Thursday, December 30, 2010
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl- PREGAME
Good morning, and welcome to the eighth annual Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. This year's game has been moved to Gerald J. Ford Stadium, home of the SMU Mustangs. This was done due to the recent renovations occurring at TCU's Amon Carter Stadium. I mention this for one main reason: SMU is one of the participants in today's game. But don't let that fool you. SMU will probably be the visiting team in terms of crowd size today. Walking through the concourse and on the outer grounds, one can't help but notice all the people decked out in the black and gold colors of Army. The cadets from West Point were granted a slot in today's game due to TCU making it into the BCS, and the Mountain West couldn't furnish another opponent. ANd, it's fitting the Cadets should be here. After all, this is the Armed Forces Bowl. Air Force has played in this game for the past three seasons, and Navy has reached an agreement that, should they become bowl eligible, they will play in this game next season. This is a game that features two old teammates and friends as coaches, as June Jones of SMU will square off against Rich Ellerson of Army. Currently. we're about fifteen minutes from the opening kick-off, and the pomp of the pre-game festivities is about to begin. The Army's Black Knight Parachute Team is making their way down from the Dallas skies, and all branches of the militaryhave their VIP's on the field for the coin toss. It's SMU and Army in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, coming your way today on ESPN at 12 PM, 11 AM CST. Hope everyone can tune in.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Stepping off topic........drop the "COUNTY"
Greetings once again to everyone. I hope the Fall weather is treating everyone well. In some ways, this post continues on the topic of the last posting of forward thinking. Only this time, I'm adding "conviction" to the post. You all know what that is......strictly defined, it means a strong persuasion or belief. And it is with that that I implore all of my Union High School classmates (notice, I didn't put that damn "county" in there) to show some conviction this election season. It is my understanding that some new school board members will be elected this November. Your first question to the candidates should be "If elected, how long will it take you to drop the word "county" from Union High School?" If their answer is anything but "It will be my first prioroty", then don't vote for that candidate. Seriously though, people's politics are their politics. What I believe in might not be the same thing you believe in. But, I really feel that most in Union think that the word "county" in the school's name is silly, short-sighted, and a little moronic. Of course, one could make the argument that since the school is, in fact, in Union County, then it should be named as such. If that's the case, do we call it Spartanburg Couhty High School?
In 1987, the school board voted to remove Marion Parrish as our principal. As a result, we had protests, big meetings at the Truluck Gym and USC-U. We even walked out of class as a sign of protest (thank you, Mr. Bramlett, for "kicking" us all out of the room that morning). We were displaying our conviction. Yes, the measure still went through, but when was the last time you heard of something like that happening out on Peach Orchard Road? I understand that the people of Jonesville and Lockhart will feel slighted if the word is dropped from the moniker. I understand that. To that end, I will say this: My USAF home, the 58th Fighter Squaron, Eglin AFB, FL, was de-activated a few years ago. There is no more 58th, no more 33rd Fighter Wing to speak of. Only history books will document those legacies. The 58th was deactivated because the mission changed, and we had to accept it. The mission changed in Union as well, and to add words to appease a few people seems a bit asinine. Nobody is suggesting that the history of either school that was closed be erased from the record books. In fact, I'm quite sure that Andy Youngblood and Micky Belue, two guys I know that graduated from Jonesville, still speak highly of their school. The same goes for the people of Lockhart. But, as a graduate of Union High School, it bothers me to no end that the name was changed just because of a short-sighted school board that had to back out of an earlier promise.
Maybe I'm just venting, maybe I'm on to something here. Maybe one of my classmates, with children of their own, will see this, and begin to feel the same way. Maybe the classes of the 80's and 90's will all get together and say, as one "I graduated from Union High School", and demand the rightful name be returned. Maybe Will Hickson and his "Noize Boyz" from the early 90's playoff runs will return to do their "Who ya rootin' for.....UHS" cheer once again. If you add an extra letter in there, it REALLY loses it's punch. If you do become "inspired" by this post, Union, to remove the "county" from the school's name, all I ask is one thing...........
Do it with conviction.
Till next time,
Patrick
In 1987, the school board voted to remove Marion Parrish as our principal. As a result, we had protests, big meetings at the Truluck Gym and USC-U. We even walked out of class as a sign of protest (thank you, Mr. Bramlett, for "kicking" us all out of the room that morning). We were displaying our conviction. Yes, the measure still went through, but when was the last time you heard of something like that happening out on Peach Orchard Road? I understand that the people of Jonesville and Lockhart will feel slighted if the word is dropped from the moniker. I understand that. To that end, I will say this: My USAF home, the 58th Fighter Squaron, Eglin AFB, FL, was de-activated a few years ago. There is no more 58th, no more 33rd Fighter Wing to speak of. Only history books will document those legacies. The 58th was deactivated because the mission changed, and we had to accept it. The mission changed in Union as well, and to add words to appease a few people seems a bit asinine. Nobody is suggesting that the history of either school that was closed be erased from the record books. In fact, I'm quite sure that Andy Youngblood and Micky Belue, two guys I know that graduated from Jonesville, still speak highly of their school. The same goes for the people of Lockhart. But, as a graduate of Union High School, it bothers me to no end that the name was changed just because of a short-sighted school board that had to back out of an earlier promise.
Maybe I'm just venting, maybe I'm on to something here. Maybe one of my classmates, with children of their own, will see this, and begin to feel the same way. Maybe the classes of the 80's and 90's will all get together and say, as one "I graduated from Union High School", and demand the rightful name be returned. Maybe Will Hickson and his "Noize Boyz" from the early 90's playoff runs will return to do their "Who ya rootin' for.....UHS" cheer once again. If you add an extra letter in there, it REALLY loses it's punch. If you do become "inspired" by this post, Union, to remove the "county" from the school's name, all I ask is one thing...........
Do it with conviction.
Till next time,
Patrick
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Forward thinking.....some can do it, some can't.
Greetings once again, where we bid farewell to Braves manager Bobby Cox. It's been a great ride, and I got to celebrate a World Series title in 1995. Some will say that there should have been more championships, but I'll take the one, and be happy with it, from a fan's point of view. This comes from a fan that stayed at the park the entire time against the Mets on July 4, 1985. Some may recall it as the 19 inning game. Some may recall it as the game where they shot fireworks in downtown Atlanta at 5 in the morning. In any event, it was great. And I use that team to jump into today's topic: forward thinking. Back then, the Braves biggest draw was Dale Murphy. He was the golden boy. But, they never surrounded him with any talent to be competitive, and eventually, Murphy was traded tho Philadelphia for Jeff Parrett and Jim Vatcher. And, by the time he was dealt, his prime years were used up on a team with no direction. It wasn't till the Braves brought Cox back as the GM that some forward thinking started to creep in to the consciousness. The Tigers will probably never deal with the Braves again, since they were fleeced for John Smoltz for Doyle Alexander. But, when COx went back to the dugout, the Braves got John Schuerholz from Kansas City.....the same Kansas City that won the Series in 1985. And, if you can win there, that pretty much says it all. Schuerholz surrounded the bigger Royals players with complementary pieces to win, the same way he did in Atlanta. But, now that Schuerholz is the team president, it seems that forward thinking has taken the first MARTA bus out of town. Chipper Jones should have been traded two or three years ago, when he still had some value. But, like the Murphy deal, they are holding on to a player that they feel still has something left. I mean, even Tom Glavine and John Smoltz left town. Cox's undoing in this post-season was career minor leaguer Brooks Conrad. His hands-of-stone display in the field cost the Braves Game 3, and ultimately cost them the season. Had someone with a little forward thinking been in command, that would have never happened. Don't believe me? Look at the Yankees. Their ability to seperate emotion from production is almost cold, but it gets results. Tino Martinez? Thanks for the help, but we're going in another direction. Paul O'Neill? We appreciate all you've done, but we're bringing in someone else. They even let Bernie Williams walk, and he was a Yankee legend. But, because they have some forward thinking, they can do things like that. Sure, they have money.....but they assess their needs, and go out and address them. They don't rely on one player to keep them at the top. Their forward thinking is the model that everyone should use, but, sadly, most don't. They'll all say the same thing: "Well, the Yankees just have more money than we do." Ever thought why that is? Forward thinking.....that's what. Once Boston got rid of Dan Duquette and got someone in there that would take some chances, they won 2 championships. Once Texas got rid of their GM that treated the Rangers like a giant fantasy team, and got someone with cache, like Nolan Ryan in there, they started to turn it around. Atlanta, you can do it, too. Next season will be my 30th season as a Braves fan, and I want to see some forward thinking displayed. Don't bring Jones back. Let him go, release him, whatever. Re-tool the team if you have to, and I don't mean with re-treads like Troy Glaus and Eric Hinske. You were already set back with the Teixeira deal when you dealt Elvis Andrus. Bring the kids up, like you did in 1990, run them out there, and let them figure it out on the job. If not, be prepared for Jason Heyward to walk the first moment he can......to the Yankees or Red Sox.
Till next time.......
Patrick
Till next time.......
Patrick
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
NFL through Week 2, Athletic entitlement
OK, through two weeks of NFL competition, many people say it's too earlyto really know. But, is it really too early? We all saw the Cowboys look awful in pre-season, and they sit at 0-2. We all saw the Texans get after it in pre-season, and they sit at 2-0. Coincedentally, those two teams meet in Houston this weekend. Can anyone imagine Dallas going 0-3? For a team that was supposed to contend for the Super Bowl, this season has gotten sideways on them in a hurry, and Wade Phillips isn't the type of coach that can turn it around. Minnesota was another team that was supposed to contend, but their QB looks like he really doesn't want to be there, and they also sit at 0-2. The AFC East was supposed to be the Jets division for the taking. But their star CB is now out for a few weeks with a hamstring injury, and their QB is hit or miss. We'll see. Am I a Dolphins fan? Yes. Am I happy they are 2-0? Yes. Do I think it's going to last? Of course not. I do think they'll contend, and you have to tip your hat to their defensive performance so far. Hey, Tom Olivadotti......this is how the Dolphins are SUPPOSED to play defense. Sorry.....I had to get that last shot in there.
