Live By The Sword, Die By The Sword

I've got some news for all the Tennessee fans and students who have acted out in anger over the news that head football coach Lane Kiffin is trading in Rocky Top for SoCal.

You asked for this and now you have to live with the consequences.

By "this" of course, I'm talking about the winning-above-all-else attitude that is so prevalent in the world of major collegiate athletics, to which Tennessee has been a willing follower. So it should really come as no surprise to anyone with half a brain that the ego-maniacal Kiffin would skip town after less than a year and a half on the job.

As universities and their athletic directors look to satisfy rabid fan bases and deep-pocketed boosters, it is inevitable that this kind of thing is going to happen. The pressure to win is getting coaches fired before they can even see their first recruiting class graduate, can you really blame coaches for always having an eye on the next best gig?

When Tennessee fired long-time head coach Phil Fullmer it traded in any chance of the Paterno-like loyalty their fans would all like to think their head coach would and should bring with him. Fullmer, as much as I didn't care for him as a coach on the field, was (and is) a loyal and steady presence. But in the end, with rival schools like Florida and Alabama asserting themselves thanks in large part to new head coaches, that stability just wasn't good enough any more.

Some Vols fans are mad at athletic director Mike Hamilton who bowed to the pressure and fired Fullmer, making way for Kiffin and his traveling circus? But even Hamilton was just doing what he thought was in the best interest of the program. Surely even he couldn't have predicted the wonderful mess his school now finds themselves in.

Like so many schools before them (ahem, Notre Dame), unrealistic expectations from nearly everyone involved led them to this point. Head coach gone, recruits jumping ship and a fan base on the verge of revolt. But in the end Tennessee, their fans and their boosters, have no one to blame but themselves.

Guilty Pleasure

We all know that earlier this week that Pete Carroll bolted from USC to become Head Coach and President of the Seattle Seahawks. My question is why?

USC, college football's team of the decade, is arguably the top job in the world of college football. Year after year the Trojans land top recruits from all across the nation, and are amongst the favorites to win the national title.

What's wrong Pete? Was the 97-19 record you compiled at USC not good enough? Was your 2003 AP National Championship, and your 2004 National Championship not good enough? How about your 7 consecutive Pac-10 titles and BCS appearances? How about your back-to-back Heisman trophy winners (Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush) is that not good enough? Ah, I got it. It must have been the $4.4 million you made last year.

Enjoy your stay in Seattle. Enjoy your team that has won a combined 9 games the past two seasons. Enjoy your aging quarterback, wide receiver, and left tackle. The move from So-Cal to Seattle will most certainly be rainy. This team has very little to get excited about, and turning it around will truly be magical.

Yes, you got a raise but my sense doesn't think you made the move for the money. So again, why? Wait a minute. I figured you out. There's a meeting between NCAA officials being held next month to discuss possible sanctions against your former university regarding illegal benefits distributed to some of your premier players. That wouldn't have anything to do with your departure now would it Pete?

When USC gets penalized for illegal connections with former stud running back Reggie Bush, and recent NFL declaree Joe McKnight, you better be penalized as well. Shame on you for bailing out on kids to head north just so your image would not be tarnished. Shame on you for entering the homes of these kids and promising national championship opportunitites, only to leave right after you had a sub par season for the Trojan's football program (9-4).

Nice call Pete, or should we call you Calipari?

Sheer Randomness: Week 2

Several things to get to, so lets get started...

Timmy!!!

Giants ace and consensus best pitcher on the planet, Tim Lincecum, picked up his second straight NL Cy Young Award today after leading the league in strikeouts with 261 and finishing second in ERA at 2.48.

The win marks the first time since 1981 that a National League starting pitcher has won the Cy Young with fewer than 16 wins, and only the third time overall that feat has been accomplished. It's also a sign that baseball writers are finally starting to see the fallacy in using wins as the main statistic used to judge starters.

As a Giants fan this is also a very sweet victory after Pablo Sandoval was passed over for the Silver Slugger Award at third base.

New Mexico 1 - Florida 0

Finally, a Mountain West school can claim a victory over the mighty SEC.

Monday Musings (The Tuesday Edition)

Welcome to a special Tuesday Edition of Monday Musings thanks to the Labor Day holiday. I won't bore you with my golfing exploits over the weekend, so on with the show...

• The college football season started with a bang and picked up right where last season left off with upsets a plenty.
  
  Three top-25 teams lost to unranked opponents (Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh), another was beaten badly by a lower ranked team (Clemson) and Michigan found a way to lose their second-straight home opener.
  
  This is why I love college football, because for those five teams it will be virtually impossible for them to win a national championship. Every game counts equally and there is no room for slow starts.
  
  
  
  Oh, and they're OK too.
  
  
• Tennessee head coach Phil Fullmer may never set foot in the state of California again. At least he won’t if he’s smart.
  
  
• Cliff Lee became the major league’s first 20-game winner after he tossed a complete game shutout against the AL Central leading White Sox.
  
  Lee now has credit for 20 of Cleveland’s 66 wins, which is remarkable. What’s even more impressive is that in seven of his wins the Indians have scored four runs or fewer and he picked up no-decisions in four games in which he gave up two runs or less.
  
  He hasn’t lost since July 6th and has won six straight decisions giving up eight earned runs and seven walks in 47.2 inning pitched. Dominant doesn’t quite describe what Lee has done this season and he should be a lock to win the AL Cy Young Award.
  
  
  
  
• There are reports that the Bengals’ wide receiver formally known as Chad Johnson has legally changed his name to Chad Ocho Cinco. This might be at the same time the dumbest and greatest attempt to market ones self in the history of sports.
  
  One thing is for certain, if the NFL allows him to put Ocho Cinco on the back of his jersey (and I can’t see how they can stop him now), his will be the most purchased jersey in the league and it won’t be close.
  
  
• Ricky Williams got a one-year contract extension with the Miami Dolphins. I have him on 1,400 yards and 8 touchdowns, no joke.
  
  
• The San Francisco Giants have lost six of their last seven games and Barry Zito got lit up by the Reds on Friday. Order has officially been restored to major league baseball.
  
  
• The Knicks traded for Patrick Ewing Jr. apparently hoping to distract fans from the awfulness that is the New York Knicks. Honestly, it will be pretty cool to see Ewing emblazoned on the back of a Knicks jersey once again, but they still suck. A lot.
  
  
• Tiger Woods and his wife Elin are reportedly expecting their second child sometime this winter. This of course brings into question the story about him injuring his knee while running. You the man Tiger!
  
  
• Brazilian superstar Robinho signed with Manchester City, favorite club of Oasis front man Noel Gallagher (new album in stores Oct. 6, yay!). This after powerhouse Chelsea thought it had the inside track on the 24-year-old.
  
  
  
  I’m sure no one reading this will care, but anytime a talent like Robinho switches clubs it’s worth mentioning in my book. Thus ends the soccer portion of the program.
  
  
• Vijay Singh won his second straight tournament by demolishing the field at the Deutsche Bank Championship, firing a final round 63 on his way to all but securing the $10 million bonus that goes to the winner of the FedEx Cup.
  
  At 45, Singh looks as fit as ever and even his often-balky putter seems to be behaving for him.
  
  I am supremely impressed by Singh who looks like he could play until he’s 55 without losing a step. He still hits it a mile and has the experience and moxy to do some serious damage in the majors next year.
  
  
• Olympic gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh lost for the first time in 112 matches when they were beaten by the American team of Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh.
  
  The loss came just over a year after their last defeat, which was also at the hands of Youngs and Branagh.
  
  Say what you want about beach volleyball being a fringe sport, but you have to be impressed by the total dominance May and Walsh have shown over the last year.
  
  
• Cal beat Michigan State 38-31 on Saturday in spite of senior quarterback Nate Longshore’s two crucial interceptions in limited duty.
  
