TCU to the Big East?

I think it would have made a lot more sense to have the Mountain West football Champion play the Big East football Champion instead. Is the basketball tourney going to include all 17 teams? Or its own Les Robinson game, but worse since instead of an 8-9 it will be a 16-17? Or will 1 team stay home? Or will this be the final domino that splits the conference along football and non-football lines?

Bowl Month?

I remember Bowl Week not that long ago. The expansion of bowls and games has to be bordering on unsustainable. Saw the New Mexico Bowl last weekend... and there are games daily through New Year's.... then the BCS overflows into the first week of January... and the bowl season closes out January 9th before Auburn and Oregon play on the 10th... will Cam Newton still be eligible then? I'm not sure the demand is there for B.C.-Nevada on the 9th or Pitt-Kentucky on the 8th. Did the NCAA hire someone from the NBA to ensure the longest postseason mathematically possible?

The Vikings Debacle

Head Coach Brad Childress was Monday’s casualty. It is logical based on the track that he led the team down. It was understandable that bringing back Brett Favre to play QB was Plan A. But Favre needed to be in training camp with the rest of the team. Childress even should have had some leverage to get Favre into training camp. Since the Eagles traded Donovan McNabb before the draft, the Vikings would have been a trade target for the Eagles since Favre’s return was uncertain at that point. Not unlikely, but also not certain. Childress could have pushed Favre into declaring his intent to return in 2010 in April by selling to Favre that if he couldn’t commit, Childress owed it to the rest of the team to acquire McNabb once that opportunity arose. Side effects of Favre not reporting until mid-August: RB Adrian Peterson skipped some off-season activities, WR Percy Harvin hasn’t practiced much more than Favre has. Add in WR Sidney Rice’s late training camp injury requiring surgery and it isn’t difficult to see the Vikings less efficient on offense in 2010 than 2009.
The turnovers are the killer. They have committed multiple turnovers in all but 2 games. They have AVERAGED -2 in net turnovers per game, near the bottom of the league. Favre is responsible for the bulk of the turnovers between interceptions and fumbles. One can’t help but wonder how many turnovers are a result of insufficient preparation? A couple of weeks of additional practice or series in preseason games might have Favre and his receivers in sync. Peterson has not been a turnover problem this year – unfortunately he had a poor game against the Saints last January.
The net -2 means that the defense isn’t causing the turnovers. And that can be explained by the difference in line play. The Vikings’ line has had difficulty forming a pocket for Favre (he should understand that taking a sack is better than throwing an interception) while its defensive line has not collapsed the pocket on many quarterbacks. While the Vikings have been behind in many games, only the Green Bay game was a wide-enough spread that the Packers wouldn’t need to run a balanced run-pass offense.
Childress has made some questionable tactical decisions this season. He has chosen to go for a number of 4th down and short plays with an inefficient offense instead of attempting FGs. With a team that is not scoring many points, FG’s are a good choice. Even more so when the offense continually fails to convert the 4th downs into 1st downs (or TDs when from the 1 yard line).
The Randy Moss escapade was another questionable decision. Why trade a valuable 3rd round pick in next year’s draft for a player you may only have for 13 games? The Patriots traded a 6th round pick to Oakland to acquire Moss and the Patriots were interested in trading him for the same reason Oakland was in 2007. Childress’ offer should have been for a 7th round pick in the 2011 draft. Childress probably needed to cut Moss loose after the New England game combined with other events that occurred that week, but making that cut resulted in the rope around his neck getting very tight.