To college football, where Reggie Bush will voluntarily surrender his Heisman trophy to save the Heisman trust from taking it by force. Bush says his giving up the trophy is in no way an admission of guilt or wrongdoing. I beg to differ. If he's not guilty, then why wouldn't he fight to keep his reputation? He, like Pete Rose, is falling on the sword in this case because he doesn't want any dirty laundry aired in public. Which brings me to the entire issue of what these NCAA athletes are specifically entitled to. I keep hearing the same thing: These athletes should be paid because they can't buy "their" jersey from the college bookstore" or "These athletes should be paid because the school makes money off of what they do". They are being paid.....it's called a FREE college education. Go out and price a four year education at a college, room, board, books, tuition, the whole nine yards. These athletes sre getting that for free, and yet, they are still unhappy. In fact, most athletes on scholarship are on partial scholarships, so they have to pick up some of the tab. But, the people crying foul the most are those on full scholarship......go figure. I get that college athletics is a big-time business. I get that the universities are making money hand over fist. But, if we start paying these athletes, where does it end? If we start paying the football team, what do we pay the basketball team? If we start paying the basketball team, what do we pa the baseball team? And, if we start paying the male student-athletes, what do we pay the female student-athletes? It is a slippery slope, to be sure. But, just because one is a student-athlete, appears on TV each week, and his picture is on a school's media guide, or is used on promo material for a particular game, it doesn't mean that individual should be paid. He's already being paid with a free education.
Keeping it with my entitlement issue, there is a lawsuit making its way through the courts that some feel is going to tip this whole pay-the-student-athlete apple cart. It is a suit being brought against the NCAA by former athletes, most notably former UCLA basketball player Ed O'Bannon and former Nebraska QB Sam Keller. Their suit contends that EA Sports used their likenesses in their video games, and the athletes aren't being paid for it. Now, these video games have been around for quite a while. And, I'm quite sure, on some level, that an athlete somewhere aloong the line, thought of this very same topic. But, nobody has really taken it this far. My first question in this whole issue is this: How can you really tell that the image that is part of the game is, in fact, your likeness? Keller's argument on that question states that he is the only QB that played with a visor on his helmet AND used eye black. Really? And my second question in this whole issue is this: If these guys had any kind of career in the pros, would this really be an issue with them? It all seems like a money grab by them, as well as those associated with the suit, because they weren't good enough to make it to the professional level. I seriously hope that somewhere, a judge with an ounce of common sense throws this one out on its ear.
District play is getting ready to start for high school football. Conference play is set to begin for college football. And, of course, baseball is getting ready to start their playoff season. What a great time to be a sports fan. That's about all for now. My thanks to everyone for their support. Till next time...........
Patrick
To college football, where Reggie Bush will voluntarily surrender his Heisman trophy to save the Heisman trust from taking it by force. Bush says his giving up the trophy is in no way an admission of guilt or wrongdoing. I beg to differ. If he's not guilty, then why wouldn't he fight to keep his reputation? He, like Pete Rose, is falling on the sword in this case because he doesn't want any dirty laundry aired in public. Which brings me to the entire issue of what these NCAA athletes are specifically entitled to. I keep hearing the same thing: These athletes should be paid because they can't buy "their" jersey from the college bookstore" or "These athletes should be paid because the school makes money off of what they do". They are being paid.....it's called a FREE college education. Go out and price a four year education at a college, room, board, books, tuition, the whole nine yards. These athletes sre getting that for free, and yet, they are still unhappy. In fact, most athletes on scholarship are on partial scholarships, so they have to pick up some of the tab. But, the people crying foul the most are those on full scholarship......go figure. I get that college athletics is a big-time business. I get that the universities are making money hand over fist. But, if we start paying these athletes, where does it end? If we start paying the football team, what do we pay the basketball team? If we start paying the basketball team, what do we pa the baseball team? And, if we start paying the male student-athletes, what do we pay the female student-athletes? It is a slippery slope, to be sure. But, just because one is a student-athlete, appears on TV each week, and his picture is on a school's media guide, or is used on promo material for a particular game, it doesn't mean that individual should be paid. He's already being paid with a free education.
Keeping it with my entitlement issue, there is a lawsuit making its way through the courts that some feel is going to tip this whole pay-the-student-athlete apple cart. It is a suit being brought against the NCAA by former athletes, most notably former UCLA basketball player Ed O'Bannon and former Nebraska QB Sam Keller. Their suit contends that EA Sports used their likenesses in their video games, and the athletes aren't being paid for it. Now, these video games have been around for quite a while. And, I'm quite sure, on some level, that an athlete somewhere aloong the line, thought of this very same topic. But, nobody has really taken it this far. My first question in this whole issue is this: How can you really tell that the image that is part of the game is, in fact, your likeness? Keller's argument on that question states that he is the only QB that played with a visor on his helmet AND used eye black. Really? And my second question in this whole issue is this: If these guys had any kind of career in the pros, would this really be an issue with them? It all seems like a money grab by them, as well as those associated with the suit, because they weren't good enough to make it to the professional level. I seriously hope that somewhere, a judge with an ounce of common sense throws this one out on its ear.
District play is getting ready to start for high school football. Conference play is set to begin for college football. And, of course, baseball is getting ready to start their playoff season. What a great time to be a sports fan. That's about all for now. My thanks to everyone for their support. Till next time...........
Patrick
Monday, September 06, 2010
College football.....through my eyes
With a new season of college football upon us, I thought for a long time on what to write about after the first full weekend of games. Do I rip teams for scheduling easy wins? Do I hand out praise for teams scheduling some tough games right out of the gate? Or...do I simply wax nostalgic about what I've seen from college football for many years. In the end, waxing nostalgic won out. So, with that in mind, here we go.
I have to give thanks to Mrs. Frances Adams, my second grade teacher from Excelsior Elementary in Union, SC. She took me to my first ever Clemson game when I was in the third grade. Of course, it helped that my folks had a motor home, but that was beside the point. They asked to borrow said motor home to go to the game. My folks probably said on one condition: Take Patrick with you!! But, fro that weekend came my love for college football. Clemson played VPI (now known as Virginia Tech). We got up there on a Friday, went to Tigerama, saw all the Homecoming floats on the campus on Saturday, and did all the things you'd expect to do on a college campus on Homecoming weekend. We parked in a lot behind the library that I think now no longer exists (the parking lot, that is), due to the Strom Thrumond Institute. But, it was a time I'll never forget. As far as memories of college sports go, this one will hold a special place no other memory can touch. But the other memories.......well, let's explore what I've seen through the years.
If I make a list, I'd certainly have to include all the Clemson games I've been to as a kid and as a teenager. That first game to Death Valley (the stadium only had one upper deck then) was great, but other games turned out to be just fine in their own right. I got to see Doug Flutie play there. That was my first time experiencing what it was like for a game to end in a tie (22-22). I was there when they opened the second upper deck. I thought it was the greatest thing in the world to have tickets that said "Section GG", otherwise known as Green Grass, or, The Hill. When I finally made it to Clemson as a student and joined the band, I could always tell how big the game was going to be by how many RV's started showing up on a Tuesday afternoon. You have to get the good parking spots, you know. It is from my time as a Tiger Band member that I experienced a lot in the way of college sports. If I have to make a list, it might read like this:
5. Talahassee- Doak Campbell Stadium. I got to attend games there both pre and post rennovation. Pre-Bowden was when the end zone bleachers were the old high school, wooden seats with Boy Scout troops running around under them, in case something dropped. No kidding. That was their community service project. If a fan dropped something back then, they'd grabb it, and hand it back to its owner. After the rennovation, I'm not sure what they did, since it was all closed in with much nicer seating. Watching the FSU Band warm up at Howser Stadium is pretty neat, too. Of course, when you're on the lawn at the Circus College (again....no kidding. There's a big top oon campus at FSU) enjoying an adult beverage, and you hear the band start The Chop.......it's just great.
4. Columbia- Williams Brice Stadium. And, I can't believe I'm putting them ahead of FSU, since I've been to WAY more games in Tallahassee than Columbia. But, when my sisters went to school there, the late Joe Mirrison was coaching there, and there was a saying: If It Ain't Swaying, We Ain't Playing. Never knew what that meant till I got to go to a game there as a junior high kid. Ironically, USC was playing Florida State. It was the year USC started off 9-0, and lost to Navy the week before the Clemson game. Raynard Brown returned a kick for a touchdown, and then I felt it; the sway of the upper deck. And, I'm not kidding.....this damn thing was moving. Of course, as a kid, I thought it was great. When Sterling Sharpe scored his second TD of the night, it started to feel like a carnival ride. Of course, there have been odd moments here, too. Like, the time we were marching in for the annual Clemson-Carolina game for Tiger Band, and a man jumped out of a motor home, ran right up to our double-file formation, and proceeded to drop his pants and wave....well.....you get the idea. Apparently, he was not a Tiger fan, or he had just started drinking WAY too early.
3. College Station, TX- Kyle Field. Again, I can't believe I'm ranking them on my list, but this is a list of college atmospheres that I've experienced, so this one has to be on here. I didn't get to do the whole thing; no Yell Practice at Midnight (I was in Plainview for a high school game the night before). But, game day here is pretty unique. I was with my father-in-law, and my wife's uncle, both of whom graduated from TAMU. When they met, it was first names only, and the year they graduated. Apparently, that's how Aggies greet each other for the first time. But, we started off at the Dixie Chicken, which, if I called it a hole in the wall would be an insult to holes in the wall all over. This place was a dive. But, it was packed with people going to the game (Clemson was playing there that afternoon), and it was about a 10-to-1 ratio of TAMU to Clemson fans. It was in here that I first learned what it was to "Saw Varsity's horns off", a practice I'm not too fond of today. But, once inside the stadium, with the yells, the cadets, the massive student section, it all makes for a nice gameday atmosphere.
2. Any bowl game day- I've been fortunate enough to attend a few bowl games in my lifetime. Cotton, Alamo, Gator, Armed Forces. For my money, I like the Armed Forces Bowl gameday atmosphere the best. Not because I continue to cover that game (this will be my sixth year to that game in December), but nowhere else will you see: A guy who lost his legs to a roadside bomb make a perfect landing at mid-field, carrying the American flag, and not stumble and fall to the ground. Artificial legs or not.....that was impressive. Of course, the year that 2 Navy F-18's buzzed the field before the game. I mean, they had to be only 200 feet or so off the deck. You could feel the heat off the planes as they did their fly-by......sweet!! Of course, the Alamo Bowl holds a special place, not just because we did a show from there (interviewed a drunk fan who proceeded to drop an expletive on live radio), but the fact that we went to a game in San Antonio and came back all in one day (about 25 hours in all) rocked!!!!!