  
  
  I have no idea why Cal head coach Jeff Tedford continues to run him out there, but here’s hoping Longshore’s terrible effort on Saturday will further tighten sophomore Kevin Riley’s grip on the starting job and decrease the amount of playing time Tedford gives his senior QB.
  
  
• Lastly, the LPGA is trying to pass a rule that requires its members to speak English or face suspension from the tour.
  
  While it’s true that a growing number of the best players in the world hail from non-English speaking countries, making it mandatory for them to learn the language or lose playing privileges is out of line.
  
  For a game that markets itself as a global competition the LPGA has clearly over-played its hand in this instance. They could never get this kind of rule passed on the men’s tour, and they are foolish to think they can do it for the women.
  
  The LPGA needs to be happy about the rise in their popularity as a tour and keep its greatest assets, its players, as happy as possible and this is no way to do it.
  

Monday Musings

The Olympics are now a distant memory, baseball is headed for the stretch run, college football starts this week and the NFL gets underway next week. It's a great time to be a sports fan.

• The so-called "Redeem Team" won its gold medal after sweating through a spirited effort from Spain who gave the U.S. all it could handle. It wasn't the prettiest performance of the games for the NBA's brighest, but in the end they got the job done.
  
  I stayed up late to watch the game live and I couldn't help but think about why the NBA game in my opinion is suffering a bit right now. Despite showcasing some of the biggest stars in the history of the game in Kobe and LeBron, it was disturbing just how fundamentally deficient most of the American players are.
  
  Outside of point guards Chris Paul and Deron Williams who I thought managed the game well and played under control, the rest of the team did what NBA players do and relied too heavily on their stunning athleticism.
  
  Too often they got out of position on defense because of poor footwork and it cost them as the Spanish team was able to penetrate at will while the Americans gambled for steals. On the offensive end it was an endless stream of out-of-control dashes to the basket or ill-advised three pointers that nearly got them beat in the one game that mattered most.
  
  Like I said, a win is a win and bringing home the gold medal is the most important thing. However something needs to change about the way young American basketball players learn the game if we expect to get back to the type of utter dominance we all expect from the best players from the world's premier league.
  
  


• Big props to the little league team from Hawaii who dominated the team from Mexico to take home the state's second Little League World Series title in four years.
  
  
  
  I was really impressed by the team's style and especially pitcher Caleb Duhay's strike zone pounding approach. Too often the 11 and 12 year old players rely on big breaking balls and have a hard time locating any of their pitches because of poor mechanics. But I have to give it up to Duhay and his coaches for stressing the importance of throwing strikes.
  
  I could have done without the big league home run trots from some of the kids, but hey, they were having fun with it so I can't really hate on that.
  
  


• As it turns out the San Francisco 49ers may have been doomed no matter what when it came time to pick a quarterback in 2005.
  
  The prevailing thought that year was that if Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart had left USC early that he would have been the Niners' #1 pick. As it turned out he stayed in school and they picked Utah's Alex Smith instead.
  
  Fast forward to today and both Smith and Leinart have been passed over for starting gigs on their respective teams. Hey, maybe they could swap the signal callers for one another and see what happens.
  
  


• Two of the NFL's fiercest defensive players have been hit with major injuries in the last week as Chargers' defensive end Shawne Merriman found out he has two ligament tears in his left knee, and Giants' end Osi Umenyiora is out for the season with an ACL tear.
  
  Merriman has yet to make a decision whether or not he'll try to play through the injury, but if I were him I'd take the season off and try to get healthy. It does make you wonder however if his past steroid use has anything to do with the sudden breakdown of a once unbreakable physique.
  
  
  
  For Umenyiora the injury is unfortunate, but reports are that it may have saved us from having to watch Michael Strahan yuck it up on Fox this season as he is considering a comeback.
  
  Fellow NFC East defensive end Jason Taylor escaped a potentially devastating end to his first season in Washington as he only sprained his right knee against the Panthers Saturday night. He'll be out 10-14 days and may miss the season opener.
  
  These types of injuries can of course occur at any time in a game as violent as football, but once again it has to call into the question the need for four pre-season games. When you add mini and training camps to the mix it seems to me that most teams would be able to make personnel decisions with just two of the meaningless contests. Of course then the poor NFL might lose out on millions in revenue, so we know that won't happen anytime soon.
  
  


• If you like baseball even a little bit you have to be impressed with what's going on in Tampa Bay this season. Even without their two best players (Carl Crawford and Evan Longoria) the Rays have managed to hang onto a 4.5 game lead in the AL East with no signs of slowing down.
  
  Last week I wrote that they should be taking a closer look at Barry Bonds as a possible fill-in in the middle of their batting order, but the way they are playing right now makes have to re-think that. Hell, if it weren't for the non-hustle of center fielder B.J. Upton they might have an even bigger lead right now.
  
  


• Cal head football coach Jeff Tedford finally came to his senses (sort of) and named sophomore Kevin Riley the team's starting quarterback after a heated competition this spring between Riley and and senior incumbent Nate Longshore.
  
  
  
  Of course Tedford wouldn't commit all the way to Riley, saying that Longshore would indeed play in the season opener against Michigan State. That of course is exactly what you want to do with a young quarterback, have him looking over his shoulder constantly. Just ask Matt Leinart how that is working out in Arizona.
  
  


• Thanks to NBC's coverage of the Olympics, most of the world missed out on one of the best performances by one of the brightest young golfers on the planet, New Zealand's Danny Lee.
  
  Lee, who was born in South Korea, became the youngest ever to win the U.S. Amateur, wiping out one of Tiger Woods' myriad of amateur records. At just 18 years (and 1 month) old, Lee is the top-ranked amateur player in the world and he justified that ranking by steamrolling Florida State's Drew Kittleson, 5 and 4.
  
  
  
  Lee was an impressive 11-under par through the 32 holes played on Sunday on the famed and monstrously difficult Pinehurst No. 2. The Golf Channel broadcast every round of the event, but for a tournament that has seen its share of non-descript champions over the last several years, it was really too bad that Lee didn't get the network TV treatment the biggest tournament in amateur golf usually gets.
  
  Look out for Lee in next year's first two majors, The Masters and the U.S. Open, where he would be teeing it up with the big boys as long as keeps his amateur status. Lee was great to watch with his go-for-it style and Tiger-like ability to extract himself from trouble all over the course.
  
  When told of his possible pairing with Woods in the 2009 U.S. Open Lee was, lets say, a little excited.
  
  "Oh, my God. ... Yeah. That's a, oh, that's a special thing for me. ... Wow. I'm going to beat him."
  
  Good luck with that Danny.
  
  
• The other U.S. Open starts today, begging the question, if a tennis tournament happens and no one hears it, does it make a sound?
  
  
• The San Francisco Giants have won a season-high 5 straight games and Barry Zito has won back-to-back starts. Someone check on Hell to make sure no one down there needs a coat.
  
  
• 7 Miami football players have been suspended for the season opener against Charlston Southern and the sun will rise tomorrow morning. So not much has changed really.
  
  
• Had my first fantasy football draft last night and landed the #1 overall pick. I had to take LaDainian Tomlinson even though he's not who I really wanted. Not sure why exactly, I guess I'm just dreading a decline in his production at some point.
  
  
  
  The rest of my roster includes QBs Drew Brees and Davis Garrard, RBs Darren McFadden, DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart and Ray Rice, WRs Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Ted Ginn Jr., Nate Burleson and Ronald Curry, TE Vernon Davis and Ks Mason Crosby and Jeff Reed.
  
  Not bad, but I look at this team and I think I'm either going to win the whole thing or finish dead last. There will be no in between.
  
  
• One last late note from today. Oregon QB Nate Costa will be sidelined for a minimum of 8-10 weeks after he re-injured his surgically repaired left knee. As you'll remember it was another knee injury that torpedoed the Ducks chances at a shot at the title last year when former QB Dennis Dixon was injured.
  

