Once again, the discussion for adding a team and a play off game to the B1i1g 10 is heating up. And once again, Notre Dame won't be part of the discussion...
Rittenberg and others are covering the news release here.
While it makes sense and your own MMQ has covered it more than I care to mention, it's high time the powers that be revisited it and kept the B1i1g 10 playing for another two weeks during the regular season. Alvarez and Joe Pa are right. The Big 10 is sitting around watching everonye else on TV while everyone else is practicing, playing, and getting better. It's more than overdue...The question remains, who????
THE MOST Logical Choice:
1. DOMERS (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!) Draw a circle, ellipse, whatever the hell you want to call it and the focal point of Big 10 country is Notre Dame, give or take 50 to 100 miles. On top of that, Michigan, MSU, Purdue, Indiana, and now it looks like Wisconsin all have some sort of lame ass agreement with these clowns for the next 5-10 years. Delaney and others: Get it through your heads! WE DON'T NEED NOTRE DAME! We offered it once and were flat out rejected...It's sad, really, that this school is run by a bunch of old timers that can't see the change that's happening around them...However, $warbuck$ might figure it out and realize that the road to a National Title is via a conference with a play-off and he might get everyone else who's against it to see the light as well...
Logical Choices:
2. Iowa State. Great Basketball, decent football from time to time.
3. Missouri. The proximity and border rivalry of Illinois and Missouri make it a natural choice...Basketball is strong as well...And bringing in Iowa State or Missouri makes room for Colorado State in the Big 12.
4. Pitt - But then the Big East has to do some major overhauling looking to replace these guys...
5. Syracuse - See Pitt. And this program doesn't really match up to the Big 10 in terms of football. They would be bringing us down, and we don't need that.
6. Cincinatti. Yeah, I said it. Go get the team that has managed to dominate the Big East in 2 years time. And then OSU will have to play them.
Not So Logical:
1. Any MAC team that's ready with a program and willing to take the next step. CMU, Toledo, and Western all come to mind. But there's a reason they're MAC schools...
2. West Virginia, Temple, Rutgers, and the rest of the Big East. Basketball schools with some football skills...But it's a long way to travel.
3. Kansas, K-State, or some other Big 12 that wants out of that conference...Not likely...
So, boil it all down and you have, maybe, 5-8 schools that can even be considered. Otherwise, it's a whole bunch of noise and hype that won't amount to much.
The MMQ
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Monday, December 14, 2009
Tuesday Morning Post Season Blues...
I was going to do a long, elaborate report card and literally bore everyone to death on what MY TAKE of the Season at the University of Michigan meant. But where does that get us in the end? I would rather look to the future and see into the murk to disseminate ANYTHING that could be labeled as bright. In as much as it sucked, was there anything, besides beating what turned out to be a lousy Domer squad, anything at all to take away from this season?
My review of my posts this year mention one word from the defensive side a lot: Graham. And he's not coming back. Warren is iffy, but he certainly has motivation to not come back if he believes his stock can't get any higher. And based on the defense overall, I doubt that can seriously happen. So, were losing two of the better, if not best, defensive players we had.
Offensively, well...I am not sure anyone's really going to like what I have to say here. But here goes: Maybe, maybe, I was a little eager to jump on the Forcier band wagon. I know he's an 18 year old kid and the maturation of 1 year is going to be huge for his psyche, intellect, humility, and hopefully, but not damagingly so, his patience.
If there was one recurring theme that was in every Monday wrap was that Tate rushed this or hurried that or threw that interception. I am hoping that each and every one of those errors was another brick in the foundation of what will be a great starting Quarterback next year...
Special Teams: What are we going to do without Zoltan? He's been there forever. And if we can find a frosh that will catch the ball on kick-off and punt returns - that would be great.
So, what's it all mean? I'm scared.
Yes, I am desperately afraid for the future of this program. Other teams have found their way back - Nebraska, Miami, even Clemson and GT with a first year coaches found themselves in the ACC title Game.
Rich Rod has a tremendous task for himself next year that could have been reduced (a little) with a bowl trip (victory) this year. Right now, he's looking at the end of his contract before he's competitive enough to play The Suckeyes evenly.
IF the Rod can't find a way to get to a bowl on New Year's day - or at least a bowl, the new AD will see to it he doesn't get a 4th chance. There's too much at stake for this university to not have a successful program.
Hot Seat:
Well, it looks like the blood letting is finally over. As another blogger stated: If the Axe hasn't fallen by mid December, it's not gonna fall. Too much at stake recruiting wise and with respect to the vistitation schedule. What we know:
GONE:
1. Bobby
2. Wuzzles
3. Mangino
4. Kelly - but not fired, so shouldn't be on the list...But his seat was hot with respect to how he left the Bearcats high and dry going into their BCS bowl. I would have coached the game if Cincinatti would have let me, which it sounds like they were willing to do. Undefeated seasons are hard to come by and will get tougher where he's going....
HIRED:
1. Kelly - Domers are still complaining that the University "Caved" and didn't go after Stoops and Meyer hard enough and went with the "Hot" coach - believe it or not, similar to what Michigan did with the Rod and not pursuing Les Miles hard enough. I can't believe some of these people. Kelly has wanted that job for 19 years and has won everywhere, immediately, pretty much. What do the Domers want? Herbstreit was right when he said the Domers haven't mattered for 20 years. They need to matter again and I have a sick feeling they are gonna matter with Kelly at the wheel.
2. Turner Gill - Kansas, also, just got a little better. Turner and Bo could turn Nebraska-Kansas into the next big rivalry game. In fact, the Big 12, as if it weren't tough enough, just got a little tougher.
3. Virginia still hasn't made an announcement which has me thinking that Boise State's Peterson is a viable candidate. If that happens...Well, the Big East will have also gotten just a little bit tougher... CORRECTION: Somehow, your MMQ missed the fact that Mike London was hired as the head man for the Cavaliers....I apologize profusely if you are using this sight for your most up to date news....
The Bowls
I made some earlier predictions and they pretty much stand. If I said I liked MSU, I take it back...Texas Tech is going to destroy them....
Tiger Woods - Final Comment. My guess is this guy had it all. He wanted for nothing. A job where he was outside all day in the sun in great places. Luxury everywhere, anything his heart desired was a nod or a phone call away. Think about it: What did he yearn for? What was his new "passion"? Okay, more titles than Nicklaus, but that's a goal, not a passion...So, when you don't have something, anything, to be passionate about - and it doesn't sound like he was too passionate about his family, he found something to fill the void, so to speak. And now his new passion has claimed his former passion and profession, at least temporarily.
And what is the tour without Tiger? TV ratings will drop, sponsors will dry up, and pro golf is going to go the way of the NBA without Michael...which is to say, "Yeah, I'm sort of interested, but it's just not the same without Jordan in there winning titles or seeing if someone else can stop him."
Sad...I really hope everyone learns something from this, but we probably as a society won't. There will be more scandals, more people willing to step beyond the bounds of decent social standards via temptation and availability of whatever it is they desire.
My review of my posts this year mention one word from the defensive side a lot: Graham. And he's not coming back. Warren is iffy, but he certainly has motivation to not come back if he believes his stock can't get any higher. And based on the defense overall, I doubt that can seriously happen. So, were losing two of the better, if not best, defensive players we had.
Offensively, well...I am not sure anyone's really going to like what I have to say here. But here goes: Maybe, maybe, I was a little eager to jump on the Forcier band wagon. I know he's an 18 year old kid and the maturation of 1 year is going to be huge for his psyche, intellect, humility, and hopefully, but not damagingly so, his patience.
If there was one recurring theme that was in every Monday wrap was that Tate rushed this or hurried that or threw that interception. I am hoping that each and every one of those errors was another brick in the foundation of what will be a great starting Quarterback next year...
Special Teams: What are we going to do without Zoltan? He's been there forever. And if we can find a frosh that will catch the ball on kick-off and punt returns - that would be great.
So, what's it all mean? I'm scared.
Yes, I am desperately afraid for the future of this program. Other teams have found their way back - Nebraska, Miami, even Clemson and GT with a first year coaches found themselves in the ACC title Game.
Rich Rod has a tremendous task for himself next year that could have been reduced (a little) with a bowl trip (victory) this year. Right now, he's looking at the end of his contract before he's competitive enough to play The Suckeyes evenly.
IF the Rod can't find a way to get to a bowl on New Year's day - or at least a bowl, the new AD will see to it he doesn't get a 4th chance. There's too much at stake for this university to not have a successful program.
Hot Seat:
Well, it looks like the blood letting is finally over. As another blogger stated: If the Axe hasn't fallen by mid December, it's not gonna fall. Too much at stake recruiting wise and with respect to the vistitation schedule. What we know:
GONE:
1. Bobby
2. Wuzzles
3. Mangino
4. Kelly - but not fired, so shouldn't be on the list...But his seat was hot with respect to how he left the Bearcats high and dry going into their BCS bowl. I would have coached the game if Cincinatti would have let me, which it sounds like they were willing to do. Undefeated seasons are hard to come by and will get tougher where he's going....
HIRED:
1. Kelly - Domers are still complaining that the University "Caved" and didn't go after Stoops and Meyer hard enough and went with the "Hot" coach - believe it or not, similar to what Michigan did with the Rod and not pursuing Les Miles hard enough. I can't believe some of these people. Kelly has wanted that job for 19 years and has won everywhere, immediately, pretty much. What do the Domers want? Herbstreit was right when he said the Domers haven't mattered for 20 years. They need to matter again and I have a sick feeling they are gonna matter with Kelly at the wheel.
2. Turner Gill - Kansas, also, just got a little better. Turner and Bo could turn Nebraska-Kansas into the next big rivalry game. In fact, the Big 12, as if it weren't tough enough, just got a little tougher.
3. Virginia still hasn't made an announcement which has me thinking that Boise State's Peterson is a viable candidate. If that happens...Well, the Big East will have also gotten just a little bit tougher... CORRECTION: Somehow, your MMQ missed the fact that Mike London was hired as the head man for the Cavaliers....I apologize profusely if you are using this sight for your most up to date news....
The Bowls
I made some earlier predictions and they pretty much stand. If I said I liked MSU, I take it back...Texas Tech is going to destroy them....
Tiger Woods - Final Comment. My guess is this guy had it all. He wanted for nothing. A job where he was outside all day in the sun in great places. Luxury everywhere, anything his heart desired was a nod or a phone call away. Think about it: What did he yearn for? What was his new "passion"? Okay, more titles than Nicklaus, but that's a goal, not a passion...So, when you don't have something, anything, to be passionate about - and it doesn't sound like he was too passionate about his family, he found something to fill the void, so to speak. And now his new passion has claimed his former passion and profession, at least temporarily.
And what is the tour without Tiger? TV ratings will drop, sponsors will dry up, and pro golf is going to go the way of the NBA without Michael...which is to say, "Yeah, I'm sort of interested, but it's just not the same without Jordan in there winning titles or seeing if someone else can stop him."
Sad...I really hope everyone learns something from this, but we probably as a society won't. There will be more scandals, more people willing to step beyond the bounds of decent social standards via temptation and availability of whatever it is they desire.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Tiger Contraction
Okay. I take it all back. I stated in no uncertain terms that Tiger was not 100% to blame last Monday. Well, I’ve changed my mind. And it wasn't because I believed what I wrote on Monday...It's because I can't believe what's unfolding before the world in the press...
Here’s a guy who literally had everything…Perfect swing, perfect wife (as far as we know), perfect family, perfect life - Money, Fame, and a personal life that he was in control of....perfection achieved in the eyes of the public and the “wannabe” guy that every golfer, young or old, wanted to be. And yet, he alone figured out a way to screw it all up. And I do mean he has screwed it up.
Even if he goes on the Rick Reilly suggested image make over tour, he’s only going to be able to recover so much…The innocence is gone. Replaced by that is a recovering sex addict that we will view much the same way we view John Daly. Wasted talent all for the want of a drink…Or, in Tiger’s case, something else.
So, what becomes of Tiger? Does he play again? Does he try to take to the links where there will be “Happy Gilmore”-like crowds waiting to shout “KNOCK IT IN THE HOLE!” and "WANT SOMEONE TO PUT SOME FUR AROUND THAT?" with every backswing, practice swing, and putt stroke that he takes? And this was the guy that once belittled and removed a professional reporter that had accidentally used an auto film wind motor that was too loud. Think there might be some “noise” out there now? Think everyone on the tour isn’t going to pay a price? Do you think golfers trying to make the cut will have a legitimate beef when they say that they don’t want to play Thursday or Friday with Tiger? Women everywhere at this point are going to come out of the woodwork, so to speak, looking to get their 15 seconds of fame, wearing everything from the “I’m the next mystery girl” to who knows what…Guys will be asking him for Elin’s phone number. And Lefty and everyone else are getting that crack in the door that I am sure they all traded their souls for.
Which makes me wonder: How many other golfers are out there shagging balls into the field? With this much evidence against the Tour's Crown Prince, it’s hard not to believe that there might be more than one Tiger. And if there’s more than one…Well, let’s just say that the PGA has enjoyed a “holier than thou” level of press attention. The NBA, NFL, MLB and others have had to deal with this kind of attention since the beginning of time, or at least since every thing that you do, say, or think is immediately on YouTube for everyone’s review and commentary. Now, there's going to be a new hell to pay on tour for everyone involved.
And of the women, now numbering in the double digits with a love child, video of the Tiger in the act, and who knows what else might come out “evidence” wise, I guess I can only say that there are parents out there for all these girls and that I hope they are proud of how they have raised them and taught them to be the wonderful, decent women that they are. Whether or not any of it any more is real is a non issue. The fact is, they did it. So, yes, you have to believe each and every one of the women who are making a claim until something or someone proves otherwise.
So, Tiger. Thanks for being one more issue that I need to explain to my young daughters. Why you’re in a fight with you’re wife. Why you got in an accident. Why you have girlfriends when you’re married…Why, why, why…..
Here’s a guy who literally had everything…Perfect swing, perfect wife (as far as we know), perfect family, perfect life - Money, Fame, and a personal life that he was in control of....perfection achieved in the eyes of the public and the “wannabe” guy that every golfer, young or old, wanted to be. And yet, he alone figured out a way to screw it all up. And I do mean he has screwed it up.
Even if he goes on the Rick Reilly suggested image make over tour, he’s only going to be able to recover so much…The innocence is gone. Replaced by that is a recovering sex addict that we will view much the same way we view John Daly. Wasted talent all for the want of a drink…Or, in Tiger’s case, something else.
So, what becomes of Tiger? Does he play again? Does he try to take to the links where there will be “Happy Gilmore”-like crowds waiting to shout “KNOCK IT IN THE HOLE!” and "WANT SOMEONE TO PUT SOME FUR AROUND THAT?" with every backswing, practice swing, and putt stroke that he takes? And this was the guy that once belittled and removed a professional reporter that had accidentally used an auto film wind motor that was too loud. Think there might be some “noise” out there now? Think everyone on the tour isn’t going to pay a price? Do you think golfers trying to make the cut will have a legitimate beef when they say that they don’t want to play Thursday or Friday with Tiger? Women everywhere at this point are going to come out of the woodwork, so to speak, looking to get their 15 seconds of fame, wearing everything from the “I’m the next mystery girl” to who knows what…Guys will be asking him for Elin’s phone number. And Lefty and everyone else are getting that crack in the door that I am sure they all traded their souls for.
Which makes me wonder: How many other golfers are out there shagging balls into the field? With this much evidence against the Tour's Crown Prince, it’s hard not to believe that there might be more than one Tiger. And if there’s more than one…Well, let’s just say that the PGA has enjoyed a “holier than thou” level of press attention. The NBA, NFL, MLB and others have had to deal with this kind of attention since the beginning of time, or at least since every thing that you do, say, or think is immediately on YouTube for everyone’s review and commentary. Now, there's going to be a new hell to pay on tour for everyone involved.
And of the women, now numbering in the double digits with a love child, video of the Tiger in the act, and who knows what else might come out “evidence” wise, I guess I can only say that there are parents out there for all these girls and that I hope they are proud of how they have raised them and taught them to be the wonderful, decent women that they are. Whether or not any of it any more is real is a non issue. The fact is, they did it. So, yes, you have to believe each and every one of the women who are making a claim until something or someone proves otherwise.
So, Tiger. Thanks for being one more issue that I need to explain to my young daughters. Why you’re in a fight with you’re wife. Why you got in an accident. Why you have girlfriends when you’re married…Why, why, why…..
Monday, December 7, 2009
Championship Week - But Not for Everyone
Thank you all for the comments on last week’s submission on clearing up the whole Tiger Woods – Jimmy’s GF – Mangino thing….I thought it would help a lot of people put it all in perspective….I’m rarely right, but I’m always honest in how I perceive the world…And frankly, it did get more bizarre, at least for Tiger..but more on the World’s Greatest Golfer in a minute…
Depending on what you hear and believe, there are now reports coming out that the Rod could still be in a very grave situation at the University of Michigan, based on what develops with respect to the NCAA investigation. I can’t figure out what this means, as I really don’t think there’s anything that the NCAA is going to be able to find that will be worthy of any kind of sanction, penalties or other punishment. But we won’t know until we know, and Jeff Defraun of WTKA has been reporting (thanks Mvictors) that the Rod isn’t out of the hot water just yet on this mess…I dunno…Seems to me he’s still the only guy that can make heads or tails of this team right now. If he can coach the mess he has on his hands, I say let him.
Domer world continues to revolve around the rumors and innuendo regarding Ring Master $warbuck$ and who he will pilfer from which D1 school that has a coach that’s worthy of coaching the Domers…But here’s something he said:
“Well, I won't go into the specific criteria. We have developed a list of criteria to help us shape the search. But I think I will say that it is important to us to look first and foremost at people who have demonstrated an ability to build and sustain a Division I college football program (THAT CAN COMPETE IN THE BCS).”
Because, $warbucks, You ALREADY HAVE A D1 program that has sustained and stood the test of time. Do you mean you want it to be competitive and compete in A BCS Bowl year in and year out? I’m sure that’s what you meant…And if that in fact, was what you meant, well here’s some food for thought: Let’s make Notre Dame undefeated this season. The MMQ waves the magical wand of football mystery and the Domers are 12-0! Yes! There is much rejoicing in Domer land…until…the Rankings come out….
1. Alabama
2. Texas
3. Cincinnati
4. TCU
5. Domers
6. Florida
WAIT! WHAT’S THIS???? MMQ, are you suggesting that the Domers would not be able to play in the national title game because they’re not in a conference and the strength of schedule would be working against them? Yep – that’s what I’m saying. Until they figure that part out, they can turn the program around, get it back to 11 or 12 wins, and still find themselves on the outside looking in at the National Title Game…Of course, if there was a play-off…
I want to state here that some of the female readership may not like everything I am going to say next. Tough noogies.
