Sporting Fools
Sporting Fools
Sporting Fools
Sporting Fools
The frequent and occasional humorous musings behind two of the World's greatest underappreciated sports minds.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Bye Bye BarnettThe AP says its urgent!!
BOULDER, Colo. -- Gary Barnett stepped down as football coach of Colorado on Thursday, accepting a $3 million settlement and ending a tenure that was riddled by off-the-field problems but ultimately done in by recent bad results on the field. [Wire]
Not a shock, someone had to go for that eight-day span of embarassment. I would've also canceled a few scholarships.
Where can the Buffaloes go now. I'm wondering if former Buffaloe and current UCLA running backs coach Eric Bieniemy is the answer.
BOULDER, Colo. -- Gary Barnett stepped down as football coach of Colorado on Thursday, accepting a $3 million settlement and ending a tenure that was riddled by off-the-field problems but ultimately done in by recent bad results on the field. [Wire]
Not a shock, someone had to go for that eight-day span of embarassment. I would've also canceled a few scholarships.
Where can the Buffaloes go now. I'm wondering if former Buffaloe and current UCLA running backs coach Eric Bieniemy is the answer.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Uh Oh Anna's Angry...
And she's even taking it up on poor Carlos Delgado [NYDN]
The pinup model also blasted the team for signing Carlos Delgado, who she suggested is unpatriotic because he has, in the past, refused to stand for the playing of "God Bless America."
"How are they going to sit there and say it's so controversial when they sign someone like Delgado, who turns his back on our flag?" Anna Benson said.
Well there's one guy on the team who won't participate in the gang bang if Kris gets caught messing around.
And let me be the first to say that if the Mets trade Kris, I'd have no problems with her staying behind.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
My Dance With Duncan...On Monday I finally got out to my first Magic game of the season and I've come back with this report:
For Kevin: Jameer Nelson scored 20 and although he couldn't really get his passing game going, he filled in nicely on the scoring end for Steve Francis.
For Blair: Deiner, in his new reserve role, went 3-of-5 from the arch, he's around .650 for the season. He's pretty much a gunner so far. I hope he gets more PT, but I can't see it with the Magic's crowded back court.
Otherwise it was a good first half as DeShawn Stevenson plugged himself up to the rejuvenation machine and it was a good second half when the Spurs decided to quit screwing around and really hammer the opposition.
Dwight Howard didn't get my 20/20 game, but he had 10/10 at the half before Tim Duncan decided to join the rest of the team and then he just abused the youngster. Outscored him 20-3 in the second half and held Howard to like 1-of-12 shooting. Talk about learning a life's lesson in 24 minutes.
I really don't understand the Spurs...For all this talk about how they are so disciplined and focused, etc, this team should finished 75-7 this year barring injury. They go 10 deep! No one else in the league can match their bench production. With Horry, Finley and Van Exel they've got three guys who can score 30 off the bench. Mohammed can give them a double-double in under 25 minutes on a good night and Barry is still quite servicable.
Anyone who really questions this team's fight should. Even last night they coasted for a half before running the Magic out the building when they should've been leading by 15 going into the break. This team is far better than Jordan's Bulls of 1996 that won 72 games, but of course Duncan isn't the competitor Jordan is. People forget the Bulls wrapped up virtually everything when they were like 60-8, but finished the season 12-2 because Jordan demanded a 70-win season.
So take it for what it is. The Spurs will win their 62 games and probably win series in six games that should be sweeps and beat Miami in a seven-game series they could've had wrapped up in five.
For Kevin: Jameer Nelson scored 20 and although he couldn't really get his passing game going, he filled in nicely on the scoring end for Steve Francis.
For Blair: Deiner, in his new reserve role, went 3-of-5 from the arch, he's around .650 for the season. He's pretty much a gunner so far. I hope he gets more PT, but I can't see it with the Magic's crowded back court.
Otherwise it was a good first half as DeShawn Stevenson plugged himself up to the rejuvenation machine and it was a good second half when the Spurs decided to quit screwing around and really hammer the opposition.
Dwight Howard didn't get my 20/20 game, but he had 10/10 at the half before Tim Duncan decided to join the rest of the team and then he just abused the youngster. Outscored him 20-3 in the second half and held Howard to like 1-of-12 shooting. Talk about learning a life's lesson in 24 minutes.
