I was at the Dallas Stars game Saturday vs the Red Wings and will be there again tomorrow night against San Jose. But talk about a great game and an electric crowd, the Detroit game definitely had the look and feel of a playoff game. The media, among many, have been on the Stars fans and their lack of support. Well look at some of the games the Stars played at home earlier this season and you should be able to see why. Too many times they've come out and played down to the level of their opponent, only to lose a close game that they should have won. Too many times the Stars have come out and played a great first period and decided that should be enough to win and put in on cruise control the rest of the game. Too many games like that and loses that shouldn't have been are a direct reflect of the crowd and the support they provide. This Stars team has the talent to go far into the playoffs, there's not another team playing as well as the Stars are right now. If the Stars bring the intensity they brought to Saturday's Red Wings game to every game, first, they wont lose many between now and the end of the season and second, the crowd will be 'electric' every night.
I heard several people say that the Detroit game was the best they'd ever been to. Outside of some of the Colorado playoff games and the Stanley Cup Finals, it ranks right up there. The Stars have the chance to do something very special this year; hopefully they realize that and play to their potential. The Stars have some of the most skilled players in the league, witnessed by their 8-0 record in shootouts. With Marty Turco on top of his game, the Stars have a chance to win every game they play.
No team is more hated in Dallas than the Red Wings. Colorado is a close second, but when Detroit comes to town, bandwagon Red Wing fans emerge from the woodwork. How great was the expression on those Red Wing fan's faces when Lehtinen tied the game and the realization of a potential shootout loomed. The Wing fans were boisterous all game until all the sudden they didn't have the lead and chants of 'Red Wings Suck' echoed through the arena. The Stars were jobbed all game long by the refs, as if NBC was dictating that Detroit needed to win because they have a bigger following and to segue into the upcoming Super Bowl. The Stars PK did a great job with only giving up one PP goal, that on a penalty by Turco for slashing. The Stars made the most of their chances, tied it late in regulation, killed another penalty in the OT and won where have so often before, in the Shootout. Modano provided the difference maker with a blistering wrister going top shelf and all the Dead Wing Fans went home to cry. A great game, start to finish and a great crowd as well. I'll be at most of the home games the rest of the year so LETS GO STARS!
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Monday, January 23, 2006
eighty-one
Eighty-one points in a game... eighty-freakin-one! Simply an incredible achievement for Kobe Bean Bryant. The second most points EVER scored in a game. It was quite possibly the greatest scoring performance in NBA history. Yeah Wilt had 100 back in '62, but there wasn't anyone with his size that could guard him in that day and virtually all his points were down in the paint.
I watched Kobe drop 62 on the Mavericks in three quarters back in December. The Mavs threw everyone they had at him, double and triple-teamed him to no avail. Sunday night, the Raptors did the same thing, with the same result. What a shame this game wasn't on national television though most of Kobe's 28 field goals were shown on every sportscast in town. Here's a scary thought... if Phil lets Kobe play the 4th against the Mavs, Kobe probably has TWO 80 point games within a month! Michael Jordan never scored 80, his career high was 69.
Kobe rallied the Lakers from 18 points down in the 3rd quarter, single-handedly delivering an 18 point win. That’s a 36 point swing! Bryant's performance was the greatest show that the NBA has ever seen. Kobe is averaging 36 points a game, the most in the last 18 years since MJ was averaging 37 for the Bulls back in the day. These weren't all easy baskets and dunks by any means; several shots were put up with hands right in his face, only to find the bottom of the net.
The man is virtually unguardable. His shooting range goes way beyond the three-point line, and his ball-handling ability allows him to get to any spot on the floor. His strength and fearlessness puts him at the free-throw line time and again, and his steely nature at the end of games makes him lethal in the clutch. He is a basketball machine.
If Kobe had come before Michael, they would be comparing MJ to Kobe instead of the other way around, he's that good. Kobe Bryant has to win the NBA's MVP award. No one else is even close right now. Elton Brand was the early-season favorite after his fast start, and Steve Nash has been mentioned as a repeat winner for leading the Suns to first place in the Pacific Division. Dirk Nowitzki also deserves consideration for his play and for the success of the Mavericks. But Kobe has elevated his game to an entirely different level – one that has rarely been seen in the history of the NBA.
He is far and away the best player in the league. And after the show he put on Sunday, can anyone argue that he's not the MVP?
Two of his 81
Congrats from Phil and the rest of the team
I watched Kobe drop 62 on the Mavericks in three quarters back in December. The Mavs threw everyone they had at him, double and triple-teamed him to no avail. Sunday night, the Raptors did the same thing, with the same result. What a shame this game wasn't on national television though most of Kobe's 28 field goals were shown on every sportscast in town. Here's a scary thought... if Phil lets Kobe play the 4th against the Mavs, Kobe probably has TWO 80 point games within a month! Michael Jordan never scored 80, his career high was 69.
Kobe rallied the Lakers from 18 points down in the 3rd quarter, single-handedly delivering an 18 point win. That’s a 36 point swing! Bryant's performance was the greatest show that the NBA has ever seen. Kobe is averaging 36 points a game, the most in the last 18 years since MJ was averaging 37 for the Bulls back in the day. These weren't all easy baskets and dunks by any means; several shots were put up with hands right in his face, only to find the bottom of the net.
The man is virtually unguardable. His shooting range goes way beyond the three-point line, and his ball-handling ability allows him to get to any spot on the floor. His strength and fearlessness puts him at the free-throw line time and again, and his steely nature at the end of games makes him lethal in the clutch. He is a basketball machine.
If Kobe had come before Michael, they would be comparing MJ to Kobe instead of the other way around, he's that good. Kobe Bryant has to win the NBA's MVP award. No one else is even close right now. Elton Brand was the early-season favorite after his fast start, and Steve Nash has been mentioned as a repeat winner for leading the Suns to first place in the Pacific Division. Dirk Nowitzki also deserves consideration for his play and for the success of the Mavericks. But Kobe has elevated his game to an entirely different level – one that has rarely been seen in the history of the NBA.
He is far and away the best player in the league. And after the show he put on Sunday, can anyone argue that he's not the MVP?
Two of his 81
Congrats from Phil and the rest of the teamTuesday, January 17, 2006
march madness cant come soon enough
Is there anything more painful than American Idol?!? I think not.
I was 3-2 on this weekend's NFL game picks, a slip off from last week's 3-1.
So our local LBOH (Little Ball of Hate) Jen Engel is still ranting about how "horrible" the officiating was this weekend in the NFL playoffs. I'll admit, the Polamalu non-interception call was pretty bad, but other than that, there wasn't much to complain about. A missed delay of game and a questionable pass interference call we're maybe the only other calls that were game impacting. All in all, the teams that played better and won the turnover battle came out on top.
You can't review every play until 'everyone' is happy and thinks they got it right. No one would every watch a game that takes 5 or 6 hours to play. Comparison to the systems employed in college football is a joke, as NO ONE likes the current college football review system to begin with. There's going to be judgment calls in every game, which people are going to disagree about, and that's part of what makes the game interesting. Outside of the non-interception call, the refs didn't miss any obvious calls this weekend and no more than they have been all year. The only difference is that there were only 4 games this weekend and they were all televised. Calls will be missed in every game, it’s the nature of the game and you live with it.
I was 3-2 on this weekend's NFL game picks, a slip off from last week's 3-1.
So our local LBOH (Little Ball of Hate) Jen Engel is still ranting about how "horrible" the officiating was this weekend in the NFL playoffs. I'll admit, the Polamalu non-interception call was pretty bad, but other than that, there wasn't much to complain about. A missed delay of game and a questionable pass interference call we're maybe the only other calls that were game impacting. All in all, the teams that played better and won the turnover battle came out on top.
