Frank reportedly out as Nets coach

New Jersey Nets head coach will reportedly coach his lats game tonight against the Los Angeles Lakers.The Nets have lost their first 16 games to open the season.Management wanted to give Frank more time since some of the team's key players such as Devin Harris and Courtney Lee were out.After seeing the Nets lose their most winnable game of their western road trip to the Sacramento Kings,management came to a decision that it would be best to let Frank go.

  I haven't watched much basketball so far this season,but perhaps it was time.Reports were that the team was playing uninspired basketball and that several players had tuned him out.At least management realized it wasn't all Frank's fault as they stood by him when most would have fired him a long time ago.Frank led the Nets to the playoffs three time,winning the Atlantic Division title twice.Some executives believe he could still land another head coaching job.Frank is a highly credible coach and did a good job keeping the Nets competitive in the ever improving Eastern Conference.The Nets probably needed a breath of fresh air,as the roster had changed from a primary veteran core to a young team with a lot of players that haven't been in longer than 5 years.

Here's to Fred McGriff

Fred McGriff is up for election to the baseball Hall of Fame.I know a lot will disagree with me but he should get in.His numbers weren't eye popping,but his production was always consistent.The "Crime Dog",was always among the league leaders in homers and rbi's but he could also hit for average.I know the Hall of Fame isn't for very good players.but I truly believe he belongs there.He quietly went about doing his damage and was a class act on and off the field.Just because he didn't join the 500 homer club,doesn't mean he wasn't an elite player.This man was a feared hitter and it would be ridiculous to exclude him from the Hall.He may not be first ballot,but he should get the call.

WTF? What kind of father is this?

A father in Indianapolis was charged with child neglect for leaving his son in a tractor trailer while he went inside a strip club to go drink.There's no father of the year trophies sitting on my mantel,but I can guarantee I have this guy beat.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091125/ap_on_fe_st/us_odd_father_arrested_strip_club

The Hot Seat

The college basketball season has started anew and there are fresh faces in new places,on the court and most importantly the sidelines.This will be one of many posts about coaches on the hot seat.

Ernie Kent,Oregon-It's true Kent has led the Ducks to two Elite Eight appearances during his time in Eugene.It hasn't been enough to satisfy the masses.They have enjoyed success,and I'm not trying to bash the guy,but what has he done in between the deep tournament runs.Not a whole lot.This is a critical year for him after an 8 win campaign last season.Right now they're at 3-2 with losses to Portland and Montana.Keep piling on those type of losses won't help his cause.

Jerry Wainwright,DePaul-I for one would like to see DePaul basketball back on the map.I just think Wainwright isn't the on to get it done.He was hired to tap into the talent rich Chicago area and he hasn't been pulling in the top players in the city.Last season's winless Big East record was brutal.With this being a "down" year for the conference the Blue Demons will have to show marked improvement.They've been repectable so far with a victory over Northern Iowa and a close loss to Tennessee.Let's see if they can keep their early momentum going.I personally think this would be a good landing spot for Pete Gillen.

Green Bay's Woodson makes donation

Green Bay Packers cornerback Charles Woodson made a generous donation of $2 million dollars to the new University of Michigan Mott Children's Hospital and Women's Hospital.It's always good to hear of an athlete doing something positive.As i posted in a previous blog,I'm wondering how much coverage it will get.For some reason no athlete or entertainer will get noted for doing anything positive,but let this guy get caught with a DUI and see how much that gets put on the news.I can understand controversy sells ,but balance it out with some of the positive they bring to the table.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=ap-woodsonsgift&prov=ap&type=lgns

Happy Thanksgiving

To all the readers and followers and everyone else,have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.Enjoy the time with family and friends.

Straight Hooliganism

University of Arizona football fans reacted like English soccer hooligans after losing to Oregon in overtime.Thier actions also went on during the game as they threw objects at the Oregon cheerleaders after the Ducks scored and raced around with their flag.Some people can't conduct themselves and shouldn't be able to go the games if this is how they react to losses.Its like Michigan State fans after they lost to duke in the Final Four,as they rioted and burned couches after the loss.An Oregon cheerleader was injured during this display of childish behavior and classlessness.They should be ashamed and embarrased.








     

If Warner can't go the Cardinals are in trouble

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner left today's game against the St.Louis Rams with a head injury.It could possibly be a concussion,we'll have to stay tuned for that.If Warner can't come back the Cardinals,are in trouble.The offense, behind Matt Leinart has stagnated and i think Arizona should be rethinking their plans for a quarterback of the future.I won't sell Leinart short yet,but what has he really done since coming into the NFL.The starting job was handed to him and he couldn't seize the oppurtunity. To make a deep playoff run,they need Warner to shake the cobwebs and comeback.If he doesn't I can see their season going down the toilet.The only thing that saves them is being in a weak division(NFC West) that they almost can get into the playoffs by default.

