SEC Baseball

3 NC's in row for the SEC. 9 titles since 1990.

SEC Football has 5 NC's in a row and 9 titles since 1990.


J.

Article on Ware's ranking in NFL by players.

http://www.foxsportssouthwest.com/06/27/11/Ware-deserves-better-than-NFL-list-credi/landing_cowboys.html?blockID=535376&feedID=9242

Matt Mosley made a civil argument on the ranking of some of the defensive players in top 100.
He thinks Ware is too low at 12 for 2010.
The defensive players ranked ahead of him.Revis, Ed Reed, Polamualu and Julius Peppers.

Lewis is just a waste of time to comment on, he is old.
Ed Reed is the best safety, I have ever seen, but even he is old and beat up.
He has only played 22 games in last two years of regular season. He did have 8 interceptions, but I think its because people are throwing at him now. 
Peppers is just living on a rep for being a freak of nature.  Ware has just played better than Peppers his entire career. 

That leaves Polamuala, Revis, Reed and Ware.
So, since I think DB's are more important than D Line, Outside Lb.   I would have Ware 3rd or 4th on Defense.
J

Was this NBA Draft Really that Bad.

First, I like Irving. He was the best player on Duke's team from day 1 and I think he is better than advertised.
After Irving, it was a pure guess for me, but I thought Thompson was a good pick at the 4th pick.  He can run the floor and isn't lazy.

Williams is not the talent that Beasley at Minnesota is, so it confused me on the pick.
Why not just get the big guy, if he would have played at Kentucky this year he would have gone number one in all likelihood.
Then the foreign invasion.  4 of the top 7.   Is this is more of the AAU hampering development.

People like Kemba Walker, drop to far after being dominant in college on both ends of the court.
I did like Chris Singelton from Florida State, I will be curious to see how he turns out.
Also curious about Vucevic from USC.

I do like taking a chance on Rudy Fernandez for the Mavericks.
Like most shooting guards from Europe, his skills and numbers had deteriorated while he sits on an NBA bench.
J

I love science in Sports.

Josh Hamilton, has new contacts for day games and its not about his actually vision.
He is wearing them to block the amount of light his eyes absorb in sunlight which increases the glare.
This is a subject we have discussed in our past on vision and the effect on sports.

Two years ago, during my year long eye infection, I spent way too much time discussing and reading about the clarity differences with my specialist.  The idea that I had returned to 20/10 without clarity was driving me nuts and my doctor gave me a diatribe on what had happened.

  My only way to describe the difference, is I was used to HD not regular TV clarity, I could see to my previous vision on an eye chart, but it was just not what I was used to. 

Under the sun this season, Hamilton's numbers are dim. He is batting .122 (6-for-49) with no home runs, four RBIs and eight walks. He also has 17 strikeouts and a .429 OPS..
At night, it's a different story. Hamilton is hitting .374 (41-for-109) with six home runs, 28 RBIs, seven walks and a 1.076 OPS. And he only has 14 strikeouts while playing under the lights.

During his 2010 MVP season, the blue-eyed Hamilton hit a respectable .286 during the day and .384 at night.
I would like to see a survey with Brown eyed people vs Blue eyed people at night.
It would be interesting to know if Blue Eyed people hit higher than Brown eyes on average.

His eyes will look red when he wears them.   That will be on every Channel of sports tonight.
The media is hammering him on this issue, quoting numbers from the old days. 
Just something to consider.
http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/news/story?id=6696741
J.

Dallas Cowboys Website I should have stayed away.

Just in case my expectations were not low enough, I was reading about Anthony Spencer.
Another bust of a draft pick it seems.

The organization keeps mentioning his 6 sacks in 6 games in 2009.  Why?

J

AAU Culture Coming to HS Football?

The Morning News ran a story last week about the burgeoning industry that is Premier 7 on 7 football.  Essentially these are private teams that compete in private events sponsored by big companies like Nike, ESPN, and Red Bull.  The story said the events are exploding in CA and FL and feeding fears among HS coaches that an AAU type culture is springing up where the players are not affiliated with schools and are influenced by private coaches.

The sponsors also typically provide uniforms and equipment and other enticements to these teams to attend specific events, which could conflict with NCAA regulations regarding player eligibility.  Without a doubt these private teams will attempt to use their influence to steer players toward certain schools as has been documented with the Oregon program already.

Texas has so far stayed ahead of the curve only by adopting a "can't beat 'em then join 'em" philosophy.  Texas sponsors their own 7 on 7 summer tournament where players are still affiliated with their school.  But at least one coach in TX mentioned that he was upset that his players were being contacted by private teams wanting them to join up for Premier travel units.  It is really throwing a scare into many of the prominent TX HS coaches who went on record for the story.

I don't know legally how it can be prevented but you will increasingly see football players adopting the same me-first attitude that we see in basketball if these Premier leagues and events continue to explode and give the players another showcase for their talents outside of the HS team.

S

Rory Earned my respect today.

I just found out he turned down David Letterman.
Nice .
J.

