was considered a down year for them.
23. Florida State- There's plenty of talent on the offensive side of the ball and Christian Ponder is about as good as any triggerman in the country. The amount of time it takes for the Semionles to get back to prominence depends on how fast they adapt to new defensive cordinator Mark Stoops and his zone blitzing scheme.
24. North Carolina- Ok Butch Davis! It's time to do something big now. You've been on tabacco road for a few seasons now and you've built a defense stocked with at least 6-8 legitimate NFL draft picks on it. I guess we'll know a lot after that first game in the Georgia Dome against LSU.
25. UConn- The more I think about the job Randy Edsal is doing, the more I start thinking of him as the east coast's version of Mike Riley.
***Who's missing?
*LSU- The Tigers have top 10 talent, but Jordan Jefferson hasn't convinced anybody that he can win a big game against a top notch team and the thought of having to depend on Les Miles' decision making in the last two minutes of the game suddenly scares the hell out of me.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
1st thoughts on the Cowboys 2010 Schedule
Now that I've had some time to digest the draft, I've been able to turn my thoughts to the Cowboys' schedule for the upcoming season. If they are to be the first team to play in the Super Bowl in their home stadium, they're certainly going to have to earn it because the NFL's schedule makers certainly didn't do them any favors.
Week 1: Sept. 12, @ Washington
-Congragulations Redskins fans! With a new coach and quarterback, you can now consider your team relevant again. Now that it looks like the Redskins have finally come out of the wilderness that was the Jim Zorn era, I guess the league felt it was only right that the Cowboys be the first team to visit Donovan McNabb and Mike Shannahan in their new digs. How many times will McNabb tell his new personal protector Trent Williams about DeMarcus Ware in the days leading up to the game?
Week 2: Sept. 19, vs. Chicago
-It's always nice to have your first home game against a team with a turnover-prone QB who will undoubtedly still be working out the bugs in a new offensive system under the direction of Mike Martz.
Week 3: Sept. 26, @ Houston
-This game just screams shootout with a crazy ending to it. The Texans will be laying in wait and ready to prove they are no longer the step children of the lone star state.
Week 4: BYE
-Does any NFL team really need a bye at this point of the season? Maybe it will be a blessing in disguise.
Week 5: Oct. 10, vs. Tennessee
-The Cowboys would be wise to come out ready to play this one. The Titans are consistently one of the most physical teams in the league and this version of Vince Young is light years better than the one they saw during a blowout in Nashville on '06.
Week 6: Oct. 17, @ Minnesota
-After being bounced from the playoffs by the Vikings last season, you know the Cowboys want this one really bad. We all know it will probably be one of the better games of the regular season. The only question is how many times we'll see the replay of Keith Brooking storming over to the Vikings' bench during last year's playoff game after the Vikes scored a needless touchdown in garbage time.
Week 7: Oct. 25, vs. New York Giants
-The Cowboys have a rivalry with everybody in their division. That said, there's a certain disdain the Cowboys and Giants share and it will be on display for everybody to see during this Monday night matchup. Simply put, they just don't like each other and it makes for great games. Where is a personal foul from Flozell Adams when you need him?
Week 8: Oct. 31, vs. Jacksonville
-At first glance, this should be an easy win for the Cowboys. Then you realize Jack Del Rio might be coaching for his job this year-as proven by his drafting of Tyson Alualu 9th overall- and he'll do everything he can to steal a win in the Jags first trip to Jerryland.
Week 9: Nov. 7, @ Green Bay
-The NFL loves putting these two together on a regular basis, don't they? How many times will we hear about Tony Romo and his childhood in Wisconsin leading up to the game?
Week 10: Nov. 14, @ New York Giants
-The Cowboys first trip to the new Meadowlands venue should be a festive one. Will Tony Romo sign his name on the lockeroom wall the way Eli Manning did last year after his first trip to Cowboys Stadium?
Week 11: Nov. 21, vs. Detroit
-Welcome home Matt Stafford and welcome back Ndamokung Suh. The last time Stafford played football here in the area, he was setting records at Highland Park and becoming one of the top high school recruits in the country. The last time Suh played in Cowboys Stadium, he channeled his inner Jerome Brown and literally came within one second of single handedly derailing the Texas Longhorns' national title hopes. As far as the game is concerned, the Cowboys will overcome an early haze to get a relatively easy win. The fun part, however, is going to be watching Calvin Johnson go at it with Mike Jenkins in a battle of two of the better young players in the league.
Here's where things start getting interesting!
Week 12: Nov. 25, vs. New Orleans
-Whoa! The NFL definitely made sure they loaded up for their feature game on turkey day. In one corner, you've got the Cowboys and their monstrosity of a stadium. In the other, it'll be Drew Brees, Sean Payton and the rest of the beloved Saints who will probably still have a certain glow to them due to last year's Super Bowl win. Will Darren Sharper be playing with a star on his helmet this time?
Week 13: Dec.5, @ Indianapolis
-The second game of what promises to be an unforgiving gauntlet to finish the season sees the Cowboys head to Indy against the unflappable Peyton Manning and the Colts. Wade Phillips' defenses historically game Manning trouble when he was in San Diego. With players like DeMarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff and Mike Jenkins at his disposal, there's no reason to think the Cowboys can't cause their fare share of problems for Manning and company.
Week 14: Dec. 12, vs. Philadelphia
-How much fire have Kevin Kolb and Andy Reid come under by this point in the season?