Ward takes down Kessler in Super Six tournament

American boxer Andre Ward defeated Mikkel Kessler in a first round match,claiming the WBA super middleweight title in the process.Ward won by a technical decision after the fight was stopped in the 11th round because of a clash of heads the prodeuced a cut over Kessler's eye.Ward was ahead on all three scorecards and was seemingly headed toward a win before the stoppage.The win was the first by an American in the Super Six tournament.Kessler,the favorite, was baffled by Ward's speed and defense

proved to be too much for the Denmark native.

  This now gives it a the U.S. vs. Europe storyline in the tournament that i noted in a previous blog.There was a lot of chirping out of Kessler's camp after the loss.Mostly about the referee,Jack Reiss showing preferential treatment to Ward,who was fighting close to his hometown of Oakland. Kessler's promoter,Wilfried Sauerland,says Reiss allowed Ward to get away with head butts and elbows without any warning.Sauerland further stated that he would not bring any of his other fighters,which includes Germany's Arthur Abraham,who also participates in the Super Six,to fight in California.

  Ward is scheduled to take on former champion Jermain Taylor,if Taylor chooses to continue.the last I heard from him was about a possible retirement.As far as Kessler and Sauerland,it sounds like sour grapes.If anyone had a right to feel jobbed after a fight in this tournament it was Andre Dirrell,who lost a close decision to Carl Froch.The first two fights were fought in Europe,which I feel gave the European fighters an advantage over their American counterparts.I'm not waving the American flag,but I'm just calling it as I see it.That's why you don't hear of a lot of the European champions because of their reluctance to take a fight outside of their home continent.Meanwhile,hats off to Ward,who put together a great performance over the favored Kessler.Hope he has more success in the Super Six.     

Case Keenum for Heisman

I know its highly unlikely to happen,but I want Case Keenum to win the Heisman Trophy.Call me crazy,but he has been the most consistent player all season.I know he hasn't played against the highest level of competition but the two games he had against so called superior teams (Oklahoma State and Texas Tech) he put up some fantastic numbers,both of them wins.Others will make a case for Florida's Tim Tebow or Alabama's Mark Ingram.Both deserve to be in New York but in my opinion neither has really stood out.Another player getting Heisman buzz is Clemson's C.J. Spiller.Just because Keenum plays in Conference USA doesn't mean he shouldn't be considered a serious Heisman Candidate.Others will point out the offensive "system" he plays in.Tebow plays in a system and you don't hear anyone criticizing him.Keenum's numbers compare well to any quarterback in the nation.If I had a vote it would go to Case Keenum.

I'm on the Brandon Jennings train

After another impressive early season performance,I'm officially on the Brandon Jennings train.The flashy,playmaking rookie point guard has made me a believer.The kid can flat out play as evidenced by his 55 point outburst against the Golden State Warriors last weekend.Last night he lit up the Charlotte Bobcats for 29.Those teams are far from the elite in the NBA,but it is against the best the world has to offer and he wasn't expected to do this.He won't make the Milwaukee Bucks contenders,but he makes them watchable.
   When he snubbed college for Italy,many were skeptical.It was a trailblazing decision,which had never been done.It seemed everyone predicted failure for Jennings for the fact he was far from home,playing with pros and not getting much playing time.I'll admit I was also skeptical.Instead its looking like it worked to his advantage.Jennings got a lot more practice time in Italy than he would've under the guidelines at Arizona. He didn't play much,but he used the time as a learning experience.He listened to the coaches instead of pouting and now its all paying off.I don't advocate this move for all high schoolers.I'm a fan of the college game and would love to se the top players there.But if college isn't your thing then maybe going overseas might be the best option.Jennings used this to become more acclimated to the pro game and lifestyle,and I'm glad to see he's doing well.Let's hope he keeps this up as I see him being one of the more entertaining players in the years to come.

Pontiac Silverdome sold.For $583,000?!

The Pontiac Silverdome was sold for the mere price of $583,000.A very small sum compared to how much it was built for($55.7M).There was a previous offer for $20 million that was turned down.The unknown investors from Toronto want to turn it into a stadium that would house a MLS soccer team.Me for one doesn't think it would work.