You can't review every play until 'everyone' is happy and thinks they got it right. No one would every watch a game that takes 5 or 6 hours to play. Comparison to the systems employed in college football is a joke, as NO ONE likes the current college football review system to begin with. There's going to be judgment calls in every game, which people are going to disagree about, and that's part of what makes the game interesting. Outside of the non-interception call, the refs didn't miss any obvious calls this weekend and no more than they have been all year. The only difference is that there were only 4 games this weekend and they were all televised. Calls will be missed in every game, it’s the nature of the game and you live with it.
Monday, January 16, 2006
love-shaq
Anyone see the love-fest Shaq and Kobe put on before their game at The Staples Center tonight? I kept waiting for them to pull a Magic-Isaiah pre-tipoff kiss. They didn't quite go that far though. Kobe put on a show once again, knocking down jumpers at crunch time in the 4th quarter with Gary Payton and Dwayne Wade in his face. Sure, I’ve got a man crush on Kobe, but straight up, the dude is the best player in the NBA and after he carries this Laker team into the playoffs, he deserves to win the league MVP.
awhhh
awhhhSaturday, January 14, 2006
divisional playoff picks...
Saturday's games:
Washington +9 at Seattle - Total 41
Washington had a whopping 120 total yards against the Bucs last week; expect much of the same vs the Seahawks who will look to take Clinton Portis out of the game. Brunell's gone 8 straight games without a 200 yard passing day and has completed only 23 total passes the last 3 games.
Seattle is rested, and at home, both good things and are 9 point favorites (history says this a a good thing). Seattle rolls in having turned it over only 17 times in 16 games! They have the best red zone offense in the league and offer an incredibly balanced offense. The Skins are not likely to get steady pressure against the veteran (and perhaps best in the league) offensive line. Less pressure = less turnovers. And it's turnovers that have been feeding these Skins the last month and a half. Expect Shawn Alexander and Seattle to roll and win by at least 2 touchdowns.
Pick: SEATTLE MINUS THE POINTS
New England +3 at Denver - Total 43.5
With the kind of roll NE's been on (7-2 SU in their last 9), spotting them 3 points seems to invite a play on the Pats. But look closely at those 7 wins. Their victims include Miami, New Orleans, Tampa, Buffalo and the Jets twice before pulling away from Jacktown last week in the second half. In fact, only 2 of NE's 11 wins came over playoff teams: Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay. Denver has only 2 such wins also but one of them was a 28-20 beating of the Pats in Denver in mid-October. The Broncos didn't lose a home game this year.
NE's run has been fueled by a return to health of several key defenders. That health's seen them cut their rushing yards allowed just about in half since the eighth game of the year. The Broncos finished last in the league in sacks and 29th in passing yards allowed. That last stat's understandable given that Denver's been ahead of everyone, forcing them to throw and abandon the run.
NE's won 10 straight in the playoffs, two as a dog. Maybe the most important stat of this game is Bill Belichick has been incredible when facing the same QB for a second time in the same season (as he is Plummer). Coach Belichick is 14-1 SU and 12-3 ATS in such situations while at NE, the one SU loss coming against Miami in the last week of the season when the starters were pulled early.
One last interesting stat, the three winningest QBs in the NFL over the last three years are:
1. P. Manning
2. T. Brady
3. J. Plummer
This appears to be a close game and I'll take Brady to make the plays over Plummer.
Pick: NEW ENGLAND PLUS THE POINTS
Sunday's Games:
Pittsburgh +9.5 at Indianapolis - Total 48
Indy has by far the better offense and an underated defense that quite possibly is as good as the Steelers if not better. Indy will be able to shut down the Steeler running game forcing Ben Rothelberger to win this game with his arm. Special teams might give an edge to Pittsburgh and the coaching matchup is even. Indy had a bye week and will be well rested. This game comes down to two factors... Indianapolis is the better team and is playing indoors at home. From a betting standpoint, this is could be the playoff game of the year.
Pick: INDIANAPOLIS MINUS THE POINTS
Carolina +3 at Chicago - Total 31
An obvious defensive battle between the Bears and Panthers which will feature many punts and a battle for field position. A key stat is Rex Grossman has only played 6 qtrs all year. Carolina has a definite edge on the offensive side of the ball. Can anyone stop Steve Smith? The defenses are about even with maybe a slight edge to the Bears. I think the overall edge here goes to the Panthers as this team's been to the playoffs before, the Bears haven't sniffed the playoffs in years. A close game to be decided by turnovers.
Pick: CAROLINA PLUS THE POINTS AND OVER THE TOTAL
Washington +9 at Seattle - Total 41
Washington had a whopping 120 total yards against the Bucs last week; expect much of the same vs the Seahawks who will look to take Clinton Portis out of the game. Brunell's gone 8 straight games without a 200 yard passing day and has completed only 23 total passes the last 3 games.
Seattle is rested, and at home, both good things and are 9 point favorites (history says this a a good thing). Seattle rolls in having turned it over only 17 times in 16 games! They have the best red zone offense in the league and offer an incredibly balanced offense. The Skins are not likely to get steady pressure against the veteran (and perhaps best in the league) offensive line. Less pressure = less turnovers. And it's turnovers that have been feeding these Skins the last month and a half. Expect Shawn Alexander and Seattle to roll and win by at least 2 touchdowns.
Pick: SEATTLE MINUS THE POINTS
New England +3 at Denver - Total 43.5
With the kind of roll NE's been on (7-2 SU in their last 9), spotting them 3 points seems to invite a play on the Pats. But look closely at those 7 wins. Their victims include Miami, New Orleans, Tampa, Buffalo and the Jets twice before pulling away from Jacktown last week in the second half. In fact, only 2 of NE's 11 wins came over playoff teams: Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay. Denver has only 2 such wins also but one of them was a 28-20 beating of the Pats in Denver in mid-October. The Broncos didn't lose a home game this year.
NE's run has been fueled by a return to health of several key defenders. That health's seen them cut their rushing yards allowed just about in half since the eighth game of the year. The Broncos finished last in the league in sacks and 29th in passing yards allowed. That last stat's understandable given that Denver's been ahead of everyone, forcing them to throw and abandon the run.
NE's won 10 straight in the playoffs, two as a dog. Maybe the most important stat of this game is Bill Belichick has been incredible when facing the same QB for a second time in the same season (as he is Plummer). Coach Belichick is 14-1 SU and 12-3 ATS in such situations while at NE, the one SU loss coming against Miami in the last week of the season when the starters were pulled early.
One last interesting stat, the three winningest QBs in the NFL over the last three years are:
1. P. Manning
2. T. Brady
3. J. Plummer
This appears to be a close game and I'll take Brady to make the plays over Plummer.
Pick: NEW ENGLAND PLUS THE POINTS
Sunday's Games:
Pittsburgh +9.5 at Indianapolis - Total 48
Indy has by far the better offense and an underated defense that quite possibly is as good as the Steelers if not better. Indy will be able to shut down the Steeler running game forcing Ben Rothelberger to win this game with his arm. Special teams might give an edge to Pittsburgh and the coaching matchup is even. Indy had a bye week and will be well rested. This game comes down to two factors... Indianapolis is the better team and is playing indoors at home. From a betting standpoint, this is could be the playoff game of the year.
Pick: INDIANAPOLIS MINUS THE POINTS
Carolina +3 at Chicago - Total 31
An obvious defensive battle between the Bears and Panthers which will feature many punts and a battle for field position. A key stat is Rex Grossman has only played 6 qtrs all year. Carolina has a definite edge on the offensive side of the ball. Can anyone stop Steve Smith? The defenses are about even with maybe a slight edge to the Bears. I think the overall edge here goes to the Panthers as this team's been to the playoffs before, the Bears haven't sniffed the playoffs in years. A close game to be decided by turnovers.
Pick: CAROLINA PLUS THE POINTS AND OVER THE TOTAL
Monday, January 9, 2006
musings from the weekend in sports...
• New England is not the team Indianapolis is hoping to see coming to town in two weeks.
