Oregon put up 613 yards of offense against Southern Cal's defense enroute to a 47-20 shellacking of #5 ranked USC. The Ducks, led by QB Jeremiah Masoli and RB LeMichael James made it inside the red zone 9 times out of their total of 11 offensive drives. You make it inside the opponent's 20 yard line that many times, you will come away with lots of points. and the Ducks did. This was the Trojans' worst loss in Head Coach Pete Carol's tenure in Los Angeles.
The ducks now have the inside track to the PAC-10 Title, but if they can win out, and win convincingly as they did Saturday Night, they just might be playing for much more than the PAC-10 Crown. the last time I saw Oregon play, it was the debacle at Boisie St. ending with Ducks RB LeGarrett Blount's TKO of a Boisie St. player. The Ducks were throttled by the Broncos on the blue turf. They looked like anything but a top 25 team.
but give credit to Head Coach Chip Kelly. He suspended Blount for most of the season (Blount may actually be reinstated), which he had to do. However, Ducks quack caller Jeremiah Masoli, RB LeMichael James and the rest of the Ducks picked up the pieces and, unlike Humpty Dumpty, put their season back together again.
Since that blue performance on BSU's blue turf, the ducks have beaten California by 39, Washington St. by 46, UCLA by 14, and Saturday defeated the #5 ranked team in the country by 27. Oregon was ranked #10 before the thrashing of USC. They will most certainly will be ranked in the top 5. Oregon is one outstanding football team that no one, up until now, is talking about.
One big turning point in this game, in my opinion, was win Kelly wanted his offense to try and score before the third quarter ended. He didn't want to interrupt their rhythm and momentum. It was a smart move because the Ducks scored with just 5 seconds left in the third to make the score 41-20 to start the 4th quarter. Many coaches would have just waited till the start of the next quarter, but Kelly wanted to keep attacking and it was a good thing that the Ducks did.
Oregon still has two tough away games against Stanford next week and then Arizona two weeks later. In between those two games, they have the Sun Devils of Arizona St. at home, and of course, the Civil War game with the Beavers in Eugene to close out the season. If the
Ducks keep playing like they did against USC, they will most certainly assure themselves no less than a trip to the Rose Bowl. Realistically, for the Ducks to play for the National Title, they must win out and hope Texas and Iowa loses. The winner between Florida and Alabama in the SEC Championship Game will play for the National Title, so if the Ducks win out, and the Longhorns and Hawkeyes lose one or two games, they would have a very good shot of playing the Gators or Crimson Tide. However, the prospect of Iowa and Texas losing two games is highly unlikely. Iowa might lose a game, but I doubt Texas loses again until their bowl game, if then.
To sum it up, the Ducks will most likely play Iowa in the Rose Bowl. If both Texas and Iowa win out (Texas will probably play Kansas St. or Mizzou in the Big Xll Title Game), the Longhorns will probably get the upper hand because of their more dominating victories than those of the Hawkeyes. Texas would then play either Alabama or Florida in the National Title Game. Nevertheless, what Oregon Head Coach Chip Kelly and his team have done since the debacle in Boisie at the beginning of the year is one of the biggest stories in College Football this year.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Bryan's Harper Gains National Recognition
The Cross Country and Track & Field programs at Bryan College were both reinstated a few years ago. Now, they are producing some of the best runners at the small college level. Bryan Sophomore Runner Bryson Harper was named the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Student-Athlete of the week for leading the Lions to a #1 finish at the Southeastern Classic in Louisville, KY a week ago. The meet contained teams from 22 different schools.
The Pikeville, TN native ran the 8k race in a time of 25:22, earning his team a first place finish and earning Harper a second place finish out of 216 runners. Bryson Harper is only a Sophomore, but already he has had a brilliant career at Bryan. This past Spring during the Outdoor Track season, Harper was AAC Runner up in the Outdoor 1500 and 800 meter events at the AAC (Appalachian Athletic Conference) Championships.
Back on October 4, Harper finished 4th overall in the Music City Carnival 5k with a time of 15:05.98 and finished 5th overall at the Smoky Mountain Twilight Mile with a time of 4:16.73. At the AAC Track & Field Championships last Spring, Harper in the 1500 meters with a time of 4:02.82 and 2nd in the 800 meter event. Before redshirting in 2008, Harper made the AAC Cross Country All-Freshman Team in 07.
The accomplishments of Bryson Harper and his teammates have earned Bryan College a #8 ranking in the NAIA Men's Cross Country top 25, possibly the highest ranking ever of any varsity sport in the school's history. Out of a 10-man roster, the Bryan Men's Cross Country Team has 5 upper class men, meaning the other 5, including Harper, are Freshman and Sophomores. This will hopefully ensure continued success in the years to come for the program as their recent success will draw top notch recruits to Bryan. Congratulations to Bryson Harper and the rest of the Bryan College Men's Cross Country Team. More information on this article can be obtained by going to www.bryanlions.com.
The Pikeville, TN native ran the 8k race in a time of 25:22, earning his team a first place finish and earning Harper a second place finish out of 216 runners. Bryson Harper is only a Sophomore, but already he has had a brilliant career at Bryan. This past Spring during the Outdoor Track season, Harper was AAC Runner up in the Outdoor 1500 and 800 meter events at the AAC (Appalachian Athletic Conference) Championships.
Back on October 4, Harper finished 4th overall in the Music City Carnival 5k with a time of 15:05.98 and finished 5th overall at the Smoky Mountain Twilight Mile with a time of 4:16.73. At the AAC Track & Field Championships last Spring, Harper in the 1500 meters with a time of 4:02.82 and 2nd in the 800 meter event. Before redshirting in 2008, Harper made the AAC Cross Country All-Freshman Team in 07.
The accomplishments of Bryson Harper and his teammates have earned Bryan College a #8 ranking in the NAIA Men's Cross Country top 25, possibly the highest ranking ever of any varsity sport in the school's history. Out of a 10-man roster, the Bryan Men's Cross Country Team has 5 upper class men, meaning the other 5, including Harper, are Freshman and Sophomores. This will hopefully ensure continued success in the years to come for the program as their recent success will draw top notch recruits to Bryan. Congratulations to Bryson Harper and the rest of the Bryan College Men's Cross Country Team. More information on this article can be obtained by going to www.bryanlions.com.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Could Be a Long Day For The Dawgs in Jacksonville
UGA Defensive Coordinator Willie Martinez and his defense have been much maligned all year. Maybe they will have enough motivation and confidence to help Georgia pull off and upset, but that is probably about as likely as the St. John's River drying up.
Yes, the Dawgs have had a week off to get healthy while Florida struggled against Mississippi St. The Gators have struggled in the red zone (inside the opponent's 20 yard line). Tim Tebo is 4 out of 16 passing attemps inside the red zone. However, the Georgia offense has been inconsistent. Starting RB Richard Samuels has not proven himself a consistant ground gainer and is a possible candidate to play LB on the other side of the ball. Caleb King has been hampered by injury for much of the season. Freshman WR Tavaris King has also been injured as well.
There is also the distraction caused by Lineman Vince Vance as he was flagged for a traffic misdemeanor. One broadcaster on a local sports talk show in Atlanta said that the Dawgs' best chance is for All-SEC Wide Receiver A.J. Green to run slant routs and for QB Joe Cox to throw him the ball every time since Green is capable of going up and grabbing it. That would be an interesting game plan. If it succeeds on the first few plays, the Gators may double team Green, leaving other wide outs like Orson Charles and Aaron White open, that is if they can make the crucial catches. The pass could then open up the run. Usually, it's suppose to be the other way around.