Because Everyone Else Does It...

Count me among the thousands of football wonks out there who think they can predict the first round of the NFL Draft. It's an exercise in futility to be sure, but what the hell, I'll take a shot.

I'll spare you my analysis because that would make for a seriously long-winded piece. But keep in mind that the picks I've made do not reflect trades that I think will happen.

So without further ado, here goes nothing.

1. Miami Dolphins - Jake Long - OT - Michigan

2. St. Louis Rams - Chris Long - DE - Virginia

3. Atlanta Falcons - Matt Ryan - QB - Boston College

4. Oakland Raiders - Darren McFadden - RB - Arkansas



5. Kansas City Chiefs - Glenn Dorsey - DT - LSU

6. New York Jets - Vernon Gholston - DE - Ohio State


7. New England Patriots - Brandon Albert - OG - Virginia

8. Baltimore Ravens - Leodis McKelvin - CB - Troy

9. Cincinnati Bengals - Keith Rivers - LB - USC

10. New Orleans Saints - Sedrick Ellis - DE - USC

11. Buffalo Bills - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - CB - Tennessee State

12. Denver Broncos - Derrick Harvey - DE - Florida

13. Carolina Panthers - Reshard Mendenhall - RB - Illinois

14. Chicago Bears - Ryan Clady - OT - Boise State

15. Detroit Lions - Jeff Otah - OT - Pittsburgh

16. Arizona Cardinals - Aqib Talib - CB - Kansas



17. Kansas City Chiefs - Chris Williams - OT - Vanderbilt

18. Houston Texans - Kentwan Balmer - DT - North Carolina

19. Philadelphia Eagles - Devin Thomas - WR - Michigan State

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jerod Mayo - LB - Tennessee

21. Washington Redskins - Kenny Phillips - S - Miami

22. Dallas Cowboys - Limas Sweed - WR - Texas

23. Pittsburgh Steelers - Phillip Merling - DE - Clemson

24. Tennessee Titans - Malcolm Kelly - WR - Oklahoma

25. Seattle Seahawks - Gosder Cherilus - OT - Boston College

26. Jacksonville Jaguars - Lawrence Jackson - DE - USC

27. San Diego Chargers - Jonathan Stewart - RB - Oregon

28. Dallas Cowboys - Felix Jones - RB - Arkansas

29. San Francisco 49ers - DeSean Jackson - WR - California



30. Green Bay Packers - Brandon Flowers - CB - Virginia Tech

31. New York Giants - Dan Connor - LB - Penn State


That's it, that's the list. I'll be back on Monday to make fun of myself for being so wrong about these picks. Hey at least I'll get number one right.

Five to Watch in 2008

I love a good sports list and I know you do too. That's why here at "Quick Hits" I've decided to give you one of my own, the 2008 "Five to Watch" list.

This list includes guys you've heard of and guys perhaps you haven't, but what they all have in common is that they should impact the sporting world in 2008 and if they happen to play for your team you might want to take notice.

So without further ado...



Francisco Liriano - SP - Minnesota Twins

In case you forgot the lefty on the Twins staff with the nastiest stuff is not named Johan Santana, and with Santana most likely on his way out no player means quite as much to the success or failure of the Twins in 2008 than Liriano.

Liriano, you'll remember, burst onto the scene and into the national baseball consciousness in 2006 when he fanned 144 batters in 121 innings while posting a 2.16 ERA and earned a trip to the All-Star Game.

Just to point out how dominant Liriano was in 2006, if you added up his hits allowed, earned runs allowed and walks you'd get 150. Just six more than his strikeout total on the year.

The fact that he only became a starter in mid-May that year and only made one start in August and September respectively due to injury speaks to just how untouchable he was.

Liriano won 12 of his 16 starts and never gave up more than four earned runs in any start and struck out 10+ in a quarter of them. Combined with Santana the Twins boasted arguably the best one-two punch in baseball and the team's longest losing streak (5 games) came from May 14-18; Liriano made his first start on May 19th.

It's become clear that the Twins are going to move Santana at some point and after trading away Matt Garza they absolutely must have Liriano back at full strength if they hope to compete with guys like Boof Bonser, Kevin Slowey and Scott Baker filling out the rotation.

All signs point to Liriano being fully recovered from Tommy John surgery come the start of spring training and that's great news for Twins fans who last year suffered through the team's first losing season since 2000.

Terrelle Pryor - QB - Jeannette, PA (College Undecided)



If you aren't glued to Rivals.com like I am then you may not have heard of college football's next big thing, QB Terrelle Pryor of Jeannette, PA., who happens to be the #1 high school football recruit in all the land.

When new Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez decided to leave West Virginia for Ann Arbor the first person he called was Pryor.

Reports are Pryor has had to get a second cell phone to avoid the non-stop, day and night bombardment of calls and text messages from fans, coaches and media who all want to know what school will be the happy recipient of his signature on the dotted line of a scholarship.

Pryor says he'll decide on national signing day which is just over two weeks away, but signs point to one of two places, Ohio State and Michigan.

Wherever the 6'6" 235-pound Pryor decides to go he'll bring with him considerable dual-threat skills that helped him rack up 4,250 yards rushing and 4,249 yards passing over his high school career.



In addition to being ranked as the nation's top football recruit, Pryor is also ranked third in the country among small forwards in basketball. So it should come as no surprise that the schools on his short list include the aforementioned Buckeyes and the defending national champion Florida Gators who just happened to play one another in last year's national title game.

My guess is that Rodriguez and the Wolverines will ultimately win the battle over Pryor who could easily step in and be starting quarterback from day one in Rodriguez's read-option offense.

Anthony Kim - PGA Tour Professional - Age: 22



Lets face it, no one is going to overtake Tiger Woods in the world of professional golf any time soon. And as Tiger's closest pursuers like Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk and Ernie Els get older and seem resigned to this fact it's all that much more refreshing when a young, American golfer steps up to take on the world's best.

No, Anthony Kim isn't going to reach #1 in the very near future, but don't tell him that. Last year the then 21-year-old Kim racked up four top-10 finishes after earning his tour card at qualifying school and by the end of 2007 was ranked 75th in the world with over $1.5 million in earnings.

Kim's final round scoring average in 2007 was a staggering 69.80, good for 7th on the PGA Tour and a testament to his ability to play well down the stretch. The next step of course is for Kim to give himself more opportunities close to the lead on Sunday.

Like many young players Kim can be erratic off the tee (134th in driving accuracy in 2007), but he can bomb it (12th in driving distance) and that can be a major weapon for him. More than stats however Kim has the attitude and short memory necessary for any player looking to score and ultimately win.

In addition to his golfing prowess, I have to admit it's nice to see a young American player who isn't lily white (Kim is of Korean descent). To me, Kim is the embodiment of what we were promised way back in 1996 when Tiger turned pro, and that is a more diverse PGA Tour in terms of non-white, American-born players.

In his first event of 2008 Kim finished T-3 which equals his second best finish on the PGA Tour. Watch for this talented youngster to pick off his first win at some point this season.

Evan Longoria - 3B - Tampa Bay Rays



When the Rays traded away one of their brightest young stars in right fielder Delmon Young, it seemed like a curious move. Getting rid of a 21-year-old who finished second in the Rookie of the Year balloting isn't something you just do.

Luckily for the Rays (they dropped the "Devil") they have as much if not more young talent in their organization as any in baseball, and third baseman Evan Longoria is arguably the best of the bunch.

Drafted in 2006 out of Long Beach State, Longoria has risen quickly through the Rays farm system, making it all the way up to Triple-A Durham last season while hitting a combined .299 with 26 HRs and 95 RBIs between Durham and Double-A Montgomery in 2007.

No relation to smoking hot Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria, Evan projects as the most coveted of hitters, those who not only hit for power but for average as well. He plays a solid third base and is noted for his competitiveness and leadership ability.

