Ugly Saturday

Both Michigan and Michigan State, to put it mildly, had a lousy Saturday. Let me start with the mighty Spartans. I can’t really say too much negative about State since they are having an exceptional season. I won’t let the loss to Iowa ruin what they’ve accomplished thus far. Unless they somehow blow any of the last three games.

You see, at the start of the year I didn’t figure that State would be in this position. Iowa is a better team and proved it Saturday. They were coming off a loss to Wisconsin and were fighting for a BCS spot. I  just didn’t expect a performance where they would be down 23-0 in the span of time it took me to make a sandwich. They couldn’t stop the Hawkeyes if their life depended on it. Kirk Cousins picked the wrong time to go in the tank. Every time it seemed the Spartans would start moving and show some signs of life, there was an interception that cost them points on the board. I don’t have much else to say. The Spartans need to regroup against Minnesota. This is a winnable game as are the games against Purdue and Penn State. If they can get a little help they can still land in the Rose Bowl.

Now i can get to Michigan. For the second straight year we get to see a fast start go down in flames. Two of the three losses are somewhat forgivable. Iowa and Michigan State are better and more physical teams. But Penn State?! That was shades of Purdue and Justin Siller. They let a walk on stater kick their tails. McLoin, McLovin, whatever the hell his name is. That’s a game the Wolverines should’ve won. The Nittany Lions offense had been anemic for most of the year and they let them march up and down the field on them. They just had their heads handed to the by Illinois. And they couldn’t beat them.

The defense just doesn’t work. That Big East style 3-3-5 scheme just doesn’t cut it in the Big Ten. They’re too light in the ass and not physical enough. Hell, that scheme wasn’t good enough to stop UMass. How do you think it would work in the Big Ten? The Wolverines couldn’t come up with a stop if they took the field with baseball bats. The offense performs when they’re behind. So spare me the fake comeback excuse. This team hasn’t showed the kind of improvement that is needed to tough some games out. I just don’t see it in them. Where’s Mike freakin Barwis? He was the greatest strength and conditioning coach of all time and they look tired all the damn time. Greg Robinson’s schemes don’t work. And for all the offensive improvement, it’s basically a one man game.

Rodriguez has to go and take Robinson with him. Hell, bring back Gary Moeller, since it’s no guarantee they can’t get anyone else at this point. Since that statement seems so true right now we might be stuck with the guy. In that case, get some bigger players and scrap that damn 3-3-5 and play some real football. Rich Rod can talk all he wants about being positive. What is there to be postive about. Being a home underdog? Yeah, real positive. How about the defense getting shredded week after week. That’s also positive. Rich, whose eyes are you trying to pull the wool over? The offense looks good and all the problems are on defense and it doesn’t get any better with JT Floyd going down for the rest of the year. Hey, that’s also positive. It’s looking real bad. Illinois quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase hasn’t passed so good this year, but he’ll look like Dan Fouts come Saturday.

Random Thoughts

Why is Owen Wilson narrarating the start of World Series games?

Why?

This goes to Georgia’s Alec Ogletree. If you’re a college football player, why are you stealing a scooter helmet. I don’t condone criminal activity, but at least steal books or a laptop. A scooter helmet?

Things I Get Tired of Hearing

I’m just listing things I get tired of hearing during sports broadcasts.

1.Denard Robinson being referred to as “shoelace”. I get it that he ran in a track meet with his laces untied. I just tired of hearing it. It’s a cutesy story, but the nickname reminds me something you name a cat.

2.How USC has nothing to play for. Just because they’re on probation doesn’t mean they don’t have anything to play for. There’s pride and the joy of ruining someone else’s season. Also the almighty dollar (NFL contract).

3.How much the Tim Tebow effect will have on Florida. We all know he’s gone, so please stop talking about him. The next time I want to hear about him during a Florida game is when the put a statue of him outside ‘The Swamp’.

4.Rich Rodriguez’s hot seat. The seat is hot indeed, just let the man coach. He probably feels like he’s standing next to the devil right now.

5.Trent Richardson is better Mark Ingram. If he was, he wouldn’t be the backup.

6.LeBron screwing Cleveland. In a sense I can’t blame him. But if no one of significance was going to come and play with you, then go play with someone else.

7.Small market teams. If you fancy yourself a major U.S. city, then how in the hell are you small market? If San Diego is larger than St. Louis, how are you a small market franchise, Padres owner?

