Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Jerry Being the GM again.

I see that Jerry is espousing that Austin may play on Sunday.
Well:
1. Its Wednesday and still cannot practice.
2. His history is that they rushed him the last two times and lost him for multiple games.
3. After Ari, the Cowboys get the rough guys with the Giants twice and the Eagles and a possible playoff in the future.

REST HIM another week!  Geez.    I also blame Garrett for not coaching his team into logic on injuries for certain players.
When will the NFL learn that these speedsters need more time that the old rough necks from the 60-70's when
dealing with hamstrings?

Can someone explain this for me, why does Jerry the GM still have Beuhler on this roster?
All of the secondary is tweaked with injuries.  The OLINE is battered and they signed a FB off the street.
Maybe Jerry's boy Buehler can play safety or at least tackle someone on the piss poor kick return teams.
He does have more tackles (2) than FG's this year.
Did I mention that he missed more XP's last year than Bailey has missed FG's.


J

Mullen and Meyer to the Big 10.

My friends in Starkvegas are sweating the Mullen decision on Penitentiary State U.

Mullen is from Pennsylvania and would be crazy not to jump at the opportunity.
This is a top 10 job, even with the NCAA infractions for hiding things that will come down.
PSU will spend big money and will love Mullen's arrogant approach to coaching.

MState just doesn't give the Football enough money to compete yearly against the big boys in the SEC.
Mullen beating Meyer in the Swamp last year, maybe the future for Urban if he doesn't return to his
"all football all the time" lifestyle.

Meyer and Mullen taking over two sanctimonious programs that are being revealed to be exactly what everyone else in Big Time Sports are hypocrites.

Mullen and Meyer will make the other coaches in the Big 10 address power and speed combo on defense in a hurry.   This maybe the first sign that the SEC reign of terror will finally slow down.

j.     

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Previous Entry Couldn't Be Ignored.

S,  I had to read your post and laugh. I knew it was coming and wondered how I would respond.
I want LSU to play Okie State and blow them out, which I believe would happen and lock LSU in a discussion for one of the great teams of all time.   I think playing Bama hurts the Tigers in history with some in the national media.
I think the BCS is set up to pit the best two teams against each other.  No matter where they play!

This is a once 40 years situation as I am concerned. "Catching a Tiger by the Tail" kind of thing.
Not since 1972, Nebraska-Oklahoma debate, have we had a situation in which the best two teams are in the same conference with so little debate. Even the vast majority of  die hard Pac 10, Big 12 and Pac 12 people agree these are the best two teams.

Add the fact that the other conferences have done absolutely "ZERO" to show that they have a team that should be considered special or close to the same level as LSU and Bama.  This simple statement solidifies my opinion that we should see a rematch. If Stanford beats Oregon and wins Pac 12, I might have wavered.  If Okie State only loses to Okla, I would not have supported the Tide so much, but it didn't work out that way.    V Tech has the best argument after this next weekend in all likelihood.

This conference champion stuff is ridiculous to me.  LSU removes all their players with a tweak or slight strain an loses to GA and doesn't win the conference, I think they still deserve to play for the title over GA, V TECH, OKLA, OREGON or any other conference champion with 2 Loses or 1 loss to weak competition.   LSU had the hardest schedule and beat everyone.   Alabama only lost to LSU because Saban coached scared in my opinion.

Bama fans and some LSU fans think LSU playing Alabama is just asking for a loss. 
I don't think so, but what do I know? Only this,   LSU played very conservative at Bama and still won, while Bama went for everything and still failed.
LSU and Miles make adjustments easier than Saban.
 I expect LSU to win the rematch against the best other team in the country.

In the End:
LSU will not be short changed in what they have accomplished.
Bama is the one sitting at home worried about what OKIE State and the media does Saturday night.
Maybe even VTech blows out Clemson and Okla wins,  The Eastern, Midwest and West Media vote VTech 2 and Clemson a top 12 team.  Bama stays home.

LSU will be rewarded and given a shot over Bama win or lose on Saturday. 
The system is working!

Here are the lyrics to an old country song Bama fans should remember.

"I've got a tiger by the tail it's plain to see
I won't be much when you get through with me"

j

Hosed by the BCS

Let’s talk BCS. J, along with Tim Cowlishaw, has pointed out the benefits of our current system, stressing how the old system so often failed miserably. That is true; however what they are forcing on us now is worse in many ways. Because now we are rewarding losers and failing to protect the winners. Let me explain.

Proponents of the current system point out that a playoff system would undermine the best thing about college football, the fact that every game matters so much. Otherwise we would just have the NFL or the NCAA basketball tournament. But what is happening this year is the reverse. By allowing Alabama into the championship game, we’re saying that it doesn’t matter that you lost at home or that you did not win your division or your conference. We like you anyway so you get to play for the championship. Meanwhile, the system fails to protect the winners who have to face the immense pressure every week of trying to win their conference, including a high-stakes conference championship game, and come out on top. LSU has been in elimination mode while Alabama has been playing with house money; no pressure, just sit back and let the other teams knock themselves out trying to win their conference, knowing they’ll sneak in the back door anyway.

My point is that the whole system is undermined by rewarding losers. If you want to stay true to the idea that every game matters in college football, then you should only allow the conference winners into the championship game. Those are the teams that have fought through the circumstances, whatever they were, and came out on top at the end. It is patently unfair to make an LSU face a conference opponent a 2nd time with the caveat being that the first win no longer matters. Lose this one and you’re out of the picture. For the team that lost the first one, they get a mulligan and get the automatic championship if they only split the 2 games. How does that make sense? Winning your conference has to matter and it has to be rewarded, not punished.

LSU is getting the short end of the stick when by virtue of their performance to date; they should be getting all of the advantages. It needs to get fixed and yes it’s personal to me. Under the old system we would play in the Sugar Bowl against another conference champion and that would be that. Alabama would play in the Citrus Bowl and finish in the top 5, but they would not get a 2nd chance, nor do they deserve one. We might win anyway, but I can’t overlook that the BCS is failing us. Not to mention that the rest of the country gets treated to an inter-division rematch for their “national” championship game. Just wrong.

S

Who needs a Fullback?

I found this on ESPN Cowboy Blog.
--
Just take a quick look at the rushing numbers with and without Fiammetta. The Cowboys average 145.8 rushing yards per game and 5.6 per carry when Fiammetta plays, 85.6 yards and 3.2 per carry when he doesn’t.

The splits are just as stunning during the games since DeMarco Murray has become the lead horse in the Cowboys’ backfield. Murray rushed for 601 yards (8.0 per carry) in four games running behind Fiammetta. Murray gained 160 yards (3.4 per carry) with Fiammetta out the last two games.
---
j.

Cowboys could clinch on Dec 11... For Donnie.

Donnie called me last week and brought this to my attention.
---
If GMen lose to the Pack.
Eagles lose on the next two- at Sea. at Mia.
The Boys win at AZ.
---
A Dallas win on Dec 11 would clinch the Division Title even if they lose the last 3 games.
It would go down to the 4th tie breaker. conference record, and the Cowboys are the Division winners.
--
I would hate to bet against Andy Reid not winning the last 5 with the Eagles to get to 9-7.
So Cowboys win against Giants and Bucs will lock it up.

J.

Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy.

Sometimes I just have to stare in amazement at some accomplishments by a coach and/or player.

The Packers:
Since McCarthy took over a 4-12 team, he is winning at 60% clip with one losing record.
He has won the Super Bowl, Lost in NFC Championship Game and lost a Wildcard game.
This year looks to be his best team to date and ready to roll.

I am impressed!