Ranked as the Rays top prospect for 2008 by Baseball America, Longoria could shed the "prospect" mantle with a strong spring training and is on the fast track to claiming the Rays starting third base job for years to come.

Chase Budinger - Shooting Guard - Arizona Wildcats



Everyone knows the big name guys like Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, Eric Gordon and O.J. Mayo who seem primed to set the NBA on fire as soon as next year. One name that gets overlooked however is Arizona's sophomore standout Chase Budinger.

At 6'7" Budinger plays above the rim and also has legit NBA range, a combo scouts covet. As a freshman last season Budinger started all 30 games for the Wildcats and averaged 15.6 points per game in the ultra-competitive Pac-10.

So far this season he's averaging 17.1 points per game, and on a team loaded with players who have NBA potential, Budinger has established himself as arguably the Wildcats best player.

At 12-6 and looking strong, the Wildcats have already endured the loss of their head coach Lute Olsen who is on a leave of absence for the entire year and it's been the 19-year-old Budinger who by all accounts has stepped into a leadership role.

That mentality along with his ability to score have made him a top target for many teams in the 2008 NBA Draft should he choose to leave school early after this season. A rare athlete, Budinger was also named the MVP of the 2006 U.S. Junior Olympic Volleyball Tournament; a sport he's since given up.

Whatever Budinger chooses to do he might be overshadowed by bigger names, but as they say, talent rises to the top and Budinger is primed to take his talent all the way up.

Classless, Clueless and Congratulations

A few Quick Hits on the bowl season so far...

Mark Richt runs it up:

Georgia head coach Mark Richt pulled two of what I considered to be the coolest moves of the 2007 college football season on his way to a 10-2 season and a berth in the Sugar Bowl.

At 5-2 with the Bulldogs season in the balance and facing the defending national champion Florida Gators, Richt sent his entire team out to the end zone after an early touchdown to send a message to the Gators that they were not going to be pushed around as they had in several previous meetings between the schools.

He knew they would get penalized and that people would talk trash about the tactics, but he realized that his team needed a boost.  The move propelled Georgia to a 42-30 win over Florida and helped inspire his team to five straight season ending wins.

The second pull from Richt's coaching grab bag of tricks came two weeks later against rival Auburn when Richt sent his team out in red jerseys, only to have them yank them off to reveal their rarely seen black jerseys.

Those moves had me thinking I really kind of liked Richt and how he was handling his players as he seemed to really understand motivation and knew how to keep things loose and have a good time, a la Pete Carroll at USC.

However after watching his team steamroll the Hawaii Warriors in the Sugar Bowl while Richt ordered passing plays and fourth down attempts in the fourth quarter with his team up 41-10, I lost quite a bit of respect for Georgia's head man.

Why do that?  What could there possibly be to prove?  People knew going in that it was going to take a big time effort for Hawaii to hang with an SEC school like Georgia and when the score got out of hand and Colt Brennan had been knocked out of the game there was no reason for Richt to keep the pedal to the floor.

The television announcers mentioned next year's pre-season polls as possible explanation for Richt running it up on Hawaii, but that's crap if you ask me.  

So too is the idea that Richt wanted to let his backup guys get some stats and find the end zone in a bowl game.  In fact there was no good reason to try and embarrass a team and a school who quite frankly was overmatched from the opening kickoff.

As entertaining as Richt's regular season antics may have been, in the end he proved to be nothing more than another classless college football coach who has little in mind besides his own ego.

Riley saves the day:

The California Golden Bears were one of the more disappointing teams in 2007, reaching number two in the country and then falling off the map and finishing 6-6.

Much of the blame for Cal's demise was placed on redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Riley who freaked out in the final seconds of a loss to Oregon State and cost Cal the chance to be the top ranked team in the country.

But it was none other than Riley who saved the Golden Bears in their bowl win over Air Force in relief of embattled starter Nate Longshore.

Just when it looked like Cal and Longshore were about to suffer another bad loss to an inferior team, head coach Jeff Tedford made the move he should have made weeks earlier and gave Riley his second chance.

All the kid did was go 16-of-19 for 269 yards and three passing touchdowns and ran for another score on his way to leading a 21-point comeback in the Bears' 42-36 win over the Falcons.

Why Tedford waited so long to finally make a move on Longshore is a mystery to me and most Cal fans who had such high hopes for their favorite team in 2007.  Thankfully it appears the starting job will not be handed to Longshore in 2008 as it was this past year.

Personally I can't wait to see what Riley can do with a whole season as the starting quarterback for the Bears as they look to put the disaster of the 2007 season behind them.

Henne and Hart go out winners:

I've never been a huge Chad Henne fan and I've never thought Mike Hart was overly impressive outside of his ability to hang onto the ball and get the tough yards.

Despite the fact that Hart doubled his career fumble total by putting the ball on the ground twice and Henne threw two interceptions in the Capital One Bowl against SEC powerhouse Florida, both of Michigan's senior leaders came up big when it mattered and led the Wolverines a 41-35 win.

Along with senior left tackle Jake Long, Henne and Hart came back to school to win a national championship with a team many considered one of the best in the country prior to the season.  But an opening season loss to Appalachian State sent the title hopes down the tubes and by seasons end Michigan would be unranked and searching for a new head coach.

But Henne and Hart rallied their teammates like the true leaders they are and to them I say congratulations on two stellar careers in the maize and blue.

The Gutless Wonder

So the big NFL news of the day comes from the Atlanta Falcons and surprisingly this time it had nothing to do with Michael Vick.

No this time it's their brand spanking new head coach Bobby Petrino who apparently decided in Saban-esque fashion that he wasn't cut out for the flaming hot glare of the spotlight that is the NFL.

So instead of honoring the five-year, $24 million contract he signed, Petrino has decided to high tail it out of town and return to the comfort of the college game at the University of Arkansas.

On the surface some might say that the move was predictable given his struggles through 13 games as an NFL coach and if his heart wasn't in it then good riddance.

I'd agree with that to a point, but all of this contract breaking by coaches who realize the harsh reality of life in the NFL has got to stop. It seems to me that no player would be allowed to switch teams less than a year into a freshly signed contract.

That is they wouldn't without a prolonged hold out that would inevitably paint that player as a malcontent in the court of public opinion and ultimately drive his value down. Starting to see the hypocrisy in all this?

For coaches who want to try their hand at the big leagues, contracts might as well be replaced by secret handshakes because they seemingly have no meaning besides stipulating what that coach may make in a particular year if he decides to stick around.

Players have to force trades, coaches trade themselves (albeit down a level), and for some reason in my little brain that seems wrong.

Think about it, how different is this move by Petrino to say Chester Taylor, a year after signing a contract to be the feature back for the Vikings, deciding that he doesn't want to play second fiddle to rookie sensation Adrian Peterson and deciding to take his skills elsewhere? That sounds outrageous, but honestly what's the difference?

Taylor signed on to be the man and then the team decided it's going to stake it's future on a younger, more explosive player, why can't he negotiate elsewhere to be the starting tailback? I don't understand why coaches are able to make these sort of unilateral decisions without ramification or compensation, while players are held like precious commodities by the franchises that sign them.

Aside from the obvious double standard when it comes to a move like this, consider the ramifications it has across the board on players left behind on teams and players on their way into a program.

Don't forget that Petrino left a very talented Louisville team that massively underachieved with new head coach Steve Kragthorpe at the helm. What could have those players accomplished with Petrino guiding the ship and allowing kids that he recruited and coached for several years to keep the system rolling?



Think about the disservice he did to a guy like Brian Brohm who spent his entire collegiate career up to that point perfecting his ability to execute Petrino's system and then has to start over with a new head coach his senior year. How is that fair to him or any of the other upperclassmen that started the year with National Championship hopes and ended it 6-6 and without a bowl bid altogether?