  Now me being a local,it doesn't have too much sentimental value to me.Well it was where I saw my first Detroit Pistons game and the Michigan Panthers of the defunct USFL had a great playoff run there in 1983.It was the home of the Detroit Lions, which during that time blessed us with Billy Sims, Barry Sanders and one playoff win.Oh, i almost forgot some sorry and mediocre but exciting Lions teams.Well I don't know how this venture will turn out,but for the lousy Michigan economy I hope it turns out well.

http://finance.yahoo.com/retirement/article/108175/winning-bidders-to-turn-silverdome-into-soccer-stadium?mod=realestate-buy

  

Just say no

Shannon Brown was emphatically denied by Jason Maxiell.

NBA is fantastic

This move is Jordan-nesque,but its straight out of a video game.

  

Larry Johnson gets a second chance

The Cincinnati Bengals are becoming a modern day Oakland Raiders.They seem to like giving players second chances.The Bengals have signed recently released running back Larry Johnson.Johnson was released by the Kansas City Chiefs for some inflammatory comments he made about the team last week and being suspended for the second time in 12 months.This is an insurance policy for the Bengals since Cedric Benson left last week's game with a strained hip against Pittsburgh.In my opinion,this could be good for the Bengals,especially if Benson can come back healthy.It would allow them to have two hammers in the backfield to wear down defenses. Johnson could possibly play this week against Oakland.This is the third player to get a second or in some cases third chance with the Bengals.Benson signed last year and has revitalized his career and owner Mike Brown brought back Chris Henry after numerous off field run ins with the law.   

In other news

Kansas City Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe was suspended by the NFL for violating the league's policy on performance enhancers.Bowe took a diuretic to lose weight during training camp.I don't see how that gives you an edge on an opponent.

The New Orleans Saints bolstered their depleted secondary by signing ex Baltimore Raven Chris McAlister.Injuries to Tracy Porter and Jabari Greer prompted the signing.This could be a good one for the Saints if McAlister can perform up to the pro bowl level he displayed in the past.

 

Royals' Zack Greinke wins AL Cy Young

Even though the Kansas City Royals had a bad season,they are now home to the newest Cy Young winner,Zack Greinke. Greinke,who went 16-8 and had a major league low 2.16 ERA. Greinke compiled 25 first place votes and a total of 134,to beat out second place finisher Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners and the Detroit Tigers Justin Verlander.
  It's good to see someone rewarded for having a great season despite the way the team finishes.Greinke was Atruly deserving of the Cy Young for his near dominant performance all season.Much like Andre Dawson when he won the MVP award back in 1987 when he played for a last place Chicago Cubs team.Baseball is a team sport,but superior individual performances should be recognized,no matter where your team finishes.Its not a poularity contest and the best teams don't always have the players with the best performances.I just hope Greinke can stick around in Kansas City for a while,so maybe the once proud franchise can turn their fortunes around.

Preseason rankings don't mean jack

Last night the Kansas Jayhawks survived an upset bid by the Memphis Tigers,57-55.The Jayhawks are ranked number 1. Also the second ranked Michigan State Spartans had to come from behind to defeat the Gonzaga Bulldogs,75-71.Last week the 18th ranked Mississippi State Bulldogs weren't so lucky and were picked off by the Rider Broncs on their homecourt.And everyone has heard about Kentucky holding off Miami(OH).

  My point is,the preseason college rankings In basketball and football mean absolutely nothing.Its nice to see your name in the top 25 at the beginning of the year and gives the school and the students a sense of pride.It also means you get everyone's best shot.It can also bring out immaturity in teams, having them believe they can coast through games against lesser opponents.I've seen this happen many times,where a team is highly regarded,living off high school press clippings and believing they can out talent teams.Instead they get outplayed and outhustled.It may not be the best solution,but don't put out rankings until conference season.I know some may feel differently,but it would sort out the real contenders from the frauds of the world. 

WTF?This obituary is cold

This is just wrong.Its bad to go out,but like this? Damn!

Iverson and Grizzlies part ways.Could the Knicks be next?

Allen Iverson was not the answer for the Memphis Grizzlies.The two parties have agreed to mutually parts ways,ending a three game stint that didn't do either one of them any good. It rids the Grizzlies of a headache and allows them to move on without any significant distractions. 

  There are rumblings that the New York Knicks are showing some possible interest in signing Iverson.The Knicks do not need to explore that option.Iverson does not want to come off the bench and will say it till he's blue in the face.At some point Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni will want Iverson to come off the bench,Iverson will say no leaving the Knicks no choice but to let him go.The only way Iverson gets a deal in the NBA is if he accepts a role as sixth man,something he clearly doesn't want to do.He can help a contender,but i doubt he'll ever get a chance to compete for a ring because of his stubborness.