• It was only a matter of time until Eli Manning was going to cost the Giants an important game.
• Tough loss for the Bucs though I think we've seen this version of Chris Simms before. John Gruden didn't shield poor Simms from the media a la Mack Brown though.
• Marcus Vick and Sean Taylor, what in the world is going through your heads?
• Many have anointed the Red Wings as the best team in the Western Conference... they must have not seen the Stars come back from 3 goals down to beat the Wings in Detroit 6-3 on Sunday. Dallas is tied for the most wins in the NHL with 28.
• Kobe Bryant's point totals in his last 4 games... 45, 48, 50 and 45, making him the first player to score 45 points or more in four consecutive games in more than 41 years.
• It was only a matter of time until Eli Manning was going to cost the Giants an important game.
• Tough loss for the Bucs though I think we've seen this version of Chris Simms before. John Gruden didn't shield poor Simms from the media a la Mack Brown though.
• Marcus Vick and Sean Taylor, what in the world is going through your heads?
• Many have anointed the Red Wings as the best team in the Western Conference... they must have not seen the Stars come back from 3 goals down to beat the Wings in Detroit 6-3 on Sunday. Dallas is tied for the most wins in the NHL with 28.
• Kobe Bryant's point totals in his last 4 games... 45, 48, 50 and 45, making him the first player to score 45 points or more in four consecutive games in more than 41 years.
Thursday, January 5, 2006
Wednesday, January 4, 2006
it was a classic... choke job
Texas got a late Christmas gift tonight from SC as So. Cal. gave away the national championship. Texas played a great game tonight no doubt, but they should be thanking Pete Carroll though for some boneheaded play calling including not kicking the chip shot field goal to go up 10-0, not running LenDale White 3 straight times on the last possession (which resulted in at least 10 yds ALL game long), passing the ball on second down at the end instead and stopping the clock, and going for it on 4th and 2 at mid-field when running 3 times and punting (if it was still needed) would have made Texas go 80-90 yds with at most 90 seconds. If you use more clock, punt it deep on 4th if you're short and leave less than 90 seconds for Texas, you make Vince beat you with the pass, not the run. Knowing that, USC has a better chance of stopping Texas and they probably win. Sure it was a gutsy call by Carroll, but a bad one on 4th and 2 on the 45 with over 2 minutes left in the game.
SC came out and thought it could play Texas like they did everyone else, show up and win instead of playing smart. It was a great game to watch and Texas brought their best, though I would have to agree with Matt Leinart, SC is the better team, but the better team doesn't win if they don’t bring their A game in the championship game. They came in with that SC swagger that just stepping on the field would let them win, but that doesn't happen against a good team like Texas. Probably the most amazing thing to me was that Mack Brown out-coached Pete Carroll, which I would never have expected.
Finally, shame on SC if they didn't know Vince was going to run it on 4th down. I bet the thought of throwing the ball never even crossed his mind. He hadn't hit a receiver that wasn't wide open all game and with the end zone working as an extra defender and shortening the field, no one was going to be wide open. The Vince run was more obvious than the Leinart sneak on 4th down early in the game yet SC was dropping back and playing pass. Too many gifts, not to even mention the bonehead pitch by Reggie Bush after he had already made a big gain, to overcome just by showing up. I won’t even go into how bad the replay booth was, that was simply horrible with two plays clearly going against SC that were wrong, one taking a turnover away.
It was a great game to watch, Vince Young played a great game as did Matt Leinart and LenDale White, but the best team didn’t win.
USC's Pete Carroll
SC came out and thought it could play Texas like they did everyone else, show up and win instead of playing smart. It was a great game to watch and Texas brought their best, though I would have to agree with Matt Leinart, SC is the better team, but the better team doesn't win if they don’t bring their A game in the championship game. They came in with that SC swagger that just stepping on the field would let them win, but that doesn't happen against a good team like Texas. Probably the most amazing thing to me was that Mack Brown out-coached Pete Carroll, which I would never have expected.
Finally, shame on SC if they didn't know Vince was going to run it on 4th down. I bet the thought of throwing the ball never even crossed his mind. He hadn't hit a receiver that wasn't wide open all game and with the end zone working as an extra defender and shortening the field, no one was going to be wide open. The Vince run was more obvious than the Leinart sneak on 4th down early in the game yet SC was dropping back and playing pass. Too many gifts, not to even mention the bonehead pitch by Reggie Bush after he had already made a big gain, to overcome just by showing up. I won’t even go into how bad the replay booth was, that was simply horrible with two plays clearly going against SC that were wrong, one taking a turnover away.
It was a great game to watch, Vince Young played a great game as did Matt Leinart and LenDale White, but the best team didn’t win.
USC's Pete CarrollTuesday, January 3, 2006
some musings from the bowl games...
• Does anyone care about any Bowl game played before Christmas? They generally have second-tier teams playing in places like Boise, Fort Worth and Shreveport.
• Teams that forgot to show up in no particular order: Georgia Tech, Miami, Iowa, Auburn, the Texas Tech offense and Georgia (in the 1st qtr)
• Teams lucky to win: Penn State, Nebraska, TCU, UCLA and Nevada
• No way is Texas Tech the second best team in the Big 12 and the team that should have been in the Cotton Bowl.
• The most dominating performance so far goes to the Ohio State Buckeyes who beat up Notre Dame on both sides of the ball. LSU's dismantaling of Miami (The U as they like to be called) comes in a close second, but anytime you hang 600+ yards on a ND team, that's quite an accomplishment. The score could have been much worse as well.
• AJ Hawk sacked his girlfriend's brother, Brady Quinn twice... gotta wonder how that affects the relationship?
• Ohio State's offense is much improved from earlier in the year when they gave a game away to Texas. I think its easy to say that had Tressel not split series between Smith and Zwick, a rare bad coaching decision on Jim Tressel's part, that the Buckeyes win that game. They also had a dropped touchdown pass late in the game that would have given them a win. If they played today, no doubt to me that Ohio State wins.
AJ and Troy
Santonio Holmes and Troy Smith
Laura Quinn not sure who to root for
• Teams that forgot to show up in no particular order: Georgia Tech, Miami, Iowa, Auburn, the Texas Tech offense and Georgia (in the 1st qtr)
• Teams lucky to win: Penn State, Nebraska, TCU, UCLA and Nevada
• No way is Texas Tech the second best team in the Big 12 and the team that should have been in the Cotton Bowl.
• The most dominating performance so far goes to the Ohio State Buckeyes who beat up Notre Dame on both sides of the ball. LSU's dismantaling of Miami (The U as they like to be called) comes in a close second, but anytime you hang 600+ yards on a ND team, that's quite an accomplishment. The score could have been much worse as well.
• AJ Hawk sacked his girlfriend's brother, Brady Quinn twice... gotta wonder how that affects the relationship?
• Ohio State's offense is much improved from earlier in the year when they gave a game away to Texas. I think its easy to say that had Tressel not split series between Smith and Zwick, a rare bad coaching decision on Jim Tressel's part, that the Buckeyes win that game. They also had a dropped touchdown pass late in the game that would have given them a win. If they played today, no doubt to me that Ohio State wins.
AJ and Troy
Santonio Holmes and Troy Smith
Laura Quinn not sure who to root forMonday, January 2, 2006
thoughts on the cotton bowl
After watching the Cotton Bowl, hopefully it became apparent to everyone else what I’ve known all year. Texas Tech is a much over-rated team. Tech was controlled on both sides of the ball by Alabama and though the game was decided by a late field goal, you wouldn’t have thought so by watching the game. Tech fans have been whining that the ‘Bama TD on the second play of the game should have been reviewed as the receiver’s knee was close to being on the ground as he caught a quick screen pass. Some have even inferred that Fox Sports is partially to blame for not showing replays soon enough. Say what? Fox is to blame for a possible missed call? This is a call that most likely would be difficult to overturn to begin with. What are people smoking these days?!?