Oh yeah, did I mention Petrino signed a 10-year extension with Louisville a year before he jumped ship and left the college game for the pros? That's special.

Think about the guys on the Atlanta Falcons who have had to struggle and fight daily battles on the football field as well as away from it in the wake of the Vick dog fighting case that left the team without its biggest star.

Those are grown men who are going to have to learn a new scheme for the second time in two years, a fact I'm sure not lost on them. Players in the NFL get criticized and even cut for poor performance and sometimes the culprit for the poor play is as simple as not picking things up quick enough.

In that case we're talking about people's livelihoods on the line, and while I know it can be difficult to feel sorry for high-paid professional athletes, it's still a job and they can get fired just like the rest of us. Remember, there are no guaranteed contracts in the pros.

Then think about the players that Petrino will be recruiting to join him at Arkansas. Impressionable kids who can and will be lured by the promise of playing time and gridiron glory at a tradition rich school like Arkansas.

But how can any of those kids or their parents believe a word that comes out of Petrino's mouth? Why on earth would you send your child to play for a guy who clearly has one foot out the door at all times?

The sad part is that most likely Petrino will get his blue-chip prospects and build himself a nice little powerhouse in the always tough SEC. Life will go on and all will be merry for Petrino and the Razorback faithful.

But watching Petrino whoop it up at his press conference with the cries of "pig suey" was more than a little annoying and if I were good old Bobby Ball Coach I wouldn't dare show my face in the state of Georgia for at least six months.

Now I know coaches changing jobs is a part of life, and generally speaking I have absolutely no problem with that. But when a guy like Petrino makes a long-term commitment as he's done twice now in the last two years and then backs out, I have to seriously question his character and his integrity.

That said, I hope all you Razorback fans take the time to enjoy the Bobby Petrino era, it could be over before you know it.

Up, Up and Away

Excitement, exuberance, excellence.

If you've had the pleasure of seeing Tim Tebow play in his first two seasons at the University of Florida you understand just how synonymous he is with those three words.

After Saturday night however his name will forever be preceded by these three words: "Heisman Trophy winner".

In a season of upsets and shockers, where no favorite was safe, it was the guy most thought would take home the game's most coveted individual award that did just that and in the process became the first sophomore to win the Heisman.

While everyone will of course point to the ridiculous touchdown numbers both rushing and passing, what impressed me most with Tebow was his ability to lead and motivate with passion and sincerity.

Watching the 20-year-old's mile-a-minute acceptance speech in which he thanked everybody but myself and maybe two other dudes, you got a glimpse into why teammates call him a dream to play with and his coaches gush when his name comes up.

He's college football's Peyton Manning complete with all the "gee, gosh and heck" that football fans love and marketing people covet. An unassuming superstar with all the talent and charisma necessary to win over any crowd.

At this point it would be easy for Tebow to big-time people, shun the media and act the fool on a campus full of coeds falling over themselves to be the Lois Lane to his Superman.

Instead you get the feeling he'll be that guy on a sweltering August day at an NFL training camp, standing around for an hour making sure he signs every last autograph.

On the field it's impossible to ignore his ultra-unique style that's equal parts broad sword and battering ram. Maybe it's a lefty thing, those guys are always quirky, but mostly it's an all-out approach to the game that makes you think if he ever stops playing quarterback he might have a future as a linebacker.

Like very few before him (Michael Vick and Vince Young come to mind) it's Tebow's inability to be compared to his professional counterparts that ultimately makes him such a compelling figure on the football field.

With a National Championship and now a Heisman on his resume, Tebow's status as the next big thing has officially been overtaken by his current status as college football's "it" player.

A big shout out to Ms. Ann Malling for her support for and downright obsession with Tim Tebow. At least one more year on campus Ann and then you can make him your fantasy team's number one draft pick.

Beyond the Heisman

Now that the four finalists for the biggest individual prize in the college game have been named, I thought it would be interesting to break down the pro potential of each of them.

Of course everyone knows with past winners like Eric Crouch and Tommie Frazier that winning the Heisman absolutely does not guarantee success when it's time to get paid to play.

This year however there is next-level talent in each of the finalists, even though one of them (Tim Tebow) can't even declare for the NFL Draft until after next season.

Colt Brennan - QB - Hawaii:



Maybe no player in the country has had his skills scrutinized and his ability to play at the next level doubted by pro scouts more than Hawaii's Colt Brennan. They say he's a "system quarterback" who like many before him could struggle with the complexity of the NFL.

They say his three-quarter, almost sidearm delivery will get him in trouble at the next level where defensive lineman are all big and athletic enough to get their hands in passing lanes.

Some even doubt his character after some poor decisions early in his collegiate career ended his stay at Colorado and landed him in Hawaii alongside fellow castoffs taken in by Warriors head coach June Jones.

That's what "they" see when they look at Brennan and attempt to project him in the NFL.

What I see is a kid who has overcome those bad decisions to lead his team to an undefeated season and a BCS bowl game. A kid who has completed over 70% of his passes despite throwing it over 470 times in each of his three seasons as a starter.

I see an ultra-quick delivery with enough arm strength to make all the throws necessary to play at the next level and an uncanny ability to put his team on his back and carry them to the victory.

At 6-foot-3 and nearly 200 pounds he's plenty big enough to survive in the pro game and has shown surprising quickness when he's forced to run. In fact he reminds me of former Buffalo quarterback, Hall of Famer Jim Kelly, who ran the "K-Gun" offense for the Bills and led them to four straight Super Bowls in the 90's.

Brennan plays with guts, determination and heart and despite the fact that none of us can see it, of all the quarterbacks projected to go in April's NFL Draft I think Brennan has the strongest "it" factor.

In my opinion it would be a mistake for whatever team drafts Brennan to try and change who he is as a quarterback, and that's a guy who has the instinct and nerve to make plays and win football games. I think he deserves to go in the late first round, but inevitably questions about his transition to the pro game will probably land him in the second or third round.

Darren McFadden - RB - Arkansas:



1,197 yards and a 6.5 yard per carry average to go along with 10 touchdowns in just 10 games as an NFL football player. That's what Vikings rookie running back Adrian Peterson has accomplished since being picked 7th overall by everyone's favorite purple-clad franchise.

And if Arkansas' Darren McFadden is given the type of opportunity that Peterson has I believe he can put up comparable numbers, he's that damn good.

Like Peterson, the biggest knock on McFadden right now is his somewhat upright running style. A style that has led to him taking quite a lot of punishment from SEC defenders hell-bent on slowing down the Razorbacks' one man band.

Unlike Peterson however, McFadden is a natural pass-catcher, who along with his 300 carries and time spent as the Arkansas quarterback found time to catch 21 passes in 2007 for nearly eight yards per reception.

Also unlike the likely rookie of the year, McFadden does not put the ball on the ground. In three years and 764 carries McFadden has lost a grand total of zero fumbles. Peterson has already lost three in what has otherwise been a stellar rookie campaign.

Perhaps McFadden's most impressive trait as a runner is his initial burst through the hole and ability to reach the next level almost immediately, leaving a trail of defensive backs in his wake on his way to 40 rushing touchdowns in his collegiate career.

In short, he's everything a feature-back in the NFL is supposed to be and should have an immediate impact at the professional level. I would be shocked if McFadden is not one of the first two or three players off the board.

Chase Daniel - QB - Missouri:



It's possible, and given the disappointing finish to the Tigers' season likely, that Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel will return for his senior season and opt for the NFL Draft in 2009. If he does decide to turn pro however he would add to an already impressive group of signal callers projected hear their names called in April.

Like fellow Heisman finalist Colt Brennan, the thing that stands out for me with Daniel is his uncanny accuracy. Daniel's stellar 69.7 completion percentage came on an eye-popping 534 pass attempts.