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, has had a hotter seat this week than our ole buddy Tiger…I mean, jeez, this guy has had more doo-doo thrown at him than the head Pooper Scooper in a circus Elephant show. Of course, if he hadn’t been “Night” putting in those “bikini waxed” 19th holes after his regular round, he probably wouldn’t have all these problems. And did you see some of the Tiger Tamers??? I mean, dude…If the “Tiger Treats” have run out at home and you’re going to hit it into the rough… TRADE UP! However, I will say here, if you run with Skanks, this is the result you can expect. You are who you run with and that falls squarely on Tiger. Did he err? Absolutely. Is it 100% his fault – I simply can’t say that it’s 100% on him. The person wronged – in this case, Elin – has to take some of the blame. And so do the Skanks…they knew he was married, right? This defense that they’re simply “opportunists” is getting old. They’re skanks, okay? Running around and hitting on Rich, Married, well publicized guys makes you an “opportunistic” Skank…End of story.
And, I think Tiger is desperately in need of some readily available “Tiger Trap” advice when it comes to getting down with his bitches. There has been so much free advice in the press lately that you’d be an idiot to not adhere to it…But, you know the saying, the best advice usually goes unheeded.
1. Always Deny – Bill Clinton lesson 101. You aren’t guilty til someone proves it.
2. Never Leave Evidence – Clinton lesson 102 - Lewinsky Blue Dress debacle…make sure she’s naked before getting down…
3. Leave ALL The Electronics Home – Kwame K. should have taught everyone that texting and calling on a cell is a bad idea…In fact, the only safe way to communicate is probably disposable cell phones, one time e-mail addresses, or good old fashioned letter writing, but on disintegrating paper…Saturday Night Live has fodder for two or three shows on this….
4. Selection – If anything, try to find someone with more to lose than you…In Tiger’s case, this one’s tough. It would have to be someone like Beyonce or something to equal the impact of being discovered. She stays quiet, you stay quiet. No one is going to out anyone in that situation…
5. Location – 400 mile rule for non-famous people…Tiger needed to be thinking 4,000 mile rule for famous people.
I wonder if it’s better with guys like that to just not get married? I mean, look at Jeter. Girlfriend. Long Term. Not married. If he decides to do some “outfielding”, what’s at risk? Smart guy, see?
Pete Carrol, according to Wuzzles, is also having some recreational fun with a Grad Student in Malibu. Claims denied, but accusations stand…Sigh…Poor Pete, an 8-4 season and now this….Hee-hee….
In fact, it seems like it’s always the guy who’s at fault regardless of what happens…Sad world we live in.
THE REST OF THE MESS
Let me say here that as anticlimactic as I thought Saturday was going to be, the Games were Great! With one exception…
PITT vs. Cincinnati: Wow…I hate to see it come down to extra points and if there was ever a game that should have gone to OT to settle everything, this one had to be it. I guess you can say the best team won, but it was truly a game of inches and small details that made the difference in this one. I stopped counting turnovers, but the game was still one of the best Saturday had to offer.
SEC: GATROLAND AND $ATAN’$ WARRIORS – If you would have told me this would be the snoozer of the day, I would have said you were nuts. But, it was definitely a non-event that Gatorland simply didn’t show up for. Hats off to $atan for taking a page out of the 2006 Michigan-OSU play book and coming out in a spread formation in the first 6 plays of the game. Gatorland had geared down to stop the run and $atan took that away from them….Alabama might be the best team in the nation and the may take and hold that title for the foreseeable future.
ACC: THE WRAMBLIN’ WRECK VS. CLEMSON – Another good game…but the ACC has to be the weakest of all the super conferences…Iowa can beat The Wreck – if they play well.
BIG 12: SHORT HORNS VS. THE CORNSUCKERS….Are you kidding me? Bo…You have to tell that kicker that ne needs to kick that ball in bounds! And then the horse collar tackle? I really don’t like that call. MY job is to tackle you – I can’t grab the face mask and that rule I get. But this horse collar call is tough. And then the 1 second ruling after the McCoy brain fart - You can rant and rave all you want about the 1 second, but methinks you’re just trying to take all the attention off everything that Nebraska COULD have done to make sure it didn’t even come down to that. And let’s just say that Texas better have a LOT BETTER GAME than what we saw to have any chance to beat $atan….
Idle Thoughts From the Entire Weekend
1. Are Skanks and sluts the same thing?
2. Is Skank just more politically correct now?
3. When I saw a reference to a “skank” in a STORY in the USA Today, I couldn’t help but wonder where we’ve fallen to as a society…
4. Yes, Tiger was WRONG! Make no mistake…
5. But it takes two, or three (or in Tiger’s case it now looks like 6) depending on how you look at it to have an affair…
6. I am REALLY THANKFUL that I will only have to hear Tim Tebow’s name and college football in the same sentence for about another month.
7. Yes, Caryl, I’m a little sad as well. But I have definitely had my fill of Touchdown Tim and all the media coverage…
8. So, is everyone happy with the National Title Game? Didn’t think so…
9. Just for old time’s sake – do you think we’ll ever have a Division 1 play-off?
10. $warbuck$ made a meaningless yet insightful statement about the BCS and hiring a coach that gets it. I wonder if that means that he also understands that the DOMERS NEED A CONFERENCE!
11. Probably not…That will come when they go undefeated and are denied a title shot.
12. Or they make it and get crushed.
13. Kansas football program is DONE…Welcome back to the basement of the Big 12.
14. So, Alabama is the new love child of the press – at least until National Title Day.
15. I wonder if I was a Bama fan and I understood how $atan over recruits, screws upperclassmen, and essentially pushes every NCAA envelope, how I would feel about winning a National Title?
16. Probably bad, but not as bad as I feel right now being a Wolverine Fan….
17. Tebow 1st round?
18. You’d be a fool not to take him.
19. Bradford 2nd round? Hmmmmm…..
20. Can Charlie Weis just go away now? Shut-up your pie hole and you won’t get misquoted.
21. So, Pete – is the Grad Student hot or what?
22. I like some of the bowl match-ups…More on that in a minute…
23. Sigh…Another regular season in the books.
The Hot Seat
I didn’t think I would nominate another mascot this year after declaring Erin Andrews the winner. Based on the weekly voting and my unofficial tally sheet here on my desk, there was really no way for anyone else to pull off the come from behind upset. So, this week, while we won’t vote on her, but figuring that due to the fact that she’s in the news, already has a couple of rug rats, and, well, is loaded based on the pre-nup and latest Tiger settlement, Elin Woods looks good enough to be a Hot Seat Mascot!
Hmmm…Tiger was visiting Skankville with this at home?
And this?
What about this?
Of course, maybe she wasn’t taming the Tiger any more…Who knows…..
HOT SEAT RANK
GONE LIST:
1. Wuzzles
2. Groh
3. Bowden
4. Mangino – Resigned before the Ax could get him…Unfortunate, really…
HOT SEAT
1. Tiger Woods – Yeah, I know. He’s not a coach. BUT HAS ANYONE’S SEAT BEEN HOTTER THIS PAST WEEK IN ALL OF SPORTS???
2. Rich Rod – Rumors persist that the Rod could get canned as a result of this NCAA investigation.
3. Stoops – He isn’t going anywhere…but seat is warm.
4. Les Miles – also warm, even at 9-3….
5. Richt – canned his defensive coordinator..someone had to take the fall…
This WEEK:
One Game – and if you haven’t ever sat through the opening ceremonies, I have to say you’re missing a good show.
ARMY – NAVY: Navy looks unstoppable…But they have to play the game.
THE BOWLS:
You can see them ALL HERE on ESPN’s website….
TITLE: Alabama – Texas: Take Alabama. Texas can’t run with this team.
ROSE: Oregon –OSU: Oregon in a closer game than most people think…
SUGAR: GATORLAND vs. Cincinatti. Okay, the SEC has had a hard time in this game, unless they’re playing the Domers. I believe the reason is that this is usually the runner up in the SEC…I like Cinci here, Caryl. Call it B. Kelly’s audition for the Domer job.
ORANGE: Iowa vs. the Wramblin’ Wreck. I like Iowa.
FIESTA: TCU vs. BOY’S STATE: Hmm….The revenge of the BCS? No one gets to be a spoiler by defeating a “big boy” and the two little guys get to duke it out. I wonder of the Fiesta Bowl people are happy? TCU in a close game…
ALAMO: Tex Tech vs. Sparty….Take TT and hope that Sparty somehow keeps this close…
CAPITAL ONE: LMU vs. PSU: You know, this bowl usually has a great matchup and becomes the best game to watch on New Year’s day. I like LMU…
GATOR: WVU vs. FSU: FSU rallies and wins for Bobby…
OUTBACK: Auburn vs. Northwestern…This is a toss up. Really. Auburn regressed all season and the Purple Kitty Kats got better.
Chik-Fil-A: Va Tech vs. Cremesicles: Oops, Va Tech, you would have had an easier game in the Orange Bowl against Iowa….
Insight: Iowa State vs. Gophers: I like the gophers…Just a hunch.
SUN: Stanford vs. Oklahoma…Take Jimmy beating Stupor in a blow out…
HOLIDAY: Cornsuckers vs. Arizona: I like the Cornsuckers here….
CHAMPS: Gangstas vs. Cheeseheads…Hmmm…I think the Gangstas have an edge in this one…. Emerald: Rubbers vs. BC: I think USC destroys BC in this game…
Liberty: ECU vs. ARKANSAS… Arkansas in a rout…
Cotton: Okie State vs. Ole Miss: Major disappointment vs. Major disappointment…Which team can redeem their season?
PapaJohn’s: UConn vs. The Ole Ball Coach…Hmm…I like the sentimental favorite, but Spurrier with multiple weeks to prepare is going to be tough…
There’s more games than the MMQ cares about, but that’s a good start…
More posts, each Monday, through the bowls…
Depending on what you hear and believe, there are now reports coming out that the Rod could still be in a very grave situation at the University of Michigan, based on what develops with respect to the NCAA investigation. I can’t figure out what this means, as I really don’t think there’s anything that the NCAA is going to be able to find that will be worthy of any kind of sanction, penalties or other punishment. But we won’t know until we know, and Jeff Defraun of WTKA has been reporting (thanks Mvictors) that the Rod isn’t out of the hot water just yet on this mess…I dunno…Seems to me he’s still the only guy that can make heads or tails of this team right now. If he can coach the mess he has on his hands, I say let him.
Domer world continues to revolve around the rumors and innuendo regarding Ring Master $warbuck$ and who he will pilfer from which D1 school that has a coach that’s worthy of coaching the Domers…But here’s something he said:
“Well, I won't go into the specific criteria. We have developed a list of criteria to help us shape the search. But I think I will say that it is important to us to look first and foremost at people who have demonstrated an ability to build and sustain a Division I college football program (THAT CAN COMPETE IN THE BCS).”
Because, $warbucks, You ALREADY HAVE A D1 program that has sustained and stood the test of time. Do you mean you want it to be competitive and compete in A BCS Bowl year in and year out? I’m sure that’s what you meant…And if that in fact, was what you meant, well here’s some food for thought: Let’s make Notre Dame undefeated this season. The MMQ waves the magical wand of football mystery and the Domers are 12-0! Yes! There is much rejoicing in Domer land…until…the Rankings come out….
1. Alabama
2. Texas
3. Cincinnati
4. TCU
5. Domers
6. Florida
WAIT! WHAT’S THIS???? MMQ, are you suggesting that the Domers would not be able to play in the national title game because they’re not in a conference and the strength of schedule would be working against them? Yep – that’s what I’m saying. Until they figure that part out, they can turn the program around, get it back to 11 or 12 wins, and still find themselves on the outside looking in at the National Title Game…Of course, if there was a play-off…
I want to state here that some of the female readership may not like everything I am going to say next. Tough noogies.
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, has had a hotter seat this week than our ole buddy Tiger…I mean, jeez, this guy has had more doo-doo thrown at him than the head Pooper Scooper in a circus Elephant show. Of course, if he hadn’t been “Night” putting in those “bikini waxed” 19th holes after his regular round, he probably wouldn’t have all these problems. And did you see some of the Tiger Tamers??? I mean, dude…If the “Tiger Treats” have run out at home and you’re going to hit it into the rough… TRADE UP! However, I will say here, if you run with Skanks, this is the result you can expect. You are who you run with and that falls squarely on Tiger. Did he err? Absolutely. Is it 100% his fault – I simply can’t say that it’s 100% on him. The person wronged – in this case, Elin – has to take some of the blame. And so do the Skanks…they knew he was married, right? This defense that they’re simply “opportunists” is getting old. They’re skanks, okay? Running around and hitting on Rich, Married, well publicized guys makes you an “opportunistic” Skank…End of story.
And, I think Tiger is desperately in need of some readily available “Tiger Trap” advice when it comes to getting down with his bitches. There has been so much free advice in the press lately that you’d be an idiot to not adhere to it…But, you know the saying, the best advice usually goes unheeded.
1. Always Deny – Bill Clinton lesson 101. You aren’t guilty til someone proves it.
2. Never Leave Evidence – Clinton lesson 102 - Lewinsky Blue Dress debacle…make sure she’s naked before getting down…
3. Leave ALL The Electronics Home – Kwame K. should have taught everyone that texting and calling on a cell is a bad idea…In fact, the only safe way to communicate is probably disposable cell phones, one time e-mail addresses, or good old fashioned letter writing, but on disintegrating paper…Saturday Night Live has fodder for two or three shows on this….
4. Selection – If anything, try to find someone with more to lose than you…In Tiger’s case, this one’s tough. It would have to be someone like Beyonce or something to equal the impact of being discovered. She stays quiet, you stay quiet. No one is going to out anyone in that situation…
5. Location – 400 mile rule for non-famous people…Tiger needed to be thinking 4,000 mile rule for famous people.
I wonder if it’s better with guys like that to just not get married? I mean, look at Jeter. Girlfriend. Long Term. Not married. If he decides to do some “outfielding”, what’s at risk? Smart guy, see?
Pete Carrol, according to Wuzzles, is also having some recreational fun with a Grad Student in Malibu. Claims denied, but accusations stand…Sigh…Poor Pete, an 8-4 season and now this….Hee-hee….
In fact, it seems like it’s always the guy who’s at fault regardless of what happens…Sad world we live in.
THE REST OF THE MESS
Let me say here that as anticlimactic as I thought Saturday was going to be, the Games were Great! With one exception…
PITT vs. Cincinnati: Wow…I hate to see it come down to extra points and if there was ever a game that should have gone to OT to settle everything, this one had to be it. I guess you can say the best team won, but it was truly a game of inches and small details that made the difference in this one. I stopped counting turnovers, but the game was still one of the best Saturday had to offer.
SEC: GATROLAND AND $ATAN’$ WARRIORS – If you would have told me this would be the snoozer of the day, I would have said you were nuts. But, it was definitely a non-event that Gatorland simply didn’t show up for. Hats off to $atan for taking a page out of the 2006 Michigan-OSU play book and coming out in a spread formation in the first 6 plays of the game. Gatorland had geared down to stop the run and $atan took that away from them….Alabama might be the best team in the nation and the may take and hold that title for the foreseeable future.
ACC: THE WRAMBLIN’ WRECK VS. CLEMSON – Another good game…but the ACC has to be the weakest of all the super conferences…Iowa can beat The Wreck – if they play well.
BIG 12: SHORT HORNS VS. THE CORNSUCKERS….Are you kidding me? Bo…You have to tell that kicker that ne needs to kick that ball in bounds! And then the horse collar tackle? I really don’t like that call. MY job is to tackle you – I can’t grab the face mask and that rule I get. But this horse collar call is tough. And then the 1 second ruling after the McCoy brain fart - You can rant and rave all you want about the 1 second, but methinks you’re just trying to take all the attention off everything that Nebraska COULD have done to make sure it didn’t even come down to that. And let’s just say that Texas better have a LOT BETTER GAME than what we saw to have any chance to beat $atan….
Idle Thoughts From the Entire Weekend
1. Are Skanks and sluts the same thing?
2. Is Skank just more politically correct now?
3. When I saw a reference to a “skank” in a STORY in the USA Today, I couldn’t help but wonder where we’ve fallen to as a society…
4. Yes, Tiger was WRONG! Make no mistake…
5. But it takes two, or three (or in Tiger’s case it now looks like 6) depending on how you look at it to have an affair…
6. I am REALLY THANKFUL that I will only have to hear Tim Tebow’s name and college football in the same sentence for about another month.
7. Yes, Caryl, I’m a little sad as well. But I have definitely had my fill of Touchdown Tim and all the media coverage…
8. So, is everyone happy with the National Title Game? Didn’t think so…
9. Just for old time’s sake – do you think we’ll ever have a Division 1 play-off?
10. $warbuck$ made a meaningless yet insightful statement about the BCS and hiring a coach that gets it. I wonder if that means that he also understands that the DOMERS NEED A CONFERENCE!
11. Probably not…That will come when they go undefeated and are denied a title shot.
12. Or they make it and get crushed.
13. Kansas football program is DONE…Welcome back to the basement of the Big 12.
14. So, Alabama is the new love child of the press – at least until National Title Day.
15. I wonder if I was a Bama fan and I understood how $atan over recruits, screws upperclassmen, and essentially pushes every NCAA envelope, how I would feel about winning a National Title?
16. Probably bad, but not as bad as I feel right now being a Wolverine Fan….
17. Tebow 1st round?
18. You’d be a fool not to take him.
19. Bradford 2nd round? Hmmmmm…..
20. Can Charlie Weis just go away now? Shut-up your pie hole and you won’t get misquoted.
21. So, Pete – is the Grad Student hot or what?
22. I like some of the bowl match-ups…More on that in a minute…
23. Sigh…Another regular season in the books.
The Hot Seat
I didn’t think I would nominate another mascot this year after declaring Erin Andrews the winner. Based on the weekly voting and my unofficial tally sheet here on my desk, there was really no way for anyone else to pull off the come from behind upset. So, this week, while we won’t vote on her, but figuring that due to the fact that she’s in the news, already has a couple of rug rats, and, well, is loaded based on the pre-nup and latest Tiger settlement, Elin Woods looks good enough to be a Hot Seat Mascot!
Hmmm…Tiger was visiting Skankville with this at home?
And this?
What about this?
Of course, maybe she wasn’t taming the Tiger any more…Who knows…..
HOT SEAT RANK
GONE LIST:
1. Wuzzles
2. Groh
3. Bowden
4. Mangino – Resigned before the Ax could get him…Unfortunate, really…
HOT SEAT
1. Tiger Woods – Yeah, I know. He’s not a coach. BUT HAS ANYONE’S SEAT BEEN HOTTER THIS PAST WEEK IN ALL OF SPORTS???
2. Rich Rod – Rumors persist that the Rod could get canned as a result of this NCAA investigation.
3. Stoops – He isn’t going anywhere…but seat is warm.
4. Les Miles – also warm, even at 9-3….
5. Richt – canned his defensive coordinator..someone had to take the fall…
This WEEK:
One Game – and if you haven’t ever sat through the opening ceremonies, I have to say you’re missing a good show.
ARMY – NAVY: Navy looks unstoppable…But they have to play the game.
THE BOWLS:
You can see them ALL HERE on ESPN’s website….
TITLE: Alabama – Texas: Take Alabama. Texas can’t run with this team.