Week 15: Dec. 19, vs. Washington
-It's the last home game for the Cowboys and it's the first trip to Jerryworld for Donovan McNabb and Mike Shannahan's as part of the 'Skins/'Boys rivalry.
Week 16: Dec. 25, @ Arizona
-Is it really necessary for a team to have to play on Thanksgiving and Christmas? The Cowboys look like the better team on paper, but that was the case two years ago when they went to the desert and got beat in overtime on a blocked punt. Have the Cardinals clinched the NFC West by this point or is Larry Fitzgerald catching passes from Derek Anderson and getting ready for 2011?
Week 17: Jan. 2, @ Philadelphia
-This makes it three consecutive seasons these two will have finished the regular season against each other. Will the Cowboys be playing for another division title or scrapping just to get a playoff spot? Will Kevin Kolb be trying to finish off a nice season or is Michael Vick making Eagle fans forget that Donovan McNabb ever existed?
Week 1: Sept. 12, @ Washington
-Congragulations Redskins fans! With a new coach and quarterback, you can now consider your team relevant again. Now that it looks like the Redskins have finally come out of the wilderness that was the Jim Zorn era, I guess the league felt it was only right that the Cowboys be the first team to visit Donovan McNabb and Mike Shannahan in their new digs. How many times will McNabb tell his new personal protector Trent Williams about DeMarcus Ware in the days leading up to the game?
Week 2: Sept. 19, vs. Chicago
-It's always nice to have your first home game against a team with a turnover-prone QB who will undoubtedly still be working out the bugs in a new offensive system under the direction of Mike Martz.
Week 3: Sept. 26, @ Houston
-This game just screams shootout with a crazy ending to it. The Texans will be laying in wait and ready to prove they are no longer the step children of the lone star state.
Week 4: BYE
-Does any NFL team really need a bye at this point of the season? Maybe it will be a blessing in disguise.
Week 5: Oct. 10, vs. Tennessee
-The Cowboys would be wise to come out ready to play this one. The Titans are consistently one of the most physical teams in the league and this version of Vince Young is light years better than the one they saw during a blowout in Nashville on '06.
Week 6: Oct. 17, @ Minnesota
-After being bounced from the playoffs by the Vikings last season, you know the Cowboys want this one really bad. We all know it will probably be one of the better games of the regular season. The only question is how many times we'll see the replay of Keith Brooking storming over to the Vikings' bench during last year's playoff game after the Vikes scored a needless touchdown in garbage time.
Week 7: Oct. 25, vs. New York Giants
-The Cowboys have a rivalry with everybody in their division. That said, there's a certain disdain the Cowboys and Giants share and it will be on display for everybody to see during this Monday night matchup. Simply put, they just don't like each other and it makes for great games. Where is a personal foul from Flozell Adams when you need him?
Week 8: Oct. 31, vs. Jacksonville
-At first glance, this should be an easy win for the Cowboys. Then you realize Jack Del Rio might be coaching for his job this year-as proven by his drafting of Tyson Alualu 9th overall- and he'll do everything he can to steal a win in the Jags first trip to Jerryland.
Week 9: Nov. 7, @ Green Bay
-The NFL loves putting these two together on a regular basis, don't they? How many times will we hear about Tony Romo and his childhood in Wisconsin leading up to the game?
Week 10: Nov. 14, @ New York Giants
-The Cowboys first trip to the new Meadowlands venue should be a festive one. Will Tony Romo sign his name on the lockeroom wall the way Eli Manning did last year after his first trip to Cowboys Stadium?
Week 11: Nov. 21, vs. Detroit
-Welcome home Matt Stafford and welcome back Ndamokung Suh. The last time Stafford played football here in the area, he was setting records at Highland Park and becoming one of the top high school recruits in the country. The last time Suh played in Cowboys Stadium, he channeled his inner Jerome Brown and literally came within one second of single handedly derailing the Texas Longhorns' national title hopes. As far as the game is concerned, the Cowboys will overcome an early haze to get a relatively easy win. The fun part, however, is going to be watching Calvin Johnson go at it with Mike Jenkins in a battle of two of the better young players in the league.
Here's where things start getting interesting!
Week 12: Nov. 25, vs. New Orleans
-Whoa! The NFL definitely made sure they loaded up for their feature game on turkey day. In one corner, you've got the Cowboys and their monstrosity of a stadium. In the other, it'll be Drew Brees, Sean Payton and the rest of the beloved Saints who will probably still have a certain glow to them due to last year's Super Bowl win. Will Darren Sharper be playing with a star on his helmet this time?
Week 13: Dec.5, @ Indianapolis
-The second game of what promises to be an unforgiving gauntlet to finish the season sees the Cowboys head to Indy against the unflappable Peyton Manning and the Colts. Wade Phillips' defenses historically game Manning trouble when he was in San Diego. With players like DeMarcus Ware, Jay Ratliff and Mike Jenkins at his disposal, there's no reason to think the Cowboys can't cause their fare share of problems for Manning and company.
Week 14: Dec. 12, vs. Philadelphia
-How much fire have Kevin Kolb and Andy Reid come under by this point in the season?
Week 15: Dec. 19, vs. Washington
-It's the last home game for the Cowboys and it's the first trip to Jerryworld for Donovan McNabb and Mike Shannahan's as part of the 'Skins/'Boys rivalry.