Small World Reference

Yesterday, I watched Rory McIlroy with the Open on Father's Day with my Father in my man cave.
After Dinner, my Dad went up to the Soccer Fields to oversee a Soccer Clinic being taught by some Europeans for the local kids.

The shocker:
Two of the coaches at the Clinic went to School with Rory McIlroy in Ireland and of course my Dad learns the entire story.

They said Rory was a "Super Guy" in that Northern Irish accent which my Dad is still trying to imitate.
My dad was laughing, they told him.  "Mr. Bob you are not like the others you are different."

J.

Europeans Domination

Some things in the world of sports make little since.

The European domination that is currently happening is one of these situations.

Can someone give me a logical reasoning?
Possible reasons?
1. I have long blamed the teaching methods in America, mechanical thoughts inhibit people in golf more than other sports.
2. Do the best athletes in America focus on other sports have an impact?
 I do not think this is the issues, but I wanted to list it for our conversation.
3.  Spoiled Americans?  Can a kid that is told how great he is 350 days a year, survive when he finds out his is one in 1000.
4.  Can the fear of failure be the driving force?   Do we teach win at all cost to often?
 Is it the way we have kids competing from a young age.  They find out that they will fail too often/
5.   Did Tennis die with the specialized Academies?  Golf has basically accepted this style of influence full force. 
6 .  Can a teaching pro, really teach a kid a swing if he doesn't see him weekly.  It seems to me that watch the failures during tournaments is the only true way to recognize when the issues arise.
Do the Euro coaches have more personal involvement and thus less tweaking of the swings.
So many kids drive over a hundred miles to go to a well known coach...Why?  Golf is basically the same fundamentals for everyone.

I need to research this, I have a feeling that the Euro's coaches are seeing the prized pupils more often, while the kids are staying in their home region to grow up with families.

J.

Borg-McEnroe Show on HBO.

With Wimbledon coming up, I had to watch the show.
They called it Fire and Ice which is perfect. 

Maybe it is the American blood in me or just my love for something different, but McEnroe was and is my favorite player by a landslide.  He is a punk and I would have probably hated him, but those hands were in a league of that we have not seen since.

Bjorn Borg was a truly great player and to me the first of the current robotic players that were all about the precision and fitness.   I had forgotten his icon status as the sex symbol and maybe greatest player ever at the time.
Borg retiring at 25 years old is still baffling,  how much did losing to McEnroe really have to do with this.  During the show Borg was not able to explain why he quit.  It seems that Mc just broke his spirit, even though Borg denies it was McEnroe overcoming him in Tennis.

I hope you get a chance to watch this show.

 The entire McEnroe saga is just absolutely incredible.
How can a man do those things with a racket, while being out of shape and a mental psycho. How could a man that some points in career said he couldn't touch his toes hits lobs and touch shots that baffled everyone in a professional sport.

The hardest thing to understand was that after Borg left McEnroe was never the same either.  The show spent time discussing how Johnny Mc lost his driving force with his Borg Gone. 
Mc never won a major after 25.

But, then to find out that became great friends as they matured, Borg was even in McEnroe's wedding, made me feel better.

J.

MclL-God

For the first time in my life of golf viewing life, I was pulling for a foreign player to blow everyone in a golf tournament out.

Watching Rory McIlroy play this week was just unbelievable.
The accolades he received are well earned and his press conferences afterwards showed the difference between Rory and most of the American players.  

My biggest surprise of the entire week was listening to the other players talk about his talent.  I had heard rumors and comments about his ability, but this week I heard almost a worship type of talk that is usually been reserved for only 3 players in the last 30 years.  Jack, Tiger and Phil. 

That US open winner McDowell would make a comment that practicing with Rory made him feel bad afterwards is just crazy.   Pro golfers have to live on positive energy and fight the thoughts that someone can do things that they as a player cannot do.

What an incredible showing.
j

Stanley Cup

From the world of I did not care.

I did not even know who was in the Stanley Cup until I saw the rioting after Vancouver lost the game 7 to Boston.

J.

Surprised by Results.

With Rory blowing up the course,  some of us are forgetting the difficulty of this course.
Two of my favorites didn't make the cut.

Watney has too much game to shoot 6 over.
KJ Choi, so much for fairways and greens. Plus 8.
Furyk has struggled and even changed his putting stroke from the crosshand stroke he has used to win in the past. plus 7.
j

Rory

The best headline I have seen was "Hear the Rors!"
11 under through 2 rounds at the open is just unreal. 

Around 7:30am this morning before the 2nd round, we were discussing if Rory and if has a chance of being a long term great player. Maybe even the heir to Woods lack of dominance from his injuries both physical and mental.

S, leads the pack of people saying its possible and appears likely.
I on the other hand, find his explosive scoring as short term career at the elite level. 
His game is based on putting and driving.  He is an unbelievable putter when he is in his zone.
I love his aggressive attacking swing and how loose it is.  
When he is on, no one but Phil and Tiger would be able to go as low as Rory.
The biggest difference in Rory and the recent greats is his size and short game.
Honestly, I hope I am wrong about a shooting star type of career.