Dick Jauron gets canned

Dick Jauron was fired today as head coach of the Buffalo Bills.I can understand why they fired him.The bottom line in sports is wins and losses.Always has been, always will.Thing is,was it really his fault.I really don't think so.He was saddled with a mediocre team that wasn't that close to making the playoffs.For crying ou loud,he inherited the great J.P. Losman as quarterback.Please don't take me calling Losman great seriously.Losman has since been beaten out by Trent Edwards and is now quarterbacking in the UFL.Edwards hasn't lit the world on fire either.He's shown flashes but he's not a difference maker.They signed Terrell Owens to take heat off of Lee Evans and that has blown up in their face.See,Jauron was only responsible for replacing Losman.He didn't sign this roster or Owens.I'm sure he had some input in the draft room but how much? Also,who was responsible for the firing of former offensive coordinator Turk Schonert? Jauron or management? The offense has been lousy all season long and that's being generous.I'm not saying he didn't have input on some of this,but i'm sure he didn't have a whole lot of veto power with the Bills brass.My point being,he should have been given more time,at least until next year to fix some holes on the roster.I know its all about wins and losses but the Bills are on their fifth coach since 2000.You can't have high turnover on the sidelines all the time.Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell will take over in the interim.

Why do people only report the negative on athletes?

Sitting here on a football Sunday,I read a story on Cleveland Browns receiver Josh Cribbs.It was how Cribbs walked out with a senior football player in Berea,Ohio ,on senior night,who had lost his father to lymphoma.I thought to myself how great of a gesture it was for Cribbs to do that,but it was underreported.I know there are lots of professional athletes that do these kind of things.Not for publicity,but out of the kindness of their heart.Yes,I know there are some bad one's out there.I know some do something terribly wrong that counteracts what good they've done.I don't condone the bad,but why is that the negative only gets reported.It's always how they feel they're above the law and things of that nature.
  I read a story of how Marquis Daniels of the Boston Celtics gives back to his neighborhood and helps underpriviliged children in Orlando,Florida.He also helps out with the Q6 foundation in Boston for kids with sickle cell anemia.No one would know this because its underreported.Let him get caught drunk driving and its everywhere.Like I said before,I don't condone their reckless behavior,but balance it out a little.Like Allen Iverson said before,its easier to report the negative,but ignore the positive things I've done in my life.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Josh-Cribbs-walks-with-late-coach-s-son-on-his-s?urn=nfl,202608

24 hours of hoops takes on a new meaning

ESPN kicks off its college basketball coverage by with a "24 hours of college basketball" event. Two New Jersey schools, St. Peter's and Monmouth are kicking it off with a 6 am tipoff. St.Peter's head coach John Dunne says he campaigned for this game since Niagara was in the 8 am slot and thought it would be a good time slot.Monmouth coach Dave Calloway agreed with the idea.Although i agree with the notion of getting any kind of exposure you can get I think this is a bit much.That's just the world of college athletics where the have-nots have to get any kind of attention they can get their hands on.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=ap-dawngame&prov=ap&type=lgns  

Pacquiao batters Cotto

If there was any doubt Manny Pacquiao could bang with the big boys in the welterweight division,he erased it last night with a 12th round stoppage of Miguel Cotto.The win gave Pacquiao the WBO welterweight title,his seventh in seven different weight classes.Regarded as the pound for pound king,Pacquiao showed why as he turned Cotto's face into a bloody mess.He put down Cotto in the third and fourth round the second which slowed Cotto the most.It was a dazzling display of power and speed as Cotto stated "he didn't know where the punches were coming from".Cotto's trainer,Joe Santiago,wanted to throw in the towel in the 11th round,but Cotto came out for the 12th and final round for more punishment.Santiago said that Pacquiao "Hit harder than we expected and was stronger than we expected".

   Now the waiting begins.Floyd Mayweather,who is still regarded in some circles as the pound for pound king is the fight everyone wants to see.Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach says he would like to to see Manny fight Floyd.The crowd in Vegas also would like that to happen as they chanted "we want Floyd".The thing is,does Floyd want Manny.Mayweather is a great fighter but seems to duck that topic whenever someone brings it up.It would be a true classic if Mayweathther takes the fight.But I think money will be a sticking point as Floyd would rather fight against a more winnable opponent.I hope it happens,because no one seems to want to take the megafight,like fighters did in the past.        

Where's the fun in the NFL?