Week 16: Dec. 25, @ Arizona
-Is it really necessary for a team to have to play on Thanksgiving and Christmas? The Cowboys look like the better team on paper, but that was the case two years ago when they went to the desert and got beat in overtime on a blocked punt. Have the Cardinals clinched the NFC West by this point or is Larry Fitzgerald catching passes from Derek Anderson and getting ready for 2011?
Week 17: Jan. 2, @ Philadelphia
-This makes it three consecutive seasons these two will have finished the regular season against each other. Will the Cowboys be playing for another division title or scrapping just to get a playoff spot? Will Kevin Kolb be trying to finish off a nice season or is Michael Vick making Eagle fans forget that Donovan McNabb ever existed?
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Initial Thoughts on the 1st round of the draft
Here are my knee jerk reactions to the picks in the 1st round of the NFL draft:
1. St.Louis Rams- Sam Bradford, QB/Oklahoma
-Did they really have any other choice? Marc Bulger was sent packing a few weeks ago and they needed a face of the franchise.
2. Detroit Lions- Ndamukung Suh, DT/Nebraska
-Jim Schwartz had Albert Haynesworth during his time as the Titans' defensive coordinator. Now he gets a guy who is more than capable of raising the same kind of havoc in the middle and this time, he doesn't have to worry about him being a headache for the franchise.
3. Tampa Bay Bucaneers- Gerald McCoy, DT/Oklahoma
-Have you ever seen a guy so happy to see Roger Goodell? The Buccaneers haven't been the same on defense since Warren Sapp left for Oakland. McCoy has the tools and the attitude to be a force at Sapp's old position for the next decade.
4. Washington Redskins- Trent Williams, OT/Oklahoma
-Bob Stoops sure did have some good football players in Norman the past couple of years, didn't he?
5. Kansas City Chiefs- Eric Berry, S/Tennessee
-The Chiefs need a play maker in the secondary and Berry, who always seems to be around the ball, fits the bill.
6. Seattle Seahawks- Russell Okung, OT/Oklahoma State
-After seeing him slip past the Redskins at the four spot, I bet Pete Carroll couldn't turn the card in with Okung's name on it fast enough.
7. Cleveland Browns- Joe Haden, CB/Florida
-Adding Haden to the mix along with Eric Wright and the newly acquired Sheldon Brown suddenly gives the Browns a nice group of corners.
8. Oakland Raiders- Rolando McClain, LB/Alabama
-Oh those tricky Raiders! I bet Tom Couglin and the rest of the Giants organization want to punch the crap out of Al Davis for this one.
9. Buffalo Bills- C.J. Spiller, RB/Clemson
-Something about the look on his face tells me Spiller wasn't exactly over-joyed about the thought of having to brave those brutal winters in western New York. Being a native of Jacksonville, Fla., Spiller probably never needed a heavy coat growing up. He needs one now.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars- Tyson Alualu, DL/California
-I'm sorry, who? Jokes aside, Alualu can play in the trenches. It's just that nobody saw this move coming. Jack Del Rio is probably coaching for his job this year. I guess if he's going to get canned, it won't be because he's afraid to take a chance on a guy he really likes.
11. San Francisco 49ers- Anthony Davis, OT/Rutgers
-There's a question about whether or not he really loves the game of football. With his potential and under the watchful eye of Mike Singletary, he'll either be married to it and become an All-Pro for the next 10-12 years or he'll be on the pine. If you don't believe me, just ask Vernon Davis.
12. San Diego Chargers- Ryan Matthews, RB/Fresno State
-After dumping LaDanian Tomlinson, the Chargers needed a guy they could feed the ball to 20-25 times a game. Matthews, at 5'11 and nearly 220, definitely looks the part.
13. Philadelphia Eagles- Brandon Graham, DE/Michigan
-The Eagles get another high motor guy to go on their defensive line.
14. Seattle Seahawks- Earl Thomas, S/Texas
-After coaching Troy Palamalu, Kevin Ellison and Taylor Mays during his time at USC, I think Pete Carroll knows a good safety when he sees one.
15. New York Giants- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE/South Florida
-I'm willing to bet you can get Osi Umenyiora for a mid-round pick now. Still steaming from the Raiders stealing Rolando McClain, Tom Coughlin and company pick arguably the most athletically gifted DE prospect in the draft since Jevon Kearse.
16. Tennessee Titans- Derrick Morgan, DE/Georgia Tech
-Should be just another in what's starting to become a long line of rock solid defensive lineman for Jeff Fisher and his defensive staff.
17. San Francisco 49ers- Mike Iupati, G/Idaho
-I can only imagine how big the smile on Frank Gore's face is at this point.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers- Maurkice Pouncey, OL/Florida
-Will probably start out at guard, but will eventually move to center and be the cornerstone of the Steelers o-line for the next decade. With Big Ben on the shelf for at least the first quarter of the season, I guess the Steelers will do their fair share of running the ball.
19. Atlanta Falcons- Sean Weatherspoon, OLB/Missouri
-A true thumper who was a model of consistency during his time in Columbia.
20. Houston Texans- Kareem Jackson, CB/Alabama
-Somebody has to replace the recently departed Dunta Robinson
21. Cincinnati Bengals- Jermaine Gresham, TE/Oklahoma
-Needs work on his blocking skills, but he should be Carson Palmer's new security blanket in the rugged AFC North.
