As I started to write this blog, I realized that I had a multitude of items to write about. There is an NFL recap, the start of the college basketball season, Tiger Woods losing his first golf tournament in months, and fresh hot stove material from baseball. However, after watching SportsCenter, it has become clearly evident that I have to start this blog talking about Bobby Knight.
By now, mostly everyone has seen the video of Knight “slapping” one of his players, Michael Prince, under his chin. I have watched clip after clip and heard analyst after analyst state their opinion on the subject and while I agree with most of their opinions, here is my take on the subject:
Bobby Knight has become like Terrell Owens in the public’s eye, meaning that anything he does will get a reaction. Whether this action is right or wrong is irrelevant, the bottom line is that any questionable action that he does will be scrutinized and talked about endlessly. I also feel that this is much ado about nothing. The kid and his parents found nothing wrong with it so neither should anyone else.
Now back to the rest of the world in sports. Week 10 of the NFL season ended last night as the Carolina Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-10. The victory moved the Panthers to 5-4 and right back into the playoff hunt. The Panthers have been one of this years most confusing teams. Even in the game last night, the Panthers played very very poorly in the first half and needed a turnover by the Bucs to jump start them in the second half. I think the Panthers have a star WR in Steve Smith, a stud defender in Julius Peppers, and a great coach in John Fox. But for whatever reason, they can’t run the ball and they do not play particularly well in the fourth quarter. For those two reasons primarily, I think the Panthers will make the playoffs but probably lose somewhere around the second round.
From the better late than never files, we have the first start of Jason Campbell this week. Campbell, a 2005 first round draft pick of the Washington Redskins, is taking over a 3-6 team with a lousy defense, and now he gets to show off his arm in Offensive Coordinator Al Saunders’s offense. I think its absolutely crazy that Campbell has not a least played in mop-up duty to make this start a little easier Though that didn’t happen, I think the kid will be ready and play a good game overall.
In baseball news, the Washington Nationals have named Manny Acta their new manager. While I don’t know much about Acta, the few articles I have read about him, have held him in high regard. With a young manager, a new stadium in 2008 and a young budding star (third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, 2006 NL Rookie of the Year Runner Up) the Nationals appear to be moving in the right direction. Well that’s all for now. Until next time, peace.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Sunday, November 12, 2006
November 12, 2006- Shake Up Saturday
Well, well, well. What do you have to say now Mr. Corso? Of course I am talking about ESPN analyst Lee Corso, who on Thursday night proclaimed that Rutgers could finish the season undefeated and still not lay for the BCS National Championship. Now I try to live in reality as much as possible, and I know it would still be a long shot for Rutgers to make it considering they still have to travel to West Virginia early in December, but to proclaim Rutgers out already after punishing Louisville is absurd. And when the teams Corso bring up, go out and lose on Saturday, it makes his argument seemed flawed.
I won’t get on Corso too much because the whole BCS system is flawed. It gives an unfair advantage to established football program that have a history. The system does this by including preseason polls when determining the BCS rankings. Preseason polls mean nothing. Take the seasons of Florida State and Miami for example. Both teams were ranked in the Top 20 preseason polls of ESPN and Sports Illustrated. After yesterday’s action, both teams are unranked and each has five losses.
Other case studies include Iowa, ranked 11th in ESPN’s preseason poll, now unranked with a record of 6-5; Arizona State, ranked 16th in Sports Illustrated’s preseason poll, now they are unranked with four losses.
Notice I didn’t mention any SEC teams. I did this because I wanted to talk about these teams and this conference specifically. All year analysts have been touting this conference as one of the best, if not the best in the nation. I really don’t have a problem agreeing with this, but when no team stands out in a conference, it makes it hard for me to say that the conference champion (who will have at least one loss) should play for the BCS title when there are undefeated teams for other power conferences. Fact of the matter is that LSU has two losses, Auburn has gotten blown out at home TWICE, and Florida can’t seem to score anymore than 20 points against ANYONE.
I’ll wrap up this portion on college football by asking this: If an undefeated team from the Big East has ZERO chance to play in the BCS title game, why are there 117 teams in D-I football? Why not just do the preseason rankings and only let those 25 teams play?
As for the biggest game of the year in college football, I think it will be a great game between Michigan and Ohio State. I’m a Michigan fan but as I have watched them, smart, mobile QBs give their defense trouble. With Troy Smith and being at home, I think Ohio State pulls the game out late and wins 20-17 (As a tear streams down my face)
As for Ohio State’s opponent in the BCS title game, I think USC will run the table and slide into that #2 BCS slot. Though their schedule is brutal (@ home against Cal and Notre Dame, and at UCLA), they are starting to jell on offense and they have one of the best receiving core in nation with Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett. I also think that Pete Carroll knows his team very well and will keep them focused and get them to another epic, though less publicized title game.
In other college news, there were some great finishes. Florida escaped by blocking a game winning FG attempt as time expired, while Nebraska won a Zac Taylor touchdown with 21 seconds left. Arizona contributed to Shake Up Saturday by giving Cal its 2nd loss of the season. At the start of November, it was said that this November in college football would be one to remember. Thus far, those prophets have been more than right on that call. Until next time, peace.
I won’t get on Corso too much because the whole BCS system is flawed. It gives an unfair advantage to established football program that have a history. The system does this by including preseason polls when determining the BCS rankings. Preseason polls mean nothing. Take the seasons of Florida State and Miami for example. Both teams were ranked in the Top 20 preseason polls of ESPN and Sports Illustrated. After yesterday’s action, both teams are unranked and each has five losses.
Other case studies include Iowa, ranked 11th in ESPN’s preseason poll, now unranked with a record of 6-5; Arizona State, ranked 16th in Sports Illustrated’s preseason poll, now they are unranked with four losses.
Notice I didn’t mention any SEC teams. I did this because I wanted to talk about these teams and this conference specifically. All year analysts have been touting this conference as one of the best, if not the best in the nation. I really don’t have a problem agreeing with this, but when no team stands out in a conference, it makes it hard for me to say that the conference champion (who will have at least one loss) should play for the BCS title when there are undefeated teams for other power conferences. Fact of the matter is that LSU has two losses, Auburn has gotten blown out at home TWICE, and Florida can’t seem to score anymore than 20 points against ANYONE.
I’ll wrap up this portion on college football by asking this: If an undefeated team from the Big East has ZERO chance to play in the BCS title game, why are there 117 teams in D-I football? Why not just do the preseason rankings and only let those 25 teams play?
As for the biggest game of the year in college football, I think it will be a great game between Michigan and Ohio State. I’m a Michigan fan but as I have watched them, smart, mobile QBs give their defense trouble. With Troy Smith and being at home, I think Ohio State pulls the game out late and wins 20-17 (As a tear streams down my face)
As for Ohio State’s opponent in the BCS title game, I think USC will run the table and slide into that #2 BCS slot. Though their schedule is brutal (@ home against Cal and Notre Dame, and at UCLA), they are starting to jell on offense and they have one of the best receiving core in nation with Steve Smith and Dwayne Jarrett. I also think that Pete Carroll knows his team very well and will keep them focused and get them to another epic, though less publicized title game.
In other college news, there were some great finishes. Florida escaped by blocking a game winning FG attempt as time expired, while Nebraska won a Zac Taylor touchdown with 21 seconds left. Arizona contributed to Shake Up Saturday by giving Cal its 2nd loss of the season. At the start of November, it was said that this November in college football would be one to remember. Thus far, those prophets have been more than right on that call. Until next time, peace.
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