Well, as you have probably noticed, there has not been much activity going on here. Well, thats because there is no flippin college football on dammit. The second phase of CFB starts tonight with bowl season, so I'm sure there will be a slight pick up in posts. As we get closer to the LSU OSU showdown, there will definately be more posts. But for now, I leave you with this:

Grobe to stay at Wake Forest

Arkansas is getting to the bottom of their short list and will have to soon bring out the long one. Jim Grobe is staying at Wake Forest.

http://wakeforest.scout.com/2/708893.html

Jimmy John's Incident

That's right. Florida Football (Players) + a sandwich + Xavier Carter = Trouble. Every C+ Alegbra student knows this. Starting Florida defensive end Jermaine Cunningham and former Florida linebacker Jon Demps were arrested for battery after throwing "items, including empty soda cups and a sandwich" at a Gainsville Jimmy John's employee. Xavier Carter was also arrested for resisting arrest. Carter now lives in Gainsville. Thank God. How much do you think LSU gave him for moving expenses?

Two Down Three To Go

Dorsey took home his second award in as many nights. Last night in Houston Dorsey walked away with the Lombardi award. Earlier in the week he took home the Nagurski award. He is also named a finalist for the Outland trophy, the Lott award, and the Bendarik award.

Carville Burns the BCS

Get your official wallpaper

Ok folks, i know that you are all excited about the superb matchups that the BCS has created for us, i know i am. i am especially intrigued by the BCS National Championship game (but i am an LSU homer). I think that the SEC team Ohio State mostly resembles is a bit of a weaker Auburn. This will be a tough game for the Tigers. In honor of this great matchup (and hopefully victory for LSU), i present thee with the Official BCS National Championship Computer Wallpaper entitled "Da Hat Vs. Da Vest" (courtesy of LSUGradin99 from TigerForums).

(click for high res version)

SEC, NC, and Les

Well, LSU did it, the defense came to play, and they pulled out a great victory. LSU is not guaranteed to go to New Orleans. The question is, which bowl will they play in. With the fall of Mizzou and West Virginia last night, Ohio State is getting in, but the second team is up in the air.

Well, The Mad Hatter came out before the game and had a press conference to announce that he would be staying at LSU. His words were a bit misleading in that he never said he would be here next year. Before the game, Tracy Wolfson asked Les if he would be the coach next year, and he said YES. After the game, The Hat reiterated that he loves Michigan, but he is happy at LSU and will be here for a while. Some people conjecture that Les being the coach "next year" refers to the bowl game, since its technically next year, and that he is gone after. I have been a bandwagon Les Miles fan since his arrival, i have never denied that. i thought that he was definately gone to Michigan and frankly i was excited at the prospect of a new coach. After the big win yesterday and the possiblility of getting back into the National Championship game, i guess you could say I'm back on the band wagon. There were a few things i questioned during the game, but who am i and as always, hindsight is 20/20. These next few days (Sunday and Monday), the media will be all atitter with whos and whys. LSU, Georgia, USC, VT, and Oklahoma messageboards will be on fire as to why their teams deserve to go to the MNC. i believe that there should be some rules in put in place to determine who goes to the MNC. i know there is no rule that states you must win your conference to go, but come on! thats just stupid. if you dont win your conference, much less your division, you should not be able to play for a National Championship. this whole season plays right into why there should be some sort of playoff, be it a +1, a 6 team, or an 8 team system. i dont care, but leaving the decision of who should play for the crystal up to a bunch of "voters" is ridiculous (thats my 2 cents).

Well, all in all, it has been a really fun season not for the faint of heart. I did not have heart problems going into this season, but i may have developed a few over the months. Now i am looking forward to going to New Orleans and cheering for my Tigers (good thing i have Sugar Bowl and NC tickets)!

Where Are They Now?

In light of the ongoing coaching changes across the country, and the speculation surrounding the LSU football program, I have begun thinking about previous coaches who once steered the ship that is LSU Football. This brought me to the one, the only, Gerry "Bring Back the Magic" Dinardo. After starting his LSU career off strong, Coach Dinardo hired Lou Tepper to bring his vaunted 3-4 defense that failed to stop even the most mediocre offenses. Soon after, Dinardo was off to other ventures. So where is he now?

After a brief stint in the ever so successfull XFL, where Coach Dinardo led the Birmingham Thunderbolts to a last place finish with a 2-8 record, Coach D was given the lead role at Indiana University. This did not quite work out either. The Hoosiers failed to win more than 3 games and he was let go in 2004.

BUT, all is not lost. Coach Dinardo parlayed his failures with the clip board into a job with ESPN covering college football on ESPN Radio and participated in ESPN College Gameday. Wait, this did not last long either.

Fortunately, Coach Dinardo was able to break into the restaurant business while in Baton Rouge, with Dinardo's. Actually, the restaurant was just named after the coach and was promptly renamed after he was fired. BUT WAIT. While he was in Louisiana, Gerry Dinardo became familiar with DeAngelo's, a casual Italian dining experience most known for calzones and pizza. Coach Dinardo enjoyed this dining experience so much he has decided to open up a franchise in Bloomington, Indiana.

So there you have it. Coach Dinardo has gone from the gridiron to the grill, where he is happy as a lark living life with his lovely wife Terri.


As an aside, Lou Tepper is now the head football coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Indiana, PA. Ironically, this is the city where I completed an internship with a previous employer. If only I knew then what I know now, I could have interviewed Mr. 3-4 about his time at LSU. What an interview that would have been.

Wikipedia is amazing isn't it.

Applications Wanted

Just in case you think you can do better than Miles, go ahead and apply for the Michigan coaching job here.

SECCG is a lock

Tim Tebow picks LSU!
Also he pays compliment to Jacob Hester.

Tebow: Tennessee can win this game. They have gotten better as the year has gone along. They have a pretty good offense and it can get hot at times. They can hang in there. But I think if LSU is able to move the ball around on offense then they have a chance to win it. Their defense has kept them in games all year long. Jacob Hester is just a war daddy; he is a very tough guy. I have a lot of respect for him. I think LSU has a little bit of the advantage.

Sean & John: War daddy, I like that. I want someone to call me a war daddy.

Looks like LSU will get some much needed relief on the D-Line this week because Ricky Jean Francois has been re-instated.

From the article, Miles says that he will see some plays, but goes on not to say how many. This could be the much needed relief that our injured / struggling D-Line needs, the spark if you will.

Fun Wednesday Morning

Just got into my office this morning and checking the interweb and found a few gems i thought i would share.

The first come from the crazy dudes that make Aqua Teen Hunger Force. They must be college football fans (last year they were taking cracks at tOSU after they got spanked).
Watch Carl give his take on the BCS.

