Category Archives: Football

Nov 18 2012
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Football, NCAA

The Curious Case of Lane Kiffin

USC will be in the National Championship conversation next Saturday but just as most expected. They have a chance to decide if Notre Dame plays in the National Championship. However, instead of Matt Barkley polishing is Heisman resume his draft stock is falling, and Lane Kiffin yet again is under fire for how he is handling the season. During the Trojans 7-3 season Kiffin has cut off a press conference because he didn’t want talk about injuries, supposedly walk out of the emergency exit after losing to UCLA. Lets not forget how he left Tennessee after one season.  Kiffin throughout his entire career has been known as slick, skirmy, and just plain ol a-hole.  Many coaches have been known for there egomanic personalities, but what keeps those coaches around is there ability to win.  Kiffin is not a winner his NFL record over 20 games was 5-15 for a winning percentage of .25. And in college he hasn’t been exactly lightening it up his overall record at Tennessee and USC is a respectable, but not amazing 32-16. So why is Kiffin continuously getting jobs and second chances when he hasn’t won anything significant in his career. Yes, Kiffin is entertaining, but he fails at the basic aspect that keeps many of the coaches around he doesn’t WIN. How long will Kiffin be able to get away this his.

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Sep 03 2012
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Football, NFL

NFL Predictions 2012-2013

We are officially two days away from the beginning of the NFL season. Here’s a division breakdown of what team will win their division and who has a chance at the wildcard spots! I don’t know about you guys but I am ready for some football!!!!!!!!!

NFC North: This by far is the hardest division to call with the Bears going through some serious offensive upgrades and Jay Cutler hopefully being healthy this season-the Bears could give the favorite Packers a run for their money. Of course you can’t count out Detroit and their high-powered offense, but their defensive, lack of discipline and youth could all count against them in their first season with real expectations. Vikings are clearly rebuilding mode and who knows where Adrian Peterson will be this year coming off a tough ACL tear. With all that being said this division belongs to the ….
PACKERS!!!!!!! Aaron Rodgers is just too good. But I do have my Bears as a Wildcard and not the Lions.

NFC EAST: Again this is another division that is impossible to call. Each year an NFC East team on paper looks like the odds on favorite to win the Superbowl. Though the Giants won it last year their road to Superbowl was not what was predicted. With that being said you can’t count the Giants out they always seemed to be in it even when their not in it. This year is really make or break for the Cowboys-however this year they are not nearly as talented as years before and with every veteran receiving option hurt it maybe a long season for the Tony Romo and the Cowboys. The Eagles are mind-boggling frustrating they’re so hard to predict although they had a disappointing season last year they showed sparks of what they could become. The biggest issue holding the Eagles back is Michael Vick and  his injury problems no team can develop a consistently winning formula when their quarterback is in and out of every other play. Finally, you have the Redskins who will be competitive and exciting this year with the addition of RG3, but I can’t place too many expectations on a rookie quarterback. So who will win this division…….Giants- but who really knows. A NFC wild card will come from this division!!!!

NFC SOUTH: This division will be closely watched because of the Saints bounty gate scandal. The Saints have a good team, but losing your head coach for a year can only be a rally cry for so long. The Falcons are boring but good enough to win the division, the Panther are still a year or two away from being a legit playoff contender, and the Bucs have a rookie coach and just aren’t that talented. The Division winner for the NFC South….Falcons.

NFC WEST: This division probably the easiest to call-the 49ers should win this division with no problem. Seahawks could’ve made waves, but starting Russell Wilson is somewhat of a puzzling move.  Winner of this division will be the 49ERS.

AFC NORTH:  Steelers will win this division-the organization is too well run. Ravens are older and hurt on defense with T-Suggs not playing to at least the 6th game. The Ravens will probably be a wild card team this year. The Browns and the Bengals are too young to really compete with the powerhouses of this division. -Steelers win without much competition

AFC EAST: How the hell did the Patriots get the easy schedule again. Seriously their division is next to terrible and they only play 4 team that made the playoffs last year!!!! This is again a road paved in gold for the golden boy Tom Brady to capture that elusive 4th Superbowl ring. The Jets are a joke -I’m sorry that team offensively is terrible and Rex Ryan is out of a job this year if they don’t win-which they won’t. Bills are still the Bills, and after watching Hardknocks I’d be surprised if the Dolphins win 4 games. -Patriots -the division is theirs to lose.

AFC South: Texans have a good defense-their QB Schaub and WR Andre Johnson will finally be healthy. Not much competition from Jacksonville, Colts with rookie Luck, or Tennessee with young QB Jake Locker. Texans this division is theirs if injuries don’t decimate them again.