Rory and Ricky Fowler are the same type of player, but Rory hits the fairways and avoids the big numbers.

j

ESPN- Ranked top 10 Left Tackles in NFL.

Ranking the left tackles

1. Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns
2. Jake Long, Miami Dolphins
3. Ryan Clady, Denver Broncos
4. Jordan Gross, Carolina Panthers
5. D'Brickashaw Ferguson, NY Jets
6. Michael Roos, Tennessee Titans
7. Jason Peters, Philadelphia Eagles
8t. Marcus McNeill, San Diego Chargers
8t. Donald Penn, Tampa Bay Bucs
10. Matt Light, New England Patriots

12. Doug Free. Dallas.

I guess this list proves that the Left Tackle isn't the most important job in football.
My vote still is and always has been the head coach.

All praise Payton, McCarthy,Reid and Belicheat. Yes, I include Reid, I am not hung up on Super Bowls especially since Belicheat has 3 videogated titles.


j

The Quack Attack may get Ohio State Coverage

The latest incident is a player getting a DUI for doing 118 mph in a rental car.
The bigger problem is that the car was rented to university employee.
Did I mention he also had a suspended license at 435am.

Kelly suspended the player.  Ha.
I want to know what kind of rental car will do 118mph?

J

MLB Realignment Talks

Two of the proposals I read had the Rangers and Astros together.

I think it is a fine idea.  It is ridiculous that the Rangers have been playing West Coast teams all of these years.
One easy roadtrip would be fine, but the time zone issue is just not fair.

My suggestion.
Move the newer teams and leave the established rivalries in place.
AL
Yankees                  Tigers                Rangers                      
Red Sox                  White Sox         Astros                
Orioles                    Indians              Rockies                  
Blue Jay                  Twins               Angels                        
Nats                         Brewers           Diamondbacks                     

NL
Reds                 Pirates         Dodgers
Cubs                 Phillies        Giants 
Marlins              Mets             Mariners
Royals              Braves         A's
Cards                Rays          Padres

Can you imagine the A's-Giants : Nats - Orioles :  Cards- Royals.  Astros - Rangers.  and the Brewers always should have stayed with White Sox and Twins.
You keep the Cubs-Cards, Yanks-Sox. Dodgers  Giants. Braves-Mets. Sox-Indians.

I didnt know what to do with the Marlins and Rays, I figured the Marlins are likely to move  sooner than the Rays.
j

Cuban - This is a bit too far.

Boy Wonder on Deadspin.

S,
You made me laugh calling Lebron a mix of Batman with Robin's brain.
So he will forever be the "Boy Wonder" to me.

Deadspin had an article that I will just paste the link.
It is descriptive enough without me.

http://deadspin.com/5811396/lebron-james-is-still-a-cocksucker
j

A tribute to Dirk

I found this on Deadspin.

A nugget.

Nowitzki has always been more renegade than people give him credit for. He doesn't have an agent or a business manager. He doesn't care about endorsements or personal branding, our latest tawdry generational birthright. He mocked the Gatorade bottles product-placed in front of the players on press-conference tables and forcibly swept them out of his way at the Finals. The only noticeable thing Nowitzki has cared about on his long journey to a championship is rejecting the idiotic demand that he be someone he's not.

 http://deadspin.com/5805082/stay-soft-dirk-nowitzki
j

Bobby Fischer Against the World- HBO Special

I finally had the chance to watch this docudrama on the enigmatic Fischer, this is something I would recommend you watch. Since, I was only 9 when he won the world chess championship in Iceland. The entire match was almost ruined because of his refusal to go to Iceland for numerous reasons.

 I never knew how popular Fischer was during his run to the title.
 All I remember was that he disappeared from the public and everyone was saying "where is Bobby Fischer?"

After his win, and during the time of Ali, Bobby Fischer was the known as the most recognizable figure in the World.
Chess was such a big deal, ABC broadcast the games live. This was a difficult situation for such a recluse. 
Fischer then started his slide and never defended his title. Then he disappeared for nearly 17 years from the world of public life.   This HBO show really documents his psychological issues and psychosis that caused his disappearance from the world.

The weirdest part of the story, a female chess player named Zita sent him a letter and he became smitten with her and returned to the public life.

The worst part was his arrogance and public disgust for the US government after his playing days. 
He openly made fun of the USA after the twin towers on 9/11 and supported Osama Bin Laden. 

His brilliance at chess, his arrogance and many mental issues led him to a life that I find sad and disappointing.

Bobby Fischer was a genius at Chess, maybe the greatest player ever, but he lived his life espousing hate and I have lost the wondrous mystic I once had for the name Bobby Fischer.

J

Hobbs Struggles But I Don't Care

Lost in the Mavs frenzy is the struggling Rangers.  Most of the team is off, but Hobbs/Hamilton is flailing through another lost year.  As we approach all-star time he has 4 homers and a .280 BA.  But I've lost interest, which is surprising.  It's too hard to pull for Josh.  He teases you and then gets hurt or goes into a funk.  I guess he will be the ultimate star-crossed athlete.  You might get a run of greatness without warning, but you never really know what you'll get.

