I grew up liking and following Penn State. In the northeast during the 70's and 80's, the Nittany Lions were the only major football program who consistently mattered on the national stage. Yes, Pitt won a national title and Boston College had a Heisman Trophy winner... but Penn State every year took on the bullies from the big conferences (this was the era of the Independent)- beating the USC's, Alabama's and Nebraska's. They did things the right way-- in an era of everybody in the SWC going on probation, never a whiff of impropriety in the program. The team was always more than the sum of its parts: there was a stretch where they beat Marcus Allen, Herschel Walker, Doug Flutie and Vinnie Testaverde the year each won the Heisman. And Joe Paterno represented what was good-- steering the ship through the unseemly waters of college athletics. Even when I didn't attend Penn State (going to a rival Eastern Independent), I still respected what the program stood for and what it meant to college athletics.
And now it's gone. Paterno fired? For off the field issues? Surely you mean some renegade coach paying players? Something so far off base that it possibly couldn't be true-- you mean Paterno's former longtime assistant coach was molesting kids while running a children's charity? If you haven't read the Grand Jury transcript, sit down before you do.
But it's not what Jerry Sandusky did... as much as what Joe Paterno didn't do that caused everything to tumble down. The famed quote: "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing". For at least 12 years, a lot of good men in and around State College did nothing-- or not enough. One wonders how long Paterno knew of this behavior. If there was one thing you felt you knew about Joe Paterno-- whether his team was 11-1 or 7-5 he was always doing the right thing. Somewhere the right thing was replaced by the bare minimum.
We like to think the best of people... and give people the benefit of the doubt. We can't imagine the horrors evil men do... because you ask yourself, how can a heart be that dark? You curse Sandusky for his ruining the lives of at least 8 young people... and setting in motion the toppling of all Paterno created. You look at what the people in charge did and didn't do-- and hope that you would have done the right thing if you were in that spot. You feel for the at least 8 people irreparably harmed by a predator-- and hope that they are in some way able to cobble together a decent life... even as those buried traumas come back to haunt them.
I work in the "toy department" of journalism. The Maryland-Notre Dame game is important to some but not as crucial as a jobs bill or hurricane or election. Sports is supposed to give people refuge from the ills of the day. Unfortunately at State College, it's going to be a while before Happy Valley has reason to be happy again.
Maryland meets Notre Dame-- the Terrrapins are in a tailspin... having dropped five straight. They've put together drives and quarters here and there-- but not the consistency they need to beat a team like the Fighting Irish. Terps come up short, 38-16.
Virginia faces Duke-- November begins like a Lamb and ends like a Lion for the Cavaliers (Florida State and Virginia Tech conclude the UVa slate). One more W for Kippy and Buffy, 29-17.
Navy comes up short against SMU, Georgetown slips at Lehigh, Howard defeats Delaware State, James Madison edges Rhode Island, William & Mary falls to Old Dominion, Richmond loses to Delaware.
Last Week: 6-1.
Overall: 53-24.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Monday, November 7, 2011
Redskins Rehash-- Fools' Gold and playing the hits...
So much for 3-1 and a potential playoff appearance. This is a crazy league and I've seen 3-6 New England teams go to 10-6, but does anything this team has done since opening day against the New York Giants inspire confidence? A 19-11 loss to San Francisco (and that's with the sluggish 49ers kicking off at 10am West Coast Time) generates the question of not "how are they going to turn this around" to "how far can this team fall"?
There's been quite a bit of dysfunction with the Redskins in the last 20 years-- from the Pettibon one and done to the Zorn "Maroon and Black" era-- so anytime things go wrong, there's a recent example to say "Deja Vu!". The only question is which year do we turn back the clock to. At first I was going to draft my "Bobby Gold!" persona from Rock 101-WGIR-FM... but he played the 70's and 80's in the 90's... good Redskin years and good stuff. This DJ plays everything from the Goo Goo Dolls to Plain White Tees... with the Gibbs II era sounding like latter day Lame REM. Nostalgia's awesome only when it's good.
Underwhelming afternoon-- at least the weather was nice. The Skins never led... and never really threatened... not reaching the SF red zone until their 12th possession of the day. Reminds one of the 2004 Skins that was massively offensively challenge... allowing opponents to post 15 to 20 points and then run clock.
Beck Lite-- if you look at #12's numbers, 254 yards doesn't seem like a bad outing... until you realize he needed 30 completions to get there. Makes one yearn for Jason Campbell's "Captain Checkdown" era of 2007-09.
Torain off the tracks... or "helluu...Roy"-- with Ryan Torain no longer the main engine in the ground game--after gaining 135 yards on 19 carries against St. Louis, Torain's been held to 33 yards on 21 tries over four games-- rookie Roy Helu was the meal ticket against San Francisco. And the Penn State product shined with 14 receptions (a Skins record) for 105 yards while running the ball 10 times for 41 yards.... but what's not awesome is he was targeted 17 times in 47 Beck attempts (over 33%) and they only ran the ball 15 times. Fifteen! That's not just a bad Nickelodeon 90210 knockoff with Ryan Reynolds in the cast... but a lack of commitment to the run. And they weren't necessarily in a pass-only mindset until the fourth quarter. Makes one recall the glory days of pitchin' and catchin' as well as droppin' G's under Steve Spurrier in 2002-03.
Feeling Fredtastic... ankle and all-- now #83 knows what it's like to be the lone threat on a banged up offense. Minus Tim Hightower, Chris Cooley and Santana Moss the open seams tighten up a little bit-- but Mr. Davis grabbed 4 passes for 42 yards. The prorated totals for the season are now 72-1034... but he hasn't scored in some time. Effective use of a tight end means he gets plenty of red zone chances-- and that's not happening here. This time we look to 2008 when Chris Cooley caught 83 passes for the Maroon and Black but scored just once.
Third and out-- both teams had problems moving the chains Sunday... with the Skins converting 5 of 12 and the Niners getting the job done on just 3 of 12 attempts. So a lot of punting (10 on 23 non-kneedown possessions) gave the Skins a chance to get back into this game early and often.
Quick Kicks-- sustained drives even when you don't generate points is a quiet stat: you're able to control clock and generate better field position... setting yourself up for success over the entire half. In the Skins 12 possessions, they had 3 three and outs-- with a fumbles on the first or second play of two other drives. Two more drives generated generated one first down and then a punt. An eighth possession came at the end of the first half and resulted in a 59 yard field goal.
Graham not cracking-- so much for a kicking controversy. How about a franchise record 59-yarder? The kicker's now 12 of 16 on the season with one miss since the end of September.
Feels like the good old days of Mark Moseley and Chip Lohmiller? Not exactly.
Secondary the primary tacklers-- three of the four leading tacklers against the 49ers were defensive backs... and that's not necessarily a good thing when your DBs are making most of the stops. That means your front seven's either getting blocked out of the way or not making plays. The OLB combo of Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan did total a combine 11 stops with each notching a sack-- two of the better personnel moves made by this and the previous regime. Nice to see solid linebacker play on a day where the Skins honored Chris Hanburger's Hall of Fame enshrinement.
Dissecting the Division-- the Giants win at New England places Big Blue atop the NFC East; the Giants would own the #3 seed if the playoffs began today. Dallas thanks to a win over Seattle and a 4-2 NFC mark owns the #8 spot in the conference, while the Redskins currently rate 11th in the NFC. Philadelphia can move up to 7th with a win over Chicago; a loss drops the Eagles to 10th.
Changing of the Conference Guard?-- since the late 1990's, the AFC has been the better conference: taking 9 of 12 Super Bowls between 1997 and 2009 and annually taking the interconference series (although one year it was tied at 32 wins apiece). Now back to back Super Bowl wins... the declining Colts and Patriots... and a midseason 15-12 edge by the NFC may mean that turnabout is on its way.