1. Texas-Oklahoma, Fair Park. Not even close. Not by a long shot. Clemson-Carolina can't touch it. I'm not too sure there are many rivalries that can. Don't believe me? Go to it one day. Just go to the Fair on gameday. Just get the experience from that. To borrow an expression from CBS and The Masters, it is truly a tradition unlike any other. The Fair is divided right down the middle, fans for both schools occupy both sides, then the bands come in. Once that happens, you almost can't hear the guy standing next to you. What was truly amazing about this gameday experience was all the fans in the parking lot that had set up some sort of makeshift TV setup, complete with dish. These were some hardcore people out there, too. But, as college football hospitality dictates, they were always quick to offer some of their food they had on hand, which could feed a small army. If you get the chance, if nothing else, just go to the Fair on the day of this game. You won't be sorry.
That's about it......a small sampling of college football traditions through my eyes. Of course, your list will vary. That's what makes it all so unique. Here's to another great college football season. Till next time...............
Patrick
I have to give thanks to Mrs. Frances Adams, my second grade teacher from Excelsior Elementary in Union, SC. She took me to my first ever Clemson game when I was in the third grade. Of course, it helped that my folks had a motor home, but that was beside the point. They asked to borrow said motor home to go to the game. My folks probably said on one condition: Take Patrick with you!! But, fro that weekend came my love for college football. Clemson played VPI (now known as Virginia Tech). We got up there on a Friday, went to Tigerama, saw all the Homecoming floats on the campus on Saturday, and did all the things you'd expect to do on a college campus on Homecoming weekend. We parked in a lot behind the library that I think now no longer exists (the parking lot, that is), due to the Strom Thrumond Institute. But, it was a time I'll never forget. As far as memories of college sports go, this one will hold a special place no other memory can touch. But the other memories.......well, let's explore what I've seen through the years.
If I make a list, I'd certainly have to include all the Clemson games I've been to as a kid and as a teenager. That first game to Death Valley (the stadium only had one upper deck then) was great, but other games turned out to be just fine in their own right. I got to see Doug Flutie play there. That was my first time experiencing what it was like for a game to end in a tie (22-22). I was there when they opened the second upper deck. I thought it was the greatest thing in the world to have tickets that said "Section GG", otherwise known as Green Grass, or, The Hill. When I finally made it to Clemson as a student and joined the band, I could always tell how big the game was going to be by how many RV's started showing up on a Tuesday afternoon. You have to get the good parking spots, you know. It is from my time as a Tiger Band member that I experienced a lot in the way of college sports. If I have to make a list, it might read like this:
5. Talahassee- Doak Campbell Stadium. I got to attend games there both pre and post rennovation. Pre-Bowden was when the end zone bleachers were the old high school, wooden seats with Boy Scout troops running around under them, in case something dropped. No kidding. That was their community service project. If a fan dropped something back then, they'd grabb it, and hand it back to its owner. After the rennovation, I'm not sure what they did, since it was all closed in with much nicer seating. Watching the FSU Band warm up at Howser Stadium is pretty neat, too. Of course, when you're on the lawn at the Circus College (again....no kidding. There's a big top oon campus at FSU) enjoying an adult beverage, and you hear the band start The Chop.......it's just great.
4. Columbia- Williams Brice Stadium. And, I can't believe I'm putting them ahead of FSU, since I've been to WAY more games in Tallahassee than Columbia. But, when my sisters went to school there, the late Joe Mirrison was coaching there, and there was a saying: If It Ain't Swaying, We Ain't Playing. Never knew what that meant till I got to go to a game there as a junior high kid. Ironically, USC was playing Florida State. It was the year USC started off 9-0, and lost to Navy the week before the Clemson game. Raynard Brown returned a kick for a touchdown, and then I felt it; the sway of the upper deck. And, I'm not kidding.....this damn thing was moving. Of course, as a kid, I thought it was great. When Sterling Sharpe scored his second TD of the night, it started to feel like a carnival ride. Of course, there have been odd moments here, too. Like, the time we were marching in for the annual Clemson-Carolina game for Tiger Band, and a man jumped out of a motor home, ran right up to our double-file formation, and proceeded to drop his pants and wave....well.....you get the idea. Apparently, he was not a Tiger fan, or he had just started drinking WAY too early.
3. College Station, TX- Kyle Field. Again, I can't believe I'm ranking them on my list, but this is a list of college atmospheres that I've experienced, so this one has to be on here. I didn't get to do the whole thing; no Yell Practice at Midnight (I was in Plainview for a high school game the night before). But, game day here is pretty unique. I was with my father-in-law, and my wife's uncle, both of whom graduated from TAMU. When they met, it was first names only, and the year they graduated. Apparently, that's how Aggies greet each other for the first time. But, we started off at the Dixie Chicken, which, if I called it a hole in the wall would be an insult to holes in the wall all over. This place was a dive. But, it was packed with people going to the game (Clemson was playing there that afternoon), and it was about a 10-to-1 ratio of TAMU to Clemson fans. It was in here that I first learned what it was to "Saw Varsity's horns off", a practice I'm not too fond of today. But, once inside the stadium, with the yells, the cadets, the massive student section, it all makes for a nice gameday atmosphere.
2. Any bowl game day- I've been fortunate enough to attend a few bowl games in my lifetime. Cotton, Alamo, Gator, Armed Forces. For my money, I like the Armed Forces Bowl gameday atmosphere the best. Not because I continue to cover that game (this will be my sixth year to that game in December), but nowhere else will you see: A guy who lost his legs to a roadside bomb make a perfect landing at mid-field, carrying the American flag, and not stumble and fall to the ground. Artificial legs or not.....that was impressive. Of course, the year that 2 Navy F-18's buzzed the field before the game. I mean, they had to be only 200 feet or so off the deck. You could feel the heat off the planes as they did their fly-by......sweet!! Of course, the Alamo Bowl holds a special place, not just because we did a show from there (interviewed a drunk fan who proceeded to drop an expletive on live radio), but the fact that we went to a game in San Antonio and came back all in one day (about 25 hours in all) rocked!!!!!
1. Texas-Oklahoma, Fair Park. Not even close. Not by a long shot. Clemson-Carolina can't touch it. I'm not too sure there are many rivalries that can. Don't believe me? Go to it one day. Just go to the Fair on gameday. Just get the experience from that. To borrow an expression from CBS and The Masters, it is truly a tradition unlike any other. The Fair is divided right down the middle, fans for both schools occupy both sides, then the bands come in. Once that happens, you almost can't hear the guy standing next to you. What was truly amazing about this gameday experience was all the fans in the parking lot that had set up some sort of makeshift TV setup, complete with dish. These were some hardcore people out there, too. But, as college football hospitality dictates, they were always quick to offer some of their food they had on hand, which could feed a small army. If you get the chance, if nothing else, just go to the Fair on the day of this game. You won't be sorry.
That's about it......a small sampling of college football traditions through my eyes. Of course, your list will vary. That's what makes it all so unique. Here's to another great college football season. Till next time...............
Patrick
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Football is upon us.......
Well, with the football season getting underway next week (WFHS starts Thursday night), I thought it might be time to get my picks posted, so when I'm right, nobody can say I jumped on a bandwagon. But, I also reserve the right to change them, so I guess that shoots that theory right out of the water!!! Here we go........
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
I don't see defending champion Alabama running the table this season. They've lost WAY too many defensive people (Javier Arenas, Tay Cody, Rolando McClain), and they play six opponents that come off of their bye week this season. I think Ohio State will get picked off somewhere, possibly by Miami early in the season. Florida will spend the whole year comparing their new QB to Tebow, and if this new kid doesn"t break up a press conference after a loss to blubber and cry like a Girl Scout, then he'd better find a new line of work. Texas will be in the mix, as will TCU. But, if Boise State can get by Virginia Tech in Week 1, then they'll have the easiest road to the title game. Wouldn't that make the BCS people angry? So, I'm going to call Boise State vs. Texas in the title game. Call me a homer if you want.....Gilbert looked damn good in the title game last season, and Texas still has Will Muschamp as their defensive coach.
Speaking of Boise, they're leaving the WAC after this season to join the Mountain West. But, BYU threw a HUGE monkey wrench in the works this week by announcing they might want to become an independent in football and play in the WAC in all other sports (similar to Notre Dame). Here's the catch: Yes, BYU has a national following with the Mormons, but they don't have the cache that ND does. ND has a strange deal with the BCS to be automatically included, but I don't think BYU has the clout to get the same deal. Some say BYU is doing this because they're losing Utah as a conference member, and they want to keep that rivalry alive. Others say that BYU is more than a little upset that they didn't get an invite to join the PAC-10. As a fall back, the MWC invited Fresno State and Nevada to join, which they have reportedly accepted. When Boise jumped, the WAC then declared a 5 million dollar penalty to anyone else who defects. We'll see if Fresno and Nevada can come up with the cash. One thing is for sure: Conference realignment isn't over, and super-conferences are only a few seasons away.
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
With the Super Bowl coming to Texas this season (doesn't everybody want to come to Texas?), many people think that the Cowboys will make it to become the first team to "host" a Super Bowl. But, I disagree. I think they'll make the play-offs, but I don't thinnk they'll make it to the BIG game. Here's what will happen division by division:
AFC East- Miami wins it Jets make the wild card (If Revis comes back, these could reverse).
AFC South-Indianapolis wins it. Tennessee could make it interesting.
AFC North- Baltimore wins it, Cincinnati is in the mix.
AFC West-With San Diego losing some key people and Denver relying WAY too much on Tebow, I'm going out on a limb and saying that the Chiefs will win this division.
NFC East- Dallas wins it, Philadelphia takes the wild card (Eagles have a Texan at QB....of course they'll be good).
NFC South- New Orleans wins it, Atlanta makes the wild card.
NFC North- Green Bay wins it, Minnesota makes the wild card.
NFC West- San Francisco.....no contest here.
Out of all these teams, I pick Baltimore and Green Bay to be in the Super Bowl.
Again, WFHS gets it going Thursday night against Burkburnett at Memorial Stadium. More details to follow on the air-time. Hope everyone is ready for some football. Till next time.....
Patrick
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
I don't see defending champion Alabama running the table this season. They've lost WAY too many defensive people (Javier Arenas, Tay Cody, Rolando McClain), and they play six opponents that come off of their bye week this season. I think Ohio State will get picked off somewhere, possibly by Miami early in the season. Florida will spend the whole year comparing their new QB to Tebow, and if this new kid doesn"t break up a press conference after a loss to blubber and cry like a Girl Scout, then he'd better find a new line of work. Texas will be in the mix, as will TCU. But, if Boise State can get by Virginia Tech in Week 1, then they'll have the easiest road to the title game. Wouldn't that make the BCS people angry? So, I'm going to call Boise State vs. Texas in the title game. Call me a homer if you want.....Gilbert looked damn good in the title game last season, and Texas still has Will Muschamp as their defensive coach.