22. Denver Broncos- Demaryius Thomas, WR/Georgia Tech
-A Brandon Marshall starter kit without the off the field issues is just what Josh McDaniels is looking for.
23. Green Bay Packers- Bryan Bulaga, OT/Iowa
-Did you see the last play of the Packers' game in the playoffs against the Cardinals? If so, you know why the Packers went with an offensive lineman.
24. Dallas Cowboys- Dez Bryant, WR/Oklahoma State
-However much time is left on the clock for Roy Williams here in Dallas just got a little shorter. On another note, Bryant should send a huge thank you note to Randy Moss because after passing over Moss more than a decade ago because of character concerns, Jerry Jones wasn't going to pass up on another big time wideout.
25. Denver Broncos- Tim Tebow, QB/Florida
-I don't know if he's worth first round money, but I'm glad somebody took him so we can stop hearing him talk.
26. Arizona Cardinals- Dan Williams, DT/Tennessee
-Ken Whisenhunt gets a big body to go in the middle of what will be a new look Cardinals defense.
27. New England Patriots- Devin McCourty, CB/Rutgers
-Bill Belichik keeps re-tooling his secondary with young and lively bodies. Too bad none of them can cover Reggie Wayne, Brandon Marshall or Santonio Holmes.
28. Miami Dolphins- Jared Odrick, DL/Penn St.
-Far be it from me to question the Tuna when it comes to the draft. Oh wait, there was that year when he drafted Julius Jones instead of Steven Jackson. There was also that year he drafted Bobby Carpenter when he could've drafted DeMeco Ryans.
29. New York Jets- Kyle Wilson, CB/Bosie St.
-Wilson plays with the attitude Rex Ryan is looking for in a defensive player and adding him to a secondary already loaded with Darelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Jim Leonard is going make life a living hell for every opposing QB on the Jets' schedule.
30. Detroit Lions- Jahvid Best, RB/California
-The Lions now have a home run hitter in the backfield to help out Matt Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Brandon Pettigrew and the rest of their young and talented corps of skill players.
31. Indianapolis Colts- Jerry Hughes, DE/TCU
-The Colts pick another player who fits their style of defense perfectly.
32. New Orleans Saints- Patrick Robinson, CB/Florida State
-Another cover guy who will allow Greg Williams to dial up another exotic blitz package.
1. St.Louis Rams- Sam Bradford, QB/Oklahoma
-Did they really have any other choice? Marc Bulger was sent packing a few weeks ago and they needed a face of the franchise.
2. Detroit Lions- Ndamukung Suh, DT/Nebraska
-Jim Schwartz had Albert Haynesworth during his time as the Titans' defensive coordinator. Now he gets a guy who is more than capable of raising the same kind of havoc in the middle and this time, he doesn't have to worry about him being a headache for the franchise.
3. Tampa Bay Bucaneers- Gerald McCoy, DT/Oklahoma
-Have you ever seen a guy so happy to see Roger Goodell? The Buccaneers haven't been the same on defense since Warren Sapp left for Oakland. McCoy has the tools and the attitude to be a force at Sapp's old position for the next decade.
4. Washington Redskins- Trent Williams, OT/Oklahoma
-Bob Stoops sure did have some good football players in Norman the past couple of years, didn't he?
5. Kansas City Chiefs- Eric Berry, S/Tennessee
-The Chiefs need a play maker in the secondary and Berry, who always seems to be around the ball, fits the bill.
6. Seattle Seahawks- Russell Okung, OT/Oklahoma State
-After seeing him slip past the Redskins at the four spot, I bet Pete Carroll couldn't turn the card in with Okung's name on it fast enough.
7. Cleveland Browns- Joe Haden, CB/Florida
-Adding Haden to the mix along with Eric Wright and the newly acquired Sheldon Brown suddenly gives the Browns a nice group of corners.
8. Oakland Raiders- Rolando McClain, LB/Alabama
-Oh those tricky Raiders! I bet Tom Couglin and the rest of the Giants organization want to punch the crap out of Al Davis for this one.
9. Buffalo Bills- C.J. Spiller, RB/Clemson
-Something about the look on his face tells me Spiller wasn't exactly over-joyed about the thought of having to brave those brutal winters in western New York. Being a native of Jacksonville, Fla., Spiller probably never needed a heavy coat growing up. He needs one now.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars- Tyson Alualu, DL/California
-I'm sorry, who? Jokes aside, Alualu can play in the trenches. It's just that nobody saw this move coming. Jack Del Rio is probably coaching for his job this year. I guess if he's going to get canned, it won't be because he's afraid to take a chance on a guy he really likes.
11. San Francisco 49ers- Anthony Davis, OT/Rutgers
-There's a question about whether or not he really loves the game of football. With his potential and under the watchful eye of Mike Singletary, he'll either be married to it and become an All-Pro for the next 10-12 years or he'll be on the pine. If you don't believe me, just ask Vernon Davis.
12. San Diego Chargers- Ryan Matthews, RB/Fresno State
-After dumping LaDanian Tomlinson, the Chargers needed a guy they could feed the ball to 20-25 times a game. Matthews, at 5'11 and nearly 220, definitely looks the part.
13. Philadelphia Eagles- Brandon Graham, DE/Michigan
-The Eagles get another high motor guy to go on their defensive line.
14. Seattle Seahawks- Earl Thomas, S/Texas
-After coaching Troy Palamalu, Kevin Ellison and Taylor Mays during his time at USC, I think Pete Carroll knows a good safety when he sees one.