The player most often compared to Daniel is New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees who starred at Purdue and was picked in the second round by the San Diego Chargers.

That comparison is very fair in my opinion as like Brees, Daniel will have to answer questions about his size at barely six feet tall. But like Brees, Daniel has shown the ability in his time at Missouri to make all the necessary throws and guide his team to several impressive wins.

Playing his high school ball at powerhouse Southlake Carroll(TX) High School, Daniel is a winner first and foremost which is something that cannot be overlooked. With teams becoming less and less enamored with quarterbacks who look the part, Daniel could prove to be yet another example of a guy who just needs a chance to show he can perform.

Given the strength of this year's quarterback class, it might be best for Daniel to stick around campus for his senior season. Whenever he comes out however he'll more than likely be a third or fourth round pick for a team with the time and patience to groom an eventual replacement at quarterback.

Tim Tebow - QB - Florida:



They call him Superman and in Gainesville he's reached hero status in just two seasons on campus, so it's no wonder that Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is the leading contender for the Heisman as a true sophomore.

As impressive as his 29 passing and 22 rushing touchdown season was, I think Tebow is just beginning to scratch the surface of what he's capable of. And yes, that means I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility that next year he becomes the first player to go 30/30.

Of course he'll have wait at least one more year before he can take the "S" on his chest to the NFL, and there are plenty of things he needs to work on before he makes that jump.

At this point in his development Tebow reminds me of where Vince Young was in 2004 as a redshirt sophomore, except for the fact that Tebow is far more accurate as a passer than Vince was.

Mostly I look at Tebow and his ability to single-handedly win football games as the biggest similarity between he and Young who was once called, "the greatest quarterback to ever play college football" by Hall of Fame defensive back Ronnie Lott.

As a runner Tebow has few equals at the quarterback position. Faster than he is quick, Tebow is just as likely to run over a guy as he is to try and go around him, which opens him up to injury and is definitely something he'll have to tweak at the next level.

As a passer Tebow will have to prove on a more consistent basis that he can make quality reads and find his secondary targets when his primary ones are covered up. He's got a very live arm but is prone to throwing into traffic when things break down.

Should Tebow decide to enter the NFL Draft in 2009 I think he will go in the first round because of his unique blend of size, arm strength and ability to make plays on the move. Plus another year at the collegiate level should help his overall maturity and understanding of the game.

Like Young before him, some team will be enamored by Tebow's skill set and undeniable star power and make him their top draft choice. In my opinion that team will not be disappointed.

Who Wants It?

It's only fitting given how ridiculously crazy college football has been this year in terms of the standings, that the race for the Heisman Trophy is as wide open as I can ever remember it being.

No fewer than six guys have a legitimate argument that can be made on their behalf, and with exactly zero undefeated major conference teams (sorry Hawaii) there is no one on the Heisman radar who can claim "best player on the best team" honors.

Since not even I can decide who should win the Heisman, I've decided to make arguments for each and let you the reader vote for who you think should take home the big trophy.



Chase Daniel - QB - Missouri: Anybody who watched Daniel dismantle the Kansas Jayhawks this past Saturday night, in a game the moved the Tigers in position to potentially play in the National Championship game, had to be impressed.

He showed poise, confidence and uncanny accuracy, going 40-of-49 for 361 yards and three touchdowns. Of course this is nothing new for Daniel who is completing over 70% of his passes through 12 games, including 36 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions.

Even more impressive than that has been Daniel's ability to raise his game late in the season with everything on the line. In his last four games Daniel is 121-for-169 for 1,418 yards with 15 touchdowns and only one interception.

Only once all season did Daniel throw more interceptions than touchdowns in a game. That happened in the team's lone loss to Oklahoma in mid-October, and in that game he was 37-of-47 for 361 yards.

If Daniel and Missouri can beat Oklahoma this week in the Big 12 Championship, it would be tough for me to say that Daniel's all-around performance from start to finish was not Heisman-worthy.



Tim Tebow - QB - Florida: When you're the only player in the history of college football to throw for 20 touchdowns and rush for 20 touchdowns, that's pretty special. When you do it as a true sophomore in the best conference in the country you're downright scary.

Many believe that Tebow's gaudy offensive numbers and hard-nozed style has him positioned as the front-runner for the Heisman, and I can't say I disagree with that.

The one knock against Tebow however is how he performed against some of the toughest teams on Florida's schedule. In a loss to LSU Tebow's completion percentage was a paltry 46.2, and in a loss to Georgia he was held to minus-15 yards rushing; his only negative rushing day all season.

Outside of those two games however Tebow was brilliant, solidifying his status as arguably the most difficult player in the country to defend. At the age of 20 Tebow's legend grows larger by the day, and soon that legend may include a Heisman Trophy.



Darren McFadden - RB - Arkansas: There are big games, and then there are statement games, and McFadden's performance in an upset win over top-ranked LSU was the ultimate statement game.

All McFadden did on that Friday night in Baton Rouge was rush for 206 yards and three touchdowns and go 3-of-6 passing for 34 yards and a touchdown. All against one of the best defenses in the country who knew going in that they had to stop #5.

Of course one game does not make a season, and in McFadden's case for the Heisman, nothing could be more true. Three times this season McFadden was given fewer than 20 carries in a game and still he managed to rush for 1,725 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Those numbers eclipse the numbers from his sophomore campaign when he was the runner-up to Ohio State QB Troy Smith in the Heisman voting.

If McFadden does indeed turn pro, as many have speculated that he will, there will be one statistic that should wow NFL scouts in their evaluation of the Razorback running back. Want a hint?

Think zero.

As in zero fumbles lost in three season in the SEC. That's 764 carries, 46 catches and 22 pass attempts without putting the ball on the ground. To me that's all you need to know about the best running back in the country and possibly the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner.



Colt Brennan - QB - Hawaii: Fans of the run-and-shoot offense employed by Hawaii and head coach June Jones will remember fondly the last time a product of that system won the Heisman.

The year was 1989 and the player was Houston QB Andre Ware. That season Ware threw for 4,299 yards and 44 touchdowns on his way to the big prize.

While Brennan can't boast those type of numbers in 2007, the fact that his Hawaii Warriors are one win away from a perfect 13-0 season and a trip to a BCS bowl game has to count for something.

Of course that's not to say Brennan's numbers aren't impressive. Five times Brennan threw for more than 400 yards in a game in 2007, including a 495-yard performance in the season's biggest game for Hawaii this past Friday against Boise State.

Brennan was injured twice during the season and basically didn't play in either of those games (he did throw two passes against Nevada, but didn't start). Missing those two games will hurt Brennan's chances at winning the Heisman, but I for one think he's been impressive enough to deserve strong consideration for the award.



Glenn Dorsey - DT - LSU: The Heisman Trophy is supposed to be awarded to the best player in the country and for my money the best player, regardless of position, is LSU defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey.

No defensive player has been a more consistent, disruptive force than the effervescent Dorsey who has spent more time in offensive backfields than some running backs.

With 61 total tackles and six sacks, Dorsey's numbers are hardly the type of jaw-dropping stats that usually win Heisman's. Add to that the fact LSU is no longer a factor in the National Championship picture and Dorsey is a long shot.

However if the Heisman committee is doing its job it will include Dorsey in the ceremony scheduled for December 8th. Of course Dorsey can always take comfort in the fact that he's likely to be a top-3 pick in next April's NFL Draft.



Pat White - QB - West Virginia: Like Chase Daniel at Missouri, West Virginia's rise to the top of the BCS standings can only help the Heisman chances of their dual-threat quarterback Pat White.

Of all the quarterbacks on this list White is clearly the best runner by virtue of his 1,144 yards on the ground with one game left to play. Conversely he is by far the least effective passer of the bunch.