Next, as i am sure you have all seen the Auburn that got bit by the police dog at the Iron bowl.
If not, you definitely do not waste enough time, so here it is

In response, EDSBS found this nugget.


(now i know there are a few readers out there, so give us some comments dammit)

Fun 'N' Gum-bo

Everything that I am hearing right now says that Les Miles will announce he is accepting the Michigan job between Sunday and Tuesday, December 4th. LSU will likely hire Steve Spurrier to replace Miles. Spurrier is the candidate favored by President Lombardi and Skip Bertman. Some boosters have other ideas. This is from a strong source, but things could change.

Coach O Remembered

You gotta love this one, Classic!

Coaching News

Houston Nutt to Ole Miss. That didn't take long.

Nebraska will announce Bo Pellini as their head coach betweeen 4:00 p.m. tonight and tomorrow. More than likely the players will be told tonight, the news will leak, and then they will anoounce it tomorrow after the whole country already knows. The delay comes in trying to put together Pellini's staff, which it looks like Tom Osbourne is largely responsible for. I'm not sure how much say Bo has in putting this staff together and you know how that usually turns out. Some say the main reason for the delay is trying to convince Buffalo head coach Turner Gill to be Nebraska's offensive coordinator. If all of this is true, then Osbourne has been working on this thing since he was hired and Nebraska may have been the team that knocked LSU out of the BCS title game by distracting its defensive coordinator. F@ck you Nebraska.

Arkansas has begun their coaching search and their leading candidates are:
Chris Peterson (Boise St.), Mike Leach (Texas Tech), and Lane Kiffin (Raiders, USC) (this one is surprising to me).

The rest of the long list: Bo Pellini, Jim Grobe (Wake Forest), Tubberville, Gary Patterson (TCU), Brent Venable (DC of Oklahoma), Tommy Bowden, Jim Leavitt, Brian Kelly (Cinncinnati), Kirk Ferenz, and Paul Johnson (Navy). Some of those are laughable. The others are very good and a little scary. Hopefully they make a crappy hire because Ole Miss will be competitive again with Nutt at the helm. We need at least one crappy team in the SEC West.

Mother$#%^&@

Huge rumors out of Nebraska and everywhere else that Bo Pellini was interviewed in Atlanta by Tom Osborne and others. The weekend meeting in Baton Rouge was a follow up. Nebraska players were text messaged today telling them that there is a meeting at 4 p.m. tomorrow. At the meeting, the players may be told Bo Pellini is their new head coach.

I don't have a problem with Pellini becoming the Nebraska coach, but I have a sick feeling in my stomach that Pellini has been dealing with this for weeks and it is not a coincidence that his D also gave up 1,000 yards in the last two weeks. This may have cost LSU its title shot.

Bower out at Southern Miss

This is the time of year that makes the college football fan crazy. Trying to figure out bowl tie-ins and who has to beat who for this or that to happen. Hell, there are so many scenarios out there that LSU still has a shot at the BCS, but that is another topic for another post. However, USM's decision to fire (if that is what happened) Coach Bower is the one decision that leaves me baffled. This man has presided over the Golden Eagle program for 17 years and has completed 14 straight winning seasons and a 119-82-1 record. All of this while having to recruit against Ole Miss, Miss St, Alabama, and LSU. Coach Bower, in my humble opinion Coach Bower has done more with the talent that he was able to obtain than any coach in Div 1 Bowl Sub-division football.


update
Contrary to early reports, it is now being reported out of the Hattiesburg American that Coach Bower resigned and was not fired. Was this mutual or was he forced out we may never know. Or, we will find out in a day or two. Either way, this is a big loss for the Golden Eagle faithful

As the Coaching Carousel Turns

We've got coaching rumors, coaching rumors, and more coaching rumors. It seems appropriate here to pay homage to Fleetwood Mac's masterpiece Rumours.



There were of course many rumors circulating about Fleetwood Mac back in their heyday. And as rumors go, almost all of them were true and due to their superhuman ability to party. Likewise, these rumors are probably also true:

1.) Kirk Ferentz has been offered and may have already accepted the Michigan job.
http://mgoblog.blogspot.com

2.) Tom Osborne and Nebraska officials flew to Baton Rouge to talk to Bo Pellini. This one is not as much rumor as it is fact because it was reported in an actual newspaper. http://www.2theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/11813201.html

3.) In response, an LSU plan is rumored to have flown from Baton Rouge to just outside of Auburn, Alabama. The thinking is that they did so to talk to Will Muschamp about the defensive coordinator job, but it is also possible that rumor #1 is incorrect and that they were actually going to talk to Tubberville. They were probably going to talk to Muschamp, which leads you to believe that Miles knows he's staying. Muschamp would be a great hire and the only other defensive coordinator on his level that LSU should talk to is Georgia Tech's Jon Tenuta.
http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N9076S

4.) Texas A&M will hire Houston Texan's assistant Mike Sherman their head coaching job. This is a very interesting hire to say the least. I don't like colleges hiring NFL guys. See Charlie Weis, Bill Callahan, Dave Wannstedt, and others.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3127846

5.) Chan Gailey has been fired by Georgia Tech. This makes Jon Tenuta even more appealing because he needs a job. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3127998

6.) This rumor updates the above rumors. AOL sports Fan House says that Will Muschamp is the favorite for the Georgia Tech head coaching job. http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/11/26/is-this-it-for-chan/

7.) Duke's coach will also be fired today. I am not taking the time to look up his name or post a link. It's Duke football.

It was a fun ride

It was a fun ride while it lasted. With their second loss, LSU will not be playing in the BCS National Championship game. We still have two games left, and if all goes well, one will be the Sugar Bowl. The general disappointed feeling looming over Baton Rouge this past weeked was heavy, but hey, what are you going to do when you can't stop a two year Heisman hopeful. More questions will arise this week over the Miles to Michigan topic, only to be eclipsed by the week after the SEC Championship Game on Saturday. If LSU wins, Miles' stock rises again along with more interest. If the unfortunate happens and LSU loses (God forbid), Ole Miles may be at LSU a few more years.
I, for one, am not too upset over the loss. Sure our national title hopes are gone, sure we lost the $10,000 Golden Boot after having it for what seemed like a decade. But what are you gonna do. Our defense has been in a steady decline over the year, what with all the injuries to much of the team and changing game plans, it does not suprise me that we lost. We had a lot of trouble last week stopping Brent (old man beer) Schafer and Old Miss for crying out loud, Old Freaking Miss who went 0-8 in the SEC. Didn't take a genius to think to use the "wildhog" formation for most of the game. Now we have to get through this game, get some peeps healthy and hopefully whip some out of conference ass on new years day.