ROSE: Oregon –OSU: Oregon in a closer game than most people think…
SUGAR: GATORLAND vs. Cincinatti. Okay, the SEC has had a hard time in this game, unless they’re playing the Domers. I believe the reason is that this is usually the runner up in the SEC…I like Cinci here, Caryl. Call it B. Kelly’s audition for the Domer job.
ORANGE: Iowa vs. the Wramblin’ Wreck. I like Iowa.
FIESTA: TCU vs. BOY’S STATE: Hmm….The revenge of the BCS? No one gets to be a spoiler by defeating a “big boy” and the two little guys get to duke it out. I wonder of the Fiesta Bowl people are happy? TCU in a close game…
ALAMO: Tex Tech vs. Sparty….Take TT and hope that Sparty somehow keeps this close…
CAPITAL ONE: LMU vs. PSU: You know, this bowl usually has a great matchup and becomes the best game to watch on New Year’s day. I like LMU…
GATOR: WVU vs. FSU: FSU rallies and wins for Bobby…
OUTBACK: Auburn vs. Northwestern…This is a toss up. Really. Auburn regressed all season and the Purple Kitty Kats got better.
Chik-Fil-A: Va Tech vs. Cremesicles: Oops, Va Tech, you would have had an easier game in the Orange Bowl against Iowa….
Insight: Iowa State vs. Gophers: I like the gophers…Just a hunch.
SUN: Stanford vs. Oklahoma…Take Jimmy beating Stupor in a blow out…
HOLIDAY: Cornsuckers vs. Arizona: I like the Cornsuckers here….
CHAMPS: Gangstas vs. Cheeseheads…Hmmm…I think the Gangstas have an edge in this one…. Emerald: Rubbers vs. BC: I think USC destroys BC in this game…
Liberty: ECU vs. ARKANSAS… Arkansas in a rout…
Cotton: Okie State vs. Ole Miss: Major disappointment vs. Major disappointment…Which team can redeem their season?
PapaJohn’s: UConn vs. The Ole Ball Coach…Hmm…I like the sentimental favorite, but Spurrier with multiple weeks to prepare is going to be tough…
There’s more games than the MMQ cares about, but that’s a good start…
More posts, each Monday, through the bowls…
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Dantonio vs. The Rod in the Detroit Media
Can someone - ANYONE - Please explain to me how Sparty (and Dantonio) can somehow not be in the front pages of the press in Detroit when they suspend 8 player's for brawling?
And what's with the suspension? THESE THUGS SHOULD BE KICKED OFF THE TEAM!
It makes me sick, in a way, to see the unfair treatment that the Rod has been getting from the press vs. Dantonio treatment...Dantonio let Winston, a kid who nearly ruined the life of an MSU Hockey player return to the team after a 6 month jail term citing it was only a misdemeanor and he did his time....EXCUSE ME? Cissoko got "Kicked off the TEAM" for violating team rules and missing a homework assignment and Dantonio let's a kid that did serious time in the pokey back on the team and doesn't get blasted in the press as a result?
I am done with Detroit news media...
And what's with the suspension? THESE THUGS SHOULD BE KICKED OFF THE TEAM!
It makes me sick, in a way, to see the unfair treatment that the Rod has been getting from the press vs. Dantonio treatment...Dantonio let Winston, a kid who nearly ruined the life of an MSU Hockey player return to the team after a 6 month jail term citing it was only a misdemeanor and he did his time....EXCUSE ME? Cissoko got "Kicked off the TEAM" for violating team rules and missing a homework assignment and Dantonio let's a kid that did serious time in the pokey back on the team and doesn't get blasted in the press as a result?
I am done with Detroit news media...
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Charlie Weis – Or “How Did We Enjoy You? Let us Count the Ways…”
Charlie will always hold a special place in the college football fans heart. He never quite “Got” what college football is all about: Emotion, getting up EVERY WEEK, treating every opponent like they are ready to come in and destroy you…Charlie said as much when he commented, which was often. And on the pentultimate game, what does he do? He declines to give us any last “quotes” and slides out the side door…Now, I could call him a “weasel” for his actions, but, really, he and everyone in the free world have seen this writing on the wall and knew what was going to happen. So, can I blame him? With the media melee that has surrounded him all season, it would have been just another round of questions that he’s either already speculated on or answered in some way…
So let’s take a gander at some of Charlie’s comments, now to be called “Weisism’s”.
Charlie Weis interview about two weeks into his tenure: “I am a pro-football offensive coordinator handed a gift in the form of Tom Brady who was a pretty good quarterback in his own right that I made into a Super Bowl Champion. I can certainly coach at the college level.”
“You are a 6 and 5 football team. That’s not good enough for you…It’s certainly not good enough for me…” - CW, his hiring day
“I think it's only right to give just due to your opponent who just kicked your butt." After the Amaizin’ Blue Ripped the Domers at home in 2006
“Notre Dame is not some garbage school that everyone can crap on all the time” – CW, in better times….
“I certainly don’t make the BCS decisions…” Charlie, waving his Super Bowl Championship Ring at the camera…
“To Hell with Michigan!” Prior to losing to Michigan, 2009…
Note To Domers: When interviewing future head coaching potentials, look for guys that weigh LESS THAN the starting O-line…combined…Oh come on, MMQ, is that the best you’ve got? That’s what you’re going to fall back on? Wuzzle’s Weight? No, that’s too easy. Especially when Charlie has given us so much. (Cue the “One Shining Moment” Music)
There was the near victory against USC where the Domers would have beaten them at home had Bush not pushed Leinart into the endzone...Wuzzles later asked in the presser if the rules aren’t enforced, what can he do about it?
OR how about the Sugar Bowl in the 1st quarter inside their own 30 and C.Wuzzles called for a 4th down run in order to “take control” of the game that they were subsequently crushed by LMU?
What about the oh so many times that Wuzzles had that stunned look on his face in the presser after the Domers were whipped by another opponent where he made it out to be the best college performance in the world (by the opposition) and that his kids never gave up, but just didn’t have what it took?
Yes, we’ll miss Charlie.
So, who is the front runner to be the next living legend to “Cheer, Cheer for Old Notre Dame, Wake Up the Echoes, Cheering Her Name?” First of all, Notre Dame, like Michigan, needs to learn that it is NOT the end all, be all of college Coaching Positions. I had a difficult time accepting that when Michigan started its search and they were talking to names like “Schiano”, “Ferentz”, and other long shots on my list. I just ASSUMED that Les Miles would jump at the chance to come back to his alma mater. Stupid assumption. Domers need to figure out that they are not that special, either. In fact, without the money that $warbuck$ can offer, what is Notre Dame, really? An independent with no real bowl tie ins, difficult schedules that require EXTENSIVE in season travel, and rivalries with pretty good teams that they will always have difficulty beating in any given year. USC, Michigan, MSU, BC, Stanford, Navy…and the locals who are getting better, Purdue and Indiana. The Domers can’t even beat Navy with any consistency at this point…So, without the conference and the “guaranteed” 4 or 5 wins you get from the soft non-conference schedule and perennial doorstops in the conference, it’s a difficult job. And believe me, all the big league conference coaches the Domers are going to interview KNOW that…
So, in no particular order, with the exception of the MMQ’s spin, I offer you that one of the next 6 names will be the Head Football Coach and the New Domer Main Man within the next two weeks. That person most likely has no clue what he’s about to get himself into….
Brian Kelly (Cincinnati): Odds 5-2. Somehow, this has to be the guy. He’s Irish Catholic. He’s won everywhere he’s been. Canned his Defensive coordinator last year, hired a new one, lost 10 kids on defense, and still somehow managed to go undefeated…without a defense. Think Notre Dame and $warbuck$ aren’t looking for a offensive minded coach to come in and win while they get things fixed on defense? Think again.
Bob Stoops (Oklahoma): Odds: 25-1. I am only putting this in here because EVERYONE (and I do mean everyone) HAS HIS NAME ON THEIR LIST. Which means: Either he’s a legitimate candidate even though he says he’s not, or he is simply the Les Miles version of what happened in the Michigan Hiring Fiasco. Me thinks it’s the latter and there are very few people in the know on this decision or what the rank inside of Notre Dame is with respect to the men they are going to interview. But getting Stoops might mean they are missing out on the best candidate, and that just might be Brian Kelly. Also, if they PAY Stoops enough to leave, it will be over the $5M mark, due to the fact that is what Stoops will average if he stays through 2011…
Gary Patterson (TCU): Odds: 30-1. I don’t buy the fact that a guy with no real ties to the program through either religion or prior coaching experience would A. Want to subject himself to the circus that has become Domer Football, or B. Leave a pretty good thing he has going at TCU for less than a Big 12 or SEC job. Which there will be plenty of in short order if you give it two more years. Don’t believe me? Kansas is thinking about canning Mangino, winningest coach ever for that program. Les Miles is always coaching his way into a media shitstorm…Patterson is old and has seen a lot. Let’s just say he has wisdom and no amount of leprechaun gold will lure him away…I think.
Bronco Mendenhall (BYU): Odds: 50-1. The problem I have with the Domers picking this guy is that he doesn’t have any ties with the Domers. None, not even with the coaches he knows or has associated with in the past. He’s a MWAC coach…He hasn’t won in the truly “Big Leagues”. The Domers tried that once with Ty Willingham. I don’t think they’ll do it again.
Urban Meyer (UF): Odds 350-1 Look – this one should be in the field and it just isn’t happening. Urban has a good thing going at Florida. Next year will be rougher than usual, because Tebow won’t be running the offense, but Florida will survive. And they’ll be around for awhile. The Notre Dame Job is an iffy thing. It’s already killed three decent coaches…Maybe you could win there (again) but most likely, the program is in a tough spot without conference affiliation and Meyer knows that. He knows the advantages and disadvantages to playing in a conference. And my guess is he likes the conference affiliation and the SEC. And Mrs. Urban Legend likes Florida…Urban ain’t happening, but you can bet he’ll talk to them if it means a raise where he is now…Just a hunch.
Kyle Wittingham (Utah): Odds: 350-1. See Bronco Mendenhall. Makes less sense than the argument for Bronco. Kyle just doesn’t have much with the exception that he is in Utah and that’s where Urban was when the Domers tried (sic) to hire him for the head coaching spot.
The Field: Odds: 500-1. Meaning, you’re next coach of Notre Dame will come out of the list above because the University will literally throw an insane amount of money at this group until one of them says yes. The Domers have learned that much: Get the man you want. Don’t settle for the next best choice. Therefore, the field is a long shot, at best.
Names not on the list (in the Field- odds noted if different from the field):
Gruden – Notre Dame won’t make the same mistake twice. Unproven Pro Coach with questionable ability at the pro level. (1000-1)
Petersen (Boy’s State) - Doesn’t want to leave the magical Blue Turf of Idaho…But look out for a Virginia connection (the AD played college hoops at Boise) and Petersen interviewing for that job....
Mark Richt (Georgia) – after the season Georgia just had? Riiiiight…..(1000-1)
Harbaugh (Stanford) – I was close to putting him on the list at 250:1 or so, but I just couldn’t bring myself to put a Michigan Man at Notre Dame…but if you got him and could keep Clausen for another year…Wow…That’s scary.
Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern) – Another one that I almost put up above. Ara was from Northwestern where he lost…So, the Irish took a chance once on a Northwestern capable coach. And I think Fitzgerald is capable – and he knows defense….but it’s a long shot.
Skip Holtz (East Carolina): I thought the Domers would be licking their chops to get a Holtz legacy in there, but clearly, the departure of Holtz was worse than anyone inside the Dome has let on…
Turner Gill (Buffalo): Gets the Midwest and what kind of player it takes to play here. But, again, the Domers probably won’t go that route again with an unproven at a smaller school.
$ATAN (Alabama): This one makes sense as he IS A GUY that will JUMP for MONEY. And Just to Piss Off Alabama, he might take the job claiming that he’s doing it for the good of football and for the good of Notre Dame.
Dantonio (MSU): Easy, and quit laughing now. Dantonio has proven he can win in the Midwest as well and has owned the Domers... If you think his name isn’t on the Domer long list, you’re kidding yourself. It would make for an interesting leap in the upper Midwest if it were to somehow materialize and that would leave MSU shopping for a head coach again…
So let’s take a gander at some of Charlie’s comments, now to be called “Weisism’s”.
Charlie Weis interview about two weeks into his tenure: “I am a pro-football offensive coordinator handed a gift in the form of Tom Brady who was a pretty good quarterback in his own right that I made into a Super Bowl Champion. I can certainly coach at the college level.”
“You are a 6 and 5 football team. That’s not good enough for you…It’s certainly not good enough for me…” - CW, his hiring day
“I think it's only right to give just due to your opponent who just kicked your butt." After the Amaizin’ Blue Ripped the Domers at home in 2006
“Notre Dame is not some garbage school that everyone can crap on all the time” – CW, in better times….
“I certainly don’t make the BCS decisions…” Charlie, waving his Super Bowl Championship Ring at the camera…
“To Hell with Michigan!” Prior to losing to Michigan, 2009…
Note To Domers: When interviewing future head coaching potentials, look for guys that weigh LESS THAN the starting O-line…combined…Oh come on, MMQ, is that the best you’ve got? That’s what you’re going to fall back on? Wuzzle’s Weight? No, that’s too easy. Especially when Charlie has given us so much. (Cue the “One Shining Moment” Music)
There was the near victory against USC where the Domers would have beaten them at home had Bush not pushed Leinart into the endzone...Wuzzles later asked in the presser if the rules aren’t enforced, what can he do about it?
OR how about the Sugar Bowl in the 1st quarter inside their own 30 and C.Wuzzles called for a 4th down run in order to “take control” of the game that they were subsequently crushed by LMU?
What about the oh so many times that Wuzzles had that stunned look on his face in the presser after the Domers were whipped by another opponent where he made it out to be the best college performance in the world (by the opposition) and that his kids never gave up, but just didn’t have what it took?
Yes, we’ll miss Charlie.
So, who is the front runner to be the next living legend to “Cheer, Cheer for Old Notre Dame, Wake Up the Echoes, Cheering Her Name?” First of all, Notre Dame, like Michigan, needs to learn that it is NOT the end all, be all of college Coaching Positions. I had a difficult time accepting that when Michigan started its search and they were talking to names like “Schiano”, “Ferentz”, and other long shots on my list. I just ASSUMED that Les Miles would jump at the chance to come back to his alma mater. Stupid assumption. Domers need to figure out that they are not that special, either. In fact, without the money that $warbuck$ can offer, what is Notre Dame, really? An independent with no real bowl tie ins, difficult schedules that require EXTENSIVE in season travel, and rivalries with pretty good teams that they will always have difficulty beating in any given year. USC, Michigan, MSU, BC, Stanford, Navy…and the locals who are getting better, Purdue and Indiana. The Domers can’t even beat Navy with any consistency at this point…So, without the conference and the “guaranteed” 4 or 5 wins you get from the soft non-conference schedule and perennial doorstops in the conference, it’s a difficult job. And believe me, all the big league conference coaches the Domers are going to interview KNOW that…
So, in no particular order, with the exception of the MMQ’s spin, I offer you that one of the next 6 names will be the Head Football Coach and the New Domer Main Man within the next two weeks. That person most likely has no clue what he’s about to get himself into….
Brian Kelly (Cincinnati): Odds 5-2. Somehow, this has to be the guy. He’s Irish Catholic. He’s won everywhere he’s been. Canned his Defensive coordinator last year, hired a new one, lost 10 kids on defense, and still somehow managed to go undefeated…without a defense. Think Notre Dame and $warbuck$ aren’t looking for a offensive minded coach to come in and win while they get things fixed on defense? Think again.
Bob Stoops (Oklahoma): Odds: 25-1. I am only putting this in here because EVERYONE (and I do mean everyone) HAS HIS NAME ON THEIR LIST. Which means: Either he’s a legitimate candidate even though he says he’s not, or he is simply the Les Miles version of what happened in the Michigan Hiring Fiasco. Me thinks it’s the latter and there are very few people in the know on this decision or what the rank inside of Notre Dame is with respect to the men they are going to interview. But getting Stoops might mean they are missing out on the best candidate, and that just might be Brian Kelly. Also, if they PAY Stoops enough to leave, it will be over the $5M mark, due to the fact that is what Stoops will average if he stays through 2011…
Gary Patterson (TCU): Odds: 30-1. I don’t buy the fact that a guy with no real ties to the program through either religion or prior coaching experience would A. Want to subject himself to the circus that has become Domer Football, or B. Leave a pretty good thing he has going at TCU for less than a Big 12 or SEC job. Which there will be plenty of in short order if you give it two more years. Don’t believe me? Kansas is thinking about canning Mangino, winningest coach ever for that program. Les Miles is always coaching his way into a media shitstorm…Patterson is old and has seen a lot. Let’s just say he has wisdom and no amount of leprechaun gold will lure him away…I think.
Bronco Mendenhall (BYU): Odds: 50-1. The problem I have with the Domers picking this guy is that he doesn’t have any ties with the Domers. None, not even with the coaches he knows or has associated with in the past. He’s a MWAC coach…He hasn’t won in the truly “Big Leagues”. The Domers tried that once with Ty Willingham. I don’t think they’ll do it again.
Urban Meyer (UF): Odds 350-1 Look – this one should be in the field and it just isn’t happening. Urban has a good thing going at Florida. Next year will be rougher than usual, because Tebow won’t be running the offense, but Florida will survive. And they’ll be around for awhile. The Notre Dame Job is an iffy thing. It’s already killed three decent coaches…Maybe you could win there (again) but most likely, the program is in a tough spot without conference affiliation and Meyer knows that. He knows the advantages and disadvantages to playing in a conference. And my guess is he likes the conference affiliation and the SEC. And Mrs. Urban Legend likes Florida…Urban ain’t happening, but you can bet he’ll talk to them if it means a raise where he is now…Just a hunch.
Kyle Wittingham (Utah): Odds: 350-1. See Bronco Mendenhall. Makes less sense than the argument for Bronco. Kyle just doesn’t have much with the exception that he is in Utah and that’s where Urban was when the Domers tried (sic) to hire him for the head coaching spot.
The Field: Odds: 500-1. Meaning, you’re next coach of Notre Dame will come out of the list above because the University will literally throw an insane amount of money at this group until one of them says yes. The Domers have learned that much: Get the man you want. Don’t settle for the next best choice. Therefore, the field is a long shot, at best.
Names not on the list (in the Field- odds noted if different from the field):
Gruden – Notre Dame won’t make the same mistake twice. Unproven Pro Coach with questionable ability at the pro level. (1000-1)
Petersen (Boy’s State) - Doesn’t want to leave the magical Blue Turf of Idaho…But look out for a Virginia connection (the AD played college hoops at Boise) and Petersen interviewing for that job....
Mark Richt (Georgia) – after the season Georgia just had? Riiiiight…..(1000-1)
Harbaugh (Stanford) – I was close to putting him on the list at 250:1 or so, but I just couldn’t bring myself to put a Michigan Man at Notre Dame…but if you got him and could keep Clausen for another year…Wow…That’s scary.