Speaking of Boise, they're leaving the WAC after this season to join the Mountain West. But, BYU threw a HUGE monkey wrench in the works this week by announcing they might want to become an independent in football and play in the WAC in all other sports (similar to Notre Dame). Here's the catch: Yes, BYU has a national following with the Mormons, but they don't have the cache that ND does. ND has a strange deal with the BCS to be automatically included, but I don't think BYU has the clout to get the same deal. Some say BYU is doing this because they're losing Utah as a conference member, and they want to keep that rivalry alive. Others say that BYU is more than a little upset that they didn't get an invite to join the PAC-10. As a fall back, the MWC invited Fresno State and Nevada to join, which they have reportedly accepted. When Boise jumped, the WAC then declared a 5 million dollar penalty to anyone else who defects. We'll see if Fresno and Nevada can come up with the cash. One thing is for sure: Conference realignment isn't over, and super-conferences are only a few seasons away.
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
With the Super Bowl coming to Texas this season (doesn't everybody want to come to Texas?), many people think that the Cowboys will make it to become the first team to "host" a Super Bowl. But, I disagree. I think they'll make the play-offs, but I don't thinnk they'll make it to the BIG game. Here's what will happen division by division:
AFC East- Miami wins it Jets make the wild card (If Revis comes back, these could reverse).
AFC South-Indianapolis wins it. Tennessee could make it interesting.
AFC North- Baltimore wins it, Cincinnati is in the mix.
AFC West-With San Diego losing some key people and Denver relying WAY too much on Tebow, I'm going out on a limb and saying that the Chiefs will win this division.
NFC East- Dallas wins it, Philadelphia takes the wild card (Eagles have a Texan at QB....of course they'll be good).
NFC South- New Orleans wins it, Atlanta makes the wild card.
NFC North- Green Bay wins it, Minnesota makes the wild card.
NFC West- San Francisco.....no contest here.
Out of all these teams, I pick Baltimore and Green Bay to be in the Super Bowl.
Again, WFHS gets it going Thursday night against Burkburnett at Memorial Stadium. More details to follow on the air-time. Hope everyone is ready for some football. Till next time.....
Patrick
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Backing off.....just a bit, NBA, NFL
Hello once again
Good to be back after a vacation to South Carolina. I still can't get used to SC's speed limit still stuck at 55, but maybe, someday soon, that will change. Now.....on to the sports.
It has come to light recently that the UNC Tarheel football program was going to be investigated by the NCAA. My first reaction to this story was "What....Butch Davis has another dirty program (Miami)? Give them the death penalty!!!" But, as my partner on the TV show, Tim McMillan said, the death penalty should probably never be used again, and that we should wait to see what the rest of the facts are. Well.....here we go. It has now come to light that Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia have players that are also under scrutiny from the NCAA. Now, there are always 2 sides to an issue like this, and I see both of them. The sides are: 1. These kids are not getting "paid", per se, and that if someone wants to give them a little money to, say, go out to eat, then that's OK. I always thought the NCAA was wrong for hammering Utah's basketball program when former coach Rick Majerus bought a kid a slice of pizza at the airport as the kid was going home to bury his mother (true story). And the other side is: 2. These kids are, in fact, getting paid in the form of a "free" education, with room and board. All they have to do is play a game to get a free education. And, make no mistake about it, college athletics has become a huge business. Look at the money being thrown out by ABC/ESPN, CBS, FOX, and other subsidiaries to broadcast games. And, as such, if everyone is making a ton of money, the athletes feel they should receive some sort of stipend for their efforts. But, old-school as I am, I feel that they should go to class, go to practice, play in their given sport, and zip their mouths closed. The big complaint among athletes is that they see "their" jersey in the college bookstore, but they can't afford to buy it, since they don't get any money. Horse feathers!!! One, it's not "their" jersey, it belongs to the school, and two, once you leave school, you won't have any student loans to pay off.....go buy you a jersey then. But, this whole case has brought to light, once again, the seedy side of sports agents and their minions. Alabama coach Rick Saban likened them to pimps. He's also tossed about the idea of closing off the campus to NFL scouts, something that has the big league scared to death. We really haven't heard any kind of agent contact like this since the UNLV basketball team of the early 1990's. Are any of the athletes at the above mentioned schools guilty? Who knows....but one thing is certain. I'd kind of dismiss it if it were just one school, or one kid. But the fact that it's multiple schools and multiple athletes, it sort of has a ring of truth to it. We'll have to wait and see what the NCAA or the individual schools find out before we can really see how much of a problem there really is.
To the NBA, where New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul wants out of the Crescent City, and I can't blame him. The Hornets are in the midst of a huge house-cleaning, and Paul feels that the team is not headed in the right direction anymore. Most people are saying Paul saw all the attention lavished upon LeBron James and Chris Bosh in their recent free-agency, and he wants in on the act. Since James left Cleveland, everyone is saying that he's "tarnished" his legacy, that his "brand" has taken a hit, and that he's just plain greedy. Well......if he wins a title, all of that will be fotgotten. And, if Paul can engineer a way out of New Orleans, then good for him. It doesn't have anything to do with a so-called "LeBron effect", it has everything to do with the fact that soon-to-be former Hornet owner George Shinn has bled the franchise completely dry, and Paul doesn't want to stick around for a rebuilding period.
In the NFL, many teams are getting ready to report to training camp. But, with that as a backdrop, why has nobody really asked the question that teams need to sign their draft picks a bit earlier to avoid any confusion before camp. I mean, the NFL Draft was in April, here we are in July. Was there not enough time to get a deal done in between time? This should be the final year we see rookies get monster deals, too. The owner's side of the table has, for some reason, asked the Player's Association to, once aain, save the owner's from themselves. It's looking like rigiht now, we could be headed for a work stoppage in the NFL next season, and some of it comes from the revenue system. Leave it to 32 spoiled billionaires to kill the golden goose. It makes me love college football all that much more.
Sorry I haven't posted for a bit. High school football starts in 4 1/2 weeks. We'll be back on the radio this fall, with the internet broadcast to be posted the following day. Hope everyone can tune in this season. We'd love to have you on board. That's all for today.
Till next time.............
Patrick
Good to be back after a vacation to South Carolina. I still can't get used to SC's speed limit still stuck at 55, but maybe, someday soon, that will change. Now.....on to the sports.
It has come to light recently that the UNC Tarheel football program was going to be investigated by the NCAA. My first reaction to this story was "What....Butch Davis has another dirty program (Miami)? Give them the death penalty!!!" But, as my partner on the TV show, Tim McMillan said, the death penalty should probably never be used again, and that we should wait to see what the rest of the facts are. Well.....here we go. It has now come to light that Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia have players that are also under scrutiny from the NCAA. Now, there are always 2 sides to an issue like this, and I see both of them. The sides are: 1. These kids are not getting "paid", per se, and that if someone wants to give them a little money to, say, go out to eat, then that's OK. I always thought the NCAA was wrong for hammering Utah's basketball program when former coach Rick Majerus bought a kid a slice of pizza at the airport as the kid was going home to bury his mother (true story). And the other side is: 2. These kids are, in fact, getting paid in the form of a "free" education, with room and board. All they have to do is play a game to get a free education. And, make no mistake about it, college athletics has become a huge business. Look at the money being thrown out by ABC/ESPN, CBS, FOX, and other subsidiaries to broadcast games. And, as such, if everyone is making a ton of money, the athletes feel they should receive some sort of stipend for their efforts. But, old-school as I am, I feel that they should go to class, go to practice, play in their given sport, and zip their mouths closed. The big complaint among athletes is that they see "their" jersey in the college bookstore, but they can't afford to buy it, since they don't get any money. Horse feathers!!! One, it's not "their" jersey, it belongs to the school, and two, once you leave school, you won't have any student loans to pay off.....go buy you a jersey then. But, this whole case has brought to light, once again, the seedy side of sports agents and their minions. Alabama coach Rick Saban likened them to pimps. He's also tossed about the idea of closing off the campus to NFL scouts, something that has the big league scared to death. We really haven't heard any kind of agent contact like this since the UNLV basketball team of the early 1990's. Are any of the athletes at the above mentioned schools guilty? Who knows....but one thing is certain. I'd kind of dismiss it if it were just one school, or one kid. But the fact that it's multiple schools and multiple athletes, it sort of has a ring of truth to it. We'll have to wait and see what the NCAA or the individual schools find out before we can really see how much of a problem there really is.
To the NBA, where New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul wants out of the Crescent City, and I can't blame him. The Hornets are in the midst of a huge house-cleaning, and Paul feels that the team is not headed in the right direction anymore. Most people are saying Paul saw all the attention lavished upon LeBron James and Chris Bosh in their recent free-agency, and he wants in on the act. Since James left Cleveland, everyone is saying that he's "tarnished" his legacy, that his "brand" has taken a hit, and that he's just plain greedy. Well......if he wins a title, all of that will be fotgotten. And, if Paul can engineer a way out of New Orleans, then good for him. It doesn't have anything to do with a so-called "LeBron effect", it has everything to do with the fact that soon-to-be former Hornet owner George Shinn has bled the franchise completely dry, and Paul doesn't want to stick around for a rebuilding period.
In the NFL, many teams are getting ready to report to training camp. But, with that as a backdrop, why has nobody really asked the question that teams need to sign their draft picks a bit earlier to avoid any confusion before camp. I mean, the NFL Draft was in April, here we are in July. Was there not enough time to get a deal done in between time? This should be the final year we see rookies get monster deals, too. The owner's side of the table has, for some reason, asked the Player's Association to, once aain, save the owner's from themselves. It's looking like rigiht now, we could be headed for a work stoppage in the NFL next season, and some of it comes from the revenue system. Leave it to 32 spoiled billionaires to kill the golden goose. It makes me love college football all that much more.
Sorry I haven't posted for a bit. High school football starts in 4 1/2 weeks. We'll be back on the radio this fall, with the internet broadcast to be posted the following day. Hope everyone can tune in this season. We'd love to have you on board. That's all for today.
Till next time.............
Patrick
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Super-team in South Florida, SEC's wide open status...
Hello once again to everyone......
To the NBA, where the free agency period has been fast and furious. Most everything that was predicted to happen has, in fact, come to pass. But, we were all waiting for the "Big 3" as pertains to free agency (apologies to the Celtics) to let us all know where they were going to play. The only thing we knew for sure going into this was that Chris Bosh would not return to Toronto. And, that shouldn't be a shock. Toronto, at first, tried to placate Bosh by offering the maximum deal. Bosh, to his defense, said he wanted to test the market, but would give Toronto a fair shot at signing him. Then, word came out that Toronto wanted to dictate where Bosh went via a sign-and-trade deal. This, of course, struck a nerve with Bosh, who wanted to be the one who decided on his career, and not someone else. So, once the animosity started to reveal itself, we all knew Bosh was gone from the Raptors. But then, we heard DeWayne Wade was leaning towards Chicago because of his kids being there, and the fact they already had some nice pieces in place with Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. So, we had all these pieces moving at one time until yesterday, when Wade and Bosh both announced they would sign with the Miami Heat. Now, earlier this month, Wade and Bosh were reported to have had a "sit-down" with LeBron James to see what the landscape was going to be, and what teams could take them on. Jump to today, where James is having a press conference tonight on ESPN in an hour-long show to announce where he is going to play. Now, the thing to remember in all of this is three words as pertains to the state of Florida: No State Tax. If James does indeed leave money on the table as he is reported to do if he signs in Miami, he'll still get comparable money due to the tax issue. So, while it seems that James will join Bosh and Wade in Miami, the population of Cleveland seems to be souring on the whole thing. It went from "LeBron, please stay", to "LeBron, this is home", and now to "If LeBron goes on national TV and stabs us in the back, it's the most classless, disgusting thing ever!!" Hyperbole, to say the least.
So, if you're from Chicago, New York, or New Jersey, and you're a fan of those teams, how do you feel now about coming in second place in the free agent sweepstakes? Chicago went from making room in the trophy case for another title to picking up the pieces in a matter of hours. New Jersey was never really a player, despite their new owner. And, New York put a lot of their eggs in the Amar'e Stoudemire basket, so they still have a slim outside chance, but it's highly unlikely. Tune in to ESPN tonight to see where James will make his NBA home.
To college football, where I was asked a question on the TV show the other night, and that was "Who do you think will be a surprise team in college football this season"? Well, I mentally went through a list, and started eliminating teams, mostly based on conferences. And, when I got to the SEC, it made me think a little harder. Let's start at the top: Alabama doesn't have Javier Arenas, Tay Cody, Rolando McClain, or the favorable home schedule this season, and they'll enter the season as the defending national champions, so they'll get everyone's best shot week in, week out. I don't think they'll run the table as they did last season. LSU is always a player out west, but they always seem to trip up on Arkansas at the end of the season. Ole Miss could make a run, but I just don't see that one either. In the eastern division, UGA has a huge cloud hanging over the program there with the resignation of their AD (charged with DUI last week) and Mark Richt is on a bit of a hot seat there. Kentucky.....well....no comment. Same thing for Vanderbilt. That leaves Tennessee (new coach, new staff, and trying to get over the whole Lane Kiffin debacle) and Florida (how will Meyer's health affect them in the post-Tebow era?) as teams that could possibly be a wild card, leaving.......God help me for saying this.......South Carolina as the picture of stability in the SEC East. Plus, their baseball team just won the national title, so it'll be a bit of a challenge to the rest of the teams there in Columbia to step it up. Can Spurrier put another run together? Who knows.....but, speaking from a continuity and stability standpoint, I think they could be a contender in the SEC this fall.
It's a great time in the sports world, folks. MLB's All-Star Game is next week, the World Cup final is Sunday, and NASCAR hits the home stretch before getting ready for the Chase. Oh, did I mention that training camps will soon open for the NFL? Hope everyone is having a great summer. Till next time..................
Patrick
To the NBA, where the free agency period has been fast and furious. Most everything that was predicted to happen has, in fact, come to pass. But, we were all waiting for the "Big 3" as pertains to free agency (apologies to the Celtics) to let us all know where they were going to play. The only thing we knew for sure going into this was that Chris Bosh would not return to Toronto. And, that shouldn't be a shock. Toronto, at first, tried to placate Bosh by offering the maximum deal. Bosh, to his defense, said he wanted to test the market, but would give Toronto a fair shot at signing him. Then, word came out that Toronto wanted to dictate where Bosh went via a sign-and-trade deal. This, of course, struck a nerve with Bosh, who wanted to be the one who decided on his career, and not someone else. So, once the animosity started to reveal itself, we all knew Bosh was gone from the Raptors. But then, we heard DeWayne Wade was leaning towards Chicago because of his kids being there, and the fact they already had some nice pieces in place with Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. So, we had all these pieces moving at one time until yesterday, when Wade and Bosh both announced they would sign with the Miami Heat. Now, earlier this month, Wade and Bosh were reported to have had a "sit-down" with LeBron James to see what the landscape was going to be, and what teams could take them on. Jump to today, where James is having a press conference tonight on ESPN in an hour-long show to announce where he is going to play. Now, the thing to remember in all of this is three words as pertains to the state of Florida: No State Tax. If James does indeed leave money on the table as he is reported to do if he signs in Miami, he'll still get comparable money due to the tax issue. So, while it seems that James will join Bosh and Wade in Miami, the population of Cleveland seems to be souring on the whole thing. It went from "LeBron, please stay", to "LeBron, this is home", and now to "If LeBron goes on national TV and stabs us in the back, it's the most classless, disgusting thing ever!!" Hyperbole, to say the least.
So, if you're from Chicago, New York, or New Jersey, and you're a fan of those teams, how do you feel now about coming in second place in the free agent sweepstakes? Chicago went from making room in the trophy case for another title to picking up the pieces in a matter of hours. New Jersey was never really a player, despite their new owner. And, New York put a lot of their eggs in the Amar'e Stoudemire basket, so they still have a slim outside chance, but it's highly unlikely. Tune in to ESPN tonight to see where James will make his NBA home.
To college football, where I was asked a question on the TV show the other night, and that was "Who do you think will be a surprise team in college football this season"? Well, I mentally went through a list, and started eliminating teams, mostly based on conferences. And, when I got to the SEC, it made me think a little harder. Let's start at the top: Alabama doesn't have Javier Arenas, Tay Cody, Rolando McClain, or the favorable home schedule this season, and they'll enter the season as the defending national champions, so they'll get everyone's best shot week in, week out. I don't think they'll run the table as they did last season. LSU is always a player out west, but they always seem to trip up on Arkansas at the end of the season. Ole Miss could make a run, but I just don't see that one either. In the eastern division, UGA has a huge cloud hanging over the program there with the resignation of their AD (charged with DUI last week) and Mark Richt is on a bit of a hot seat there. Kentucky.....well....no comment. Same thing for Vanderbilt. That leaves Tennessee (new coach, new staff, and trying to get over the whole Lane Kiffin debacle) and Florida (how will Meyer's health affect them in the post-Tebow era?) as teams that could possibly be a wild card, leaving.......God help me for saying this.......South Carolina as the picture of stability in the SEC East. Plus, their baseball team just won the national title, so it'll be a bit of a challenge to the rest of the teams there in Columbia to step it up. Can Spurrier put another run together? Who knows.....but, speaking from a continuity and stability standpoint, I think they could be a contender in the SEC this fall.
It's a great time in the sports world, folks. MLB's All-Star Game is next week, the World Cup final is Sunday, and NASCAR hits the home stretch before getting ready for the Chase. Oh, did I mention that training camps will soon open for the NFL? Hope everyone is having a great summer. Till next time..................
Patrick
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
The V Foundation, Gamecocks win, Free Agency...the great oxymoron
Hello once again to everyone....
It's not often that I stand up and stump for a cause, but when I do, I put a great deal of effort behind it. And.....when one thinks about it, nobody is really immune from it. It has affected everyone at some level. I'm talking about cancer. I bring this uncomfortable topic up because the V Foundation is getting ready to have its annual ESPN Radio Auction (09 July) to benefit cancer research. Over the years, ESPN has really boosted the funds of the V Foundation with this auction, and they couldn't have done it without the generous donations of everyone out there. You can wait for the radio auction day to make your donation, and ESPN usually has some great items available for bids that day. Or, if that's a bit out of your league, you can call 1-800-4JimmyV and make your donation. You can also go to their website and donate as well. Just go to your favorite search engine and type in The V Foundation. Also, on their website, you can watch the most stirring speech the ESPY's has ever had. Jim Valvano's final speech is on the website, but be warned.......you will get either chills or teary-eyed. I can still remember the final words of his speech....."Cancer can take all of my physical abilities....but it cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart, and it cannot touch my soul. And those three things are going to live on forever." We've all had to face this disease in our families at one time or another. If you can only donate five dollars, that's five more dollars they have to fight cancer. Please log on or call 1-800-4JimmyV to make your donation.
To Omaha, where I usually don't like to say I was right( OK, yes I do), but I said in the last post that I thought South Carolina and TCU were playing the best baseball of those left in Omaha, and I thought those two teams would be in the final series. USC beat Clemson (yeah.....what a stunner) in two straight games to claim their spot in the Finals. UCLA beat TCU in their third game to make up the other half. After winning Game 1, USC had to go to extra innings to win the game, the series, a national championship, and to close out decades of history at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha. I know my nephew is walking on air this morning because of this win. Tip your hat to the Gamecocks. They got in a bit of trouble early on with their loss to Oklahoma. But, they went on a great run, culminating in a championship. And, Clemson......take notes on this one. This is what championship teams do......they finish. They close the deal, and they do NOT accept mediocrity. Congratulations Gamecocks. You deserve it.
To the NBA, where the biggest oxymoron in sports is about to take place with NBA free agency. Now, with the likes of LeBron James, DeWayne Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Bosh and Paul Pierce available for the taking, these guys will be anything but free! But, with word coming out of Miami that Wade has met with James and Bosh in an effort to get them to South Beach, it seems as if the remaining big ticket free agents will re-sign with their old teams. Miami and Chicago have the most salary cap space, with about 30 million available for both clubs to work with. But....Miami only has two guys under contract right now, and if they go the Wade-James-Bosh route, how much money will be available to fill out the rest of the team? And, in Chicago, owner Jerry Reinsdorf has never paid the luxury tax for going over the cap, and if he signs James, will he open the wallet to keep Derrick Rose when its time, or Joakim Noah? His propensity to throw money around like manhole covers is part of the reason the Jordan dynasty broke apart. Plus....if you're LeBron, do you really want to go to a city to where you'll always be judged by what Jordan accomplished? If LeBron goes to Chicago and wins a title, there will be those that will say "So what.....Jordan won six". It's all very interesting, and it all gets underway tonight at midnight. Stay tuned for more developments.
To the NFL, where it seems some people still don't get it. And, when one of those people is named Michael Vick, you really have to wonder what kind of thought processes go through his head. He threw a 30th birthday bash at a Virginia Beach night club. On the surface, that's not so bad. But.....when you add in that: 1. Someone was shot outside the club where the party was held. 2. The man that was shot is one Quannis Phillips, one of Vick's co-defendants in his dogfighting case, and the same co-defendant that Vick has been ordered to stay away from. Vick's initial defense in all of this was that he didn't invite Phillips to the party. But, authorities have documents where Vick posted on Facebook and Twitter that he was having a party, so the argument could be made that he, indeed, invited Phillips to the party. Today, evidence has surfaced that the timeline that Vick initially gave authorities is somewhat skewed. My question is this: If you've gotten a second chance to play in the NFL, and the team you play for traded their top QB to make room for you....how in the heck do you even think of doing something like this? I said it before, when it all went down, and I'll call for it once again here: Permanently suspend Vick from the NFL. If he wants to be a knucklehead, let him do so at his own peril. It's clear that he just doesn't get it, and he probably never will. I'm sorry, Eagles, you now have to deal with this mess.
With the 4th of July coming up, I'd like to take this opportunity to say "Happy Anniversary" to my father, Art. What a dad!!!! I was 15 years old, and he toook me to a baseball game in Atlanta, the one that turned out to go 19 innings versus the Mets, and the Braves still lost 16-13. Did I mention there were two rain delays, and the game took almost twelve hours to finish? Oh yeah......and Dad had to go to work the next morning. What a night in Atlanta!!!!
Hope everyone has a safe and Happy 4th. Till next time.................
Patrick
It's not often that I stand up and stump for a cause, but when I do, I put a great deal of effort behind it. And.....when one thinks about it, nobody is really immune from it. It has affected everyone at some level. I'm talking about cancer. I bring this uncomfortable topic up because the V Foundation is getting ready to have its annual ESPN Radio Auction (09 July) to benefit cancer research. Over the years, ESPN has really boosted the funds of the V Foundation with this auction, and they couldn't have done it without the generous donations of everyone out there. You can wait for the radio auction day to make your donation, and ESPN usually has some great items available for bids that day. Or, if that's a bit out of your league, you can call 1-800-4JimmyV and make your donation. You can also go to their website and donate as well. Just go to your favorite search engine and type in The V Foundation. Also, on their website, you can watch the most stirring speech the ESPY's has ever had. Jim Valvano's final speech is on the website, but be warned.......you will get either chills or teary-eyed. I can still remember the final words of his speech....."Cancer can take all of my physical abilities....but it cannot touch my mind, it cannot touch my heart, and it cannot touch my soul. And those three things are going to live on forever." We've all had to face this disease in our families at one time or another. If you can only donate five dollars, that's five more dollars they have to fight cancer. Please log on or call 1-800-4JimmyV to make your donation.
To Omaha, where I usually don't like to say I was right( OK, yes I do), but I said in the last post that I thought South Carolina and TCU were playing the best baseball of those left in Omaha, and I thought those two teams would be in the final series. USC beat Clemson (yeah.....what a stunner) in two straight games to claim their spot in the Finals. UCLA beat TCU in their third game to make up the other half. After winning Game 1, USC had to go to extra innings to win the game, the series, a national championship, and to close out decades of history at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha. I know my nephew is walking on air this morning because of this win. Tip your hat to the Gamecocks. They got in a bit of trouble early on with their loss to Oklahoma. But, they went on a great run, culminating in a championship. And, Clemson......take notes on this one. This is what championship teams do......they finish. They close the deal, and they do NOT accept mediocrity. Congratulations Gamecocks. You deserve it.
To the NBA, where the biggest oxymoron in sports is about to take place with NBA free agency. Now, with the likes of LeBron James, DeWayne Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Chris Bosh and Paul Pierce available for the taking, these guys will be anything but free! But, with word coming out of Miami that Wade has met with James and Bosh in an effort to get them to South Beach, it seems as if the remaining big ticket free agents will re-sign with their old teams. Miami and Chicago have the most salary cap space, with about 30 million available for both clubs to work with. But....Miami only has two guys under contract right now, and if they go the Wade-James-Bosh route, how much money will be available to fill out the rest of the team? And, in Chicago, owner Jerry Reinsdorf has never paid the luxury tax for going over the cap, and if he signs James, will he open the wallet to keep Derrick Rose when its time, or Joakim Noah? His propensity to throw money around like manhole covers is part of the reason the Jordan dynasty broke apart. Plus....if you're LeBron, do you really want to go to a city to where you'll always be judged by what Jordan accomplished? If LeBron goes to Chicago and wins a title, there will be those that will say "So what.....Jordan won six". It's all very interesting, and it all gets underway tonight at midnight. Stay tuned for more developments.
To the NFL, where it seems some people still don't get it. And, when one of those people is named Michael Vick, you really have to wonder what kind of thought processes go through his head. He threw a 30th birthday bash at a Virginia Beach night club. On the surface, that's not so bad. But.....when you add in that: 1. Someone was shot outside the club where the party was held. 2. The man that was shot is one Quannis Phillips, one of Vick's co-defendants in his dogfighting case, and the same co-defendant that Vick has been ordered to stay away from. Vick's initial defense in all of this was that he didn't invite Phillips to the party. But, authorities have documents where Vick posted on Facebook and Twitter that he was having a party, so the argument could be made that he, indeed, invited Phillips to the party. Today, evidence has surfaced that the timeline that Vick initially gave authorities is somewhat skewed. My question is this: If you've gotten a second chance to play in the NFL, and the team you play for traded their top QB to make room for you....how in the heck do you even think of doing something like this? I said it before, when it all went down, and I'll call for it once again here: Permanently suspend Vick from the NFL. If he wants to be a knucklehead, let him do so at his own peril. It's clear that he just doesn't get it, and he probably never will. I'm sorry, Eagles, you now have to deal with this mess.
With the 4th of July coming up, I'd like to take this opportunity to say "Happy Anniversary" to my father, Art. What a dad!!!! I was 15 years old, and he toook me to a baseball game in Atlanta, the one that turned out to go 19 innings versus the Mets, and the Braves still lost 16-13. Did I mention there were two rain delays, and the game took almost twelve hours to finish? Oh yeah......and Dad had to go to work the next morning. What a night in Atlanta!!!!
Hope everyone has a safe and Happy 4th. Till next time.................
Patrick
Thursday, June 24, 2010
A big mess in Arlington, World Cup, College World Series....it's all a mess!!!
Welcome back everyone. I'm still pumped about the way the US World Cup team defeated Algeria yesterday, so if I start to sound a little excited, there's your reason. And, while I'm on that topic, I hope the guy at the London paper that ran the front page headline "England, Algeria, Slovenia, Yanks"....or EASY.....I hope he is hearing it from his readers today. Maybe Beckham won't be coming back to the States after all......not that we'd really miss him.
To Arlington, Texas now, where a bankruptcy judge has apparently sided with Rangers owner Tom Hicks in the sale of the team. Hicks had reached an agreement with a group headed by Nolan Ryan, but when another prospective buyer tried to enter the party, he was told that his name was not on the list, so to speak. Ah, but never underestimate the power of greed. Hicks heard about this individual, and met with him anyway, hearing basically what he wanted to hear. This new guy would offer more money than the Ryan group. Now, understand, in all of this, it's not really about the fact that Hicks defaulted on loans, or the fact that his Southwest Sports Group (he's selling the Stars too, by the way) got WAY too big for anyone to successfully manage. Hicks saw the writing on the wall, or on Randol Mill Road, as it would be in this case. Jerry Jones put his Cowboys in a HUGE stadium not 500 yards from Hicks' front door in Arlington. And, I don't have to tell anyone from Texas this fact: When faced with a choice of baseball or football, most Texans are going to the pigskin. So now, here sits Hicks, in what used to be his own playground, not getting what he perceives to be his "rightful share" of the money being generated on the corner. And believe me.......it might as well be another US Mint site with all the money generated there. So Hicks defaults on a bunch of his loans, tells his creditors he's broke, and he wants out of baseball (kind of like Tom Osborne, taking all his toys and going home). MLB obliges, and all parties reach what was supposed to be a solid agreement with the Ryan group. Here's where the greed comes into play. Because the price from the Ryan group won't fully square Hicks with his creditors, he complains that he's getting the short end of the stick. Obviously, the creditors object to the sale, since they wouldn't be getting their full dollar amount, but who does, really, in a bankruptcy case? So, for now, Hicks gets to be the owner of the Rangers, and try to squeeze every last penny he can out of this sale. He's got the money to walk away right now, but he's too damned arrogant for that. Despite the Rangers having a great season, the football season can't get here fast enough, so I can quit seeing Tom Hicks on the front page of my Star-Telegram, complaining of poverty. Do us all a favor Tom: Sell the team, walk away, and don't come back. Your usefulness has run its course.
How about that Wimbledon match? John Isner and Nocholas Mahut went 11 hours, 183 games, and finally ended in a 70-68 tiebreaker in the fifth set. Even if you're just a casual tennis fan, this has to pique your interest. Poor Isner, though. He has to play again tomorrow. Will he have anything left after this?
Italy lost today to Paraguay, and will not make it out of the group stage in World Cup. The defending champions, who played France in the last World Cup Final, at least had a better time than France did. Their whole team basically quit in mid-tournament following their coach's decision to send a player home that had verbally abused him. In other World Cup news, when Portugal defeated North Korea by a score of 7-0, it was reported that the entire Korean team would be sent to the country's coal mines to attone for their loss. Why can't it just be about sport, people, and, for once, not have some sort of political implications?
To Omaha, where the last bastion of pure college sport will bow out to the almighty dollar. This will be the final season that Rosenblatt Stadium will host the College World Series. The Series will move to a brand spanking new stadium starting next season, because God forbid, we have some tradition on baseball. But, as it stands right now, Clemson is in the catbird seat by virtue of wins over Arizona State and Oklahoma. For those of you keeping score (Alex and Miss Betty), that's Clemson 2 Oklahoma 0 in all-time meetings. But, let me just take this moment to caution all my fellow Clemson fans out there. I've heard this song before, and I know how it ends. Every time the Tigers have an opportunity to be great, they collapse. That's why I'm not getting excited about their chances right now. Don't believe me? Look at their last seasons of "big-time" sports. The football team was mediocre, at best, but had a chance to play for the conference championship. What happened? Collapsed under the pressure. The basketball team made it to the NCAA's, though I really don't see how after being bounced in the first round of the ACC tournament. But, again, Clemson didn't make it out of the first round, collapsing under the pressure. With that as a track record, how can I truly be excited now? I'd like to think that the baseball team can at least show a little heart, since their football and basketball teams don't have any. It still looks to me like TCU and South Carolina are playing better baseball right now, and are the two teams to watch going into the weekend.
As a new member of the FWAA, I got a free copy of Phil Steele's college football magazine. Folks, this is hands down, the BEST magazine out there as far as predicting the season and covering the teams. Go pick up your copy today.
That's about it for now. Hope everyone is well. Till next time..................
Patrick
To Arlington, Texas now, where a bankruptcy judge has apparently sided with Rangers owner Tom Hicks in the sale of the team. Hicks had reached an agreement with a group headed by Nolan Ryan, but when another prospective buyer tried to enter the party, he was told that his name was not on the list, so to speak. Ah, but never underestimate the power of greed. Hicks heard about this individual, and met with him anyway, hearing basically what he wanted to hear. This new guy would offer more money than the Ryan group. Now, understand, in all of this, it's not really about the fact that Hicks defaulted on loans, or the fact that his Southwest Sports Group (he's selling the Stars too, by the way) got WAY too big for anyone to successfully manage. Hicks saw the writing on the wall, or on Randol Mill Road, as it would be in this case. Jerry Jones put his Cowboys in a HUGE stadium not 500 yards from Hicks' front door in Arlington. And, I don't have to tell anyone from Texas this fact: When faced with a choice of baseball or football, most Texans are going to the pigskin. So now, here sits Hicks, in what used to be his own playground, not getting what he perceives to be his "rightful share" of the money being generated on the corner. And believe me.......it might as well be another US Mint site with all the money generated there. So Hicks defaults on a bunch of his loans, tells his creditors he's broke, and he wants out of baseball (kind of like Tom Osborne, taking all his toys and going home). MLB obliges, and all parties reach what was supposed to be a solid agreement with the Ryan group. Here's where the greed comes into play. Because the price from the Ryan group won't fully square Hicks with his creditors, he complains that he's getting the short end of the stick. Obviously, the creditors object to the sale, since they wouldn't be getting their full dollar amount, but who does, really, in a bankruptcy case? So, for now, Hicks gets to be the owner of the Rangers, and try to squeeze every last penny he can out of this sale. He's got the money to walk away right now, but he's too damned arrogant for that. Despite the Rangers having a great season, the football season can't get here fast enough, so I can quit seeing Tom Hicks on the front page of my Star-Telegram, complaining of poverty. Do us all a favor Tom: Sell the team, walk away, and don't come back. Your usefulness has run its course.
How about that Wimbledon match? John Isner and Nocholas Mahut went 11 hours, 183 games, and finally ended in a 70-68 tiebreaker in the fifth set. Even if you're just a casual tennis fan, this has to pique your interest. Poor Isner, though. He has to play again tomorrow. Will he have anything left after this?
Italy lost today to Paraguay, and will not make it out of the group stage in World Cup. The defending champions, who played France in the last World Cup Final, at least had a better time than France did. Their whole team basically quit in mid-tournament following their coach's decision to send a player home that had verbally abused him. In other World Cup news, when Portugal defeated North Korea by a score of 7-0, it was reported that the entire Korean team would be sent to the country's coal mines to attone for their loss. Why can't it just be about sport, people, and, for once, not have some sort of political implications?
To Omaha, where the last bastion of pure college sport will bow out to the almighty dollar. This will be the final season that Rosenblatt Stadium will host the College World Series. The Series will move to a brand spanking new stadium starting next season, because God forbid, we have some tradition on baseball. But, as it stands right now, Clemson is in the catbird seat by virtue of wins over Arizona State and Oklahoma. For those of you keeping score (Alex and Miss Betty), that's Clemson 2 Oklahoma 0 in all-time meetings. But, let me just take this moment to caution all my fellow Clemson fans out there. I've heard this song before, and I know how it ends. Every time the Tigers have an opportunity to be great, they collapse. That's why I'm not getting excited about their chances right now. Don't believe me? Look at their last seasons of "big-time" sports. The football team was mediocre, at best, but had a chance to play for the conference championship. What happened? Collapsed under the pressure. The basketball team made it to the NCAA's, though I really don't see how after being bounced in the first round of the ACC tournament. But, again, Clemson didn't make it out of the first round, collapsing under the pressure. With that as a track record, how can I truly be excited now? I'd like to think that the baseball team can at least show a little heart, since their football and basketball teams don't have any. It still looks to me like TCU and South Carolina are playing better baseball right now, and are the two teams to watch going into the weekend.
As a new member of the FWAA, I got a free copy of Phil Steele's college football magazine. Folks, this is hands down, the BEST magazine out there as far as predicting the season and covering the teams. Go pick up your copy today.
That's about it for now. Hope everyone is well. Till next time..................
Patrick
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Conference expansion, USC probation...
Welcome back to everyone, where I'm finally agreeing that I may need some help. I caught myself watching the Slovenia World Cup match the other day, and I was glued to the set, literally. If you get a chance to watch some World Cup action, I highly recommend it. You may even get to see another British keeper completely whiff on a shot! Sorry......I thought that was funny in its own sort of way.
But, on to the big news, where the rumors of the Big XII's demise have been greatly exaggerated. Now, we all heard the stories, and we all read the last posting of this blog (hopefully). The stories had Nebraska leaving, and they did. They accepted an invitation to the Big Ten. In a final display of hubris and audacity, Nebraska AD Tom Osborne, when asked about his team leaving breaking up the Big XII, answered "I don't think one team leaving breaks up a conference. I think six teams leaving breaks up a conference." Now, once again, don't fool yourself for one minute into thinking this was anything but a big money grab. Nebraska now falls into the Big Ten, with their own network, and all the revenue sharing that goes with it. And, Tom Osborne goes to a conference where he can become, once again, revered as a coach, since the Big Ten ain't exactly brimming with household names in the coaching department right now, save for Jim Tressel at Ohio State. The Big XII also lost Colorado to the PAC 10 in what was rumored to be the first of HUGE defections to the conference. But, in a last-minute save, the Big XII will stay together, partly because of a new TV deal, and partly (well.....mostly) because Texas will start to put things in place to start up their own Longhorns Sports Network. Had they gone to the PAC-10, they wouldn't have been allowed to do that. And the big fish the PAC-10 wanted to get were the Longhorns and the Sooners. Getting them would have gotten the PAC-10 into Texas and Oklahoma City, and given them a fallback option for the mess USC and Oregon are in right now (more on that in a minute). But.....the Big XII (Texas) decided to keep everything together and operate as a ten team league. The defectors aren't scheduled to leave till next season, which, I'm sure by then, the Big XII will have two more teams in mind so they can keep their conference championship game. If TCU and Baylor can mend their fence, and since they meet this year in football, that ain't likely.....I predict that the Big XII will get Houston and TCU (outside shot there) to join the Big XII. I've tried to get some people inside the Mountain West Conference to answer some of my questions, and have been met with either canned answers or complete silence. Give all this a little time to simmer down, and we'll see what happens when the dust settles. And, wouldn't you love to be a fly on the wall when Osborne has to write that 3 million dollar check for leaving the conference early? I hope DeLoss Dodds is there to accept it, to stick it to the Huskers once more on their way out the door.
The wild card in all of this was, surprisingly, Texas A&M. The Aggies were rumored to be heading to the SEC so they could have a "rivalry" with Arkansas. In an article from the Fort Worth Star Telegram's Randy Galloway, he quoted "multiple" sources from College Station as saying they were "damn tired of being Texas's house boy!" Once the stories got out of A&M's flirtation with the SEC, Texas then announced that should A&M leave their conference, then the rivalry between Texas and A&M would cease to exist (and that, my SC and FL friends, is kind of like saying the Tigers and Gamecocks would never play, nor would the Gators or Seminoles, but multiply it by a few thousand). In the end, it seems as if A&M saw the light. I can't imagine a Thanksgiving night without the UT-A&M game, and now, thankfully.....I won't have to.
Moving on to the PAC-10, the NCAA came down HARD on USC for their transgressions, and the Trojans are shocked....SHOCKED...that this has happened. The dreaded words "lack of institutional control" were used to describe some of the reasons for the tough sanctions. OK, we all know the big stories by now, but just in case: FACT.....former USC basketball coach Tim Floyd was caught giving cash to a representative of OJ Mayo to come to USC. FACT.....Reggie Bush took over 300,000 dollars from budding sports agents, then tried to renege on repayment. Only before the men had Bush on the courthouse steps did he decide to repay the loan. And, if that wasn't enough, these men pretty much footed the bill for a lavish house for his parents while he was at USC. So.....USC will now lose 30 scholarships, be banned from TV and from post-season games, and pretty much be on "double secret" probation once the two year ban has been lifted. USC AD Mike Garrett said the NCAA sanctions are all being handed out because "the NCAA is jealous of the Trojans' success in recent years". Really? You have a team using "professional" players, and you're surprised when you get in trouble? I applaud the NCAA for dropping the hammer here, since they haven't displayed a propensity to do it to a "revenue producing" school. Look for Washington and Oregon State to take advantage of the Trojans' misfortunes here, and if Steve Sarkisian in Washington can do that, he'll take the prized recruits out of LA and USC will fall back into the pre-Carroll funk they were in.
The new Dave Campbell's Texas Football is out now. I got my copy yesterday. It has a great article on Houston's Case Keenum and TCU's Andy Dalton. Check it out today. Well, off to prepare for tonight's TV show. Thanks again.
Till next time.........
Patrick
But, on to the big news, where the rumors of the Big XII's demise have been greatly exaggerated. Now, we all heard the stories, and we all read the last posting of this blog (hopefully). The stories had Nebraska leaving, and they did. They accepted an invitation to the Big Ten. In a final display of hubris and audacity, Nebraska AD Tom Osborne, when asked about his team leaving breaking up the Big XII, answered "I don't think one team leaving breaks up a conference. I think six teams leaving breaks up a conference." Now, once again, don't fool yourself for one minute into thinking this was anything but a big money grab. Nebraska now falls into the Big Ten, with their own network, and all the revenue sharing that goes with it. And, Tom Osborne goes to a conference where he can become, once again, revered as a coach, since the Big Ten ain't exactly brimming with household names in the coaching department right now, save for Jim Tressel at Ohio State. The Big XII also lost Colorado to the PAC 10 in what was rumored to be the first of HUGE defections to the conference. But, in a last-minute save, the Big XII will stay together, partly because of a new TV deal, and partly (well.....mostly) because Texas will start to put things in place to start up their own Longhorns Sports Network. Had they gone to the PAC-10, they wouldn't have been allowed to do that. And the big fish the PAC-10 wanted to get were the Longhorns and the Sooners. Getting them would have gotten the PAC-10 into Texas and Oklahoma City, and given them a fallback option for the mess USC and Oregon are in right now (more on that in a minute). But.....the Big XII (Texas) decided to keep everything together and operate as a ten team league. The defectors aren't scheduled to leave till next season, which, I'm sure by then, the Big XII will have two more teams in mind so they can keep their conference championship game. If TCU and Baylor can mend their fence, and since they meet this year in football, that ain't likely.....I predict that the Big XII will get Houston and TCU (outside shot there) to join the Big XII. I've tried to get some people inside the Mountain West Conference to answer some of my questions, and have been met with either canned answers or complete silence. Give all this a little time to simmer down, and we'll see what happens when the dust settles. And, wouldn't you love to be a fly on the wall when Osborne has to write that 3 million dollar check for leaving the conference early? I hope DeLoss Dodds is there to accept it, to stick it to the Huskers once more on their way out the door.