I don't have to mention that the Gators have an outstanding defense, one of the best in the country, but I just did. Can the Georgia Offensive Line block like the old Berlin Wall, or Buford Dam. If they can, the Dawgs MAY have a chance. On the other hand , if the line blocks like New Orleans levys, the Gators will have breakfast, lunch, dinner and a midnight snack. Walls, levys, rivers drying up, I didn't think I'd be mentioning these things talking about Georgia/Florida in Jacksonville, but I just did.ies
Yes, the Dawgs have had a week off to get healthy while Florida struggled against Mississippi St. The Gators have struggled in the red zone (inside the opponent's 20 yard line). Tim Tebo is 4 out of 16 passing attemps inside the red zone. However, the Georgia offense has been inconsistent. Starting RB Richard Samuels has not proven himself a consistant ground gainer and is a possible candidate to play LB on the other side of the ball. Caleb King has been hampered by injury for much of the season. Freshman WR Tavaris King has also been injured as well.
There is also the distraction caused by Lineman Vince Vance as he was flagged for a traffic misdemeanor. One broadcaster on a local sports talk show in Atlanta said that the Dawgs' best chance is for All-SEC Wide Receiver A.J. Green to run slant routs and for QB Joe Cox to throw him the ball every time since Green is capable of going up and grabbing it. That would be an interesting game plan. If it succeeds on the first few plays, the Gators may double team Green, leaving other wide outs like Orson Charles and Aaron White open, that is if they can make the crucial catches. The pass could then open up the run. Usually, it's suppose to be the other way around.
I don't have to mention that the Gators have an outstanding defense, one of the best in the country, but I just did. Can the Georgia Offensive Line block like the old Berlin Wall, or Buford Dam. If they can, the Dawgs MAY have a chance. On the other hand , if the line blocks like New Orleans levys, the Gators will have breakfast, lunch, dinner and a midnight snack. Walls, levys, rivers drying up, I didn't think I'd be mentioning these things talking about Georgia/Florida in Jacksonville, but I just did.ies
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Sprint Football: Football The Light Way
In 2006, Mansfield University, an NCAA Div. ll school in Mansfield, PA, dropped its football program as part of a huge slash of budget cuts of up to $1.5 million. Mansfield finished the 2006 season without winning a game. The team hadn't even scored a touchdown in quite some time. Mansfield University President Maravene Loeschke looked at every other alternative she could to keep the program. "I consulted with every one in the world before a made my decision," Loeschke said. "But the bottom line was that if we could not do this well, then we should not do it at all".
However, a year later, Mansfield was back to playing football: Sprint Football. It's football played by lightweight players weighing no more than 172 lbs. It is a sanctioned Varsity sport by the NCAA and six colleges: Army, Navy, Cornell, Princeton, Pennsylvania and the newest member, Mansfield. These six schools make up the Collegiate Sprint Football League (CSFL).
Steve Murray, the Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference of which Mansfield is a member, asked MU Sports Information Director Steve McCloskey if he had ever heard of Sprint Football. Murray had seen a piece about it in an NFL Films special.
Sprint Football was founded in the 1930s by the President of the University of Pennsylvania. He wanted to make sure that smaller, talented athletes got a chance to play football. A league was founded in 1934 and it was called the Eastern 150 lb. Football League and it consisted of Cornell, Lafayette, Penn, Princeton, Yale, Villanova and Rutgers. In 1998, the CSFL added the term "Sprint" to describe the speed and quickness of the athletes.
Rutgers, Villanova, Lafayette and Yale would move on to play only conventional football. Navy later joined the CSFL, but the athletes grew as the league shrank. Therefore, the league capped the wight limit to 172 lbs. According to Mansfield SID Steve McCloskey, the same passion and fire that you see with conventional football is the same: "The biggest question you get is are there 11 players per side and if they wear pads and helmets", McCloskey said. "But once you watch it for 10 minutes, you don't see size. You see talented kids playing football. There's the same excitement and pride from these players about running on to the field and representing their school. The only difference is that if you're a 170 lb. kid, you're considered a big guy on the team."
Mansfield's Matt Gant, a wide receiver on the Sprint Football Team, made a catch on a 10-yard slant pattern during a drive that ended with RB Desmen Johnson scoring one of his two touchdowns to lead the Mounties of Mansfield to a 26-14 win over Princeton this past Saturday. This was a far cry from when Gant was a Freshman three years ago. He served as Manager on the football team. Last Saturday, he caught 7 catches for 90 yards as a starting wide receiver. He is also the team's Punter.Gant said that his punts weren't as good as he had hoped for, but that he made up for it with a few receptions. Think about it. If it hadn't been for the inception of Sprint Football, Matt Gant, and several other current players, might not be playing any kind of college football at all.
Sr. Solomon Isom plays Free Safety for the Mounties. He was extremely disappointed that Mansfield dropped its Division ll Football Program, but now realizes the Sprint Football was the best thing for Mansfield. "After doing my own research about it, I knew that Sprint Football would be a more manageable alternative for the University" Isom said. "It's not Division ll Football, but it's something, and something is better than nothing. Everyone is excited about this program."
Sprint Football is apparently much less costly and more cost-effective than traditional football. Now realizing what I (the blogger) now know, I'm surprised that more schools, especially small schools like Mansfield, don't have Sprint Football. This is a very viable option for schools that don't have the funds to field a regular football team. Since all the players on Sprint Football teams are lightweights, that's less pounding and wear and tare on the field. This also gives opportunities for student-athletes who are not big enough to play conventional College Football a chance to experience College Football the "light" way, a type of football that is at their level. Information in this article was obtained from an article written by Gary Brown in NCAA Champion Magazine. You can access that article by going to www.ncaachampionmagazine.com.
However, a year later, Mansfield was back to playing football: Sprint Football. It's football played by lightweight players weighing no more than 172 lbs. It is a sanctioned Varsity sport by the NCAA and six colleges: Army, Navy, Cornell, Princeton, Pennsylvania and the newest member, Mansfield. These six schools make up the Collegiate Sprint Football League (CSFL).
Steve Murray, the Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference of which Mansfield is a member, asked MU Sports Information Director Steve McCloskey if he had ever heard of Sprint Football. Murray had seen a piece about it in an NFL Films special.
Sprint Football was founded in the 1930s by the President of the University of Pennsylvania. He wanted to make sure that smaller, talented athletes got a chance to play football. A league was founded in 1934 and it was called the Eastern 150 lb. Football League and it consisted of Cornell, Lafayette, Penn, Princeton, Yale, Villanova and Rutgers. In 1998, the CSFL added the term "Sprint" to describe the speed and quickness of the athletes.
Rutgers, Villanova, Lafayette and Yale would move on to play only conventional football. Navy later joined the CSFL, but the athletes grew as the league shrank. Therefore, the league capped the wight limit to 172 lbs. According to Mansfield SID Steve McCloskey, the same passion and fire that you see with conventional football is the same: "The biggest question you get is are there 11 players per side and if they wear pads and helmets", McCloskey said. "But once you watch it for 10 minutes, you don't see size. You see talented kids playing football. There's the same excitement and pride from these players about running on to the field and representing their school. The only difference is that if you're a 170 lb. kid, you're considered a big guy on the team."
Mansfield's Matt Gant, a wide receiver on the Sprint Football Team, made a catch on a 10-yard slant pattern during a drive that ended with RB Desmen Johnson scoring one of his two touchdowns to lead the Mounties of Mansfield to a 26-14 win over Princeton this past Saturday. This was a far cry from when Gant was a Freshman three years ago. He served as Manager on the football team. Last Saturday, he caught 7 catches for 90 yards as a starting wide receiver. He is also the team's Punter.Gant said that his punts weren't as good as he had hoped for, but that he made up for it with a few receptions. Think about it. If it hadn't been for the inception of Sprint Football, Matt Gant, and several other current players, might not be playing any kind of college football at all.
Sr. Solomon Isom plays Free Safety for the Mounties. He was extremely disappointed that Mansfield dropped its Division ll Football Program, but now realizes the Sprint Football was the best thing for Mansfield. "After doing my own research about it, I knew that Sprint Football would be a more manageable alternative for the University" Isom said. "It's not Division ll Football, but it's something, and something is better than nothing. Everyone is excited about this program."