Pat Fitzgerald (Northwestern) – Another one that I almost put up above. Ara was from Northwestern where he lost…So, the Irish took a chance once on a Northwestern capable coach. And I think Fitzgerald is capable – and he knows defense….but it’s a long shot.
Skip Holtz (East Carolina): I thought the Domers would be licking their chops to get a Holtz legacy in there, but clearly, the departure of Holtz was worse than anyone inside the Dome has let on…
Turner Gill (Buffalo): Gets the Midwest and what kind of player it takes to play here. But, again, the Domers probably won’t go that route again with an unproven at a smaller school.
$ATAN (Alabama): This one makes sense as he IS A GUY that will JUMP for MONEY. And Just to Piss Off Alabama, he might take the job claiming that he’s doing it for the good of football and for the good of Notre Dame.
Dantonio (MSU): Easy, and quit laughing now. Dantonio has proven he can win in the Midwest as well and has owned the Domers... If you think his name isn’t on the Domer long list, you’re kidding yourself. It would make for an interesting leap in the upper Midwest if it were to somehow materialize and that would leave MSU shopping for a head coach again…
Monday, November 30, 2009
Bizarre Love Thanksgiving Week Triangle
First Story
Talk about a week of extremely weird news stories. Under the category that nothing good ever happens after midnight, we get the report on Sunday out of the Evil Empire of South Bend that young protégé Clausen got his eyes dotted outside a bar near campus at around closing time where he was attending with family and his girlfriend. This raises so many questions, I really don’t know where to begin:
1. What was a potential future NFL star doing in a bar closing the joint, even if he was with family?
2. Actually, especially if he was with family? What were they thinking?
3. What’s the deal with the girlfriend getting insulted?
4. Why did she “conveniently” forget her purse?
5. Why send Jimmy back after it if he already had “words” with some fellow that insulted the GF?
6. Can any good ever come from that?
7. Who is the perp?
8. Why isn’t he bragging it up on line somewhere?
9. Unless he was some Domer Sot that likes getting whiskeyed up and taking sucker punches at opposing fans and his own players…
10. MMQ was a victim of one such attack in South Bend after the only game I attended down there. Rabbit punch to the back of the neck that swung wide.
11. I only knew anything happened when the family of the drunk pulled him up off the ground while he continued to hurl insults at me after Michigan beat Holtz in his debut…
12. But I digress.
13. So, when are we going to hear the rest of this story? Ever?
Second Story:
The Mangino Chronicles – How in the world can Kansas – KANSAS – a basketball school decided to can a guy that has been the only individual in the modern era to take the J’s to 10 wins and an Orange Bowl win. That, by itself, should have got the coach not only a job for life, but they should wheel out his casket after he kicks and let him coach from the great beyond.
So, suddenly, Kansas is a powerhouse that deserves better in the Big 12 and has decided that it can do better than the guy they have. To that I say:
1. Ever seen Kansas?
2. Ever been to Lawrence, Kansas?
3. Ever wondered why ANYONE would live in the middle of a field?
4. There’s a rise on campus they call the “Hill”…It’s about 15 feet of elevation.
5. IF you can get kids to come to Kansas to play football, you, my friend, are a genius.
The kind of genius the Domer’s need…
Third Story
Normally, the MMQ sticks with football, but we simply have to comment on this. With his Alma Mater and J. Harbaugh defeating the Domers and how it might mysteriously might tie everything together. Yes, Tiger Woods went to Stanford, in case you didn’t know. And unless you were on a deserted island without AYNTHING, you obviously now know about Tiger’s accident, WHERE ALCOHOL WASN’T INVOLVED. So, let’s say we buy that, which, from all accounts, Tiger doesn’t drink, so okay..
Doesn’t gamble as far as we know– maybe some greenies or skins on the course….So, unless he has a Windemere late night cash poker game with some rich, affluent, Widemerites (sp?), what, exactly was he running out to get at 2:30 A.M. on the Friday after Turkey Day?
Diapers?
Nope…Depending on what you believe, and with the belief that everyone has a weakness, Tiger might have been, dare we even type this, going on a booty call? Chris Rock says that no matter how hot the chick, there’s some guy doing her that’s tired of putting up with her shit…
Two kids and Tiger ain’t the main man anymore…Isn’t it conceivable that he’s getting a little something on the side? Oh, MMQ, how can you suggest that the wholesome image of Tiger is going to be tarnished with such an act? Well, he was going somewhere with a purpose. Why else would he be out of control in his own driveway?
So, what’s it all mean? IT’S ALL CONNECTED!
HERE IT IS! You read it here first on this reputable site!
Mangino, a closet Notre Dame fan and wannabe head coach for the Domers, decides to visit South Bend after last week’s game and sees Jimmy and his GF in the bar and decides to try some Mangino love on her…Figures if she likes Clausen and has met and likes Charlie, well, there’s even more of him to love. MM makes the “Walrus Move” and Jimmy gets pissed. Mangino pops him one, figuring that with Jimmy gone, he’s got a even better shot at the Domer Top Spot when the Wuzzles loses to Stanford.….Jimmy’s girlfriend is upset, breaks up with Jimmy and sextexts Tiger Woods, looking to see what’s up. Tiger, upon reading that he could doink or do the backseat two step with the former GF of the QB on the OPPOSING TEAM in his Alma Mater’s final game, says, “Shit, man, I’ve GOT TO TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM!”
YES LADIES AND GENTS! Leave it to your own MMQ to pull it all together and have it make complete sense!
Don’t think that’s the story…Well, maybe not…But whatever comes out can’t get any more bizarre than it already is, can it?
THE REST OF THE MESS
The New Theme of the Rest of the Mess:
“Schadenfreude” - A German term for "shameful joy", taking pleasure in the suffering of others.
DOMERS vs. Jimmy Harbaugh: Hee, Hee…..HEEHAHAHAHA! Okay, so the Weis Regime has to be over. Rumor is he’s clearing out the desk. In fact, I am waiting to post to see if we hear anything official from $warbuck$ before the morning is done. Who do we like? Short list: Stoops – Ain’t gonna happen. Kelly – Bet this hard. Peterson – TCU – Uh-uh. Doesn’t know the upper mid west and wants a Big 12 Job. Herbstreit said it best on Game Day: Why do we continue to waste so much time on an irrelevant program like Notre Dame? They haven’t mattered since 1993…Those are fighting words…
Texas vs. Texas AM: Texas prevails, but Texas AM is going to be a good team when they get a defense. Easily one of the best games of the weekend – in case you slept through it.
Pitt vs. WVU: The Backyard Brawl. Why does it seem that whichever team in this battle is having the best season is destined to lose this game? I mean, it’s friggin’ Karma.
$atan’s Warriors vs. Auburn: The Iron Bowl. This was SO CLOSE to setting the dominoes and tumblers into motion that would have pitted TCU vs. Boise State in the National Title Game….Nuts…
Cornsuckers vs. Colorado: Cornsuckers are “almost” back. Can they beat Texas in the Big 12 Championship and throw the monkey wrench in that we all desperately want?
Clemson vs. South Carolina: Ole Ball Coach can still coach against the ACC.
Okie State vs. Laters: Wow…I didn’t see this one coming. I figured Okie State big in this one…How wrong I was.
GATORLAND vs. Bobby: Sigh. So much for the Bowden Era. I am sure we will see news today.
Virginia vs. Va Tech: Groh’s final game as Cavalier’s head coach, at least that’s my guess…
LMU vs. Arkansas: Somehow, I would have liked to see LMU lose this one. Talk about your big bowl battle, though. This sent Arkansas to a non-New Year’s day bowl and clinched NYD for LMU….
UCLA vs. Southern Cal: Yadda, yadda, yadda...
Idle Thoughts From the Weekend
1. Have you heard the Stafford NFL films replay of the separated Shoulder?
2. Yikes! I mean, you can TELL he was in pain…
3. I knew the Domers would show up- winning, however, seems to elude this team...
4. When did defense become so hard to coach and recruit?
5. High School Highlights: Inkster gets beat by Lowell…
6. Why do we care? Devon Gardner, the hot recruit, was in the game QB’ing Inkster.
7. And I thought he got outplayed by his Lowell counterpart.
8. Where’s THAT kid going?
9. Will FSU ever be FSU again?
10. Officiating in the SEC has to be addressed.
11. HAS TO.
12. Okay, we know Tiger Woods was in an Accident.
13. Can someone tell us why?
14. I don’t like LSU’s new uniforms…
15. And what’s with Florida? Those were throwbacks, right?
16. I am glad the Big 10 will be playing this weekend next year.
17. So when do they add the championship?
18. Jimmy Harbaugh will not get outcoached….I am convinced of that much.
19. Take the interference call, but DO NOT LET THEM CATCH THE BALL!
20. Stanford could be a good team next year…Really Good.
21. So what is with the PAC 10? When do they add the 11 and 12th team?
22. I said it once and I’ll say it one last time – I will miss Charlie.
The Hot Seat
You know, I have to commend all of you and your readership of this drivel. Erin Andrews did look as cute as a button on Saturday night, but she’s always wearing too many clothes. How about getting Erin an assignment in on of the warmer bowl spots so we can see what she might wear given a climate that agrees with her….So, here's your weekly dose of Erin....
HOT SEAT RANK
Coaching Carousel begins….
1. Wuzzles –GONE! (We’re jumping ahead of the mainstream media a little here) 2009 SEASON FIRST MAJOR CASUALTY!
2. Bobby Bowden – Ditto – But we can’t call him dead yet…
3. Stoops – I just don’t see this one happening….Stoops has been too good for the Laters…So, no Domers, either.
4. Al Groh - GONE! 2009 SECOND MAJOR CASUALTY! It’s official.
5. Mangino….Damn, All the fat jokes I could have been using with both this guy and Charlie….
GETTING COOLER – or Icy Cold – Or – The List that ND Swarbrick is going to call to be told, “No Thanks.”
1. Harbaugh
2. Petersen
3. Brian Kelly - Actually, he might say yes.....
4. Meyer
5. Saban
THIS WEEK
CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK:
SEC: GATROLAND AND $ATAN’$ WARRIORS
ACC: THE WRAMBLIN’ WRECK VS. CLEMSON
BIG 12: SHORT HORNS VS. THE CORNSUCKERS….
UPSET ALERT:
Last Week (2-2)
Cardinal over Domers – Yeah Baby!
Arkansas over LMU – Oops…But the Razors were THIS CLOSE….
Okie State vs. Laters – OOPS…This is why you Keep Bob Stoops.
Take A&M and the 22 points over Texas in the rivalry game…Yeah Baby!
This Week:
Okay, Take Gatorland….
The Wramblin Wreck is less of a mess than Clemson, even if the Tigers are looking for revenge…
Dare I go here? Is Texas beatable? Could this be the signature for Pelini? AS much as I want to, I just can’t do it….Texas and lay the points…
2. Actually, especially if he was with family? What were they thinking?
3. What’s the deal with the girlfriend getting insulted?
4. Why did she “conveniently” forget her purse?
5. Why send Jimmy back after it if he already had “words” with some fellow that insulted the GF?
6. Can any good ever come from that?
7. Who is the perp?
8. Why isn’t he bragging it up on line somewhere?
9. Unless he was some Domer Sot that likes getting whiskeyed up and taking sucker punches at opposing fans and his own players…
10. MMQ was a victim of one such attack in South Bend after the only game I attended down there. Rabbit punch to the back of the neck that swung wide.
11. I only knew anything happened when the family of the drunk pulled him up off the ground while he continued to hurl insults at me after Michigan beat Holtz in his debut…
12. But I digress.
13. So, when are we going to hear the rest of this story? Ever?
Second Story:
The Mangino Chronicles – How in the world can Kansas – KANSAS – a basketball school decided to can a guy that has been the only individual in the modern era to take the J’s to 10 wins and an Orange Bowl win. That, by itself, should have got the coach not only a job for life, but they should wheel out his casket after he kicks and let him coach from the great beyond.
So, suddenly, Kansas is a powerhouse that deserves better in the Big 12 and has decided that it can do better than the guy they have. To that I say:
1. Ever seen Kansas?
2. Ever been to Lawrence, Kansas?
3. Ever wondered why ANYONE would live in the middle of a field?
4. There’s a rise on campus they call the “Hill”…It’s about 15 feet of elevation.
5. IF you can get kids to come to Kansas to play football, you, my friend, are a genius.
The kind of genius the Domer’s need…
Third Story
Normally, the MMQ sticks with football, but we simply have to comment on this. With his Alma Mater and J. Harbaugh defeating the Domers and how it might mysteriously might tie everything together. Yes, Tiger Woods went to Stanford, in case you didn’t know. And unless you were on a deserted island without AYNTHING, you obviously now know about Tiger’s accident, WHERE ALCOHOL WASN’T INVOLVED. So, let’s say we buy that, which, from all accounts, Tiger doesn’t drink, so okay..
Doesn’t gamble as far as we know– maybe some greenies or skins on the course….So, unless he has a Windemere late night cash poker game with some rich, affluent, Widemerites (sp?), what, exactly was he running out to get at 2:30 A.M. on the Friday after Turkey Day?
Diapers?
Nope…Depending on what you believe, and with the belief that everyone has a weakness, Tiger might have been, dare we even type this, going on a booty call? Chris Rock says that no matter how hot the chick, there’s some guy doing her that’s tired of putting up with her shit…
Two kids and Tiger ain’t the main man anymore…Isn’t it conceivable that he’s getting a little something on the side? Oh, MMQ, how can you suggest that the wholesome image of Tiger is going to be tarnished with such an act? Well, he was going somewhere with a purpose. Why else would he be out of control in his own driveway?
So, what’s it all mean? IT’S ALL CONNECTED!
HERE IT IS! You read it here first on this reputable site!
Mangino, a closet Notre Dame fan and wannabe head coach for the Domers, decides to visit South Bend after last week’s game and sees Jimmy and his GF in the bar and decides to try some Mangino love on her…Figures if she likes Clausen and has met and likes Charlie, well, there’s even more of him to love. MM makes the “Walrus Move” and Jimmy gets pissed. Mangino pops him one, figuring that with Jimmy gone, he’s got a even better shot at the Domer Top Spot when the Wuzzles loses to Stanford.….Jimmy’s girlfriend is upset, breaks up with Jimmy and sextexts Tiger Woods, looking to see what’s up. Tiger, upon reading that he could doink or do the backseat two step with the former GF of the QB on the OPPOSING TEAM in his Alma Mater’s final game, says, “Shit, man, I’ve GOT TO TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM!”
YES LADIES AND GENTS! Leave it to your own MMQ to pull it all together and have it make complete sense!
Don’t think that’s the story…Well, maybe not…But whatever comes out can’t get any more bizarre than it already is, can it?
THE REST OF THE MESS
The New Theme of the Rest of the Mess:
“Schadenfreude” - A German term for "shameful joy", taking pleasure in the suffering of others.
DOMERS vs. Jimmy Harbaugh: Hee, Hee…..HEEHAHAHAHA! Okay, so the Weis Regime has to be over. Rumor is he’s clearing out the desk. In fact, I am waiting to post to see if we hear anything official from $warbuck$ before the morning is done. Who do we like? Short list: Stoops – Ain’t gonna happen. Kelly – Bet this hard. Peterson – TCU – Uh-uh. Doesn’t know the upper mid west and wants a Big 12 Job. Herbstreit said it best on Game Day: Why do we continue to waste so much time on an irrelevant program like Notre Dame? They haven’t mattered since 1993…Those are fighting words…
Texas vs. Texas AM: Texas prevails, but Texas AM is going to be a good team when they get a defense. Easily one of the best games of the weekend – in case you slept through it.
Pitt vs. WVU: The Backyard Brawl. Why does it seem that whichever team in this battle is having the best season is destined to lose this game? I mean, it’s friggin’ Karma.
$atan’s Warriors vs. Auburn: The Iron Bowl. This was SO CLOSE to setting the dominoes and tumblers into motion that would have pitted TCU vs. Boise State in the National Title Game….Nuts…
Cornsuckers vs. Colorado: Cornsuckers are “almost” back. Can they beat Texas in the Big 12 Championship and throw the monkey wrench in that we all desperately want?
Clemson vs. South Carolina: Ole Ball Coach can still coach against the ACC.
Okie State vs. Laters: Wow…I didn’t see this one coming. I figured Okie State big in this one…How wrong I was.
GATORLAND vs. Bobby: Sigh. So much for the Bowden Era. I am sure we will see news today.
Virginia vs. Va Tech: Groh’s final game as Cavalier’s head coach, at least that’s my guess…
LMU vs. Arkansas: Somehow, I would have liked to see LMU lose this one. Talk about your big bowl battle, though. This sent Arkansas to a non-New Year’s day bowl and clinched NYD for LMU….
UCLA vs. Southern Cal: Yadda, yadda, yadda...
Idle Thoughts From the Weekend
1. Have you heard the Stafford NFL films replay of the separated Shoulder?
2. Yikes! I mean, you can TELL he was in pain…
3. I knew the Domers would show up- winning, however, seems to elude this team...
4. When did defense become so hard to coach and recruit?
5. High School Highlights: Inkster gets beat by Lowell…
6. Why do we care? Devon Gardner, the hot recruit, was in the game QB’ing Inkster.
7. And I thought he got outplayed by his Lowell counterpart.
8. Where’s THAT kid going?
9. Will FSU ever be FSU again?
10. Officiating in the SEC has to be addressed.
11. HAS TO.
12. Okay, we know Tiger Woods was in an Accident.
13. Can someone tell us why?
14. I don’t like LSU’s new uniforms…
15. And what’s with Florida? Those were throwbacks, right?
16. I am glad the Big 10 will be playing this weekend next year.
17. So when do they add the championship?
18. Jimmy Harbaugh will not get outcoached….I am convinced of that much.
19. Take the interference call, but DO NOT LET THEM CATCH THE BALL!
20. Stanford could be a good team next year…Really Good.
21. So what is with the PAC 10? When do they add the 11 and 12th team?
22. I said it once and I’ll say it one last time – I will miss Charlie.
The Hot Seat
You know, I have to commend all of you and your readership of this drivel. Erin Andrews did look as cute as a button on Saturday night, but she’s always wearing too many clothes. How about getting Erin an assignment in on of the warmer bowl spots so we can see what she might wear given a climate that agrees with her….So, here's your weekly dose of Erin....
HOT SEAT RANK
Coaching Carousel begins….
1. Wuzzles –GONE! (We’re jumping ahead of the mainstream media a little here) 2009 SEASON FIRST MAJOR CASUALTY!
2. Bobby Bowden – Ditto – But we can’t call him dead yet…
3. Stoops – I just don’t see this one happening….Stoops has been too good for the Laters…So, no Domers, either.
4. Al Groh - GONE! 2009 SECOND MAJOR CASUALTY! It’s official.
5. Mangino….Damn, All the fat jokes I could have been using with both this guy and Charlie….
GETTING COOLER – or Icy Cold – Or – The List that ND Swarbrick is going to call to be told, “No Thanks.”