I really don't understand the Spurs...For all this talk about how they are so disciplined and focused, etc, this team should finished 75-7 this year barring injury. They go 10 deep! No one else in the league can match their bench production. With Horry, Finley and Van Exel they've got three guys who can score 30 off the bench. Mohammed can give them a double-double in under 25 minutes on a good night and Barry is still quite servicable.
Anyone who really questions this team's fight should. Even last night they coasted for a half before running the Magic out the building when they should've been leading by 15 going into the break. This team is far better than Jordan's Bulls of 1996 that won 72 games, but of course Duncan isn't the competitor Jordan is. People forget the Bulls wrapped up virtually everything when they were like 60-8, but finished the season 12-2 because Jordan demanded a 70-win season.
So take it for what it is. The Spurs will win their 62 games and probably win series in six games that should be sweeps and beat Miami in a seven-game series they could've had wrapped up in five.
Monday, December 05, 2005
More BCS Required Reading...These guys had me when they quoted Vince Young saying "the booty end of the stick"...[EDSBS]
NCAA's Mad Scientist..
Mike Leach makes Steve Spurrier look like Woody Hayes [NY Times Magazine]
Dunk You Very Much...
For the basketball lovers I have a special double dip for you...
First the 32 best dunks of all-time (limited to the Dunk contest). I'm a big fan of the McGrady ones. [Link]
And a list of the top 100 collegiate point guards in the modern era. I won't give away #1, but if you've watched the game it's pretty obvious. As for tonight I'll get to see one in the top 5. [Link]
4. Jameer Nelson (St. Joseph’s, 2004) 20.6 ppg, 5.3 apg (2.8 tpg), 3.0 spg, 48% FG, 73 3-FG
Controlled games both offensively and defensively during his senior year and led the Hawks to an undefeated regular season. AP, Naismith, Wooden, Rupp, Robertson, and Chevrolet Award winner as the College Player of the Year. Earned A-10 Player of the Week honors eight times during his senior season. One-time First-Team All-American selection. Member of ESPN’s A-10 Silver Anniversary Team.
However the Magic should get beat down by the Spurs but hopefully Dwight Howard will have another 20/20 game.
First the 32 best dunks of all-time (limited to the Dunk contest). I'm a big fan of the McGrady ones. [Link]
And a list of the top 100 collegiate point guards in the modern era. I won't give away #1, but if you've watched the game it's pretty obvious. As for tonight I'll get to see one in the top 5. [Link]
4. Jameer Nelson (St. Joseph’s, 2004) 20.6 ppg, 5.3 apg (2.8 tpg), 3.0 spg, 48% FG, 73 3-FG
Controlled games both offensively and defensively during his senior year and led the Hawks to an undefeated regular season. AP, Naismith, Wooden, Rupp, Robertson, and Chevrolet Award winner as the College Player of the Year. Earned A-10 Player of the Week honors eight times during his senior season. One-time First-Team All-American selection. Member of ESPN’s A-10 Silver Anniversary Team.
However the Magic should get beat down by the Spurs but hopefully Dwight Howard will have another 20/20 game.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Breaking Down the Bowls (Vol. 2)Championship Saturday is done and as always we saw the expected (Texas, USC win with authority) and the unexpected (Georgia wins big, FSU wins...period) and with that the BCS is almost complete as are the rest of the bowls.
So let's break it down by conference...
Atlantic Coast: FSU is the big winner as they get into the Orange Bowl with a 8-4 record and Virginia Tech really loses as they probably won't get the Gator Bowl bid over Miami. Overall it was a successful year for the new ACC with 8 bowl eligible teams and I expect all eight to find a slot somewhere.
Big East: West Virginia earns the Sugar Bowl bid with a solid 10-1 record and they emerge as the big winners this season. Louisville is going to be happy with a Gator Bowl, its best bowl since a Fiesta Bowl bid in the early 90s (pre Bowl Coalition and BCS) but an early loss to USF stopped what could have been a special season. Rutgers returns to the postseason after a long drought and USF will enjoy going bowling in Charlotte.
Big Ten: Penn State earns the Orange Bowl matchup against FSU while Ohio State is the big winner thanks in part to that early season megamatch against Texas. Every now and then a loss sets up a winning situation. It looks like Wisconsin could sneak into the Capital One Bowl but don't be surprised if Michigan does instead and Iowa ends up in the Outback. There's a big group in that 3rd Big Ten spot so the team that spends the most will win.
