BCS Title Game -- It is a shame for Alabama that this game will always be remembered as the game Colt McCoy got hurt. That's not to say Texas would have won with McCoy, but as soon as he went out it was over and sucked the life out of the game. Yes, Texas rallied, but that was basically because Nick Saban went into a super-conservative offense with McCoy out and let his excellent running backs do the work. I know the Big 12 teams are used to facing more spread offenses so they probably aren't used to the pound-it-out style, but Mark Ingram really does look a lot like Emmitt Smith when he runs and Trent Richardson may actually be more explosive.
The 2010 BCS Championship will be mostly remembered for McCoy's injury (photo from Cleveland.com)
Nick Saban -- As for Nick Saban himself, have you ever seen a less joyful man? Would you want to play for this guy if you were an 18-year-old? I can understand being a little upset the moment after being clocked on the side of your head and neck by the Gatorade bucket, but after the initial shock wouldn't most people smile and celebrate such huge accomplishment?
I'm not saying a coach shouldn't take his profession and his team seriously, but Saban seems to sap the joy out of it. Even in the rare times he smiles he looks less comfortable doing so than Mr. Burns. Look, Jim Tressel is button-downed to the point of being labeled Senator Tressel, but there are many moments where he smiles, shows joy and is a little corny. Pete Carroll was a fun-loving guy and Mack Brown seems like he understands there is a fun element to it all and they are two highly successful college coaches. I get what Alabama brings to the recruiting table (tradition, SEC school, great facilities and a coaching staff that will well prepare the athlete), but a lot of schools have the same things without such a grump as the coach.
Mr. Burns' smile is about as natural as Nick Saban's
NFL Playoffs -- Hopefully this weekend will be a little more interesting than the Wild Card round last weekend. I know the Cardinals-Packers game was great theater, but those other three games were brutal. The Bengals and Eagles never showed up and the Patriots just aren't the same. I do think many people don't realize this was a transition year for the Pats because they jettisoned many defensive stalwarts of the past and were beginning the process of rebuilding. To make the playoffs in a year like that is an accomplishment and they get the home-game gate money. In addition, they won't fall into the final eight teams that fall under the NFL uncapped year free agent restrictions, so if you aren't going to win a Super Bowl, then that's a good way to go.
NFL Picks for this weekend:
Cowboys over VIKINGS -- As much as it pains me, Dallas is this year's "hot" team in the playoffs and recent history shows they have a solid chance to go to the Super Bowl.
SAINTS over Cardinals -- If this game was in Arizona or a neutral field, I'd think about taking the Cardinals. However, in the atmosphere of the Superdome with the extra time off to study the Cards and the Cards passing defense having to go against Drew Brees & Co., I'll go with the Saints.
CHARGERS over Jets -- I think the Jets can hang in this game since they do play solid defense and have a good running game. I just don't think they will pull it out going across the country to play a team that is much better than the lame Bengals, who the Jets have played the last two weeks. I'm not sure they can gear up enough for the balanced Chargers attack on the road. The Bolts have enough weapons that they don't have to go at Revis like Cincy had to with no extend-the-field WR.
COLTS over Ravens -- Peyton Manning with extra time to study an opponent with a home game. I know it isn't that simple, but sounds good, eh? Also, there is no way Baltimore wins this game with Joe Flacco throwing 10 passes or less like last week and despite what he says, he isn't 100% or seemed to be even that close to it. If he struggles, it will be tough for the Ravens offense to keep pace with the Colts offense. The Ravens defense is good, but this isn't the 2000 Ravens defense at the corners, in particular.
NBA Jam -- In case you missed it, EA Sports made a fantastic announcement last week that they planned on bringing back NBA Jam for the Wii system using the original programmers! For those in the proper age range, this was one of the landmark games both at the arcade and home consoles. I can close my eyes and still hear the "BOOM-SHAKA-LAKA" and the "He's on FIRE!!" I was a big fan of the Gary Payton/Shawn Kemp combo. They could do it all. It will be cool to see what they do with the modern players (Shaq and LeBron?) and with the technology today. Wouldn't you have to pick Kevin Harlan with his loud style? That would be perfect.
Could the new NBA Jam have LeBron looking like this? (animation from Armchair Empire)
Pete Carroll/USC/Lane Kiffin -- First on Carroll. I think he is going to have a tough time in Seattle because he's been gone from the NFL game for a long time and won't be able to bring in recruits/talent like at USC. Also, he has a QB situation there and that is death for college-to-pro coaches. He needs to fix that and the Seahawks' offensive lines ASAP and has to hit on their two high first-round picks.
As for USC, what a mess they made their coaching search. They had to know Pete always wanted to go back to the pro level at some point, so why didn't they have a short list of names ready? Most USC people will even tell you that Mike Garrett shouldn't be a major college athletic director and this just is another notch in that direction.
Many USC people think Mike Garrett is no genius (photo from LA Times)
I understand why Lane Kiffin would want to go back to USC. Let's get that out of the way. However, the "stealing back" of the Tennessee recruits is pretty low-brow and I understand why Tennessee and their fans/alums are so angry. Tennessee is one of the major programs in the United States and one of the upper crust teams in the SEC. A legit national title contender with the right players, and not many schools can say that. This betrayal really stings. As has been discussed at length recently, I am not sure there is a great solution to the part where student-athletes who come to a school because of a coach can't leave just like the coach. The best I can suggest, as I have heard others like Dan Patrick bring up, is to set a different timeframe on when coaches can and cannot be allowed to leave and change when the recruiting signing day takes place to help curb this as well. All of that being said, I think Lane certainly comes off like a spoiled brat and I know many hope he fails, but with a good coaching staff and being at a school like that, if he stays he should win consistently there. Still, his history of pushing the NCAA envelope will be heavily watched.
Lane Kiffin shown here trying to explain himself...again. (photo from The Big Lead)
Braylon Edwards -- I have to admit, as a Buckeye fan I was never the biggest Braylon Edwards guy but I tried my best went he to my hometown Browns. He never wanted to be there and was hurt that Miami didn't draft him as they said they would. Miami is what he wanted-- the flash and dash of the exciting city. He never wanted blue-collar Cleveland. Now, if he had just gone out and played hard the town would have embraced him. But when you drop easy passes repeatedly and make excuses for that and other off-field behavior that city will turn on you with the drop of a hat. So, now that he is in the big city like he always wanted, I am glad to see him still drop passes and still make excuses but now he gets called out on a nationwide level and not just little Cleveland. We'll see how he responds...
Edwards will always be remembered in Cleveland for images like this
Baseball Hall of Fame -- Congrats to Andre Dawson for making the Baseball Hall of Fame. He was one of my favorites growing up and when his knees were healthy he was a dynamic player. I know there is discussion about whether he'll go in as a Cub or Expo. Here's one person rooting for the Expos, but I think in the end the Cubs will win out. I think Roberto Alomar got squeezed by the anti-first ballot crew. The pitting incident and dogging it to a degree while with the Mets, where many HOF voters are in NY, probably did him in this year.
Dawson should go into the Hall of Fame as an Expo
Alomar's rep "dogging it" while in NY may have cost him a first-ballot election (photo from NY Daily News)
To me, a Hall of Famer is a Hall of Famer. Yes or no. Now, you can make arguments for people you think should be in like I do with Jack Morris, but the fact is 75 percent need to agree with you. At what point is it clear the person is a borderline candidate? Nothing against Jim Rice or Dawson, but it shouldn't take that long to get into the Hall. A true Hall of Famer should be obvious.
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