1. Harbaugh
2. Petersen
3. Brian Kelly - Actually, he might say yes.....
4. Meyer
5. Saban
THIS WEEK
CHAMPIONSHIP WEEK:
SEC: GATROLAND AND $ATAN’$ WARRIORS
ACC: THE WRAMBLIN’ WRECK VS. CLEMSON
BIG 12: SHORT HORNS VS. THE CORNSUCKERS….
UPSET ALERT:
Last Week (2-2)
Cardinal over Domers – Yeah Baby!
Arkansas over LMU – Oops…But the Razors were THIS CLOSE….
Okie State vs. Laters – OOPS…This is why you Keep Bob Stoops.
Take A&M and the 22 points over Texas in the rivalry game…Yeah Baby!
This Week:
Okay, Take Gatorland….
The Wramblin Wreck is less of a mess than Clemson, even if the Tigers are looking for revenge…
Dare I go here? Is Texas beatable? Could this be the signature for Pelini? AS much as I want to, I just can’t do it….Texas and lay the points…
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Mangino - Should have been on the Hot Seat List
Your MMQ somehow ignored all of this Mangino nonsense as just that...I couldn't believe that Kansas - a basketball school that got lucky one season in football, would actually fire the winningest coach they've ever had, therefore, I ignored the noise...
I need to learn, where there's smoke, there's a fatted pig on spit somewhere and his seat is getting hot!
The only other names the article refers to our ones we have on the radar...but if Kansas really cans Mangino, well, Kansas may find out exactly how hard it is to find a "great coach" that will be able to get them back to where they are.
I need to learn, where there's smoke, there's a fatted pig on spit somewhere and his seat is getting hot!
The only other names the article refers to our ones we have on the radar...but if Kansas really cans Mangino, well, Kansas may find out exactly how hard it is to find a "great coach" that will be able to get them back to where they are.
Sparty Insanity.....
Football team is now beating up dorm kids...
And yet the mainstream press in Detroit reports...nothing...until today after Dantonio dismisses two thugs from the team....
And yet the mainstream press in Detroit reports...nothing...until today after Dantonio dismisses two thugs from the team....
Charlie's Fat in the Fire
Well, I guess it's somewhat official. Charlie has to delay (cancel?) his west coast recruiting trip and meet with $warbuck$ on Tuesday after the Stanford game.
ESPN.com has the news....
So, why is this telling? Coaches are allowed to visit recruits at home only ONCE while they are recruiting. This gives the new coach a chance to visit any recruits Charlie was planning on visiting out there an opportunity to make that trip if the new coach so chooses...
Now, I guess, it's just a matter of waiting till Tuesday for what is probably the worst kept secret in all of Head Coaching at the collegiate level.
Problem is, there have been so little "rumors" on all of this with respect to who the new guy is. I would think that the Domers would have learned from the Michigan Fiasco that it's better to have some feelers out there before you can your guy...But then, maybe the Domers are simply to above it all to believe that they need feelers.
ESPN.com has the news....
So, why is this telling? Coaches are allowed to visit recruits at home only ONCE while they are recruiting. This gives the new coach a chance to visit any recruits Charlie was planning on visiting out there an opportunity to make that trip if the new coach so chooses...
Now, I guess, it's just a matter of waiting till Tuesday for what is probably the worst kept secret in all of Head Coaching at the collegiate level.
Problem is, there have been so little "rumors" on all of this with respect to who the new guy is. I would think that the Domers would have learned from the Michigan Fiasco that it's better to have some feelers out there before you can your guy...But then, maybe the Domers are simply to above it all to believe that they need feelers.
Monday, November 23, 2009
BOHICA- Next Year’s Rallying Cry
Bend
Over:
Here
It
Comes
Again…
I first heard this at a customer some years ago when they were asking for yet more cost reductions and the buyer tried to put a humorous spin on it. I was reminded of it on Saturday as I sat sipping a tall, cold glass of golden depression cure at a local pub as I watched the 2nd half unfold. What in the hell is going on? I am still almost too dazed and confused to even begin to wrap my mind around it…
That’s what being a “Those Who Cannot” fan feels like at this point. What the hell was Forcier thinking???? 5 turnovers? Did he have OSU giving the points?
Bo Schembechler (and others) have said that a Quarterback can’t necessarily win the game for you…But they can certainly lose it for you. With all the rumors swirling around Pre-Game with respect to Tate not being there, the “Tebow-like” speech after the game, it makes you wonder if this kid is the “million dollar” arm and ten cent head mentality of Ryan Mallet…It also makes you wonder if his days as a “Those Who Cannot” player are numbered. And if they are, what then?
But I digress. I know all of you want to hear my take on this classic game. And here it is: HANG ON TO THE GOD DAMN BALL AND YOU WILL WIN A LOT MORE GAMES!
Oh, how ill I was after this game. It was winnable. We were moving the ball. OSU couldn’t do the things they wanted to do. If we score on the first 4th quarter drive, it’s a completely different game. If we don't spot them 7 to start the game…I am seeing Notre Dame all over again…Was that only this year that we were so absolutely giddy with a victory over one of our most hated rivals? It seems like a lifetime ago.
I was ill, knowing that I am looking at a weaker defense next year with the loss of key players from the senior class. I also know that the offense will be weaker, based on the latest performance. And until we can figure out that possessing the ball is better than giving it away, well….BOHICA seems like a new rallying cry for this team next year vs. All In for “Those Who Cannot”.
I will try a final analysis, but in the end, what’s the point? We simply aren’t that good of a team right now and I am not sure we get all that much better next year.
The Ledge – or the Race to 6-6…Sparty Wins!
THOSE WHO CANNOT Reasons to put ONE FOOT ON THE LEDGE AND THE OTHER STEPPING OUT INTO THE ABYSS AS WE BEGIN TO TEETER AND BEGIN THE PLUNGE:
Let your body fall into the blackness and become enveloped in the cold darkness until there isn’t any more noise or Pain and you can wake up with a renewed vision next year…Of course, there’s always basketball…
THE REST OF THE MESS
The New Theme of the Rest of the Mess:
“Schadenfreude” - A German term for "shameful joy", taking pleasure in the suffering of others.
Tex Tech vs. Laters: I had a feeling…Is Stoops seat getting a little toasty? A team that was a pre-season top 5 is now looking at not making a bowl…The MMQ predicted that The Laters weren’t going to be that good, but jeez, 6-5? And guess what? Stoops has never been .500 at Oklahoma…Yep – I’d say it’s getting a little toasty.
Uconn at DOMERS: (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!) Schadenfreude…..But, misery loves company. Well, I guess it’s all but a foregone conclusion that C. Wuzzles will not be coaching the Domers next year. After all, Charlie claims he would understand if the Domers canned him…Of course, he also understands that he’ll be walking away with $15-$18M of Leprechaun GOLD also, but hey, he earned it, right? And if he isn't canned, do the Domers finally retaliate by not going to home games? Refusing to buy tickets? No longer supporting the program? I doubt it. So, in some weird universe where Charlie does keep his job, it would be wonderful to see and have him around to poke fun at again next year. For if the Domers get BK from Cincin…Well, let’s just say I’m nervous. Oh, and that rumor about Urban Legend going to South Bend? Fuhgettaboutit….He’d be a fool to try to take that over and resurrect it. Or would he?
PSU vs. SPARTY: Schadenfreude…Sparty, Sparty, Sparty…I never know which team is going to show up. I hate to say SOS, but man, I have seen better out of you all year and you don’t show up on your last day at home. If Michigan’s a mess, Sparty is a Riddle wrapped up in an Enigma…
LMU vs. Ole Miss: Anyone catch the end of this game? I couldn’t have timed it better and let me tell you, if they aren’t screaming for Mr. Miles Head on the Blogosphere, they will be. In case you DIDN’T see it: LMU needs a Figgie with 28 seconds left…They WASTE 16 seconds before calling a time out. They MAKE THE PLAY putting them in FG range with 2 seconds left and then they try to stop the clock by spiking the ball instead of getting their field goal unit out there to kick. They were at the 5 yard line! I would have had the FG team ready and waiting…What a mess. That could be your next head coach, ladies and LMU isn’t going to a BCS game…Last year, Ole Les was 7-5. Hmmmm….What a difference a couple of seasons make. My guess is LMU is reviewing that contract for total wins and seeing if they can get out of it without paying off Lester if they decide to can him…
Cal vs. Stanford: Jimmy couldn’t pull off the miracle and win the PAC 10 outright this year…That would have been something. Still, it’s not bad to beat two of the better teams in the league in your third year…That’s better than his alma mater has done.
Ducks vs. Arizona: Another OT finish in a clutch game for a BCS berth…The Ducks prevail and it all comes down to a Play-off in the PAC 10 of Oregon vs. Oregon State…Beavers vs. the Ducks…Hee-hee…Where’s Pete Carrol? At McDonald’s….
Idle Thoughts From Saturday
1. Well, you know, at least it’s only one more time..
2. WE SUCK!
3. Are their medications for what I’m feeling? Hopelessness? Despair?
4. Give me a case of whatever.
5. Domers have to be feeling the same way…
6. USC, Laters, K-State, and others feeling blue, too…
7. What is the BCS going to look like?
8. Methinks Boys State is about to get “BOHICA’d”…Hard, without lube.
9. TCU is the newest love child of the BCS.
10. Can’t have two newbies to the big money games.
11. Big schools will push and use their leverage.
12. Interesting that two of the winningest programs are in the provervial basements.
13. Can anyone think of lower points in the Michigan and Domer Programs? Ever?
14. OSU isn’t that good.
15. And they're the pride of the Big 10.
16. Okay. I accept that the Big 10 might not be that good.
17. But when you’re not good, there’s only one way you can go.
18. Harbaugh: “If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse.”
19. I think one of his coaches in college taught him that…
20. Did I really feel that good about this team on September 12th? Really?
21. 7-5 Next Year or good bye Rich…It’s that simple.
22. There are too many other guys we can talk to.
The Hot Seat
That’s a Wrap!
I can’t seem to find ANYONE that you guys would rather see than Erin Andrews. For the last 4 weeks, she has walked away with the voting only to see one close vote when Jessica Alba came into the fold, as it were. This week, it wasn’t even close with Erin getting nearly quadruple the votes of her nearest competitor. Uh fellas (and gals), there are other females that exist besides Erin. But I can’t argue with your logic. So, without further ado, let’s just give it to Erin and I will continue to find and place, shall we say, different pictures of her in the column for all of our enjoyment…From loyal reader Chris – Thanks!
HOT SEAT RANK
This is when it gets interesting. Rivalry Week. Thanksgiving Holidays. Coaches getting the Ax...One fatted one immediately comest to mind, but still...What if they don't can him? It might be that much more fun watching the Domers next year? Don't you think?
1. Wuzzles – Oh Charlie…The MMQ to Charlie Memorial is in the works.
2. Bobby Bowden – Bobby, do yourself a favor and let go…
3. Stoops – Got to be feeling a little tension.
4. Al Groh - still there…
5. Rich Rod – He’s not getting canned, but the Flame is on ULTRA BOIL.
6. The Ole Ball Coach
7. Richy Rich - Had to move him down…UGA, the Bull Dog, died from a Heart Attack. So, there is some sympathy for Mark Richt this week…
GETTING COOLER – or Icy Cold – Or – The List that ND $warbruck$ is going to call to be told, “No Thanks.”
1. Harbaugh - Beating Arch rival USC twice in Three seasons? Yeah, Jimmy gets it...
2. Petersen - Not likely...
3. Brian Kelly - Hello Domers, well Hello Domers! I promise you that you will be proud of this team in LA on November 27th, 2010!
4. Meyer - Loyal assistant returns to raise the bar?
5. Saban - Wouldn' that be something...
THIS WEEK
THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHTS!
Uh, it’s Turkey Day, Remember?
But Wait, there’s a college GAME on: Texas vs. Texas AM…The classic without the Aggie bonfire on Turkey Day. So, turn off the Lions and turn this on.
Black Friday – Or, “Honey, I can’t go shopping, there’s a game on!”
Pitt vs. WVU: The Backyard Brawl. Pitt is looking to reinforce their bowl position.
$atan’s Warriors vs. Auburn: The Iron Bowl….Hmmmm…Is $atan’s team beatable?
Cornsuckers vs. Colorado: Lookout Cornsuckers…Colorado is playing for pride and you’re in as the North Rep…Could be a letdown game for the Cornsuckers.
Every Day Should Be Saturday
Clemson vs. South Carolina: Ole Ball Coach needs a win…
Okie State vs. Laters: Can Okie State resist making their arch rival 6-6???
GATORLAND vs. Bobby: Damn…I wish Bobby could go out with a bang. Wouldn’t that be something?
Virginia vs. Va Tech: Va Tech needs a win to improve their bowl slot…Will they get it from a less than inspired Groh team?
Cremesicles vs. Kentucky: This game matters to these two.
LMU vs. Arkansas: Always a good game. Les will be in hotter water if he loses this one.
DOMERS vs. Jimmy Harbaugh: Think $warbuck’s will interview Jimmy for the job while he’s there or wait until Stanford plays it’s bowl game?
UCLA vs. Southern Cal: This game used to mean something. Maybe Pete Carrol will be available for Michigan or the Domers. Pete has Midwest roots, don’t forget.
UPSET ALERT:
I’ll predict the following victories and point spread picks:
Cardinal over Domers
Arkansas over LMU
Okie State vs. Laters
Take A&M and the 22 points over Texas in the rivalry game….
Over:
Here
It
Comes
Again…
I first heard this at a customer some years ago when they were asking for yet more cost reductions and the buyer tried to put a humorous spin on it. I was reminded of it on Saturday as I sat sipping a tall, cold glass of golden depression cure at a local pub as I watched the 2nd half unfold. What in the hell is going on? I am still almost too dazed and confused to even begin to wrap my mind around it…
That’s what being a “Those Who Cannot” fan feels like at this point. What the hell was Forcier thinking???? 5 turnovers? Did he have OSU giving the points?
Bo Schembechler (and others) have said that a Quarterback can’t necessarily win the game for you…But they can certainly lose it for you. With all the rumors swirling around Pre-Game with respect to Tate not being there, the “Tebow-like” speech after the game, it makes you wonder if this kid is the “million dollar” arm and ten cent head mentality of Ryan Mallet…It also makes you wonder if his days as a “Those Who Cannot” player are numbered. And if they are, what then?
But I digress. I know all of you want to hear my take on this classic game. And here it is: HANG ON TO THE GOD DAMN BALL AND YOU WILL WIN A LOT MORE GAMES!
Oh, how ill I was after this game. It was winnable. We were moving the ball. OSU couldn’t do the things they wanted to do. If we score on the first 4th quarter drive, it’s a completely different game. If we don't spot them 7 to start the game…I am seeing Notre Dame all over again…Was that only this year that we were so absolutely giddy with a victory over one of our most hated rivals? It seems like a lifetime ago.
I was ill, knowing that I am looking at a weaker defense next year with the loss of key players from the senior class. I also know that the offense will be weaker, based on the latest performance. And until we can figure out that possessing the ball is better than giving it away, well….BOHICA seems like a new rallying cry for this team next year vs. All In for “Those Who Cannot”.
I will try a final analysis, but in the end, what’s the point? We simply aren’t that good of a team right now and I am not sure we get all that much better next year.
The Ledge – or the Race to 6-6…Sparty Wins!
THOSE WHO CANNOT Reasons to put ONE FOOT ON THE LEDGE AND THE OTHER STEPPING OUT INTO THE ABYSS AS WE BEGIN TO TEETER AND BEGIN THE PLUNGE:
Let your body fall into the blackness and become enveloped in the cold darkness until there isn’t any more noise or Pain and you can wake up with a renewed vision next year…Of course, there’s always basketball…
THE REST OF THE MESS
The New Theme of the Rest of the Mess:
“Schadenfreude” - A German term for "shameful joy", taking pleasure in the suffering of others.
Tex Tech vs. Laters: I had a feeling…Is Stoops seat getting a little toasty? A team that was a pre-season top 5 is now looking at not making a bowl…The MMQ predicted that The Laters weren’t going to be that good, but jeez, 6-5? And guess what? Stoops has never been .500 at Oklahoma…Yep – I’d say it’s getting a little toasty.
Uconn at DOMERS: (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!) Schadenfreude…..But, misery loves company. Well, I guess it’s all but a foregone conclusion that C. Wuzzles will not be coaching the Domers next year. After all, Charlie claims he would understand if the Domers canned him…Of course, he also understands that he’ll be walking away with $15-$18M of Leprechaun GOLD also, but hey, he earned it, right? And if he isn't canned, do the Domers finally retaliate by not going to home games? Refusing to buy tickets? No longer supporting the program? I doubt it. So, in some weird universe where Charlie does keep his job, it would be wonderful to see and have him around to poke fun at again next year. For if the Domers get BK from Cincin…Well, let’s just say I’m nervous. Oh, and that rumor about Urban Legend going to South Bend? Fuhgettaboutit….He’d be a fool to try to take that over and resurrect it. Or would he?
PSU vs. SPARTY: Schadenfreude…Sparty, Sparty, Sparty…I never know which team is going to show up. I hate to say SOS, but man, I have seen better out of you all year and you don’t show up on your last day at home. If Michigan’s a mess, Sparty is a Riddle wrapped up in an Enigma…
LMU vs. Ole Miss: Anyone catch the end of this game? I couldn’t have timed it better and let me tell you, if they aren’t screaming for Mr. Miles Head on the Blogosphere, they will be. In case you DIDN’T see it: LMU needs a Figgie with 28 seconds left…They WASTE 16 seconds before calling a time out. They MAKE THE PLAY putting them in FG range with 2 seconds left and then they try to stop the clock by spiking the ball instead of getting their field goal unit out there to kick. They were at the 5 yard line! I would have had the FG team ready and waiting…What a mess. That could be your next head coach, ladies and LMU isn’t going to a BCS game…Last year, Ole Les was 7-5. Hmmmm….What a difference a couple of seasons make. My guess is LMU is reviewing that contract for total wins and seeing if they can get out of it without paying off Lester if they decide to can him…
Cal vs. Stanford: Jimmy couldn’t pull off the miracle and win the PAC 10 outright this year…That would have been something. Still, it’s not bad to beat two of the better teams in the league in your third year…That’s better than his alma mater has done.
Ducks vs. Arizona: Another OT finish in a clutch game for a BCS berth…The Ducks prevail and it all comes down to a Play-off in the PAC 10 of Oregon vs. Oregon State…Beavers vs. the Ducks…Hee-hee…Where’s Pete Carrol? At McDonald’s….
Idle Thoughts From Saturday
1. Well, you know, at least it’s only one more time..
2. WE SUCK!
3. Are their medications for what I’m feeling? Hopelessness? Despair?
4. Give me a case of whatever.
5. Domers have to be feeling the same way…
6. USC, Laters, K-State, and others feeling blue, too…
7. What is the BCS going to look like?
8. Methinks Boys State is about to get “BOHICA’d”…Hard, without lube.
9. TCU is the newest love child of the BCS.
10. Can’t have two newbies to the big money games.
11. Big schools will push and use their leverage.
12. Interesting that two of the winningest programs are in the provervial basements.
13. Can anyone think of lower points in the Michigan and Domer Programs? Ever?
14. OSU isn’t that good.
15. And they're the pride of the Big 10.
16. Okay. I accept that the Big 10 might not be that good.
17. But when you’re not good, there’s only one way you can go.
18. Harbaugh: “If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse.”
19. I think one of his coaches in college taught him that…
20. Did I really feel that good about this team on September 12th? Really?
21. 7-5 Next Year or good bye Rich…It’s that simple.