S

Rick Carlisle

How do we give Carlisle enough credit for the job he did this year.

Everyone knew what the weaknesses of the Mavericks were during the last 8 years, and somehow he helped the Mavericks develop players and learn how to adjust on the defensive end.  Many in the media, especially the European sports writers, are excited about the "Mavericks Team Play Concept."

To say. "I concur" maybe an understatement.

It was enjoyable to watch the team with the best passing and ball handling skills beat the athletic team.
The help on defense was so one sided during this series. Miami would rotate one man over to help while the entire Dallas team would adjust.   Great Job Coaching.

The sign of a great coach to me has always been the abilitiy to recognize mismatches, for and against.
How rare is it for a Pro Coach to bench players or change starters during a playoff match up.

Great Job.
J.

 

National Lebron Day.

During the last 12 minutes of your work day.
Everyone stands around and watches.

Thanks Tony.

J.

Winners of the last 10 Majors in Golf.

Somewhere I heard or saw that of the last 10 major championships only 1 winner was ranked in the top 10 in the world at the time of the win. (That was Phil at the 2010 Masters. )

So,  lets start our list of favorites outside the top 10:
Americans=Dustin Johnson, Nick Watney. Bubba Watson. Hunter Mahan, Toms, Furyk
and Lucas Glover.
You have to figure KJ Choi will be steady through out.

We are missing the Euro's on my list, so I will go with Martin Laird and
 to call attention the Spanish Wonder Boy 18 year old  Matteo Manaserro. 
He lacks power, but just knows how to score. He already has two wins on the European tour.

I might touch on the top 10 on Thursday.
J.

5 years ago

5 years ago the Mavericks and the refs lost the NBA finals.
That same week Phil Mickelson had his major breakdown and lost the US Open.

I was in such a funk after that weekend, I did not watch sports for a month.

Now after an auspicious Mavericks NBA title, Is Phil finally going to get his US Open.
He has been 2nd 5 times.   I hope it happens.  
j

DFW Sports Mount Rushmore

There was some friendly debate this week about who would belong on the DFW pro sports Mount Rushmore.  Some people wanted 1 rep from each sport, i.e. Staubach, Modano, Nowitski, Ryan.  Some argued that the Rangers don't deserve anyone on it.  If you go strictly by stature and greatness, you could probably argue 3 Cowboys: Staubach, Aikman, Emmit, and then Nowitski.  Modano did win a Stanley Cup and was a perenial all-star and Olympian, but it's hockey in Texas.  I go with the 3 'boys + Dirk.

S

C.J.

This week the paper noted that since the beginning of the 2010 season, C.J. Wilson has started the most wins for his team tied with Halladay.  The Rangers are 33-14 during that time with C.J. starting.  I hope he makes the all-star team.

S

Flashback.

I posted this in December... Soothsayer...Ha.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Mavericks win in Miami.

Last week during the Mavs 12 game winning streak, ESPN ran a ticker across the bottom that said.
(MAVS win 12 in a row, 6 wins against teams with losing records)
Did anyone mention that only 12 teams in the league besides the Mavs have a winning record.

Tonight they break the Heats 12 game winning streak*7 teams with losing records, earlier this year the Mavs broke the Spurs 12 game streak.

No Respect for the Mavs in Bristol.
j

All Hail The Mavs.

I do not have anything to say, I am happy.
They had the best record in the league early in the year until Dirk got hurt.
They play like a team and the Heat do not.  

How ironic, that Jason Kidd a true High School Phenom would finally win one at 38  and I would be pulling for him.
Dirk get the press for never having an previous title, but Jason Kidd has always been a media darling and finally gets his.

J.

So Improbable But Real

What is so great about this championship is how improbable it was and how rare it is in the NBA to have an improbable champ.  Go back 30 years and see how many improbable champs there have been.  The NBA is about star power: Magic, Bird, Thomas, Jordan, Olajuwon, Duncan, Shaq, Kobe, Pierce; all these guys and their teams have won in recent memory with great supporting casts.  Only the starless Pistons of the last decade crashed the party.  This Mavs team will be remembered for Dirk, but also for the incredible teamwork, coaching, and never-fold attitude they displayed.  It's a cliche', but it really is a great win for the game of basketball.

S

Talkin' Terry

I've said more than once that if your 2nd best player is Jason Terry, you're in trouble.  But after Dirk called him out he was a different player in this series.  Maybe Dirk knew what he was doing.  Terry was creative, confident, and fearless and the Mavs could not have closed this out had he not played like that.  He earned this title as much as anyone and I'll have to remember that.

S

Champs!

There is lots to say, but first think on my mind is that this team has reminded me of a sports fundamental that often gets lost nowadays in this collect superstars sports culture; good teamwork.  This franchise kept trying to build a roster that could win, making many mistakes along the way.  They ended up with a determined group of vets who just didn't lose focus no matter the situation.  Rick Carlisle was amazing; you could argue he deserves the MVP in this series.  It's a tribute to shooters, to resiliency, and to great coaching.  I really can't believe it.