NFL commissioner Paul Goodell is not messing around.This comes in reference to his $20,000 fine on Chad Ochocinco for his playful bribe to an NFL referee.Some of the rules Goodell puts down I agree with.But this is borderline ridiculous.He should know how Ochocinco likes to "goof" around alot during the course of games.There would be no reason to think that he would try to influence the outcome of a game.But should we be surprised considering the league fines players for exhibiting any amount of excitement after scoring touchdowns or making a big play.Maybe Bengals fans should send in donations of 1 dollar to help pay his fine and he could send the league 20,000 one dollar bills.

Tyson lands in jail after altercation.

Mike Tyson's scuffle with a photographer has landed him in jail.Tyson was going through the Los Angeles International airport with his family and others after arriving from London. Reports say that Tyson and the photographer,Tony Echeverria were both arrested for suspicion of battery. Echeverria acting on a tip that Tyson was to arrive,followed him in the airport and reportedly struck Tyson to try to provoke him when he was asked to stop. Tyson then punched Echeverria in the face. Tyson says he was just trying to protect his family. People need to leave Mike alone and let him live in peace,he seems a lot better that way.
 
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/11/mike-tyson-detained-at-lax-after-altercation-with-paparazzi-.html

Nasty Dunk

 
This was absolutely NASTY. I know it rattled Varejao.

LeBron wants league to retire Jordan's #23

LeBron James wants the league to retire the number 23 ala Major League Baseball did with Jackie Robinson's number.James also says he will switch his number to 6 to pay homage to Jordan.He thinks that no one should be able to wear 23 again.
  Although I think this is a noble idea, I just don't agree with it. Jordan was the greatest player of the modern era and arguably the greatest of all time. I just don't think there should be a leaguewide retirement of his number.He did make the game more globally known,but unlike Robinson,he wasn't a trailblazer and had the stage set for him to succeed upon his entry into the NBA. I'm not a Jordan hater. Even living here in the Detroit area where he isn't well liked by a lot of the locals,i'm not a Jordan hater. He was great,but wasn't exactly my favorite.I do give him an enormous amount of credit for bring the game into international consciousness.I just don't think his number should have a leaguewide retirement.
  James on the other hand says one of the reasons for choosing the number 6 is because Julius Erving was his second favorite player.Sorry LeBron,I just can't buy that one unless you watched lots of video.By my calculations, Erving was at the end of the line by the time you started watching basketball.
 

Dunk of the night

5-10 Detroit Piston guard Will Bynum had the dunk of the night against Charlotte.

Hornets fire Byron Scott

The New Orleans Hornets fired head coach Byron Scott today.General manager Jeff Bower will take over in the interim.In my opinion Scott is getting a raw deal.After losing to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2008 Western Conference semifinals in seven games the Hornets have kinda hit the skids.They were a playoff team last season,but inflated expectations,injuries,and payroll slashing all things that were beyond Scott's control did in the Hornets. They traded Tyson Chandler for Emeka Okafor,and last season they traded him for basically a bag of basketballs. I knew this would happen because every time i came across a Hornets game on tv they were down by 20. New Orleans isn't a bad team,they're just playing bad.Scott deserves to coach to at least the All Star break to see if he is the man to lead them. I foresee some payroll dumping and some major pouting by Chris Paul to get out of town.This team is going nowhere fast,but i could be wrong. 

Another Clipper goes down

Los Angeles Clipper guard Eric Gordon has went down with a groin injury.Once again another Clipper bites the dust with an injury.Like I mentioned in another post, the Clippers are a historically bad  franchise.They're also snakebit by having key players injured then leave when their contracts are done.

He won't be flying this high for the time being.

His Air-rogance? Rapper Chamillionaire dissed by Michael Jordan

I know Michael Jordan probably doesn't care who Chamillionaire is. Still doesn't give him a license to act like an ass. According to Cham, who saw Jordan posing with a few female fans, he asked to take a picture with him. Jordan replied "I ain't taking no pictures with no n-----(Fill in the blanks).Chamillionaire being shocked,told Jordan he just bought a jersey of his at a Reggie Bush auction for $7,000. Jordan's reply to that was "You know what,you pay $15,000 right now for a jersey from me and I'll take a picture with you.This further infuriated Chamillionaire, who has since made videos on Youtube saying he wants to punch Jordan.

Jordan's son suspended for two games

Jeffery Jordan didn't think much of the 3 on 3 tournament he played in prior to returning to the Illinois basketball team.But the almighty NCAA did. Jordan was suspended for two games for participating in a 3 on 3 tournament,which is a non-sanctioned event. The NCAA really needs to back off.Its not like he or the school was gaining a competitive advantage.Secondly, its pointless. He left the Fighting Illini after last season.He was a walk on and he played in the tournament while he was not a member of the team. I guess you can't get anything by the NCAA no matter how minor it may seem.