Sprint Football is apparently much less costly and more cost-effective than traditional football. Now realizing what I (the blogger) now know, I'm surprised that more schools, especially small schools like Mansfield, don't have Sprint Football. This is a very viable option for schools that don't have the funds to field a regular football team. Since all the players on Sprint Football teams are lightweights, that's less pounding and wear and tare on the field. This also gives opportunities for student-athletes who are not big enough to play conventional College Football a chance to experience College Football the "light" way, a type of football that is at their level. Information in this article was obtained from an article written by Gary Brown in NCAA Champion Magazine. You can access that article by going to www.ncaachampionmagazine.com.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Bryan's Simpson Named AAC Female Runer of the Week
Several months ago, I wrote about a female Cross Country Runner who hails from Grayson, GA, part of Gwinnett County, on the northeast side of Atlanta. Her name is Erika Simpson and runs Cross Country at Bryan College, a Christian Liberal Arts school located in Dayton, TN near Chattanooga. Simpson had a fine Freshman season, and is continuing her solid performance as a Sophomore.
This past week, Simpson was named the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Female Runner of the Week for her efforts in the Southeastern Classic; a meet containing 22 teams. Simpson led the Lady Lions with a time of 20:22 in the 5K race, finishing 37th individually, and netting Bryan an 8th place finish in the 22 team field containing 181 runners.
Erika Simpson is one of the hundreds of student-athletes from Gwinnett County, GA who have excelled both athletically and academically at the collegiate level. For more information on Bryan College Athletics, as well as the school itself, you can go to www.bryanlions.org and www.bryan.edu.
This past week, Simpson was named the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Female Runner of the Week for her efforts in the Southeastern Classic; a meet containing 22 teams. Simpson led the Lady Lions with a time of 20:22 in the 5K race, finishing 37th individually, and netting Bryan an 8th place finish in the 22 team field containing 181 runners.
Erika Simpson is one of the hundreds of student-athletes from Gwinnett County, GA who have excelled both athletically and academically at the collegiate level. For more information on Bryan College Athletics, as well as the school itself, you can go to www.bryanlions.org and www.bryan.edu.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
EMU Mens' Soccer Finishing Strong With Four Straight Wins; Upsets Conference Leader Roanoke
The Eastern Mennonite University Mens' Soccer Team is probably the hottest team in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC), having now won four straight matches with a well-earned upset of conference leader Roanoke by a score of 2-1 this past Saturday on the Maroons home field.
The Royals were out played in just about every phase of the game except on the scoreboard. The Maroons out shot the Royals 25-7 for the game, including out shooting EMU 14-5 in the second half. The Royals virtually were playing on their heels the whole match. However, thanks to EMU Goalkeeper Dillon Brunk's 13 saves, the Royals were able to hold on to the 2-1 victory and will finish no worse than 5th place in the ODAC standings.
The Royals drew first blood when Soph. Forward Muoka Musau served a corner kick into the box where Soph. Midfielder Mitchell Leap headed it into the net to give the Royals the 1-0 advantage at the 15:38 mark in the first half. Roanoke's Michael Stark struck back with the equalizer two minutes later, and the Maroons pressed for the next 10 minutes but could not breech Goalkeeper Dillon Brunk and the Royals Defense.
With just over 3 minutes until halftime, the Royals made a "quantum leap" in the form of their leading goal scorer, Mitchell Leap, who scored the second of his two goals at the 41:55 mark, which proved to be the winning goal. Royals Goalkeeper Dillon Brunk, a Sophomore from Dayton, VA, made a crucial save just before halftime.
Roanoke pushed and pressed the whole second half and nearly tied the game in the 78th minute, but Brunk came up big again with 2 big saves and two more with just 2 minutes left in the game to help preserve the upset win for the Royals. With 13 saves on the day, and several of them at crucial times in the match, Brunk was easily the "Man of the Match". The defeat for Roanoke was their first conference loss of the season.
The win vaults EMU's overall record to 7-5-5 and 5-2-2 in ODAC play. The Royals will wrap up the regular season Tuesday when they take on Randolph College. The ODAC Tournament begins Saturday, Oct. 31.
The Royals were out played in just about every phase of the game except on the scoreboard. The Maroons out shot the Royals 25-7 for the game, including out shooting EMU 14-5 in the second half. The Royals virtually were playing on their heels the whole match. However, thanks to EMU Goalkeeper Dillon Brunk's 13 saves, the Royals were able to hold on to the 2-1 victory and will finish no worse than 5th place in the ODAC standings.
The Royals drew first blood when Soph. Forward Muoka Musau served a corner kick into the box where Soph. Midfielder Mitchell Leap headed it into the net to give the Royals the 1-0 advantage at the 15:38 mark in the first half. Roanoke's Michael Stark struck back with the equalizer two minutes later, and the Maroons pressed for the next 10 minutes but could not breech Goalkeeper Dillon Brunk and the Royals Defense.
With just over 3 minutes until halftime, the Royals made a "quantum leap" in the form of their leading goal scorer, Mitchell Leap, who scored the second of his two goals at the 41:55 mark, which proved to be the winning goal. Royals Goalkeeper Dillon Brunk, a Sophomore from Dayton, VA, made a crucial save just before halftime.
Roanoke pushed and pressed the whole second half and nearly tied the game in the 78th minute, but Brunk came up big again with 2 big saves and two more with just 2 minutes left in the game to help preserve the upset win for the Royals. With 13 saves on the day, and several of them at crucial times in the match, Brunk was easily the "Man of the Match". The defeat for Roanoke was their first conference loss of the season.
The win vaults EMU's overall record to 7-5-5 and 5-2-2 in ODAC play. The Royals will wrap up the regular season Tuesday when they take on Randolph College. The ODAC Tournament begins Saturday, Oct. 31.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
West Virginia Fans, players and Coaches Showed Tremendous Class
Obviously, the University of Connecticut has been through a lot this past week with the tragic death of UCONN football player Jasper Howard, who was murdered last Sunday morning outside of the UCONN Student Union. The Huskies wanted desperately to win their game against West Virginia for their slain comrade.
The Huskies almost pulled it off, but Mountaineers RB Noel Divine scored the winning touchdown for West Virginia with less than a minute left to defeat the Huskies 28-24. However, to me, the real story was the wonderful compassion and class showed by the West Virginia crowd, as well as their players and coaches. They cheered when the Connecticut team came out with Howard's jersey. WVU Head Coach Bill Stewart and his staff embraced Connecticut Head Coach Randy Etzel. The Mountaineer players lovingly embraced and encouraged their Connecticut opponents. Once the game was on, it was dog eat dog, but the love and respect showed to UCONN was beautiful to see.
I know what you are thinking. If UCONN were at Georgia, Iowa, USC or any other program, the fans, players and coaches of that program would have shown the same respect and class. That's probably true. The fact that the WVU family did what they did is commendable and must be recognized. We hear enough stories about players, coaches and even fans coming up short in the area of behavior. The West Virginia University community put football into its proper perspective. The rest of us should do the same.
The Huskies almost pulled it off, but Mountaineers RB Noel Divine scored the winning touchdown for West Virginia with less than a minute left to defeat the Huskies 28-24. However, to me, the real story was the wonderful compassion and class showed by the West Virginia crowd, as well as their players and coaches. They cheered when the Connecticut team came out with Howard's jersey. WVU Head Coach Bill Stewart and his staff embraced Connecticut Head Coach Randy Etzel. The Mountaineer players lovingly embraced and encouraged their Connecticut opponents. Once the game was on, it was dog eat dog, but the love and respect showed to UCONN was beautiful to see.
I know what you are thinking. If UCONN were at Georgia, Iowa, USC or any other program, the fans, players and coaches of that program would have shown the same respect and class. That's probably true. The fact that the WVU family did what they did is commendable and must be recognized. We hear enough stories about players, coaches and even fans coming up short in the area of behavior. The West Virginia University community put football into its proper perspective. The rest of us should do the same.
Friday, October 23, 2009
College Soccer Player Scores From 95 Yards Out
Perhaps the goal scored from the longest distance ever in the history of the sport, in ANY soccer game at ANY level, was done last night when SMU Freshman Defender Ryan Rosenbaum scored a goal from 95 yards out against #16 Tulsa. Rosenbaum was just trying to clear the ball out as the Mustangs were trying to hold off the onslaught of the Golden Hurricanes, who trailed 2-1 in the 63 minute and were trying to equalize.