There's been quite a bit of dysfunction with the Redskins in the last 20 years-- from the Pettibon one and done to the Zorn "Maroon and Black" era-- so anytime things go wrong, there's a recent example to say "Deja Vu!". The only question is which year do we turn back the clock to. At first I was going to draft my "Bobby Gold!" persona from Rock 101-WGIR-FM... but he played the 70's and 80's in the 90's... good Redskin years and good stuff. This DJ plays everything from the Goo Goo Dolls to Plain White Tees... with the Gibbs II era sounding like latter day Lame REM. Nostalgia's awesome only when it's good.
Underwhelming afternoon-- at least the weather was nice. The Skins never led... and never really threatened... not reaching the SF red zone until their 12th possession of the day. Reminds one of the 2004 Skins that was massively offensively challenge... allowing opponents to post 15 to 20 points and then run clock.
Beck Lite-- if you look at #12's numbers, 254 yards doesn't seem like a bad outing... until you realize he needed 30 completions to get there. Makes one yearn for Jason Campbell's "Captain Checkdown" era of 2007-09.
Torain off the tracks... or "helluu...Roy"-- with Ryan Torain no longer the main engine in the ground game--after gaining 135 yards on 19 carries against St. Louis, Torain's been held to 33 yards on 21 tries over four games-- rookie Roy Helu was the meal ticket against San Francisco. And the Penn State product shined with 14 receptions (a Skins record) for 105 yards while running the ball 10 times for 41 yards.... but what's not awesome is he was targeted 17 times in 47 Beck attempts (over 33%) and they only ran the ball 15 times. Fifteen! That's not just a bad Nickelodeon 90210 knockoff with Ryan Reynolds in the cast... but a lack of commitment to the run. And they weren't necessarily in a pass-only mindset until the fourth quarter. Makes one recall the glory days of pitchin' and catchin' as well as droppin' G's under Steve Spurrier in 2002-03.
Feeling Fredtastic... ankle and all-- now #83 knows what it's like to be the lone threat on a banged up offense. Minus Tim Hightower, Chris Cooley and Santana Moss the open seams tighten up a little bit-- but Mr. Davis grabbed 4 passes for 42 yards. The prorated totals for the season are now 72-1034... but he hasn't scored in some time. Effective use of a tight end means he gets plenty of red zone chances-- and that's not happening here. This time we look to 2008 when Chris Cooley caught 83 passes for the Maroon and Black but scored just once.
Third and out-- both teams had problems moving the chains Sunday... with the Skins converting 5 of 12 and the Niners getting the job done on just 3 of 12 attempts. So a lot of punting (10 on 23 non-kneedown possessions) gave the Skins a chance to get back into this game early and often.
Quick Kicks-- sustained drives even when you don't generate points is a quiet stat: you're able to control clock and generate better field position... setting yourself up for success over the entire half. In the Skins 12 possessions, they had 3 three and outs-- with a fumbles on the first or second play of two other drives. Two more drives generated generated one first down and then a punt. An eighth possession came at the end of the first half and resulted in a 59 yard field goal.
Graham not cracking-- so much for a kicking controversy. How about a franchise record 59-yarder? The kicker's now 12 of 16 on the season with one miss since the end of September.
Feels like the good old days of Mark Moseley and Chip Lohmiller? Not exactly.
Secondary the primary tacklers-- three of the four leading tacklers against the 49ers were defensive backs... and that's not necessarily a good thing when your DBs are making most of the stops. That means your front seven's either getting blocked out of the way or not making plays. The OLB combo of Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan did total a combine 11 stops with each notching a sack-- two of the better personnel moves made by this and the previous regime. Nice to see solid linebacker play on a day where the Skins honored Chris Hanburger's Hall of Fame enshrinement.
Dissecting the Division-- the Giants win at New England places Big Blue atop the NFC East; the Giants would own the #3 seed if the playoffs began today. Dallas thanks to a win over Seattle and a 4-2 NFC mark owns the #8 spot in the conference, while the Redskins currently rate 11th in the NFC. Philadelphia can move up to 7th with a win over Chicago; a loss drops the Eagles to 10th.
Changing of the Conference Guard?-- since the late 1990's, the AFC has been the better conference: taking 9 of 12 Super Bowls between 1997 and 2009 and annually taking the interconference series (although one year it was tied at 32 wins apiece). Now back to back Super Bowl wins... the declining Colts and Patriots... and a midseason 15-12 edge by the NFC may mean that turnabout is on its way.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
College Football Corner-- thank goodness for shrimp dip...
Congrats to Kippy and Buffy. My UVa tailgating friends--popped collars with woven sweaters, argyles with Doxides and all-- can lord over their Terrapin counterparts on the gridiron for the next year... and enjoy their clinching a postseason berth to boot. It's kind of odd that Virginia Tech was idle this weekend-- it only magnifies the Maryland-Virginia matchup for all the right and wrong reasons.
Alma Mater Update-- Paul Pasqualoni gets his revenge win as UConn rallies past the Orange 28-21. Thanks for recruiting a decent QB after McNabb, Paul. And thanks for always finding a way to lose to the East Carolinas and NC States from out of nowhere... and oh yes... Temple. My cousin Liz went to that fine institution, but losing to Temple in 2004 still stings. Unless John Chaney is threatening me. Then I'm cool with that. So now not only is the air officially out of the season, the SU bandwagon is ruining its tires by driving on the rims. Pinstripe Bowl here we come! Unless they add another bowl to be played at CitiBank.
Virginia began with a bang against Maryland-- returing a kickoff 47 yards and then scoring from 47 yards out on its first play from scrimmage. After a Terrapin rally, the Cavaliers owned the third quarter: grinding out 207 yards to 65 for the home team, scoring 14 points while being en route to a field goal as the quarter ended, and holding the Terps to a pair of 3 and outs with an interception on the other drive. The final wasn't as close as the 31-13 score would suggest. For the Cavs it means a bowl-- and for the Terps it means 2012 or bust... as 2011 is already officially a bust.
Cavalier Congrats-- Perry Jones gained over 6 yards a carry (139 yards on 22 tries) while setting the tone with a 47 yard scamper for a score and had a game-changing touchdown on 4th and 1 to put UVa up 8 after its first drive of the second half... Kris Burd and Tim Smith tallied 100+ yards receiving... and Rodney McLeod notched three interceptions. Cavalier Concerns-- after a strong start the defense allowed the Terps to score three times in four possessions...
both lost fumbles occurred well within field goal range... and Kippy Cavalier makes a pretty lame mascot. Easily the least threatening I've seen on the sidelines this fall. And that includes the Temple Owl (who fears a nocturnal animal in the afternoon?) and Miami's "Sebastian the Ibis"-- really. "Sebastian the Ibis"? Legally, you can't be intimidated by anyone named "Sebastian". Or "Kippy". Next Up: Saturday against Duke (don't worry, November begins like a Lamb and ends like a Lion-- Florida State and Virginia Tech wrap up the UVa schedule).
Tailgating Tandem-- truth be told my UVa pals Kippy and Buffy brought it big time-- breaking out the Cain Five 2007-- an incredible blend with 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 6% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cab Franc (the vanilla extract of grapes)... paired with a nice dose of Jarlsberg (Nowegian swiss-type cheese) on Keeblers "Toasteds" snack crackers. Still, I had a better time in the non-popped collar land with the Nobles: Matt and Stacia offered a pregame spread of crabdip and breakfast quiche (Stacia's Mimosa recipie calls for Triple Sec), and postgame Bubba Burgers with shrimp dip and frito's... with cans of Coors Light (raised in honor of my cousin David Watson's birthday) and Pumpkin Ale (I forget the brand; we were holding a "production meeting" for the womens' basketball broadcasts). I was given the leftover shrimp dip and let's just say it was gone within 24 hours.