The Waiting Game Has Begun

well, now its officially official. Lloyd Carr has made it 100% that he is gone. now we wait. what will happen? will the team be able to push the doubts aside? will Miles leave us for his northern home? why, Lloyd, why did you screw with us by announcing your retirement now? i know, the team needs to know a.s.a.p. for recruiting purposes, but screw you, your season is over, we still have two games and a bowl game to go. i for one hope that michigan hires someone else, that Les stays, and the Tigers go on to win about 5 national championships in a row (come on, we can all dream).

Breaking News

This just in: Matt Flynn has been named:



(credit to PurpleGuy on TigerDroppings)

UL Monroe

hahahahahahahahahaha
you pay 4 million ($4,000,000.00) a year to lose to UL monroe
sad!

ownage!

This from rwill94 on TigerDroppings.

You gotta love the creativity on the Fark Board.

Les Miles on Sports Radio in Houston

Go to the 1560am website podcasts to listen to the weekly interview with our coach Les Miles.

This week John and Lance ask CLM about being in the #2 spot in the BCS and how it has been dangerous these past few weeks. Some comments about the upcoming Ole Piss game and how the Oregon loss affects the preparation of the team. CLM also comments on the health of Mr. Dorsey.

All i have to say is thank God for 1560 The Game here in Houston. Being out of B.R. you dont get much LSU talk, but now that void has been filled. On wednesdays, at about 2:30 you can catch Sean and John talking to Mike Scarborough from TigerBait.com, and on Friday they have Phil Steele (plus they play the Jim Hawthorne game broadcasts during the games).

Dub-C-C

Okay, first of all I have to give 1560 The Game in Houston props for uncovering one if not the greatest clubs in the NFL, The Dub-C-C. So you ask what is the Dub-C-C? This is the club created by Texans wide reciver David Anderson for all of the 5'10 and under white wide receivers currently on active rosters in the NFL. You can learn more about this club from the blog of Raheel Ramzanali here:

http://www.kingofsports.blogspot.com/

College Football Craziness

I thought it was possible that Oregon would lose at Arizona, but never in my wildest dreams did I think it would happen like this. Dennis Dixon's knee was apparently not as healthy as he let on and I hope this injury is not career threatening. He's a good kid and has a future on Sundays.

On to the crazy repercussions:

You think the season has been crazy so far? Just wait for what's about to come. Which is, of course, possibly more craziness.

For those people that love scenarios that make the BCS look bad here is my best one:

LSU wins out, including an SEC Championship victory over Tennessee.

Oklahaoma loses to Oklahoma State or Texas Tech, but defeats either Missouri or Kansas in the Big 12 Championship (or Kansas loses to Iowa State before defeating Missouri and then beats Oklahoma).

West Virginia loses to Cinncinnati or Connecticutt

Michigan beats Ohio State

USC beats Arizona State

And...

LSU plays Georgia for the BCS National Championsip.

Crazy, but all of these things could easily happen, which is why the BCS is so screwed up.

Oh, and Glenn Dorsey could win the Heismann if the voters don't want to vote for a Sophomore (Tebow).

Saban after three years in Alabama

Alabama Man!

Man, I forgot how funny this was.

Interesting Twist to Michigan Job

Yahoo Sports posted an article regarding the UM job today and how the timing of a possible Carr announcement effects Miles' decision of taking the job. I have heard this before, "Does Miles' leave a shot at the BCS Championship for a job at Michigan?" That is a question that only Les Miles can answer. But that is not the part of the article that I find interesting. The article talks about how Michigan, if the job is open, should search high and low and not just for "Michigan Men" for the job. This leads us to Tommy Tubberville. Personally, I think that he is a perfect fit for Michigan and would consistently beat Tressel and Ohio St, something that Carr never could accomplish. The only question is whether or not the Michigan faithful would accept him as their coach. This question would easily be answered, in my opinion, the following season when Tubby beats Tressel in the Horseshoe and leads them to their first Rose Bowl victory since 1998.

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaaf/news?slug=dw-carr111507&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

My vote for Heisman

(but like that really matters)



And this guy agrees with me (at least that Dorsey should be invited to NY)

Tournament Viewing Guide

This great tournament of ours rolls on, with only 8 teams left, but many more games relevant because...well, you know, this is a fucked up tournament.

Thursday Game
Oregon @ Arizona, 8:00 CT, ESPN
I was very excited about my Thursday Night because I was going to relax, watch the Oregon game and finally get some sleep this week. But alas, the football gods won't allow it. A late kick off for the West Coasters, but this one could easily be an upset. It will be interesting to see if an Oregon win can keep it in the winners bracket, as Kansas, although undefeated, hopes to climb from the losers bracket to the winners bracket. I told you it was fucked up. I will be pulling for Arizona because I love late season upsets, but I think Oregon wins easy.

Saturday Games
Ohio State @ Michigan, 11:00 a.m. CT ABC
The greatest rivalry in college football leads off the day. Yes I know you think Ohio State is out of it, but they are only 5 losses from playing for it all. 2 of thsese losses will definitely happen with the Big 12 boys cleaning up the mess in the top 5 in the next 2 weeks, so really Ohio State is only 3 losses away. That's not bad. If they win this one they sit and wait. The winner of this one probably goes to the Rose Bowl (unless OSU makes it to New Orleans). Even if this one meant absolutely nothing, it's Michigan Ohio State, so you have to watch it. I always pull for Michigan in this one. That said, I think Ohio State wins.

Kentucky @ Georgia, 11:30 a.m. CT, Lincoln Financial Sports
Georgia can't get to the BCS Title Game, but they still play a very important role in the tournament. Keep winning and they play LSU in Atlanta if Tennessee drops one. Georgia would be a much tougher test for the Tigers than the Vols. Pick: Georgia

Vandy @ Rocky Top, 1:00 p.m. CT, Gameplan
Everyone seems to be assuming LSU will play Georgia in the SEC Championship because the Dawgs are ranked higher than the Vols. Well that's not how it works and all Tennessee has to do is beat Vandy and win at Kentucky. This game is of course the easier of the two, but Vandy is fighting to be bowl eligible (they have to win either this one or against Wake Forest). If you don't have Gameplan, you can't watch it, but you should keep aneye in the score. Pick: Tennessee

Duke @ Notre Dame, 1:30 p.m. CT, NBC
This is not a tournament game, but is just too damn funny to ignore. Two 1-9 teams are playing on national television - and not just ESPN - a network! The best thing is that the country will be watching this pillowfight because everyone will want to see the Dukies beat the Irish. How embarassing will that be? I will be pullinbg for Duke, but predict Notre Dame will get their second win.