15. New York Giants- Jason Pierre-Paul, DE/South Florida
-I'm willing to bet you can get Osi Umenyiora for a mid-round pick now. Still steaming from the Raiders stealing Rolando McClain, Tom Coughlin and company pick arguably the most athletically gifted DE prospect in the draft since Jevon Kearse.
16. Tennessee Titans- Derrick Morgan, DE/Georgia Tech
-Should be just another in what's starting to become a long line of rock solid defensive lineman for Jeff Fisher and his defensive staff.
17. San Francisco 49ers- Mike Iupati, G/Idaho
-I can only imagine how big the smile on Frank Gore's face is at this point.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers- Maurkice Pouncey, OL/Florida
-Will probably start out at guard, but will eventually move to center and be the cornerstone of the Steelers o-line for the next decade. With Big Ben on the shelf for at least the first quarter of the season, I guess the Steelers will do their fair share of running the ball.
19. Atlanta Falcons- Sean Weatherspoon, OLB/Missouri
-A true thumper who was a model of consistency during his time in Columbia.
20. Houston Texans- Kareem Jackson, CB/Alabama
-Somebody has to replace the recently departed Dunta Robinson
21. Cincinnati Bengals- Jermaine Gresham, TE/Oklahoma
-Needs work on his blocking skills, but he should be Carson Palmer's new security blanket in the rugged AFC North.
22. Denver Broncos- Demaryius Thomas, WR/Georgia Tech
-A Brandon Marshall starter kit without the off the field issues is just what Josh McDaniels is looking for.
23. Green Bay Packers- Bryan Bulaga, OT/Iowa
-Did you see the last play of the Packers' game in the playoffs against the Cardinals? If so, you know why the Packers went with an offensive lineman.
24. Dallas Cowboys- Dez Bryant, WR/Oklahoma State
-However much time is left on the clock for Roy Williams here in Dallas just got a little shorter. On another note, Bryant should send a huge thank you note to Randy Moss because after passing over Moss more than a decade ago because of character concerns, Jerry Jones wasn't going to pass up on another big time wideout.
25. Denver Broncos- Tim Tebow, QB/Florida
-I don't know if he's worth first round money, but I'm glad somebody took him so we can stop hearing him talk.
26. Arizona Cardinals- Dan Williams, DT/Tennessee
-Ken Whisenhunt gets a big body to go in the middle of what will be a new look Cardinals defense.
27. New England Patriots- Devin McCourty, CB/Rutgers
-Bill Belichik keeps re-tooling his secondary with young and lively bodies. Too bad none of them can cover Reggie Wayne, Brandon Marshall or Santonio Holmes.
28. Miami Dolphins- Jared Odrick, DL/Penn St.
-Far be it from me to question the Tuna when it comes to the draft. Oh wait, there was that year when he drafted Julius Jones instead of Steven Jackson. There was also that year he drafted Bobby Carpenter when he could've drafted DeMeco Ryans.
29. New York Jets- Kyle Wilson, CB/Bosie St.
-Wilson plays with the attitude Rex Ryan is looking for in a defensive player and adding him to a secondary already loaded with Darelle Revis, Antonio Cromartie and Jim Leonard is going make life a living hell for every opposing QB on the Jets' schedule.
30. Detroit Lions- Jahvid Best, RB/California
-The Lions now have a home run hitter in the backfield to help out Matt Stafford, Calvin Johnson, Brandon Pettigrew and the rest of their young and talented corps of skill players.
31. Indianapolis Colts- Jerry Hughes, DE/TCU
-The Colts pick another player who fits their style of defense perfectly.
32. New Orleans Saints- Patrick Robinson, CB/Florida State
-Another cover guy who will allow Greg Williams to dial up another exotic blitz package.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
I wonder
You know I had to bring it back!
Those of you who followed In the Trenches are familiar with the playful and insightful series known as "I wonder......". For those of you who aren't familiar with it, I hope you have as much fun reading it as I do writing it.
With that said, let's get to it.
I wonder.........
-why the 49ers aren't making a serious run at the newly available Donovan McNabb? General Manager or no general manager, contract extension or no contract extension, the personel department for the 49ers should have been at the front of the line the second Andy Reid made it public knowledge that the Eagles are listening to offers for any of their quarterbacks. (He really meant McNabb or Michael Vick, because we all know they're trying to give the keys to the franchise to Kelvin Kolb.) I know Mike Singletary and the front office have said Alex Smith is their starter, but I remember Brad Childress saying Tavaris Jackson was the starter in Minnesota until a certain Mississippi native decided he wanted to play football again last summer too. Why couldn't McNabb do for the 49ers in 2010 what Brett Favre just did for the Vikings 2009? Think about it for a second. The 49ers have a solid running game with Frank Gore and Glen Coffe, a nice trio of pass catchers in Michael Crabtree, Josh Morgan and Vernon Davis, and a solid defense led by one of the best defensive players in the game in Patrick Willis. They've got all the tools necessary to win a wide open NFC West. Except a top flight quarterback! Alex Smith might finally blossom into the player the 49ers thought he might be when they took him with the first pick in the 2005 draft. That potential player isn't as good as what McNabb is right now and won't be as good as McNabb will be for the next three to five years. McNabb got the Eagles to five NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl with no legitimate running game to speak of and mainly throwing to guys like Freddie Mitchell, James Thrash and Todd Pinkston. Imagine what he could do in a significantly weaker division, with comparable weapons and a coach who wouldn't just drop the outcome of games in his lap every week.