Terrapin Triumphs-- Quentin McCree notched 7 catches for 117 yards in his final home game... Darin Drakeford tallied 11 tackles, a forced fumble and an interception... and the weather was really nice for the first time in seven home games this fall. I'm the sideline reporter for the Terrapin Sports Radio Network-- and I've seen rain, snow, sleet, slush and even a hybrid I politely title "snushleet". Terrapin Troubles--five turnovers on their last seven possessions (the other possessions failed to gain a first down)... 3 for 14 on third down (all 14 third down plays were 3rd and 6 or longer)... a defense that allowed two huge plays in the first half (a 47 yard run and a 35 yard pass). Next Up: Saturday against Notre Dame.
Alma Mater Update-- Paul Pasqualoni gets his revenge win as UConn rallies past the Orange 28-21. Thanks for recruiting a decent QB after McNabb, Paul. And thanks for always finding a way to lose to the East Carolinas and NC States from out of nowhere... and oh yes... Temple. My cousin Liz went to that fine institution, but losing to Temple in 2004 still stings. Unless John Chaney is threatening me. Then I'm cool with that. So now not only is the air officially out of the season, the SU bandwagon is ruining its tires by driving on the rims. Pinstripe Bowl here we come! Unless they add another bowl to be played at CitiBank.
Virginia began with a bang against Maryland-- returing a kickoff 47 yards and then scoring from 47 yards out on its first play from scrimmage. After a Terrapin rally, the Cavaliers owned the third quarter: grinding out 207 yards to 65 for the home team, scoring 14 points while being en route to a field goal as the quarter ended, and holding the Terps to a pair of 3 and outs with an interception on the other drive. The final wasn't as close as the 31-13 score would suggest. For the Cavs it means a bowl-- and for the Terps it means 2012 or bust... as 2011 is already officially a bust.
Cavalier Congrats-- Perry Jones gained over 6 yards a carry (139 yards on 22 tries) while setting the tone with a 47 yard scamper for a score and had a game-changing touchdown on 4th and 1 to put UVa up 8 after its first drive of the second half... Kris Burd and Tim Smith tallied 100+ yards receiving... and Rodney McLeod notched three interceptions. Cavalier Concerns-- after a strong start the defense allowed the Terps to score three times in four possessions...
both lost fumbles occurred well within field goal range... and Kippy Cavalier makes a pretty lame mascot. Easily the least threatening I've seen on the sidelines this fall. And that includes the Temple Owl (who fears a nocturnal animal in the afternoon?) and Miami's "Sebastian the Ibis"-- really. "Sebastian the Ibis"? Legally, you can't be intimidated by anyone named "Sebastian". Or "Kippy". Next Up: Saturday against Duke (don't worry, November begins like a Lamb and ends like a Lion-- Florida State and Virginia Tech wrap up the UVa schedule).
Tailgating Tandem-- truth be told my UVa pals Kippy and Buffy brought it big time-- breaking out the Cain Five 2007-- an incredible blend with 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 6% Malbec, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cab Franc (the vanilla extract of grapes)... paired with a nice dose of Jarlsberg (Nowegian swiss-type cheese) on Keeblers "Toasteds" snack crackers. Still, I had a better time in the non-popped collar land with the Nobles: Matt and Stacia offered a pregame spread of crabdip and breakfast quiche (Stacia's Mimosa recipie calls for Triple Sec), and postgame Bubba Burgers with shrimp dip and frito's... with cans of Coors Light (raised in honor of my cousin David Watson's birthday) and Pumpkin Ale (I forget the brand; we were holding a "production meeting" for the womens' basketball broadcasts). I was given the leftover shrimp dip and let's just say it was gone within 24 hours.
Terrapin Triumphs-- Quentin McCree notched 7 catches for 117 yards in his final home game... Darin Drakeford tallied 11 tackles, a forced fumble and an interception... and the weather was really nice for the first time in seven home games this fall. I'm the sideline reporter for the Terrapin Sports Radio Network-- and I've seen rain, snow, sleet, slush and even a hybrid I politely title "snushleet". Terrapin Troubles--five turnovers on their last seven possessions (the other possessions failed to gain a first down)... 3 for 14 on third down (all 14 third down plays were 3rd and 6 or longer)... a defense that allowed two huge plays in the first half (a 47 yard run and a 35 yard pass). Next Up: Saturday against Notre Dame.
Friday, November 4, 2011
Presto's Picks-- Closing Month Opens.
While September is Show Me Month and October is Moving Month, November is Closing Month in college football. Seasons are won or lost; champions are determined (okay, I throw the first week of December into November here) and legacies are established. The definition of a successful season depends on the school and the situation: for Virginia Tech, nothing short of an ACC Championship Game appearance will suffice. For Virginia, a win over the Hokies would make the season-- even with a 7-5 or 8-4 finish. For Maryland, four straight wins may seem unlikely against a fourpack that's 19-13... a 2-2 closing month wouldn't be ideal, but an 0-4 would be beyond disastrous.
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse tries to clinch bowl eligibility this weekend with a game against Connecticut. One thing I'll miss about not being in the Big East is my friend "UCONN JAMES"-- the loudest Huskies fan on the planet-- and a guy I only see during the hoop season. I don't believe he actually exists otherwise. SU's path to the postseason is littered with also-rans... as only Big East leading Cincinnati has a winning record. But if there's one thing I've learned from following the Orange-- they will make this interesting for everyone watching.
Virginia visits Maryland in the annual Potomac posturing... and recently the road team has fared rather well: 5-0 since 2006. The two schools recruit in each other's backyards (11 Cavaliers are from Maryland, 11 Terps hail from Virginia) and there's always a sneer from Charlottesville ("academic institution") towards the more Salt of the Earth College Parkers. Let the record show my tailgating pals Kippy and Buffy don't look down on their Terrapin counterparts-- because to look down on someone you have to acknowledge their existence.
UVa has been consistently inconsistent this fall, barely beating IDAHO in overtime before upsetting unbeaten Georgia Tech... then losing to then winless in the ACC North Carolina State before beating Miami in their house (alas, not at the defunct OB). The Terps are injury ridden and even healthy have had problems defensively... and offensively the weekly quarterback question has to be taking its toll at some point. Cavaliers come through, 25-22.
Navy tops Troy, Howard slips at Hampton, Georgetown rips Fordham, James Madison falls at New Hampshire, William & Mary loses at Rhode Island, Richmond falls to Old Dominion.
Last Week: 6-2.
Overall: 47-23.
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse tries to clinch bowl eligibility this weekend with a game against Connecticut. One thing I'll miss about not being in the Big East is my friend "UCONN JAMES"-- the loudest Huskies fan on the planet-- and a guy I only see during the hoop season. I don't believe he actually exists otherwise. SU's path to the postseason is littered with also-rans... as only Big East leading Cincinnati has a winning record. But if there's one thing I've learned from following the Orange-- they will make this interesting for everyone watching.
Virginia visits Maryland in the annual Potomac posturing... and recently the road team has fared rather well: 5-0 since 2006. The two schools recruit in each other's backyards (11 Cavaliers are from Maryland, 11 Terps hail from Virginia) and there's always a sneer from Charlottesville ("academic institution") towards the more Salt of the Earth College Parkers. Let the record show my tailgating pals Kippy and Buffy don't look down on their Terrapin counterparts-- because to look down on someone you have to acknowledge their existence.
UVa has been consistently inconsistent this fall, barely beating IDAHO in overtime before upsetting unbeaten Georgia Tech... then losing to then winless in the ACC North Carolina State before beating Miami in their house (alas, not at the defunct OB). The Terps are injury ridden and even healthy have had problems defensively... and offensively the weekly quarterback question has to be taking its toll at some point. Cavaliers come through, 25-22.
Navy tops Troy, Howard slips at Hampton, Georgetown rips Fordham, James Madison falls at New Hampshire, William & Mary loses at Rhode Island, Richmond falls to Old Dominion.