College Football Realignment

Nebraska to the Big Ten makes sense; the Cornhuskers definitely lost a lot when the Big 8 became the Big 12. They lost their Thanksgiving weekend game with Oklahoma when the two rivals were placed in separate divisions (Texas-Oklahoma became the marquee regular season conference game). The Big 12 chose not to preserve or establish cross-divisional rivalries the way that the SEC has (Florida/LSU, Auburn/Georgia, Alabama/Tennessee, etc.). A consideration may have been the conference championship game the first weekend in December – a rematch wouldn’t be best for the conference. That coupled with the conference center of gravity moving from Kansas City to Dallas over the past 15 years, it makes sense for the Huskers to move to the Big Ten. I had to laugh at the idea that Rutgers would receive a Big 10 invite. Only non-sports fan MBA’s would think the Rutgers athletic program would deliver the New York City media market to the Big 10 (and its network). Notre Dame and Penn State are the college programs that NYC fans follow. For basketball, St John’s, Syracuse, and Connecticut fans have been buying the bulk of the Big East tournament tickets at Madison Square Garden for 30 years. Rutgers might make sense geographically, but not practically. I don’t think that the Big 10 will go to 16 teams unless Notre Dame is part of the equation.
Colorado and Utah to the Pac-X enable that conference to hold a championship game but I’m not sure how much this addition will help the Pac-10. Colorado football hasn’t been bowling much recently, and while Utah was strong in the Mountain West, they will find the size and speed much more challenging over the course of a full season compared to 1 or 2 inter-conference games that are more important to them than their Pac-10 opponents. The attempt at luring Texas and Oklahoma was a good strategic first strike towards the 16-team Super Conference, but I don’t know that it can be successfully employed. The Big East has 16 teams for basketball and hasn’t found a good regular season or post-season tournament format yet. The college seasons don’t have enough games to facilitate a thorough conference schedule for 16 teams. The 12-team format with 2 6-team divisions allows for a good schedule, but the best remains an 8-team conference. That enables home-and home for basketball and a full slate for football. Would a 16 team format with minimal cross-divisional regular season competition be successful?
The unanswered question about Texas and Oklahoma is which universities eventually move with them if the 16 team Super Conferences form? Texas Tech may very well turn into Iowa State in 5 years. Bob Knight has left, his son has also left; will the basketball program improve, or will it fall back to its historical performance? And with Mike Leach’s ouster as Football coach, will they be able to continue their offensive excellence that has led them to recent success? Texas A&M didn’t want to partner with the Pac-10, but was interested in the SEC. The SEC only would need 4 programs to get to 16 – would the 4th school be Oklahoma State or basketball-rich Kansas? Or do they bring 5 and point South Carolina back to the ACC? First on the map for the Big 12 is getting back to 12 members so they can hold those recently booked Championship games at JerryWorld. Do two of the snubbed SWC members (Rice, SMU, TCU, Houston) receive invites? Or does the conference look to expand geographically and invite Memphis and Louisville? While those programs would be in the SEC’s area, I don’t think that the SEC would be particularly interested in them.

The Decision

LeBron James should have done his show at the interview table following the Game 6 loss to the Celtics. The Cavs gave up on their home court down 9 points with a minute to play against a team that Lakers Coach Phil Jackson described as the best NBA team at blowing leads late. In that 4th quarter against the Cavs, the Celtics missed 6 free throws. It may have been the first time in NBA playoff history that it actually took one minute to play the last minute of the game!
I didn’t watch the show, but whoever enabled him to think that stabbing his home city in the back on national TV is a moron. And LeBron can’t be far from moron status himself to go along with the idea. While LeBron apparantely talked about his legacy, this charade will not be recorded as a positive note. I don’t have a problem with him choosing his team or his teammates, but the other historically elite players (Jordan, Bird, Magic, Kobe) in the Free Agent era have carried themselves much better than he has this summer. He simply should have made his visits, chose his team, and simply signed his contract.
His comment about not having to be “The Man” are reminiscent of what Carl Pavano and Mike Mussina said when signing with the Yankees. Pavano’s comments were directed at the intensity of the Boston fan base while he was being targeted by both the Red Sox and the Yankees in 2003 – I think Pavano won more games for the Twins after the All-Star break last season than he did in 3 years in New York. While Mussina enjoyed success in New York, the Yankees didn’t win any championships and had more first round playoff exits (5) than World Series appearances (2) during his 8 years in pinstripes.

Isiah Thomas working for the Knicks ??????

I did a double take when I saw the story. Would the Lions rehire Matt Millen? Like the Sham-Wow, this gets better! Not only did Isiah lead the Knicks out of the NBA playoffs, there was the sexual harrasment charge. And how exactly is it kosher for him to be an NCAA Coach and work for an NBA team at the same time? I don't think that USC would try to get away with that!

When Mr. Obama has lost MSNBC, he's lost everything!

I was shocked to see these lines on RealClearPolitics from MSNBC's coverage tonight. Mr. Obama seems more interested in making BP pay monetary damages than physically cleaning up the oil. His only idea for oil cleanup is to not drill at all. A perfect solution in academia where most of Mr. Obama's experience is, but plainly Impractical in the real world. His term cannot end soon enough.

From Real Clear Politics

Chris Matthews, Keith Olbermann and Howard Fineman react to President Obama's Oval Office Address on the oil spill. Here are the highlights of what the trio said:

Olbermann: "It was a great speech if you were on another planet for the last 57 days."

Matthews compared Obama to Carter.

Olbermann: "Nothing specific at all was said."

Matthews: "No direction."

Howard Fineman: "He wasn't specific enough."

Olbermann: "I don't think he aimed low, I don't think he aimed at all. It's startling."