-how much longer Ben Roethlisberger will continue to get a pass from the mainstream media? It's amazing how much collateral a couple of Super Bowl wins gets you these days, isn't it? "Big Ben" has been accused of sexual assault twice within the last 8 months. Yet the media, by in large, has done everything they can to avoid raking him over the proverbial coals like they would do a number of so many other athletes. Could you imagine the tone of the coverage if a certain combustible receiver with the last name Owens was involved in anything remotely close to what Roethilisberger is right now? When the first suit was filed against Roethlisbeger last year by a worker at a casion resort in Lake Tahoe, ESPN initially stuck their head in the sand and refused to discuss it because it was a "civil" case. Fast foward to now and the recent allegations against him of sexual assault filed by a 20 year-old college student at a night club in Milledgeville, Georgia and the media is doing everything they can to keep from grilling him like piece of rotisserie chicken. Where is Ed Werder at now? ESPN can send him to Mississippi to camp out on Brett Favre's property to give us updates on when Favre goes to the bathroom but they can't send him to Milledgeville to get us answers as to what Roethlisberger was allegedly doing in a bathroom with a college girl. Werder can do numerous television reports and radio hits with useless info on the Dallas Cowboys, but he can't seem to gather an opinion on whether or not Roethlisberger is a "good" teammate anymore? Give me a break! Whether the Steelers' signal caller is found guilty on either charge will obviously be determined in the months to come. That said, I think it's kind of strange how a lot of talking heads have suddenly gone quiet when it comes to Big Ben. As for me, I'm like everybody else in the fact that I don't know if he's completely innocent on all charges or if he should be calling Michael Vick for advice on how to navigate his way through prison politics. One thing is certain though and that's that Roethlisberger is getting the mother of all hall passes from the media right now.
-why Urban Meyer is getting a pass for going postal on that reporter last week?
Sure, he apologized for it a couple of days later. That doesn't mean we should all just act like nothing happened. The reporter in question, Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel, drew the ire of Meyer because he quoted Gators' receiver Deonte Thompson saying something to the extent that new Gators quarterback John Brantley, unlike the diety known as Tim Tebow, plays like a "real quarterback". We all know Meyer and Tebow will be linked forever in the history books of college football. That's fine, but it's no excuse for Meyer to go all Mike Leach on Fowler and challenge him to a fist fight on the practice field.
**The Lightining Round
-why undersized forwards keep volunteering to get posterized by Amare Stoudemire? I'm not sure what it is but guys in the league are starting to make an embarrasing habbit of finding themselves on the business end of Amare's explosions at the rim lately. Some poor guy from the Golden State Warriors was nearly deposited in the seats behind the basket by Stoudemire last week. (Amare gave the guy a chance to stay on the ground.) And just the other day in Chicago he baptized one of the Bulls undersized front court players at the rim as well. Message all role players in the NBA: Stop trying to climb the ladder with Amare! You don't have enough rungs on yours to get up there with him!
-why Kate Gosselin is relevant enough to put on Dancing with the Stars?
I'm not sure how much more of this lady's 15 minutes of fame I can take? For the record, I have nothing against her personally. However, she is somewhere between the mistresses of politicians who are looking for a book deal and the Hollywood socialites who are famous for having a rich surname or a scandolous sex tape. Having a bundle of kids and then exploiting them on a television show for a few years to pay your bills does not make you a celebrity. It makes you a mom who tried to make the best of a sticky situation for her family. I wish the best for Kate, John and that brood of crum-snatchers they brought into this world. I just wish Kate would get off my tv screen.
-why guys in pick up basketball games at the local health club insist on wearing the elbow sleeve as if they were Allen Iverson?
It's bad enough when the tubby guy hits the court with his favorite pair of worn out Air Jordan's, but now guys are adoning themselves with the elbow sleeve as if they have a legitimate injury or something. It's pick up basketball fellas! Most of us are in there for the cardio and competition of it. If any of us were good enough to actually have tendinitis of the elbow, we'd be getting played to play somewhere. But we're not. Playing at the local gym is already trying enough from time to time when you have to deal with the guys who call those ridiciulous fouls just to keep from losing. Seeing middle age men or 25 year-olds who still think they can take their favorite NBA superstar in the elbow sleeve is where I draw the line on proper pick up game ettiquite
Those of you who followed In the Trenches are familiar with the playful and insightful series known as "I wonder......". For those of you who aren't familiar with it, I hope you have as much fun reading it as I do writing it.
With that said, let's get to it.
I wonder.........