S

Game 6

Well tonight I'm more than just a little nervous.  How many times in your life does a team you pull hard for have a chance to claim the big prize?  Off the top of my head here are the games that jump into my mind that gave me the most pure elation:

• Cowboys over Miami Super Bowl 1972, I was only 8 but Staubach was my first sports hero along with the aging Jerry West
• Alabama over Penn St. in the goal-line-stand game 1979 I think, I was 15 and at that time in my youth 'Bama had my heart more than LSU (I moved to LA in 1974)
• Cowboys over Bills 1992 Super Bowl, the return to glory game; I hardly sat down for the entire NFC champ game but got to relax as the boys destroyed Buffalo in the big game
• Cowboys over Steelers 1995 Super Bowl, more a huge relief to survive that game and finally get the big win over Pitts
• Atlanta over Cleveland 1997 World Series; I pulled for Atlanta throughout my youth thanks to cable TV and they finally got over the hump behind Glavine
• LSU over Oklahoma for the BCS title 1993; another game I never sat down and can remember most of the plays in my head to this day; this is number 1 for me and always will be
• LSU over Ohio St. 1997 BCS title; relief again after nearly blowing our chance to be there
• Allen over Hightower for the 2008 TX state 5A title; fresh in my memory and what an incredible run it was, beating 4 undefeated teams in the playoffs

I probably forgot something; but those are the ones than quickly come to mind when I look back; I hope tonight is another one!

S

Wade and Lebron Mocking Dirk being sick.

In front of  a Dallas TV Crew, Prima donna's Wade and Lebron are taped making fun of Dirk's cough and illness.  When Dirk hurt his left hand, last week, I believe it was Lebron said,  its his left hand.

Even if I remember its just two morons that became famous for athletic skills and seem to have been short changed between the ears.  How does this happen with all the media training they get?

To question Dirk on toughness is just ridiculous.  Maybe someone should show them the video of Dirk losing his teeth and blood on the floor then going to the locker room and immediately returning.

Wade, the drama queen, who left a game in a wheel chair with an arm injury on to return, and who pouted in Chicago when Lebron took over the series, has taken shots at Dirk before.  After the loss in the finals to the Heat years ago, Wade said it was Dirks fault because he wasn't the leader he was supposed to be.   
I have never understood the media preach love for people like Wade, Isiah Thomas Woods and Brett Farve. 
The truth always comes out eventually.

Lebron, who has lost any class he might have had, (it has really become noticeable since the NBA Olympic teams, where he and Wade become buddies) seems to be a kid searching for his place in the world.  

So, truthfully, why the jealousy?  Could it be that it has more to do with Dirk's skin color than his nationality.

j

Looking Good in Beantown

My prediction for MVP, Adrian Gonzalez, is making me look good at the one-third point.  Leads the majors in RBI and projects to 48 doubles, 32 homers, 141 RBI, and is hitting .335.  Not too shabby.

S

Crushing Pryor

Hard to remember a college player ever get crushed like Terrell Pryor is right now.  Just today I heard him ripped by: Bill King, Mark May, Kirk Herbstreet, & Mel Kiper.  Selfish, arrogant, lazy are just a few of the terms of endearment thrown his way today.  Now the question is which idiotic NFL team will throw him a life jacket in the form of a big contract/signing bonus?

S

Those Dang Dragons

I don't know how they do it in Southlake.  Season after season the Southlake Dragons contend in virtually every sport.  No year goes by without them winning state championships.  This spring it was boy's soccer and hockey just to name 2 that I'm aware of.  The soccer team finished ranked numero uno in the nation and the hockey team finished 2nd at nationals.  Geez.  Today I'm happily reading SI and there in the "Faces in the Crowd" is one Mac McGuire (spoiled brat I'm sure).  He only led the soccer team in goals with 37, was all-state kicker for the football team, and ran the anchor leg for the state-winning 4x400 relay team.  He will be playing soccer at Boston U.  Shoot me.

S

I like.....

...listening to Jeff Van Gundy do the NBA and Chris Mad Dog Rousseau talk baseball.  Van Gundy knows the game, knows the players, is light-hearted and intelligent.  The Mad Dog will talk baseball for hours while the other stations rant on about the lockout, Lebrongate, etc.  He loves the game and knows it inside and out.

S

Lebrongate Spins On

Man I hate to get caught up in this soap opera stuff, but you have to admit it's kind of fascinating.  I just read Rick Reilly's column extolling the multi talents of Lebron and his truly unselfish team-oriented nature.  Then I read Bill Simmons' who proposed the theory that the combo of Wade calling him out in game 3 and the media criticism has sparked a confidence-crushing identity crisis.  This is not why I watch sports, but damn it is hard to turn away.  Tomorrow night will be must-watch TV.......

S

Another top 5 Team LSU

When I commented on Alabama as the favorite to win it all next year, I didn't mention the one thing that could derail everything in Crimson. 

The "Les Miles Lucky Charm" at LSU. 
How can a team that was 2nd worst in offense in the SEC last year finish that high in the polls and still be underrated?
They were an 11-2 team with a horrible coaching job and so many problems that all LSU fans were ready to hang old Les.
Now this year, even more talent and a new O Coach.  But the same old rhetoric from the Mad Hatter about Jefferson being the best QB in Spring and winning awards.  I think I may puke.