AFC WEST: Peyton’s back!!!!! Peyton Manning makes his return to the NFL in a Broncos uniform nonetheless. I love Peyton Manning -in my humble opinion he is the greatest quarterback of all time.  With all that being said I still think the Chargers are the best team. I don’t know if this is the year where it will finally click for this team and they’ll put it all together to make a serious playoff run, but looking at Chiefs and the Raiders, the Chargers have the most intact team from last year and should be able to hit the ground running when the season starts. However, I would not be surprised if a wild card team does come from this division. But for the division win I’m going with the Chargers!!!!

*As always who you got!!!!!

 

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Aug 13 2012
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Basketball, Football, NFL

Chad and Evelyn: It was all cool just a month ago

NFL player Chad Johnson and his wife Basketball Wives reality star Evelyn Lozada seemed to be a match made in reality tv heaven. As you all know by now Johnson was arrested for allegedly headbutting Evelyn during an argument in their car.  Domestic violence situations are always sticky, because they involve people’s personal lives. The Dolphins wasted no time by cutting him late yesterday. Who exactly knows what happen in that car, but from Chad’s professional track record this is out of character. Domestic violence is wrong, but you hate to see a Johnson probably end his professional career like this. Johnson can’t blame anyone but himself for the situation that he is in- lets face the facts Lozada may not have been the best person to marry. It would be interesting to see how all of this turns out,- Johnson has a tough road back if he wants to play in the NFL again.  Thoughts and reactions?

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Jul 23 2012
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Football, NCAA

Penn State Punishment-How do you feel?

The Sandusky downfall of Penn State University continues with today’s NCAA punishment coming down. The punishment is as follows:

1. Banned from bowl games for 4 years.

2. Penn State will be fined $60 million

3. All wins vacated from 1998-2011- meaning that Joe Paterno is NOT the winning-est coach in Division I history

4. Scholarship reduction to only 15 new scholarships per year

5. 5 year probation

Is this punishment fair or foul?

Really feel a little conflicted about the NCAA punishment seems like students of the university are being punished for what the administration covered up. I believe that the hero worship of Paterno caused a lot of these problems and the people who let this happen have yet to face their punishment. Yes, Sandusky is in jail, but the university he represented is still reeling from his horrible actions. Everybody who ever went to Penn State is now forever associated with Sandusky’s actions.  This story is still far from over and the pain will continue for years.

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*Article sites information from USA Today 07/23/2012

*Picture from http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&client=firefox-a&sa=N&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1680&bih=937&tbm=isch&tbnid=F7gbX9stpgtwwM:&imgrefurl=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania_State_University&docid=9l8pdnGKVpH5MM&imgurl=http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5c/Pennsylvania_State_University_seal.svg/200px-Pennsylvania_State_University_seal.svg.png&w=200&h=197&ei=lmQNUPHALsSXqAHVroDBDA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=200&vpy=196&dur=1940&hovh=157&hovw=160&tx=116&ty=180&sig=114233341382021956800&page=1&tbnh=118&tbnw=120&start=0&ndsp=42&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:155

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Jun 18 2012
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Basketball, NCAA

A woman’s right to choose: Women and Coaching.

Outside the Lines did an excellent report yesterday about the shrinking numbers of women  coaches in women’s college basketball. Women’s collegiate athletic programs have grown exponentially since Title IX forty years ago.  That growth has never been more evident than in women’s college basketball. Due to pioneers like Pat Summit the women’s college basketball programs have turned into very desirable jobs for both men and women. Because the jobs at these programs are of higher profile now the women in these positions has gone down drastically. As ESPNW per a Brooklyn college survey by professors emerita R. Vivian Acosta and Linda Jean Carpenter reports that in as of now the number of women coaching women’s programs has plummeted to 42.9 percent. Well, the main reason why the number is declining is because men now want to coach women programs. However, women do not have that opportunity to coach men making it more difficult women for to breaking into the coaching ranks.

There was one segment of the story that was particularly troubling. Virginia Tech’s  Dennis Wolff who had  coached men’s team at Boston University was hired for the head women’s basketball coach because  AD Jim Weaver amongst other things like the fact that Wolff’s daughter had played basketball at UCONN and he liked the way Wolff related his daughter. Basically what the AD is saying that Wolff got a Division I coaching job because his daughter played at UCONN. How many women have had son’s or daughter’s that have play Division I sport and not have the opportunity to coach at such a high level.  I have no problem with Wolff having the opportunity to coach but AD Weaver’s reason why Wolff got the job is absolutely ridiculous.