Shout out to the veterans

To the men and women of the armed forces, happy Veterans Day.Your services are greatly appreciated here in this great country.Keep up the good work and hope to get all of you back safely.  

Iverson's chumping out if he retires

I like Allen Iverson.I really do.I just think he's a chump if he retire's and bails on the Memphis Grizzlies.At this point in his career he should be chasing after a championship and not pouting about coming off the bench. Ivereson started the self sabotaging last season when he pouted about his role with the Pistons. Granted, Memphis isn't close to championship material, but that doesn't mean he has to cry his way out of town.Now he's on a leave of absence to take care of "personal affairs". If this is it for him,its a terrible way to go out.He can still help a team out and could be a missing piece to a championship team.He would have to do it off the bench,but it appears that he's resigned to starting, therefore making him unsignable.It was a stellar career,but it looks like the end of the line.  

Sosa:It was the cream

Sammy Sosa finally came clean.It was the cream.Not the cream for steroids, but a skin lightning cream he says he uses before he goes to bed. It was a recent appearance that had people buzzing about what was going on. He says its no aftereffect of alleged steroid use,he's not a racist,and he's not trying to look like Michael Jackson.At least he's not sick either.  Look at the before and after pics.

Vick doesn't have to pay bonus money

A day after saying he wasn't happy with how he was being used in Philadelphia, Michael Vick has a reason to smile.A federal appeals court judge upheld the ruling that he doesn't have to pay back $16 million in roster bonuses from the Atlanta Falcons.
  Judge David Doty's ruling was affirmed by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals saying Vick earned the bonuses before the dogfighting conviction.Considering everything that has went wrong in his life lately, this should put a big smile on his face and make him very happy.

BCS winners & losers

After another wild week in college football there's been another shakeup with the number 2 and 3 spot in the BCS rankings. Among the winners in this were Alabama,TCU,Ohio State, and Cincinnati. The losers:Notre Dame, Iowa and Oregon and possibly Texas.

Winners: Alabama-After a hard fought win over LSU which clinched the SEC West, the Tide is now looking forward to a showdown with SEC East leader Florida. Only a rivalry game with Auburn remains Alabama's only road block to an undefeated season.

TCU-With Iowa going down to the hands of Northwestern,the Horned Frogs moved up to number four in the newest BCS rankings.If they can get past Utah they're the party crashers this year.

Ohio State-The Buckeyes control their own destiny in the Big Ten after the win over Penn State and the Iowa loss.The Hawkeyes lost their starting quarterback which makes next week's game a little easier for the Bucks.

Cincinnati-The Bearcats put up some style points but let Connecticut make a run at them late in the game.Not a good thing with Big East heavies Pittsburgh and West Virginia left on the schedule.

Losers:Notre Dame-A loss to Navy shut the door on their slight chance at a BCS bowl.The Irish will be on the outside looking in and relegated to a second tier bowl.

Iowa-If losing to Northwestern wasn't enough,they also lost their starting quarterback,Ricky Stanzi.The loss knocked them out of the national championship conversation.It's not looking good for the Hawkeyes going into their showdown with Ohio State.

Oregon-Even though they still control their own destiny in the Pac-10,the Ducks, with a lot of help had an outside shot at the title game.  That chance is gone thanks to the whipping by Stanford. Still can go to the Rose Bowl,but its not a given in the Pac-10.

Texas-They have to play the games on the schedule,but its like they have nothing to gain and everything to lose.The Longhorns need to put up the style points(run up the score) to sway the computers.With no real tough games on the schedule,including the Big 12 championship, they will need Alabama or Florida to slip.Of course the thing that helps them is that they play each other.Texas should hope for a blowout in that game if both remain undefeated. 

Ringside Thoughts II

I didn't get a chance to view the fight between heavyweights David Haye and Nikolai Valuev. Haye won a majority decision and from what I read pretty much dominated the fight,nearly flooring the Russian giant in the final round. Haye,now the WBA titleholder will probably have a mandatory defense against John Ruiz,who stopped Adnan Serin in the seventh round.A lot of fans want to see him fight Evander Holyfield,who others feel should've been fighting Haye in the first place after losing a controversial decision to Valuev.
  Such is the sad state of the heavyweight division.Once the glamour division in boxing has continually gotten worse.It has been filled with retreads,journeymen,and a lot of Russian or European fighters lots of American fight fans have never heard of.It reminds me of the 80s when the alphabet divisions came along and gave us multiple champions.Outside of Larry Holmes,who knew them.I do like the Klitscho brothers,but we already know they want to monopolize the division and never will fight each other. We now have Haye,who talks a big game,but has backed out of fights with both Klitscho's. There's Holyfield,but he's old,thought of as washed up.and has trouble being licensed in the United States. There are really no interesting fights out there in the division, but the show must go on.Hopefully,somewhere out there,there is some heavyweight out there that can change the way the division is looked at and is a bonafide challenger that can give us a good fight.