22. There are too many other guys we can talk to.
The Hot Seat
That’s a Wrap!
I can’t seem to find ANYONE that you guys would rather see than Erin Andrews. For the last 4 weeks, she has walked away with the voting only to see one close vote when Jessica Alba came into the fold, as it were. This week, it wasn’t even close with Erin getting nearly quadruple the votes of her nearest competitor. Uh fellas (and gals), there are other females that exist besides Erin. But I can’t argue with your logic. So, without further ado, let’s just give it to Erin and I will continue to find and place, shall we say, different pictures of her in the column for all of our enjoyment…From loyal reader Chris – Thanks!
HOT SEAT RANK
This is when it gets interesting. Rivalry Week. Thanksgiving Holidays. Coaches getting the Ax...One fatted one immediately comest to mind, but still...What if they don't can him? It might be that much more fun watching the Domers next year? Don't you think?
1. Wuzzles – Oh Charlie…The MMQ to Charlie Memorial is in the works.
2. Bobby Bowden – Bobby, do yourself a favor and let go…
3. Stoops – Got to be feeling a little tension.
4. Al Groh - still there…
5. Rich Rod – He’s not getting canned, but the Flame is on ULTRA BOIL.
6. The Ole Ball Coach
7. Richy Rich - Had to move him down…UGA, the Bull Dog, died from a Heart Attack. So, there is some sympathy for Mark Richt this week…
GETTING COOLER – or Icy Cold – Or – The List that ND $warbruck$ is going to call to be told, “No Thanks.”
1. Harbaugh - Beating Arch rival USC twice in Three seasons? Yeah, Jimmy gets it...
2. Petersen - Not likely...
3. Brian Kelly - Hello Domers, well Hello Domers! I promise you that you will be proud of this team in LA on November 27th, 2010!
4. Meyer - Loyal assistant returns to raise the bar?
5. Saban - Wouldn' that be something...
THIS WEEK
THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHTS!
Uh, it’s Turkey Day, Remember?
But Wait, there’s a college GAME on: Texas vs. Texas AM…The classic without the Aggie bonfire on Turkey Day. So, turn off the Lions and turn this on.
Black Friday – Or, “Honey, I can’t go shopping, there’s a game on!”
Pitt vs. WVU: The Backyard Brawl. Pitt is looking to reinforce their bowl position.
$atan’s Warriors vs. Auburn: The Iron Bowl….Hmmmm…Is $atan’s team beatable?
Cornsuckers vs. Colorado: Lookout Cornsuckers…Colorado is playing for pride and you’re in as the North Rep…Could be a letdown game for the Cornsuckers.
Every Day Should Be Saturday
Clemson vs. South Carolina: Ole Ball Coach needs a win…
Okie State vs. Laters: Can Okie State resist making their arch rival 6-6???
GATORLAND vs. Bobby: Damn…I wish Bobby could go out with a bang. Wouldn’t that be something?
Virginia vs. Va Tech: Va Tech needs a win to improve their bowl slot…Will they get it from a less than inspired Groh team?
Cremesicles vs. Kentucky: This game matters to these two.
LMU vs. Arkansas: Always a good game. Les will be in hotter water if he loses this one.
DOMERS vs. Jimmy Harbaugh: Think $warbuck’s will interview Jimmy for the job while he’s there or wait until Stanford plays it’s bowl game?
UCLA vs. Southern Cal: This game used to mean something. Maybe Pete Carrol will be available for Michigan or the Domers. Pete has Midwest roots, don’t forget.
UPSET ALERT:
I’ll predict the following victories and point spread picks:
Cardinal over Domers
Arkansas over LMU
Okie State vs. Laters
Take A&M and the 22 points over Texas in the rivalry game….
Thursday, November 19, 2009
85 Believers......
It might not feel much like Michigan vs. OSU week to any of you reading this right now. In fact, it doesn’t feel much like Michigan vs. OSU to the MMQ right now. There’s no tension, anticipation, elation, memory reliving (well, maybe just a little of that) and most of all, the belief level of the fans is way too low.
I remember hearing our Sparty brethren in years past when the didn’t have a snowball’s chance in Hades to beat Michigan get on the radio after drinking a pint or two of their favorite libation and state aloud that they believed their team could beat Michigan. You have to hand it to Sparty – even when things are completely lost, they have some spirit.
Where’s the Michigan Spirit?
All I’ve heard this week from Michigan fans is that it will finally be over, it’s just like last year and we aren’t that great of a team. On the Contrary: This team, kiddies, can score points. That part has never, ever been an issue. Granted, most of them come in the first half and the opposing defenses make adjustments and take certain plays away from us, but none the less: Michigan is pretty highly ranked in the Big 10 when it comes to scoring points. Blocked punts? No problem. Catching punts…Well...
It’s that other category – points scored against us? That one is a problem…But I will say this. USC found a way. Purdue – who Michigan played and hung tough with, found a way…
And there are 85 believers not counting coaches who are busting their collective asses this week, doing everything they can to find a way to win this game.
12 point underdogs?
AT HOME? IN A RIVALRY GAME?????
Surely, you jest…No, I am not Jesting! And Don’t Call Me Shirley...
If I had not been a witness to what transpired over the last two years and you brought me into the future from 2007, I would say that you take it all and bet the farm on Michigan to cover at home. And they just might pull off the miracle upset!
Have I lost it?
1993: Michigan, sitting at 6-4, was about as bad as we had been since 1984. OSU came in ranked NUMBER 1 in the country and what did an underachieving group of Wolverines led by Todd Collins, Tryone Wheatley, Derrick Alexander, Jason Irons, Steve Morrison, and Buster Stanley do? Hung 28 points on the Suckeyes and defeated Cooper yet again and the mighty Suckeyes never even scored!
What about 1995: Tshimanga Biakabatuka rushes for 312 yards and the Wolverines defeated a heavily favored OSU team in the Big House.
And what about that OSU 1969 team that came into the Big House as a double digit favorite that was the undisputed National Champion 2 years running and they were upset by an upstart coach and a certain team of underachievers that had been destroyed by that same SUCKEYE squad the previous year by a score of 50-14?
What I am saying is: YOU NEED TO CONCEIVE IT AND BELIEVE!
“What the Mind can Conceive (and Believe), The Mind Can Achieve…And Those Who Stay Will Be CHAMPIONS!”
There are 85 Believers in Ann Arbor going through Thursday pre-game – practice activities this afternoon. There will be blood, sweat and tears from emotions running high.
Where do you stand?
What do you believe?
Can you see it in your mind’s eye?
Forcier playing with precision?
Graham getting to Pryor?
Brown blitzing like a mad man?
Somebody making a huge play on defense?
Huge plays on offense?
Do you see it?
Do you believe?
I remember hearing our Sparty brethren in years past when the didn’t have a snowball’s chance in Hades to beat Michigan get on the radio after drinking a pint or two of their favorite libation and state aloud that they believed their team could beat Michigan. You have to hand it to Sparty – even when things are completely lost, they have some spirit.
Where’s the Michigan Spirit?
All I’ve heard this week from Michigan fans is that it will finally be over, it’s just like last year and we aren’t that great of a team. On the Contrary: This team, kiddies, can score points. That part has never, ever been an issue. Granted, most of them come in the first half and the opposing defenses make adjustments and take certain plays away from us, but none the less: Michigan is pretty highly ranked in the Big 10 when it comes to scoring points. Blocked punts? No problem. Catching punts…Well...
It’s that other category – points scored against us? That one is a problem…But I will say this. USC found a way. Purdue – who Michigan played and hung tough with, found a way…
And there are 85 believers not counting coaches who are busting their collective asses this week, doing everything they can to find a way to win this game.
12 point underdogs?
AT HOME? IN A RIVALRY GAME?????
Surely, you jest…No, I am not Jesting! And Don’t Call Me Shirley...
If I had not been a witness to what transpired over the last two years and you brought me into the future from 2007, I would say that you take it all and bet the farm on Michigan to cover at home. And they just might pull off the miracle upset!
Have I lost it?
1993: Michigan, sitting at 6-4, was about as bad as we had been since 1984. OSU came in ranked NUMBER 1 in the country and what did an underachieving group of Wolverines led by Todd Collins, Tryone Wheatley, Derrick Alexander, Jason Irons, Steve Morrison, and Buster Stanley do? Hung 28 points on the Suckeyes and defeated Cooper yet again and the mighty Suckeyes never even scored!
What about 1995: Tshimanga Biakabatuka rushes for 312 yards and the Wolverines defeated a heavily favored OSU team in the Big House.
And what about that OSU 1969 team that came into the Big House as a double digit favorite that was the undisputed National Champion 2 years running and they were upset by an upstart coach and a certain team of underachievers that had been destroyed by that same SUCKEYE squad the previous year by a score of 50-14?
What I am saying is: YOU NEED TO CONCEIVE IT AND BELIEVE!
“What the Mind can Conceive (and Believe), The Mind Can Achieve…And Those Who Stay Will Be CHAMPIONS!”
There are 85 Believers in Ann Arbor going through Thursday pre-game – practice activities this afternoon. There will be blood, sweat and tears from emotions running high.
Where do you stand?
What do you believe?
Can you see it in your mind’s eye?
Forcier playing with precision?
Graham getting to Pryor?
Brown blitzing like a mad man?
Somebody making a huge play on defense?
Huge plays on offense?
Do you see it?
Do you believe?
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Rich Rod or the “Case of the Misplaced Head Coach”
Before I started this entry, I wanted to figure out how things got so lost…How they got so out of control. But at the end, what does it really matter? We’re here, and we need to get out of here. So, how do we fix the problem? And if you’re reading this, I’ll warn you right now: You might not like what I conclude….
We hated Lloyd Carr and his conservative ways. We reviewed and hashed out missed plays or opportunities in losses over seasons from years gone by. We figure if WE had been coaching, we could have WON THAT GAME (HE lost)!
Well, we now know that it’s a little tougher. That Michigan doesn’t “recruit itself” and that you need to know a thing or two about X’s and O’s to win at this level. I can’t help but think that DeBord and English are selfishly smiling quietly to themselves at this point, gleefully watching as the Michigan Team crumbles into mediocrity. Silently thumbing their noses at the press and fans, thinking, “SEE! Told you so! We weren’t that bad.”
And you know what? They’re right. Those guys supported and coached their hearts out and maintained the Wolverine Football program in steady fashion. It might not have always been pretty, but it worked the majority of the time. But when it didn’t, it failed miserably.
Which means those two, or three, if you want to count Carr, were also wrong. Just because a system was working well, doesn’t mean that there isn’t a different way to do things. And sometimes different is better. But if you’re going to do it different, if you’re going to “take the plunge”, make sure you’re taking it with the right guy, the right personality to get you where you need to go. And I mean he has to be Teflon. He needs to deflect all the bullshit that’s going to come his way during the process.
I don’t know at this point if the Rod is the right guy for Michigan. But his current team of “Those Who Cannot” isn’t looking like it has a direction, a purpose, or any kind of mission to turn anything around any time soon. However, Rod is saying the right things. He’s fighting the good fight. But as Sean Connery said to Nicolas Cage in the movie, “The Rock”,
John Mason: Are you sure you're ready for this?
Stanley Goodspeed: I'll do my best.
John Mason: Your "best"!?!? Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen. Stanley Goodspeed: Carla was the prom queen.
John Mason: Really?
Stanley Goodspeed: [cocks his gun] Yeah.
So, just because the Rod is doing his best, I am not ready to hand over another two years without seeing something – ANYTHING – that would convince me that this team can do what it needs to do to take the reins of the Big 10 back over from, seemingly, everyone else. And, unfortunately, a bunch of close losses doesn’t convince me.
Fucking the Prom Queen would do it – In other words – Beat OSU.
But I can’t just can the guy. Not yet. For several reasons:
1. For those that want the Rod’s head RIGHT NOW, I have this to say: Who are you going to go get? Les Miles is gone. There is no Les Miles. Les Miles has history with Michigan that is good and bad and may be linked, in some weird twisted way, depending on what you read a believe, to a drunken night with Garry Moeller at the Excalibur…That bridge burned, fell and will be impossible to rebuild. It would be easier to make a clone of Les Miles and call him More Miles than it would be to get Les Miles to come to Michigan and for Michigan to accept him at this point in time.
2. Jim Harbaugh. Forget that pipe dream, too. Jim’s got attitude and that plays well when he’s your guy, but there have been too many off field (DUI-2005) and on field (Going for 2 up 48-21 against USC) incidents to let that go unnoticed. And he would really tick some people off if he were in Ann Arbor. But in Jim’s defense, when PC’s USC machines were trying to get BCS style points by destroying the lesser ability of the PAC 10, Stanford included, I am sure he didn’t build up a whole lot of sympathy. So, do unto others Pete....
3. After that, you’re back to a search. An ugly, unproductive search where we lose another two years getting rid of the recruits that were brought in to play in a system under one guy. The new guy will claim that the recruits the Rod brought in were too small, ill-equipped for HIS system, etc, etc, etc.
4. If you can even get any decent talent to TALK to you. Look at this from a candidate’s perspective: He sees a highly regarded coach get run after two years on the job. Now, he says to the new AD, “Look: I think it’s going to take at least 3 to 4 years for me to get my system in place. What guarantees do I have you’re not going to run me in two years?”
5. Wouldn’t it make you ill if RR left Michigan, went to some other big school and in two years built a wining program capable of competing on the National Scene? Wouldn’t it? Of course, I can play what if’s all day long and that’s not the point of this entry…
6. Here’s another reason:
The 2010 Season Schedule:
TEAM MMQ’s Prediction
Connecticut W
At DOMERS W – Clausen’s and offense is gone..CW, too
Massachusetts W
Bowling Green W
AT INDIANA W
Sparty Iffy - W
Iowa (Home Coming) Iffy
AT PENN STATE L
Illinois W
AT PURDUE Iffy
Wisconsin L
AT OSU L
Bowl ??????
Rich Rod was given the benefit of coming in on an even year, meaning, Lloyd probably knew the transition coach would have a bad season and he was therefore stuck with OSU, PSU and The Domers on the road – which is ideal for starting out. Guess what? Next year, any new guy would get the same big three: OSU, PSU and Domers on the road…Think anyone wants to come into THAT season as a first year coach with a questionable squad? I mean, hell, even PURDUE has won two straight on us and we have them late in the season away…Yeah, I know. Rich Rod might not do any better given these circumstances. But he’s made the bed. Let’s see if he can get busy in it…To coin a phrase.
7. And remember where I said no one is going to like me after this blog? Now, bear with me on this next part: If we give the Rod another year – next year, you’re going to have to automatically give him the 4th year as well. Before everyone starts ripping my head off, hear me out: If you can the guy after a hopefully mediocre (7-5) 3rd year that gets you to a bowl game, what then? Now, you look even worse than you did when you canned him after year two, right? He improved the program every year he was there, right? And you canned him? Of course, he will STILL NOT HAVE BEATEN OSU OR PSU in 3 tries.
8. Of course, if he doesn’t make a bowl, well, good riddance and Michigan is in deeper stink that I even want to think about at this point in time…
9. Which leads me to the counter point of why Michigan may need to can the man:
Maybe, just maybe, Rich Rodriguez ISN’T the right coach for this job. And I believe at the end of 4 years, you’re going to be able to make a much better decision on that than anyone can make right now. Unfortunately, with today’s guaranteed contracts and buy out clauses, both the university and the coach are literally, “All In”, to use a poker term and this year’s rallying cry for the Wolverines. It makes sense now, doesn’t it? Michigan pushed OUR money in the pot pre-flop and Rich is our hand. We’ve seen our hole cards and they were something like A-K suited – Great hand with HUGE potential, at least it seemed that way (Year 1). We’ve now seen the flop (Year 2) which didn’t hit us at all and was something like “5-7-no bowl” and now we need to catch up on the turn (a bowl game) and the river (BCS BOWL) in order to beat the other guy’s pair of deuces. It’s not impossible, but the odds are stacked against The Rod at this point. Michigan pushed and they have to finish the hand…
Another parallel, unfortunately, is the DOMERS (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!) and what they did initially with Bob Davie, how abruptly they acted with Tyrone Willingham, and how patient they were – or have been, rightly or not – with Wide End. The Domers now know that any move in the future needs to be carefully calculated, thought out, and can’t just be handed over to the “best candidate” available at that time. It’s not like hiring for other positions in a university.
What do I mean but not giving it to the “Best Name Available”? Football, like a lot of sports, is tradition rich and it helps to have people and players that are schooled in that tradition. And they in turn hand that tradition down to the generations that come after them, educating them on the rivalries and the emotions with playing for a university and a program like Michigan. That’s why I was VERY NERVOUS to bring in a Non-Michigan Man to run this program. I could have cared less if he started playing the spread on offense, a 3-4, 4-3, 5-2 or 1-2-3-4 and do-si-do out the door on defense….What I wanted was the importance of why you put that number on every game day and what it means for you to wear it…How you carry the traditions of every player to wear the number 1 – Carter, Edwards, McMurtry and others…Or how number 2 has become symbolic with excellence and toughness on defense – Woodson, and Walter Smith…That responsibility when taught from the coaches and handed down by the players starts to mean something in the 4 or 5 years you’re with the program. And it becomes a very powerful motivational tool. Ask Bo Schembechler (who’s rolling over multiple times at this point) what the power of knowing everyone’s name of the person that wore the Jersey number before you. You have to carry on that tradition. You are responsible. And therefore, motivated.
That was my biggest fear. Because when a bad season comes along, and they will, you at least have the tradition to fall back on – the heritage of those who went before you and when you pull that winged helmet on, you understand that you are among the “Leaders and the Best”. And maybe the Rod hasn’t gotten that part yet. He was blind to it and just didn’t get it. He claims he knows and he understands, but really, does he?
So, back to the moral of the story: If Rich isn’t the guy, and I am not saying he is or he isn’t at this point, but if he isn’t, then who is?
That may be a question that remains for the next AD to decide, or maybe the Rod finds religion and gets the players he needs to turn the Titanic around…
And I do mean Titanic. This program is on a course for somewhere – destiny TBD and Rich Rod is the captain of that ship. Anyone who comes in now is going to have a lot of work to do. If Rod can somehow make it all work, so be it. If not, Michigan is in desperate times indeed.
I am not saying that a BCS bowl game is 10 years in the offing, but unless something changes, it’s going to start feeling like it.
We hated Lloyd Carr and his conservative ways. We reviewed and hashed out missed plays or opportunities in losses over seasons from years gone by. We figure if WE had been coaching, we could have WON THAT GAME (HE lost)!