Rodgers is rolling along in McCarthy's offense with a lifetime 103.8 lifetime QB Rating.
(Young is 2nd in lifetime at 96.8 followed by Brady 96.0 and Romo95.8 )
This year its a humbling 127.7 with 33 TD 4 Int. (Manning 121.1 is highest in history.)

Rodgers Achilles heal is the Bears, they have had 4 of his last 7 interceptions during last 17 games.
Only twice has his QB rating been below 111.4 in the last 17 games, both times the Bears.

What an amazing offense and decision making quarterback.

I am more impressed each week!

J.

NFL Week 12

How would you rate the Teams?
I will take a shot.

1. Pack--  33TD 4 int, Rodgers is putting up numbers you see in college.   Great Offensive Coordinator.
2. Saints  -  Can they stop a team that can run the ball and play a possession game.  Only team that can beat Pack in Playoffs.
3. Ravens- Beat Pitt Twice- Buts would that offense allows too many close games...Upset coming.
4. Pitt-   Defense is Older, but Roth is still a beast
5. Pats -  Brady is great if you can't hit him, but if he is hit he starts to flinch.
6. Boys -   Could fall to 18th in two weeks.  But the young lineman are improving drastically.  Austin should be back for divisional games. 
7. Atl-  Still do not like this team against a tough and diverse offense.
8. 49ers- They have to beat a big boy on the road to move up.
9. Hou-  Sad on QB issues. Wade did great job and I wanted them to have home
10. Det- QB injury is a bad thing.

It would be different with Houston being top 5 without injuries.
Detroit is too beat up to go much higher and I dont thing the 49ers will be the Cowboys in any playoff game.

I think the Pack and Saints are just better than the rest of the league.
My Saints SB predicition is looking bad and they are 2nd best team in the league.

J

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Tebow

What is a bigger shocker, Tebow is 5-1 as a starter or the Chargers losing 6 in a row?

Norv is gone!
I read they have lost 6 offensive line starters this year.

Tebow had 22 carries in this game, that has to be a modern day record.

J.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Out of Conference Games.

I realize the SEC is 42-5 this year when people are talking about the SEC being down and they are right with FLA being bad, but a win today for Fla, GA and SC will make this a moot point.
This morning I listened to two separate Radio host say the Big 12 was better than the SEC this year and I laughed.
When searching for out of conference wins, I found 2 decent wins.
Baylor over TCU at Home and Okla over Fla St on the road.  

The Pac 12 win is a USC win over Notre Dame.

By the end of next week, the SEC could have beaten teams with the best record or league champions in Pac 12(Ore), Big East(WVA), possibly ACC(Clem) and Big 10 (Penn ST)

 j.

Big 10 and Pac 12.

I actually forgot the Wolverine and Buckeyes were playing today.
Michigan is really not a very good team at 9-2, but Ohio State is a shell of itself.  They need Urban badly.
Ohio State had played in 6 BCS games in a row before the cheating cover up was discovered.

How confusing the Big 10 is to me, there is no reason they should have dropped so far. 
Penn State is leading division with Wisconsin favored to win the game today and be named division winners.
Michigan State and Penn St for the title game is weak for this proud conference.

No matter how bad the Big 10 appears, the Pac 12 title game is worse.
With USC on probation, they will get UCLA at 6-6 in title game vs Oregon.   Pathetic!
I will give credit to the Pac 12, they do play an 10 conference games during the year. 

J.

Ass in Fayetteville

So Bobby Petrino would rather Miles take a knee with 5 minutes left?  Embarrassing.  I wonder what the coaches of these teams would think that experienced Petrino's sportsmanship this year?

New Mexico 52-3
Missouri St. 51-7
Tennessee 49-7
Miss St. 44-17

I'm all for pulling in the reigns but I don't believe that you quit playing like we did against Ole Miss.  If you're in the red zone, run it in.  If you're in field goal range, kick it.  If you can't offer any resistance, take it like a man.  I really dislike Bobby Petrino.  Not a nice guy at all.

S

East TX Steps Up

Last night East TX showed their muscle with Kilgore beating Frisco, John Tyler upsetting Highland Park, and Henderson routing Celina.  I could throw in Corsicana beating Frisco Centennial if you consider Corsicana in the east.  Hoping to see Longview keep winning today as well.

S

Iron Bowl

Today I will be one of the biggest Auburn fans on earth.  I doubt that I've ever pulled for Auburn in this game.  I'll have to post again on this probably next week, but I do not think it is right for the sport to give a non-conference winner a shot at the national championship.  The championship game should match the 2 most worthy conference champions.  I vote for Houston.

War Eagle!

S

Friday, November 25, 2011

Beatdown

LSU 41-17.  Total yards were 493-247.  Time of possession 37-22.  Tigers rush for 285 and 6.2 per attempt.  Ford averages 8.5 on 11 carries.  Randle 134 yards.  Thanks to the time of possession, Wilson only got off 22 throws and they rushed for 42 with a 1.5 avg.  A 41-3 spurt by LSU after 1st quarter.  How good are they?  Despite JJ, another blowout against #3 in the nation.  I'm kind of speechless.

S

LSU Season.

Unless LSU just collapses the next two games this is the best season we have ever seen by a college team with top competition.  

As much as we complain about Miles,  Hats are Off to him.
What a year!

The changes LSU D Coordinator made during the game were unbelievable.
Speed and more speed.  Mo Claiborne is a beast and Mathieu was everywhere.
The famous Arkansas slot back disappeared.   Great job.
I loved 6 and 7 dbs.
Wingo is just as dominant as anyone I have seen.   Can I call him a LB?

Randle is just getting better and better. 
Ware being replaced by the Freshman was funny to me.   
Ford is just the best!

J.

LSU - HOG = Updates for you working.

1st QTR.
-Jefferson looks slow deciding again.. shocker.
-LSU penalties again. out of sync
-Arkansas looked better.Arkansas punter looks great. 
- LSU already slowing on the Blitz, so it could get rough if they think they can cover.
2nd QTR.
LSU 6dbs and 1lb..still give up TD.  No blitz and they are just following receivers.
Ark is picking them apart... LSU looks lost.
-STILL NO FORD!... NO Practice against good offensive scheme is showing up. Hope the athletes at LSU learn quickly.
===
Well I got my wish for Ford... Fumble for TD..  oops.
Self Destructing. Penalty.   What a hit on unblocked Safety Killed him.
==
Flashback-Jefferson offense from last 3 years has returned.   4 penalities...Dancing around in backfield.  --fumbled snap.
I would prefer them to just pound Ware and play Ford till he breaks one.
LSU scores despite themselves...Is that proper English.  Miles suddenly likes Hillard ..ha.
14-7 ... JJ is horrible... Crowtonesque.
-Long game, but they better figure out how to stop Arkansas.

---
3rd Qtr and JJ still looks slow in thinking...then a pick...Great.
---
Pound Pound Pound..
4th.
Ford goes again.
----
31-17 he better keep blitzing one person.
They are blitzing.
Dominant
Petrino is upset big time.
----
41-17 
j.




j

LSU - HOGS

I feel like LSU will win, but Jordan Jefferson starting at QB worries me greatly.
He is so slow at making decisions that I feel like puking.
This is a game that I wish Miles wasn't in Love with Jefferson.
  Lee makes quicker decisions and ARK doesn't have the Bama athletes.

Combine that with Petrino attacking on both sides of the ball and it could get interesting.
I never trust anyone that doesn't practice against a great offensive mind.
Let's just hope that talent overcomes the obvious difference in philosophy.

If LSU doesnt blitz every play I will get concerned.
LSU 38-23.
J.

