January 8, 2007

With the 1st week of 2007 completed, things are not only hot with the weather, but within the sports world as well. The NFL playoffs just finished their opening weekend, providing intriguing match-ups including two divisional games. The NBA has switched back to the old ball for the remainder of the 2007 season and it has interesting storylines such as Allen Iverson now playing for the Denver Nuggets, whether or not the Phoenix Suns can actually win the Western Conference, and is the Eastern Conference really that bad.

In addition to the stories that take place within the lines of play, there have been a couple of important off the field stories. First, I would like to send my heartfelt prayers to the family of Denver Broncos Cornerback (CB) Darrent Williams. Williams was murdered the morning of January 1st in Denver, the victim of a drive-by shooting. When I first heard about this, I felt a couple of different emotions. I immediately felt sadness for both of his families (the Denver Broncos and his blood relatives). Next I felt anger and despair at the fact that the New Year began with the murder of another young black athlete. When we closed 2006 talking about athletes and guns, members of the media wondered, and often asked “Why are athletes making millions of dollars out partying late at night?” Being the ripe old age of 25, I understand both sides of the argument. After a long week of working, you often want to go out and do some partying before the next work week begins. However, everyone who goes out should, actually, must be aware of their surroundings.

In the end, athletes will always be susceptible to this type of violence. A main reason is the way our society is shaped. We place a lot of emphasis on athletes, actors and other entertainers. We study their life, how much money they make, How much they spend, etc, so to me it’s, unfortunately, not really a shock to me when they sadly are attacked or involved in some form of violence. I could go on about this further, but there is more to talk about.

The next major off the field move is Nick Saban and his departure from the Miami Dolphins to the University of Alabama. If you haven’t heard, Nick Saban will be the new coach at the University of Alabama for the 2007 season. He resigned from his former job as Head Coach of the Miami Dolphins on January 3, 2007, after saying, rather emphatically, that he would not do so. There are other circumstances such as the contract ($32 million guaranteed) and Saban’s NFL record (a mediocre 15-17) but the bottom line is that: 1) Saban loved to coach college football; 2) Saban was/is better at coaching college football and 3) the contract was for $32 million dollars guaranteed. I’m sorry but there aren’t a lot of people in the world who wouldn’t switch jobs for $32 million dollars. I think there are some in the Dolphins organization who understand Saban’s decision and of course some who don’t, but if Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga can wish Saban well then the rest of us should……should being the operative word there.

While on the subject of college football, let’s talk about the bowl season. The BCS, though far from perfect, can at least say that they provide great games. The #1 game thus far has been the Fiesta Bowl between Boise State and Oklahoma. The Broncos scored on a hook and ladder (not lateral, thanks Around the Horn © ESPN) play with seven seconds left to tie the game. This was after Oklahoma rallied from a 28-10 deficit to take a 35-28 lead. The suspenseful game continued into the overtime session as Oklahoma scored on their very first play. Boise State once again rallied to score, this time on a Wide Receiver pass on 4th and 2. This time Broncos Coach Chris Petersen decided to go for the two point conversion and the win. He called a modified version of the famed Statue of Liberty play and his players ran it to perfection which allowed Running Back Ian Johnson to run in the winning conversion. Then the storybook ending became complete when Johnson proposed to his girlfriend on the sidelines, who said yes, naturally.

Now if storybook endings aren’t your thing and you like total domination, the BCS has provided that as well. LSU and USC both followed similar blueprints as they defeated their BCS opponents; Notre Dame and Michigan, correspondingly. Both teams had dominant 2nd half performances led by juniors who are expected to leave early for the NFL. (QB JaMarcus Russell for LSU and WR Dwayne Jarrett for USC) Both teams also left themselves open to questions as to why these performances weren’t more prevalent during the season. In any event, both teams turned pre-game thrillers into laughers that tried to make you change the channel.

Wrapping up college football, I think the BCS title game, tonight at 8 PM, has a lot to live up to. I also think that it will live up to that billing. I think that Florida will shock the Buckeyes with their speed, plus the Gators will have a huge chip on their shoulder. Those two factors will allow the Gators to win 31-28.

With each passing year, one hopes to get wiser, contribute a little bit more, and leave a deeper mark. In that spirit I am trying to set this blog in a more concise manner. By the 13th of January, I would like to have a daily format to my blog so that I not only get my opinion out there, but I also touch upon a lot of subjects thus gaining knowledge about that sport and that topic. So that the beginning of my plan for this New Year. Check back later today as I talk about the first round of the NFL Playoffs, the NBA and other issues. Until then peace.