Men have ability to choose to coach women or men. For a woman who choice is not available.  I’m not saying that men should not be applying for head coaching jobs. It is up to AD’s of these university to start to think outside the box and give a woman an opportunity to coach men. There is nothing biologically that keeps a woman for coaching a men’s team just like there’s nothing that makes a man better at coaching women.  40 years after Title IX women are still struggling for equality. Below is a link to the Outside the Lines Report http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=8052151

*Please leave your thoughts

*Photo credit http://www.annarbor.com/calendar/photologue/photos/U%20of%20M%20v%20Iowa%20State%20Womens%20BB/cache/120411_SPO_U%20of%20M%20v%20Iowa%20State%20Womens%20BB_JT_08_display.jpg

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May 02 2012
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Football, NFL

BREAKING: Junior Seau has passed away

The San Diego Chargers have confirmed that Junior Seau has died there have been reports that his death was suicide I pray for his family and friends. I hope NFL and NFLPA can at least come together for post retirement mental health help. Too many retired players are losing their lives.

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May 02 2012
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Football, NFL

Bounty Gate: Player Suspensions

The Bounty Gate player punishments have finally come down.  Roger Goodell laid down the hammer: Scott Fujita gone 3 games, Anthony Hargrove done for 8 games, Will Smith out for 4 games, and the big shocker Jonathan Vilma done for the entire year. I am shocked that these penalties were so strong.  I believe however, this had a lot to do with the recent tense lockout relationships and basically Goodell challenging the NFLPA to see how they can protect the players like Vilma as well as protect the players they were trying to hurt. Goodell is sending a message that the NFLPA has no power.  Also a strong factor in this is that the Saints after being warned numerous times about their practices they  continued to brazenly ignore Goodell.    Goodell’s punishments in this bounty gate scandal has  basically ended the careers of Jonathan Vilma and Greg Williams while I don’t think it is fair that Goodell has all power he does. So if there is a lesson that has been learned out of all of this is when Goodell says stop it -stop it. You may lose your career.

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Apr 11 2012
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Football, NCAA, NFL

Why Bobby Why: The Bobby Petrino Fall

Bobby Petrino was known to be slimy.  He lied from job to job infamously leaving the Atlanta Falcons in the middle of the season with a note on a chair.  I don’t think anyone was surprised Bobby Petrino was an adulterer, but what was surprising was how bad an adulterer Petrino was.  For the record, I do not condone any way shape or form cheating on a spouse if you are in a committed monogamous relationship, but if your going to do it at the very least never leave a paper trail. For one you hire the mistress Jessica Dorrell to a high powered position with in the football team,  then you give her 20k seriously Petrino you drop 20k on the mistress?  Then Petrino gets on motorcycle on April 1st with Ms. Dorrell, crashes the motorcycle, gets seriously injured, and doesn’t let a bystander call 911 because he still trying to cover it up. What I want to know is why a man with a $3million dollar dream job gives it all up for a woman 1/2 his age.  It must be said that Petrino was not fired just because of his extramarital affair, he was fired because he hired Dorrell, and then purposely misled the university.  May this time off will help Petrino with some soul searching. Because I think we all need to know is why Bobby why.

 

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Apr 04 2012
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Football, NCAA, NFL, race

Wonderlic Test Scores Should Never Be Known

It was recently learned that LSU Cornerback Morris Claiborne scored a 4 out 50 on his Wonderlic score.  The Wonderlic test has been used for many years to test draft prospects intelligence. Not football intelligence, but just basic intelligence. Many scouts and GM’s have stated again and again that a Wonderlic score has really no bearing on how a player can pick up an offense or a defense in the NFL.  So you have to wonder why the test even still admitted.  But since the NFL is still going to administer the test the PRIVACY of the scores should be of upmost importance. The fans are not drafting any player so why do we know the scores.  And most importantly the NFL should reprimand whatever team scout or GM is leaking these scores.   It is not fair to Claiborne or any other player to have their intelligence to be publicly questioned. It seems as a culture we are looking for ways to reinforce the dumb athlete stereotype and of course race issues are brought into this.  However, at basic human level it should not be in a GM’s or scouting person’s conscience to set out and publicly embarrass a player like that.

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Apr 03 2012
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Basketball, NCAA

Kentucky Wins: But Why does John Calipari seem Icki.

Anthony Davis and Kentucky held on to win John Calipari his first national title.  John Calipari finally won his  national title after years under achieving in the NCAA tournament.   Kentucky and Calipari in particular have known been as the University of one and dones.  Which some critics have said is ruining the college game. I disagree with that notion that one and dones is ruining the game, but its something about Calipari that seems icki.  His previous stops in UMass ended with wins being vacated because of Marcus Camby allegedly taking money from an agent. Then after a stop in the NBA Calipari came back to the college game and recruited Chicago star Derrick Rose. However, there were allegations of academic fraud with Roses’ school records and the wins from the 2007-2008 were completely vacated.  Next Calipari goes to Kentucky and gets the best recruits again. Is there something more going on here. I do not doubt Calipari coaching abilities, but Kentucky fans have to be a little on edge about what’s coming around the corner for this Calipari team. I hope that these wins aren’t vacated.

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