Video of the goal showed that Rosenbaum simply sent a high clearance ball from just outside SMU's own goal box. The ball sailed high in the air and long and took a high bounce off the pitch just outside Tulsa's goal box fooling the Tulsa Goalkeeper. The ball bounced high over his head as he tried to clear it. He couldn't track back in time to get the ball and it rolled into the net giving the Mustangs a 3-1 lead. They would go on to win their Conference USA match 3-2.
Video footage of this incredible goal can be seen at this site: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/post/Video-SMU-freshman-hits-95-yard-soccer-goal?urn=top,197845. This has to be one of the longest, if not the longest distance to score a goal, in the history of the game of soccer. One other footnote: This wasn't just Rosenbaum's first college goal, it was his first ever shot on goal in a college game. He is a defender for the Mustangs, and is not called upon to score goals. That may change now. Also, should the SMU Football Team need a Field Goal Kicker, they don't have to look too far. Information in this article was gathered from Chris Chase, who is a blogger for Yahoo.Com.
Video of the goal showed that Rosenbaum simply sent a high clearance ball from just outside SMU's own goal box. The ball sailed high in the air and long and took a high bounce off the pitch just outside Tulsa's goal box fooling the Tulsa Goalkeeper. The ball bounced high over his head as he tried to clear it. He couldn't track back in time to get the ball and it rolled into the net giving the Mustangs a 3-1 lead. They would go on to win their Conference USA match 3-2.
Video footage of this incredible goal can be seen at this site: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/post/Video-SMU-freshman-hits-95-yard-soccer-goal?urn=top,197845. This has to be one of the longest, if not the longest distance to score a goal, in the history of the game of soccer. One other footnote: This wasn't just Rosenbaum's first college goal, it was his first ever shot on goal in a college game. He is a defender for the Mustangs, and is not called upon to score goals. That may change now. Also, should the SMU Football Team need a Field Goal Kicker, they don't have to look too far. Information in this article was gathered from Chris Chase, who is a blogger for Yahoo.Com.
At This Moment, Iowa Should Be Ranked A Head Of Cincinati
About a couple of months ago, I wrote an article on this College Sports Blog saying that Iowa had an excellent shot of winning the Big X Title. A few weeks ago, Is aid that Iowa has an excellent chance to play for the National Title if they run the table and go undefeated. They are very close to doing both.
I won't speak too soon. there's a lot of football to be played. The Hawkeyes face Michigan St. later today in East Lansing. Two home games against Indiana and Northwestern follow. The Hawkeyes did struggle with Div 1-AA N. Iowa and Sun Belt opponent Arkansas St. However, they beat a solid Penn St. club who is ranked 13th in the AP Poll and 11th in the Coaches Poll. They also beat an improving Michigan team as well as Wisconsin on the road.
Cincinati, as good as they are, has not yet beaten a top 25 team. They deserve to be in the top 10. Don't get me wrong. However, Iowa has beaten Penn St. That alone should put the Hawkeyes a head of the Bearcats. The two teams sort of offset each other in defensive rankings. Iowa is #1 in the country in interceptions with 15. Cincinnati is #3 in the country in sacks with 25. Should both teams win out, and both Texas and either Florida or Alabama win out, Cincinnati and Iowa may very well meet in a BCS bowl, but it wouldn't be for the National Title.
Back to my point though, at this very moment, the Hawkeyes should be ranked one spot a head of the Bearcats based simply on the fact that Iowa has beaten a top 25 team and Cinci hasn't. A bunch of stuff can change tomorrow and the next few remaining weeks. Iowa is ranked #7 in the AP Poll and Cinci is #5. In the Coaches Poll, Iowa is ranked #8 and Cincinnati #6. In the CBS Sports.Com 120 Poll, the Hawkeyes are ranked a head of the Bearcats at #4 and Cinci #5. I would agree with that poll not because I'm a Hawkeye fan, but because of what I said earlier. The one other poll, the CBSSports.Com Blog Poll, the Hawkeyes are right behind Cincinnati, who is ranked #4. The teams seem pretty even and it would be a very entertaining game. In my opinion, the CBS Sports.Com 120 poll is the only poll that has it right, your opinions please.
I won't speak too soon. there's a lot of football to be played. The Hawkeyes face Michigan St. later today in East Lansing. Two home games against Indiana and Northwestern follow. The Hawkeyes did struggle with Div 1-AA N. Iowa and Sun Belt opponent Arkansas St. However, they beat a solid Penn St. club who is ranked 13th in the AP Poll and 11th in the Coaches Poll. They also beat an improving Michigan team as well as Wisconsin on the road.
Cincinati, as good as they are, has not yet beaten a top 25 team. They deserve to be in the top 10. Don't get me wrong. However, Iowa has beaten Penn St. That alone should put the Hawkeyes a head of the Bearcats. The two teams sort of offset each other in defensive rankings. Iowa is #1 in the country in interceptions with 15. Cincinnati is #3 in the country in sacks with 25. Should both teams win out, and both Texas and either Florida or Alabama win out, Cincinnati and Iowa may very well meet in a BCS bowl, but it wouldn't be for the National Title.
Back to my point though, at this very moment, the Hawkeyes should be ranked one spot a head of the Bearcats based simply on the fact that Iowa has beaten a top 25 team and Cinci hasn't. A bunch of stuff can change tomorrow and the next few remaining weeks. Iowa is ranked #7 in the AP Poll and Cinci is #5. In the Coaches Poll, Iowa is ranked #8 and Cincinnati #6. In the CBS Sports.Com 120 Poll, the Hawkeyes are ranked a head of the Bearcats at #4 and Cinci #5. I would agree with that poll not because I'm a Hawkeye fan, but because of what I said earlier. The one other poll, the CBSSports.Com Blog Poll, the Hawkeyes are right behind Cincinnati, who is ranked #4. The teams seem pretty even and it would be a very entertaining game. In my opinion, the CBS Sports.Com 120 poll is the only poll that has it right, your opinions please.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Soothing Medicine For Bowden
Some in the Seminole Nation wanted Head Coach Bobby Bowden to step down. The cries have been as loud as earth quake tremors and getting louder until Wednesday Night, when the Seminoles staged a tremendous come from behind victory over North Carolina in Chapel Hill by the score of 30-27 after trailing at one time 24-3
Much thanks should be given to Seminole QB Christian Ponder, who threw for 395 yards, and wide receiver Rod Owens, who caught 9 balls for 199 yards, including a 98 yard touchdown reception from the Seminoles own 2 yard line. This came after an interception thrown by Tar Heels QB T.J. Yates. The pass was intercepted in the end zone. Owens caught the pass from Seminole QB Christian Ponder, broke a tackle, and scampered all the way for the TD making the score 24-20. Up until then, UNC seemed to ahve the game in hand and marching toward a convincing beat down of FSU, which would have raised the Rictor Scale of the cries from Bobby Bowden detractors.
The win gives Florida St. its first ACC win of the season. They are now 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the ACC. This was certainly soothing medicine for the embattled Bowden. The Seminole Defense is not your Grandfather's defense from back in the 80s and 90s, when the front four was as dominate as any in the country. The FSU Defense could not contain the running plays of UNC all night. However, that one crucial interception by Yates proved to be heartbreaking for the Tar Heels as it turned the momentum in the game with Owens scoring the 98 yard TD a play later.
Coach Bowden can finally breathe a little easier for now. In fact, with this year's topsy turby ACC, the Seminoles are still in contention for the Atlantic Division Title.
Much thanks should be given to Seminole QB Christian Ponder, who threw for 395 yards, and wide receiver Rod Owens, who caught 9 balls for 199 yards, including a 98 yard touchdown reception from the Seminoles own 2 yard line. This came after an interception thrown by Tar Heels QB T.J. Yates. The pass was intercepted in the end zone. Owens caught the pass from Seminole QB Christian Ponder, broke a tackle, and scampered all the way for the TD making the score 24-20. Up until then, UNC seemed to ahve the game in hand and marching toward a convincing beat down of FSU, which would have raised the Rictor Scale of the cries from Bobby Bowden detractors.