-why the 49ers aren't making a serious run at the newly available Donovan McNabb? General Manager or no general manager, contract extension or no contract extension, the personel department for the 49ers should have been at the front of the line the second Andy Reid made it public knowledge that the Eagles are listening to offers for any of their quarterbacks. (He really meant McNabb or Michael Vick, because we all know they're trying to give the keys to the franchise to Kelvin Kolb.) I know Mike Singletary and the front office have said Alex Smith is their starter, but I remember Brad Childress saying Tavaris Jackson was the starter in Minnesota until a certain Mississippi native decided he wanted to play football again last summer too. Why couldn't McNabb do for the 49ers in 2010 what Brett Favre just did for the Vikings 2009? Think about it for a second. The 49ers have a solid running game with Frank Gore and Glen Coffe, a nice trio of pass catchers in Michael Crabtree, Josh Morgan and Vernon Davis, and a solid defense led by one of the best defensive players in the game in Patrick Willis. They've got all the tools necessary to win a wide open NFC West. Except a top flight quarterback! Alex Smith might finally blossom into the player the 49ers thought he might be when they took him with the first pick in the 2005 draft. That potential player isn't as good as what McNabb is right now and won't be as good as McNabb will be for the next three to five years. McNabb got the Eagles to five NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl with no legitimate running game to speak of and mainly throwing to guys like Freddie Mitchell, James Thrash and Todd Pinkston. Imagine what he could do in a significantly weaker division, with comparable weapons and a coach who wouldn't just drop the outcome of games in his lap every week.
-how much longer Ben Roethlisberger will continue to get a pass from the mainstream media? It's amazing how much collateral a couple of Super Bowl wins gets you these days, isn't it? "Big Ben" has been accused of sexual assault twice within the last 8 months. Yet the media, by in large, has done everything they can to avoid raking him over the proverbial coals like they would do a number of so many other athletes. Could you imagine the tone of the coverage if a certain combustible receiver with the last name Owens was involved in anything remotely close to what Roethilisberger is right now? When the first suit was filed against Roethlisbeger last year by a worker at a casion resort in Lake Tahoe, ESPN initially stuck their head in the sand and refused to discuss it because it was a "civil" case. Fast foward to now and the recent allegations against him of sexual assault filed by a 20 year-old college student at a night club in Milledgeville, Georgia and the media is doing everything they can to keep from grilling him like piece of rotisserie chicken. Where is Ed Werder at now? ESPN can send him to Mississippi to camp out on Brett Favre's property to give us updates on when Favre goes to the bathroom but they can't send him to Milledgeville to get us answers as to what Roethlisberger was allegedly doing in a bathroom with a college girl. Werder can do numerous television reports and radio hits with useless info on the Dallas Cowboys, but he can't seem to gather an opinion on whether or not Roethlisberger is a "good" teammate anymore? Give me a break! Whether the Steelers' signal caller is found guilty on either charge will obviously be determined in the months to come. That said, I think it's kind of strange how a lot of talking heads have suddenly gone quiet when it comes to Big Ben. As for me, I'm like everybody else in the fact that I don't know if he's completely innocent on all charges or if he should be calling Michael Vick for advice on how to navigate his way through prison politics. One thing is certain though and that's that Roethlisberger is getting the mother of all hall passes from the media right now.
-why Urban Meyer is getting a pass for going postal on that reporter last week?
Sure, he apologized for it a couple of days later. That doesn't mean we should all just act like nothing happened. The reporter in question, Jeremy Fowler of the Orlando Sentinel, drew the ire of Meyer because he quoted Gators' receiver Deonte Thompson saying something to the extent that new Gators quarterback John Brantley, unlike the diety known as Tim Tebow, plays like a "real quarterback". We all know Meyer and Tebow will be linked forever in the history books of college football. That's fine, but it's no excuse for Meyer to go all Mike Leach on Fowler and challenge him to a fist fight on the practice field.
**The Lightining Round
-why undersized forwards keep volunteering to get posterized by Amare Stoudemire? I'm not sure what it is but guys in the league are starting to make an embarrasing habbit of finding themselves on the business end of Amare's explosions at the rim lately. Some poor guy from the Golden State Warriors was nearly deposited in the seats behind the basket by Stoudemire last week. (Amare gave the guy a chance to stay on the ground.) And just the other day in Chicago he baptized one of the Bulls undersized front court players at the rim as well. Message all role players in the NBA: Stop trying to climb the ladder with Amare! You don't have enough rungs on yours to get up there with him!
-why Kate Gosselin is relevant enough to put on Dancing with the Stars?
I'm not sure how much more of this lady's 15 minutes of fame I can take? For the record, I have nothing against her personally. However, she is somewhere between the mistresses of politicians who are looking for a book deal and the Hollywood socialites who are famous for having a rich surname or a scandolous sex tape. Having a bundle of kids and then exploiting them on a television show for a few years to pay your bills does not make you a celebrity. It makes you a mom who tried to make the best of a sticky situation for her family. I wish the best for Kate, John and that brood of crum-snatchers they brought into this world. I just wish Kate would get off my tv screen.
-why guys in pick up basketball games at the local health club insist on wearing the elbow sleeve as if they were Allen Iverson?
It's bad enough when the tubby guy hits the court with his favorite pair of worn out Air Jordan's, but now guys are adoning themselves with the elbow sleeve as if they have a legitimate injury or something. It's pick up basketball fellas! Most of us are in there for the cardio and competition of it. If any of us were good enough to actually have tendinitis of the elbow, we'd be getting played to play somewhere. But we're not. Playing at the local gym is already trying enough from time to time when you have to deal with the guys who call those ridiciulous fouls just to keep from losing. Seeing middle age men or 25 year-olds who still think they can take their favorite NBA superstar in the elbow sleeve is where I draw the line on proper pick up game ettiquite
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
The South Region
Don't tell me there's not somebody in the NCAA looking out for the Duke Blue Devils.