Well, we now know that it’s a little tougher. That Michigan doesn’t “recruit itself” and that you need to know a thing or two about X’s and O’s to win at this level. I can’t help but think that DeBord and English are selfishly smiling quietly to themselves at this point, gleefully watching as the Michigan Team crumbles into mediocrity. Silently thumbing their noses at the press and fans, thinking, “SEE! Told you so! We weren’t that bad.”
And you know what? They’re right. Those guys supported and coached their hearts out and maintained the Wolverine Football program in steady fashion. It might not have always been pretty, but it worked the majority of the time. But when it didn’t, it failed miserably.
Which means those two, or three, if you want to count Carr, were also wrong. Just because a system was working well, doesn’t mean that there isn’t a different way to do things. And sometimes different is better. But if you’re going to do it different, if you’re going to “take the plunge”, make sure you’re taking it with the right guy, the right personality to get you where you need to go. And I mean he has to be Teflon. He needs to deflect all the bullshit that’s going to come his way during the process.
I don’t know at this point if the Rod is the right guy for Michigan. But his current team of “Those Who Cannot” isn’t looking like it has a direction, a purpose, or any kind of mission to turn anything around any time soon. However, Rod is saying the right things. He’s fighting the good fight. But as Sean Connery said to Nicolas Cage in the movie, “The Rock”,
John Mason: Are you sure you're ready for this?
Stanley Goodspeed: I'll do my best.
John Mason: Your "best"!?!? Losers always whine about their best. Winners go home and fuck the prom queen. Stanley Goodspeed: Carla was the prom queen.
John Mason: Really?
Stanley Goodspeed: [cocks his gun] Yeah.
So, just because the Rod is doing his best, I am not ready to hand over another two years without seeing something – ANYTHING – that would convince me that this team can do what it needs to do to take the reins of the Big 10 back over from, seemingly, everyone else. And, unfortunately, a bunch of close losses doesn’t convince me.
Fucking the Prom Queen would do it – In other words – Beat OSU.
But I can’t just can the guy. Not yet. For several reasons:
1. For those that want the Rod’s head RIGHT NOW, I have this to say: Who are you going to go get? Les Miles is gone. There is no Les Miles. Les Miles has history with Michigan that is good and bad and may be linked, in some weird twisted way, depending on what you read a believe, to a drunken night with Garry Moeller at the Excalibur…That bridge burned, fell and will be impossible to rebuild. It would be easier to make a clone of Les Miles and call him More Miles than it would be to get Les Miles to come to Michigan and for Michigan to accept him at this point in time.
2. Jim Harbaugh. Forget that pipe dream, too. Jim’s got attitude and that plays well when he’s your guy, but there have been too many off field (DUI-2005) and on field (Going for 2 up 48-21 against USC) incidents to let that go unnoticed. And he would really tick some people off if he were in Ann Arbor. But in Jim’s defense, when PC’s USC machines were trying to get BCS style points by destroying the lesser ability of the PAC 10, Stanford included, I am sure he didn’t build up a whole lot of sympathy. So, do unto others Pete....
3. After that, you’re back to a search. An ugly, unproductive search where we lose another two years getting rid of the recruits that were brought in to play in a system under one guy. The new guy will claim that the recruits the Rod brought in were too small, ill-equipped for HIS system, etc, etc, etc.
4. If you can even get any decent talent to TALK to you. Look at this from a candidate’s perspective: He sees a highly regarded coach get run after two years on the job. Now, he says to the new AD, “Look: I think it’s going to take at least 3 to 4 years for me to get my system in place. What guarantees do I have you’re not going to run me in two years?”
5. Wouldn’t it make you ill if RR left Michigan, went to some other big school and in two years built a wining program capable of competing on the National Scene? Wouldn’t it? Of course, I can play what if’s all day long and that’s not the point of this entry…
6. Here’s another reason:
The 2010 Season Schedule:
TEAM MMQ’s Prediction
Connecticut W
At DOMERS W – Clausen’s and offense is gone..CW, too
Massachusetts W
Bowling Green W
AT INDIANA W
Sparty Iffy - W
Iowa (Home Coming) Iffy
AT PENN STATE L
Illinois W
AT PURDUE Iffy
Wisconsin L
AT OSU L
Bowl ??????
Rich Rod was given the benefit of coming in on an even year, meaning, Lloyd probably knew the transition coach would have a bad season and he was therefore stuck with OSU, PSU and The Domers on the road – which is ideal for starting out. Guess what? Next year, any new guy would get the same big three: OSU, PSU and Domers on the road…Think anyone wants to come into THAT season as a first year coach with a questionable squad? I mean, hell, even PURDUE has won two straight on us and we have them late in the season away…Yeah, I know. Rich Rod might not do any better given these circumstances. But he’s made the bed. Let’s see if he can get busy in it…To coin a phrase.
7. And remember where I said no one is going to like me after this blog? Now, bear with me on this next part: If we give the Rod another year – next year, you’re going to have to automatically give him the 4th year as well. Before everyone starts ripping my head off, hear me out: If you can the guy after a hopefully mediocre (7-5) 3rd year that gets you to a bowl game, what then? Now, you look even worse than you did when you canned him after year two, right? He improved the program every year he was there, right? And you canned him? Of course, he will STILL NOT HAVE BEATEN OSU OR PSU in 3 tries.
8. Of course, if he doesn’t make a bowl, well, good riddance and Michigan is in deeper stink that I even want to think about at this point in time…
9. Which leads me to the counter point of why Michigan may need to can the man:
Maybe, just maybe, Rich Rodriguez ISN’T the right coach for this job. And I believe at the end of 4 years, you’re going to be able to make a much better decision on that than anyone can make right now. Unfortunately, with today’s guaranteed contracts and buy out clauses, both the university and the coach are literally, “All In”, to use a poker term and this year’s rallying cry for the Wolverines. It makes sense now, doesn’t it? Michigan pushed OUR money in the pot pre-flop and Rich is our hand. We’ve seen our hole cards and they were something like A-K suited – Great hand with HUGE potential, at least it seemed that way (Year 1). We’ve now seen the flop (Year 2) which didn’t hit us at all and was something like “5-7-no bowl” and now we need to catch up on the turn (a bowl game) and the river (BCS BOWL) in order to beat the other guy’s pair of deuces. It’s not impossible, but the odds are stacked against The Rod at this point. Michigan pushed and they have to finish the hand…
Another parallel, unfortunately, is the DOMERS (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!) and what they did initially with Bob Davie, how abruptly they acted with Tyrone Willingham, and how patient they were – or have been, rightly or not – with Wide End. The Domers now know that any move in the future needs to be carefully calculated, thought out, and can’t just be handed over to the “best candidate” available at that time. It’s not like hiring for other positions in a university.
What do I mean but not giving it to the “Best Name Available”? Football, like a lot of sports, is tradition rich and it helps to have people and players that are schooled in that tradition. And they in turn hand that tradition down to the generations that come after them, educating them on the rivalries and the emotions with playing for a university and a program like Michigan. That’s why I was VERY NERVOUS to bring in a Non-Michigan Man to run this program. I could have cared less if he started playing the spread on offense, a 3-4, 4-3, 5-2 or 1-2-3-4 and do-si-do out the door on defense….What I wanted was the importance of why you put that number on every game day and what it means for you to wear it…How you carry the traditions of every player to wear the number 1 – Carter, Edwards, McMurtry and others…Or how number 2 has become symbolic with excellence and toughness on defense – Woodson, and Walter Smith…That responsibility when taught from the coaches and handed down by the players starts to mean something in the 4 or 5 years you’re with the program. And it becomes a very powerful motivational tool. Ask Bo Schembechler (who’s rolling over multiple times at this point) what the power of knowing everyone’s name of the person that wore the Jersey number before you. You have to carry on that tradition. You are responsible. And therefore, motivated.
That was my biggest fear. Because when a bad season comes along, and they will, you at least have the tradition to fall back on – the heritage of those who went before you and when you pull that winged helmet on, you understand that you are among the “Leaders and the Best”. And maybe the Rod hasn’t gotten that part yet. He was blind to it and just didn’t get it. He claims he knows and he understands, but really, does he?
So, back to the moral of the story: If Rich isn’t the guy, and I am not saying he is or he isn’t at this point, but if he isn’t, then who is?
That may be a question that remains for the next AD to decide, or maybe the Rod finds religion and gets the players he needs to turn the Titanic around…
And I do mean Titanic. This program is on a course for somewhere – destiny TBD and Rich Rod is the captain of that ship. Anyone who comes in now is going to have a lot of work to do. If Rod can somehow make it all work, so be it. If not, Michigan is in desperate times indeed.
I am not saying that a BCS bowl game is 10 years in the offing, but unless something changes, it’s going to start feeling like it.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Cheese (head) Whiz......
You know, if I ever thought I would have lived long enough to see a total of 8 “Those Who Cannot” wins over two seasons for a grand total…I would have said you were nuts. I lived through the first “horror” of 6-6 in 1984 and it was enough to last a lifetime. Not to mention the 7-4 campaigns in the early 90’s…. I can’t imagine living through something like what is going on right now as a younger fan. My patience and attitude would be much different then from I am feeling with the current regime.
When I started this e-mail some 12 years ago that became a blog a couple of years ago, it was admittedly a lot more fun. I cheered. I complained. And in general, I believed.
Here’s the funny thing: I still do. Really. Like it or not. I believe we have the best coach that we can have at this point in time doing everything he can do to make this team better. Whether or not he can accomplish that and whether or not he has the right talent in here that can compete at the Big 10 level is another question altogether, but right now, it’s what we’ve got. And we have to be patient and let him get the personnel in hear that he needs to execute. Firing Robinson won’t solve anything, either. Getting better players that can mange the system will probably help. So go get them.
If you watch this team only in the first half, you begin to think they can actually play this game. Then the 2nd half starts…I really can’t begin to describe what happens, how it happens, or when it happens. It just happens.
It’s sad to see a wasted season for Brandon Graham. I think he is at least a 1st round pick on a team of never to be drafted players. Unless a whole bunch of people get a whole lot better really fast.
I wasn’t going to go into the coaching review until the end of the season as you probably aren’t going to like what I have to say, anyway. But, just to touch on it: The Rod is not our problem. Robinson is not our problem. Our problem lies in the fact that there was a “lame duck” head coach in the front office who thought he could get away with putting less effort into his final 2 years based on the juniors and seniors that he had. And he has laid before you the fruits of those efforts under the current coaching staff for all to see.
That Coach lost to App State – still think that doesn’t sting? That coach also hadn’t beaten OSU in 5 tries – it’s been since 2003, kiddies…. Folks, something was way wrong with this team long before the Rod got here. Granted, 2006 was a special time. When everything lined up and we thought we were on the verge of greatness, only to trip and fail miserably at OSU and then against USC.
That coach let defensive issues go unaddressed or was unable to address them in a timely manner with appropriate players. And when the time came to hand over the reins, well, the cupboard was indeed bare. So bare in fact that 85% of the scholarship players on “Those Who Cannot”s team are freshmen and sophomores…Not a winning combination.
Talk about firing the Rod all you want, but at the end of the day, they guy we should have been scrutinizing a whole lot closer was a coach who accomplished a great deal in his tenure and we gave him the benefit of the doubt. And maybe we shouldn’t have. We should have been a whole lot tougher on Lloyd Carr than we were…And NOW we’re paying the price.
Give the Rod your patience. I know everyone wants his head on a platter, but what will that solve?
When I started this e-mail some 12 years ago that became a blog a couple of years ago, it was admittedly a lot more fun. I cheered. I complained. And in general, I believed.
Here’s the funny thing: I still do. Really. Like it or not. I believe we have the best coach that we can have at this point in time doing everything he can do to make this team better. Whether or not he can accomplish that and whether or not he has the right talent in here that can compete at the Big 10 level is another question altogether, but right now, it’s what we’ve got. And we have to be patient and let him get the personnel in hear that he needs to execute. Firing Robinson won’t solve anything, either. Getting better players that can mange the system will probably help. So go get them.
If you watch this team only in the first half, you begin to think they can actually play this game. Then the 2nd half starts…I really can’t begin to describe what happens, how it happens, or when it happens. It just happens.
It’s sad to see a wasted season for Brandon Graham. I think he is at least a 1st round pick on a team of never to be drafted players. Unless a whole bunch of people get a whole lot better really fast.
I wasn’t going to go into the coaching review until the end of the season as you probably aren’t going to like what I have to say, anyway. But, just to touch on it: The Rod is not our problem. Robinson is not our problem. Our problem lies in the fact that there was a “lame duck” head coach in the front office who thought he could get away with putting less effort into his final 2 years based on the juniors and seniors that he had. And he has laid before you the fruits of those efforts under the current coaching staff for all to see.
That Coach lost to App State – still think that doesn’t sting? That coach also hadn’t beaten OSU in 5 tries – it’s been since 2003, kiddies…. Folks, something was way wrong with this team long before the Rod got here. Granted, 2006 was a special time. When everything lined up and we thought we were on the verge of greatness, only to trip and fail miserably at OSU and then against USC.
That coach let defensive issues go unaddressed or was unable to address them in a timely manner with appropriate players. And when the time came to hand over the reins, well, the cupboard was indeed bare. So bare in fact that 85% of the scholarship players on “Those Who Cannot”s team are freshmen and sophomores…Not a winning combination.
Talk about firing the Rod all you want, but at the end of the day, they guy we should have been scrutinizing a whole lot closer was a coach who accomplished a great deal in his tenure and we gave him the benefit of the doubt. And maybe we shouldn’t have. We should have been a whole lot tougher on Lloyd Carr than we were…And NOW we’re paying the price.
Give the Rod your patience. I know everyone wants his head on a platter, but what will that solve?
I was going to comment on the CARA development, but time and space prohibits it at this point in time...Maybe Rich is gone after all. That would be "cause" and we all know what THAT means...
The Ledge – or the Race to 6-6…Sparty Wins!
THOSE WHO CANNOT Reasons to put ONE FOOT ON THE LEDGE AND THE OTHER STEPPING OUT INTO THE ABYSS AS WE BEGIN TO TEETER AND BEGIN THE PLUNGE:
1. Defense…Offense…no sense
2. OSU Home – We’ll be up, but so will they.
THOSE WHO CANNOT Reasons to pull one foot Off the Ledge:
1. It’s OSU….DO YOU BELIEVE?
THE REST OF THE MESS
The New Theme of the Rest of the Mess:
“Schadenfreude” - A German term for "shameful joy", taking pleasure in the suffering of others.
DOMERS (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS) vs. PITT: Hee-hee….HAHAHAHA!.... Schadenfreude. I thought Domers might pull out the victory and save Wide End’s job…But now it looks like their really isn’t much that can save Wuzzles except that big, fat, buy out in his contract. Yeah, keep telling me that doesn’t matter. If Losingham would have negotiated better, he would still be there today, also. MY guess is they let him coach through the bowl, regardless of what happens in the next two games. Of which, I think they can only - maybe – win one. Regardless, Wuzzles sealed his fate on Saturday at 7:00 PM or there about. Actually, Brian Kelly might have done it the night before when his Cincinnati team beat WVU….
SPARTY vs. Spoilers: One of the best games of the day. Sparty tried and tried to lose it and ended up winning by default.
WVU vs. Cincinnati: Not a chance with WVU here. Granted, it was a close game, but the Domer’s next head coach managed the win just fine.
Cremesicles vs. Ole Miss: Lane Kiffin still isn’t sure what league he’s coaching in if he thinks he can coast on some teams…It’s the SEC Lane. You gotta show up every week.
Yellow Jackets at the Blue Devils: I’m a Wrambling Wreck from Georgia Tech and I drink My Whiskey Clear! I am actually liking GT. Could be a difficult bowl opponent for somebody.
IU vs. PSU: So close, and yet so far.
Stanford vs. Southern Cal: Schadenfreude. Pete Carrol’s preferential treatment of getting inside the velvet ropes at all the LA hotspots is done for this year. He knows what USC fans have come to expect, and he’s not delivering. Please check last week’s preview: Wait a minute – The team that Beat the Ducks is GETTING 11 from the team that lost to the Ducks? Has Vegas lost their minds or do they know something that I don’t? - Yeah, I don’t THINK so…Vegas has lost their minds and your MMQ called this one. Of course, I just wish I hadn’t called that Domer game….
IOWA vs. OSU: Wow. I really thought Iowa might pull it off…This would have been Ultra Schadenfreude. Unfortunately, we have to listen to the south of the border bucktards for another year.
Cornsuckers at Kansas: Cornsuckers are proving themselves worthy.
GATORLAND vs. The Ole Ball Coach: This could be a fate sealing game for Spurrier…He has to be tired of losing to his alma mater.
Auburn vs. Georgia: This could drive another spike in Richy Rich’s coffin…WAIT A MINUTE! The Puppy Dawgs find their cajones and pull off the victory! Not bad….
Texas AM vs. LATERS: Heh, heh….Your MMQ kind of blew this one. I am glad I didn’t take it as a betting game…Ahem…
$atan’s Warriors vs. Miss State: $atan’s Warriors stay on track to the title game…
Idle Thoughts From Saturday
1. Well, you know…Do I need to type it?
2. Yeah, I do. It’s cathartic…WE SUCK!
3. There. I feel better.
4 No, I really don’t…..
5. Sparty is starting to figure out how to win close games. It only took them forever.
6. Come on Iowa!...God, I am rooting for the children of the corn.
7. But I would rather have OSU off a victory, if there’s any chance.
8. I know, there’s no chance. But they have to play the game.
9. Of course, that might be worse. If I just take the loss, it’s another loss.
10. Playing could be greater humiliation than I can stand.
11. What REALLY happened to Michigan?
12. Firing The Rod does what, exactly?
13. Do you want to be in the same spot again in two years time?
14. Of course, I guess the Domers thought they had the answer when Wide End won early…and five years later, they’re still a 6-6 or 7-5 team…
15. Maybe great things will come in time?
16. I believe, I believe, I believe…..Just like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.
17. In what, I can’t really say for sure…Track records, desire to prove the world wrong, The Rod becoming infected with the Wolverine Pride.
18. Someone PLEASE explain to the Rod that you can win this game with desire.
19. I wonder what coach will “Wake Up The Echoes…..”
20. BK makes sense. It really does
21. Will “makes sense” and “Those Who Cannot” ever fall in the same sentence again?
The Hot Seat
Seeing as how we must have a lot of Sports Fans that read the Ole MMQ and you can’t seem to shake the image of Erin Andrews in her underwear, I have decided to pull out all the stops and see if we can’t somehow make it a race going into the end of the season for the Hot Seat Mascot of The Year. And, in order to do that and to make the voting tougher, well, we have to bring in the Big Guns. Without further ado, this week’s Hot Seat Mascot: Cindy Margolis!
The Ledge – or the Race to 6-6…Sparty Wins!
THOSE WHO CANNOT Reasons to put ONE FOOT ON THE LEDGE AND THE OTHER STEPPING OUT INTO THE ABYSS AS WE BEGIN TO TEETER AND BEGIN THE PLUNGE:
1. Defense…Offense…no sense
2. OSU Home – We’ll be up, but so will they.
THOSE WHO CANNOT Reasons to pull one foot Off the Ledge:
1. It’s OSU….DO YOU BELIEVE?
THE REST OF THE MESS
The New Theme of the Rest of the Mess:
“Schadenfreude” - A German term for "shameful joy", taking pleasure in the suffering of others.