It's not Fox Sports’ job to officiate the game. The booth should have access to all available replays even when TV isn't showing them to the audience (if not, it's pretty useless to begin with) so any blame there may be lies strictly with the officiating crew. And that's only if you could 'conclusively' say that the knee was for sure down. And I'll add that's a ridiculous rule to begin with in college football that should be changed.
But can we stop whining about whether the Alabama receiver's knee touched the ground or not. This is Texas Tech with ‘innovative’ Mike Leach running the show. This is the offense that was featured on the cover of the NY Times Magazine. Could they not get more than one touchdown by the end of the game? This is the offense that brags about hanging 75 or 80 points on inferior opponents. Can the great Tech offense not generate more than seven points?
It simply shows that the spread offense is a wonderful gimmick scheme that lets teams like Tech, Northwestern and now Vanderbilt that don't have the talent base of the top football powers compete against many teams. But when they play teams that are physically superior they struggle. No shame in that, but that's the reality. Tech has maybe the best 5-yard passing offense in the nation... and that's about it!
It's not Fox Sports’ job to officiate the game. The booth should have access to all available replays even when TV isn't showing them to the audience (if not, it's pretty useless to begin with) so any blame there may be lies strictly with the officiating crew. And that's only if you could 'conclusively' say that the knee was for sure down. And I'll add that's a ridiculous rule to begin with in college football that should be changed.
But can we stop whining about whether the Alabama receiver's knee touched the ground or not. This is Texas Tech with ‘innovative’ Mike Leach running the show. This is the offense that was featured on the cover of the NY Times Magazine. Could they not get more than one touchdown by the end of the game? This is the offense that brags about hanging 75 or 80 points on inferior opponents. Can the great Tech offense not generate more than seven points?
It simply shows that the spread offense is a wonderful gimmick scheme that lets teams like Tech, Northwestern and now Vanderbilt that don't have the talent base of the top football powers compete against many teams. But when they play teams that are physically superior they struggle. No shame in that, but that's the reality. Tech has maybe the best 5-yard passing offense in the nation... and that's about it!
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
kobe, part ii
So it was less than two weeks ago that I was blogging about how Kobe had just ripped the Mavs a new one. Last night in LA, he utterly destroyed them. Blowing up huge is an understatement. Through 3 quarters, Kobe Bryant outscored the whole Dallas Mavericks team, 62-61. Not often do coaches care to acknowledge individual accomplishments in team sports, let alone do it during the game, but at the time out before the 4th qtr Phil Jackson wrote on the white board during the Laker team huddle 'Bryant 62, Mavs 61'. It was that spectacular to watch.
Before the game, Coach Avery Johnson stated that the Mavs would 'use the whole team to defend him' based on his 43 point output 10 days ago in Dallas. Well it was quite apparent that no one on the Mavs could even get close enough to Kobe to smell his cologne. He torched everyone that tried to guard him. Sixty-two points in 33 minutes. Not a bad nights work. If only the Mavs could have kept themselves in the game, Kobe might have made even more history by playing in the 4th qtr. To not play Kobe up by 33 points was really a no win situation for Phil Jackson. He sits him and everyone says he should have played him to see what might have been, Kobe was only 9 points from setting the all time Lakers scoring record. And quite possibly, he could have hit 80 points, which only has been done once, by Wilt Chamberlain. If he had played Kobe with the big lead, he would have been second-guessed for sure for putting him at risk and letting him go for personal records. Hey, Kobe didn't seem to mind so what’s the big deal?
One thing is for sure, the Mavs, who don’t play much defense to begin with, have no idea how to stop Kobe Bryant. He's scored 105 points in the last two games against the Mavs while sitting out a whole quarter. Many teams have had trouble stopping Kobe, he's one of the best players in the league. He may be the best player in the league. If he can carry this Lakers team into the playoffs, it will take an MVP type performance from Kobe. Maybe the Lakers can request to play the Mavs every other night? And for the Mavs to get anyone to seriously consider that they are a threat to win the West, they better learn to play some D.
Before the game, Coach Avery Johnson stated that the Mavs would 'use the whole team to defend him' based on his 43 point output 10 days ago in Dallas. Well it was quite apparent that no one on the Mavs could even get close enough to Kobe to smell his cologne. He torched everyone that tried to guard him. Sixty-two points in 33 minutes. Not a bad nights work. If only the Mavs could have kept themselves in the game, Kobe might have made even more history by playing in the 4th qtr. To not play Kobe up by 33 points was really a no win situation for Phil Jackson. He sits him and everyone says he should have played him to see what might have been, Kobe was only 9 points from setting the all time Lakers scoring record. And quite possibly, he could have hit 80 points, which only has been done once, by Wilt Chamberlain. If he had played Kobe with the big lead, he would have been second-guessed for sure for putting him at risk and letting him go for personal records. Hey, Kobe didn't seem to mind so what’s the big deal?
One thing is for sure, the Mavs, who don’t play much defense to begin with, have no idea how to stop Kobe Bryant. He's scored 105 points in the last two games against the Mavs while sitting out a whole quarter. Many teams have had trouble stopping Kobe, he's one of the best players in the league. He may be the best player in the league. If he can carry this Lakers team into the playoffs, it will take an MVP type performance from Kobe. Maybe the Lakers can request to play the Mavs every other night? And for the Mavs to get anyone to seriously consider that they are a threat to win the West, they better learn to play some D.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
the dragons are back to back national champs
Southlake Carroll avenged its only loss as a Class 5A program to claim its third state title in the last four seasons. Carroll defeated Katy, 34-20, in the 5A Division II final Saturday at Texas Stadium. Katy beat Carroll, 16-15, in the 2003 final, a game that most say Carroll let slip away after getting an early lead and then taking Katy lightly. Carroll again got an early lead but this time they went for the jugular. Carroll led by 21 points most of the fourth quarter until a Katy touchdown on the next to last play of the game.
Quarterback Greg McElroy earned MVP honors by completing 21 of 31 passes for 328 yards and four touchdowns. He finished the season with 56 touchdown passes, breaking the 5A record set by Carroll’s Chase Wasson in 2002. Carroll receiver Corbin Smiter had eight catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half. Receiver McKay Jacobson had six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown. Jacobson’s touchdown came after Katy scored 13 consecutive points to trim Carroll’s lead to four early in the third quarter.
It was the second straight Division II state title and mythical national championship for Carroll, which went 16-0 for the third time in four seasons and improved to 63-1 as a 5A school. Katy (14-1) defeated Carroll 16-15 in the 2003 championship game.
Dragons capture state title over Katy at Texas Stadium
Quarterback Greg McElroy earned MVP honors by completing 21 of 31 passes for 328 yards and four touchdowns. He finished the season with 56 touchdown passes, breaking the 5A record set by Carroll’s Chase Wasson in 2002. Carroll receiver Corbin Smiter had eight catches for 133 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half. Receiver McKay Jacobson had six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown. Jacobson’s touchdown came after Katy scored 13 consecutive points to trim Carroll’s lead to four early in the third quarter.
It was the second straight Division II state title and mythical national championship for Carroll, which went 16-0 for the third time in four seasons and improved to 63-1 as a 5A school. Katy (14-1) defeated Carroll 16-15 in the 2003 championship game.