Ducks Clipped

The Oregon Ducks came into Stanford Stadium flying high and were cut down by the Stanford Cardinal 51-42.Oregon, fresh off a four touchdown shellacking of USC,and looking like a team no one wanted a piece of, were outplayed and dominated from the start. Once looking like a team that with a little luck,had an outside shot to play for a national championship now has to settle for a possible Rose Bowl berth. Thing is, they have to win out.Considering the wacky nature of the Pac-10 conference it's not a given.  

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recap?gid=200911070063&prov=ap

Middle schooler towers over the competition

Brenden Adams of Morgan Middle School in Ellensburg,Washington is a giant of a man. Not quite a man,but at 7-4 at age 14 you might think otherwise at first glance. And get this,he plays football. His mom wasn't quite sure, because football is not a game for tall men. He says he's always loved the game and wanted to play. Makes for a big target in the red zone.

http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1011697

Damn Yankees

As much as i can't stand the New York Yankees, i must give them credit. They spent their money wisely, had the right spare parts and now have captured their 27th world championship. The talent on the team isn't all homegrown, but the management cares a lot about winning. Although i do believe age will catch up to this current edition of Yankees, their bottomless pit of money will ensure they won't have a dip in the standings like they had most of the 80s. I hate to say it, the Yankees are here to stay. They'll continue to outspend everyone, pick off the best talent from the bottom feeders that aren't able to keep up, and fleece others in trades by overvaluing the talent in the farm system. I would hope that baseball would institute some kind of salary cap to make baseball more competitive. I guess that's just wishful thinking.

Rappin Redick:Baller or Balla

I'm a little late on this one. Word has it that JJ redick of the Orlando Magic is part of a rap group. Once again another athlete that wants to rap. Stick to the skill your best at JJ.

What if?...

As the college hoops season descends upon us I had a moment to read a preview mag and think about some of the past in the college basketball world. I decided to play the what if game and went back to the 1989-1990 season. The thoughts instantly went to Hank Gathers. For those too young too remember, Gathers was a star forward for Loyola Marymount University. It was he and high school teammate Bo Kimble, along with the frenetic breakneck pace favored by coach Paul Westhead that put this school on the map. In a game in December 1989 Gathers collapsed in a game while shooting a free throw. It was revealed that he had a heart ailment and had to be put on medication. He came back and was a force on the court averaging around 30 points and 12 rebounds. It was one game that season that made me think he was the real deal. It was a  148-141 overtime loss to LSU, that boasted future pros Chris Jackson, Stanley Roberts, and Shaquille O'Neal. He and Kimble held their own, but it was Gathers' performance the stole the show. Gathers, listed at 6-8, went for 47 points on the 7 foot 300 pound maneaters, Stanley and Shaq. I couldn't wait to see how he would do in the NBA. I've always said that if Hank were healthy and had the heart ailment under control, he would've went number one in the draft and not Derrick Coleman. I know I get plenty of arguments about that one until i point out the LSU game. It was an untimely death and a sad moment for the sports world as a whole. The Lions went on to the NCAA tournament and made an inspired run to the elite eight where they fell to the eventual champion UNLV, 131-101. I always thought Gathers would have made a good pro and a great investment as the top pick.

Iverson and Memphis. They're meant for each other.

We're barely two weeks into the NBA season and once again Allen Iverson has committed career suicide. Unable to make it with the Detroit Pistons because  he didn't want to come off the bench,  the same thing is happening with the Memphis Grizzlies. I'm not gonna excuse the Grizzlies from any of this mess because they were foolish for signing him. It's was clearly a bad move for a young team and they should have known this was coming.Management saw dollar signs and tickets sales. Now the Grizzlies are dangerously headed toward team knucklehead with Iverson leading the charge. He's now chirping about having to come off the bench. I understand he's had a great career and all but he needs to step aside and let the youngsters play and go to the mentor role, if that's possible for him. Iverson doesn't realize it's a "what have you done for me lately?" kind of business and for the last year he hasn't done too much except complain about his role on the teams he's been on. Everyone understands you are a great player, have an outstanding body of work, and still have something left to give. But at this point, he would be better served coming off the bench, more for a contender than a chronic rebuilder. As much as I hate to say it, OJ Mayo is better than him and Rudy Gay is better than him, even though he has that magician act going on every once in a while. He's not gonna lead this team anywhere except the bottom of the standings. What does it say about him if he's complaining already. He's selfish. I can understand when he says the negative about me sells more than the positive, but you keep putting yourself in a negative light. Last season he sabotaged his own career when he couldn't make it work in Detroit. I understand there were some behind the scenes action that didn't make the situation any better. Thing is, the Pistons had the ultimate team concept there, and he couldn't make it work there. That was the best situation he'll probably ever have and he blew it. I can understand when he was in Philadelphia he didn't have the best talent around him. In Detroit he played with a team that was a regular at the Eastern Confernce finals. He couldn't compromise. Now he goes to Memphis because no one wants him, because he can't compromise. He still has that characteristic about him. After this he'll be the Terrell Owens of the NBA. No one will want a piece of him. I hate to see him go out like this, but i'm afraid this is the final Answer.