Then when I get my hopes up looking at all of the physical talent, (honestly, I only think Bama, USC, and Florida are even close) I see the schedule for 2011.  Wow.
The first month they play Oregon, Mississippi State and West Virginia.
Then they slow down with Florida, Tenn, and Auburn in Oct.
To finish with Alabama and Arkansas.  
They may play up to 10 bowl teams.

If Les can somehow get thru this with 1 losses he may end up in a BCS game watching Bama and have the 2nd best team in the nation.
J

Just a Thought

I was struck with a thought this morning when I woke up.  Is it a remote possibility that Lebron was pouting last night?  3 for 11, 8 pts, zero in the 4th quarter in a game that could have sealed it for Miami.  He has been accused of taking a game off to prove a point in the past, and he did hear a lot of crap this week regarding his taking a back seat to Wade.  I don't actually think he did, but it was a poor effort in a game that could have been won and hard to reconcile for the best player in the game.

S

Hanging On

The Mavs live to fight on!  I have to say how impressed I am again with this resilient bunch.  They never hang their heads when down and they dig deep again and again.  What an odd game with Dirk sick and Lebron looking almost disinterested(?).  And big kudos to Jason Terry who took the criticism and came back with a gutty effort.  I can only say that this team really wants to win.

S

Is it too early to talk College Football. Never.

We can start with Oklahoma being number 1 in most preseason polls.  -  Please, if they make it the Big 12 will be 2-8 in BCS games.

Alabama- (I typed this hearing it said like Keith Jackson on air)
Saban has 10 returning starters on defense this year, that is really scary.  The 2009 team had 9.
The offense will start slow with some new starters, but they are loaded with talent.

 I read that EVERY single returning player on the Defense is a 4 or 5 star recruit. ( i.e. they will all be in the NFL soon. )
If they get good OLine Play it will really be an ugly team to watch with new QB and strong RB's. 
What other team in the nation will play this schedule and expect to go undefeated.  FLA, LSU, Auburn, MState and Penn State.  Every one of these teams would be 50/50 to push the Sooners to a tight game or loss.

They will struggle in SEC games and win by 7points or less and then win in a blow out in the National Championship game by 20.

Alabama will only get beat if they get injuries during SEC time of the year.
The Sooners can ease through the Big 12 and expect a beat down in January if the Tide Roll In.

J.

Reggie Bush - What A Wanker!

How many different things can we find wrong with Reggie Bush and his media machine.
Chalk another classless move up to the Bush Clan..

"Bush league" still hasn't returned the Heisman Trophy to the Heisman Trust.

The trophy allegedly disappeared after he said he was giving it back 9 months ago.
The story goes that when the Heisman people took the award, Reggies Dad walked into the San Diego Hall of Champions and walked out with the statute and took it into oblivion.

Maybe the guy that fronted overrated Reggie and his Dead the money, cars and house took it as collateral.
J

Pryor is outta here.

Poor Poor Terrelle Pryor, he is leaving Columbus with an expired drivers license and no sure fire prospects for playing time.

I personally think he should go spend a year at a smaller school with a passing offense.
With his physical attributes and proper training he will still be a top 10 pick in the QB crazy league of the NFL.

J

One & Done Comment

I forgot to comment on J's post regarding one & done.  I hate it, what an awful idea it was.  I completely agree that the NBA should support a minor league system for players who want to forego college.  I wish Stern could get that done; each team supporting a development team.  But, to go with that I would hope that a player who enters college would have to stay for 3 years though I don't know the legalities.  Whether you blame early entry or you blame AAU, players with talent are being wasted because they never truly develop and become as good as they could.

S

Dirk Calls Out Terry

A frustrated Dirk called out Jason Terry today saying he hasn't been clutch for the Mavs like they need him to be.  True, but that's what you get when your 2nd best player is a 6'2" streak shooter who can't guard.  It's hard to expect him to produce much with the 6'8" Lebron all over him.  This series really highlights the absence of Caron Butler who is a viable scoring option who can defend on the wing.  That injury was probably the nail in the coffin of the Mavs even though it was hammered several months ago.  Also, not very cool of Dirk to throw Terry under the bus.  Let's see him score while guarded by someone half a foot taller and more athletic!

S

SI article on Tressel.

One particular paragraph was so poignant that I had to read it twice.
A fellow coach reported that Tressel would rig the raffles at his football camps for the superstars.

"In the morning he would read the Bible with another coach. Then, in the afternoon, he would go out and cheat kids who had probably saved up money from mowing lawns to buy those raffle tickets. That's Jim Tressel."

That man is a dirt bag.
J

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/magazine/05/30/jim.tressel/index.html#ixzz1OYYmQTdX

Dave Miller on Lebron

I don't know Dave Miller but I've heard him on the radio lately talking about the playoffs; he is apparently a former coach.  Tonight he was talking about this ridiculous chatter about Lebron's mediocre production in the 4th quarter of these finals.  Miller said he has watched Lebron since he was in the 8th grade (!), and has always considered him a facilitator first and foremost.  He was never comfortable scoring big points and had more court sense than any comparable-sized player ever other than Magic.