Dragons capture state title over Katy at Texas StadiumTuesday, December 13, 2005
kobe the mav killer
This wasn't the first time Kobe Bryant has blown up huge against the Mavericks. Nor will it probably be the last. Kobe is arguably the best scorer in the NBA and can create his a shot (though not always the best shot) from anywhere on the floor. Last night he single-handedly took down the Mavs. Interestingly enough, there wasn't much talk of his performance of the Mavs game in general on sports radio this morning. No talk of scoring at will against the Mavs or of his 43 points or of his beat the shot clock 30' 3-pointer. What Kobe displayed last night is exactly what the Mavs are missing and needing to become a championship contender - a go to guy. Well that and a little defense now and then but Avery Johnson is working on that. Defense can be taught, wanting the ball in the clutch cannot. The Mavs have plenty of scorers but no go-to guy. Yeah Dirk can put up points, but he's never proven to be clutch at the end of the game. Kobe's 30' three as the shot clock wound down shouldn't be seen as luck or shocking to anyone. He's been doing that to teams his entire career and when it went up, you know he was thinking 'money'. The Mavs need someone with that mentality if they ever want to win it all. Kobe has it, along with three championship rings to go with.
Thursday, December 8, 2005
soriano for wilkerson... wtf???
Anyone else think the Rangers should have been able to get more for Soriano? He’s statistically in the top 10-15 players in the majors and by far the best second baseman. Sure he can misplay a ball now and then, but his defense has improved and his offense ranks with baseballs best. He's a 5-tool player for crying out loud. Yeah he's eligible for arbitration and it's the last year of his contract, but c'mon... Brad Wilkerson and some spare named Sledge? Jon Daniels has to do better than that... Washington pulled the wool over his eyes on this one.
Rumor is that this was a trade to free up cash and to set up a trade of the surplus the Rangers have in the outfield for some quality starting pitching that the Rangers sorely lack. That begs the question, if Soriano can’t bring you quality pitching, how do you get it with Kevin Mench, Gary Mathews Jr. or Wilkerson? The answer most likely is that you don't. The opinion here is that this is a very reactionary move based on first missing out on landing Josh Beckett and then yesterday getting scooped by the Cubs for Juan Pierre, who would have been a very nice addition both in center field and in the leadoff spot. As shown last year, Wilkerson is not a leadoff hitter so now the Rangers still don’t have a leadoff hitter, they don't have an everyday centerfielder and now they don't have a second baseman either. And seriously, how do you let the Cubs beat you out? Not a good start Jon.
Rumor is that this was a trade to free up cash and to set up a trade of the surplus the Rangers have in the outfield for some quality starting pitching that the Rangers sorely lack. That begs the question, if Soriano can’t bring you quality pitching, how do you get it with Kevin Mench, Gary Mathews Jr. or Wilkerson? The answer most likely is that you don't. The opinion here is that this is a very reactionary move based on first missing out on landing Josh Beckett and then yesterday getting scooped by the Cubs for Juan Pierre, who would have been a very nice addition both in center field and in the leadoff spot. As shown last year, Wilkerson is not a leadoff hitter so now the Rangers still don’t have a leadoff hitter, they don't have an everyday centerfielder and now they don't have a second baseman either. And seriously, how do you let the Cubs beat you out? Not a good start Jon.
Friday, December 2, 2005
its not mine
So Michael Irvin gets pulled over for speeding and lo and behold he has an outstanding warrant for another speeding ticket. I'm guessing 'oops' is an understatement. So he claims it’s not his, did so from the start saying it was a friends. Unfortunately for Irvin he has a checkered past so whether it his or not, many aren't going to believe him. What's even worse for Michael is the timing as he is once again up for vote for the Hall of Fame. He deserves to be in, should have made it last year. The football HOF is unique as the guidelines specifically state the candidates are to be judged solely from their on the field performance. If that were true though, Irvin would be a lock. Some though will see this as another reason not to vote him in. Add to that Troy Aikman is in his first year of eligibility and sure to be voted in with Rayfield Wright and three Cowboys will seem like too many for the anti-Cowboy HOF voters. He should get in. He deserves to get in. Unfortunately this year he probably won’t.
So now almost a week after the fact ESPN decides to suspend Irvin for one weekend of telecasts for not divulging the incident to ESPN quickly enough. Quite honestly, I don’t see the point in suspending Irvin for a week. What purpose does it really serve? Sounds like a typical CYA. Not sure if he did it but we cant just sit by and do nothing because we look stupid already so lets do something even if it makes us look even dumber. The corporate world at its best! I don’t necessarily think he needs to be suspended at all unless its proven that he lied about the whole thing. And if he had been guilty and said so from the start, I don’t see a need to suspend him then either. It wasn't on the job and if he wasn't Michael Irvin, none of us would have known or cared.
So now almost a week after the fact ESPN decides to suspend Irvin for one weekend of telecasts for not divulging the incident to ESPN quickly enough. Quite honestly, I don’t see the point in suspending Irvin for a week. What purpose does it really serve? Sounds like a typical CYA. Not sure if he did it but we cant just sit by and do nothing because we look stupid already so lets do something even if it makes us look even dumber. The corporate world at its best! I don’t necessarily think he needs to be suspended at all unless its proven that he lied about the whole thing. And if he had been guilty and said so from the start, I don’t see a need to suspend him then either. It wasn't on the job and if he wasn't Michael Irvin, none of us would have known or cared.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
why i hate the irish
Notre Dame is probably going to the Fiesta Bowl, and that’s not fair. Yes, Charlie Weis’ team was 9-2 and is ranked seventh in the country. They came within a yard of beating USC, produced a quarterback, Brady Quinn, who will probably finish no lower than fourth in the Heisman race, set school records for passing offense, and showed a lot of grit when games were on the line.
But the Irish schedule that was supposed to be one of the toughest in the country when the season began turned out to be as soft as a spring breeze. Pitt wasn’t even ordinary, Michigan State, which beat Notre Dame, couldn’t beat anyone else, Michigan, a pre-season Top 10 pick, lost four games, Tennessee, another alleged Top 10 team, didn’t even qualify for a bowl game, Syracuse would have had to play Buffalo 10 times to have a hope of winning five games, Stanford finished 5-6 — you get the idea; other than USC, the Irish didn’t play anyone who ended up being any good. Only three of Notre Dame’s victims are going to bowl games. Doesn't matter. Notre Dame is going to the Fiesta Bowl and, unless you’re Ohio State or maybe Penn State, you’re not.
Philip Marshall of autigers.com makes a very good case for why his team, 9-2 Auburn, should get the Fiesta Bowl bid instead. And Pac-10 fans are saying that Oregon deserves the bid, seeing as how the Ducks are ranked ahead of Notre Dame in the BCS and have one fewer loss. Once again, it may not be fair, but fair has nothing to do with it.
The reality is that the BcS itself is not fair. If you’re going to accept that you can choose a champion by letting voters and computers pick the two best teams in the nation and let everyone else play for third place, you have to accept that Notre Dame is always going to get the best and richest game it qualifies for according to the unfair rules.
The rules say Notre Dame can go to the Fiesta Bowl and collect $14.5 million, so that’s what’s going to happen. It will happen because Notre Dame will bring bigger television ratings (which equal dollars), and fan interest, than just about any other team. Put the Irish in with Ohio State, another legendary program, or Penn State and the renascent Joe Paterno, and you have a game that will be outdrawn only by USC-Texas.
Until there’s a playoff, it’s always going to be this way. The BcS says Notre Dame can go to one of the big four bowls as long as it’s no lower than 12th in the BcS rankings. Notre Dame meets that criteria. Oregon and Auburn can scream all they want about the injustice, but they’d be better off screaming for a playoff system.
But the Irish schedule that was supposed to be one of the toughest in the country when the season began turned out to be as soft as a spring breeze. Pitt wasn’t even ordinary, Michigan State, which beat Notre Dame, couldn’t beat anyone else, Michigan, a pre-season Top 10 pick, lost four games, Tennessee, another alleged Top 10 team, didn’t even qualify for a bowl game, Syracuse would have had to play Buffalo 10 times to have a hope of winning five games, Stanford finished 5-6 — you get the idea; other than USC, the Irish didn’t play anyone who ended up being any good. Only three of Notre Dame’s victims are going to bowl games. Doesn't matter. Notre Dame is going to the Fiesta Bowl and, unless you’re Ohio State or maybe Penn State, you’re not.
