Hope The Phillies Fans Are Happy

My second half predictions didn't go as planned, but I was on the money about one thing. The Philadelphia Phillies pulling out the NL East. The Phillies came through with another strong second half to overtake the Atlanta Braves and leave the New York Mets choking on infield dirt. In my opinion they are and were always the team to beat in the National League. They also have a great chance at winning the World Series. Everyone knows about the potent offense, but this time around they have the Roy boys (Halladay and Oswalt) as well as Cole Hamels anchoring the rotation. The only flaw i see is the bullpen, especially if Brad Lidge isn't on.

Phillie fans, I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. Just because they were about 6 or 7 games back earlier in the summer I knew they would come back strong. They just needed some key components to get right. I say get ready for a Phillies/Yankees rematch.  

What I Saw In College Football II

This past week in college football exposed some teams and revealed some other things.

Texas was and is fraudulent. I thought that either Texas, Oklahoma, or Florida would get popped by some team lesser than them. Texas was throttled by a so-so UCLA team at home 34-12. Florida had a convincing win over Kentucky going into their showdown with Alabama. Maybe Texas and Oklahoma were looking ahead to the Red River Shootout because the Sooners escaped Cincinnati with a 31-29 win. The way Oklahoma is playing they'll be lucky to escape the season without a loss. USC also is on this list, but i see them getting whipped by Stanford or Oregon and not one of the dregs of the Pac-10. Michigan is also under consideration. If they can't beat down Indiana they aren't bonafide Big Ten contenders. Also receiving votes:Pittsburgh, Texas A&M, Georgia.

Mark Ingram is back in the Heisman hunt. After missing the first two games Alabama's Mark Ingram has made quite an impression with the Heisman voters. Even though one of the games was against Duke, he showed up big time against Arkansas. Its going to be difficult to keep him away from New York.

 

Arkansas will be a force, it just won't be this year. Even though the Hogs suffered a tough loss to Alabama, Arkansas will be a force to reckon with. They still won't beat the Alabama's and Florida's, at least not right now, once Bobby Petrino gets this train rolling you don't want to be on the tracks. Remember how he made Louisville into a darkhorse national contender.

 

Miami won't win the ACC unless Jacory Harris cuts down his interceptions. This is an absolute must. I know Randy Shannon blasted his backs and receivers for poor route running and dropped/tipped passes but that only goes so far. Harris needs to make better decisions because the Canes are superior to any other team in the ACC at this point.

Lions Fans Shouldn't Turn On Them

In the past week I've been hearing a lot of Detroit Lions fans chirping about how they've lost faith in head coach Jim Schwartz and how they're the same old Lions. True, they keep ringing up the losses, but personally I don't think they're the same old Lions. I'm not drinking the Kool Aid or anything, I just know they are what they are. I won't stop supporting them because they're lousy. Fellow Lions fans should do the same. I'm not trying to tell you guys how to live your life. I'm not Lions free and will never claim to be. I know they're bad and they are bad until I'm proven otherwise. After watching years of football, I do see they're on the right track. 

You see, the NFL is set up for teams to win anywhere from 6-10 games. Of course that's something we Lions fans haven't seen for a long time, save for Rod Marinelli's 7-9 mirage 3 years ago. Then we see other teams like the Dolphins and Falcons go from 1 or 2 wins to the playoffs in one year. People fail to forget that both of them had some recent success, although mediocre. The Lions have had none. What I'm saying is that, there needs to be some patience. They're still digging out from the mistakes Matt Millen made. Once you guys realize what they are, instead of thinking they're on the verge of being a playoff team, the better off you guys will be. They won't rise from the ashes like the Falcons and Dolphins. They're slowly building something and they are heading in the right direction. It takes time. Just be patient.        

Torre Would Be A Fool To Take The Mets Job

After going back to New York for the Steinbrenner ceremony, soon to be former Los Angeles Dodgers manager, Joe Torre hinted about the New York Mets job.You know the rumors started swirling.  He was linked to the job by various news reports. Then he came on WFAN and talked his previous stint as Mets manager back in the late 70s. Ahhh, longing to go back to the city where you had your greatest success. There is one problem. The Mets are currently managed by Jerry Manuel. Although, I don't think he'll last beyond this season.