Last Week: 6-2.
Overall: 47-23.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Redskins Rehash-- Spooky Indeed...
While most people wear Halloween costumes October 31st (or the surrounding weekends), evidently the Redskins 2011 outfit was as a playoff contender-- worn in September. Does anyone remember 3-1? Does anyone recall first place in the NFC East? Can anyone remember what it was like to be a Rex Grossman fumble away from defeating Dallas? No...I'm waking up to a 3-4 team that's losing altitude in the same vein as Steve Spurrier's second team that went from beating Super Bowl bound New England in September to getting a faxed resignation around New Year's. That's what's scary.
Beck Bland-- 20 of 33, 208 yards and two picks in his second start. Not completely awful (the 2 interceptions came in the fourth quarter when the Skins were in passorama mode) yet not what the team needed. Just two completions longer than 20 yards won't stretch defenses... although the record should show he had the highest yards per carry of any Redskin.
The Joy of Sacks-- of course it's very difficult to throw the football when you're lying down on your back (trust me, I've tried). Beck was dropped nine times (!) by a defense that had four sacks in six games entering yesterday's matchup. A patchwork line, covered receivers and a quarterback still feeling his way around the pocket all contribute-- but nine?
Running aground-- obviously not having Tim Hightower was going to hurt... but 26 yards on 12 carries? The Bills outgained the Skins for the day on the ground in the first quarter.
Byes are a bummer-- Sunday's plate was rather lacking for good football... but that's what you get with bye weeks. This past weekend saw more than a few compelling teams on the sidelines: all have winning records and three reached the conference championship round last year; even Oakland and Tampa Bay were playing relevant games in December. That left us with just two marquee matchups: Pittsburgh-New England and Dallas-Philadelphia. This next week looks front-loaded: Giants-New England, Green Bay-San Diego, Jets-Buffalo and Pittsburgh-Baltimore just to name a few. Couldn't the NFL have evened things out a bit?
Third and Forever-- when you can't run and your quarterback gets sacked twice per quarter, you're going to have quite a bit of trouble moving the chains. The Skins converted just 4 of 14 (29%) on the afternoon. For the season the team is ranked 23rd in the league-- with the entire NFC West behind them in that category. So glad I'm not following football in Phoenix.
Cardinals Clocked-- about Arizona. The Pacific Time Zone team struggled while playing a 1pm EDT game. Why couldn't they have flip-flopped that matchup with Redskins-Bills? Were they that wrapped up in how Central NY would split with the Giants game on CBS? This week there are two West Coast teams playing at 1. San Francisco at the Skins and Seattle at Dallas. Sluggishness as they kick off at 10am West Coast time? Set your clock to it.
Feeling Fredtastic... except for his foot-- eight more catches for 94 yards... pacing the team in both categories. #83's 36 catches for 517 yards translate into 82-1182 for the season... and with Santana Moss and Chris Cooley on the sidelines with injuries, once could expect that might increase. Unless as reported he was actually wearing a protective boot at Redskins Park Monday-- meaning he may be sidelined as well. At least he's playing better than Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly.
London Fog-- the Redskins linebacker tallied 12 solo stops and 8 assists to tally 20 tackles against the Bills. He also notched an interception. This was after he was a question mark for the contest. Even in a season turning sour, Mr. Fletcher's play is certainly sweet.
Dissecting the Division-- the New York Giant's close win over Miami gives them a two game cushion; and Philadelphia's win over Dallas means the Eagles own the second place tiebreaker and the Skins descent from first to worst only took three games. Now that is impressive. As of now the Giants would receive the NFC's #3 seed... Philly's 9th... Dallas is 10th and the Skins are 11th. But midseason is a volatile time: if Kansas City loses its Monday night matchup with San Diego, the Chiefs fall to 12th place in the AFC while a win moves them to 4th.
Divisional Highs and Lows-- the AFC North has a half game (19-10 to 19-11) lead over the NFC North. Six of the eight teams could conceivably make the playoffs. Meanwhile, the race for worst division has the AFC South percentage points behind the NFC West (in the topsy turvy race for last, that means the West is worst). And the Colts 0-8 has that four-pack weighed underwater like no tomorrow (11-19). The NFC west is 10-18 with a 5-1 San Francisco being complemented by a 5-17 everybody else. Smacks of the NFC Central circa 1986.
Past is present-- a few weeks ago, I remarked how similar the situation was to 2003. A second year coach, a 3-1 start... a tough loss to Philly... and then it all came down. Who did the Skins play in their seventh game of 2003? THE BILLS. I'm not saying things will end 5-11 with Shanahan faxing in a resignation from the golf course, but this is a strange start.
Beck Bland-- 20 of 33, 208 yards and two picks in his second start. Not completely awful (the 2 interceptions came in the fourth quarter when the Skins were in passorama mode) yet not what the team needed. Just two completions longer than 20 yards won't stretch defenses... although the record should show he had the highest yards per carry of any Redskin.
The Joy of Sacks-- of course it's very difficult to throw the football when you're lying down on your back (trust me, I've tried). Beck was dropped nine times (!) by a defense that had four sacks in six games entering yesterday's matchup. A patchwork line, covered receivers and a quarterback still feeling his way around the pocket all contribute-- but nine?
Running aground-- obviously not having Tim Hightower was going to hurt... but 26 yards on 12 carries? The Bills outgained the Skins for the day on the ground in the first quarter.
Byes are a bummer-- Sunday's plate was rather lacking for good football... but that's what you get with bye weeks. This past weekend saw more than a few compelling teams on the sidelines: all have winning records and three reached the conference championship round last year; even Oakland and Tampa Bay were playing relevant games in December. That left us with just two marquee matchups: Pittsburgh-New England and Dallas-Philadelphia. This next week looks front-loaded: Giants-New England, Green Bay-San Diego, Jets-Buffalo and Pittsburgh-Baltimore just to name a few. Couldn't the NFL have evened things out a bit?
Third and Forever-- when you can't run and your quarterback gets sacked twice per quarter, you're going to have quite a bit of trouble moving the chains. The Skins converted just 4 of 14 (29%) on the afternoon. For the season the team is ranked 23rd in the league-- with the entire NFC West behind them in that category. So glad I'm not following football in Phoenix.
Cardinals Clocked-- about Arizona. The Pacific Time Zone team struggled while playing a 1pm EDT game. Why couldn't they have flip-flopped that matchup with Redskins-Bills? Were they that wrapped up in how Central NY would split with the Giants game on CBS? This week there are two West Coast teams playing at 1. San Francisco at the Skins and Seattle at Dallas. Sluggishness as they kick off at 10am West Coast time? Set your clock to it.
Feeling Fredtastic... except for his foot-- eight more catches for 94 yards... pacing the team in both categories. #83's 36 catches for 517 yards translate into 82-1182 for the season... and with Santana Moss and Chris Cooley on the sidelines with injuries, once could expect that might increase. Unless as reported he was actually wearing a protective boot at Redskins Park Monday-- meaning he may be sidelined as well. At least he's playing better than Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly.
London Fog-- the Redskins linebacker tallied 12 solo stops and 8 assists to tally 20 tackles against the Bills. He also notched an interception. This was after he was a question mark for the contest. Even in a season turning sour, Mr. Fletcher's play is certainly sweet.
Dissecting the Division-- the New York Giant's close win over Miami gives them a two game cushion; and Philadelphia's win over Dallas means the Eagles own the second place tiebreaker and the Skins descent from first to worst only took three games. Now that is impressive. As of now the Giants would receive the NFC's #3 seed... Philly's 9th... Dallas is 10th and the Skins are 11th. But midseason is a volatile time: if Kansas City loses its Monday night matchup with San Diego, the Chiefs fall to 12th place in the AFC while a win moves them to 4th.