LSU @ Ole Miss, 2:30 p.m. CT, CBS
Verne and Gary will call the other game in the winner's bracket. These games are sually close, although Miles blewout Ole Miss the last time his team was in Oxford. I'm hoping for more of the same. Pick: LSU

Iowa State @ Kansas, 2:30 p.m. CT, ABC
Remember when you used to ignore this game? Well you can't anymore. Kansas is sooooo close to Oregon in the BCS standings. Iowa State gave Oklahoma a scare. Pick: Kansas

The bad news is that there isn't one good game besides the above for the next 4 hours. The good news is that you will be able to enjoy those game uninterupted. Then, after the LSU win you can pound a few beers or stuff your face with something or just throw something on the grill to get ready for the night games. It's rare that you get an hour break on Saturday, but you do this week. Enjoy it; you've earned it.

West Virginia @ Cincinnati, 6:45 CT, ESPN
Again, because 2 of the top 5 ranked Big 12 schools will lose, West Virginia is only 2 losses away from New Orleans. They have to first get by a very tough Cincinnati team. This should be a good one to watch. Oh yeah, and Rich Rodriguez might be the next coach of LSU. Pick: West Virginia

Oklahoma @ Texas Tech, 7:00 p.m. CT, ABC
The last relevant game of the day could be one of the best. This is your typical Big 12 game. It will either be a blowout or an incredibly close and great game. Oklahoma has struggled on the road all season and is going to the middle of nowhere (yes I know, from the middle of nowhere) to play a Texas Tech team that can beat them. By the time this one actually starts, you will have forgotten all about it, but will be very excited when you again realize there is more football - and good football at that.

In case anyone is interested...

High school playoffs are going on, and my alma mater Acadiana High (last years state champion), has made it to the second round, but has drawn the mighty West Monroe as their foe. This will be a tough match up. Here is a link to the brackets in case anyone gives a crap.

Miles May Stay

This just in from guest blogger V:

This is an interesting article from the Detroit Free Press. What I did not know was the kicker in his contract if he wins the BCS championship and the fact that he could more than double his current salary if LSU wins. This is making the rounds so you may get this more than once.
Link

Rohan Davey Tried Out for the Packers Yesterday

His competition is stout: none other than Aaron Brooks, who probably has the upper hand because of his realtionship with head coach Mike McCarthy.

http://www.railbirdcentral.com/2007/11/packers-audition-players.html

O'Keefe Says Miles Happy

This really doesn't mean much.

http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071114/SPORTS/711140323/1006

O'Keefe Says Miles Happy

This really doesn't mean much.

http://www.thetowntalk.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071114/SPORTS/711140323/1006

One More College Football Note

Shots were fired inside the apartment of Virginia Tech Cornerback Macho Harris at 3:49 a.m. this morning.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/acc/2007-11-13-vatech-harris-shooting_N.htm

Starbury

I never grow tired of Stephon Marbury a.k.a. Starbury's antics because they are so damn entertaining. The lastest is him threatening Isiah Thomas because he didn't start Starbury.

The New York Daily News reports it as: "Isiah has to start me," Marbury fumed, according to the source. "I've got so much (stuff) on Isiah and he knows it. He thinks he can (get) me. But I'll (get) him first. You have no idea what I know." http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2007/11/14/2007-11-14_stephon_marbury_threatens_to_dish_info_a.html

Actually, I think I know what he knows. I do not know Starbury personally, but my perception of him is that he is not a big news watcher or newspaper reader. He probably just heard about the $11.6 Million sexual harassment lawsuit Thomas lost and the fact that the Knicks picked up the tab.

Not So Fast

MGoBlog is now saying that Lloyd Carr may not announce his retirement from coaching on Monday and may wait until later in the season. The later the better for LSU.

I Have Finally Come to the Realization This Week

that UVA might and has a pretty good shot to win the ACC and end up in the Orange Bowl. All they have to do is win against Virginia Tech and then play the Clemson/Boston College winner in the ACC Championship. Who says there is no playoff in college football! Because there is no way for me to describe UVA and its fans to someone that has not lived in Virginia, I give you the greatest description of them ever by Colin Cowherd.

The End of a Short, Crappy Era

Say goodbye to Lincoln Financial Sports. Lincoln Financial is selling the sports and television part to Raycom Media. Don't get too excited that this will mean the end of crappy morning football. We thought the same at the end of the Jefferson Pilot era, but they kept the train a rollin'.

If you woke up with amnesia and suddenly can't remember how bad the three Dave's of LFS are, here is a clip of them mis-identifying Auburn assistant Terry Price as Mississippi State assistant Woody McCorvey, even though he is wearing an orange Auburn hat.

Lloyd Carr Retiring Rumors

continue to circulate on the internet, but almost all of them seem to come from one source: MGoBlog: http://mgoblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/carr-retiring-announcement-coming-next.html. The Ann Arbor News called out the blog for not citing a source and the blog responded by criticizing the newspaper for not citing the blog. http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2007/11/as_seasons_end_nears_speculati.html
http://mgoblog.blogspot.com/

You have to love the internet.

If Carr does announce this next Monday, the media will be all over Miles, which could potentially distract him in pursuit of an SEC and National Championship.

Here is the Short Version

of the LSU Men's basketball team's performance last night: Junior College Transfer Marcus Thornton and Freshman Anthony Randolph are very, very good. Everyone else, especially Tasmin Mitchell needs to step it up - and quick - because they play the big boys in Maui next week. Unitl then, you can enjoy one more game of mediocre basketball against McNeese State.

The Golden Band From Tiger Land

Now, I may be biased, but I really do feel that LSU's marching band is one of the best in the country. This past weekend at the LA Tech Homecoming game, they showed that they could compete with anyone. Check out this video, watch the soldiers march, watch the tank formation, then watch when the tank moves the treads are moving also. Great job to TGBFTL!

Van Chancellor Would Like to Know If You Want to See Some Cool Magic Tricks

I was at the LA Tech @ LSU football game on Saturday when new LSU women's basketball coach, Van Chancellor had a message for the football fans. I'm sure the message was something about how they should come out and see the Lady Tigers...yada, yada, yada, and I know that he is one of the best women's basketball coaches ever and will probably bring LSU that women's basketball championship they so desperately seek, but all I could think about was that Van Chancellor looks like one of those goofy old men that can do some cool magic tricks. No doubt that in the fist tough game of the season coming down to the wire when Van Chancellor's laissez faire attitude is less appreciated, Assistant Coach Bob Starkey (who struggles to even tell a funny joke) will turn to Van Chancellor and ask if they should switch from a zone defense to man-to-man. Van Chancellor will answer Starkey's question with a question and ask "What's that behind your ear?" It will of course be a quarter and LSU will remain in a zone.