Talking Heads x12

After our brief discussion about these pitiful studio shows, I got a kick out of counting the broadcast crew on MNF this past week.  They had 5 bozo's in the studio, then they had 3 at the "field desk", plus 3 more in the booth, plus a sideline reporter for good measure.  That's 12 'experts' to tell us about 1 football game.  Totally insane.  I just don't get why the networks think they have to keep hiring more and more of these ex coaches and players to blab about the games.  I would prefer a couple of competent analysts in the booth and a couple to handle pre-game, all of which actually can speak and have something interesting to say.  12 people for 1 game!

S

Horns/Aggs Last Go-Round

Great game last night to end the rivalry for the forseeable future.  One of the worst coaching jobs in all of college football this year by Sherman.  6-6?  Will he survive to see the SEC?  Tannehill had 3 3-interception games this year, but the defense was the culprit most of the year.

Horns won last night because of aggressive defense and special teams.  This defense has some young playmakers and reminds me of what they looked like the year they got robbed by losing at TX Tech to Crabtree.  I like the defensive talent and the aggressive nature of Diaz.  Watch them next year, plenty of NFL talent.  But, the offense is pathetic.  I see little in Case McCoy to suggest his brother.  The O-line is not good at this point and they are wasting some talent at RB and receiver.  Must get a lot better on offense next year to compete with OK/OK St.

Very sorry to see the end to the rivalry.  Two big egos in the same sandbox and one decided to find another sandbox, where the kids will be much meaner!

S

Cowboys Edge Dolphins

Rick Gosselin called out the secondary today, but the special teams continue to receive a free pass?  He talked about how our DB's keep making marginal QB's look like all-pro's.  Grossman and Moore averaged about 300 yards against us and made big plays all day.  Newman is so cooked!

Cowlishaw took up the case for Garrett/Romo ranking them the 8th best coach/QB tandem in the league and imploring the fans who fill up his inbox every week to look at the facts and realize that we're so much better off than most fans.

People like Laurent Robinson just amaze me.  He looks so talented and you wonder how a guy like that keeps getting released and then all of a sudden, he's a go-to receiver.  We continue to have much better luck with free agents and cast-offs than we do with draft picks.

As for special teams, I don't what else there is to say.  The longer Garrett doesn't address it, the more I lose respect for his "accountability" statements.  I guess Bailey is holding up everyone's view of the special teams and the 4-game win streak makes it easier to ignore.  But, it's going to bite us.

S

Yet Another Showdown Day

First time in the history of college football a team has to face a 2nd top-5 team in the same regular season.  My nerves are getting frayed, and I have to work and keep up with it on the internet!  Ugh.  Bobby Petrino scares the crap out of me.  I remember the West VA game and how Holgersen rolled up the yards.  We have to score points today!

I read this morning that Tyler Wilson had orally committed to LSU; didn't know that.  Miles was skeptical and held him at bay until Wilson decided to get the message and go elsewhere.  Now he is the best QB in the SEC (not much competition though).

I keep trying to look at this as an incredible opportunity to go down as one of the greatest teams of all time.  Should LSU run this ridiculous schedule, it would be unprecedented.  But, it's almost more than my heart can take.  11-0 but still to face 3 more top 15 teams.  This team has stepped up every week and deep down I expect them to do it again today, but 2007 keeps rolling through my head.  I'll call it Tigers 31-24.  I usually feel better when I pick us to lose; I'm going to have a miserable afternoon.

S

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Suh

When Suh was at Nebraska he was portrayed as a classy guy.   Mistake!
The cheap shots and comments he makes are just ludicrous.

What do I see?  Rage! 

Why all the Rage and explosive strength after Pelini arrived at Nebraska?  Hmmmmm. 

I am trying so hard not to call him Lyle Alzado.

j

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

We have a new Crybaby in the Pac 12.

Stanford's ex-player and new head coach David Shaw quote:

"To have a one-loss Pac-12 team behind a one-loss ACC team (Virginia Tech) means that the computer values the ACC more than it values the Pac-12. Which I don't believe is the case. I don't think that's accurate."
 It is ok to discuss and say no one is better than your team, but to trash the ACC.

Even the media and most of the nation ignore the fact that the ACC Teams have more:
-NC's in last 30 years, ( 9 to 2) That is equal to the PAC 12 Teams since 1940!  
-more NFL athletes
-more top 25 teams than the Pac 12 
;
When your team loses by 23 points to a team with 2 losses at home and your only quality win is against a subpar USC team .  The Pac 12 lives on beating Notre Dame, hmmmm- didn't the Irish lose to 5-5 South Florida at home?

The Pac 12 should be called the Trojan's Playhouse.
J

Collin County Whiffs in Playoffs

General consensus is that district 8-5A is one of the toughest and most competitive districts in TX.  General consensus is also that Collin County is a state powerhouse across all classifications.  However this year is starting to be a monumental whiff for this area.  All 4 teams from 8-5A are gone: Allen, FM Marcus, Hebron, and Plano East all dropped by round 2.  Lovejoy out in 3A, Prosper out in 3A, McKinney Boyd out in 5A.  Carrying the banner for Collin County is Celina in 3A and Frisco Centenial in 4A.  By the way, Frisco is starting to become a player in the 4A districts.  As those schools start to mature a little, they are building some nice programs in several sports.

As a recap to the Trinity/Allen "showdown", it is the first time I've attended an Allen game since 2005 that they were truly knocked around and weren't on a higher or level par with the competition.  The score was hardly indicative of the way Trinity dominated.  I could see it coming with the way they played in the 2nd half of the season.  A team with 18 returning starters ended up being a worse team than they were the previous year.  Very hard to explain.  Next year they start over in-mass and I've been told that the JV team was awful.  Not a good way to open a $60mm stadium.

S

New CBA Bad for Rangers?

Buster Olney reported that this year the Rangers spent over $17 million in international signings and bonuses.  They have the most extensive and productive international scouting dept.  The new CBA will limit teams to just $2.9 million per year for those international signings and has the potential to squash years of work that the Rangers have put in to gain an advantage outside of the U.S.  Essentially MLB is wanting to divert money from big bonuses to amatuer players so that more money is available for established players.  But, for teams who devote a lot of their budget to signing international prospects or wooing 2-sport stars toward baseball with big signing bonuses, it will hurt.  A lot of what I've read is critical of the deal because it will hurt small revenue teams who rely on scouting and development and will make baseball less attractive to those 2-sport stars in high school or college.

S

Meyer to OSU

As a college FB fan, glad to see Urban Meyer back to coaching.  Will he try to do what Rich-Rod could not; win with the spread in the Big 10?  Can he find whatever he lost in Florida that caused him to flake out and bail on them not once, but twice?  Can he take his knowledge of the SEC and build a team in the midwest that can compete with them?  Urban Meyer is one of the top 5 coaches in the sport and he belongs on the sidelines.  I hope his mind is in the right place, and if it is, watch out.

S

Insufferable Elway

Re: your post on Elway and Tebow; had to put this on a primary post for reference.  John Elway's status as an icon and great QB continues to grow and is a big reason why I have little respect for the media and the so-called experts we're forced to listen to.  They all go along with the flow and don't bother to look at the record.  Yesterday I hear Elway referred to as the "ultimate passer" as they compared him to Tebow.  What??

If I was forced to take the Elway side in an argument, I would talk about his size, athleticism, and amazing arm strength.  He was certainly a competitor.  But John Elway missed people all day long, had no touch, and typically ranked in the bottom  half of the passer ratings for the majority of his career.  How can everyone forget this?  Watch the films.  Many of his throws remind me of Donovan McNabb; skipping at people's feet or missing them by 5 yards.  A cannon for an arm does not make someone a great passer!