Divisional Highs and Lows-- the AFC North has a half game (19-10 to 19-11) lead over the NFC North. Six of the eight teams could conceivably make the playoffs. Meanwhile, the race for worst division has the AFC South percentage points behind the NFC West (in the topsy turvy race for last, that means the West is worst). And the Colts 0-8 has that four-pack weighed underwater like no tomorrow (11-19). The NFC west is 10-18 with a 5-1 San Francisco being complemented by a 5-17 everybody else. Smacks of the NFC Central circa 1986.
Past is present-- a few weeks ago, I remarked how similar the situation was to 2003. A second year coach, a 3-1 start... a tough loss to Philly... and then it all came down. Who did the Skins play in their seventh game of 2003? THE BILLS. I'm not saying things will end 5-11 with Shanahan faxing in a resignation from the golf course, but this is a strange start.
College Football Corner-- is your costume ready?
Halloween wraps up the month of October with people masquerading as someone else. Area schools may have tried to make us think they're something else in September-- but after 4 or 5 more games the snapshot becomes a portrait. While some enjoy a bagful of candy-- others are stuck with a rock.
Alma Mater Update-- thanks, SU for once again killing whatever football buzz that was built in a win over West Virginia by playing poorly in a 27-10 loss to Louisville. Four games remain for the 5-3 Orange to reach the magical 6 victory plateau and assure another low to mid-level bowl game. I'm just getting excited about which banner they'll unveil next year!
Conference Calamities-- the ACC lost its last unbeaten when Clemson collapsed in the October night... meaning no National Championship talk again in November for a league that swiped three football schools from the Big East a decade ago. While the Atlantic Division is down to a three team race (with Clemson currently holding all of the cards)... every team remains in contention in the Coastal (albeit a few by the skin of their teeth). While the Coastal barely has the better league record (15-14 to 15-16), the gap widens for all games: 33-18 to 26-23. And that's with Duke in their membership.
Maryland (2-6) fell behind early against Boston College, and despite a late rally came up short 28-17. Where the team began October hoping to right the ship after a surprise loss to Temple, they begin November needing to win four straight games against teams that are a combined 19-13 to qualify for postseason play. Terrapin Triumphs-- Davin Meggett rushed for 99 yards, and the team finished with just 3 penalties. Terrapin Troubles-- four takeaways resulting in zero points...372 yards allowed on the ground... multiple drops ending drives. Next up: Saturday against Virginia.
#15 Virginia Tech (8-1) started slowly against Duke with an interception in the endzone... before bouncing back to post a 14-10 victory over the Blue Devils. Style points taking the week off. Hokie Highlights-- 148 yards rushing by David Wilson... four takeaways by the defense... and holding the Blue Devils to 4 of 16 on third down. Hokie Humblings-- VT had problems moving the chains as well, converting just 5 of 14... nine (9! IX!) penalties... and thank goodness Duke couldn't kick straight (2 missed field goals in second quarter) or they would have trailed at intermission. Next Up: Thursday November 10th against Georgia Tech.
Virginia (5-3) all of a sudden is in the postseason conversation after a 28-21 win at Miami. The Cavaliers aren't supposed to win those games, weren't they informed? And UVa can take the Coastal Division if they win out. Easier said than done: after Maryland and Duke (5-11 composite record), coach Mike London's team takes on Florida State and Virginia Tech (combined 13-4 mark). For the record, Kippy and Buffy enjoyed a bottle of Colores Del Sol Malbec while feasting on multi-grain Rice Thins. And both collars were popped at all times. Cavalier Congrats-- a running game that pounded out 207 yards at 4.7 a clip... a defense that held the Hurricanes to 2 of 9 on third down... no turnovers and just three penalties. Cavalier Concerns-- moving the chains just 6 of 15 times... allowing over 70% completions and 347 passing yards... losing the kickoff return war by about 15 net yards per kick. Next Up: Saturday at Maryland.
Alma Mater Update-- thanks, SU for once again killing whatever football buzz that was built in a win over West Virginia by playing poorly in a 27-10 loss to Louisville. Four games remain for the 5-3 Orange to reach the magical 6 victory plateau and assure another low to mid-level bowl game. I'm just getting excited about which banner they'll unveil next year!
Conference Calamities-- the ACC lost its last unbeaten when Clemson collapsed in the October night... meaning no National Championship talk again in November for a league that swiped three football schools from the Big East a decade ago. While the Atlantic Division is down to a three team race (with Clemson currently holding all of the cards)... every team remains in contention in the Coastal (albeit a few by the skin of their teeth). While the Coastal barely has the better league record (15-14 to 15-16), the gap widens for all games: 33-18 to 26-23. And that's with Duke in their membership.
Maryland (2-6) fell behind early against Boston College, and despite a late rally came up short 28-17. Where the team began October hoping to right the ship after a surprise loss to Temple, they begin November needing to win four straight games against teams that are a combined 19-13 to qualify for postseason play. Terrapin Triumphs-- Davin Meggett rushed for 99 yards, and the team finished with just 3 penalties. Terrapin Troubles-- four takeaways resulting in zero points...372 yards allowed on the ground... multiple drops ending drives. Next up: Saturday against Virginia.
#15 Virginia Tech (8-1) started slowly against Duke with an interception in the endzone... before bouncing back to post a 14-10 victory over the Blue Devils. Style points taking the week off. Hokie Highlights-- 148 yards rushing by David Wilson... four takeaways by the defense... and holding the Blue Devils to 4 of 16 on third down. Hokie Humblings-- VT had problems moving the chains as well, converting just 5 of 14... nine (9! IX!) penalties... and thank goodness Duke couldn't kick straight (2 missed field goals in second quarter) or they would have trailed at intermission. Next Up: Thursday November 10th against Georgia Tech.
Virginia (5-3) all of a sudden is in the postseason conversation after a 28-21 win at Miami. The Cavaliers aren't supposed to win those games, weren't they informed? And UVa can take the Coastal Division if they win out. Easier said than done: after Maryland and Duke (5-11 composite record), coach Mike London's team takes on Florida State and Virginia Tech (combined 13-4 mark). For the record, Kippy and Buffy enjoyed a bottle of Colores Del Sol Malbec while feasting on multi-grain Rice Thins. And both collars were popped at all times. Cavalier Congrats-- a running game that pounded out 207 yards at 4.7 a clip... a defense that held the Hurricanes to 2 of 9 on third down... no turnovers and just three penalties. Cavalier Concerns-- moving the chains just 6 of 15 times... allowing over 70% completions and 347 passing yards... losing the kickoff return war by about 15 net yards per kick. Next Up: Saturday at Maryland.
Friday, October 28, 2011
Presto's Picks-- Looking out for #1.
Do you root for your league or your school? Clemson plays Georgia Tech tonight... and for those not with a rooting interest who follow the ACC-- you'd think they'd be pulling for Orange and Purple. Late October means in addition to anticipating the quickly arriving college basketball season one focuses on the slowly shrinking list of unbeaten teams... and for the first time in recent memory, there's an ACC team in the mix. To have an unbeaten in November gets additional attention towards your conference beyond the divisional races...and recently the likes of Virginia Tech have dominated the league after stumbling in September while former title picture fixtures Florida State and Miami have been spectators instead of participants in the November sprint. When the Big East gets pub for having an unbeaten Rutgers or Cincinnati or Louisville after Halloween (sorry, Syracuse-- the Orange haven't been unbeaten past Columbus Day since I think 1987)... you see how key it is for your favorites to stay unblemished late. That's why the best thing that could happen for the ACC is for the Tigers to triumph... and stay on the fringe of the conversation as other teams (Wisconsin, Oklahoma) in front of them stumble.