8.When Joe Paterno is retiring. Obviously never. I could be wrong, but the way he talks it seems like he’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Hell, he still does the Nittany Lion growl to recruits.

9.Floyd Mayweather “ducking” Manny Pacquiao. I  know Floyd talks a lot of trash, but he does have a point. If someone moves up multiple weight classes, they usually sacrifice some power going up the ladder or lose a little speed while building up their power. Pacquiao has lost neither. I’m no Mayweather honk, but among my peers this seems to be true.

10.How good the “prevent” defense is. All it does is prevent you from closing out a win. If playing agressive has gotten you that far,why go into a shell.

Duke lacrosse accuser charged with attempted murder

The woman that accused the Duke University lacrosse team of rape,Crystal Mangum,has been charged with attempted murder and arson and more.
  Mangum alledgedly,since we don’t know the details of the case,assaulted her boyfriend,Milton Walker,set his clothes on fire,and threatned to stab him.She was charged with attempted first degree murder,arson,identity theft,assault and battery,communicating threats,three counts of misdemeanor child abuse,injury to personal property,and resisting a public officer.Quite a list of charges for Ms. Mangum.Also for that little stunt she pulled by crying wolf on the Duke lacrosse team, accusing three team members of rape, you know her credibility is shot.She made it bad for women who were actually raped and the case swept under the rug.This makes her look like a psycho that has no control over her emotions.Now,we don’t know what led her to do what she did,and it wouldn’t make it right,but i’m sure she has a reason.But that was overkill.I can understand if you want to kick a man in his junk and beat him,but wanting to stab and burn him,come on! Just a case of poetic justice I guess.

I love the Super Bowl. I hate the show

Super Bowl Sunday is one of the greatest sporting days of all time.Maybe the greatest.The buildup to the game can usually provide some candid moments.Like the Raiders’ Barrett Robbins going out on a bender the night before the game.Or Jim McMahon mooning a helicopter.How about Hollywood Henderson saying that Terry Bradshaw couldn’t spell cat if you spotted him the c and a.The most comical to me,although some may beg to differ,was when Eugene Robinson,then of the Atlanta Falcons, was busted by an undercover cop for soliciting sex.Me and my friend had jokes for days about that one.The part I hate is that they’ve made the game more of a show.
  Everyone talks about,no pun intended, who the entertainment is.This year is happens to be The Who,although a much watered down version.The game has become more about commercials,entertainment,and celebrities.Taking the focus off the two teams playing in it.Granted,there have been some lousy games(Patriots vs. Bears anyone),but I don’t want to turn on the news the next day hearing people talk about how much that Tostitos ad cost,or how great the King Cobra malt liquor commercial was.Or who was at the game.I’m sure if tickets weren’t so much you would have more pure fans showing up to the game.I don’t give a damn about who partied where and what the halftime entertainment is.I can understand you want the fans to enjoy themselves,but I don’t care if they trotted out Coco the birthday chimp for entertainment.I do like the commercials,just stop trying to make them bigger than the game.Same goes for the halftime entertainment.I just want a good game,with the usual buildup and a player making an ass out of themeselves before the game.There’s never a shortage of those,but recently it seems to be kind of dry.Off the field the ghost of Max McGee couldn’t spice this one up.Anyway,this should be one of the better games we’ve had recently.

Colts 34
Saints 21   

One Man’s Opinion

It seems that we’ve all heard about Tiger Woods’ infidelity.Personally,I’ve had enough of it.I’m tired of women saying he’s getting whatever comes to him.Tired of it being called racist since he’s married to a white woman, although I do have a take on that.I’m tired of everyone coming out the damn woodworks claiming to have had some hot sexual action with Tiger.
   What he did was wrong from all sides.But you can’t blame Tiger for it all.Everyone knows it takes two to tango.And there was some naked twister going on with that tango.I have no explanation for the call girls and women of that ilk he partied and sexed up.But for the “girlfriends”,I got something to say.Tiger knew he was married and so did they.It still doesn’t make it right and I’m not condoning his behavior.They could’ve told Tiger no,but they didn’t.Know why?Because they fell in love with Tiger’s money,not Tiger.They fell in love with his celebrity status and they wanted a piece of that world.Now if it’s Willie the clubhopper asking for some action,they’ll turn him down,because in they’re mind he’s a nobody,no matter how much money he has.That’s because no one really cares about Willie Clubhopper and no one knows much about him.No celebrity status or anything of that nature.If they cab say no to Willie,they can say no to Tiger when he approaches them that way.But Tiger had status and they weren’t gonna tell him no.See,if Tiger is at fault so are the women that let him charm his way into their life.To me they saw dollar signs an are gravy trainers.I know lots of people won’t agree with me,but OH WELL!I don’t expect anyone to comply to what I say about this topic anyway.