I'm not saying Van Chancellor can do David Blaine or Criss Angel type magic or even David Copperfield-hey I'm already being accused of rape, could you give me a break on the $2.2 million dollars I owe to promoters for canceled shows-type of magic. If he could, he'd be a magician, his dream career, and not a lowely women's backetball coach for the #5 team in the country. I'm just saying that Van Chancellor can pull a rabbit out of a hat and knows his way around a handkerchief.

You Can Hate Time Tebow if You Want to

But I love him. Love, love, love him. I followed him in high school and never really thought LSU had a shot at him, so I tried to hate him once he committed to Florida and said he was overrated. He wasn't. He holds the record for passing yards in Florida. A lot of quarterbacks have come out of that state. And this was after he played linebacker his freshman year. Then he went to Florida and came in and helped them win the national championship. I knew about halfway through last season that he was going to be good for them this year. I watched him early and figured he couldn't keep up the physical runs in the SEC. He couldn't, and it cost them the Georgia game, but he is most certainly their best run option. If you've seen their running back, Moore, play, then you know this to be true. The guy loves to fumble as much as I love Tim Tebow.

Then I went and saw Tim Tebow play live. Wow. that guy is 10 times better live than on TV and is the #1 reason I will be making the trip to Gainsville next year. Do yourself a favor and go see him play before he leaves for the NFL. The number one thing I kept thinking after the LSU Florida game was that it was the best game I have ever seen live. The second was how good Tim Tebow is. I have seen Darren McFadden play live twice and I think Tebow is the best offensive player in college football if not the best overall (Dorsey is my current #1).

So Tebow is healthy again and only ran for 5 freaking touchdowns against South Carolina and threw for 2 more. 7 tocudowns in one game! That means he holds the SEC record for rushing touchdowns in a game and now owns the record for most rushing touchdowns by a Florida Gator in a season. #2? Some scrub named Emmitt Smith.

Hate him if you want, but I love him. I hate Florida (although now I believe it is more of a respect rivalry and less of a hate rivalry), but I love watching Tebow play. That is all for my male-man love rant.

Verne Lundquist is a Happy Man

Georgia is again one of the best football teams in the country. No doubt the David Pollack referances will soon return to CBS. Also, David Pollack now actually works for CBS so that he and Verne can be closer.

At some point in this Saturday's Ole Miss/ LSU game the broadcast will sound something like this:

Danielson: Matt Flynn to Early Doucet...tocuhdown. It's like they're playing pitch and catch out there.

Verne: Ah, pitch and catch with the football, just as David Greene and David Pollack used to play in the shadows of Samford Stadium and on the pee wee field when they were only 6 years old.

Danielson: What? Oh...(realizing the Georgia Bulldogs have returned to their old form and it is now appropriate for Verne to restablish his man crush, although to a lesser degree since Greene got married last August). It's nice to have you back Verne.

LSU @ Bama

Hey Saban, whats that on your cheek? Looks like you got a little something on there.


(thanks to NC Tigah from tigerdroppings for his awesome work)

Also, if anyone is interested, the current Strength of Schedule chart (Note where the top 5 teams are in this list). Click it for the full view.

Alumni Definition

From Merriam-Webster

alumnus

Main Entry:

alum·nus

Pronunciation:

\ə-ˈləm-nəs\

Function:

noun

Inflected Form(s):

plural alum·ni \-ˌnī\

Etymology:

Latin, foster son, pupil, from alere to nourish — more at old

Date:

1645

1 : a person who has attended or has graduated from a particular school, college, or university 2 : a person who is a former member, employee, contributor, or inmate


Looks as if the Alabama Alumni Association has rewritten the definition. Apparently, as long as you send them money, the AAA will let you join, doesn't matter if you've gone to the university, or even stepped foot on the campus. But look at all the benefits you get if you join. I think I will join just so i can get the car decal and the $3.00 discount on oil changes (hmm, I wonder if they let you keep the old oil).

To me it would seem that if you just want to join as a friend of the university, you would join a club called, hmm, Friends of Alabama (or insert catchy name here), not the ALUMNI Association. Just my $0.2.

There are two ways to join the Alabama Alumni Association. One way - as an alumnus;
the other - as a friend of the University. Contributions of $40.00 for an individual supporter and
contributions of $65.00 for a household (husband and wife). Contributors benefits include the following:

• Member Services
• A benefit card and car decal
• Alabama Alumni Magazine quarterly
• An opportunity for a Crimson Pride Mastercard credit card with no annual fee
• A 10% discount on souvenirs at the Supe Store, The Trunk, Alabama Book Store, The College Store, and Bama Fever (At participating Bama Fever Stores)
• Free fare on the Tuscaloosa Trolley (excludes football shuttles)
• $3.00 discount on oil change at all Express Oil change locations
• Information on homecoming, A-Day, reunions, and other campus events
• Free admission to the Bryant Museum, Moundville Archaeological Park
  and Children's Hands on Museum in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
• Use of University of Alabama libraries
• All contributions are fully tax-deductible
• Opportunity to join The Alabama Credit Union
• Hotel Discounts & Car Rental Discounts

For more information, or an application, please contact:

Linda Southern
National Alumni Association
P.O. Box 861928
Tuscaloosa, AL 35486-0017
Phone: (205) 348-1559
Fax: (205) 348-1737

The Myth of Saban's Players

With the "Saban Bowl" upon us, the hype is at an all time high. Part of that hype is that LSU has been winning with Saban's players. Check this out from The Advocate:

-Of the 123 players on LSU’s roster Monday, 30 were on the roster in 2004, Saban’s last season coaching the Tigers. Seventeen of the 30 were in the starting lineup Oct. 20 for LSU’s 30-24 victory against Auburn.

-Eleven of the top 15 tacklers this season are players Saban recruited.

On the other hand
-Of the 294 points the Tigers have scored, 240 came from players who signed or walked on with LSU after Saban left. (thats almost 82% of the points coming from NON-SABAN PLAYERS).


Seems to me that Saban is a helluva recruiter, but so far, Miles ain't so bad himself. Let's just home The Hat can keep this going (and get all these discipline problems taken care of - Odom and Perrilloux).

Thanks Advocate (the newspaper).

"Classy" Fans

Everyone has their stories about "classless" fans. I know I do, and I sure as hell know that Ole Miss fans do (they seem to think that all other teams' fans are classless), but this kind of takes the cake. Before tOSU put a handy little beat down on Penn St., the fans decided that they would make a pre-emptive strike on OSU fans.