John Elway lucked into a good coach at the end of his career who believed in running the ball and built a winning team.  Those teams cemented his legacy and cursed us to hearing about his greatness for the rest of our lives.  He was so far inferior to Dan Marino that I wouldn't even mention them together if not to make a point.  That point being that the culture of winner-take-all in the NFL is making everyone an idiot.  No sane person could watch Dan Marino and John Elway play QB and come away with any opinion except that Elway wasn't in Marino's class.  But now we have people referring to Elway as the "ultimate passer"!

John Elway should send Mike Shanahan and Terrell Davis a thank-you card every day of his life!

S

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Braun MVP

I really love to watch Braun and would not have posted this.
But then Kemp goes on Twitter and said this after losing the MVP:
“They don’t know who they messin with!!!!! They just created a monster!!Lol. #BEASTMODE don’t care!!”

By the Numbers.  Who Led In Each Area.
Kemp Runs (115 to 109),
Kemp RBIs (126 to 111),
Kemp HR (39 to 33),
Kemp Stolen Bases (40 to 33).
Braun OPS (.994 to .986),
Brauns  Avg (332 .324. )

Which has more impact on offensive numbers that kept Braun close.
A.   Braun teamed with Fielder who finished 3rd in MVP voting AVG 299, 38 HR 120RBIs, 95 Runs.
B.   Kemp being out of the playoff chase the last month?

Kemp did it all on his own!!!!
How bad are the Dodgers- the best numbers for starters this year. Avg 292. 16 HR, 65 RBI, 67 Runs. 

Kemp also won the Gold Glove in Center! 
Kemp had the best year in ALL of BASEBALL.   Amazing Amazing Year.
He already made another comment that he would go for a 50-50 year next year after missing 40-40 with his 39 HR's.

I would have voted for Kemp.  Dodger would have lost 100 games, instead they finished 82-79.'
Playing on the best team should sometimes be put aside when reviewing a year.
J.

Vikings

This will be the best team at Airline in years and could get better if the big guy returns for the playoffs.

Chris White Basketball Coaching Record. 187 - 70 73% winning percentage.  2005-2011.

Bossier 117 -32 A  Final Four loss- 3 District titles 4 years. 2nd the other.
Airline 63-38  A Quarterfinal loss- 2 District Titles 3 years.  2nd the other to state finals team.

We both know that Bossier and Airline had fallen on hard times before he took these jobs. When he was considering leaving for Airline and he knew what talent was coming.  Saying we could win state.  Bossier won in last year and went to finals 3 straight finals after he left.    Airline had a winning record of  45% the previous 3 years.

Pretty good stuff for your classmate.
I only posted this because I know he will never see it.
  I would hate for him to find out and not let me complain.
 http://www.bossierpress.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5262:boys-basketball-preview-airline-bossier-look-to-be-strong-again&catid=5:prep-sports&Itemid=137
J.

I just got back from the opening game.  104-70 win at Northwood.

STAT OF THE MONTH

Since Mr. John Elway came out publicly and openly discussed his lack of faith in Tebow, I thought I would
share a friendly reminder.
Career QB Ratings.
John Elway   79.9
Tim Tebow  79.8.

Winning %
Elway 64%
Tebow 75%

Rather humorous comparison.

In no way am I saying Tebow is as good as Elway, but Elway wasn't what some people remember and should support players publicly.  Like Drew Brees, coaching and the type of offense matters greatly and Shanahan made Elway a legend.
Elway complained about Dan Reeves' offense as the reason for the bad production numbers, but he was inaccurate.
Elway's career high in QB rating was 93 in his last year.. Only a 92.8 with coach Wade  was above 90.

J.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Top College Football Champions since 60's.

People laugh about Bama's claims of 13 National Championships, but since the 60's Bama has dominated.
7 for Bama. though 66 team was undefeated and not counted.
6-USC-  USC is hard to judge, they take credit for some they shouldnt and had one taken away, but I gave it to them anyway.
5- Nebraska and Miami
4- Notre Dame and Oklahoma - Opposite of USC and Bama, Sooners could claim more.
3-Florida and Texas.

Looking through all of these past NC's and the different polls made me sick.
I have a new appreciation for the BCS.
It was an absolute mess!

J.

RB's of our Youth.

I was talking to Brian tonight and started discussing the incredible run of RB's in college from mid 70 to early 80's.
He is 38 and didn't get a chance to see all of the freaks that came through during at that time.

Dates Born.
1954- Dorsett and Payton
1955- Campbell and Sims
1960- Eric Dickerson --- As much as I hated to admit it, he may have been better than Walker.
1962- Walker and Bo Jackson. -  Stronger and Faster than any before or since.
                                                     Bo was a 20 year old Freshman at Auburn.  No wonder he was a man amongst boys.
1963- Marcus Dupree --- What do I say?  Eric Dickerson with natural muscle mass.

We heard about Walter Payton in 74 and he did little to disappoint, but we didn't see him on a national stage.
Archie Griffin and his non impressive physical attributes were getting all the press.   And Then!

Things changed with Tony Dorsett with 1973-76. He was a Pruitt and Rodgers combo.  76 Heisman.
Imaginations ran wild seeing someone this elusive and fast.   Pre Cursor to Sanders.
First team all American 3 times, 2nd team in 74.

Next Up.
1977-78 Earl Campbell.  77 Heisman.
The most brutal runner with speed we had ever seen. ( Still to this day for actually. )
Still the most dominant back I have ever seen for a couple of years in the NFL.

1978-79 Billy Sims.  78 Heisman-  A cross between Dorsett and Campbell.
Superstar high flyer that had career shortened in NFL.

1980 - 82 Hershell Walker showed up and nothing was ever the same in what type of person could play running back.
225lbs of pure power and speed we had not seen nor may ever see again.
Marcus Allen was lost in the freak athletes and proved how special he was through out his career.

And at SMU the Pony Express was running wild with Dickerson and James.

Then came " Bo Knows"

Barry Sanders is oustide this strectch and 5 years younger than Bo and Hershel.  But what the hecks lets call him the greatest of all.
j.

TCU bowl options.

The Boise State team is still ranked 10spots ahead of TCU in a sham, but I found this on the ESPN Blog.

Independence Bowl, Shreveport, La., Dec. 26: ACC No. 7 vs. MWC No. 3About a four-hour drive from Fort Worth, this just might be the bowl game of choice for the Frogs. It spares fans from a major expense and imagine the purple caravan that would head down I-20 to enjoy a little football, perhaps against North Carolina or North Carolina State, and then a little casino action the day after Christmas. On top of that, the Independence Bowl grants the biggest payday with each team guaranteed $1.1 million. Sure, Las Vegas and San Diego are sexier destinations, and if you ask the players, they certainly might pick either one over this Louisiana border stop. But, the administration might do some lobbying here with the MWC and the individual bowls to allow it to stay close to home and gather up what would easily be its largest traveling party.

Nathan as Closer

I guess the Rangers saw the tension in Neftalli Feliz face during the World Series.
They have signed Joe Nathan to seal the deal on moving Feliz to the starting rotation.

I cannot find fault with either decision, but Nathan had a rough 2010.

J.

LSU Season- All Time Rank?

To win the National Championship LSU will have to have beaten 4 top 5 teams.
6 top 10 teams.
They will have beaten 9 nationally ranked teams in a 13-0 season.

No way this can happen!
It is mind boggling to me!
NEVER EVER has this happened in modern day football.

I bet every LSU fan, especially you S, with a mathematical background felt their heart sink thinking about this.

J.

Verlander MVP

You know that I am a huge fan of Verlander.