White's completion percentage has gone up and his interceptions have gone down since 2006, a sign that he is becoming a better passer. And his 26 total touchdowns are impressive. But White's true value comes in his ability to guide his team to within one win of a berth in the National Championship.

White may have to wait a year before he wins a Heisman because of the competition this year, but his role in the elevation of the Mountaineer program deserves recognition, perhaps with a big, stiff-arming trophy.

So there it is, that's the list. You've noticed that I've included a second poll to go along with this article. Feel free to voice your opinion on this year's Heisman race.

How to Lose a Season in 15 Days

Supporters call them the Cubs of college football, so I guess it's appropriate that the California Golden Bears share a species with the lovable losers from the Windy City. And while I'm not so sure how lovable they are, the one thing I know them to be is frustrating.

Sure Cal has only recently reversed its fortunes to become one of the more talented teams in the country and maybe we should have seen this coming with the Pac-10 quickly becoming the SEC of the west. But that doesn't change the fact that a little more than two weeks ago this team was one freshman mistake away from being the #1 team in all the land.

That fact, combined with the fact that no team in the Pac-10 has gone more years since an appearance in a Rose Bowl than Cal (since 1959 to be exact) and you have one of the most frustrating and annoying seasons this Cal fan has had to endure in a while.

When they were bad, they were bad, and we could all live with that. It wasn't any fun getting beaten up by the likes of Stanford and UCLA, among others, but no one had any delusions that this team was any good.

In 2001 they were 1-10 and things looked worse than ever. Then came current head coach Jeff Tedford and everything changed. The offense got more dynamic, recruiting picked up and in the not-so-distant future there will be a shiny new Stadium that will help put Cal on par facility-wise with the Oregon's of the world.

However with all the recent success has come a feeling among the faithful that this team could make some real noise on the national stage. And up until a couple of weeks ago that feeling was being confirmed by a team who had already notched wins over Tennessee and Oregon and were sitting pretty as the #2 team in the country.

Then came that night in Berkeley against an Oregon State squad that most thought would get run off the field by the more talented Bears. Sure redshirt freshman quarterback Kevin Riley was forced to start due to an injury to starter Nate Longshore, but with so many weapons and momentum on their side it was supposed to be easy.

Of course no one told that to the Beavers who put up a great fight in the first half, and were benefited greatly when the Pac-10 officiating crew deemed a play in which Beavers QB Sean Canfield crossed the line of scrimmage before throwing an incomplete pass, inconsequential.

Nothing could have been further from the truth of course, as the Beavers took advantage of the extra down and set up kicker Alexis Serna for a field goal which made it a one point game going into halftime.

I'll admit, at the time I thought little of it, but as the game wore on the impending feeling of doom got stronger and stronger. Meanwhile Riley played well, overcoming a fumble by freshman Jahvid Best that allowed OSU to go up by 10 late in the game, and leading a stunning 79-yard touchdown drive in only 55 seconds to pull Cal within three points.



Three points, that's all they needed, three measly points. And then it happened.

12 seconds to play, Cal down by three inside the Beavers 15 yard-line, Riley looking for all the world like Joe Montana in fourth quarter comeback mode. But instead of Joe Cool, he turned into Rex Grossman in the matter of a few seconds. Forgetting to throw the ball away, Riley scrambled into the middle of the field and was taken down with no timeouts remaining.

Tick, tick, tick, ballgame. Goodbye #1 ranking.

OK fine, freshman mistake, it happened and it's over with. There's still a shot at the Pac-10 title and trip to the Rose Bowl, especially with games against highly ranked teams like USC and Arizona State coming up.

Again, someone forgot to tell Cal's next opponent, the UCLA Bruins, about the team's Rose Bowl plans. In a game that can only be described as "aaarrrggghhhh", Longshore returned only to show the country why he might be the most overrated signal caller in the country.



Another 14-13 lead heading into halftime made the whole thing seem a bit too eerie for yours truly, but again I figured Cal had the weapons and experience to pull it out and beat an inferior team. Wrong again.

Needing only a field goal to win, Best atoned for his mistake in the Oregon State game and set up the Bears with great field position on the UCLA 35 after a 53-yard kick return. Everything seemed to be OK, that was until Longshore stared down DeSean Jackson on a third down pass which was promptly picked off and returned for a touchdown.

Thanks Nate. Final score UCLA 30 Cal 21.

Another stunning loss to an unranked team and still there was hope. With the rest of the Pac-10 eating itself alive, the early November showdown between Cal and USC could still decide who goes to the Rose Bowl.

As the seconds ticked off of a second loss by USC, this time to Oregon, I suppose I should have known something terrible was about to happen later that night as Cal traveled to the Valley of the Sun to take on the fourth-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils.

20 first half points and a six point lead belied the fact that the game wasn't that close, with Cal dominating the opening 30 minutes but allowing ASU to hang around thanks to spotty quarterback play and a lack of offensive aggressiveness.

The second half saw Longshore up to his old tricks, missing open receivers, throwing interceptions and generally disappearing from sight as the high-powered Cal offense was shut out over the final 30 minutes, losing 31-20.

If it sounds like I'm piling on Longshore, I am. I'll admit that some of the blame has to fall on Tedford's shoulders for allowing his injured signal caller to take the field, but at some point a guy has to know when he's no longer helping his football team.

Against ASU Longshore threw two of the worst interceptions I've seen in a while, both of which could be directly related to his injured ankle. The first was a badly under thrown ball to a wide open Jackson, the second a stick throw in the middle of the field, both of which lacked the necessary velocity due to Longshore's inability to push off with his right foot.



Over the span of the three losses there were other problems as well. The offense taking its collective foot off the pedal after leading in the first half of each game. The defense refusing to keep the pressure on three sub-par quarterbacks who they held to 566 passing yards and only two touchdowns in the three games combined.

I guess the most frustrating part is that it never had to be like this. Ask anyone who knows what they're talking about and they will tell you that Cal is a better team than any of the three they lost their season to, but obviously that's not what counts.

In the meantime a team that was a handful of plays away from being the top dog will ultimately have to claw and scratch just to make another Holiday Bowl appearance. Go Bears!

The More Things Change...

Years from now when we look back on the 2007 season in college football we will no doubt remember it for the absolute carnage that started in the season's first week when Appalachian State ripped the heart from the chests of Michigan fans everywhere.



What we may forget however is how certain the experts were prior to the season that the two best teams without a shadow of a doubt were USC and LSU. Certainly each had it's challenges to overcome along the way, but few thought anything would come between those two powerhouse programs and a trip to the BCS Championship Game.

Yet here we are in late October and both LSU and USC have suffered losses and find themselves on the outside looking in at Ohio State and Boston College who are currently #1 and #2 respectively in the BCS standings.

If there's one thing this season has taught us it's that anything can happen and everyone can be beaten. With that knowledge in hand I can come to only one conclusion; USC and LSU will play for the National Championship come January.

Nonsense you say? Never fear, I'll explain.

As it stands right now, LSU is third in the BCS standings which puts them in prime position to move into the top two should either Boston College or Ohio State slip. With BC on the road this Thursday night in Blacksburg to take on Virginia Tech, LSU's ascension to #2 could happen as early as this week.

Not to mention the fact that even if BC gets past the Hokies they have to play several dangerous teams down the stretch like Clemson, Florida State and Miami, I just can't see them staying among the undefeated much longer.



LSU's remaining schedule includes one more tough test at Alabama this weekend, but gets much easier after that with games against Louisiana Tech, Ole Miss and Arkansas before the SEC Championship game. My guess is that they're more focused than ever on the fact that they are still in the hunt and the Tigers will not be denied the rest of the way.

So that takes care of LSU's part of the national championship picture. As for USC, well suffice it to say they're going to need a little more help. Help that I think they're going to get.

Yes, the 24-23 loss to the lowly Stanford Cardinal hurt the Trojans' chances greatly at getting back in the title game, but it did not kill them altogether. Should USC win out, as I think they will, they will have beaten three teams in the BCS top-25 (Cal, Oregon and Arizona State) as well as as tough UCLA team.