Link to an article

Favorite part: "Interfraternity Council President Grant Miller (senior-English) also could not give additional information, but said he believes no Penn State student meant to disrespect any Ohio State student."
Nice way to show respect to other fans, by gingerly tossing them full cans of beer.

PS - I know that plenty of LSU fans have done horrible stuff to visiting fans, I do not participate in such actions or condone them.

Or...LSU is That Good

LSU should dominate South Carolina just as it has its other 3 opponents this season. This South Carolina team isn’t that different from Mississippi State or Virginia Tech. LSU has put up 44 plus points on 3 different teams this season so I don’t see any reason why the same shouldn’t happen here. People can say Virginia Tech is overrated and they probably are. People will try to say the same about South Carolina and they are also probably overrated, but it will be hard to justify saying every top 15 team LSU plays is overrated. At some point people will realize just how good this defense and offense are and that they make good teams look bad. Blowing out the #12 team 2 weeks after blowing out the #9 team should take ammunition away from USC diehards. People are saying that USC is #1 and LSU is #2 because they won on the road against a “good team.” Nebraska will continue to masquerade as a top 25 team until October 6th because they have a very weak schedule. After improving to 4-1 they will lose as many as 5 out of their next 6 with games against Missouri, Texas A &M, Texas, Kansas, and Kansas State with only A&M and Kansas State at home. Meanwhile, the Mississippi State Bulldogs will continue to win over people realizing how good they are when they improve to 3-1 after a win against Gardner Webb this weekend. They will have a chance against a demoralized South Carolina team next week. The following week they will defeat UAB in Starkville for homecoming. If they can beat South Carolina next week they would improve to 5-1 after the UAB victory and likely prove that LSU won against a decent opponent on the road. State will lose most of their remaining games. Their schedule after UAB? Tennessee, at West Virginia, at Kentucky, Alabama, Arkansas in Little Rock, and Ole Miss. They will have a chance in these games and might finish a bowl team. My point is that by the end of the year, I think State and Nebraska have similar records and USC’s road victory is not so impressive. By that time LSU will have also had to prove themselves at Kentucky and at Alabama, not to mention #3 Florida and the other games you already know about. LSU will keep making teams appear “overrated” until the end of the season.

Another Test for Troy

Don’t sleep on Washington State. I’m not saying they will beat USC, but they have one hell of a quarterback in Alex Brink leading the Huskies 17th ranked passing attack against USC’s way overrated 99th ranked passing defense. WSU looked great in the first half against Wisconsin the first week of the season before the Badgers pulled away. USC only beat this team by 6 last year. As for the ridiculous opinions of some people who say John David Booty is a Heisman candidate consider his stats versus Brink’s:
Booty: 40-62, 64.5%, 350 yards, 5.6 yards per attempt, 5 TDs, 1 INT.
Brink: 81-110, 73.6% 947 yards, 8.6 yards per attempt, 10 TDs, 2 INTs.
I know Booty has played one less game, but come on – stop with the Heisman talk.

Please Georgia

Its hard for me to not think Alabama will absolutely beat Georgia this Saturday (believe me, I’m trying), however Alabama will be facing its first real defense. Alabama will not be able to run the ball on Georgia as well as it has its previous opponents. They will have to throw at some point. This has been difficult for John Parker Wilson this season, as he has thrown only 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Georgia’s offense has not been setting the world on fire, but might be good enough against Alabama’s non-existent defense to score more points than Bama. We’ll see, but I like the Tide in this one. One interesting note is that some players and coaches from Western Carolina, the only team to play both Bama and UGA, all said they expect the Dogs to win.

Watch Out For The Buckeyes

To me, Ohio State proved they should be taken seriously with a victory at Washington last week. Penn state is playing very well and should beat Michigan this week, but JoePa’s teams have a way of choking. Wisconsin looks plainly overrated and in a role recersal has a bad defense and throws the ball on offense. Ohio State’s schedule is not the easiest in the country with games at a Purdue team that is probably overrated, Michigan State, at Penn State, Wisconsin, and at Michigan (its still the biggest rivalry in college football), but the Buckeyes will likely be 5-0 when they head to Purdue in week 6. This should allow them to keep creeping closer to a top 5 that is for now well solidified.

Cats at the Hogs

Its funny to be talking about Kentucky at Arkansas a compelling matchup – in football. Kentucky comes to Fayet-naim to play an Arkansas team that has an equally horrific offense. This is basically a Pac 10 game in SEC clothing, but it should be fun to watch. 2 Heisman candidates take the field with McFadden actually being upgraded in the Heisman race after his magnificent performance at Alabama. Could the award be becoming relevant again? Not likely, but at least it has a chance. Do yourself a favor and watch what I consider the best game of the weekend. The last time these 2 played: 11/01/03: Arkansas 71, Kentucky 63.

Gerry Dinardo Did Bring Back the Magic (Or at Least Started To)

In one of the most intriguing matchups of the weekend, we find out if Indiana is the pseudo real deal against Illinois. If Indiana goes 4-0 it will be hard to keep them from bowling, with future games against Ball State and at Northwestern. They should have a chance against Minnesota and if they can pull this off or one surprise victory against another Big Ten team they would finished 7-5. Even if they finish 6-6 someone should invite Indiana to a bowl out of pity and obviously not for their rabid fan base.

College Football Quickies

If Texas A&M is worth a damn at all and will compete for the Big 12 title, they should be able to get by Miami with ease this weekend. They have beat up 2 cupcakes at home and squeaked by Fresno St. in triple overtime. A&M’s 16 ranking seems too high..

Oklahoma’s pass defense faces its first real test in Tulsa QB Paul Smith, not to be confused with legendary guitar maker Paul Reed Smith.

Florida is only favored by 21 over Ole Miss in Oxford this weekend. Perhaps that is because Ole Miss has won their last 2 meetings. Ole Miss’ quarterback for those games was some scrub by the name of Eli Manning.

Nebraska will take out their frustrations on Ball State this weekend. It won’t matter, Nebraska, the country has already forgotten about you.

Duke actually has a chance to win 2 in a row when it takes on a terrible Navy team. More surprising than this is that this game is televised.

BC will jump out to 4-0 after a win against Army this weekend. Buffy and Chaz are still deciding whether to go or take advantage of one of the last good sailing weekends. Where have you gone Mr. Inside? Mr. Outside? A lonely nation turns its eyes to you.

William and Mary travels to Blacksburg to create a tragedy of their own against Virginia Tech.

Remember how everyone was saying TCU was this year’s BCS buster? Well, so far it has been Air Force and they have a chance to get into the Top 25 with a win over BYU.