Big XII: Texas breezed through this conference in a down year and it's hard to say who the second best team is, probably Texas Tech and they should have a good matchup against that tough Alabama defense. After that the conference surprisingly will fill all eight of its bowl slots as well.
Pac-10: USC will battle Texas in what should be the most hyped championship game ever. After that Oregon will continue to lobby for a BCS bid until 4 p.m. EST tomorrow but will settle for the Holiday Bowl. UCLA will get to spend a few days in El Paso for yet another Sun Bowl appearance. The conference aonly fulfilled five of its six bowl slots and will lose one to the ACC, which is three teams over.
SEC: This is going to be interesting...Georgia wins the conference and the BCS bid and LSU could go anywhere from Capital One to Peach. I would guess Outback Bowl though and a rematch against Iowa from last year's thrilling Capital One Bowl or a match against Michigan. Auburn has earn a top bowl slot in either Orlando, Tampa or Dallas. The big loser could be South Carolina, who were pegged for a Peach Bowl matchup against FSU and then an Outback Bowl spot but may settle for Shreveport. Florida's status is also in the air but a game against Virginia Tech might be appealing...SEC fails to fill all eight of its slots.
So here's my final guess on some of the bowls.
Rose: USC vs. Texas
Fiesta: Notre Dame vs. Ohio State
Sugar: West Virginia vs. Georgia
Orange: FSU vs. Penn State
Capital One: Auburn vs. Michigan
Outback: LSU vs. Iowa
Cotton: Texas Tech vs. Alabama
Gator: Louisville vs. Miami
Peach: Virginia Tech vs. Florida
Independence: South Carolina vs. Missouri
Holiday: Oregon vs. Oklahoma
So let's break it down by conference...
Atlantic Coast: FSU is the big winner as they get into the Orange Bowl with a 8-4 record and Virginia Tech really loses as they probably won't get the Gator Bowl bid over Miami. Overall it was a successful year for the new ACC with 8 bowl eligible teams and I expect all eight to find a slot somewhere.
Big East: West Virginia earns the Sugar Bowl bid with a solid 10-1 record and they emerge as the big winners this season. Louisville is going to be happy with a Gator Bowl, its best bowl since a Fiesta Bowl bid in the early 90s (pre Bowl Coalition and BCS) but an early loss to USF stopped what could have been a special season. Rutgers returns to the postseason after a long drought and USF will enjoy going bowling in Charlotte.
Big Ten: Penn State earns the Orange Bowl matchup against FSU while Ohio State is the big winner thanks in part to that early season megamatch against Texas. Every now and then a loss sets up a winning situation. It looks like Wisconsin could sneak into the Capital One Bowl but don't be surprised if Michigan does instead and Iowa ends up in the Outback. There's a big group in that 3rd Big Ten spot so the team that spends the most will win.
Big XII: Texas breezed through this conference in a down year and it's hard to say who the second best team is, probably Texas Tech and they should have a good matchup against that tough Alabama defense. After that the conference surprisingly will fill all eight of its bowl slots as well.
Pac-10: USC will battle Texas in what should be the most hyped championship game ever. After that Oregon will continue to lobby for a BCS bid until 4 p.m. EST tomorrow but will settle for the Holiday Bowl. UCLA will get to spend a few days in El Paso for yet another Sun Bowl appearance. The conference aonly fulfilled five of its six bowl slots and will lose one to the ACC, which is three teams over.
SEC: This is going to be interesting...Georgia wins the conference and the BCS bid and LSU could go anywhere from Capital One to Peach. I would guess Outback Bowl though and a rematch against Iowa from last year's thrilling Capital One Bowl or a match against Michigan. Auburn has earn a top bowl slot in either Orlando, Tampa or Dallas. The big loser could be South Carolina, who were pegged for a Peach Bowl matchup against FSU and then an Outback Bowl spot but may settle for Shreveport. Florida's status is also in the air but a game against Virginia Tech might be appealing...SEC fails to fill all eight of its slots.
So here's my final guess on some of the bowls.
Rose: USC vs. Texas
Fiesta: Notre Dame vs. Ohio State
Sugar: West Virginia vs. Georgia
Orange: FSU vs. Penn State
Capital One: Auburn vs. Michigan
Outback: LSU vs. Iowa
Cotton: Texas Tech vs. Alabama
Gator: Louisville vs. Miami
Peach: Virginia Tech vs. Florida
Independence: South Carolina vs. Missouri
Holiday: Oregon vs. Oklahoma
It Happened