But of course the media and many fans would prefer to place everyone in a nice neat category.  Why do we want simply copies of previous players?  Kobe has to be Jordan.  Lebron has to be Jordan or Magic.  Tonight ESPN was desperately trying to compare Wade to someone; West, Baylor, Havlicek, etc.  Let's just let players be who they are and appreciate them.  Lebron is hard to categorize and we shouldn't need to.  He is somewhat unique and that's all the better for the game.

Only in our overbearing culture would we criticize a player(s) for being too unselfish, too willing to do whatever is necessary, who too easily shares the spotlight.  Need him to close out Boston because Wade was struggling?  No problem.  Need him to guard Derrick Rose and close out Chicago?  No problem.  Need him to take a backseat to Wade against the Mavs because Wade has the favorable match-up?  No problem.  How can we not appreciate that?

S

Golf - A world of Hurt.

Golf is in trouble!
My disdain for what Tiger Woods persona became and his treatment of people is well documented.
But talent is talent and he is the special one.  Tiger has fallen to number 15 in the world and should be over 20 soon.
71 US wins, 39 European Wins and 14 majors is just incredible.
Mickelson is a talent for the ages and has never reached number 1 in the world.  
Hall of Fame be damned, he is pure excitement and a top 20 player of all time.
He is 5th in the world with  a career that has 4 majors, 39 US wins and 7 European  wins at the age of 40.

Now the point of my post.
 Luke Donald is number 1.   Seriously?
At the age of 33, Donald has only 3 PGA wins in his career and has spent most of his time on US tour.
3 wins?   He does have 5 in Europe so lets give him 8 total with count them NO Majors.  He has finished 3rd twice in majors.....

At least  No 2. Westwood at age 38 has 21 European wins and 2 in America while he rarely plays over here.  Still no major. He has finished 2nd twice in majors.

Number 3 is Kaymer is the only young talent at the top, at age 26 he has a major and 9 European wins.

Number 4, is Steve Stricker, 44 years old with 10 wins after this past weekend win at the Memorial.

It is all just a shame, please, please let one of these young guys on the tour get hot and become a superstar.

j

USC - Loses BCS Title.

Following the lead of the AP, they will not name Auburn as the National Champion.

I agree with Tubberville on the fact that it is not a true punishment unless the records show another champion.
In the past, I have documented that the Auburn team had a better NFL talent or player success than USC.
The entire thing stinks and the politics that put Oklahoma in the game still stinks.

I guess the SEC will have to be happy with 7 of the 12 listed national champions since 1998.

J.

Dez Bryant - Trials and Tribulations.

I see where the super freak owes a jeweler slash ticket broker over half a million dollars for jewelery, tickets and loans.

The most startling part of the story to me. 
Reportedly the lawsuit says the spending spree started his sophomore year in college!
Supposedly there are 17 receipts from Bryant dating from 2009 and 2010.

 I am not sure if this is prior to his NCAA sanctions or after, but it makes you wonder.
 He was suspended in Oct 2009 during his Junior year.  
OKIE State maybe be cursing the Dez ordeal before this is over.

J.

Mavs-Heat

This is going to be painful for all Mavs fans and myself.

Wade has finally decided to start playing defense again, prior to the end of games and has once again ascended to one of the best players in the league. 

Lebron, well to summarize what I think, if the Mavs do figure out a way to pull away in a game, I think Lebron will just take over whenever he wants to.   If he does start running on rebounds the Mavs will get blown out.

j

The Lebron Debate

I can't remember what I've posted about this in the past, but with the Heat in the finals and the Lebron debate raging again, I thought I would weigh in again.  It is so irritating to me that people think they have the right to define what is success for another person and hold them to that standard.  I think it has something to do with the whole idea of hero worship and how we put our favorite athletes on a pedestal.  We want them to live up to this idea that we've created in our own imagination.  For Lebron people are outraged that he didn't remain to suffer in Cleveland and eventually lead them to an unprobable championship.  It may have eventually happened but it likely wouldn't have.  I think Lebron is unselfish enough and secure enough in his greatness that he didn't mind pursuing a championship with another great player alongside.  I can't get in his head and know how he feels about "legacy", but I think he made the obvious choice: play in tropical south Florida with a friend and great player under a legendary GM where they could likely win multiple championships.  No brainer.  If you're the best, you're the best and it's obvious who is the best.

S

The Big AARP

I've been trying to figure out how I rate Shaq since his announcement.  You know that I always favored the skilled big men like Hakeem and Duncan, and I didn't appreciate brute force in a basketball player.  However I can't really conclude anything but that Shaq was the 2nd most important player in the NBA in the last 2 decades behind Jordan.  5th most points ever, 4 rings, 3 finals MVPs, a skilled passer and shot blocker when he was in his prime.  I get it, but I still hate that his best move was shouldering someone out of the way and throwing down; no game outside of 5 feet.  He was also a gas and I'll miss his personality.  Goodbye Shaq Diesel.