Philip Marshall of autigers.com makes a very good case for why his team, 9-2 Auburn, should get the Fiesta Bowl bid instead. And Pac-10 fans are saying that Oregon deserves the bid, seeing as how the Ducks are ranked ahead of Notre Dame in the BCS and have one fewer loss. Once again, it may not be fair, but fair has nothing to do with it.
The reality is that the BcS itself is not fair. If you’re going to accept that you can choose a champion by letting voters and computers pick the two best teams in the nation and let everyone else play for third place, you have to accept that Notre Dame is always going to get the best and richest game it qualifies for according to the unfair rules.
The rules say Notre Dame can go to the Fiesta Bowl and collect $14.5 million, so that’s what’s going to happen. It will happen because Notre Dame will bring bigger television ratings (which equal dollars), and fan interest, than just about any other team. Put the Irish in with Ohio State, another legendary program, or Penn State and the renascent Joe Paterno, and you have a game that will be outdrawn only by USC-Texas.
Until there’s a playoff, it’s always going to be this way. The BcS says Notre Dame can go to one of the big four bowls as long as it’s no lower than 12th in the BcS rankings. Notre Dame meets that criteria. Oregon and Auburn can scream all they want about the injustice, but they’d be better off screaming for a playoff system.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
southlake carroll qb is passing inspection
McElroy holds up under pressure of marquee position
By DAMON L. SAYLES / The Dallas Morning News - Thursday, November 24, 2005
SOUTHLAKE – Greg McElroy knew from his first snap as Southlake Carroll's quarterback that he would be praised heavily or scrutinized mercilessly depending on his play.
The spotlight he has been in might have shined brightest Nov. 12 in a Class 5A Division II Region I bi-district playoff at Texas Stadium. In his first postseason start, McElroy delivered an MVP-type performance.
"He didn't let the big stage intimidate him," Carroll coach Todd Dodge said of McElroy, who threw for 278 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for another score – all in the first half – to help beat Irving MacArthur, 48-21.
"Pressure is however you handle it, and with Greg and all our quarterbacks, you go into a big game with a gunslinger's mentality."
McElroy followed that performance with a 355-yard, three-touchdown show in a 45-15 win against Allen in last Saturday's area-round playoff. McElroy completed 25 of 34 passes and threw no interceptions and helped Carroll (12-0) win its 28th consecutive game and 59th in 60 games dating to 2002.
"There's pressure, absolutely. But playing for Southlake and the town, what it does is it fuels my fire," McElroy said. "I think pressure brings out the best in me. I love the big-time games."
McElroy said being a backup to Chase Daniel and Chase Wasson, two former 5A players of the year, had its good and bad moments.
"For anyone, it would be extremely difficult to wait, but you have to take into consideration the people I was behind," McElroy said. "They were both tremendous quarterbacks. You can't find any two better who have won more games.
"I had a chance to transfer, but I wanted to stay and be a Carroll Dragon. One year at Southlake is as good as three at another school."
Despite not starting a single game, McElroy has been on college scouts' radars since he was a sophomore. Recruiters scouted Daniel in spring football workouts but were pleasantly surprised when they saw the other Carroll quarterback showcase his accuracy and arm strength.
"Chase [Daniel] was our returning starter, but we held him out of a lot of drills. We knew what he could do," Dodge said. "Greg got a ton of reps that spring. They would come to see Chase, and they'd leave saying, 'Who's that kid?' "
Receiver McKay Jacobson, who has committed to BYU, has watched and helped McElroy develop into one of the state's top quarterbacks. McElroy has thrown for 3,394 yards and 44 touchdowns with only six interceptions in 328 attempts. Jacobson, McElroy's top target, has 73 catches for 1,230 yards and 14 scores.
McElroy, in addition, has led Carroll to No. 1 rankings in both the National Prep Football Poll and the Student Sports Fab 50 national poll and a national No. 3 ranking in the USA Today Super 25.
[Click image for a larger version] BRAD LOPER / DMN
BRAD LOPER / DMN
Greg McElroy and Southlake Carroll are riding a 28-game winning streak.
"Going in your senior year and your first year to start, it's tough for anyone," Jacobson said, "but he's done a great job behind a two-time 5A player of the year [Daniel] and another 5A player of the year [Wasson]. He's gotten better from learning from Chase Daniel and being behind him."
Linebacker Patrick Benoist, one of McElroy's closest friends since fifth grade, said McElroy has helped Carroll's defense improve. Benoist and the defense have had to make plays in practice or get embarrassed by the offense's potent attack.
"Greg's a great quarterback, and we get to play against a great corps of receivers every day," Benoist said. "Their offense is so efficient, and we learn a lot from them. It's good to get to see the best because it helps out for game time."
As the team faces unbeaten and state-ranked Abilene on Saturday, it will expect McElroy to continue making the plays necessary to reach the state championship game once again.
It's all about a little perseverance for Carroll, something McElroy has lived on.
"He's dedicated himself to being the best player he could possibly be," Dodge said. "You look at his work going all the way back to when he was a freshman. You look at his work in off-season and in the quarterback training programs. He's just gotten better and better."
Statistics for Southlake Carroll's last three quarterbacks during their senior seasons:
Name Year Stats Comment
Chase Wasson 2002 4,822 yards, 54 TDs Threw for 5A record 512
yards in state title game
Chase Daniel 2004 4,582 yards, 48 TDs Also ran for 1,400
yards and 21 touchdowns
Greg McElroy 2005 3,394 yards, 44 TDs Broke the team's
regular-season passing
TD record
Note: Wasson and Daniel both played in 16 games and won state championships during their senior seasons. McElroy has played in 12 games and is looking to win a state title.
By DAMON L. SAYLES / The Dallas Morning News - Thursday, November 24, 2005
SOUTHLAKE – Greg McElroy knew from his first snap as Southlake Carroll's quarterback that he would be praised heavily or scrutinized mercilessly depending on his play.
The spotlight he has been in might have shined brightest Nov. 12 in a Class 5A Division II Region I bi-district playoff at Texas Stadium. In his first postseason start, McElroy delivered an MVP-type performance.
"He didn't let the big stage intimidate him," Carroll coach Todd Dodge said of McElroy, who threw for 278 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for another score – all in the first half – to help beat Irving MacArthur, 48-21.
"Pressure is however you handle it, and with Greg and all our quarterbacks, you go into a big game with a gunslinger's mentality."
McElroy followed that performance with a 355-yard, three-touchdown show in a 45-15 win against Allen in last Saturday's area-round playoff. McElroy completed 25 of 34 passes and threw no interceptions and helped Carroll (12-0) win its 28th consecutive game and 59th in 60 games dating to 2002.
"There's pressure, absolutely. But playing for Southlake and the town, what it does is it fuels my fire," McElroy said. "I think pressure brings out the best in me. I love the big-time games."
McElroy said being a backup to Chase Daniel and Chase Wasson, two former 5A players of the year, had its good and bad moments.
"For anyone, it would be extremely difficult to wait, but you have to take into consideration the people I was behind," McElroy said. "They were both tremendous quarterbacks. You can't find any two better who have won more games.
"I had a chance to transfer, but I wanted to stay and be a Carroll Dragon. One year at Southlake is as good as three at another school."
Despite not starting a single game, McElroy has been on college scouts' radars since he was a sophomore. Recruiters scouted Daniel in spring football workouts but were pleasantly surprised when they saw the other Carroll quarterback showcase his accuracy and arm strength.
"Chase [Daniel] was our returning starter, but we held him out of a lot of drills. We knew what he could do," Dodge said. "Greg got a ton of reps that spring. They would come to see Chase, and they'd leave saying, 'Who's that kid?' "
Receiver McKay Jacobson, who has committed to BYU, has watched and helped McElroy develop into one of the state's top quarterbacks. McElroy has thrown for 3,394 yards and 44 touchdowns with only six interceptions in 328 attempts. Jacobson, McElroy's top target, has 73 catches for 1,230 yards and 14 scores.
McElroy, in addition, has led Carroll to No. 1 rankings in both the National Prep Football Poll and the Student Sports Fab 50 national poll and a national No. 3 ranking in the USA Today Super 25.
[Click image for a larger version] BRAD LOPER / DMN
BRAD LOPER / DMN
Greg McElroy and Southlake Carroll are riding a 28-game winning streak.
"Going in your senior year and your first year to start, it's tough for anyone," Jacobson said, "but he's done a great job behind a two-time 5A player of the year [Daniel] and another 5A player of the year [Wasson]. He's gotten better from learning from Chase Daniel and being behind him."
Linebacker Patrick Benoist, one of McElroy's closest friends since fifth grade, said McElroy has helped Carroll's defense improve. Benoist and the defense have had to make plays in practice or get embarrassed by the offense's potent attack.
"Greg's a great quarterback, and we get to play against a great corps of receivers every day," Benoist said. "Their offense is so efficient, and we learn a lot from them. It's good to get to see the best because it helps out for game time."
As the team faces unbeaten and state-ranked Abilene on Saturday, it will expect McElroy to continue making the plays necessary to reach the state championship game once again.
It's all about a little perseverance for Carroll, something McElroy has lived on.
"He's dedicated himself to being the best player he could possibly be," Dodge said. "You look at his work going all the way back to when he was a freshman. You look at his work in off-season and in the quarterback training programs. He's just gotten better and better."
Statistics for Southlake Carroll's last three quarterbacks during their senior seasons:
Name Year Stats Comment
Chase Wasson 2002 4,822 yards, 54 TDs Threw for 5A record 512
yards in state title game
Chase Daniel 2004 4,582 yards, 48 TDs Also ran for 1,400
yards and 21 touchdowns
Greg McElroy 2005 3,394 yards, 44 TDs Broke the team's
regular-season passing
TD record
Note: Wasson and Daniel both played in 16 games and won state championships during their senior seasons. McElroy has played in 12 games and is looking to win a state title.
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
how bout them cowboys
some musings from MNF...
• Had Roy Williams not made the pick and the Cowboys not won, Bledsoe would not have been the reason for the loss. Both the offensive and defensive lines got their butts kicked all game long... with maybe the exception of the late TD drive.
• The Cowboys play calling looked very predictable. Run on first down - get stuffed. Pass on second and third down.
• Give Keyshawn the damn ball 8-10 times. He knows what to do with it, and I don't think anyone can question his ability to go over the middle and take a hit...a la Michael Irvin.
• Some props to John Madden for hearing "look for the shovel [pass]" from the Cowboys' linebacker prior to the Eagles running it and the Cowboys stuffing it.
• McNabb didn't look like he was hit that hard trying to make the tackle on Roy Williams, though his pride probably took a big hit. Yeah, I know he's got a sports hernia, but he took bigger hits while scrambling during the game.
• Despite the pick, McNabb is not the goat. He played well most of the game until getting hurt. His INT and Bledsoe's cancel each other out. If the Eagles' WRs don't drop eight balls, there may have been a different outcome and the Eagles may not have been needing to throw at that point.
• The Cowboys deserve to win a game like that after the Redskins and Seahawk debacles.
• Marion Barber getting the lion share of carries scares me. I’m perplexed as to why Julius didn't start or get more carries as he seemed not to be hampered by the ankle and Bill himself has pointed out, Jones is "a more elusive back" than is Barber. But most importantly, Jones doesn't put the ball on the ground. Barber fumbled twice that I saw along with bobbling an exchange from Bledsoe. Barber's fumble on the last drive when they were trying to run out the clock could have been huge in two ways. First, if the Eagles recover, they're already in FG range and most likely win. Second, Barber was on his was to a first down that would have basically ended the game until a weak arm tackle knocked the ball loose. That's something you can’t have on a team looking to advance into the playoffs.
• Had Roy Williams not made the pick and the Cowboys not won, Bledsoe would not have been the reason for the loss. Both the offensive and defensive lines got their butts kicked all game long... with maybe the exception of the late TD drive.
• The Cowboys play calling looked very predictable. Run on first down - get stuffed. Pass on second and third down.
• Give Keyshawn the damn ball 8-10 times. He knows what to do with it, and I don't think anyone can question his ability to go over the middle and take a hit...a la Michael Irvin.
• Some props to John Madden for hearing "look for the shovel [pass]" from the Cowboys' linebacker prior to the Eagles running it and the Cowboys stuffing it.
• McNabb didn't look like he was hit that hard trying to make the tackle on Roy Williams, though his pride probably took a big hit. Yeah, I know he's got a sports hernia, but he took bigger hits while scrambling during the game.
• Despite the pick, McNabb is not the goat. He played well most of the game until getting hurt. His INT and Bledsoe's cancel each other out. If the Eagles' WRs don't drop eight balls, there may have been a different outcome and the Eagles may not have been needing to throw at that point.
• The Cowboys deserve to win a game like that after the Redskins and Seahawk debacles.
• Marion Barber getting the lion share of carries scares me. I’m perplexed as to why Julius didn't start or get more carries as he seemed not to be hampered by the ankle and Bill himself has pointed out, Jones is "a more elusive back" than is Barber. But most importantly, Jones doesn't put the ball on the ground. Barber fumbled twice that I saw along with bobbling an exchange from Bledsoe. Barber's fumble on the last drive when they were trying to run out the clock could have been huge in two ways. First, if the Eagles recover, they're already in FG range and most likely win. Second, Barber was on his was to a first down that would have basically ended the game until a weak arm tackle knocked the ball loose. That's something you can’t have on a team looking to advance into the playoffs.
Monday, November 14, 2005
of condoms and cows
Just scattershooting some here, but what would happen if Texas or USC loses one of their last two games? There would be a bunch of one-loss teams that would be trying to lay claim to that coveted BcS Rose Bowl spot.
The contenders are:
• Miami (8-1): The Hurricanes have won eight in a row since an opening-night loss to Florida State (10-7) on Sept. 5, a game in which they were the better team but managed to lose. After their beat down of Virginia Tech on Nov. 5, it's hard to see anybody playing better.
• LSU (8-1): If not for one regrettable 4th quarter against Tennessee, the Tigers would be 9-0 and right in the middle of a big BcS argument.
• Penn State (9-1): Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions are one play away (a last-second touchdown pass by Michigan) from also being undefeated. Could you see the BcS formula leaving an undefeated Joe Pa out of the Rose Bowl?
• Virginia Tech (8-1): Despite getting thrashed by Miami, this team can beat anybody on a given day. Alabama (9-1), Oregon (9-1), UCLA (9-1), West Virginia (8-1) and a one-loss Texas/USC could all make arguments, but not as compelling as the other four.
Clip and save this. If USC or Texas loses in the next three weeks, it just might come in handy.
So projecting the bowls as things stand now…
• Rose Bowl (BcS Championship), Jan. 4: With Alabama suffering its first loss, the BcS championship game looks like an undisputed No. 1 USC (10-0) vs. No. 2 Texas (10-0). The Trojans do not have a gimme in No. 16 Fresno State (8-1) on Saturday while Texas gets the week off before hosting Texas A&M on Nov. 25. If either stumbles, surging Miami (8-1) is there to step into the BcS championship game.
Projected game: No. 1 USC vs. No. 2 Texas Two words - Go Trojans!
• Orange Bowl, Jan. 3: Miami (8-1), which is No. 3 in today's BcS standings, looks pretty untouchable right now with regular-season games remaining against Georgia Tech and Virginia. If the Hurricanes win out and beat Florida State in the ACC championship game, they likely would host the Big Ten champion in the Orange. That will be Penn State (9-1) if the Nittany Lions can win at Michigan State (5-5) on Saturday.
Projected game: Miami vs. Penn State
• Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 2: The Fiesta still likes Notre Dame (7-2) if the Irish can win their final two games, against Syracuse and Stanford. If Alabama (9-1) beats Auburn on Saturday but does not reach the SEC championship game, the Fiesta could lean heavily toward a Notre Dame-Alabama matchup. If Alabama stumbles on Saturday, don't be surprised if Ohio State (8-2) gets in the mix if the Buckeyes beat Michigan.
Projected game: Notre Dame vs. Alabama
• Sugar Bowl, Jan. 2: LSU (8-1) looks like the team to beat in the SEC right now. Wins over Ole Miss and Arkansas would put the Tigers into the SEC championship game, probably against Georgia. The winner of that game will go to the Sugar to host the Big East champion, probably West Virginia (8-1).
Projected game: LSU vs. West Virginia
The contenders are:
• Miami (8-1): The Hurricanes have won eight in a row since an opening-night loss to Florida State (10-7) on Sept. 5, a game in which they were the better team but managed to lose. After their beat down of Virginia Tech on Nov. 5, it's hard to see anybody playing better.
• LSU (8-1): If not for one regrettable 4th quarter against Tennessee, the Tigers would be 9-0 and right in the middle of a big BcS argument.
• Penn State (9-1): Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions are one play away (a last-second touchdown pass by Michigan) from also being undefeated. Could you see the BcS formula leaving an undefeated Joe Pa out of the Rose Bowl?
• Virginia Tech (8-1): Despite getting thrashed by Miami, this team can beat anybody on a given day. Alabama (9-1), Oregon (9-1), UCLA (9-1), West Virginia (8-1) and a one-loss Texas/USC could all make arguments, but not as compelling as the other four.
Clip and save this. If USC or Texas loses in the next three weeks, it just might come in handy.
So projecting the bowls as things stand now…
• Rose Bowl (BcS Championship), Jan. 4: With Alabama suffering its first loss, the BcS championship game looks like an undisputed No. 1 USC (10-0) vs. No. 2 Texas (10-0). The Trojans do not have a gimme in No. 16 Fresno State (8-1) on Saturday while Texas gets the week off before hosting Texas A&M on Nov. 25. If either stumbles, surging Miami (8-1) is there to step into the BcS championship game.
Projected game: No. 1 USC vs. No. 2 Texas Two words - Go Trojans!
• Orange Bowl, Jan. 3: Miami (8-1), which is No. 3 in today's BcS standings, looks pretty untouchable right now with regular-season games remaining against Georgia Tech and Virginia. If the Hurricanes win out and beat Florida State in the ACC championship game, they likely would host the Big Ten champion in the Orange. That will be Penn State (9-1) if the Nittany Lions can win at Michigan State (5-5) on Saturday.
Projected game: Miami vs. Penn State
• Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 2: The Fiesta still likes Notre Dame (7-2) if the Irish can win their final two games, against Syracuse and Stanford. If Alabama (9-1) beats Auburn on Saturday but does not reach the SEC championship game, the Fiesta could lean heavily toward a Notre Dame-Alabama matchup. If Alabama stumbles on Saturday, don't be surprised if Ohio State (8-2) gets in the mix if the Buckeyes beat Michigan.
Projected game: Notre Dame vs. Alabama
• Sugar Bowl, Jan. 2: LSU (8-1) looks like the team to beat in the SEC right now. Wins over Ole Miss and Arkansas would put the Tigers into the SEC championship game, probably against Georgia. The winner of that game will go to the Sugar to host the Big East champion, probably West Virginia (8-1).
Projected game: LSU vs. West Virginia
Saturday, November 12, 2005
#1 Carroll blows away MacArthur
By TIM MacMAHON / The Dallas Morning News, November 13, 2005
IRVING – Playoff performances don't get much more dominant than Southlake Carroll's against Irving MacArthur. Or so the rest of the teams in Class 5A Division II hope. Defending state and national champion Carroll cruised to a 48-21 victory over Irving MacArthur in a Region I bi-district game that was the nightcap of Saturday's Texas Stadium tripleheader.
High Schools
Imagine how bad it would have been if Carroll's starting quarterback played in the second half. Greg McElroy did plenty of damage before halftime, passing for 278 yards and four touchdowns and rushing for another score. "Let's bottle this up and pour it out every week," Carroll coach Todd Dodge said. Carroll (11-0), the No. 1 team in the nation, has eliminated MacArthur (9-2) in the first round three of the last four seasons. Carroll has recorded the three highest-scoring games against MacArthur during fourth-year coach David Beaty's tenure.
Carroll, which has won 58 of 59 games since its promotion to 5A, advances to play Allen in the area round at noon Saturday at Texas Stadium. Here's how lopsided this game was: Carroll had almost as many points (41) as MacArthur did yards (43) at halftime.
MacArthur, No. 7 in SportsDay's 5A area rankings, didn't pick up a first down until a Carroll offsides penalty with two minutes remaining in the half. MacArthur was scoreless at the half despite linebacker Justin Gent's interception return to the Carroll 7-yard line. That interception might have been McElroy's only mistake. He completed 20 of 24 passes. He had a 1-yard rushing touchdown to cap an 11-play, 80-yard drive on the opening possession.
Carroll's second and third possessions ended with touchdown catches by McKay Jacobson, who had nine catches for 181 yards in the half. Corbin Smiter also had two first-half touchdown catches. Tre' Newton, who gained 90 yards on 15 carries, finished the first-half scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run. Backup Riley Dodge added a 14-yard touchdown pass to James Allen in the third quarter.
MacArthur made the score a bit more respectable because of Ron Brooks' big-play trifecta in the second half. Brooks threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Smith, caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Matt Percle and scored on a 76-yard touchdown run.
McKay Jacobson pulls away from a MacArthur defender
IRVING – Playoff performances don't get much more dominant than Southlake Carroll's against Irving MacArthur. Or so the rest of the teams in Class 5A Division II hope. Defending state and national champion Carroll cruised to a 48-21 victory over Irving MacArthur in a Region I bi-district game that was the nightcap of Saturday's Texas Stadium tripleheader.
High Schools
Imagine how bad it would have been if Carroll's starting quarterback played in the second half. Greg McElroy did plenty of damage before halftime, passing for 278 yards and four touchdowns and rushing for another score. "Let's bottle this up and pour it out every week," Carroll coach Todd Dodge said. Carroll (11-0), the No. 1 team in the nation, has eliminated MacArthur (9-2) in the first round three of the last four seasons. Carroll has recorded the three highest-scoring games against MacArthur during fourth-year coach David Beaty's tenure.
Carroll, which has won 58 of 59 games since its promotion to 5A, advances to play Allen in the area round at noon Saturday at Texas Stadium. Here's how lopsided this game was: Carroll had almost as many points (41) as MacArthur did yards (43) at halftime.
MacArthur, No. 7 in SportsDay's 5A area rankings, didn't pick up a first down until a Carroll offsides penalty with two minutes remaining in the half. MacArthur was scoreless at the half despite linebacker Justin Gent's interception return to the Carroll 7-yard line. That interception might have been McElroy's only mistake. He completed 20 of 24 passes. He had a 1-yard rushing touchdown to cap an 11-play, 80-yard drive on the opening possession.
Carroll's second and third possessions ended with touchdown catches by McKay Jacobson, who had nine catches for 181 yards in the half. Corbin Smiter also had two first-half touchdown catches. Tre' Newton, who gained 90 yards on 15 carries, finished the first-half scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run. Backup Riley Dodge added a 14-yard touchdown pass to James Allen in the third quarter.
MacArthur made the score a bit more respectable because of Ron Brooks' big-play trifecta in the second half. Brooks threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Smith, caught a 22-yard touchdown pass from Matt Percle and scored on a 76-yard touchdown run.
McKay Jacobson pulls away from a MacArthur defender
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