Howard Fineman: Obama should be acting like a "commander-in-chief."

Matthews: Ludicrous that he keeps saying [Secretary of Energy] Chu has a Nobel prize. "I'll barf if he does it one more time."

Matthews: "A lot of meritocracy, a lot of blue ribbon talk."

Matthews: "I don't sense executive command."

What's Next for the Big 12?

So Texas decided not to flee to the Pac-X and Oklahoma (and Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech) will stay in the Big 12 with them. The conference does need to invite 2 new members to keep the Conference Championship Games scheduled for JerryWorld on track. I'm curious if the ditched members of the old SWC (Houston, Rice, TCU, SMU) will have a chance for an invite. They might consider rejecting an invite on principle but I'm sure there is a revenue target they'd accept for.

Football is driving the bus, so these ideas are based solely on that, not about academic reputation, student body size/composition, etc. I don't know that the non-BCS I-A schools in Arkansas or Louisiana would benefit the Big 12(10). How about Louisville and Memphis? Losing Louisville would hurt the Big East, but that conference's days as a BCS Conference are numbered.

When did YES take over ESPN?

So the Yankees-Tigers games air on Monday AND Wednesday this week on ESPN? There are numerous 2-game series this week, but 2 out of 3 games from Detroit? Rays-Angels should be a decent ratings alternative for Wednesday.

Revise Miranda?

So AG Holder wants to change the Miranda protections because of difficulties with prosecuting terrorists... that is EXACTLY WHY they should be treated as ENEMY COMBATANTS! And the Pakistani car-bomb suspect should be tried for TREASON since he is a naturalized citizen.

Times Square NYC

Love how Mayor Bloomberg thought the act was carried out by an opponent of ObamaCare. And Katie Couric was all too happy to nod her head in agreement. Bloomberg has obviously been Mayor for too long. Oh, that's right. He cajoled to have the rules changed so that he could run for a 3rd term. And how did someone on the No Fly list actually BOARD a plane? I guess the accused won't be sent to GITMO since he is a citizen, but he should be tried for TREASON.

End of 24?

Saw a note on DRUDGE that this is the final season of 24. I must admit that I haven't started watching it yet; it's taking up a bit of space on the DVR. I do have a story idea for them... Congress attempting to pass the Health Care Reform Act. At 2700 pages full of deals and agreements, there would be plenty of material for 24 hours of TV (at roughly 42 minutes of material per hour)

Calling Jack Bauer

I haven't started watching this season's 24... so it's fitting that in the last scene I've seen he is in a hospital bed... he needs to get out of that bed and "speak" with some of the moronic Democrats who are planning on voting for the Health Care Bill that contains Gatorade (not the energy drink), the Louisana Purchase (no land this time), and the Cornhusker Kickback (no corn), and oh, by the way, 15,000 new IRS agents! If this is health care reform, why are us taxpayers funding IRS AGENTS, and not medical care providers??????????? THERE IS NO GOOD ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION!!!!!!!!

With the "undecided" Democrats folding like paper suits in a light rainstorm, we need Jack Bauer to save our nation from its Congress.

Saints - Vikings

The painful end of regulation for the Vikings.

1st & 10, 1:06 to play. Ran into a 9-man front out of 2WR, 2TE, 1RB set. Should have been audible to a pass.

2nd & 10, :25 to play at snap. Ran into a 7-man front out of 1WR, 2TE, 2 RB set. Should have had a decent chance of gaining yards but didn't.

3rd & 15, :19 to go after the penalty. The play has gotten OK reviews, but WR Sidney Rice was the only guy who could have been considered open on the play. And on his 40-year old legs, I don't know that Favre would have gained even the 5 yards back that Joe Buck and Troy Aikman thought. None of the 3 receivers on the roll side of the field were open. I don't fault Favre for throwing to Rice, you have to give the K the best chance you can (but he can't allow an INT to occur unless the WR tips the ball).

Bottom Line - If you only get to the 33 due to time and have to kick from there, that's one thing. But you don't pull the plug on the offense there (especially when (a) you are on the road, and (b) the other team has just burned its last time out). When you get inside the 15, you can focus on the kick. But not until then.

I expect that Favre will play in 2009 - though I don't expect any decision one way or the other until training camp opens. He should report when the rest of the veterans do, but I wouldn't consider him done until he isn't in camp for the 2nd preseason game. Either way they should look at a QB in the draft. Neither Tavaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels is a guy that a team will have 100% confidence.

Spending Freeze

So Mr. Obama proposes to freeze discretionary spending... after RAISING that spending by 25% since taking office just last year! How about restoring spending to 2002 or 2004 levels? That would be meaningful.