Notre Dame better get it right with Kelly

Brian Kelly is leaving Cincinnati to become the head football coach at Notre Dame.The not so Fighting Irish better hope they actually get it right this time.Since I've been paying attention to college football,Notre Dame has been atrocious at hiring coaches.There have been a few times they had it right.Such as Dan Devine and Lou Holtz.Let me run this down.After Devine retired they decided to go against the grain and hire a high school coach.Not just any high school coach,but Gerry Faust from the mighty Cincinnati Moeller.Surely a huge step up for anyone let alone a high school coach.Faust lasted for 5 uninspiring seasons before being dumped for Lou Holtz.That turned out to be a good hire as he kept the Irish in national championship contention,winning it all in 1988.Also Holtz who had a habit of staying one step ahead of the NCAA just about everywhere he coached,stepped down in 1996,making way for assistant Bob Davie.Now,Davie wasn't that bad,but he wasn't that good either.He brought in talent,but didn't seem to coach it up.After Davie,it was Tyrone Willingham's turn at the helm of this sinking ship.Willingham came in with a bang with a 10-3 season beating higher ranked opponents Michigan and Florida State along the way.After that was a disaster, as he went 11-12 over the next two seasons,and wasn't bringing in highly rated recruiting classes.His class of 2004 recruits was judged to be the worst in 20 years at Notre Dame.He subsequently was let go and bought out of his contract.That gave us the Charlie Weis era or should I say error.Weis came riding in with his Super Bowl rings and NFL championship pedigree.That didn't seem to matter to the rest of the college football world.Weis go off to a fast start,going 9-3 and going to the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State.He helped improve the offense, Brady Quinn especially,as Quinn wnet on to break numerous school passing records.Wesi went 10-2 in his second season,but was walloped in the Sugar Bowl against LSU.After that the bottom dropped on the program as he went 3-9,7-6,and 6-6 in the following seasons that sealed his fate.Thing was Weis wasn't their first,second ,or third  choice for the job.The man they wanted most,Urban Meyer packed his bags and went to Florida.Now that brings us to the next "hot" name in the coaching community,Mr.Brian Kelly.After winning two national championships in his 13 years at  Division II Grand Valley State,Kelly took his show to Central Michigan and made them relevant in the Mid American Conference after the tumultuous Mike Debord reign.He coached the Chippewas to the 2006 MAC championship before taking the job at Cincinnati.He coached the Bearcats to a winning effort in the International Bowl.He then turned the Bearcats into a major player in the Big East with 3 10 win seasons and back to back Big East titles and BCS bowl berths.Now he has the task of building Notre Dame into a national contender once again.He has won everywhere he's been,so he's more than able for the job.But will the academic guidelines and someimes tough schedule derail his efforts.We'll see.He's gonna hit the ground running because he won't be coaching Cincinnati in their Sugar Bowl game versus Florida.The players will get to South Bend,the only question that remains is will it all translate on the field.Bottom line, this hire will have to be a grand slam or he too could be gone within five years.

The BCS is a fraud and Texas got over

This BCS mess is getting out of hand.They got the championship game right,but the rest of the matchups could've been better.Texas vs. Alabama is a college blueblood matchup.These are two traditional titans in the sport and the game could be a classic.Key word there is could.Ohio State vs. Oregon pits the usual Big Ten/Pac-10 teams against one another and I see nothing wrong with that.My problem is I think they could've shuffled the deck and excluded Iowa,but I guess someone has to play in these games.The TCU/Boise State game is something of a cop out.The honchos at BCS headquarters will spin this about two undefeated teams going head up and will pitch it as kind of a second national championship game.WRONG!TCU could whip Boise 100-0 and everyone will say,they didn't play against one of the big boys.Why couldn't TCU or Boise State have gotten the nod to go against the fighting Tebows.If not for the fact that the BCS had to take Iowa  the games could be more interesting.It almost sounds like a conspiracy as much as I hate to say it.
  All that leads me to the Texas Longhorns.As of now it seems the experts are picking the Tide to roll over Texas.That could be proven correct but we won't know until they play the game.All I know is that Texas better play a helluva game.The way they played against Nebraska in the Big 12 title game raises doubts if they should be on the same field as Alabama.Also they were very lucky to escape against the Huskers.That pass Colt McCoy nonchalantly tossed out of bounds came dangerously close to running the clock out.Yes,they won the game fair and square,but think about it,if they were ahead by 20 do you think the refs would've put that 1 second back on the clock.I don't think so.Mack Brown needs to brush up on his time management in case the same scenario plays itself out again.As a fan, I hope for an entertaining and competitive bowl season.