Alma Mater Update-- will there be a letdown? It's tough managing the emotional roller coaster of just one college student-- let alone 100. The Orange are fresh off blasting a ranked rival in West Virginia and now play the Cardinals-- who no matter how good they've been in recent years will never be in the pantheon of SU rivals on the gridiron. Word is the wing sauce at Sign of the Whale will have a tiny extra bit of Tabasco to get things going.
Maryland battles Boston College-- and the Eagles are the only team in the ACC without a league victory. BC ranks 11th in the ACC offensively... and last in the league in total defense. Obviously they're placing too much emphasis on moving the football. This will be a fulcrum game for the Terps-- win and there are still hopes (albeit slim) of reaching the postseason. Lose and they're on the precipice of elimination with four remaining opponents all possessing winning records. Terrapins triumph, 20-16.
#15 Virginia Tech visits Duke-- oh, to be in the ACC's Coastal Division. In the 7+ years of divisional play Duke has posted a 7-52 league mark-- by far the worst in the conference. For decent programs having the Blue Devils automatically on the schedule is an extra boost towards getting a better bowl (much like the SEC Least that gets Vanderbilt and Kentucky on its docket every fall). The question for the Hokies: can they avoid the first quarter blahs... and against Duke will it matter? Sean Renfree is off to a so-so season... but when he's on he can create a bunch of points quickly-- and VT isn't exactly Air Coryell. Hokies after allowing 2 first quarter scores grind out another victory... 34-21.
Navy slips to Notre Dame, Georgetown beats Holy Cross, Howard falls to South Carolina State, James Madison edges Old Dominion, William & Mary loses to Rhode Island, Richmond comes up short against Massachussetts.
Last Week: 5-3.
Overall: 41-21.
Alma Mater Update-- will there be a letdown? It's tough managing the emotional roller coaster of just one college student-- let alone 100. The Orange are fresh off blasting a ranked rival in West Virginia and now play the Cardinals-- who no matter how good they've been in recent years will never be in the pantheon of SU rivals on the gridiron. Word is the wing sauce at Sign of the Whale will have a tiny extra bit of Tabasco to get things going.
Yes, Virginia! There is a Thursday night-- Kippy and Buffy were so busy getting their Halloween costumes in gear, they didn't notice that the Cavaliers were playing in Miami Thursday night. (They're going as Captain John Smith and Pocahontas-- again) Still, they plan on enjoying the usual snacks while watching the Tivoed game. If you see them around and about, don't spoil the score-- although it's okay to joke about their popped collars.
Maryland battles Boston College-- and the Eagles are the only team in the ACC without a league victory. BC ranks 11th in the ACC offensively... and last in the league in total defense. Obviously they're placing too much emphasis on moving the football. This will be a fulcrum game for the Terps-- win and there are still hopes (albeit slim) of reaching the postseason. Lose and they're on the precipice of elimination with four remaining opponents all possessing winning records. Terrapins triumph, 20-16.
#15 Virginia Tech visits Duke-- oh, to be in the ACC's Coastal Division. In the 7+ years of divisional play Duke has posted a 7-52 league mark-- by far the worst in the conference. For decent programs having the Blue Devils automatically on the schedule is an extra boost towards getting a better bowl (much like the SEC Least that gets Vanderbilt and Kentucky on its docket every fall). The question for the Hokies: can they avoid the first quarter blahs... and against Duke will it matter? Sean Renfree is off to a so-so season... but when he's on he can create a bunch of points quickly-- and VT isn't exactly Air Coryell. Hokies after allowing 2 first quarter scores grind out another victory... 34-21.
Navy slips to Notre Dame, Georgetown beats Holy Cross, Howard falls to South Carolina State, James Madison edges Old Dominion, William & Mary loses to Rhode Island, Richmond comes up short against Massachussetts.
Last Week: 5-3.
Overall: 41-21.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Redskins Rehash-- Burgundy and Gold now Black and Blue after a beating...
Different starter, same finish. Reminds me of the early part of the sixth season of Beverly Hills, 90210 when they gave Luke Perry's character a story arc that would see him get married to the daughter of the man who killed his father-- only to see her get killed the next day (I called that twist 15 minutes away- like Mandy Moore having cancer in A Walk to Remember). The focus on this arc took one's attention away from other issues and B-plots that once Perry's character rode off into the sunset you couldn't help but avoid. The "Rex or Beck?" question was resolved, if only for the moment-- but now one can't help but notice the other deficiencies on the team. The shine of the 3-1 start is gone and we notice that the leap from rebuilder to pretender (let alone contender) may not happen until the leap year. It's not exactly Steve Sanders dating Claire Arnold, but it'll be an interesting ten games.
Beck's Debut, or the Temporary Longterm Solution-- the new starting quarterback threw for 279 yards and a touchdown while running for another score. He also threw an interception and lost a fumble...proving that losing the ball wasn't just a Rex thing. Just one three and out with reasonable movement on half of his drives (Skins had 11 possessions- we won't count his end of first half kneeldown). Not a bad first effort, but the NFL doesn't grade on a curve... and coach Mike Shanahan was asked in the postgame press conference if Beck would start against Buffalo. Can we give the guy a little bit more of a leash?
Running aground, or Injury Part I-- after tallying 83 yards on 18 carries in the first half, the Burgundy and Gold ran the ball just 5 times after intermission for 9 yards... and no rushing attempts in the fourth quarter. Part of the reason behind the move was Tim Hightower going down with a knee injury-- an MRI is pending with concerns it may be an ACL tear.
D earns one, or Injury Part II-- another reason why the Skins abandoned the run was the fact that they were trailing by double digits for most of the time they had the ball after halftime. The Panthers produced three touchdowns on their first three possessions of the second half and had the ball for over 18 minutes. Cam Newton was tough to contain, passing for 256 yards and a touchdown while running for 59 yards and a score. It didn't help that defensive linchpin London Fletcher went down with a hamstring injury.
Feeling Fredtastic, or Injury Part III-- Mr. Davis represents the famed triumvirate in fine fashion (he's the only one to have a catch since 2009) with 6 grabs for 80 yards and a touchdown. Now he did get some flak for celebrating his score that made things 30-20... but claims he was trying to get his team pumped up-- and with the crazy comebacks we've seen this year, a ten point deficit with 5:05 left is by no means a hopeless cause. Don't look now, but #83 is slowly putting together a monster season-- his current numbers prorate to 75 catches for 1128 yards (he entered the season with 72 career catches for 853 yards). Good thing Davis is playing well... because Chris Cooley won't be back anytime soon and now Santana Moss has a broken hand. Moss is currently second on the team with 25 receptions... with Jabar Gaffney the only other WR to have more than 5 catches this fall. So much for single coverage from here on out..
Slipping into the Time Zone-- San Diego jumped out to an early lead before the New York Jets rallied in the second half. I was impressed that the Chargers played well at all. You see, the game was slated for 1pm Eastern Time-- meaning San Diego was playing at 10am local time. ESPN did a full fledged report in 2008 about how over time Pacific Time Zone teams don't do well when playing that early. My problem is you're expecting their fan base to get up and watch football at 10am. I've been to California. It's a fun state. There's a lot to do late out there-- and by having games kick off at 10am you're killing the guys who want to take their girfriends out to Sunday Brunch before ignoring them for the rest of the day. I know the league likes to have the Giants and Jets play at different times on Sunday (same with Baltimore and Washington as well as San Francisco and Oakland) to maximize viewership, but can't they just as a rule have Pacific Time Zone teams play no earlier than 4pm EST? How tough is this?
Dissecting the Division-- the NY Giants' bye paired with Philadelphia's week off keeps the NFC East leader and cellardweller the same... and Dallas' win over St. Louis propels the Cowboys into second place ahead of the Skins. Big picture: the Redskins are currently 10th in the NFC... with the Cowboys, Tampa Bay, Atlanta and Chicago standing in their way of the last playoff spot.