They feasted on a mediocre ACC this season and somehow got a 1 seed over West Virginia who won the Big East. Add that to the fact that 2 seed Villanova hasn't looked like themselves in a couple of weeks now and 4th seed Purdue struggled to break the 40 point barrier in their last game and you have the makings of a nice and easy Sunday stroll to Indianapolis for the most polarizing college basketball program in the country.
Now that we've established that the Blue Devils get preferential treatment, let's take a look at who's going to have Dick Vitale throwing his bracket in that Blue Devil-painted trash can of his.
Louisville definitely has the necessary tools to knock off the Blue Devils in the second round. It's just a matter of whether or not they can hit their 3's and Edgar Sosa can avoid making the crucial mistake we all know he has the potential to.
Let's say the Blue Devils survive the Cardinals and get to the regional in Houston.
They should find the physical and seemingly forgotten Aggies of Texas A&M waiting for them in what should amount to a glorified home game for the Aggies inside Reliant Stadium.
(Houston is a short drive from College Station for those of you not familiar with that part of the state of Texas.)
The Aggies, just like Louisville have what's needed to knock off Duke. Donald Sloan can get into the lane when he wants and the crafty Brian Davis will certainly give the lead-footed Brian Zoubek all he can handle in the paint. If the officials let the players decide the game, don't be surprised if the Aggies pull it off. If the zebras come out a little trigger happy or as Bill Raftery says calling those cheap nickel-dimers, you'll hear more than those famous war hymns coming from the Aggie faithful in the stands.
Here's where things are going to get interesting.
Other than Villanova, who seems to forgotten who they are over the past couple of weeks, the team that has what it takes to beat Duke is Baylor.
That's right, I said it!
The school that's basically been an afterthought in basketball for sometime now and was the center of an ugly murder cover-up a few years ago is suddenly an emerging player in the Big 12 under the guidance of the enthusiastic Scott Drew.
Tweety Carter and LaceDarrius Dunn are one of the most active guard combos in the land and Michigan-transfer Ekpe Udoh is probably a lottery pick in the upcoming draft if he decides he's ready to start being fairly compensated for his exploits on the court. Throw in the human pogo stick that is sophomore Quincy Acy and the Bears have all the makings of a team that can make a run to Indianapolis.
The Winner: Baylor. Their bigs will be the key to them winning a track meet with Villanova. (Scottie Reynolds has only so many miracles in him, right?) Their overall athleticism will give the Blue Devils fits and a crowd that's sure to be rooting for them will help them find a way to beat Coach K's crew in a very entertaining game.
Baylor is the most famous Baptist school in the country so it's not exactly what you would consider party central. Things will never be the same down on the Brazos or at famous watering hole George's though after Scott Drew and the Bears pull off the tournament's most shocking upset and cut down the nets in Houston.
They feasted on a mediocre ACC this season and somehow got a 1 seed over West Virginia who won the Big East. Add that to the fact that 2 seed Villanova hasn't looked like themselves in a couple of weeks now and 4th seed Purdue struggled to break the 40 point barrier in their last game and you have the makings of a nice and easy Sunday stroll to Indianapolis for the most polarizing college basketball program in the country.
Now that we've established that the Blue Devils get preferential treatment, let's take a look at who's going to have Dick Vitale throwing his bracket in that Blue Devil-painted trash can of his.
Louisville definitely has the necessary tools to knock off the Blue Devils in the second round. It's just a matter of whether or not they can hit their 3's and Edgar Sosa can avoid making the crucial mistake we all know he has the potential to.
Let's say the Blue Devils survive the Cardinals and get to the regional in Houston.
They should find the physical and seemingly forgotten Aggies of Texas A&M waiting for them in what should amount to a glorified home game for the Aggies inside Reliant Stadium.
(Houston is a short drive from College Station for those of you not familiar with that part of the state of Texas.)
The Aggies, just like Louisville have what's needed to knock off Duke. Donald Sloan can get into the lane when he wants and the crafty Brian Davis will certainly give the lead-footed Brian Zoubek all he can handle in the paint. If the officials let the players decide the game, don't be surprised if the Aggies pull it off. If the zebras come out a little trigger happy or as Bill Raftery says calling those cheap nickel-dimers, you'll hear more than those famous war hymns coming from the Aggie faithful in the stands.
Here's where things are going to get interesting.
Other than Villanova, who seems to forgotten who they are over the past couple of weeks, the team that has what it takes to beat Duke is Baylor.
That's right, I said it!
The school that's basically been an afterthought in basketball for sometime now and was the center of an ugly murder cover-up a few years ago is suddenly an emerging player in the Big 12 under the guidance of the enthusiastic Scott Drew.
Tweety Carter and LaceDarrius Dunn are one of the most active guard combos in the land and Michigan-transfer Ekpe Udoh is probably a lottery pick in the upcoming draft if he decides he's ready to start being fairly compensated for his exploits on the court. Throw in the human pogo stick that is sophomore Quincy Acy and the Bears have all the makings of a team that can make a run to Indianapolis.
The Winner: Baylor. Their bigs will be the key to them winning a track meet with Villanova. (Scottie Reynolds has only so many miracles in him, right?) Their overall athleticism will give the Blue Devils fits and a crowd that's sure to be rooting for them will help them find a way to beat Coach K's crew in a very entertaining game.
Baylor is the most famous Baptist school in the country so it's not exactly what you would consider party central. Things will never be the same down on the Brazos or at famous watering hole George's though after Scott Drew and the Bears pull off the tournament's most shocking upset and cut down the nets in Houston.
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