But, no pitcher should be MVP.
With around 35 starts a year, a pitcher just doesn't impact the team enough.

J.

Stan The Man turned 91 today.

I was watching PTI after work and they mentioned Musial.
Your previous post was great and I still sit in awe.
24 time All Star   3 MVP's (He was 2nd 4 other times.)
In 22 years he recvd all star votes for 20 of those.
7 Batting Titles.
Ranked in baseball-reference at 38th best defensive RF of all time

Tony K, said his stats are better than Willie Mays.... Well Yes they are!

J.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Dallas Washington

Rough Game- 
1. Rivalry
2.  Romo was off in first half-Thank God he can scramble.
3.  WR's looking confused. Bryant and new guy Robinson always crossing each other.
4.  Defense seems to fold when the other team gets a break or stress level goes up.  Heck Grossman looked good!
......
5. But this Special Teams coach! ( insert cuss words)
...  I never want to hear his name again, Joe DeCamillis is the worst.
How lucky Dallas is that he hasn't ruined Bailey yet.
They cannot return kicks/punts or recover kicks.  
Leave him in Washington with Tashard Choice.

6.  Reminder why NFL replay is inferior.  The still walk to look in a booth too often.
7.   Then the final nail in the bad karma day tv viewing.
       The NFL sudden death debacle, where the NFL doesn't give both teams an equal opportunity.
Luckily the Skins kicker is not special..
8.  Then Shanahan calls timeout before Dallas gets 5 yd penalty. 
And that FG was so close to the right goal post Bailey may have missed from 5 yards farther out.
A win is a win.
Next



J.

LSU-ALA-ARK

Ranking- 1, 2, 3 and they should have been months ago, if anyone actually knew or believe the BS
we have typed.  I still think LSU will handle both Ark and Ga by double digits.

1. Oregon and Pac 12 in general will scare teams with their offenses, but are really not ready for the top teams in SEC.
2.  Big 12 - What a mess, Stoops cannot coach defense anymore, Texas can't score against an average defense.
     Okla St cannot stop anyone- Texas A&M just needs a new coach.
3.  Big 10-  I am shocked how bad they really are.?
4.  Big East  -  A 7-5 team will probably be in the BCS
5.  Mountain West- TCU is champ and Boise still ranked.  
6.  ACC- Best athletes on the field vs other conferences. 

I guess my intelligent LSU fans realize a Va Tech game is preferable to the Bama rematch.  (S, I know you are. )
But, for myself,  I want LSU and Bama in the Superdome.   I think LSU and Bama will both open up the offenses.
When this happens, I expect LSU to have more ammunition and resolve to over the stress.

j.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Oklahoma State Goes Down

Seriously Irritated is how I would describe how I have felt listening to media people scratching for reasons to avoid admitting that Alabama and LSU should play in NC game.

They go on and on about the Okie State and Oregon offenses.  
It is ridiculous.

Iowa State puts up over 500 yds of offense.  That is really bad.

Next up on the media love train- Oregon who has average 516 yds a game since, playing sub par defensive teams.
A team that put up a pedestrian 192 yards against LSU going into the 4th quarter and trailed 33-13.
Now the media is saying they have improved and I do not see any change at all.

There is really no need to even mention the state of disarray the Tigers were in going into that game with the jail birds and a new QB.
J.

Tebow and the NFL

I think you're right that college FB is impacting the NFL.  I heard Andy Dalton say that almost everything they are doing in Cincy is what he learned at TCU and the learning curve is way less than he thought it would be.  I'm confused about Tebow's regression as a passer, but I don't get the experts' view that a 6-3 240lb guy can't run the ball 12-15 times per game in the NFL.  Spread them out, run the routes Meyer used to run, let him pick his spots to run, do some read-option.  The bigger the NFL gets, the more they want everyone to look the same.  If Fox thinks Tebow is a good leader and will continue to learn, then run the spread and lean on the defense which is playing really well.  It's just weird that everyone thinks that you can only win one way in the league.  We need some different thinking and some personalities to keep things interesting.  Remember watching some of the mechanics of the QB's back in the 60's and 70's?  Terrible.  But they got the job done.  The NFL doesn't like Tebow because he isn't a clone and it's just ridiculous.

S

Repost By Request

Alabama and Mississippi argument needed some light shed on it.
This discussion was about whether Ole Miss and MState were good jobs.
No if you plan on winning big time, but you could definitely stumble onto a once in a life time team.

States with Highest Per Capita of Athletes in 3 Major Sports.



This data is supposed to be from prior to the NFL season. I focused on the states that are known for producing talent in the top 3 sports.

Sports- NFL, MLB and NBA.

It should come as no surprise that Louisiana and Mississippi finished at the top in Per Capita numbers by a large amount. AL was 3rd but not close to the percentages.
NFL- La (1) and MS (2).
NBA- LA (1) and MS (2)
MLB - MS(1) and La (4). Calif (2) Ok (3)

California had the most overall athletes by a large amount at 478, TX 2nd with 296, FL 3rd with 247.



j

Thursday, November 17, 2011

President's Cup

This course down under is an absolute beast in the wind. 
I would shoot triple digits on those greens.
When a pro foursome of best ball wins a hole with a bogey on 154 yard par three it is almost out of control.

Watching Phil and Furyk teamed together and discussing every putt and shot is hilarious.
They look like the Noon Bunch at any local course.  

Great Stuff. 

It doesn't have the tension or fan intensity as the Ryder Cup, but the players are feeling the pressure.
On a weekend with no good college football games, golf is a great break.

J.

Quote of the Month. Deion.

After the Tebow comeback.

I am unsure of his exact wording, but I think he said this.

"My vocabulary isn't inept enough to describe Tebow"

HUH?????

J

Tebow

What comments can you make?
He is 4-1 this year as a starter, he was 2-1 last year.

His throwing motion is getting worse, not better, and all I do is smile and laugh when he spreads out the field
and runs through arm tackles for first downs.

Is this the start of the college offenses making it into the NFL.  If Denver goes no RB an entire game, I think they may score 3 Touchdowns. 

In his post game interview, he answered a media member by saying.... No Sir.  He is just different.
J.

Fear the Wildcats

I had my first glimpse of Coach Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats.
They are better this year! I watched them pull away from a good Kansas team with ease.

3 freshman and 2 sophomores that are athletic and seem to be able to score better than last years squad.

They get Carolina on Dec 3.

J.

Did I mention that I will not miss the NBA at all!

Cowboys Report Card

Should I comment on the mid-way point or game 9?
I will go with what I said prior to the Bills game.
Pre-Season, most predicted 8-8 to 9-7.
Defense was horrible last year and offense was yardage based with no points.

Offense- C
With all of the injuries and yardage that continues to accumulate, Garrett has proven that he can move between the 20's.  Being in lower 1/4 of TD's is unacceptable. I realize the Oline is young and porous, but other teams make better adjustments.
Red Jesus needs to adjust and realize that either he coaches his players to get free or he needs to trick people inside the red zone.
At the midway point they avg 2 TD per game, this is unacceptable. (3 Td's a game gets an B+)
Even after the Bills explosion they rank in bottom half in TD's.

Defense. B
The Cowboys are top 10 in Defense in yardage.
The offense has given up points so the middle of the road pts per game could be considered misleading.
They have increased the turnovers and yards per play.
They fell apart against Philly, but other than that debacle they have played solid. 
They couldn't stop the Jets, Lions and Pats in the closing minutes.
Overall, drastically better than I would have expected.
The LB's outside of Lee and Ware are weak.   They still have this injury problem at the CB position.