Norths Rise Again-- the bull market for the AFC and NFC North continues... heading into the Monday Night game Baltimore's bunch is 16-8 while Green Bay's gang is 17-11. With both divisions currently supplying both wildcards in their respective conferences. Now there's plenty of football to be played, but still...
Colts past is present-- Indianapolis' collapse reminds me of the late 70's when the Baltimore Colts were coming off three straight AFC East titles but a little wobbly and getting older...and needed help to make the 1977 playoffs. Then Bert Jones injured his shoulder and he missed 13 games in 1978... and the Colts collapsed, finishing 5-11. Move ahead to 2011-- and that's the end of the run we're witnessing in the Circle City. Take away a franchise quarterback, and blemishes become faulty cracks in the foundation. Franchise QB's are something special. That's why Mike Shanahan wanted to trade up to get Sam Bradford. That's why Vinny Cerrato wanted to trade up to get Marc Sanchez. And why 90210 completely blew once Dylan left.
Beck's Debut, or the Temporary Longterm Solution-- the new starting quarterback threw for 279 yards and a touchdown while running for another score. He also threw an interception and lost a fumble...proving that losing the ball wasn't just a Rex thing. Just one three and out with reasonable movement on half of his drives (Skins had 11 possessions- we won't count his end of first half kneeldown). Not a bad first effort, but the NFL doesn't grade on a curve... and coach Mike Shanahan was asked in the postgame press conference if Beck would start against Buffalo. Can we give the guy a little bit more of a leash?
Running aground, or Injury Part I-- after tallying 83 yards on 18 carries in the first half, the Burgundy and Gold ran the ball just 5 times after intermission for 9 yards... and no rushing attempts in the fourth quarter. Part of the reason behind the move was Tim Hightower going down with a knee injury-- an MRI is pending with concerns it may be an ACL tear.
D earns one, or Injury Part II-- another reason why the Skins abandoned the run was the fact that they were trailing by double digits for most of the time they had the ball after halftime. The Panthers produced three touchdowns on their first three possessions of the second half and had the ball for over 18 minutes. Cam Newton was tough to contain, passing for 256 yards and a touchdown while running for 59 yards and a score. It didn't help that defensive linchpin London Fletcher went down with a hamstring injury.
Feeling Fredtastic, or Injury Part III-- Mr. Davis represents the famed triumvirate in fine fashion (he's the only one to have a catch since 2009) with 6 grabs for 80 yards and a touchdown. Now he did get some flak for celebrating his score that made things 30-20... but claims he was trying to get his team pumped up-- and with the crazy comebacks we've seen this year, a ten point deficit with 5:05 left is by no means a hopeless cause. Don't look now, but #83 is slowly putting together a monster season-- his current numbers prorate to 75 catches for 1128 yards (he entered the season with 72 career catches for 853 yards). Good thing Davis is playing well... because Chris Cooley won't be back anytime soon and now Santana Moss has a broken hand. Moss is currently second on the team with 25 receptions... with Jabar Gaffney the only other WR to have more than 5 catches this fall. So much for single coverage from here on out..
Slipping into the Time Zone-- San Diego jumped out to an early lead before the New York Jets rallied in the second half. I was impressed that the Chargers played well at all. You see, the game was slated for 1pm Eastern Time-- meaning San Diego was playing at 10am local time. ESPN did a full fledged report in 2008 about how over time Pacific Time Zone teams don't do well when playing that early. My problem is you're expecting their fan base to get up and watch football at 10am. I've been to California. It's a fun state. There's a lot to do late out there-- and by having games kick off at 10am you're killing the guys who want to take their girfriends out to Sunday Brunch before ignoring them for the rest of the day. I know the league likes to have the Giants and Jets play at different times on Sunday (same with Baltimore and Washington as well as San Francisco and Oakland) to maximize viewership, but can't they just as a rule have Pacific Time Zone teams play no earlier than 4pm EST? How tough is this?
Dissecting the Division-- the NY Giants' bye paired with Philadelphia's week off keeps the NFC East leader and cellardweller the same... and Dallas' win over St. Louis propels the Cowboys into second place ahead of the Skins. Big picture: the Redskins are currently 10th in the NFC... with the Cowboys, Tampa Bay, Atlanta and Chicago standing in their way of the last playoff spot.
Norths Rise Again-- the bull market for the AFC and NFC North continues... heading into the Monday Night game Baltimore's bunch is 16-8 while Green Bay's gang is 17-11. With both divisions currently supplying both wildcards in their respective conferences. Now there's plenty of football to be played, but still...
Colts past is present-- Indianapolis' collapse reminds me of the late 70's when the Baltimore Colts were coming off three straight AFC East titles but a little wobbly and getting older...and needed help to make the 1977 playoffs. Then Bert Jones injured his shoulder and he missed 13 games in 1978... and the Colts collapsed, finishing 5-11. Move ahead to 2011-- and that's the end of the run we're witnessing in the Circle City. Take away a franchise quarterback, and blemishes become faulty cracks in the foundation. Franchise QB's are something special. That's why Mike Shanahan wanted to trade up to get Sam Bradford. That's why Vinny Cerrato wanted to trade up to get Marc Sanchez. And why 90210 completely blew once Dylan left.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
College Football Corner-- Perception and Connection...
“There is a destiny That makes us brothers: None goes his way alone: All that we send into the lives of others Comes back into our own.”-- (Edwin Markham).
College football is often a collage: a September victory changes over the course of the fall depending on how they play. Although the gridiron doesn't have an RPI per se; the transitive property of winning and losing takes different shades from Labor Day to Thanksgiving. A few recent examples? One week after allowing 56 points to Clemson, Maryland fans woke up to see the Tigers put 59 on the board against a 5-2 North Carolina team. Two weeks after coming oh so close to upsetting unbeaten Georgia Tech the Terps realize the Yellowjackets could be had bigtime after they lost to Virginia and Miami in less than stellar fashion. Virginia Tech's loss to Clemson doesn't seem that bad... while Virginia needing a missed extra point in overtime to nip a 1-6 Idaho team gives fans plenty of concern.
Alma Mater Update-- still basking in the afterglow of a serious smackdown of West Virginia. SU's 26-point victory over a ranked opponent comes after four wins by a combined 20 points over the likes of Wake Forest, Toledo, Rhode Island and Tulane. Unfortunately the Texas State Armadillos had to cancel? All of a sudden, the Orange find themselves thinking Big East championship (1-1 in league play does that to a school that hasn't been a factor for some time).
Maryland (2-5) fell behind early against Florida State... and after CJ Brown went down to injury rallied against the Seminoles behind Danny O'Brien before falling 41-16. The margin of error for reaching the postseason gets ever so smaller; three road games remain and the combined record of their final four opponents is 17-11. Terrapin Triumphs-- a turnover free day on offense... while two wide receivers had stellar Saturdays: Quentin McCree notched 9 catches for 177 yards, and freshman Marcus Leak tallied 8 grabs in his first career start. Terrapin Troubles-- seven penalties. The defense allowed 5 yards a carry and over 10 yards per pass attempt. Kickoff disparity (over 10 yards) between returns and coverage is a silent killer... 80 extra net yards for the Seminoles. Next Up: Saturday against 1-6 Boston College.
Virginia Tech (7-1) fell behind Boston College in the first quarter before rallying past the hapless Eagles 30-14. One wonders not so much how good VT will be this fall... but how low BC will fall. Hokie Highlights-- David Wilson tallies 134 yards rushing while Danny Coale notches 8 catches for 118 yards. The defense holds the Eagles to 91 yards rushing and 13 of 30 passing. Plus two in the turnover margin. Hokie Humblings-- is anyone concerned about the slow starts the last two seasons? It's almost getting comical watching VT cough up early leads before rallying. Perhaps they should stay away from the smoked turkey leg as a pregame meal-- with that tryptophan thing and all. Next Up: Saturday at Duke.