Those wins should be enough to propel the Trojans up the BCS standings, but that won't be enough on its own. There are several teams in the way of Pete Carroll's bunch, but all of them have it tough down the stretch and I think they will all lose.



West Virginia has games left against Rutgers, Louisville, Cincinnati and UConn and I can't see them getting through unscathed which would give them two losses and drop them from contention.

Oklahoma is a popular pick to be among the teams left standing, but despite a soft schedule the rest of the way, they have the Big 12 Championship to play in early December, a game I believe they will lose to a Missouri team looking for revenge.

The aforementioned Virginia Tech Hokies currently sit at #8 in the BCS, but games against Boston College, Georgia Tech, Florida State, Miami and Virginia will prove too much for true freshman quarterback Tyrod Taylor and the Hokies to overcome. Welcome to the two-loss club Blacksburg, see you next year.

Kansas has been a great story all year, but the ride will come to an end in the season finale against a very tough Missouri squad who will have eyes on the Big 12 Championship with a win over the Jayhawks. Kansas finishes with just one loss, but they're weak overall schedule will hurt them too much to reach the title game with one loss.

The season's other great story is of course South Florida and their run at a possible Big East Championship. However after a deflating loss to Rutgers last Thursday night I think they are in line to lose one more time with games against UConn, Louisville and Cincinnati left.

The defending champion Florida Gators reside one spot ahead of the Trojans in the BCS, but that won't last. Not only do the Gators already have two losses under their belts, they've got several difficult tests ahead of them against teams like Georgia, South Carolina and Florida State. Even if they win out in the regular season their reward will be an SEC Championship Game meeting with LSU.

All of that brings us to The Ohio State University and their current status as the number one team in the country. So far the Buckeyes have beaten pretty much nobody, but the real tests start this week as they travel to Happy Valley to take on Penn State.

I believe they'll take care of business against Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions and go on to beat their next two opponents, Wisconsin and Illinois. Should they win those games it'll mean a young and relatively inexperienced Ohio State team will have to travel to Ann Arbor and beat their bitter rivals, the Michigan Wolverines, in order to play for all the marbles.



With their season destroyed almost before it even began, you know the Wolverines and their trio of senior stars have had this game circled as their last chance at glory. I can't see Chad Henne, Mike Hart and Jake Long allowing the resurgent Wolverines to lose on their home field to their most hated rival, so I'll call it right now:

Michigan 27 Ohio State 23

The outcome of that game, combined with the fact that I believe USC will have risen to the #3 spot in the BCS by then will inexplicably return the college football world right back to where it all started, with USC and LSU battling for the ultimate prize.

It seems outlandish, improbable and downright confusing I know, but what would be a better finish to one of the greatest seasons in college football history? They say the more things change, the more they stay the same. And in a season of ultimate change no truer words have ever been spoken.

Have You Seen Me Lately?

It's no secret that I love college football for many reasons, but one of the biggest is the sheer number of unbelievable playmakers who dot the college football landscape.

But unless you're one super-cool guy and have multiple monitors hooked up to ESPN's College Gameplan service, chances are you've missed some of the more exciting and explosive players from all over the country.

Sometimes it can be difficult to decide which games to watch on a Saturday afternoon, so here now is a list of five must-see talents to help you ease the strain of the carpal tunnel syndrome you've no doubt developed from all the channel surfing.

The Quarterback: Everyone knows the big names like Brian Brohm, Andre Woodson and Tim Tebow. But perhaps you noticed the severe beating the Missouri Tigers handed the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Saturday night.



The architect of that beat-down was Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel who racked up a career-high 401 yards passing and tossed in 72 yards rushing for good measure. Of course gaudy offensive numbers are nothing new for the 6-foot junior from Southlake, Texas.

Now in his second year as the starting quarterback for the Tigers, Daniel is building on an outstanding 2006 campaign in which he finished with over 3,900 total yards and 32 touchdowns after taking over for uber-athlete Brad Smith.

All Daniel's done this year is complete nearly 67% of his passes including 15 touchdowns and only four interceptions. He's also second on the team with 188 rushing yards and tied for the team lead in rushing touchdowns with three.

The guy can flat do it all for an offense that demands nothing less from their signal caller. He gets another huge test next weekend as he leads the undefeated Tigers into Norman to face the Oklahoma Sooners in what could be a preview of the Big 12 Championship Game.

The Track Star: It seems nearly impossible that a guy listed at 5-foot-5 and 160 pounds could make it in the roughest conference in the nation, but not all 5-foot-5 160 pound guys can run a 10.02 in the 100 meters.

That's exactly what LSU tailback Trindon Holliday can do however and perhaps no player strikes more fear in the hearts of defensive coordinators than Holliday, who is easily the smallest guy on the field at all times.



His stats aren't big, but it's a rare talent to make 80,000 people collectively hold their breath every time you touch the football. Whether it's on a hand off, a catch or a kick return LSU's head coach Les Miles knows his guy is faster than all of your guys and he's not afraid to let him loose.

In fact Holliday was nearly overlooked completely as he received only three official offers to play college football. LSU, Southern Mississippi and Southern University were the only players in the race for Holliday's services and the diminutive speedster could not turn down the opportunity to play football and run track in the SEC.

As the ultimate x-factor for the nation's best team Holliday has turned into a star in Baton Rouge despite only touching the ball 30 times all year on offense. At his size Holliday may never get a chance to play on Sunday, but as only a sophomore college football fans will get to enjoy the nation's most explosive player for at least another year or two.

The country gets another chance to check out Holliday as he and the top-ranked LSU Tigers take on SEC upstart Kentucky on CBS.

The Go-To Guy: Let me guess, you don't have the Big Ten network either. Of course this year we're not missing much, but one thing we are missing is the brilliant play of Purdue wide receiver Dorien Bryant.

To say Purdue likes to throw the ball around is an understatement, and that's just fine with Bryant who has made a habit of making big plays to the tune of over 3,000 receiving yards since arriving on campus.



Well on his way to a third consecutive 80+ catch season, Bryant already ranks third on Purdue's all-time receptions list. At 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds Bryant is not the biggest guy around, but if you like circus-quality catches then Bryant is your guy.

Watch out for Bryant at the next level as he'd be a perfect fit for a team in need of a sure-handed target with the ability to run after the catch (ahem, Vikings, ahem).

The Freshman: Florida Atlantic University is the last place you'd expect to find big time playmakers, but at 3-3 the Owls are no pushover. So for a team on the rise it's no surprise that it's a redshirt freshman who is helping to lead the way.



That freshman is Tavious Polo who leads the nation with seven interceptions through the team's first six games. Minnesota fans got an up-close look at the talented Polo as he victimized the Gophers for three INTs, including the game-clincher, in a 42-39 win.

Polo spurned the opportunity to go to Lousiville and instead stayed closer to home at FAU. Another undersized guy, Polo's instincts and ability to find the football are tremendous and he should only get better along with the rest of his Owl teammates.

The Hawk: C'mon now, you didn't really think I was going to get through a list like this without including a California Golden Bear did you?

While everyone knows about Heisman Trophy candidate DeSean Jackson, I think most people would be surprised to know it's actually senior wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins who leads the potent Bears offense with 342 receiving yards.

Cal may have the nation's best trio of receivers, and while Jackson gets the headlines for his highlight reel exploits, it's Hawkins who has become the team's most consistent performer in the passing game.

"The Hawk" as they call him, is on pace to have his best season in Berkeley and has helped lead Cal to their current ranking of #2 in the country. Hawkins originally signed with LSU out of high school, but transferred back to the West Coast where he grew up.

The Bears are happy to have him and you can check him out next Saturday as Cal takes on Oregon State on the VS. Network.