S

Feeding Frenzy

I go between laughing and being angry listening to the fans of other top 20 programs pile on OSU.  They are all delusional or fall into the "yes my school is dirty but everyone does it" group.  Auburn and USC fans are happy to get the attention turned off them.  As I've said, if the NCAA really wanted to set up shop inside a major program and start digging, it would be bloody for almost all of them.  Too much money, too little control, and the rules run counter to human nature.  The perfect combination for corruption.  Maybe Mac runs a clean shop, it's possible.  But in general where there is money and power to be gotten, people will do what is necessary to get rich and powerful.

S

Game 2

I might sing a totally different tune after tonight, but I want to point out that the Mavs were ice cold in Game 1 and not just because of pressure D.  The Mavs rely on their bench for points and to have Terry, Barrera, and Peja shoot 4 for 21 will get them beat every time.  Many of those shots were indeed open or uncontested.  Plus, Dirk missed 11 shots, which were no more contested than any other series.  I know the Heat play D and they are athletic, but the problem was Dallas only took 67 shots to over 80 for Miami, and they missed too many open ones.  We all know that Dallas is a jumpshooting team and if they shoot poorly they will almost certainly lose.  They must shoot better and rebound better.  Remember they were leading by 8 in the 3rd!

S

Mavs-Heat game 2.

The only surprise I had in game one was the ineffective play of Chandler.
Maybe he will be embarrassed tonight and be more aggressive.

If Dallas doesn't block out away from the ball with their guards and small forwards it will be a long night.

J.

Former Longhorn talks about NCAA compliance office at UT.

Amid the finger pointing in Columbus toward coaches, AD and the compliance department.
 I found this article interesting about a player from Texas.

http://barkingcarnival.fantake.com/2011/05/31/texas-football-and-institutional-control/

To say that the questions were invasive would be an understatement.
To use some blunt military language, the Texas compliance office does not **** around.

J

Age Limit Artile on NBA and One and Done.

I have commented previously on my opinions that the "one and done" is an non-issue to what is happening in College Basketball.  Blame AAU crazy schedule, coaches and schemes as the primary target for the lack of development in skills and players willing to be coached.  Me First Has Taken Over!
Harrison at UNC is a perfect example of a top 5 draft pick that would never had found out his weaknesses without being considered a failure.  One and Done allowed him the option to stay.

Here is an interesting article.
http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/31469/does-the-age-limit-work-for-the-nba
Part of Story

Frankly, we don't know. What we do know is that a rule made for one business-oriented reason has not performed its designed business-oriented function. NBA teams still make massive draft mistakes. In the meantime, each year a handful of NBA-ready 18-year-olds are forced to wait before they can begin earning money for their immense talent. Each year college basketball reaps the rewards and deals with the fallout

Part of the connecting story..

In the meantime, it's completely unfair to subject 18-year-olds to a year or two in the most corrupt organization this side of international soccer -- the NCAA -- to work for free while suits rack up billions of dollars off of their "shining moments." Until the D-League is a viable solution -- that means wages a bit better than $20,000, and long travel that doesn't involve vans -- the age minimum is a total scam, a scam that doesn't even work.
What's the point?

 

j.

SEC Basketball

One way to make the news with SEC basketball is to realign the teams.

Instead of the current, East-West breakdown it is being proposed to maybe go to one division.
This is being pushed because 2nd place MState had a buy in conference tournament.

My preference is one division in Basketball.
There is no reason for a 12 team league to be separate when they play 30 plus games.

J.

I like Jim Boeheim

Recently, Coach Boeheim went to bat for all 17 Big East Teams in the conference tournament.

I agree.   Why not?
The league is discussing 12 teams only being invited to Madison Square Garden.

Let them play!
J

Mavs- Heat and some tidbits

The intensity and speed of the Heat was overwhelming for the Mavs last night. With Wade playing Defense instead of resting on the defensive end in the 4th quarter,  the Heat turned into a different team.

That said Basketball is a fickle game and egos can contaminate a team during a series.
Maybe, just maybe Dirk, Terry and Kid will get hot and put some pressure on the Heat.

==
Watching the game last night sent chills down my spine when I considered what will happen when the Heat gets a bench. 
If they turn loose of the fastbreak on rebounds, they will be close to unstoppable.
I realize that right now they can't do it or James, Bosh and Wade will have no legs left by the 3rd game.

It maybe a long next 5 years for the rest of the NBA if they get a defensive stopper.
Possible challengers:
1.Chris Paul goes to NY to create another supper team.
2.Or maybe, just maybe, D Williams will end up in Dallas and give us something to stop perimeter penetration.
3. Maybe Howard to Chicago?  Lakers will rebuild, but with who?

Dreamworks- On a whim, How about a trade between Thunder and Wolves.
Westbrook and any name, excluding Durant, for Love and rights to Rubio.
Can you imagine, Durant and Love in an European type passing game with Rubio's flair.
The tap passes with people spread out and breaking to basket is a lost art in the NBA.

J.