Michigan State gets its turn at embarrassing Notre Dame in South Bend this weekend. Does this year’s Notre Dame team remind anyone else of Aaron Rodgers draft day?

The Penn State at Michigan game shouldn’t be close, but it has been the last 2 years between these 2. That said, Penn State has looked impressive on offense against 3 pretty weak teams. It defense has also been stout. Michigan is also weak on defense and the offense should be shut down by the Penn State D. But…this is Penn State Michigan, so you never know.

South Carolina is not the 12th best team in the country

This article tells you why.

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/09/17/nobody-noticed-but-south-carolina-is-a-struggling-football-team/

USC

After watching the USC Nebraska game last night I was shocked to see how bad Nebraska's tackling was. Yes, USC is a very talented team, but the gapping holes in the line were a result of inferior D-lineman. I think as the year plays on, Nebraska will be exposed as overrated. They do not tackle like a top 25 team. I alos enjoyed Brent Musberger talking about how John David Booty should win the Heisman after throwing for an eyepopping 43 yards in the first half.

LSU is averaging

45.7 points per game and is averaging giving up 2.3 points per game. The defense is #1 in the country by 50 yards per game. Amazing.

Early Doucet

has a groin injury and that is why he was held out of the game. I thought it was just precautionary. Honestly it shouldn't matter against South Carolina if he doesn't play, but it will matter against Florida. LSU has more talented Wide Receivers than it can put on the field, but few are truly proven and SEC battle tested.

Noel Devine

If you didn't see Noel Devine in last night's WVU Maryland game, you missed an amazing performance by a future star. He is small, so it will be interesting to see if he can be superhuman against better teams, but America was introduced to him last night (or at least those people that don't follow recruiting. LSU could have had this guy (at one point they were #1 on his list), but the opinion shared by almost every school was that he was not going to qualify and he had some off the field issues. His stats last night: 5 rushes for 136 yards. You have to see the highlights. Some runs were just sick.

Did Anyone Else Notice Last Night

That West Virginia backup quarterback Markell Harrison looks exactly like Lil Wayne?

LSU is the best team in the country.

Virginia Tech at LSU

Virginia Tech is not a top 10 football team. They have a bad quarterback and bad offensive line. They have a good running back, but, again, a bad offensive line. Their defense is good, but not as good as everyone tries to pretend it is. LSU is the best football team in the country. You did not get to see Gary Crowton's offense last week because they didn't need it. You will this week and it should fair pretty well against a team that at times struggled with ECU. Everyone likes to point to Virginia Tech's tragedy as the reason for its struggles, but this isn't like what LSU dealt with after Katrina and Rita. After the hurricans, players were on a different schedules, a game was moved back, they had no off week, and they had dozens of people staying at their apartments. Way different. LSU rolls, 24-0.

My Pick For Games of Interest

A C in () means I think they will cover.

Nebraska (-8) at Wake Forest: Nebraska (C)

Miami at Oklahoma (-10.5): Oklahoma (C)

Alabama (-3.5) at Vanderbilt: This one is too close to call, but don't be surprised if Vandy pulls it out. Vandy returns 21 starters and the stadium will be full for Saban. This Vandy team is good enough to go bowling.

Boise State (-3) at Washington: Washington (C). I really think Ty Willingham may have the Huskies back to competitive.

Oregon at Michigan (-7): Oregon (C). I know everyone is saying Michigan will be focused, but they should always be focused and Oregon runs the same spread offense that App. State and The Ohio State University used to defeat it.

South Carolina at Georgia (-3.5): Georgia. Georgia finally looks like Georgia and is playing at home. Spurrier says he may have overrated this team. I think he is right.

Missouri (-5.5) at Ole Miss: Missouri. Missouri sure looked good last week.
I don't know if they will cover.

Notre Dame at Penn State (-17): Penn State and it won't be close.

BYU at UCLA: UCLA. Don't know if they will cover. These teams could both be really good.

TCU at Texas (-8.5): TCU (C).

Mississippi State (-6) at Tulane: Miss. St. (C) Everyone says how much Miss. State sucked last week. I think LSU is that good. I saw a Miss. St. team with a good offensive line, a good running back, and a good-as-advertised defense. They have definitely improved from last year.

South Florida at Auburn (-6.5): Auburn (C). Auburn struggled last week and will not be as good as you're used to, but they are good enough to beat a good South Florida team. South Florida's QB, Matt Grothe, is fun to watch.

My College Football Rankings

This is how I see it so far:

1.) LSU
2.) USC
3.) Oklahoma
4.) West Virginia
5.) Wisconsin
6.) Cal
7.) Louisville
8.) Florida
9.) Georgia
10.) Georgia Tech
11.) Texas
12.) Ohio State
13.) Nebraska
14.) UCLA
15.) Auburn
16.) Penn State
17.) Virginia Tech
18.) Rutgers
19.) Arkansas
20.) Tennessee
21.) Hawaii
22.) TCU
23.) Boston College
24.) Boise State
25.) Texas A & M

Week One College Football Wrap Up

It took me a while to do this because I was out of town at the game and had to do a lot of work when I got back, but here are my thoughts on the top ranked teams after this past weekend. I will use the Coaches Polls Numbers because these are the only ones that count.

1.) USC: This is not the same USC we have been watching for the last several years. Booty is not Leinhart or Palmer and this team didn't show they were SC when playing a very, very weak opponent. We will learn more about Nebraska when they go on the road at Wake Forest, but when they return they may have enough to beat the Trojans following SC's bye week.

2.) LSU: This might end up being the best defense of all time. Virginia Tech should not score against them.

3.) Florida: hard to tell much from such a weak opponent, but the Gators are rolling. Tebow will be great, its just a matter of when.

4.) West Virgina: they have a weak defense that may keep them out of New Orleans.

5.) Wisconsin was very impressive against what will prove to be a good Washington State team. The most amazing thing about this team is watching them actually throw the football.

6.) Oklahoma looked amazing. However, they have a freshman QB and it will eventually cause them a loss or 2. This is now my Big 12 favorite.

7.) Texas looked horrible. Colt McCoy threw 2 interceptions to a bad Sun Belt team. TCU will cover this week and may even beat the Longhorns.

8.) Louisville: no defense. Consider them out of the Big East and National Title races.

9.) Virginia Tech is way overrated and it will show this weekend.

10.) California is the real deal. They have SEC caliber speed and get USC at home this year. Look for them to beat the Trojans and possibly get to New Orleans.

11.) Ohio State: can't tell much after who they played.

12.) Georgia: Finally Georgia looks like Georgia. They will beat South Carolina and it will come down to the Cocktail party for SEC East superiority.