The wild card in all of this was, surprisingly, Texas A&M. The Aggies were rumored to be heading to the SEC so they could have a "rivalry" with Arkansas. In an article from the Fort Worth Star Telegram's Randy Galloway, he quoted "multiple" sources from College Station as saying they were "damn tired of being Texas's house boy!" Once the stories got out of A&M's flirtation with the SEC, Texas then announced that should A&M leave their conference, then the rivalry between Texas and A&M would cease to exist (and that, my SC and FL friends, is kind of like saying the Tigers and Gamecocks would never play, nor would the Gators or Seminoles, but multiply it by a few thousand). In the end, it seems as if A&M saw the light. I can't imagine a Thanksgiving night without the UT-A&M game, and now, thankfully.....I won't have to.
Moving on to the PAC-10, the NCAA came down HARD on USC for their transgressions, and the Trojans are shocked....SHOCKED...that this has happened. The dreaded words "lack of institutional control" were used to describe some of the reasons for the tough sanctions. OK, we all know the big stories by now, but just in case: FACT.....former USC basketball coach Tim Floyd was caught giving cash to a representative of OJ Mayo to come to USC. FACT.....Reggie Bush took over 300,000 dollars from budding sports agents, then tried to renege on repayment. Only before the men had Bush on the courthouse steps did he decide to repay the loan. And, if that wasn't enough, these men pretty much footed the bill for a lavish house for his parents while he was at USC. So.....USC will now lose 30 scholarships, be banned from TV and from post-season games, and pretty much be on "double secret" probation once the two year ban has been lifted. USC AD Mike Garrett said the NCAA sanctions are all being handed out because "the NCAA is jealous of the Trojans' success in recent years". Really? You have a team using "professional" players, and you're surprised when you get in trouble? I applaud the NCAA for dropping the hammer here, since they haven't displayed a propensity to do it to a "revenue producing" school. Look for Washington and Oregon State to take advantage of the Trojans' misfortunes here, and if Steve Sarkisian in Washington can do that, he'll take the prized recruits out of LA and USC will fall back into the pre-Carroll funk they were in.
The new Dave Campbell's Texas Football is out now. I got my copy yesterday. It has a great article on Houston's Case Keenum and TCU's Andy Dalton. Check it out today. Well, off to prepare for tonight's TV show. Thanks again.
Till next time.........
Patrick
Thursday, June 10, 2010
The Big XII......may she rest in peace.
Greetings once again to everyone.....
Since I am now a newly minted member of the Football Writers Association of America, I figured I'd better start writing this again to support my membership. Besides....I know that you all missed me out there (well, maybe one or two, but it's a start). Let's move on.
As you all know by now, the Big Ten (can we call them the new Big 12.....I'm just asking) has picked off Nebraska in an effort to remain on the minds of college football fans through the first week of December. Remember, with the "old" format, the Big Ten had their rivalry weekend around mid-November, and was virtually a non-player come Championship Weekend. This led to them being shut out when talk came for the invitees to the BCS title game. Well, Big Ten commissioner changed all that with the addition of Nebraska yesterday to the conference. Everyone in Lincoln would have you believe that it's a better fit geographically, that it's a better fit academically, etc, etc, etc. But, one need look no further than the AD at Nebraska when it comes to this move. Former Huskers coach Tom Osborne as hated the Big XII all along. He hated being lumped in a conference with Texas. He hated losing the first Big XII title game to Texas 37-27. He hated how the Big XII divided up the TV money (the more times on TV, the more money you got......sounds pretty simple to me). He hated the fact that Nebraska just wasn't eating at the big table any more, and somehow, got relegated to the kid's table when talk of college football heavyweights surfaced. So, one has to think that the way the title game transpired last season, he had his fill of the Big XII. For a guy that is pretty much the emperor in Licoln, he's an unhappy fellow. But, when talk started about Nebraska leaving the Big XII, it all started with Nebraska, and Osborne was nowhere to be seen issuing any denials. So, it comes as no shock, then, that the first domino in this musical chairs of conference re-alignment comes from Nebraska. I wonder how Osborne will feel when his school gets overshadowed this time by Ohio State. Let's all be honest, though.....this is a money grab, plain and simple. The Big Ten has a greater revenue stream due to the Big Ten Network. The Big XII gives the lion's share of the TV money to Texas and Oklahoma. Let's see now.....if I'm a TV executive, and I want to remain a TV executive, do I choose to air the Texas-Oklahoma game, or the Nebraska-Kansas game? Sounds like a simple decision to me. So, Osborne did what so many petulant brats before him have done.....he grabbed his toys and left. As of this morning, Colorado announced they,too, would leave the Big XII for the PAC-10, quite possibly taking five other Big XII schools with them to form the nation's first super-conference. When the Big XII obituary is written, let it start out with the fact that Osborne cried because the Big XII didn't kowtow to him as he felt they should. Osborne will have his revenge, somewhat, but his name will always be associated with the death of a great conference.
And, while we're on the subject of super-conferences, if the PAC-10 indeed takes on five more schools from the Big XII (Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech) and forms a super-conference, don't expect the SEC to stand by. SEC commissioner Mike Slive is a more forward thinking individual than his counterpart at the Big XII, Dan Beebe. Guess that explains why Slive will still have a job when this is all over with. But, the SEC is rumored to be going after four schools from the ACC to make their conference stronger. If Notre Dame also goes to the Big Ten, and these super-conferences start forming, then maybe the world will get what they've been wanting all along......a college football playoff to determine a champion. Don't think it's not on the minds of the NCAA either. THey see the writing on the wall, and it scares them to death. If the super-conferences form, and let's face it....it's going to happen sooner or later, why then would they stick to the traditional bowl format when they could sign their own deal amongst themselves, and keep all the money to themselves? And.....if that occurs, then what's to stop the basketball schools from coming together to form their own playoff system, and relegating the NCAA tourney to what the NIT tourney is today? There is WAY too much money out there to stop his from becoming a reality. It now becomes a question of "when" rather than an idea of "what if".
Hope to see everyone at the Oil Bowl this weekend. Till next time.........
Patrick
Since I am now a newly minted member of the Football Writers Association of America, I figured I'd better start writing this again to support my membership. Besides....I know that you all missed me out there (well, maybe one or two, but it's a start). Let's move on.
As you all know by now, the Big Ten (can we call them the new Big 12.....I'm just asking) has picked off Nebraska in an effort to remain on the minds of college football fans through the first week of December. Remember, with the "old" format, the Big Ten had their rivalry weekend around mid-November, and was virtually a non-player come Championship Weekend. This led to them being shut out when talk came for the invitees to the BCS title game. Well, Big Ten commissioner changed all that with the addition of Nebraska yesterday to the conference. Everyone in Lincoln would have you believe that it's a better fit geographically, that it's a better fit academically, etc, etc, etc. But, one need look no further than the AD at Nebraska when it comes to this move. Former Huskers coach Tom Osborne as hated the Big XII all along. He hated being lumped in a conference with Texas. He hated losing the first Big XII title game to Texas 37-27. He hated how the Big XII divided up the TV money (the more times on TV, the more money you got......sounds pretty simple to me). He hated the fact that Nebraska just wasn't eating at the big table any more, and somehow, got relegated to the kid's table when talk of college football heavyweights surfaced. So, one has to think that the way the title game transpired last season, he had his fill of the Big XII. For a guy that is pretty much the emperor in Licoln, he's an unhappy fellow. But, when talk started about Nebraska leaving the Big XII, it all started with Nebraska, and Osborne was nowhere to be seen issuing any denials. So, it comes as no shock, then, that the first domino in this musical chairs of conference re-alignment comes from Nebraska. I wonder how Osborne will feel when his school gets overshadowed this time by Ohio State. Let's all be honest, though.....this is a money grab, plain and simple. The Big Ten has a greater revenue stream due to the Big Ten Network. The Big XII gives the lion's share of the TV money to Texas and Oklahoma. Let's see now.....if I'm a TV executive, and I want to remain a TV executive, do I choose to air the Texas-Oklahoma game, or the Nebraska-Kansas game? Sounds like a simple decision to me. So, Osborne did what so many petulant brats before him have done.....he grabbed his toys and left. As of this morning, Colorado announced they,too, would leave the Big XII for the PAC-10, quite possibly taking five other Big XII schools with them to form the nation's first super-conference. When the Big XII obituary is written, let it start out with the fact that Osborne cried because the Big XII didn't kowtow to him as he felt they should. Osborne will have his revenge, somewhat, but his name will always be associated with the death of a great conference.
And, while we're on the subject of super-conferences, if the PAC-10 indeed takes on five more schools from the Big XII (Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, and Texas Tech) and forms a super-conference, don't expect the SEC to stand by. SEC commissioner Mike Slive is a more forward thinking individual than his counterpart at the Big XII, Dan Beebe. Guess that explains why Slive will still have a job when this is all over with. But, the SEC is rumored to be going after four schools from the ACC to make their conference stronger. If Notre Dame also goes to the Big Ten, and these super-conferences start forming, then maybe the world will get what they've been wanting all along......a college football playoff to determine a champion. Don't think it's not on the minds of the NCAA either. THey see the writing on the wall, and it scares them to death. If the super-conferences form, and let's face it....it's going to happen sooner or later, why then would they stick to the traditional bowl format when they could sign their own deal amongst themselves, and keep all the money to themselves? And.....if that occurs, then what's to stop the basketball schools from coming together to form their own playoff system, and relegating the NCAA tourney to what the NIT tourney is today? There is WAY too much money out there to stop his from becoming a reality. It now becomes a question of "when" rather than an idea of "what if".
Hope to see everyone at the Oil Bowl this weekend. Till next time.........
Patrick
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