   Now there seems to be a so-called race angle in this.Some say it’s similar to what O.J. Simpson went through.White America loved O.J. until he murdered one of theirs.Yes,I said he did it and still think so to this day.They loved Tiger Woods.He was similar to a modern day O.J. without the baggage and pre murder.I’m not saying any of this is racist,but you could see where it could be that way.Remember way back when ,when O.J. used to hawk all kinds of products on television.Now fast forward to now where Tiger was the best golfer in the world.Thought of as pure and wholesome.A major pitchman for many products on television.Now it seems they’re dropping him like a hot car.Now here’s the race angle.You can be king of the golf course,but not anything else.Stick to entertaining us on the golf course and go back in your hole.It’s like how they wanted Muhammad Ali to be but couldn’t silence him.Once again,I don’t expect anyone to agree with me,but oh well.At least Nike head honcho Phil Knight hasn’t abandoned Tiger Woods like the rest of corporate America. 

Screw Notre Dame!

What I say here probably won’t matter much.It might ruffle a few feathers and it might not make much sense.But screw Notre Dame.Notre Lame is more like it.

  Everyone that knows anything about college sports knows that Notre Dame joining the Big Ten makes perfect sense.Geographically,academically,and also from a sports standpoint.Especially football.They already play conference teams such as Purdue,Michigan,Michigan State and throw in a various fourth team.It just doesn’t make sense to Notre Dame.Notre Dame athletic director,Jack Swarbrick,says that the Fighting Irish will remain an independent.Sure Jack,take all your NBC money and stay in your corner.In my opinion that’s what it all comes down to is money.They have no confernce tie-in,and when bowl season rolls around,they  don’t have to share any revenue amongst 11 other parties.Sure they’re in the Big East for basketball reasons and in the CCHA for hockey.To me,that seems transparent,because if they werent affiliated in other sports there might be some rough times in South Bend.Who remembers what Notre Dame was like in college hoops before joining the Big East.Who even knew they had a hockey program.Only a diehard would know that.They clearly think they’re better than everyone else.Why?I have no answer to that.Ask the people in Cincinnati if they echo that sentiment.Personally,I can’t stand their arrogance.True,the college sports atmosphere is better when Notre Dame’s good,but I love the fact that their football team isn’t very good right now.I hate to be biased,but there are more people than me who feel this way.I wish they would get off their high horse and join a conference.It makes no sense.There are no more high major independents in college sports outside of Army and Navy and I wish someone would pick them up.The last of the mohicans needs to join the party.If I were a school president or one of the head honchos in one of the Big Six conferences,I would not schedule Notre Dame.I know it won’t happen.But if enough did they would have to play a crappy Independent schedule.Directional schools,1-AA,and Confernce USA opponents would be on that schedule until they joined a conference.I know they have the name,but if the Big Ten expands and there is major realignment,I would hope that take splace and eventually the not so Fighting Irish would get squeezed.That hollow,undefeated record wouldn’t mean jack to the BCS.I know there are some know it alls that and Notre Dame fans have an argument that would blow me out of the water,I would hope that happens to the high and mighty Notre Dame.They have the name,they just don’t have the game.Irish honks can’t fight that one.       

Green Bay’s Woodson makes donation

Green Bay Packers cornerback Charles Woodson made a generous donation of $2 million dollars to the new University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital.It’s always good to hear of an athlete doing something positive.As i posted in a previous blog,I’m wondering how much coverage it will get.For some reason no athlete or entertainer will get noted for doing anything positive,but let this guy get caught with a DUI and see how much that gets put on the news.I can understand controversy sells ,but balance it out with some of the positive they bring to the table.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-woodsonsgift&prov=ap&type=lgns

Straight Hooliganism

University of Arizona football fans reacted like English soccer hooligans after losing to Oregon in overtime.Thier actions also went on during the game as they threw objects at the Oregon cheerleaders after the Ducks scored and raced around with their flag.Some people can’t conduct themselves and shouldn’t be able to go the games if this is how they react to losses.Its like Michigan State fans after they lost to duke in the Final Four,as they rioted and burned couches after the loss.An Oregon cheerleader was injured during this display of childish behavior and classlessness.They should be ashamed and embarrased.