Another option if you don't go to college

Former Memphis recruit Latavious Williams has begun his pro career.In Tulsa,Oklahoma.Williams was the first high schooler to be drafted by the NBA developmental league.Williams was rated the 17th best recruit in the nation,choosing Memphis over the likes of Georgetown,Kansas State,and Florida International.He didn't qualify and was set to embark on starting his pro career in China.In stepped the Tulsa 66ers who drafted him with the final selection in the first round of the D-League draft.Williams admits this is a better move for him than going to China even though he would've been paid more.I personally think this is what the developmental league should be for.It gives preps who want to go pro another option other than going overseas.That's not bad because from a financial standpoint it works out better for them.But in some cases it doesn't work out too well.Ask Jeremy Tyler about his fine Israeli experience.I think it would be better because they would play for an NBA run franchise,but they're rights aren't owned by any team.It would give them more of an oppurtunity to get better under an NBA eye.It won't work out well for everyone but I think it could get the ball rolling on talented players that don't want to go to college and play but also needs to work on their game and maturity.The d-league should be a skill buliding apprentice program,because over the years it's been known that some had the game,but not the maturity to excel in the NBA.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AlCeTbHE6Odk3o8XvvoIsLM5nYcB?slug=mc-williamsdleague120509&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

Ringside Thoughts

After watching a great fight between Paul Williams and Sergio Martinez,if I didn't feel this already,something needs to be done about the judging system in boxing.Both Williams and Martinez,who are respected but can't seem to get a good fight put on a show.They're kinda like boxing vagabonds taking any fight from welterweight to super middleweight.
  The travesty to the fight was the scoring.Both fighters scored early knockdowns,although Martinez's was more impressive and landed heavy shots.Williams pulled out a majority decision,a decision that I thought should have been a draw.One judge scored it 114-114,another 115-113 and the other 119-110.I don't know what fight that judge was watching,but it should have been a whole lot closer than that.Martinez was gracious in defeat,but he acknowledged he felt he got a bad decision.There should be a rematch made for this fight,but there probably won't as I feel Williams knows he went through an escape hatch to win this one.Williams was his usual agressive self,throwing punches at a high volume.Martinez is more slick and quick,but landed plenty of crunching blows to Williams.Overall it was a great fight and would love to see them do it again.Both fighters should be in line for a big money fight,but with the well known politics of boxing I think both will keep being avoided.

http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=AiK3_vBHDrdeStx7Zr51IxqUxLYF?slug=ap-williams-martinez&prov=ap&type=lgns

Detroit Tigers offseason plans

The Detroit Tigers finished the 2009 season losing to the Minnesota Twins in a one game playoff heartbreaker.What they do from here on out is anyone's guess.The Tigers really weren't that good last season and more than likely would've suffered the same fate as the Twins in the playoffs.The extra game or two would've brought more money to the organization but also served as false hope to Tigers fans.With the team losing money,being in what is termed a small market,and having to cut costs in a tough economy(especially in this region),this shapes up to be a critical offseason for the Tigers.

   Just this past week they had to let go of one of the better players,Placido Polanco,who signed with the Phillies.That move costs them in a number of ways.First he was a Gold Glove second baseman who clearly had his best years in Detroit.He signed a two year deal for about $6 million a year.Affordable yes,but not for the Tigers.If it wasn't for the ridiculous incentive laden,back loaded contract given to Magglio Ordonez they might not be in this position.Secondly,they have to give his position to rookie Scott Sizemore,who I may be wrong,suffered a broken leg.He should be back for spring training.Finally,since they did not offer arbitration to Polanco,they will receive no compensatory draft picks that they could definitely use.The Ordonez factor clearly hamstrings this team.They won't be a player in the free agent market and will be looking to remain competitive while going low budget.There have been rumblings about trading Curtis Granderson or Edwin Jackson.I would trade them only if the price is right or if they took on one of the pricey contracts of Nate Robertson or Dontrelle Willis.Highly unlikely,but its worth a try.They should try to find a few low cost free agents such as outfielder Austin Kearns,shortstop Khalil Greene,utilityman Bobby Crosby,pitchers Mark Mulder,Guillermo Mota and Jason Jennings among others.I really don't think the young guys in the farm system are ready to help,if they were they would be here right now.We'll have to see how everything unfolds and what kind of team they field for 2010.Either way it goes it might be a long season for Tigers fans. 

Kobe Bryant adds to his legend

This is why Kobe is widely regarded as the best in the league.

  

You too can be a champion

College basketball is getting a lot like college football.You ask how.I'll tell you.The College Basketball Invitational and the Collegeinsider.com tournament.Those are for the tournaments for teams that didn't make the NCAA or NIT.Its almost like an oversaturation of the college basketball postseason.The organizers of both tournaments say they do it more for the mid majors that were shut out of the NCAA or NIT.I personally think it's a bunch of bull.Hardly anyone knows either of these tournaments exist.Also if you have a losing record you can get a postseason experience via the CBI or CIT.So teams are now rewarded for finishing with a 15-16 record and possibly end it with a championship.I can understand trying to get some of the lesser knowns more exposure,but it seems more of a sham trying to squeeze more dollars out of college basketball fans.I love college basketball,but i won't be checking for that New Orleans/Idaho St. matchup come March.