Special Teams B
What a find in Bailey, its is almost like they didn't want him and he has made them make the right decision.
He is amazing and a top 3 fg kicker.  Since FG is really more important than the other areas this score is higher than I expected.
McBriar is among the leaders in Net Yards and Yards.

The return yardage is still terrible and I am sick of the Coach calling for angle kicks going out of bounds and giving the other team the ball up the field.
Punt Blocked for TD.
They are so bad in return yards it is hard to fathom.  Dallas is bottom 6 in punt return and kickoff avg.
The worst Special Teams coach!

Coaching - C-
Execution is supposed to have been the change in Dallas this year, but all I saw was a continued collapse when the pressure started to amount.  
The Jets punt return- Blocked punt.
Terrible return yardage. Terrible.
Interceptions being thrown in 4th Qtr with leads. 
Injuries- Yes, I think coaches playing people too early leads to long term issues.
Buehler still on the rooster when other positions need backups.
Thank goodness for Rob Ryan or I would have given them a D.

Overall C - They are exactly where we expected= Average.

But, potential is looming with the weaker schedule and the possibility to gain effectiveness in the way they play on offense.  Romo is getting healthy and the Murray finding really has the Cowboys on the up swing.
Confidence is an important thing for Dallas, both sides of the ball seem to lack it when it matters at the end of games.

Red Jesus had better figure out what GB, NO, and Pats know ...How to score TD's.
4 against the Bills is a good start.
j

Back to Sports

Too much work the past two weeks to keep up with the blog.

Lets start with High School Playoffs.
Jonathan is going to Celina vs Lovejoy game in Frisco.
I know S has a bad feeling toward the power house being built in Lovejoy.

Texas Regional Rounds is like a who's who in recruiting athletes. (state rank in ( ))
Division 1- Region 1 is a beast.
Allen (2)-Trinity(3)
Southlake(7) and Cedar Hill
Region 2.
Desoto(8)-Skyline(5)at least were able to get to Region 2 to at least get to Semi.s  but of course they play this weekend.
4 of top 8 teams in state play in week 2.  Nuts. Meanwhile the other side of Bracket has only 10 and 11 ranked teams.

Division 2.
Katy has no biggie until Steele(4) in Semis
Longview(6) Lufkin(9) could get the semis
and my underdog  Marcus to keep on rolling to Semis.
Longview in the final's against Katy would be fun.


Louisiana:
I will at our home stadium Friday night.
Airline winning last week at Covington 28-27 gets them a rematch with Byrd. 
I watched Byrd demolish West Jefferson, WJ was a team that was supposed to be athletic coming out of that S La division and was in top 5 most of the year.
Bryd ,Acadiana and Carencro are all on the other side of bracket from West Monroe. (Its pure luck)
Much tougher draw for the Yellow Jackets.

All 7 teams from 5a in N La won last weekend.
Airline, Bryd, Haughton, Parkway, W Monroe, Ruston, Ouchita.
Not only does Airline get Bryd, Haughton gets W. Monroe.
Parkway plays Mandeville, a team that lost to Covington.
N. Louisiana and Lafayette area teams look stronger than the rest to me.
Number 1 and 4 in Power Ratings went down.

2A is still Curtis. Evangel is down, Calvary cannot handle Curtis line.
4A is Neville in my mind.
3A dont care.
5A Byrd could really win this thing, then we will get to hear the rest of the state start to investigate the Magnet system being used in Shreveport.

j

Monday, November 14, 2011

The Man in St. Louis

Just finished this new biography of Musial, Stan Musial: An American Life and one of the over-arching themes of the book is trying to understand why he has faded in the consciousness of baseball fans and why he no longer seems to have the stature of his contemporaries like Williams, DiMaggio, and Mantle. It’s a subject close to me since I’ve always revered Musial and felt he deserved a spot among the very, very top of any list of baseball greats. Unfortunately for him, he suffers when it comes to the way our culture likes to define our heroes……

Musial did not play in New York, he did not marry a movie star, he was not a decorated war hero, he was not an alcoholic, he didn’t war with the press, act like a big kid, or sustain major injuries to overcome. He didn’t hit .400, have a memorable streak, win a triple crown, or hit tape measure home runs. He wasn’t controversial or prickly or rude or even brash. He made the fatal mistake of being a normal guy in a mid-American market who stayed married to the same person, and just played at the same incredible level year after year.

But when you look at what Musial accomplished, it is hardly rivaled by any player, and what he lacked in flash he made up for with sheer dominance. Start off with 7 batting titles in a 14-yr period. And while hitting at that level, he rained extra base hits on the league, leading it 8 times in doubles and 5 times in triples, and maintaining a slugging average near the .600 range. Never thought of as a pure slugger, he nonetheless led the league in OPS 7 times because he added an on-base average of around .425 to that .600 slugging average. And of course I always call out the 1948 season, in which Musial led the league in: hits, runs, doubles, triples, RBI, batting average, slugging average, on-base average, OPS, and total bases. He missed the triple crown by 1 home run, which was washed away in a rainout. Typical of his career, this season rivals any ever had by a ballplayer, but because he missed the triple crown, it’s largely forgotten.

If you remember I always liked to evaluate players on how much they dominated their league or era. Bill James liked to look at “Black Ink” and “Grey Ink”, meaning how many times did a player lead the league in a major category (Black) or finish in the top 10 (Grey). Musial is 5th all-time in black ink and 3rd all-time in grey ink. He totally dominated his era. Also, James came up with a hall-of-fame tester to evaluate a player’s worthiness for the hall. In his point system, Musial is 1st all-time.

A couple of other things I took away from the book:

• Musial was elected to the Brooklyn Dodgers hall of fame. It was the Dodger fans who gave him his nickname “The Man” and over 163 games at Ebbets Field against the Brooklyn team, he hit .359 with 222 hits, 48 doubles, 13 triples, 38 homers, 127 RBI, and 141 runs.

• Musial played high school ball with one Buddy Griffey, whose son Ken also grew up in Musial’s hometown of Donora, PA. Junior was also born there, but grew up mostly in Cincinnati.

• One of the reasons that Cardinal fans have such respect for Albert Pujols is the way he has always deferred to and revered Musial.

• One of his best friends was the great author James Michener, with whom he travelled all over the world with.

By most accounts Musial was one of the most grounded, likeable, and loyal athletes you would ever meet. It’s just unfortunate that these traits have served to undermine his great stature in the game. So, my point is, don’t forget Stan the Man!

S

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Your Dallas Cowboys

At the halfway point of a forgettable season, I thought I would take a few minutes to offer my views on the state of the union for our favorite NFL franchise. It’s a little like my phone, the Blackberry. Still carries a well-known name, still has some nice features, but is dying a slow death as it loses ground to Apple and Android. Users still hold out hope that they can reclaim their lost position, but in reality the outlook is grim.

The rather harsh reality is that the team is stunningly average in most respects, paying the price for poor drafts and bad front-office moves. Age is creeping up on the stars and the leadership cannot or will not recognize a 15-yr slump. Here is what I see:

Average to poor line play on both sides of the ball. The offensive line is younger, but marginally talented, and gets whipped on most days. The defensive line is just an average bunch of guys. Linebackers are a mixed bag propped up by the stellar play of Ware and Lee. Defensive backfield is again average at best, and injury-prone.

There are some talented skill players, but Austin is always hurt and Bryant is a prima donna who won’t learn how to play the position. Witten has a lot of miles and Bennett is a lost cause. With limited evidence, Murray could be a top-flight back. The offense is led by a very talented Tony Romo, who has a disturbing habit of making bad decisions under pressure and could see his career shortened by a porous line.