Virginia (4-3) lost whatever momentum it gained from topping Georgia Tech by slipping at home to winless- in the ACC North Carolina State 28-14. Kippy and Buffy chose a bad week to make the switch to red wine for their tailgating... a Chateau O'Brien Cabernet Franc may be a local offering (exit 18 on I-66)-- but the brie was left outside and sadly went bad. Cavalier Congrats-- two interceptions by the defense and only three penalties on a less than stellar afternoon. And that's it. Cavalier Concerns-- four turnovers... 11 of 35 passing while averaging just over 11 yards per completion... 5 if 17 on third down...
Next Up: Thursday at Miami.
College football is often a collage: a September victory changes over the course of the fall depending on how they play. Although the gridiron doesn't have an RPI per se; the transitive property of winning and losing takes different shades from Labor Day to Thanksgiving. A few recent examples? One week after allowing 56 points to Clemson, Maryland fans woke up to see the Tigers put 59 on the board against a 5-2 North Carolina team. Two weeks after coming oh so close to upsetting unbeaten Georgia Tech the Terps realize the Yellowjackets could be had bigtime after they lost to Virginia and Miami in less than stellar fashion. Virginia Tech's loss to Clemson doesn't seem that bad... while Virginia needing a missed extra point in overtime to nip a 1-6 Idaho team gives fans plenty of concern.
Alma Mater Update-- still basking in the afterglow of a serious smackdown of West Virginia. SU's 26-point victory over a ranked opponent comes after four wins by a combined 20 points over the likes of Wake Forest, Toledo, Rhode Island and Tulane. Unfortunately the Texas State Armadillos had to cancel? All of a sudden, the Orange find themselves thinking Big East championship (1-1 in league play does that to a school that hasn't been a factor for some time).
Maryland (2-5) fell behind early against Florida State... and after CJ Brown went down to injury rallied against the Seminoles behind Danny O'Brien before falling 41-16. The margin of error for reaching the postseason gets ever so smaller; three road games remain and the combined record of their final four opponents is 17-11. Terrapin Triumphs-- a turnover free day on offense... while two wide receivers had stellar Saturdays: Quentin McCree notched 9 catches for 177 yards, and freshman Marcus Leak tallied 8 grabs in his first career start. Terrapin Troubles-- seven penalties. The defense allowed 5 yards a carry and over 10 yards per pass attempt. Kickoff disparity (over 10 yards) between returns and coverage is a silent killer... 80 extra net yards for the Seminoles. Next Up: Saturday against 1-6 Boston College.
Virginia Tech (7-1) fell behind Boston College in the first quarter before rallying past the hapless Eagles 30-14. One wonders not so much how good VT will be this fall... but how low BC will fall. Hokie Highlights-- David Wilson tallies 134 yards rushing while Danny Coale notches 8 catches for 118 yards. The defense holds the Eagles to 91 yards rushing and 13 of 30 passing. Plus two in the turnover margin. Hokie Humblings-- is anyone concerned about the slow starts the last two seasons? It's almost getting comical watching VT cough up early leads before rallying. Perhaps they should stay away from the smoked turkey leg as a pregame meal-- with that tryptophan thing and all. Next Up: Saturday at Duke.
Virginia (4-3) lost whatever momentum it gained from topping Georgia Tech by slipping at home to winless- in the ACC North Carolina State 28-14. Kippy and Buffy chose a bad week to make the switch to red wine for their tailgating... a Chateau O'Brien Cabernet Franc may be a local offering (exit 18 on I-66)-- but the brie was left outside and sadly went bad. Cavalier Congrats-- two interceptions by the defense and only three penalties on a less than stellar afternoon. And that's it. Cavalier Concerns-- four turnovers... 11 of 35 passing while averaging just over 11 yards per completion... 5 if 17 on third down...
Next Up: Thursday at Miami.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Presto's Picks-- Behave!
Thank goodness the NCAA has tightened up celebration policies. Did anyone see the melee at the end of the first half of Thursday's UCLA-Arizona game? I know there was a streaker disguised as a referee... and anytime that happens all bets are off... but that set the stage for a midfield scuffle between the Bruins and Wildcats? Ten players get suspensions from the fight. Meanwhile ESPN's College Gameday airs a feature on dirty play. I thought the excessive celebration penalties was supposed to end all of this, right?
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse left its paper tiger ways in the cage with a Friday night beatdown of #11 West Virginia. I never saw that coming. Nassib passing effectively? Special teams throwing an uppercut after the Mountaineers reached the endzone for the first time? A halftime order of 44 wings? We asked for more bleu cheese dressing and they gave us a vat...allowing one to let the next wing sit and soak. All ingredients to an excellent evening at Sign of the Whale.
Maryland at Florida State-- the Terps try to snap a two game losing streak by attempting to win in Tallahassee for the first time ever. A defense with a lot of issues (last in the ACC, three freshmen starting at linebacker) meets another mobile quarterback in E.J. Manuel. An offense in transition (CJ Brown starting at QB) takes on the team that leads the ACC in defense. And then there's that whole Chief Osceola riding a horse onto the field and throwing a spear into the turf. Terps come up short, 35-20 while Chief Osceola records a 7.8 for his dismount.
Virginia plays North Carolina State one week after scoring a major upset over Georgia Tech-- and the Wolfpack are one of two ACC teams that are winless in conference play. Turnovers could tell the tale-- UVa leads the league with 14 giveaways... and the Pack pace the conference with 18 takeaways. But the larger issue will be if this is the weekend Kippy and Buffy go from white to red at their tailgate... Cavaliers come through, 17-12.
#16 Virginia Tech tangles with Boston College-- the Eagles are the other winless team in ACC play... and at 1-5 have that "Maryland 2009" look about them where nothing goes right. David Wilson by ground and Jarrett Boykin by air... early and often. Hokies ground the Eagles, 38-14.
Navy edges East Carolina, Georgetown beats Colgate, Howard slips to North Carolina A&T, William & Mary tame Towson, Richmond slips to Maine.
Last Week: 5-2.
Overall: 36-18.
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse left its paper tiger ways in the cage with a Friday night beatdown of #11 West Virginia. I never saw that coming. Nassib passing effectively? Special teams throwing an uppercut after the Mountaineers reached the endzone for the first time? A halftime order of 44 wings? We asked for more bleu cheese dressing and they gave us a vat...allowing one to let the next wing sit and soak. All ingredients to an excellent evening at Sign of the Whale.
Maryland at Florida State-- the Terps try to snap a two game losing streak by attempting to win in Tallahassee for the first time ever. A defense with a lot of issues (last in the ACC, three freshmen starting at linebacker) meets another mobile quarterback in E.J. Manuel. An offense in transition (CJ Brown starting at QB) takes on the team that leads the ACC in defense. And then there's that whole Chief Osceola riding a horse onto the field and throwing a spear into the turf. Terps come up short, 35-20 while Chief Osceola records a 7.8 for his dismount.
Virginia plays North Carolina State one week after scoring a major upset over Georgia Tech-- and the Wolfpack are one of two ACC teams that are winless in conference play. Turnovers could tell the tale-- UVa leads the league with 14 giveaways... and the Pack pace the conference with 18 takeaways. But the larger issue will be if this is the weekend Kippy and Buffy go from white to red at their tailgate... Cavaliers come through, 17-12.
#16 Virginia Tech tangles with Boston College-- the Eagles are the other winless team in ACC play... and at 1-5 have that "Maryland 2009" look about them where nothing goes right. David Wilson by ground and Jarrett Boykin by air... early and often. Hokies ground the Eagles, 38-14.
Navy edges East Carolina, Georgetown beats Colgate, Howard slips to North Carolina A&T, William & Mary tame Towson, Richmond slips to Maine.
Last Week: 5-2.
Overall: 36-18.
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