If I'm Torre, I just go on and retire. You have your rings and you'll be remembered more for your time as Yankees manager than anywhere else you've been. Who actually remembers that you managed the Mets, Cardinals, or Braves. Ok, i do. But not the casual baseball fan. He might seem like a good fit for the Mets job, but I wouldn't touch it. Your leaving a dysfunctional Dodgers organization for the Mets,who sign high riced players that underacheive once they hit Queens. The Mets haven't been the same since they blew the late season lead to the Phillies. 

My advice,ride out into the sunset Joe and leave well enough alone.   

    

What I Saw In College Football

Not Heisman material in 2010

I saw that despite their win over UMass, Michigan is not ready for primetime. This team has a long way to go before being "back".

Other not ready for primetime candidates: Washington, Notre Dame, and Houston


Jake Locker and Case Keenum knocked themselves out of the Heisman race. Locker had a dismal performance while getting beatdown by Nebraska. Keenum and the Cougars flopped big time against a mediocre UCLA team. He also got hurt in the process.

Other self inflicting wounds: Jerrod Johnson,Texas A&M

Nebraska is looking strong going into Big 12 play. They may make their swan song in this conference one to remember. Both Texas and Oklahoma are looking a little shaky to me.

Florida,Texas,and Oklahoma are looking a bit overrated. Texas has a strong defense but is not looking that great on offense. For all the talent the Sooners have on both sides of the ball, they have trouble putting lesser teams away (Air Force and Utah State). Florida is looking like they miss Tim Tebow an awful lot right now.



Butch Jones, Turner Gill, and Mark Richt might want to go into hiding right now. I know it's early but Jones looks like he doesn't have a clue about what's going on in Cincinnati. Ditto for Turner Gill. He does have the win over Georgia Tech, but how long will that hold water. The devil may come to Georgia because Richt's seat is getting hotter in Athens.



Colin Kaepernick should get some votes for Heisman. Kaepernick has been the most underrated dual threat quarterback in the nation for the past three years. Its about time someone outside of Nevada recognizes that.

Get well to Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio. Dantonio suffered a heart attack after a big win over Notre Dame. He also made the gutsiest call of the year. A fake field goal to win the game in overtime. Get well soon Mark. Good thing they have Northern Colorado next week.  





Please Stop

Michigan fans should stop now with the we're back and Denard for Heisman talk. After a halfway embarassing win over UMass I would think fans of the big blue would curb their enthusiasm. This was a team that they should've outtalented. yet they let the Minutemen hang around and nearly pull out a win of Appy State proportions. Ok, not that big considering the state of the program, but still a nice trophy to put on their resume. If it wasn't for Denard Robinson, this would've been a loss. I still think he shouldn't be anywhere close to the Heisman conversation.

Fans just let everything play out before proclaiming to be one of college football's elite once again. Today proved that even though they are trending in the right direction, they still have a long way to go.     

Forfeits

Former USC star running back Reggie Bush turned in his Heisman Trophy for receiving improper benefits.Either to go to USC or while he was there is beyond me, since I never really bothered to look at any in depth stories that were out about this particular situation. I personally don't like the fact that he gave up his Heisman that he won on the field. If it wasn't at USC, it might've been any other school in the nation. I don't like the idea of forfeiture. If you knowingly used a player that shouldn't have been there, like for being academically ineligible and that player still played, sure take whatever they won away. Or using someone like a ringer. A player that is just a body in school and doesn't go to class. That I could also understand. I know it's wrong for anyone in college to receive improper benefits, but if you're good enough, that is gonna come your way, regardless. Those benefits didn't enable Reggie Bush to juke countless Fresno State defenders on that breathtaking run.





Benefits didn't enable him to be the best college running back in the nation, or the best player for that matter. That was all done on the field.

Although it wasn't right, Ed Martin didn't get Michigan and the Fab Five to two Final Fours. Why should they take the banners down and expunge the records. In the end there was just too much talent for them not to get that far. Should that make Temple feel better about that loss in the Regional final. I don't think so.

I know it's wrong and I don't agree with steroids, but should Jose Canseco be ordered to return any extras he received for winning the AL MVP. I'm sure Mike Greenwell didn't feel good about it then and he damn sure doesn't feel good about it now.

I'm sure there have been plenty of schools that have used a player that received extra benefits, or had a term paper written for them, or had money paid to a family member to steer a kid to a particular school. Some of them just haven't been caught.That's like if the recruits Bruce Pearl  and his staff made extra phone calls to came to Tennessee and won a national title. Does that mean Tennessee should forfeit the national championship. I don't think so.