The win gives Florida St. its first ACC win of the season. They are now 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the ACC. This was certainly soothing medicine for the embattled Bowden. The Seminole Defense is not your Grandfather's defense from back in the 80s and 90s, when the front four was as dominate as any in the country. The FSU Defense could not contain the running plays of UNC all night. However, that one crucial interception by Yates proved to be heartbreaking for the Tar Heels as it turned the momentum in the game with Owens scoring the 98 yard TD a play later.
Coach Bowden can finally breathe a little easier for now. In fact, with this year's topsy turby ACC, the Seminoles are still in contention for the Atlantic Division Title.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
EMU Soccer Team Making a Leap of Progress
The Eastern Mennonite Men's Soccer Team "leaped" into fifth place in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) with a big away Victory over Washington & Lee University on Wed. Oct. 21 thanks to Sophomore Forward Mitchell Leap as he scored to break a 1-1 deadlock to put the Royals up 2-1. Sophomore Midfielder Philip Yoder knocked in an insurance goal off a corner kick late in the first half and the Royals held the W&L Generals at bay in the second half to give EMU the 3-1 win.
Eastern Mennonite moves to 6-5-5 overall and 4-2-2 in ODAC play. They trail fourth place Hampden-Sydney by four points and are 2 points a head of Randolph Macon. The Royals actually trailed in the W&L match when Freshman Midfielder Tyler Gilcrest scored at the 31:15 mark in the first half to tie the match. The Royals have a tall order as they take on the ODAC top dog, Roanoke College, on Saturday Oct. 24.
Mitchell Leap, a Sophomore from Harrisonburg, VA, leads the Royals in scoring with 9 goals and 3 assists on the season with a total of 21 points. His career high came on August 31 of last year when he scored 2 goals and tallied an assist against La Roche College.
Eastern Mennonite University, located in Harissonburg, Virginia, competes at the NCAA Div. lll level and is a member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1917, EMU is a Christian Liberal Arts College affiliated with the Mennonite Church USA. The current enrollment at the college is around 1,600
Eastern Mennonite moves to 6-5-5 overall and 4-2-2 in ODAC play. They trail fourth place Hampden-Sydney by four points and are 2 points a head of Randolph Macon. The Royals actually trailed in the W&L match when Freshman Midfielder Tyler Gilcrest scored at the 31:15 mark in the first half to tie the match. The Royals have a tall order as they take on the ODAC top dog, Roanoke College, on Saturday Oct. 24.
Mitchell Leap, a Sophomore from Harrisonburg, VA, leads the Royals in scoring with 9 goals and 3 assists on the season with a total of 21 points. His career high came on August 31 of last year when he scored 2 goals and tallied an assist against La Roche College.
Eastern Mennonite University, located in Harissonburg, Virginia, competes at the NCAA Div. lll level and is a member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1917, EMU is a Christian Liberal Arts College affiliated with the Mennonite Church USA. The current enrollment at the college is around 1,600
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Wahoos Waking Up
If you remember my articles on Virginia Football about a month ago, you'll remember that I didn't hold out much hope for the Wahoos after they dropped their opener against FCS opponent William & Mary. My prediction seemed to be coming to fruition as they lost to TCU an then to Southern Mississippi.
However, the Cavaliers have awakened. They beat one of the best teams in the ACC in North Carolina, then Indiana, which is not a surprise. Then yesterday, the Cavs defeated the Maryland Terps. Believe it or not, Virginia is tied for the lead in the ACC Coastal Division. As Georgia Tech Play-By-Play guy Wes Durham said "It's as if Head Coach Al Groh treated the first three games like NFL pre-season games. Will somebody tell Athletic Director Craig Littlepage to tell Coach Groh that those first three games were for real".
The Wahoos host Georgia Tech next Saturday. The Jackets haven't won in Charlottesville since 1990, the year Tech Field Goal Kicker Scott Sisson kicked the winning field goal to beat the Cavaliers 41-38. That year, Virginia came into that game ranked #1 in the nation. After that win, Georgia Tech went on to win a split national title with the Colorado Buffaloes. Without giving the exact stats, the offense has stopped turning the ball over. In the first three games, Virginia turned the ball over 5 times, four of them via the interception. They didn't turn the ball over in the last three victories.
In their first three losses, the Cavs Defense gave up a combined total of 1,033 yards both through the air and on the ground, an average of 344 yards per game. In their last three wins, they gave up a combined total of 730 yards both air and ground, an average of 243 yards per game. The defense cut their yardage given-up average by almost 100 yards during their last three games, which were victories.
As a result, Virginia is a top the ACC Coastal Division followed by Georgia Tech and Miami. About a month ago, this would have been unthinkable. There is still a lot of football to be played. The Cavs host the Jackets next week. Georgia Tech's Spread Option Offense with QB Josh Nesbitt and RB Jonathan Dwyer looks unstoppable as they made mince meat out the Hokies. After that, the Wahoos host Duke, a winnable game. They then must head to South Florida to take on the Canes of Miami, followed by a home game against a Jekyll & Hyde Boston College, a road game at Clemson, and the in-state war with Virginia Tech, which is in Charlottesville.
I don't see the Wahoos beating the Yellow Jackets. Tech will finally end the winless streak at Jefferson's place. Duke will be a win, but they will not survive Miami. However, Boston College, Clemson and VPI could all be wins if the Cavs continue to play well on offense as they've played these last three weeks. 7-5 is a possibility, but 6-6 and a trip to a pre-Christmas bowl is more likely.
However, the Cavaliers have awakened. They beat one of the best teams in the ACC in North Carolina, then Indiana, which is not a surprise. Then yesterday, the Cavs defeated the Maryland Terps. Believe it or not, Virginia is tied for the lead in the ACC Coastal Division. As Georgia Tech Play-By-Play guy Wes Durham said "It's as if Head Coach Al Groh treated the first three games like NFL pre-season games. Will somebody tell Athletic Director Craig Littlepage to tell Coach Groh that those first three games were for real".
The Wahoos host Georgia Tech next Saturday. The Jackets haven't won in Charlottesville since 1990, the year Tech Field Goal Kicker Scott Sisson kicked the winning field goal to beat the Cavaliers 41-38. That year, Virginia came into that game ranked #1 in the nation. After that win, Georgia Tech went on to win a split national title with the Colorado Buffaloes. Without giving the exact stats, the offense has stopped turning the ball over. In the first three games, Virginia turned the ball over 5 times, four of them via the interception. They didn't turn the ball over in the last three victories.
In their first three losses, the Cavs Defense gave up a combined total of 1,033 yards both through the air and on the ground, an average of 344 yards per game. In their last three wins, they gave up a combined total of 730 yards both air and ground, an average of 243 yards per game. The defense cut their yardage given-up average by almost 100 yards during their last three games, which were victories.
As a result, Virginia is a top the ACC Coastal Division followed by Georgia Tech and Miami. About a month ago, this would have been unthinkable. There is still a lot of football to be played. The Cavs host the Jackets next week. Georgia Tech's Spread Option Offense with QB Josh Nesbitt and RB Jonathan Dwyer looks unstoppable as they made mince meat out the Hokies. After that, the Wahoos host Duke, a winnable game. They then must head to South Florida to take on the Canes of Miami, followed by a home game against a Jekyll & Hyde Boston College, a road game at Clemson, and the in-state war with Virginia Tech, which is in Charlottesville.
I don't see the Wahoos beating the Yellow Jackets. Tech will finally end the winless streak at Jefferson's place. Duke will be a win, but they will not survive Miami. However, Boston College, Clemson and VPI could all be wins if the Cavs continue to play well on offense as they've played these last three weeks. 7-5 is a possibility, but 6-6 and a trip to a pre-Christmas bowl is more likely.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Middlebury Mens College Soccer Gunning For Another NCAA Tournament Berth
One of the most successful intercollegiate athletic programs in the country happens to be at the NCAA Div. 3 level. Middlebury College, located in picturesque Middlebury, VT near the Green Mountains, has won 29 NCAA National Championships. One of those championships is claimed by the Mens Soccer program.