Team owners need to insure a better product

A lot of the sports team owners treat their teams as a hobby or something that they can make money from, neglecting the product on the field or arena. There are some that do care, but they go about trying to build a winner the wrong way. Another blog that i follow, Explode In Sports, touched upon this subject last week.
  Some owners just don't care and some are too power hungry to stay out of their own way. Take a look at Al Davis of the Oakland  Raiders. Anyone he hires is a puppet. It's almost like a shadow government out there in Oakland. If you don't agree with big Al you're out. Ask Lane Kiffin about that. Donald Sterling of the Los Angeles Clippers really has no clue to what he's doing with his team. Dan Snyder treats his like a fantasy league team. They need to pay more attention to what's being done on the field or court to build a winner. In these tough economic times, true sports fans don't have money to throw around to attend a game, let alone watch a lousy team. My home team, the Detroit Lions were blacked out for the second time this season for that fact alone. In the past Lions fans have always supported the team, even though a majority of the time the team was plain bad. Nowdays, those same people can't go to the game and they won't go because the team is so bad. Everyone around the league says William Clay Ford is a great owner. I'm not privy to that, but the guy is too loyal to people that shouldn't be running the operation.That's how Matt Millen got eight long years in the Motor City. I believe he wants a winner, but he doesn't know how to go about building a winner. As much as i can't stand the Yankees, the ownership there does care about putting a winner on the field. They spend a lot of money on free agents and all but they also have a top notch scouting department. Same with Jerry Jones. He will do anything to make the Dallas Cowboys a winner. There are some owners that get criticized for spending a lot, but those are the ones that do it the right way. Owners like the aformentioned Snyder get it wrong. I know we're in a tough economic climate right now and you have to watch the bottom line but give us true sports fans something to cheer about. There are some that use sports as an outlet for the harsh realities of life and just want to be part of something positive.    

Michigan fans need to be patient

The Michigan Wolverines football team has hit a crater sized pothole this season. Once again fans are calling for a quick ouster of head coach Rich Rodriguez. To the Michigan fans still stuck in the past, they need to shut up and get out of the past. When Lloyd Carr was there all you heard was that he was too conservative and couldn't coach all the talent he recruited to Ann Arbor. I've always thought that when Carr was forced to play from behind was when he decided to loosen the reins.Check the Orange Bowl game against Alabama which would prove my point. Fans always talked about wanting a spread type offense at Michigan. Now they have it and they want to run the coach that's running it out of town. Right now they stand at 5-4, needing one win to become bowl eligible and Wolverine fans are howling for Rodriguez's head. It's not gonna happen. If it does it leaves you worse off than they already are. There's a lot of spread type athletes there now and more than likely they switch back to a pro set. Where does that leave you? Another 3-9 debacle similar to last year or worse because your putting square pegs in round holes. Some of the old time fans never wanted him there in the first place and have looked for anything to discredit him. Let him get some time to get things together. Two years is not enough. After the win over Notre Dame, a lot of the old the "old blues" thought Michigan football was "back". If anything that win alone, along with a 4-0 start, where they never left the confines of the Big House, unfairly inflated expectations. Fans, you conveniently forget there was a freshman quarterback at the helm of the team. As great as Tate Forcier looked earlier this season, he has shown his youth later on when navigating rougher seas in the Big Ten. Overall, this is a young team. They've made some strides this year, mostly on the offensive side of the ball, but they still have ways to go. The fans need to give this operation some time instead of breaking their legs jumping off the bandwagon. If the same problems are going on a year from now then you'll know that there's something wrong. I think next year is when it comes all together for Rodriguez. To the fans, please stop beating a dead horse and calling for Rodriguez to be fired. I'm tired of hearing it and others on the other side of the divided house in Ann Arbor are tired of hearing it. Patience is a virtue and some of you fans need to learn it.