The GM is a media-hound and marketing genius who has steered his team to big profits, a new stadium, and an astoundingly poor on-field record in a league where parity rules. Drafts score some big splashes, but no depth. Most organizations in the NFL have much brighter and proven front-office executives who can put teams together in this environment.

The head coach is a joyless CEO who guards every word and manages every detail. He is almost dead last in the league in red-zone offense, but like Jerry is too hard-headed to make any changes. He is certainly not a guru in the Sean Payton mold. His statement of holding players accountable is the only really good thing or positive change that I see in having him in charge.

I see little hope that the Cowboys will become a top-flight organization who can consistently contend for a championship. They don’t make smart moves, they don’t draft well, they have average talent, their stars are getting old, and the QB is a risky proposition when it comes to decision-making. Other than that, it’s all good. As the years go by without real success and I realize that Jerry will never change, I find myself being less and less of a fan. Just too frustrating.

Glad I could brighten your day.

S

Smokin' Joe

Had to take a little time to honor the passing of a very prominent member of the sports culture of my youth, Smokin’ Joe Frazier. Frazier’s 32-4-1 professional record hardly told the story. 27 of his 32 wins were by KO and he fought with a fierceness and tenacity that I’ll always remember. Smokin’ Joe won an Olympic gold, and was World Heavyweight Champion when it meant something. He ducked no one and inflicted the first loss on Muhammad Ali when virtually no one thought he could (including Ali). I pulled for Ali as a kid, but I’ll never forget the image of Frazier moving forward, bobbing, fearing no punch, firing that left hook. Joe Frazier left his mark on boxing when boxing mattered and fought in some of the most memorable fights ever. Re-read the Sports Illustrated story about the “Thrilla in Manilla” (link below) to understand the heart of Joe Frazier, and remember that Frazier signed up to fight Foreman a 2nd time, after what happened to him in the first one. Who would do that? I’m sad to see Joe go.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1005750/index.htm

S

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Penn State

When I predicted that Penn State would be getting into hot water in the future, I never expected something so disgusting. 

What the Joe Pa and the administration did maybe the most disgusting thing I have ever seen at a university.

Rumors and allegations were known as early as 1994 and they did nothing.
Even when an eye witness comes forward, Joe Pa calls him to his house instead of in front of the Police.

If they will cover up child molestation, what else are they covering up.

J.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Tiger/Tide Recap

  • I might tune into Finbaum tomorrow to the hear the Tide fans making excuses and the Auburn fans gloating.  Should be good for some laughs.
  • Not using Michael Ford enough is going to eventually cost us.  It's just so obvious.
  • Could we actually win a championship with QB play at this level?  It makes Mauck and Flynn look like Dan Marino.
  • The voters plan to screw us.  Tonight it's plain they will put Alabama in the championship game unless OK St. or Stanford get big wins over OU/Oregon.  How do you give a team a 2nd chance on a neutral field after they lose at home?
  • People are conveniently forgetting that LSU and Bama were hanging 40 points on everyone else before the big game.  Now they say these offenses aren't championship caliber?
  • Lee was deer in headlights.  He can't handle that type of pressure.  I hate it, but Jefferson gives us the best chance to win.
  • I still can't believe the Miles ran Ware on 3rd and 3 needing only 25 yards for the game-winning field goal.
  • I'm sure you heard Urban Meyer talking about standing with the LSU defense and being in awe of the athletes.  And, that would be a guy hard to impress.
  • We said the defense and special teams would have to step up, and they did.  Claiborne, Reid, and Wing came up huge.  Each had plays that will stand out in my mind for a long time and without which we would have lost the game.  This defensive backfield rivals the Webster/Daniels group from 2003.  And I don't say that lightly.
  • Now I have 3 weeks to worry about Bobby Petrino.  I seem to recall a certain 2007 game where the Hogs at the time ended our championship hopes.  He scares me as much as Saban.
  • What an incredible time to be a Tiger fan!

S

TX HS Playoffs

Want to give a shout out to my adopted hometown.  They didn't live up to billing and had to battle the 2nd half of the season.  But, they pulled out all the close games and ran the table in district 8-5A, winning their 6th straight district title.  Going back to 2004, Allen is an amazing 51-3 in district play, going up against Plano and Lewisville schools.  During the run of 6 straight titles, they are 39-1.

Now, playoffs.  The Texas UIL continues to do a disservice to the schools and fans by pre-arranging the playoff brackets.  Because of it, many of the best games will take place early on.  Should Allen beat a tough Keller Central (8-2), they will face Trinity yet again.  Skyline and Desoto are also on course for a 2nd round clash.  That's 4 of the top 5 5A schools in the state playing which will eliminate 2 of them before round 3.  Southlake landed in Div I and have a fairly easy path to the regional where they would get Allen or Trinity.  I think McKinney Boyd could give Skyline a first-round test.

In 5A Div II, Longview has what looks like a good chance to advance to regionals.  Lufkin could be waiting for them in the regional finals.  Watch Colleville Heritage and Flower Mound Marcus.  They are both 9-1 with Marcus losing to Allen on the game's final play, and Heritage losing to Trinity in overtime.  They should play in round 2.  Katy is the class of their side of the Div II bracket, with Steele likely waiting for them in the state semi's.  You could potentially have Longview, Marcus, Steele, and Katy in the semi's in Div II.  Stout.

In 4A, Highland Park landed in Div I along with Lake Travis and Denton Ryan, all of the state's top 3 teams.  The good thing is that they are all in separate quarters of the bracket and could meet up in the state semi's.

S

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Here We Go.

My favorite team vs one of my top 3 teams on Prime Time.
=========================================
Word from me to Miles.  Weather the Storm.
=========================================
I have been pretty specific. Saban will go for the throat early.
===
LSU weathered the 1st qtr with the bad kickers at Bama.
= Are special teams explainable at Alabama.  I don't think it is.
Mad hatter is down 11 min to 5 already in possession.   Please let him put Ford in. Big Plays needed
====
3-0,  Did I mention enough within the last year, I don't like LBs at LSU.
---
3-3 at half despite Miles insistence on bang Ware inside.  Ford as predicted is avg 7.8yds per attempt and Ware at 2.0.
I really do not understand.
Oh Well, Saban's nightmare is coming true,  Missed opportunities and LSU hanging close with more speed on offense.
Time of Poss...3 1/2 min difference and LSU gets more rest ...interesting.
=====
4th QTR Tie Score and everyone on the West Coast thinks they could score on these teams.  
==
OT- Time of Possession-- 11 second advantage Bama.. Wow.
===
Special Teams and LSU's DB's quickness win the game.
70 yd punt.  Mo Claiborne uses great hands and Reid quickness. 

j

Friday, November 4, 2011

Drew Pearson

Jonathan sent me this from an interview with number 88.

-
Asked:   Any current players who could go to the Ring
- Witten and Ware, but he stated it is a change because it would only be for personal performance and not the team

What is wrong with the boys
-3 answers
O Line
No development of WR- starters- have all the ability but do have not refined their skills
QB Play- Play calling controlled

(called out the coaches)

Regarding Dez- Broadus earlier mentioned Dez did not get off the line against the Eagles. Such a non factor the eagles moved Namdi to Witten.

Drew commented- if he had run routes like Dez is Bruce Carter would be in the Ring of Honor because he would have taken the starting job
--
He was always my favorite WR.
J.

LSU-BAMA Weird Stats

Opponents Score- 93.75% against LSU in Red Zone.
                             Bama 66.7%
 
LSU offense Score in Red Zone- 96.9%   Bama 85.37.
(Strange part of this is that Alabama averages more FG per game)
FG% LSU 90%- Bama 75%.(Bama has attempted 1 FG over 40 yards and missed.)
LSU is 4/4 from 40-49.
The Kicker at LSU and the Punter at Alabama went to High School together.
LSU has allowed 7 yards on Punt returns this year. (38 punts)
 
Alabama allows 9.9 first downs per game.  LSU 15.7
The Kicker at LSU and the Punter at Alabama went to High School together.
 