The Panthers won the Soccer program's first national title back in 2007 going 18-2-2 on the season. A year ago, Middlebury reached the NCAA Sectional Finals before losing in penalty kicks to Stephens Institute. This year, the Panthers are 5-3-2 with a 1-0 win over Castleton St. 3 days ago.
They haven't scored a lot of goals this year, but Jr. Midfielder Carson Cornbrooks from Williston, VT, leads the Panthers in goals with three on the season. Middlebury has played very well defensively, especially the man between the pipes. Soph. Goal Keeper Tim Cahill, a native of Glastonbury, Connecticut, has 34 saves on the season and ranks 6th in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) in goals against with a 0.95 goals against average.
The Panthers may struggle this year to win the conference title again. Right now they sit in 7th place in the NESCAC at 1-2-2 with an overall record of 5-3-2. However, most of the roster is made up of upper class men, including 7 seniors, who were on the national championship team two years ago. Head Coach David Saward is in his 25th year at the helm of the Mens Soccer Program and is the winningest coach in the history of Midlebury Mens Soccer with a record of 251-83-36. That would be among the best records of any college soccer coach. The Panthers will try to climb up the conference standings when they host Connecticut College
Saturday, Oct. 17 at 11am.
The Panthers won the Soccer program's first national title back in 2007 going 18-2-2 on the season. A year ago, Middlebury reached the NCAA Sectional Finals before losing in penalty kicks to Stephens Institute. This year, the Panthers are 5-3-2 with a 1-0 win over Castleton St. 3 days ago.
They haven't scored a lot of goals this year, but Jr. Midfielder Carson Cornbrooks from Williston, VT, leads the Panthers in goals with three on the season. Middlebury has played very well defensively, especially the man between the pipes. Soph. Goal Keeper Tim Cahill, a native of Glastonbury, Connecticut, has 34 saves on the season and ranks 6th in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) in goals against with a 0.95 goals against average.
The Panthers may struggle this year to win the conference title again. Right now they sit in 7th place in the NESCAC at 1-2-2 with an overall record of 5-3-2. However, most of the roster is made up of upper class men, including 7 seniors, who were on the national championship team two years ago. Head Coach David Saward is in his 25th year at the helm of the Mens Soccer Program and is the winningest coach in the history of Midlebury Mens Soccer with a record of 251-83-36. That would be among the best records of any college soccer coach. The Panthers will try to climb up the conference standings when they host Connecticut College
Saturday, Oct. 17 at 11am.
Boisie St. Does Not Belong in the Top 5
The BCS rankings are all about perception. The "BCS Conferences" are perceived to have the best talented college football teams, and for the most part, they do. However, there are teams from the non-BCS conferences such as the Mountain West, the WAC and Conference USA that have teams who are capable of beating the top flight teams of the BCS.
That having been said, Boisie St., as good a football team as they are, is not deserving of a #5 ranking. They are ranked ahead of USC and Ohio St.. Yes, I know that USC lost to Washington and Ohio St. lost to USC, but both of those teams play in much tougher conferences and their out of conference opponents are tougher. Boisie State's only really tough out of conference opponent was Oregon, who they beat 19-8. Their two other out of conference foes were Bowling Green and Miami (OH), not too difficult competition.
This is not to say that the Broncos aren't capable of beating USC, LSU, Ohio St. or Oklahoma. I believe they are, and the Broncos should be willing to go to these places and try to beat these teams like they did Oregon last year. Boisie St. is deserving of a top 10 ranking since they are undefeated and have a win against Oregon, a good BCS team, but not a top 5 ranking.
That having been said, Boisie St., as good a football team as they are, is not deserving of a #5 ranking. They are ranked ahead of USC and Ohio St.. Yes, I know that USC lost to Washington and Ohio St. lost to USC, but both of those teams play in much tougher conferences and their out of conference opponents are tougher. Boisie State's only really tough out of conference opponent was Oregon, who they beat 19-8. Their two other out of conference foes were Bowling Green and Miami (OH), not too difficult competition.
This is not to say that the Broncos aren't capable of beating USC, LSU, Ohio St. or Oklahoma. I believe they are, and the Broncos should be willing to go to these places and try to beat these teams like they did Oregon last year. Boisie St. is deserving of a top 10 ranking since they are undefeated and have a win against Oregon, a good BCS team, but not a top 5 ranking.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Richt's Feet Not Yet to the Fire, But Warm Sensations Abound
In the aftermath of an embarrassing loss in Knoxville to Tennessee, UGA Athletic Director Daeman Evans has expressed concern over the state of Georgia' Football Program but said he is "confident" that Head Coach Mark Richt can find ways to get the program back to where everyone wants it to be. He may have to do something he doesn't want to do: fire some of his coaches.
On his call-in show, Richt was bombarded by questions from callers asking him if he plans to fire some of his coaches like Defensive Coordinator Willie Martinez or Offensive Coordinator Mike Bobo. In his answers, Richt did say that changes to that effect may have to be made eventually. "I think a lot of people expect blood. They want somebody to be let go and fired and all that kind of thing and maybe that's what needs to be done." Richt said to one critical caller. Richt went on to say to the caller, in so many words, that he and the team plan to do the best thing right now, which is preparing for the Vanderbilt game.
Some callers, echoing sentiment among many Bulldog fans, asked Coach Richt if and when Freshman quarterbacks Logan Gray, Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger, will get playing time this year. Richt answered by saying that it wasn't out of the realm of possibility, but highly unlikely.
It is a shame that a Coach Richt, who since his arrival at Georgia, has given Bulldog fans 2 SEC Championships and 3 BCS Bowl appearances (two of them wins) and several other winning seasons, is now experiencing the first serious trimmers of a vocational earthquake. It is true that Richt's club is near or at the bottom nationally in important statistics such as scoring defense and penalties, even though his recruiting classes are at the top tier nationally the last few years.
Play calling has been at times, at best, questionable, and the defense has not played well of late. I don't think Richt needs to can Martinez or Bobo just yet. I do think it might be a good idea to allow Aaron Murray to get a series in one of the upcoming SEC games. He, Gray and maybe even Mettenberger will need experience sooner or later. Actually, from what I'm hearing about Mettenberger, he may be better suited for a place like Georgia St.
If Georgia falls to the Commodores this Saturday, changes must be made. The problem is that Kentucky, the Gators, Auburn and Tech await, so what changes do you make. Do you fire Martinez in the middle of the season. Who would coach the Defense? Coach Richt is in a very tough spot.
The most disturbing thing for me is the penalties. That doesn't seem to be improving. Richt brought discipline when he came to Georgia 8 years ago. "Finish The Drill" was and still is the motto. There needs to be a "drill" to eliminate or drastically reduce the penalties on offense. Things like jumping off sides, false starts, and especially things like personal fouls cannot be tolerated. If these things improve, that's one step towards the type of successful football Georgia is use to playing, the type of football that wins games and championships.
This begins with Richt and his coaches. They must get back to the philosophy they started with back in 2001: discipline, finishing the drill. The players, in particular the Senior leadership, must take it upon themselves to buy back into Richt's standards. Georgia Tech Head Coach Paul Johnsos revival of the Tech program is eerily similar to what Mark Richt did back in 01. In Richt's second year, the Dogs won an SEC Championship, the first since 1983. Georgia Tech, thanks to Johnson's Spread Option Offense, is poised to make a run for the ACC Title this year. To summarise it all, the Dogs need to get back to 2001 basics
On his call-in show, Richt was bombarded by questions from callers asking him if he plans to fire some of his coaches like Defensive Coordinator Willie Martinez or Offensive Coordinator Mike Bobo. In his answers, Richt did say that changes to that effect may have to be made eventually. "I think a lot of people expect blood. They want somebody to be let go and fired and all that kind of thing and maybe that's what needs to be done." Richt said to one critical caller. Richt went on to say to the caller, in so many words, that he and the team plan to do the best thing right now, which is preparing for the Vanderbilt game.