DOMERS (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS) vs. PITT: Hee-hee….HAHAHAHA!.... Schadenfreude. I thought Domers might pull out the victory and save Wide End’s job…But now it looks like their really isn’t much that can save Wuzzles except that big, fat, buy out in his contract. Yeah, keep telling me that doesn’t matter. If Losingham would have negotiated better, he would still be there today, also. MY guess is they let him coach through the bowl, regardless of what happens in the next two games. Of which, I think they can only - maybe – win one. Regardless, Wuzzles sealed his fate on Saturday at 7:00 PM or there about. Actually, Brian Kelly might have done it the night before when his Cincinnati team beat WVU….
SPARTY vs. Spoilers: One of the best games of the day. Sparty tried and tried to lose it and ended up winning by default.
WVU vs. Cincinnati: Not a chance with WVU here. Granted, it was a close game, but the Domer’s next head coach managed the win just fine.
Cremesicles vs. Ole Miss: Lane Kiffin still isn’t sure what league he’s coaching in if he thinks he can coast on some teams…It’s the SEC Lane. You gotta show up every week.
Yellow Jackets at the Blue Devils: I’m a Wrambling Wreck from Georgia Tech and I drink My Whiskey Clear! I am actually liking GT. Could be a difficult bowl opponent for somebody.
IU vs. PSU: So close, and yet so far.
Stanford vs. Southern Cal: Schadenfreude. Pete Carrol’s preferential treatment of getting inside the velvet ropes at all the LA hotspots is done for this year. He knows what USC fans have come to expect, and he’s not delivering. Please check last week’s preview: Wait a minute – The team that Beat the Ducks is GETTING 11 from the team that lost to the Ducks? Has Vegas lost their minds or do they know something that I don’t? - Yeah, I don’t THINK so…Vegas has lost their minds and your MMQ called this one. Of course, I just wish I hadn’t called that Domer game….
IOWA vs. OSU: Wow. I really thought Iowa might pull it off…This would have been Ultra Schadenfreude. Unfortunately, we have to listen to the south of the border bucktards for another year.
Cornsuckers at Kansas: Cornsuckers are proving themselves worthy.
GATORLAND vs. The Ole Ball Coach: This could be a fate sealing game for Spurrier…He has to be tired of losing to his alma mater.
Auburn vs. Georgia: This could drive another spike in Richy Rich’s coffin…WAIT A MINUTE! The Puppy Dawgs find their cajones and pull off the victory! Not bad….
Texas AM vs. LATERS: Heh, heh….Your MMQ kind of blew this one. I am glad I didn’t take it as a betting game…Ahem…
$atan’s Warriors vs. Miss State: $atan’s Warriors stay on track to the title game…
Idle Thoughts From Saturday
1. Well, you know…Do I need to type it?
2. Yeah, I do. It’s cathartic…WE SUCK!
3. There. I feel better.
4 No, I really don’t…..
5. Sparty is starting to figure out how to win close games. It only took them forever.
6. Come on Iowa!...God, I am rooting for the children of the corn.
7. But I would rather have OSU off a victory, if there’s any chance.
8. I know, there’s no chance. But they have to play the game.
9. Of course, that might be worse. If I just take the loss, it’s another loss.
10. Playing could be greater humiliation than I can stand.
11. What REALLY happened to Michigan?
12. Firing The Rod does what, exactly?
13. Do you want to be in the same spot again in two years time?
14. Of course, I guess the Domers thought they had the answer when Wide End won early…and five years later, they’re still a 6-6 or 7-5 team…
15. Maybe great things will come in time?
16. I believe, I believe, I believe…..Just like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.
17. In what, I can’t really say for sure…Track records, desire to prove the world wrong, The Rod becoming infected with the Wolverine Pride.
18. Someone PLEASE explain to the Rod that you can win this game with desire.
19. I wonder what coach will “Wake Up The Echoes…..”
20. BK makes sense. It really does
21. Will “makes sense” and “Those Who Cannot” ever fall in the same sentence again?
The Hot Seat
Seeing as how we must have a lot of Sports Fans that read the Ole MMQ and you can’t seem to shake the image of Erin Andrews in her underwear, I have decided to pull out all the stops and see if we can’t somehow make it a race going into the end of the season for the Hot Seat Mascot of The Year. And, in order to do that and to make the voting tougher, well, we have to bring in the Big Guns. Without further ado, this week’s Hot Seat Mascot: Cindy Margolis!
Now, if this doesn't beat Erin Andrews, I guess we just name Erin the Annual Hot Seat Mascot and I will ask you all to send your best photos of Erin in for the remainder of the year!
DON’T FORGET! You can vote for the Annual Hot Seat Mascot! Pick the Hot Seat Mascot that you think should be the Hot Seat Mascot of the Year. If you can’t decide on one, that’s okay. You can vote for multiple Mascots Every Week. I will post the Leader in the Vote getting on the Side Bar.
HOT SEAT RANK
We have had a number of minor dismissals already (Western Kentucky, Mid Tenn State), but the MMQ has decided that we are only going to track the big names. And I am sure that we are going to see some shake-ups this year…
1. Wuzzles – Oh Charlie…We’ll miss you at Michigan…We really will.
2. Rich Rod – He’s not getting canned, but the Flame is on HIGH - especially after the CARA deal.
3. Bobby Bowden – one last gasp…
4. Al Groh – Virgina isn’t going anywhere – he’s toast.
5. The Ole Ball Coach – Sigh…Whatever happened to fun ole Steve?
6. Richy Rich –He’ll survive, but you just don’t want his job right now.
GETTING COOLER
Zookie – I guess he’s here till season end
THIS WEEK
THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHTS!
Colorado vs. Okie State – It’s on, I’ll watch, but I don’t know why….
Every Day Should Be Saturday
The Big Game: There is only one Game. It’s us vs. The Evil Vested Empire…
Tex Tech vs. Laters: Stoops might get upset one more time? Maybe?
Uconn at DOMERS: Uh-oh…The Save Charlie’s Job push will be even stronger this week. Too much, too little, too late?
PSU vs. SPARTY: Okay, Sparty. Do you want to play in Detroit? Or Florida? Or Texas? That’s worth playing for….
LMU vs. Ole Miss: LMU better look out. Ole Miss is playing for Bowl Position.
UPSET ALERT:
Your MMQ was 1-1 this week…Lover the Cardinal – JEEZ I HATE THE DOMERS!. Just when I thought you would come out and play for your coach….
Hmm….There just aren’t any upsets that look appealing to me this week…There was one I had in mind, but Sparty needs to play hard at home. I can’t go there, not yet, anyway. But this will be the first of a couple of posts this week, so I might predict an upset later.
Friday, November 13, 2009
The BCS Mess - 2009 Re-Dux
I know everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE, that follows college football has an opinion on the BCS. There are very few, IMO, that come down of the favorable side of the BCS equation. That is, if I were to poll 100 different people to give me a thumbs up or down on the BCS, I would more than likely get 98 thumbs down. The two thumbs up would be from either Florida, Texas, or Alabama fans - or whomever makes it into the title game that particular year.
Without looking, what do all these teams have in common?
Cincinnati
TCU
Boise State
Georgia Tech
OSU
Pitt
USC
LSU
Houston
Iowa
They are all in the top 12 of the nation and are out of the National Chamionship “race”, as it is referred to in the mainstream media as the “BCS” Title Game. It is already a foregone conclusion that Florida or Alabama will be in the game, and all the games have not been played. Texas is the de-facto pre-ordained opponent and will get the honor of going up against the SEC…
Not a problem, you say? Than you are in the minority of football fans that would like to see a play off. What if you were one of the teams above that has an undefeated or one loss record (and even two in a tough conference) that would like to settle it all on the field? Would that NOT be an opportunity worth playing for? Wouldn’t that keep the interest in the season alive?
But our system doesn’t have that. And here’s the real rub:
A one loss team to an undefeated team will not get a shot at the national title – nor will the undefeated team- based on the fact of where they began the season in the National Rankings. Two years ago, a 2 loss LSU team got a shot at the title and beat OSU – Why? Because LSU started out on top of the pre-season polls and never slipped out of the top 7 in the rankings.
Let me make this next part perfectly clear: I am not, if you are a Gatorland, Short Horn, or $atan’s Warriors fan, taking anything away from what you have or will accomplish this season. In fact – kudos – you have all done a great job. Even lowly Big 10 contender Iowa deserves some credit. They simply did what they could do with the opponents they were given. Win all or most of their games. They also deserve that shot at the title.
What irritates me is that I think, once again, based on where teams started in the pre-season rankings, there is going to be a major injustice done to teams in the college football world in the day and age where there doesn’t have to be this impractical selection, voting, and ranking process to determine a National Champion.
Some day, before I die of old age, I would like to be able to bounce a grandchild on my knee and tell them how NCAA FBS Football used to be – and how it finally changed for the better. However, in order for that to happen, we need some common sense and logic to address this issue.
Can the NCAA PLEASE figure out a reasonable way to have a FBS Championship that would make sense and be fair to all those involved? How difficult would it be?
The MMQ has offered a solution before and until I see something better or more logical, I still think it’s the next best thing to what we have in place right now.
Short Term Solution – Within two years:
1. Take the champions of the Big 6 Super conferences: Pac 10, Big 12, Big 10, SEC, Big East, and ACC and give them an automatic bid.
2. Allow the next two highest ranked teams into the play-off and seed them accordingly.
3. In two weeks - 4 games the first weekend and two games the second weekend – you will have your Championship Teams.
4. You will have added two more games to two teams’ schedules.
5. If that bothers you, eliminate the 12th, meaningless game that everyone plays right now- which is a segue to my long term solution.
Long Term Solution – Within the next 5 years:
1. The Big Ten and Pac 10 needs to add a team and two teams, respectively.
2. DAMN YOU DOMERS - JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS! Must finally get off their stupid pedestal and join the Big 10 (11).
3. If not the Domers, we will balance out the MAC to12 teams vs.13 and get one of them to join.
4. Notre Dame can take their chances trying to schedule anyone that’s left worth scheduling that isn’t in an automatic bid conference.
5. Combine the Weak East and C-USA and make a Big East 12 team conference.
6. Take any teams that you pilfer from C-USA from the Sunbelt or MAC Conference and keep them at 12 teams. Pac 12, Big East, and Big 10 will need to add Conference Championship Game.
7. Bids to the Playoff: Win your conference or, win your conference Championship.
That would make 14 automatic bids of the so-called "SUPER CONFERENCES" Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Big 12, PAC 10, Conference USA and Big East.
8. If those bids overlap, meaning the Regular season Champion and the Championship Game winner are the same, go with the 2nd place conference finisher.
9. NO MORE PRESEASON CRAP AGAINST DIVISION 1AA or anyone else.... Everyone plays everyone in their conference - Round Robin – 11 games.
10. So, in a 12 team conference you would have an 11 game season, everyone plays everyone (AND SEASON TICKET HOLDERS DON'T GET STUCK WATCHING A DELEWARE STATE GAME IN OCTOBER)...
11. Let the next 2 ranked teams that are not already in that equation into the Play-Off and seed them accordingly.
12. This will most likely be an at large team that is not the Domers because they won’t have played anyone that matters.
13. You play at the Home Field of the team with the better record. (Bring ‘em up north, boys and girls!)
14. If you have an identical record, a coin flip will determine home field.
15. In three weeks, you will have your two championship teams - 8 games the first weekend, 4 games the second weekend, and 2 games the 3rd weekend of December.
Drawbacks:
We lose some “classic” rivalries, particularly with the DOMERS (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS) and their USC, ACC, and Big East games. I don’t know how to address that. But my guess is they will be happy to stop getting their collective butts handed to them by several of those teams.
Smaller schools won’t be able to play in the large stadiums for the athletic department saving paycheck that they have come to enjoy. In a way, I would like to address that issue, but I can’t think of anything feasible with one exception:
-Allow big schools to schedule a “pre-season” warm up game against FCS (D-II) opponents.
-These games will not count towards won-loss records.
-They should be held prior to Labor Day and fans shouldn’t have to pay as much for the game…(Yeah, I know. Like THAT would ever happen)
That's it. In January you will crown the champion. About the same amount of time that usually transpires after the last season game. You will not be interfering with classes or finals for all but 4 teams. I think those schools will be able to manage that. The Conference Championships end on Thanksgiving weekend. That will be the 12th game for 14 teams. You will be adding up to 3 games for two teams, which does seem like a lot for college. But, I think they will say it’s worth it. God knows the AD’s will love the extra revenue.
The entire month of December will be for the play off games. You can still qualify for Bowls like you did before. Granted, you might not know where the last few play off teams are going until mid December, but that’s manageable.
And The SEC just might have to travel to the Big House or some other Cold, Barren, PERHAPS SNOWY locale to play a game. Then we'll see who the tough teams are.Losses will mean less - assuming of course that you win the Championship Game or have the regular season best Record, and a non-conference loss will be non-existent. Is there a simpler solution?????? I can't think of one....But I am willing to entertain ideas....
Without looking, what do all these teams have in common?
Cincinnati
TCU
Boise State
Georgia Tech
OSU
Pitt
USC
LSU
Houston
Iowa
They are all in the top 12 of the nation and are out of the National Chamionship “race”, as it is referred to in the mainstream media as the “BCS” Title Game. It is already a foregone conclusion that Florida or Alabama will be in the game, and all the games have not been played. Texas is the de-facto pre-ordained opponent and will get the honor of going up against the SEC…
Not a problem, you say? Than you are in the minority of football fans that would like to see a play off. What if you were one of the teams above that has an undefeated or one loss record (and even two in a tough conference) that would like to settle it all on the field? Would that NOT be an opportunity worth playing for? Wouldn’t that keep the interest in the season alive?
But our system doesn’t have that. And here’s the real rub:
A one loss team to an undefeated team will not get a shot at the national title – nor will the undefeated team- based on the fact of where they began the season in the National Rankings. Two years ago, a 2 loss LSU team got a shot at the title and beat OSU – Why? Because LSU started out on top of the pre-season polls and never slipped out of the top 7 in the rankings.
Let me make this next part perfectly clear: I am not, if you are a Gatorland, Short Horn, or $atan’s Warriors fan, taking anything away from what you have or will accomplish this season. In fact – kudos – you have all done a great job. Even lowly Big 10 contender Iowa deserves some credit. They simply did what they could do with the opponents they were given. Win all or most of their games. They also deserve that shot at the title.
What irritates me is that I think, once again, based on where teams started in the pre-season rankings, there is going to be a major injustice done to teams in the college football world in the day and age where there doesn’t have to be this impractical selection, voting, and ranking process to determine a National Champion.
Some day, before I die of old age, I would like to be able to bounce a grandchild on my knee and tell them how NCAA FBS Football used to be – and how it finally changed for the better. However, in order for that to happen, we need some common sense and logic to address this issue.
Can the NCAA PLEASE figure out a reasonable way to have a FBS Championship that would make sense and be fair to all those involved? How difficult would it be?
The MMQ has offered a solution before and until I see something better or more logical, I still think it’s the next best thing to what we have in place right now.
Short Term Solution – Within two years:
1. Take the champions of the Big 6 Super conferences: Pac 10, Big 12, Big 10, SEC, Big East, and ACC and give them an automatic bid.
2. Allow the next two highest ranked teams into the play-off and seed them accordingly.
3. In two weeks - 4 games the first weekend and two games the second weekend – you will have your Championship Teams.
4. You will have added two more games to two teams’ schedules.
5. If that bothers you, eliminate the 12th, meaningless game that everyone plays right now- which is a segue to my long term solution.
Long Term Solution – Within the next 5 years:
1. The Big Ten and Pac 10 needs to add a team and two teams, respectively.
2. DAMN YOU DOMERS - JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS! Must finally get off their stupid pedestal and join the Big 10 (11).
3. If not the Domers, we will balance out the MAC to12 teams vs.13 and get one of them to join.
4. Notre Dame can take their chances trying to schedule anyone that’s left worth scheduling that isn’t in an automatic bid conference.
5. Combine the Weak East and C-USA and make a Big East 12 team conference.
6. Take any teams that you pilfer from C-USA from the Sunbelt or MAC Conference and keep them at 12 teams. Pac 12, Big East, and Big 10 will need to add Conference Championship Game.
7. Bids to the Playoff: Win your conference or, win your conference Championship.
That would make 14 automatic bids of the so-called "SUPER CONFERENCES" Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Big 12, PAC 10, Conference USA and Big East.
8. If those bids overlap, meaning the Regular season Champion and the Championship Game winner are the same, go with the 2nd place conference finisher.
9. NO MORE PRESEASON CRAP AGAINST DIVISION 1AA or anyone else.... Everyone plays everyone in their conference - Round Robin – 11 games.
10. So, in a 12 team conference you would have an 11 game season, everyone plays everyone (AND SEASON TICKET HOLDERS DON'T GET STUCK WATCHING A DELEWARE STATE GAME IN OCTOBER)...
11. Let the next 2 ranked teams that are not already in that equation into the Play-Off and seed them accordingly.
12. This will most likely be an at large team that is not the Domers because they won’t have played anyone that matters.
13. You play at the Home Field of the team with the better record. (Bring ‘em up north, boys and girls!)
14. If you have an identical record, a coin flip will determine home field.
15. In three weeks, you will have your two championship teams - 8 games the first weekend, 4 games the second weekend, and 2 games the 3rd weekend of December.
Drawbacks:
We lose some “classic” rivalries, particularly with the DOMERS (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS) and their USC, ACC, and Big East games. I don’t know how to address that. But my guess is they will be happy to stop getting their collective butts handed to them by several of those teams.
Smaller schools won’t be able to play in the large stadiums for the athletic department saving paycheck that they have come to enjoy. In a way, I would like to address that issue, but I can’t think of anything feasible with one exception:
-Allow big schools to schedule a “pre-season” warm up game against FCS (D-II) opponents.
-These games will not count towards won-loss records.
-They should be held prior to Labor Day and fans shouldn’t have to pay as much for the game…(Yeah, I know. Like THAT would ever happen)
That's it. In January you will crown the champion. About the same amount of time that usually transpires after the last season game. You will not be interfering with classes or finals for all but 4 teams. I think those schools will be able to manage that. The Conference Championships end on Thanksgiving weekend. That will be the 12th game for 14 teams. You will be adding up to 3 games for two teams, which does seem like a lot for college. But, I think they will say it’s worth it. God knows the AD’s will love the extra revenue.
The entire month of December will be for the play off games. You can still qualify for Bowls like you did before. Granted, you might not know where the last few play off teams are going until mid December, but that’s manageable.
And The SEC just might have to travel to the Big House or some other Cold, Barren, PERHAPS SNOWY locale to play a game. Then we'll see who the tough teams are.Losses will mean less - assuming of course that you win the Championship Game or have the regular season best Record, and a non-conference loss will be non-existent. Is there a simpler solution?????? I can't think of one....But I am willing to entertain ideas....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)