J.

Top 5

LSU and Alabama are set and it is a strong bet that they are vastly superior to the other teams top to bottom.

So, I started looking at the other teams and was shocked at OK ST and how bad the defense is.
I mean we knew they were bad, but 622 yards to Baylor. How?
They are 107th in the nation (120 teams) giving up 455 yds a game and 485 in last 3.
Four of the teams they have already beat in a game or in the bottom 15. (And this excludes the Aggies.)
Texas is the only team they have played with a defense in the top part of the stats.  (11th.)
I guess being 57th in Scoring defense is a little bit of a positive.

I think the Sooners will take the Boy's out of the title game.

After watching Stanford, I really do not think they are better than Boise State.

j

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Alabama-LSU

All week I have tried to decide how to comment on what I expect to happen. I
even did a poll at work from people in La/Ms/Al to predict a winner.
LSU won the poll- 59%-41%  The People that picked LSU had a 4.5 point spread. Alabama supporters had the game at 6 points.  Either way, it seems to suggest a game decided on the last possession.

What I expect to happen.
1st Qtr.
Alabama comes out like a storm, Miles plays it safe to not lose it thinking that he can pound them into the 4th.
Ware has 11 carries for 21 yards.
2nd
LSU weathers the storm closes to a 7 point game.
Ford breaks one for 20plus.
3rd.
Bama adjustments give them 10 point lead.
Then LSU starts to find a rhythm.

4th
Turnover - LSU closes to 3 point game.
Bama drives to FG. Richardson is a beast, but can get a long one.
But because Saban will not throw it they miss out on TD and Miles takes over.
LSU drives to Tide 20yd line down 6.  2 minutes left. 
2 offensive penalties take away first and goal.
Drive stalls with less than a minute left.

Bama 30-24.

Breakdown:

Offense
LSU seems to be more diverse than Bama with the new offensive system.
Yes, Richardson is the best RB in America and I expect him to break a few 20yard runs and get over 100 yards.
But, I don't think you beat LSU by running the ball, you need big plays. Runs lead to FG's in this game and TD's win.
I feel like LSU has more big play possibilities for big plays, thus I give them an advantage.
LSU cannot score against Bama without the Big Play, there will be no wearing down either of these teams.
Talent wise, I think it is even overall and believe LSUs Oline is underrated just like Alabama WR's.
Can McCarron really have the experience to preform better than Lee in only his 9th start.  Unlikely.
He is more talented, but hasn't experience LSU defensive speed before.  Lee has the advantage.
Advantage - LSU.

Defense
I know that LSU is playing with a speed that we may never have seen outside of the NFL, but Alabama is just better on paper.  When I go through the statistical figures that Bama has put up, I am at a loss for words. No one can be this good in today's game of offensive spread formations.
 Arkansas had 209 total yards against this defense.  The Hogs had 2 first downs without a penalty in the 2nd half.
Ark average 485 yards a game without the Tide game.

LSU's defense has definitely played more explosive offenses than Alabama with Oregon and West Va and dominated these teams until they pulled ahead and gave up points.  The speed in the secondary should limit the Alabama passes to first downs instead of 40 yard TD's.   I still don't care much for the LSU LB's and think that besides Brocker that on 3rd and 2 the Bama power will push them out and keep the drives going.

Turnovers go to LSU, but they take chances and give up some big plays in the passing game.

Advantage: Bama

Special Teams: 
LSU- Punter and FG kicker have preformed under pressure.  Can a block punt change everything.
Advantage - LSU.

Coaching-
Its Saban, how can I not pick him,  the man made LSU a power for the first time in my life.
MIles has done a great job, but I know that Saban can adjust at halftime if LSU finds a hole

When the year started, I never expected LSU to be this good.
I hope the four leaf clover is in Miles back pocket.

j.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Not Over It

Trying to focus on football, but when I close my eyes, all I see is Nelson Cruz waving as that ball sails over his head..............

S

The Big Least

This is a BCS conference?:

UConn            Boise St.
Rutgers           Cincinnati
S Fla               Louisville
Cen Fla           Air Force
Navy              Houston
Temple           SMU

The winner of the motley crew goes to the BCS!

S

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Texas Playoffs.

I was looking through the Playoff expected seedings.
Allen, Euless,Skyline and Desoto are all in Div 1.  Ouch.
Can I expect Katy also in Div 1?
Add Steele and the top 6 teams are in Div 1.



J.

Rangers Talk.

I have seen a few articles lately on what they should do and avoid.
Here are some of the items.

1. Hamilton in left field full time.   I have a feeling he will be hurt no matter where he plays, so I say let him roam in center and enjoy the greatness while we can.
2.  Of course Lewis is coming back.
3.  Feliz, as much as I hate to admit it. He tensed up during the pressure.  An absolute "NO NO" for a closer.
4. CJ Wilson appears to be too big a price for what he does.  Feliz fills CJ's position.
Holland, Harrison, Ogando, Lewis and Feliz.   Not exactly intimidating, but I don't see a big drop off from this year.
5. Injuries- It really changed the way they played in Series.  I have no idea how you avoid this problem.

J/

Past Weekend in CFB

-Andrew Luck impressed me with his accuracy on touch passes.  Another thing I noticed is that he seems to be taking velocity off his passes.  I have a feeling he will be able to throw the 20 yard out pattern.  He seems to have something left in the tank.
- Arkansas looked horrible for the second week in a row.  It is like they lack focus, maybe this team is missing a few leaders.
- Oklahoma State needs to trash those uniforms.
- Why did Ohio State agree to wear those terrible uni's.
- The Big 10 is really not very good.
- Oregon benched QB Thomas in 2nd half and it didn't get much national press.
- The SEC has some bad teams this year.
- Why would Kiffin call a screen pass to go across the field.  Just a bad play decision.
- I doubt Stanford would stay within 3 Td's of Bama or LSU.  USC defense is not very impressive.
- Texas A&M needs a coaching change. That defense is really hard to watch.
Playing the Sooners will be interesting.  Aggies seem to play Stoops tougher than they do other teams.
- TCU is at 5-2, after the losses to rivals SMU and Baylor they seemed to have improved against a weak schedule.
I will be wearing my TCU T-Shirt next weekend against Boise State.  I don't think they have a shot, but who knows.  
 I wish they were playing in Fort Worth, I cannot stand watching games on the smurf turf.  I turn all the color off of my TV to Black and White screen.
- Big Game for Texas- TTech was unprepared for the Cyclones, but the Horns present something much different.
I hope Texas runs the table so that Aggies game is a gut check.

Paterno

This past weekend reminded me how selfish Joe Paterno has been during the last decade.

In a almost criminal misuse of power, Paterno and the Penn State administrators have allowed the Old Coach to pass Eddie Robinson for the all time wins.   It was hard enough to stomach the Bowden debacle, when all were reporting he wasn't doing much coaching or recruiting 10 years ago. 
(He was however making the news for attacking a woman in another fit of his rage. )

Anyway, Saturday during the Illini game, he was once again in a press box as a figure head. 
Why the media gives him a pass on this stuff is beyond me, if they would address it the Penn St recruiting would suffer and he would finally be forced out.

I heard Matt Millen commenting on how Joe Pa used to preach that no one was bigger than then team, and then Millen criticized Paterno for waiving the rule for himself and being selfish. 

J.