Some callers, echoing sentiment among many Bulldog fans, asked Coach Richt if and when Freshman quarterbacks Logan Gray, Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenberger, will get playing time this year. Richt answered by saying that it wasn't out of the realm of possibility, but highly unlikely.
It is a shame that a Coach Richt, who since his arrival at Georgia, has given Bulldog fans 2 SEC Championships and 3 BCS Bowl appearances (two of them wins) and several other winning seasons, is now experiencing the first serious trimmers of a vocational earthquake. It is true that Richt's club is near or at the bottom nationally in important statistics such as scoring defense and penalties, even though his recruiting classes are at the top tier nationally the last few years.
Play calling has been at times, at best, questionable, and the defense has not played well of late. I don't think Richt needs to can Martinez or Bobo just yet. I do think it might be a good idea to allow Aaron Murray to get a series in one of the upcoming SEC games. He, Gray and maybe even Mettenberger will need experience sooner or later. Actually, from what I'm hearing about Mettenberger, he may be better suited for a place like Georgia St.
If Georgia falls to the Commodores this Saturday, changes must be made. The problem is that Kentucky, the Gators, Auburn and Tech await, so what changes do you make. Do you fire Martinez in the middle of the season. Who would coach the Defense? Coach Richt is in a very tough spot.
The most disturbing thing for me is the penalties. That doesn't seem to be improving. Richt brought discipline when he came to Georgia 8 years ago. "Finish The Drill" was and still is the motto. There needs to be a "drill" to eliminate or drastically reduce the penalties on offense. Things like jumping off sides, false starts, and especially things like personal fouls cannot be tolerated. If these things improve, that's one step towards the type of successful football Georgia is use to playing, the type of football that wins games and championships.
This begins with Richt and his coaches. They must get back to the philosophy they started with back in 2001: discipline, finishing the drill. The players, in particular the Senior leadership, must take it upon themselves to buy back into Richt's standards. Georgia Tech Head Coach Paul Johnsos revival of the Tech program is eerily similar to what Mark Richt did back in 01. In Richt's second year, the Dogs won an SEC Championship, the first since 1983. Georgia Tech, thanks to Johnson's Spread Option Offense, is poised to make a run for the ACC Title this year. To summarise it all, the Dogs need to get back to 2001 basics
Friday, October 9, 2009
Bryan College Gets Last Laugh
I was up at Bryan College, my Alma mater located in Dayton, TN, last Wednesday to film the great soccer rivalry between Bryan and Covenant College, a storied rivalry which goes back several decades and a rivalry which may very well have come to an end at about 9:45 pm Wednesday night.
Fortunately, the Lions won the match 1-0 on a goal in the second half by Junior Midfielder and Mesquite, Texas native Bennie Bardales. If the rivalry has ended, at least the Lions got the last laugh. When yours truly was a player way back in 1990, the first game I played in was against Covenant at their place high atop Lookout Mountain. We lost 4-0, thus continuing a "clean sheet" the Scotts had on Bryan for about a decade. Bryan went at least 10 years without scoring on Covenant, let alone beating the Scotts, until 1996 when BC Forward Gabe Hammelwright ended the scoreless and winless streak as the Lions toppled the Scotts 1-0.
Since then, Bryan has had the upper hand in most of the matches, including an incredible come from behind victory over Covenant in Dayton as the Lions, trailing 2-1 with under 2 minutes remaining, scored two goals to win in spectacular fashion. In 2007 and 08, the Lions won the regular season contests, but lost in the Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament Semi-Finals to the Scotts two years in a row, the second of the two on Bryan's home pitch.
However, we Lions got the last laugh. Covenant has left both the AAC and the NAIA so we won't have to see them in the post season. For many reasons, I wish Covenant wouldn't make the move to NCAA Div. 3 and stay in the AAC so we could have another chance to beat them in the playoffs. But as it is, Bryan won't get that chance. So what though! If Bryan never plays Covenant again, the Lions won the last match and got the last laugh.
There are several great college soccer rivalries throughout the United States: Boston College vs Boston University, William &Mary vs Ole Dominion and Maryland vs North Carolina in NCAA Div. 1. In NCAA Div. 3, two Pennsylvania schools, Messiah and Elizabethtown, have an extremely heated rivalry. The Bryan-Covenant rivalry ranks right up there with them in intensity. It's a shame to see it go.
Fortunately, the Lions won the match 1-0 on a goal in the second half by Junior Midfielder and Mesquite, Texas native Bennie Bardales. If the rivalry has ended, at least the Lions got the last laugh. When yours truly was a player way back in 1990, the first game I played in was against Covenant at their place high atop Lookout Mountain. We lost 4-0, thus continuing a "clean sheet" the Scotts had on Bryan for about a decade. Bryan went at least 10 years without scoring on Covenant, let alone beating the Scotts, until 1996 when BC Forward Gabe Hammelwright ended the scoreless and winless streak as the Lions toppled the Scotts 1-0.
Since then, Bryan has had the upper hand in most of the matches, including an incredible come from behind victory over Covenant in Dayton as the Lions, trailing 2-1 with under 2 minutes remaining, scored two goals to win in spectacular fashion. In 2007 and 08, the Lions won the regular season contests, but lost in the Appalachian Athletic Conference Tournament Semi-Finals to the Scotts two years in a row, the second of the two on Bryan's home pitch.
However, we Lions got the last laugh. Covenant has left both the AAC and the NAIA so we won't have to see them in the post season. For many reasons, I wish Covenant wouldn't make the move to NCAA Div. 3 and stay in the AAC so we could have another chance to beat them in the playoffs. But as it is, Bryan won't get that chance. So what though! If Bryan never plays Covenant again, the Lions won the last match and got the last laugh.
There are several great college soccer rivalries throughout the United States: Boston College vs Boston University, William &Mary vs Ole Dominion and Maryland vs North Carolina in NCAA Div. 1. In NCAA Div. 3, two Pennsylvania schools, Messiah and Elizabethtown, have an extremely heated rivalry. The Bryan-Covenant rivalry ranks right up there with them in intensity. It's a shame to see it go.
Tebo's Quality of Life More Important Then Championship
Florida Quarterback Tim Tebo wants badly to play against LSU and is in Baton Rouge with the team, but has not been cleared to play yet. He really doesn't need to. Backup John Brantley is more than capable of handling Urban Meyer's offense and leading the Gators to a win at Tiger Stadium.
This past week, a study came out saying that NFL players who suffered concussions were more likely to suffer Dementia later in life. I think it's pretty simple here. Tim Tebo's quality of life after football (and he will have a life after football) is more important than winning a championship. I agree with those who say that florida could still play for the National Championship even if they lose to LSU but win the rest of their games, including, of course, the SEC Title Game.
Tebo should sit the LSU game out. Again, Brantley is capable of leading the Gator offense. Florida also has an excellent running attach with Jeff Demps and Immanuel Moody, so it's more than just the quarterback. Florida has the #1 ranked running attack in the country. Florida's defense will also take care of business, so it is not that crucial for Tebo to play in this game. He's not 100% and his quality of life could be in jeopardy, not to mention his future NFL career, should another concussion take place in Baton Rouge.
Bottom line, Tebo should sit out the LSU game. Brantley, Demps and Moody & company can take care of business against the Bayou Bengals.
This past week, a study came out saying that NFL players who suffered concussions were more likely to suffer Dementia later in life. I think it's pretty simple here. Tim Tebo's quality of life after football (and he will have a life after football) is more important than winning a championship. I agree with those who say that florida could still play for the National Championship even if they lose to LSU but win the rest of their games, including, of course, the SEC Title Game.
Tebo should sit the LSU game out. Again, Brantley is capable of leading the Gator offense. Florida also has an excellent running attach with Jeff Demps and Immanuel Moody, so it's more than just the quarterback. Florida has the #1 ranked running attack in the country. Florida's defense will also take care of business, so it is not that crucial for Tebo to play in this game. He's not 100% and his quality of life could be in jeopardy, not to mention his future NFL career, should another concussion take place in Baton Rouge.
Bottom line, Tebo should sit out the LSU game. Brantley, Demps and Moody & company can take care of business against the Bayou Bengals.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Don't Suppress Emotion, But Let Them Celebrate
Georgia did not take care of business last Saturday as they lost to #4 ranked LSU 20-13. They did not make the key tackle to stop LSU's Charles Scott from scoring the Tigers' winning touchdown.
However, the celebration penalty handed down by the officials after A.J. Green's sensational touchdown catch to give the Bulldogs a 13-12 lead was atrocious and unfair. It gave the Tigers great field position to push for the eventual go ahead score. On the CBS broadcast, it looked clearly that Green and his Bulldog teammates were celebrating amongst themselves and not taunting any LSU players. Why is it that College Football wants to suppress emotion. It is rarely easy to score a touchdown, and especially in the SEC. Green's TD was a hard-fought touchdown worthy of at least a brief expression of emotion. Football is an emotional game, so why suppress the emotion?
Yes, I know that they penalized LSU after their winning touchdown for "too much celebration". However, a correction doesn't always totally erase a wrong. The celebration penalty against the Dogs is a classic example of this truth. This silly celebration rule must be revised and corrected. It should only apply if a player is drawing attention to himself. If he raises his hands in joy after scoring a touchdown, or if he kneels to thank God as many players do, there is nothing wrong with those things. The penalty should only apply when a player slaps his chest multiple times while not celebrating with teammates or if he is taunting a member of the opposing team. In these instances, he is drawing attention to himself and not his teammates who helped make it possible for him to score. That is when the penalty should be enforced.
A.J. Green was not drawing attention to himself, but celebrating with teammates. He was not delaying the game. It was a totally bad call and the refs realize that now since they did offer an apology. Unfortunately, it was too little too late. The rule must be clearly defined but at the same time not meant to suppress emotion. Celebrating with your teammates when you make a touchdown or a key sack or blocking a punt: These are not penalties.
However, the celebration penalty handed down by the officials after A.J. Green's sensational touchdown catch to give the Bulldogs a 13-12 lead was atrocious and unfair. It gave the Tigers great field position to push for the eventual go ahead score. On the CBS broadcast, it looked clearly that Green and his Bulldog teammates were celebrating amongst themselves and not taunting any LSU players. Why is it that College Football wants to suppress emotion. It is rarely easy to score a touchdown, and especially in the SEC. Green's TD was a hard-fought touchdown worthy of at least a brief expression of emotion. Football is an emotional game, so why suppress the emotion?
Yes, I know that they penalized LSU after their winning touchdown for "too much celebration". However, a correction doesn't always totally erase a wrong. The celebration penalty against the Dogs is a classic example of this truth. This silly celebration rule must be revised and corrected. It should only apply if a player is drawing attention to himself. If he raises his hands in joy after scoring a touchdown, or if he kneels to thank God as many players do, there is nothing wrong with those things. The penalty should only apply when a player slaps his chest multiple times while not celebrating with teammates or if he is taunting a member of the opposing team. In these instances, he is drawing attention to himself and not his teammates who helped make it possible for him to score. That is when the penalty should be enforced.
A.J. Green was not drawing attention to himself, but celebrating with teammates. He was not delaying the game. It was a totally bad call and the refs realize that now since they did offer an apology. Unfortunately, it was too little too late. The rule must be clearly defined but at the same time not meant to suppress emotion. Celebrating with your teammates when you make a touchdown or a key sack or blocking a punt: These are not penalties.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Best For Bowdon, Best For FSU That He Should Go
Yesterday, a member of the Board of Trustees at Florida St. said that "enough is enough" referring to his opinion that FSU Head Football Coach Bobby Bowden should step down after this season. Up until now, the university, along with it's Board of Trustees, had been very supportive of Coach Bowden even though the level of success has gone down somewhat.
I'm reminded of a verse in the Bible, more particularly in the book of Ecclesiastees, that "to everything there is a season". I may be taking that verse slightly out of context, but it may very well be time for Coach Bowden to step down and allow Head Coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher take over after this season.
Ever since the Seminoles lost to Oklahoma in the 2000 National Title Game, the program has been, at best, mediocre. Also, things have happened off the field with a cheating scandal involving several football players as well as athletes from other sports. The fact that 14 of Bowden's wins might be taken from him by the NCAA is a shame. He has won 2 national titles and trails Joe Paterno of Penn St. by three games as the winningest coach in college football. The program, however, is not getting better. It is right now barely above average.
Jimbo Fisher deserves the opportunity to be a head coach. Coach Bowden has taken Florida St. as far as he can take it. for the sake of the university, his family and his health, Bobby Bowden should step aside after this season. Your comments please!
I'm reminded of a verse in the Bible, more particularly in the book of Ecclesiastees, that "to everything there is a season". I may be taking that verse slightly out of context, but it may very well be time for Coach Bowden to step down and allow Head Coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher take over after this season.
Ever since the Seminoles lost to Oklahoma in the 2000 National Title Game, the program has been, at best, mediocre. Also, things have happened off the field with a cheating scandal involving several football players as well as athletes from other sports. The fact that 14 of Bowden's wins might be taken from him by the NCAA is a shame. He has won 2 national titles and trails Joe Paterno of Penn St. by three games as the winningest coach in college football. The program, however, is not getting better. It is right now barely above average.
Jimbo Fisher deserves the opportunity to be a head coach. Coach Bowden has taken Florida St. as far as he can take it. for the sake of the university, his family and his health, Bobby Bowden should step aside after this season. Your comments please!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Georgia Can and Must Do Better Against LSU
I went to the Georgia/ASU game last Saturday in the torrential rain. Arizona St. does have a decent team, but once again, the Dogs made it possible for the Sun Devils to have a chance to win at the end. If it hadn't been for A.J. Green's spectacular block of a filed goal with about two minutes left, ASU would have probably done just that.
Penalties such as offsides, fumbling the football, interceptions. The Georgia Defense has saved the Dawgs' rear ends so many times. They gotten a bad rap this year for giving up so many points in their first three games, but let's face it. If they didn't perform in the rain Saturday, Arizona St. would be flying back to Tempe having upset a top notch SEC team on their home field. The Dawgs are near the bottom among FBS (Football Bow Subdivision) teams in penalties.
There is no way they will survive the likes of LSU, Florida, Auburn or Georgia Tech if they don't clean up the silly penalties and take better care of the football. Richard Samuel and Caleb King must run hard yet hold on to the ball, the line must block better, and Joe Cox, who played great against Arkansas and South Carolina, must make better decisions with the ball. This all sounds like I'm stating the obvious, but it's obvious that we (I'm a Georgia fan) are escaping because of the play of A.J. Green and our defense. Green, by the way, needs to get the ball more. In short, the Dawgs can and must do better against LSU this Saturday and the remaining riggers of the SEC.
Penalties such as offsides, fumbling the football, interceptions. The Georgia Defense has saved the Dawgs' rear ends so many times. They gotten a bad rap this year for giving up so many points in their first three games, but let's face it. If they didn't perform in the rain Saturday, Arizona St. would be flying back to Tempe having upset a top notch SEC team on their home field. The Dawgs are near the bottom among FBS (Football Bow Subdivision) teams in penalties.
There is no way they will survive the likes of LSU, Florida, Auburn or Georgia Tech if they don't clean up the silly penalties and take better care of the football. Richard Samuel and Caleb King must run hard yet hold on to the ball, the line must block better, and Joe Cox, who played great against Arkansas and South Carolina, must make better decisions with the ball. This all sounds like I'm stating the obvious, but it's obvious that we (I'm a Georgia fan) are escaping because of the play of A.J. Green and our defense. Green, by the way, needs to get the ball more. In short, the Dawgs can and must do better against LSU this Saturday and the remaining riggers of the SEC.
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