13.) Auburn is not good enough to challenege LSU for the SEC West crown, but Tubby will find a way to win 9. They always do.

14.) UCLA is very good, but I believe a little overhyped right now. This weekend will tell us a little about the Bruins as they play BYU.

15.) Penn State has an easy road in the Big 10 this year. They are also very good. They will find a way to screw this up, but not before blowing out Notre Dame.

16.) Rutgers might end up being better than Louisville and WVU because they have some idea of how to play defense.

17.) Nebraska: looking like the real deal. Tough test this weekend because they have to go to Winston Salem, but we will find out how good they are next week when they host SC.

18.) Arkansas: too early to tell.

19.) TCU: this team is very good. They will cover this weekend against Texas. If they win they will coast into a BCS bowl.

20.) Boise State: not the same team without their QB this year. If they beat Washington this weekend they will only lose once - to Hawaii.

21.) Georgia Tech: Yes, Notre Dame sucks, but GT is really that good.

22.) Hawaii: One of the most fun teams to watch. Colt Brennan just makes me laugh with how good he is. They will go undefeated.

23.) Texas A&M: too early to tell.

24.) Tennessee: I don't know why people think Tennessee is so bad after losing to one of the best teams in the country when 2 of Cal's score were defensive. I saw a better team than they fielded last year. They won't win the SEC East, but they will be good and could end up deciding the conference with how they play Georgia and Florida.

25.) Boston College: this team should compete with Georgia Tech for the ACC title.

LSU Mississippi State Prediction

LSU 38 Mississippi State 10

I would like to go with 45-3, because I think LSU's offense should be able to hang forty something on State and because I hate thinking about the Bulldogs even being able to score, but I think 38-10 is about right when you think about it. LSU is playing in its first game and with a new QB and with a new coordinator. Also, State is at home and should be able to score a late touchdown on LSU's scrubs, who could start for State. State also returns much of its defense, who some pretend is good. Let's get this straight, State's D is good FOR STATE. If LSU only scores 31 I wouldn't worry.

Castille Update

Simeon Castille is scheduled to appear in court for his trial on Sept. 26 at 1:30 p.m. Castille was asked on Monday if he'd like to make an interception Saturday as a way of putting the incident behind him. "I actually have thought about it," the senior said. "Come out, have a great game. I've already put all of it behind me, but I think it would just help a lot of other people put it behind them." Hello, you have a court date in less than a month for criminal charges. I hope you haven't out it all behind you.

USC Running Backs Gambling; NCAA Still Looks the Other Way

The USC running backs have started a pool in which anyone who commits a fumble or drops a pass during practice is fined a couple of dollars. At the end of the season, whoever has been docked the least amount of money gets to keep the pot. Joe McKnight has contributed the most cash so far: $12.

This whole running back situation at USC is finally pissing me off. I guess none of these High School All Americans care that most of them will never play college ball as a starting running back.

Gayest College Football Fan Found

"College football means the leaves are falling, the wood stove is being lit again, and the waist bands will ever enlarge as my father and I rekindle an old tradition of watching our favorite college team battle for another chance at a bowl game."
"I break down my reasons for loving college football into the five Fs. Family, friends, food, fall and football. In 2004 I add a sixth F - Fiesta Bowl." This came from Chuck Oliver of Murray, Utah, and was printed in the Salt Lake Tribune. Are you f'ing serious? The more I read it, the gayer it becomes.

The Birmingham News Actually Said This

"Can Saban work his magic again?
In his four previous head-coaching stops, Saban has directed serious turnarounds. From 4-12 to 9-7 with the Dolphins. From 3-8 to 8-4 with the LSU Tigers. Did he lay the groundwork similar for success in Tuscaloosa?"

The paper neglects to report that the Dolphins then went 6-10 the next year, again missing the playoffs. If that's magic, then Gerry Dinardo was Harry Potter.

College Football Tidbits

USC is Getting Banged Up

Starting tailback Chauncey Washington and backup quarterback Mark Sanchez are expected to miss Saturday's opener against Idaho. Washington, a fifth-year senior who led the top-ranked Trojans in rushing last year with 744 yards on 157 carries, has a sprained right shoulder. Sanchez has a cracked bone in his throwing thumb.

Joe McKnight practiced for the first time in two weeks and is scheduled to be fitted today with a new brace to protect a stretched ligament in his right knee. He is cleared to practice, but not yet to play.

C.J. Gable and Allen Bradford are 2 more of the 9 players competing for the starting running back position that injured Washington currently holds. Gable is playing despite an abdominal problem. Bradford is nursing a hip injury.

Kicker David Buehler did not practice because of a strained right quadriceps, but said he would be at full strength against Idaho.


To Whom It May Concern

Baylor and TCU meet for the 105th time on Saturday. Despite playing just once since 1995, this still is the most-played series in Baylor football history, ahead of Texas A&M (103 meetings) and Texas (96 meetings).
The Bears hold a 49-48-7 edge in the series; Baylor has won six of the last eight meetings.


Like Father, Like Son

In the current worst should-involve-at-least-one-good-team-but-doesn't-and-therefore-the-game-always-sucks rivalry, Cody Hawkins will start at quarterback to try and save his dad's job at CU after only one year. I expect him to suck.

Lance Briggs is Smarter Than People Are Giving Him Credit For

A story is circulating the sports world that Chicago Bear's Linebacker Lance Briggs' 2007 Lamborghini Roadster was found crashed into a light pole in Chicago. The car was not reported stolen. The cops can not confirm that Briggs was driving it.

This one is pretty easy. When do people leave their cars after an accident? When they are drunk as hell and want to take the charges for abandoning the car after an accident rather than get a DUI/DWI.

Derrick Odom's charges will be dropped

Sorry I have been away. I was at a conference at the end of last week and missed the story I'm sure you all heard about. Now it appears Odom's charges will be dropped after he apologizes and a booster pays for the damage he caused.

You can imagine my shock when I came into the office after being under a rock and seeing all of this. I woke up excited about a 3 day work week and a trip to Stark Vegas and then was worried because Perrilloux's name was initially mentioned. Now I feel better and can back to thinking about LSU's annual embarrassment of Cow Bell U.

You Thought Ryan Perrilloux Was Bad?

In the wise words of Randy Moss, "Straight cash, homey."





These idiots are the two Iowa players that were arrested Sunday and charged with using stolen credit cards to make more than $2,000 in purchases. Wonder where they got the money.





The one pictured in the middle below is Arvell Nelson, who failed to appear at a court date stemming from a July 2 citation for driving with a suspended license. He posted bond today.



Where did these pictures come from? Their facebook pages. The University is a little alarmed.

More fun with money: