Goodbye, Big Bill

Today, Bill Parcells retired from coaching pro football for the third time. This time, it was from the Dallas Cowboys. As could be expected, it sent shockwaves through the world of the NFL.

Big Bill did not work the same magic in Dallas that he did in New York and New England. He had two playoff appearances in four years, both resulting in first-round losses. However, he took the team from sucky to mediocre. The last two seasons ended in late-season collapses, ending in 9-7 finishes. This year happened to be one in which the Cowboys backed into the playoffs. The team is in better shape than when Parcells found it, but Super Bowls are the standard in Dallas.

Jerry Jones finds himself in an improved position. He has a new stadium under construction in Arlington. The Cowboys are still a huge draw on TV. Only four Cowboy games this season were played in the early Sunday time slot at 12 PM. This means that networks wanted to show them in the late game or in prime time, when ratings are higher. Ratings went up when the Cowboys were on. Also, Jerry finds himself with a young quarterback with potential in Tony Romo. Finally, Jerry has shed some of the reputation as a meddling owner, thanks to relinquishing some control to Parcells. It remains to be seen if Jerry will allow another coach the same amount of freedom in personnel decisions. My guess is no.

Overall, the Big Bill era has been a disappointment. But, he returned expectations and a bit of excitement to Valley Ranch.

NCAA Tournament Projections

In the middle of all this football, there is a college basketball season going on. Here are this week's projected bids:

(by conference)
America East (1): Vermont
ACC (5): North Carolina, Duke, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Maryland
Atlantic Sun (1): East Tennessee State
Atlantic 10 (1): UMass
Big East (8): Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Providence, Louisville, West Virginia, Marquette, Louisville
Big Sky (1): Idaho State
Big South (1): Winthrop
Big 10 (5): Wisconsin, Ohio State, Indiana, Michigan State, Michigan
Big XII (5): Texas A&M, Texas, Kansas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State
Big West (1): Cal State-Fullerton
Colonial (1): VCU
Conference USA (1): Memphis
Horizon (1): Butler
Ivy (1): Penn
MAAC (1): Marist
MAC (1): Akron
Mid-Continent (1): Oral Roberts
Mid-Eastern (1): Delaware State
Missouri Valley (3): Northern Iowa, Missouri State, Southern Illinois
Mountain West (3): Air Force, Colorado State, UNLV
Northeast (1): Sacred Heart
Ohio Valley (1): Austin Peay
Pac 10 (5): USC, Arizona, Oregon, UCLA, Washington State
Patriot (1): Holy Cross
SEC (6): Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, Vanderbilt
Southern (1): Davidson
Southland (1): Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
SWAC (1): Texas Southern
Sun Belt (1): Western Kentucky
West Coast (2): Gonzaga, Santa Clara
WAC (2): Nevada, New Mexico State

Seeding projections will begin in February.

Ron Mexico Update

It appears that Michael Vick/Ron Mexico was not trying to get marijuana through security at the Miami airport last week.

Two questions are begging for answers:

1) Why pay $15.00 for a water bottle with compartments, if he didn't have anything to hide?
2) Why try to get a plastic bottle through security in an airport, when you should know that they no longer allow plastic bottles?

The law was apparently not broken here. However, common sense was broken in this instance.

And this guy is quarterback of an NFL team?

I want to...

...throw up.

Peyton Manning has just thrown a Pick Six to Asante Samuel of the Patriots, and the Pats are whipping the Colts, 21-3.

I sure hope the Colts have a comeback in them. It doesn't look good right now.

Ugly Uniform of the Day

Today's UUOTD comes from the National Hockey League.

The NHL, in search for marketing dollars, has worn out the idea of a third, or alternate, jersey. Just about every team has one. Some of them are better than others. One of the worst ones was worn last night in Nashville.

The Nashville Predators are wearing this ugly shade of gold with navy blue. Their blue uniform is a lot better. Looks like this are a reason why I'm not a fan of the alternate jersey. This looks like French's horseradish mustard.

I'm still not used to the change the NHL has made, where the home team wears dark instead of white. They changed their policies in order to allow teams to wear the third jersey at home. It's taken me a while to adjust to the road team wearing white.

The Predators need to stick to the blue jerseys.

Where There's This Much Smoke, There's Got To Be Fire

As I mentioned earlier in the week, Razorback Nation is awash in rumors regarding the state of the Arkansas football program. Message boards on sites such as www.hogville.net, www.woopig.net, www.oinkx.com, www.hawgsillustrated.com, and www.arsportstalk.net have been on fire this week, and have been on lockdown, limiting themselves to registered users, in order to preserve bandwidth and to monitor usage. There are a lot of things going on, and a lot of things being covered up. Where there’s this much smoke, there’s got to be fire.

A group of fans raised enough money to take out a 1/2 page ad in yesterday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, calling for the firing of coach Houston Nutt, and the retirement of athletic director/resident fossil Frank Broyles. The text can be found on their website at www.savethehogs.com.

There are rumors flying around regarding the job status of head coach Nutt, and athletic director Broyles. One rumor has Nutt being bought out of his contract, and Butch Davis leaving his new job at North Carolina to come back to the hills of Arkansas, where he has a house. Another rumor has Broyles retiring, and Ken Hatfield coming back to Arkansas as athletic director. These are purely RUMORS. But, there is a lot of stuff flying around.

In my opinion, Frank Broyles is athletic director at the University of Arkansas until he dies. He has a ton of political power, and will use it. I’m no fan of his, but I think he is athletic director for life. As long as Broyles likes Nutt, Nutt will still be the coach. I’d be shocked if Broyles were fired.

There is a lot of speculation surrounding the university Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday in Little Rock. Something may happen, but these are Teflon men we’re dealing with. I look for Broyles to survive, and for Nutt to barely hang on.

Once again, I don’t have a dog in this fight. However, this whole situation looks really stinky. Arkansas deserves better.

From earlier in the week:

General Hogspital, continued. Includes text of alleged email to Mitch Mustain

The Gus Bus to Tulsa, or General Hogspital

NFL Fight Songs

A few days ago, I got in the car, and turned the radio to The Ticket in Dallas. I came in on the very tail end of a discussion that Bob and Dan were having about NFL fight songs. There are a few of them being used. I find them very hokey, but very cool.

The Redskins have been using Hail to the Redskins forever, complete with band dressed as Indians. Baltimore has had a band at their games as long as they have had a team. The Baltimore Colts Marching Band remained a group throughout Baltimore’s absence from the NFL, then played as the Colts band during the Ravens’ first two years in Baltimore, as they played at the old Memorial Stadium. The band changed their name to Baltimore's Marching Ravens when they moved into the new stadium downtown.

The Philadelphia Eagles may have started a mini-trend. When they moved into Lincoln Financial Field, they took their old fight song, Fly, Eagles, Fly, out of moth balls. It’s now a fan favorite. When the Chicago Bears moved into the new Soldier Field, they started using the Bears’ old fight song.

The Dallas Cowboys have an unused fight song. It was featured at the end of an episode of King of the Hill, when Hank Hill tried to get Jerry Jones to move Cowboys training camp to Arlen, Texas. There is no word on if the team will use a version of it when they move to the new stadium in Arlington.

There is a good website here with all the NFL fight songs, good and bad.

I love fight songs. They add much personality to the college game, and can do the same for the pros.

Back In Time With Da Bears

This morning, I heard the wildest thing as I was in our local Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market. The Bears’ anthem from their 1985 championship season, The Super Bowl Shuffle, was playing on the sound system. I don’t know if the music is controlled in the store, or if there is a Wal-Mart Satellite Radio Mission Control at the compound in Arkansas, but it was a hoot to hear that. We’re a long way from Chicago.

Two words of caution: 1) This is a nearly six-minute video; and 2) The white guys can't dance a lick.

Enjoy this classic 80’s music video....

NFL Picks-Conference Championship Week

Last Week: 2-2 Playoffs: 6-2

This is the best football weekend of the year. Last week’s divisional round was great, the Super Bowl is the Super Bowl, but most of the fun is in getting to the NFL’s big party. The better games are usually in this round of the playoffs. This year’s round of four find themselves on a 180-mile stretch of Midwest interstate between Indianapolis and Chicago.

I would love to see an Archie Manning Super Bowl. Archie’s long-time team, the formerly sad-sack Saints, versus son Peyton’s team, the Indianapolis Colts. That would be an awesome Super Bowl. I don’t know if it’s going to shake out like that. I’d love it if it did.

NFC Championship Game: New Orleans at Chicago
It’s the World vs. Chicago. How can any non-Bears fan not be for the Saints? This is a team that had won one playoff game in 40 years before last week. This is also a team that was forced out of its city last season due to a killer storm, and lived out of a hotel in San Antonio while playing home games in San Antonio and Baton Rouge. The city of New Orleans is far from rebuilt, but they are rallying around the no longer sad-sack Saints. They have been blessed by free agency (Drew Brees), sorry drafting (the Texans’ pass on Reggie Bush), good drafting (Marques Colston in the 7th round), and health (Deuce McAllister).

The Bears, meanwhile, have the best record in the mediocre NFC. They have a solid but injury-plagued defense, and an inconsistent offense. Rex Grossman has admitted to not being prepared for every game, but I guarantee he will, at minimum, be ready to play. Plus, this game is in Chicago. The Bears earned that.

I’m afraid that things are just lining up for the Bears. The Saints are more than good enough to beat the Bears. However, my gut says that this is the Bears’ year, at least to get to the Super Bowl. As much as it pains me to see the Saints lose here, I’m afraid that’s going to happen. Pick: The Pride and Joy of Illinois

AFC Championship Game: New England at Indianapolis
The Patriots were the beneficiaries of a San Diego meltdown last week. However, that’s what the Pats do: take what the other team will give them. This is a great coaching job by the mad scientist, Bill Belichick. This really is Tom Brady and a bunch of guys out there. Tom Brady, no matter how bad he plays, always finds a way to win big games. Last week was no exception.

This is the biggest game for the Colts since they came over on the Mayflower truck in 1984. Peyton Manning got the biggest win of his career last week in Baltimore, in spite of himself. Manning has thrown one touchdown pass and 5 interceptions in the first two playoff games. The Colts’ defense, non-existent for most of the season, has come up huge in the playoffs, allowing 14 points in two games. They’ll need to do it again this Sunday at the RCA Dome.

I would love for the Colts to whip the Patriots. I like the Colts, and I’m so sick of the Patriots. I can’t pick against Tom Brady in a big game, however. He wins every big game he plays. Pick: New England.

UUOTD

Today's UUOTD comes from north of the border, from the Great White North of Canada. Specifically, la belle province du Quebec.

The Montreal Alouettes of the CFL are wearing a hodgepodge of colors. It looks like they just threw a bunch of colors together, and threw them out there. This is an improvement from past uniforms, however, as those had the word "MONTREAL" across the front of the jersey. That is great for high school or college, but not for pro football. So, they got smart and removed that.

This thing contains one of my pet uniform peeves: shoulders that do not match the rest of the jersey. It also has wild stripes on it, and is just a really unstable look.

I don't have a problem with the sponsor logo. I wouldn't like it for the NFL or NCAA, but CFL teams need the money.

This is ugly. A city with classic hockey uniforms, like Montreal, doesn't need to give the world these football uniforms.

The Gall of Ron Mexico

Or is it stupidity?

News comes from South Florida that Michael Vick has been caught trying to sneak marijuana in a water bottle through airport security at Miami International Airport. The bottle has been confiscated, and is under investigation by Miami-Dade police.

Did he really think he could get this through security? Anyone that has traveled within the last six months knows that you can't get a 20 ounce bottle through airport security. If you want a Coke or a bottle of water, you have to buy it inside security. No exceptions, even if you're an NFL quarterback.

At least he wasn't trying to get a gun through security.

Someone with such a lack of brain cells should not be the quarterback of an NFL franchise.

Maybe he could join Ricky Williams in Grass Valley.

Who Is Orson Swindle?

..and what does he have to do with football?

Orson Swindle is a former Vietnam POW, who is now an attorney in Washington, D.C. He is a former commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission, has been a Republican candidate for Congress from Hawaii, and was chairman of Ross Perot's 1992 presidential campaign.

Orson Swindle is also the pen name for the blogger behind Every Day Should Be Saturday. This is one of the best and funniest blogs on the web. Orson is a Florida Gator fan, and rips every sacred and not-so sacred cow out there. I crack up every time I read it.

At least, I think Orson Swindle is a pen name. Either way, EDSBS is a great blog.

UUOTD-Playoff Edition, Part 2

It's a good thing the Bears most likely won't be wearing these things on Sunday as they take on the Saints for a trip to Super Bowl XLI.

Rex Grossman is shown in the Bears' alternate uniform. Orange is one of their colors, but it is not their primary color. Thank goodness. These things look just plain weird. They are not fitting of a team known as the Monsters of the Midway. They just look hideous.

George Halas is rolling in his grave.

General Hogspital, continued

The football program at the University of Arkansas finds itself in turmoil. The fans in the Razorback State find themselves in a state of civil war, due to the resignation of offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn, and former high school All-American quarterback Mitch Mustain. I outlined the situation in this post yesterday.

Among the events of the past football season, a series of emails were sent to Mustain during the season. One of these is now circulating on the Internet. This particular email was allegedly written by the physical therapist of Arkansas assistant coach Danny Nutt, brother of head coach Houston Nutt. She sent it to quarterback Mustain at his school email address. This physical therapist is close to the Nutt family, and allegedly also sent it to the wife of Houston Nutt, who then allegedly forwarded the email to family friends. The link is to a scan of the email, with some comments from Mitch's mother at the top.

Notice I continue to use the word allegedly. There is the possibility of legal action as a result of similar emails and other actions during this season at Arkansas. Here is the text of the email sent to Mitch Mustain:

Hello Mr. Interception King:

Are you having a good morning? I’m sure you are since your precious name is in the paper again. Why in the Starkville did you come to Arkansas? I’ve been a Hog fan since birth, and a season ticket holder since 1985, and my parents were before that. Who in the Starkville do you think you are? Do you really think because you just walked onto campus that you need to be the starting QB? Competition scares the crap out of you doesn’t it little boy? This is the SEC for goodness sakes, and by watching you attempting to read defenses in the SEC, it is beyond evident that you were nowhere ready. Your completion to interception ratio was a joke, and you have zero leadership abilities. This isn’t Springdale High School anymore, and you need to take your letter jacket off and realize that. This is the real world. Yes, you did win 8 games as a starter, but you were only starting at that point because Casey Dick was hurt. In winning those 8 games, you need to go back to the film room and see that the main reason those games were won was because of McFadden, Jones, the offensive line, and the play of the defense. You did hand the ball off pretty well. You also need to buy Marcus Monk some lunch for saving you another interception against Auburn since the ball was so underthrown. Every once in a blue moon you would throw a touchdown pass, but usually after 3 interceptions. I’m sure you have the talent to become an outstanding QB on the collegiate level, but I hope that it’s not at Arkansas. You can win the Heisman for all I care, but please not as a Hog. Please transfer. All you’ve been since you walked onto campus is a cancer, and your mother is no exception.

You called Coach Nutt a “dork” in your article. Amazing. You know, I was sitting with a large group of people watching your interview that was aired on Game Day before the Tennessee game, you know, the interview where you had on those glasses that made you look like a fag? I’m sure you remember. Anyhow, everyone in that room started laughing, calling you the dork. Why is it that you came to Arkansas again? Was it so your mommie could be close by to change your diaper, or was it because you thought having your lover Gus on the sideline would make playing in the SEC easier? What a joke! Gus can’t even adjust to the speed of the game in the SEC. Do you think Charlie Weiss at Notre Dame would be putting up with your bull crap? God, do I ever wish you would have gone to Notre Dame. Too bad I’m not Coach Nutt today. If so, I’d be having Tim Cheney sew lace around your jock straps, but that would be after I let you hang out face to face in a private meeting with the offensive and defensive lineman – I think I’d even throw Butu in for the meeting. Did I mention that I want you to transfer? Helen Keller could read defenses in the SEC better than you.

Well, I’ve wasted enough time on you today. I’m sure it’s time for your breast feeding. Did I mention that I want you to transfer. The next time you think you and your girls are bigger than any one program – you better think again. I would love for you to be able to have a lengthy conversation with Chris Simms, former QB with the Texas Longhorns. He arrived on campus his freshman year in a limo thinking he was the next All Everything, was a smart ass to his coaches, was selfish, pouty, and the prime example of what a “team” player is not. His teammates couldn’t stand him, the fans grew to hate him, and he never won a championship. He was finally benched for a QB that had won the Big 12 player of the year award the year before. You see, he walked onto campus thinking the starting position should be handed to him without competition, and it was. He didn’t bring it to practice everyday, he was quoted in newspapers showing his lack of character, he blamed everyone else when HE had a bad game….Sound familiar? He never EARNED the respect of his teammates, coaches, fans, etc…He too was a spoiled brat. He was nicknamed by everyone “The Golden Child” because that’s what HE thought he was. Funny how the smaller, more competitive QB named Major Applewhite, with less credentials, came to lead them to a Big 12 Championship. Funny how that works isn’t it?

Grow up little boy. Oh, by the way, did I mention that I want you to transfer?

Teresa

Now, the question is, is that merely smack worthy of Jim Rome, or is that harassment?

I really don't have a dog in this fight. I don't have a hog in this fight, either. Mustain is apparently visiting my school, the University of Oklahoma, in search of a place to transfer. If he comes, great. If he doesn't, I wish him well somewhere else.

This whole thing is such a circus. If you're from Arkansas, you deserve better.

General Hogspital

The soap opera continues in Fayetteville, home of the Arkansas Razorbacks. Orson at Every Day Should Be Saturday compares it to a Spanish telenovela.

Arkansas offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn resigned this week to become co-offensive coordinator for new head coach Todd Graham at the University of Tulsa. This sounds really crazy, as Arkansas went 10-3 this season, winning the SEC West, and Tulsa is a mid-major program in Conference USA. Why would he make this move? And, why is Hog Nation in mutiny tonight? Why does this matter?

Coach Malzahn was hired this season from the campus of Springdale High School, where his team finished as undefeated state champions and in the top five in the nation in 2005. His Springdale team featured five Division I recruits, including Gatorade National Player of the Year QB Mitch Mustain. Arkansas head coach Houston Nutt was strongly encouraged to hire Malzahn as his offensive coordinator, in an effort to sign Mustain and the other home-grown prospects. There was a problem, however. Nutt favors a run-based offense, and the Hogs had Heisman runner-up running back Darren McFadden. Malzahn is a guru of the Hurry-Up No-Huddle offense (HUNH), and has written a book about it. As could be expected, their philosophies clashed. Malzahn handled the situation with class, even after having his play-calling duties sharply reduced in spite of an 8-1 start.

At the end of the regular season, the parents of the Springdale recruits asked for and got a meeting with resident fossil/athletic director Frank Broyles. Broyles listened to their concerns, and told them that "experts" had told him they didn’t think the HUNH offense would work in the SEC, and that he agreed with them. This wouldn’t be the first time Broyles has interfered with the coaches after retiring as coach-ask Ken Hatfield. The parents were upset, and aired their concerns to the press. Mustain had already made some questionable comments about Nutt during his recruitment, as a local reporter wrote a book on the Springdale championship run. Needless to say, all was not well in Fayetteville, even as the Hogs were having a good season.

A ton of Hog fans are upset, because they feel that Nutt, Broyles, and company lied to Malzahn and the Springdale recruits regarding the offense. They were told the Hogs would throw the ball more, but Nutt did the opposite toward the end of the season, especially after Mustain was benched after going 8-0 as a starter.

So, no-huddle guru Malzahn starts up the Gus Bus and goes down Highway 412 to Tulsa, where he will receive the same $175,000/year salary with the Golden Hurricane. Little ol’ University of Tulsa paying $175,000 for a co-offensive coordinator? There is a lot of old oil money floating around on 11th Street. And, QB Mustain is preparing to follow him down the road.

So, Gus Malzahn, the people’s choice, ends up in Tulsa, and Houston Nutt is more on the hot seat than ever at Arkansas. Nutt turned down the Nebraska job three years ago before it went to Bill Callahan. That’s nuts. He also flirted with jobs at LSU, N.C. State, and Alabama in recent years. But, as long as he does things the Broyles way, he’ll have a job at Arkansas.

This really doesn’t matter outside of the state of Arkansas, and the city of Tulsa. It is an interesting story to follow, however. From everything I’ve read, Gus Malzahn is a really good guy, and deserves success at the college level. As for the Hogs, they are just waiting for Frank Broyles to be escorted out of the athletic building, in one way, shape or form. Their football program will not reach its potential as long as the old man is on the hill in Fayetteville.

Going to England

The NFL is putting together the final details on the first NFL regular season game to be played outside of North America. Published reports say the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins will play next year in London, at the newly remodeled Wembley Stadium. Details are yet to be finalized, but should be in the next few days. It looks like the Dolphins will give up one of their home games. This is doubly bad for the transplanted New Yorkers in South Florida, as the Giants visit Miami once every eight years under the NFL's scheduling plan.

The goal of the league is to have every team in the league play a regular season game in another country over the next 16 years. The Arizona Cardinals hosted the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City in 2005, and played before an NFL-record crowd.

I think this is great. I don't think any non-U.S. city is ready for a full-time NFL franchise (Toronto would be with a slightly bigger stadium), but a game or two every year is a good thing for the league. We'll never turn world football fans into American football fanatics, but the NFL can still build a fan base and sell a lot of shirts overseas.

These regular season games are relatively easy for us, the fans, as long as they are in Canada, Mexico, or even Europe. A game can be played in Europe at 6 PM London time, which would be 1 PM Eastern/12 PM Central, which would fit well for TV purposes. Toronto is on Eastern time, and Mexico City is on Central time, so they fit perfectly. Games in Japan, China, or Australia would be a stretch for TV audiences in the U.S. Seattle and New England are playing an exhibition game in Beijing this August that will be televised around 7 AM on a Wednesday morning in the States. That wouldn't work in the regular season.

Look out world, the guys in helmets and pads are coming!

The Field of 65: Early Projections

Better late than never, but I am going to begin projecting teams for the upcoming NCAA men’s basketball tournament. I am not going to start predicting seeds until February. It is hard to do projections before now, because of the inconsistency of computer ratings and the variety of non-conference schedules. Conference play brings out the best in teams, and offers a peek at a team’s true strength.

This will be a weekly feature. Here goes my first shot at picking the field of 65:

(by conference)
America East (1): Vermont
ACC (5): North Carolina, Duke, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Boston College, Maryland
Atlantic Sun (1): Belmont
Atlantic 10 (1): UMass
Big East (8): Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Providence, Louisville, West Virginia, UConn, Marquette
Big Sky (1): Weber State
Big South (1): Winthrop
Big 10 (5): Wisconsin, Ohio State, Indiana, Michigan State
Big XII (5): Texas A&M, Texas, Kansas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State
Big West (1): Cal State-Fullerton
Colonial (2): VCU, Old Dominion
Conference USA (1): Memphis
Horizon (1): Butler
Ivy (1): Penn
MAAC (1): Marist
MAC (1): Ohio
Mid-Continent (1): Oral Roberts
Mid-Eastern (1): Delaware State
Missouri Valley (4): Creighton, Missouri State, Wichita State, Southern Illinois
Mountain West (2): Air Force, BYU
Northeast (1): Fairleigh Dickinson
Ohio Valley (1): Austin Peay
Pac 10 (5): USC, Arizona, Oregon, UCLA, Washington State
Patriot (1): Holy Cross
SEC (6): Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, Arkansas
Southern (1): Davidson
Southland (1): Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
SWAC (1): Jackson State
Sun Belt (1): Western Kentucky
West Coast (1): Gonzaga
WAC (2): Nevada, New Mexico State

NFC Parity

Interesting tidbit:

All four NFC playoff games have been decided by three points or less.

Seattle 21, Dallas 20
Philadelphia 23, NY Giants 20

New Orleans 27, Philadelphia 24
Chicago 27, Seattle 24

UUOTD-Playoff Edition

You can't argue with results, and the skins on the wall allow him to get away with such a thing. Bill Belichick has three Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots, with Tom Brady and a bunch of guys. Brady is the only superstar in the bunch, and he was a sixth-round draft pick. He has done a masterful job in Foxboro, and his team came up big today in San Diego.

However, in a league that micromanages the clothing choices of its coaches, he is allowed to get away with looking like he just got out of a garage. The hooded sweatshirt is a relatively new thing for coaches' gamewear. But Belichick ruins a perfecly good shirt, by cutting the sleeves off. This isn't Bill's Auto Center in Natick. This is the National Football League. At least the shirt is clean, and doesn't have motor oil stains all over it.

A Major Move

Major Applewhite was the subject of much interest on this blog a couple of days ago. He had a choice between a job with Les Miles at LSU, and with Nick Saban at Alabama. He chose a position on Saban's staff at Alabama. There was also the possibility of him getting the head coaching job at Rice, but Rice is looking in another direction at this point.

Major was raised a Crimson Tide fan, and was named after Crimson Tide great Major Ogilvie.

We could well see him return to the University of Texas before his career is over. Just think: OU head coach Josh Heupel vs. UT head coach Major Applewhite in the Red River Shootout at Jerryworld in Arlington. Could very well happen in the next couple of decades.

NFL Playoff Picks: Divisional Round

Last Week: 4-0 Playoffs: 4-0

There are eight teams left in the playoffs. All eight teams won division championships. These teams have all attained various levels of success this season. Some of them are better than others. This week will separate the contenders from the pretenders.

Saturday
AFC: Indianapolis at Baltimore: The Colts return to Baltimore. The Colts have been in Indianapolis for 22 years, meaning that most of their current players likely do not remember the Baltimore Colts. The Ravens have been in Baltimore for 10 years, and may have players that don’t remember there not being a Ravens franchise in Charm City. As for the game, the Ravens should win. They have a superior defense to the Colts. The Colts still have the high-powered offense, and got a big performance from their defense last week, not allowing a first down to the Chiefs until halfway through the third quarter. I expect the Ravens’ defense to force turnovers early, and for their offense to manage the clock and win the game. Pick: Ravens
NFC: Philadelphia at New Orleans: The Eagles are flying high as the improbable champions of the NFC East. The Saints have had a magic season in their return home after Hurricane Katrina. I like the Saints a lot, and would love to see them in the Super Bowl. However, these are the Saints, so that means they will lose in the playoffs. Some things never change. The Eagles keep it going for at least one more week. Pick: Eagles

Sunday
NFC: Seattle at Chicago: The Seahawks return to the scene of a Sunday night butt-kicking from earlier this season. The Seahawks were beneficiaries of a Cowboy collapse last week in Seattle. The Bears have an unpredictable offense, and a good defense. They also have dangerous return man Devin Hester. I don’t know if the Bears can keep it up for the Super Bowl, but they’ll win this week. Pick: Da Bears
AFC: New England at San Diego: Another AFC classic. The Patriots have a coach, a quarterback, and a bunch of guys. That’s been enough for a 12-4 record and a playoff win. The Chargers have been special on both offense and defense. This is the Chargers’ Super Bowl trip to lose. They won’t lose this week. Pick: Chargers

Getting Ready For The Game

This is a big weekend in Baltimore. The Colts left town on a Mayflower moving truck in 1984. They return on a chartered jet for Saturday's playoff game with the former Cleveland Browns, now known as the Baltimore Ravens.

People in the City By Chesapeake Bay are pumped for this one. A fashion trend among Ravens fans for the past few years are purple camouflage pants, such as worn by the fan above. Apparently, these are a big deal in Baltimore.

Even the local weatherman is into the purple camos.

You, too, can get some of these pants here.

Coming To America

I rarely watch soccer, or international football. I watch it for a month at a time, every four years for the World Cup. I could probably name 15 players, worldwide, total. I live in a city with the MLS champion Houston Dynamo, and couldn't name anyone who plays for them.

I know who David Beckham is, though. He had a movie named after him, Bend It Like Beckham. He has been the most well-known athlete in the world for the past several years. He is married to the former Victoria Adams, also known as Posh Spice of the Spice Girls. Until a few months ago, he was the captain of the England national team. He also starred for Manchester United and Real Madrid. He is now coming to America.

Yesterday, Beckham signed a five-year contract with Major League Soccer for $250 million, including endorsements. Not bad for a guy on the downside of his career. That is double the salary of Alex Rodriguez. And, he gets to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy, putting he and his wife close to Hollywood.

MLS expects moves like this to put professional soccer in the mainstream of sports in the United States. Right now, Mexican league games on Spanish-language television get better ratings than MLS.

We'll see what happens.

And I thought MLS stood for Multiple Listing Service..

As C-USA Turns

My mind was blown tonight, as I read that Rice coach Todd Graham accepted an offer to become head coach at conference rival Tulsa, where he was formerly defensive coordinator. Coach Graham took Rice to its first bowl in 45 years, and raised $7 million for improvements to the stadium and football program. This is a weird move, as the two schools are in the same conference, and Tulsa shares some of the same characteristics as Rice: private school, small enrollment and alumni base, decaying stadium, and competing with other programs and teams in its own city.

Unless the money is outrageous at TU, this is a strange move, and a lateral move. It would be like leaving Texas Tech for the job at Missouri. He has ties in both Texas and Oklahoma, having coached at high schools in both states, and having played at East Central University in Ada.

Any coach that can take Rice to a bowl game ought to be able to hold out for a job in a BCS conference. I hope TU came forward with a vault full of money on this one.

Rice has a $4 billion dollar endowment. They could use just a small portion of that to very easily become the Stanford of the Southwest if they so chose: a top-flight academic university with a top-flight athletic program. Athletics can do so much for a university, in the way of exposure, fund-raising, and enrollment applications.

This doesn't look good for the Feisty Nightbirds. However, they have an opportunity to hire the Major. Major Applewhite is a candidate for the head coaching job, after serving as the Owls' offensive coordinator this year. If this happens, ABC/ESPN needs to pick up a Rice game so Brent Musburger can call the game, and fans around America can once again play part of the Brent Musburger drinking game.

UUOTD

It's not really a uniform, but a "special occasion" blazer.

Tennessee men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl wears this orange blazer for games with rivals Kentucky and Vanderbilt. Yes, it shows some personality. However, he sticks out like a sore thumb on the bench. He looks like a moving bottle of orange juice on the sideline with this thing on.

They love it in Knoxville.

Ugly Uniform of the Day

It's been a few days since there has been a UUOTD. My apologies. I have a new job which takes me out of town during the week, working long hours, for a ton more money. However, I haven't forgotten about the blog.

Today's ugly uniform is not worn by the Patriots, nor by the Jets. It is a version of the new NFL officials' uniform, worn by the official in the background. It's hard to find pictures of the refs, so this is the best I could find at this time.


The NFL redesigned the officials' uniform this year. Overall, they're not bad. However, these black pants they wore during Sunday's AFC playoff game are hideous. They look almost like black parachute pants from the 80's. I understand the need to stay warm in cold-weather locations such as Foxboro. That is fine. I don't want them to freeze any more than they have to. But, they could at least wear white pants, as they did in the snow games earlier in the season in Denver.

Note to NFL: Keep the refs warm, but the white pants go better with zebra stripes than black pants.

Did you know..

...in the 9 years of the BCS, nine different schools have won the BCS National Championship?

1998-Tennessee
1999-Florida State
2000-Oklahoma
2001-Miami
2002-Ohio State
2003-LSU
2004-USC
2005-Texas
2006-Florida

It's Great To Be A Florida Gator

I'm not a Gator, but I know greatness when I see it. Props to the Florida Gators, for their hide-tanning of The Ohio State University. I sure didn't see this happening.

The Gators, at the moment, are national champions in both football and men's basketball. Florida has a good thing going.

I couldn't resist...

American Idol brings down America's Team...

Sorry, I love Tony Romo. But, this was too good to pass up.

Sick

I'm speechless. I'm sick. The Cowboys stole defeat from the jaws of victory tonight in Seattle.

I feel horrible for Tony Romo. I like him. I hate it that he dropped the snap on the field goal attempt. He almost made lemonade out of the lemon, but was stopped short of a first down on the run.

I want to throw up.

The sun will come up tomorrow, however.

NFL Picks-Wild Card Weekend

Last Week: 11-5 Regular Season: 155-102

This weekend is the first round of the NFL playoffs. 32 teams have been cut down to 12. Before last season, I would have called this playoff round a waste of time, as the better teams have byes in this round of the playoffs. However, Pittsburgh blew that conventional wisdom to shreds, advancing from the sixth playoff seed in the AFC to win the Super Bowl. This year, Pittsburgh is sitting at home, but 12 teams retain hopes of spending the first week of February in sunny South Florida.

Saturday
AFC: Kansas City at Indianapolis: The Colts tripped over the roadkill known as the Houston Texans in Week 16, and slipped into the #3 seed in the AFC, placing them in a wild card game. They also get a bad matchup for their sorry run defense, as the Chiefs come in with stud workhorse RB Larry Johnson. The Colts come up big in this one, though, as the offense gets off to a quick start, and the Chiefs have to play from behind. Pick: Indy
NFC: Dallas at Seattle: The Cowboys are sliding downhill fast. Last week, they lost to the awful Detroit Lions. Dallas has lost three of the last four games, and were fortunate to win in Atlanta. Seattle hasn’t done much better, losing three in a row before closing out the season with a win against Tampa Bay. This game should be a scoring-fest, as the Seattle secondary is banged up, and the Dallas secondary has been bad in recent weeks. It doesn’t look good for the Cowboys. The one time this season I picked them to lose, Tony Romo brought them back against Carolina. I’m picking against them. I think Seattle is better than them at this point. Pick: Seattle
Sunday
AFC: New York Jets at New England: The Jets are this year’s surprise story, as first-year coach Eric Mangini has led them to a 10-6 record and a trip to the playoffs, where he faces his mentor, Bill Belichick. Belichick has three Super Bowl rings. The Pats show the Jets what a playoff team looks like. Pick: New England
NFC: New York Giants at Philadelphia: The Giants are the best of the 8-8 teams in the NFC, and get to head down the New Jersey Turnpike to meet the Eagles. The Eagles won bragging rights to the Molly Pitcher Service Area on the Turnpike in their last meeting, and now are playing for the right to talk smack for the northbound Joyce Kilmer Service Area. More importantly, the Eagles would like to make a trip to the Big Easy for the second round of the playoffs, against the Saints. That should happen with little problem. Philly is playing better than anyone in the NFC right now. Pick: Eagles

This Is Orange

This is one of the more off-the-wall entrances in college football.

The Oklahoma State Cowboys now enter the stadium behind a rodeo chute, opened by cowboys. They wait behind the chute, like cattle at a rodeo, or an auction. They then go onto the field in all of their orange glory.

By the way, this is a more true color of orange than what UT wears. In this shot, they are wearing orange jerseys and orange pants.

To each, their own.

Cool Uniform of the Day

I've been slipping on the uniforms the last couple of days.

Those who know me may think I've been drinking or doing drugs. I've been doing neither.

I am a fan of the University of Oklahoma. Conversely, I hate the University of Texas. I have also been getting a reputation as someone who dogs on all things orange. That is not the case.

Often, you respect the most that which you despise. Such is my view of the UT athletic program. UT is the biggest and baddest school out there, or so it seems. I can't stand them, but they have the second or third largest enrollment in the nation, and arguably the most wealthy donor base in the country. The school sits right in the middle of the most fertile recruiting ground in the nation, and can pretty much pick and choose who they want to recruit in almost any sport. There is no reason why that school shouldn't compete for national championships every year, in every sport. The same applies to The Ohio State University, only I can cheer for them. :-)

Back to uniforms. The University of Texas has one of the coolest looking road uniforms around. It is simple, classic, and blurts out, "We're Texas! Don't mess with us!". The longhorn logo on the helmet, and "Texas" on the front of the jersey is all they need. The white jersey goes well with the helmet and the pants.

Pictured above is wunderkind Vince Young, as he was creating his Rose Bowl legend for the Longhorns. He is pure greatness. The Longhorns really missed him this season. The Titans are really glad to have him.

A Classic

Last night's game between OU and Boise State was a pure classic.

My Sooners, in all honesty, should have gotten their butts kicked. It is a testimony to them that they made the comeback after being down 28-10 in the 3rd quarter and playing like dog poop. But, these guys have overcome a lot this year, and made the plays necessary to tie and then take the lead.

Hats off to Boise State, though. They throw what looked like a game-losing interception to go down seven. They then go down the field, convert a 4th and 18 with a hook and ladder for a touchdown, and tie the game to force overtime. In overtime, they used a halfback pass and a Statue of Liberty play to win the game, 43-42. Their coaching staff pulled out all the stops, and everything worked.

It's a shame someone had to lose this game.

There are greater implications, though. Boise State more than proved that they belong in the BCS. In a perfect world, this would be to college football what the Jets-Colts Super Bowl III was for the pros: a statement screaming for change, in this case, a playoff. I doubt if we see a playoff, but Boise showed us how great a playoff would be.

I don't ever like for Oklahoma to lose. I would much rather they win. However, I take no shame in losing this game. It was a game for the ages, and ought to have an even greater impact.

I just wish Boise would have beaten someone else. :-)

Which is Uglier?

There is now an ongoing debate. Which is uglier? The Virginia Tech uniform?

Or, the Clemson uniform?

Happy New Year

It's New Year's Day, and there is a ton of football on TV.

On ESPN, Oklahoma and Alabama are playing. This matchup is made for New Year's Day.

Only thing is: it's a basketball game. At those schools, though both basketball programs are good, this game is under the radar.

Boomer Sooner!

UUOTD-New Year's Day

I've had a nomination for UUOTD. They nominated Virginia Tech's football uniform. The person has told me that purple and orange don't go together. VT wears maroon, but I can see where their maroon can look purple. The Hokies' uniforms don't look too bad, as long as they leave the orange out. But, when they start putting too much orange on, they start looking bad. The worst was the Nike test jersey, with one orange shoulder. VT and Florida both did that, but it went over like a lead balloon.

However, the suggestion reminded me of something in the same conference. Clemson mixes and matches their orange, white, and purple. They look fine in orange or white. They start looking scary in the purple. Above is the worst combination of them all, with the purple jersey and orange pants. My friend is right: Purple and orange do not go together. Please, Clemson, keep the purple put away.

Would Danny Ford let his team wear purple?

BCS Picks and Ratings

Finally, we are to the bowls that really matter, the Bowl Championship Series. Actually, the only one that matters is the BCS National Championship game, now rotated among the sites of the four BCS bowls. These bowls offer the highest pay, the biggest amount of prestige, and mucho television exposure. These are the biggies.

Rose Bowl presented by Citi at Pasadena, California: USC vs. Michigan. Both teams had a chance at the national championship game, but now find themselves here. USC lost two late conference games at Oregon State and UCLA. Michigan rolled through the Big Ten until losing their season-ending game at Ohio State. Michigan is a better team. Pick: Michigan.
The countdown is on, as ESPN has been counting down to this game for three days. To watch ESPN, you would think this is the biggest game out there. This is the only BCS game remaining on ABC, as the rest of the BCS has moved over to Fox. As someone who grew up in Big 8 country, this game was always filler, and meant time to eat and to get ready for the Really Big Game later that evening in the Orange Bowl. I always thought this game was overrated. I finally “got it”, when I first visited California five years ago, and saw the stadium and setting. Later, my Sooners were invited there to play Washington State, and became the first Big XII team to win that bowl. As an event, this is a really big deal. The game is often overrated. This bowl, as the Grandaddy of them all, wouldn’t complain about leaving the BCS, and really would be ok if there were only 21 Division 1 schools: those from the Big Ten and Pac 10. They were kicked dragging and screaming into the BCS. There is a level of arrogance that comes from being the oldest bowl game. Rating: 5
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl at Glendale, Arizona: Oklahoma vs. Boise State. The Sooners overcame player suspensions, injuries, questionable officiating, and a loss to its archrival to win their last eight games and the Big XII championship. Boise State is 12-0, and is the first non-BCS school to qualify for a BCS bowl under the new rules of qualification. This will not be a cake walk, and Boise will be competitive. However, OU wins the game. Pick: Oklahoma
This bowl grew with the Phoenix area. Originally created as a bowl for Arizona State and the old WAC, this bowl really splashed onto the scene in 1986, when it secured Sunkist as a title sponsor and snared Penn State and Miami for a matchup of #1 vs. #2. It has taken the Cotton Bowl’s place as one of the four major bowls. Until this year, it was played in Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. It moves this year to the new University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. It will also host the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game on Jan. 8. The only thing this bowl lacks is tradition relative to its sister BCS bowls. That is only because the bowl was created in 1971. Rating: 4.8
Allstate Sugar Bowl at New Orleans: LSU vs. Notre Dame. Notre Dame has lost eight bowl games in a row. According to Rece Davis on ESPN, 87 Division 1 programs have won bowl games since Notre Dame. Notre Dame has a name, but do they have game? LSU is as good as anyone in the country, but were victims of the SEC schedule maker, being sent on the road to Auburn, Florida, Tennessee, and Arkansas. The Oakland Raiders would have a hard time with that schedule. They lost to Auburn and Florida, but won the rest of their games. This game might not be close, as LSU has too much speed for Notre Dame. Pick: LSU
The Sugar Bowl returns to New Orleans, after a one-year stay in Atlanta due to damage from Hurricane Katrina. This bowl has everything: good matchups, fun city, nice stadium, big payout, good TV contract. The Sugar Bowl has had legendary coaches and national championship games. Rating: 5
Fedex Orange Bowl at Miami: Louisville vs. Wake Forest. Just a few years ago, this matchup would not have been on TV, and would not sell out either stadium. Now, these teams are playing each other in a major bowl game. Louisville is a penalty away from the national championship game, as a missed field goal by Rutgers was waved off due to a penalty, and Rutgers subsequently won the game. Wake Forest has had a Cinderella season, winning the ACC championship. Louisville is really strong, and should have their way with the Demon Deacons. This has the potential to be a dud game. Pick: Louisville
The Orange Bowl may have suffered the most with the evolution of the BCS, as they had national championship games more often under the old system. Big 8 schools Oklahoma, Nebraska, and Colorado won national championships here, as have Miami and Florida State. This has always been a prime bowl in a prime location. The bowl secured its major status by moving up the road to Dolphin Stadium ten years ago, and leaving the decrepit Orange Bowl stadium. Rating: 5
Tostitos BCS National Championship Game at Glendale, Arizona: Ohio State vs. Florida: Ohio State likes the desert, as they won their last national championship here in 2002, and have won two other Fiesta Bowls since. The Gators have not been here since being pounded by Nebraska, 63-14, in the 1995 national championship game. Today’s players were little boys then. The Gators deserve to be here, but Ohio State is a better team. Pick: Ohio State
This is the national championship game. Enough said. Rating: 5

Bowl Picks, Part 4 (and Bowl Ratings)

As promised, the last round of non-BCS bowl picks, along with corresponding bowl ratings.

These bowls are the appetizers for the more prestigious BCS bowls. These bowls feature conference runners-up as well as teams with recognizable names. New Year’s Day is not what it once was, but it’s still a good day to hang out in front of the tube and watch TV.

Outback Bowl at Tampa: Penn State vs. Tennessee. Penn State had a decent year, but more importantly, has a lot of fans and a coach that coached when Jesus turned water into wine. Tennessee was having a good year, before losing late games to Arkansas and LSU. Tennessee, on paper, should win big. Pick: Phat Phil’s Big Orange
This is a relatively young bowl, having begun in the 80’s. It pays well, is in a great location, and is played in the Pirate Ship, the Bucs’ state-of-the-art NFL stadium. They have the 3rd pick from both the Big Ten and the SEC, giving them quality teams and large traveling fan bases. This is not the best bowl out there, but is far from the worst. Rating: 3.4
AT&T Cotton Bowl at Dallas: Nebraska vs. Auburn. Nebraska comes into this game as champions of the Big XII North. This is better than winning District 8-5A, but is not anywhere close to winning something like the NFC East, or even the Big XII proper. Still, Nebraska will show up. Auburn was picked by many to win the national championship, but got their fannies kicked in a couple of home games by Arkansas and Georgia. If War Eagle shows up to play, they win. There's not a whole lot of excitement for this one, as $95 tickets are selling for as little as $12. Pick: Auburn
This game is a shell, or even a caricature, of its former self. This bowl has a great history, and is one of the original New Year’s Day bowl games. It is now the laughing stock of the Big XII. The breakup of the Southwest Conference accelerated its decline, but the bowl made a devastating choice by staying in the decaying Cotton Bowl stadium in Fair Park. The bowl had a chance to join the original Bowl Coalition, but would have had to move to Texas Stadium. The poohbahs in Dallas nixed that idea. Now, it is a second-banana bowl. It still pays well, and gets the second choice from the Big XII, against an SEC team. It also suffers from an outrageously early starting time, at 10:30 AM local time (formerly 10 AM), mandated by the SEC’s contract with the Capital One Bowl. The SEC has a no-compete clause in their contract with the Capital One Bowl, keeping any other conference team from playing opposite that bowl. The Cotton Bowl is forced to play at breakfast to have a better chance at a decent matchup. Between the stadium, the neighborhood, the unpredictable weather, and the starting time, this bowl has become a joke among fans in the Big XII. Still, the bowl pays well, and has oodles of tradition. They need to get on the phone with Jerry and get into the new Cowboys stadium when it opens. Rating: 3.6
Gator Bowl at Jacksonville: West Virginia vs. Georgia Tech. West Virginia was a contender for the BCS for most of the season, but suffered an inexplicable loss to South Florida late in the season. Georgia Tech won their division in the ACC, but lost an ugly ACC championship game. Now, senior QB Reggie Ball is academically ineligible for the bowl game. West Virginia is celebrating the retention of coach Rich Rodriguez, who is one of the 6,000 coaches to turn down the Alabama job. Pick: West Virginia
This bowl has been around for a long time, and has had many great games. It is played in a quality NFL stadium, and gets a good matchup between the ACC and the Big East. They will get to choose a Big XII team two of the next three years, as well. The bowl is on CBS this year, after a long run on NBC. There are worse places than Jacksonville. Overall, this is a pretty good bowl. Rating: 3.8
Capital One Bowl at Orlando: Arkansas vs. Wisconsin. Great matchup between two high-powered teams. Wisconsin would be in the BCS, but Ohio State and Michigan are there, and BCS rules only allow two teams from the same conference. Wisconsin’s only loss is to Michigan. Arkansas won 10 games in a row, before losing to LSU and Florida at the end of the year. Darren McFadden is the real deal at running back. Wisconsin won this bowl last year, and they win it again. Pick: Wiscy
This bowl has been known as the Tangerine and Florida Citrus Bowls, before losing their sponsorship from the Florida citrus growers. Now, it bears the name of a credit card company/bank. That’s just about the only drawback to this bowl. The stadium is starting to fall apart, but Orlando is a great place to visit. They get the second pick from the Big Ten and the SEC, so they are guaranteed two good teams and two large traveling fan bases. Rating: 4

Bowl Picks, Part 3 (and Bowl Ratings)

This is my last installment of picks and ratings for non-New Year’s Day bowls. Later, there will be picks & ratings for the New Year’s Day bowls, and for the BCS bowls.

Meineke Car Care Bowl at Charlotte: Boston College vs. Navy. Boston College had their chances to win their division of the ACC, but didn’t come through. After the season, coach Tom O’Brien took the N.C. State job. Navy now has the best program of the service academies. BC has the nation’s longest bowl winning streak at six, but that will come to an end here. Pick: Navy
This game is played in a state-of-the-art stadium, and from what I know, Charlotte is a nice city. I’ve only been to the airport there. You can’t go see Elvis there, but the NASCAR garages aren’t too far away. Weather can be an issue, as this bowl has also been played in sub-freezing temperatures. It’s a newer bowl, and Meineke is a half-step up from Continental Tires, the original sponsor. It’s not as bad to go to the Car Care Bowl as it was to go to the Weed Eater Bowl, but almost. Rating: 1.6
Alamo Bowl at San Antonio: Texas vs. Iowa. Texas went from a possible trip to the Fiesta Bowl to Fiesta Texas, a San Antonio theme park. The Horns are making their first appearance in this bowl. QB Colt McCoy has been cleared to play in this game. His injury helped lead to the Horns’ end-of-year slide. Iowa went 2-6 in the Big Ten, but 6-6 overall. The Hawkeyes travel well, so the Alamo Bowl jumped all over them. Pick: Texas
San Antonio is a great place to go, with plenty to see and do, and most of it in the downtown area. The Alamodome is not fancy, but is functional, especially for a college bowl game. If you can’t get sent to a BCS bowl, or one near an ocean, this is a very good place to end up. They like their matchup of a middle-rung Big XII team (local conference) and a middle-rung Big Ten team (travels well). Rating: 3
Chick-fil-A Bowl at Atlanta: Georgia vs. Virginia Tech. The Bulldogs endured quarterback problems for most of the season, but scored big wins over rivals Auburn and Georgia Tech to close the season. The Hokies closed the season as well as anyone in the ACC, especially as they thumped conference champion Wake Forest in Winston-Salem. The Hokies win as they always have-playing defense and special teams. This is a virtual home game for Georgia, but the Dawgs lost the Sugar Bowl there last year. Pick: VT
This bowl, formerly known as the Peach Bowl, has been a very good bowl since it moved into the Georgia Dome in the 90’s. They always get a good SEC-ACC matchup, and Atlanta is a very good location for fans in both conferences. This game is usually pretty good on the field, as well. Rating: 3.2
MPC Computers Bowl at Boise: Miami vs. Nevada. The Canes finished 6-6, fired coach Larry Coker, and struck out on a nationwide search for a replacement before hiring defensive coordinator Randy Shannon as the new coach. So, it’ll be pretty unstable in that locker room, as coach Coker coaches his last game and his replacement is right there in the room. Miami is closer to a good chunk of South America than it is to Boise. This will be the biggest game in the history of Nevada football. The 8-4 Wolf Pack ambush the Canes. Pick: Nevada
This bowl is traditionally the laughing stock of the bowls. Boise can be a cold, snowy place in December, and the game is played on the blue turf at Boise State’s stadium. But, the game continues to survive, as the people in Boise treat their out-of-town visitors well. This is also a chance for some players from warmer climates to see snow for the first time. Rating: 1.6
International Bowl at Toronto: Western Michigan vs. Cincinnati. Western Michigan went 1-10 two years ago, but now the Broncos are 8-4. Cincinnati welcomes new coach Brian Kelly, who won the MAC this year at Central Michigan, before taking the Cincinnati job. The Bearcats have spent the last month learning a new offensive and defensive system. The Bearcats have an upset victory over Rutgers this year. Pick: Cincy
This is a brand new bowl game, played indoors at Rogers Centre in Toronto. The game’s location in Canada adds some novelty. Problem is, it’s in January. It’s cold in Toronto in January, so it becomes another Detroit. Toronto is a little nicer than Detroit, but it’s still cold. The MAC and Big East need bowls, so this one will probably last in some form or fashion. Rating: 1.4
GMAC Bowl at Mobile: Ohio vs. Southern Miss. Ohio makes their first bowl appearance in 38 years, as Frank Solich has rebuilt the Bobcats’ program in two years. Southern Miss appears in yet another bowl, this one close to their home in Hattiesburg. Pick: Southern Miss
This bowl has developed a niche, and has obtained some stability. There are worse places than Mobile, and the stadium has received a bit of a facelift. I’d rather go to a bowl sponsored by GMAC than by Ford Credit. This bowl doesn’t pretend to be the Rose Bowl, but has been good for the teams that have gone there. It remains to be seen how the January date will affect the bowl. Rating: 1.8

UUOTD-Friday

Did you know the Tennessee Titans have a basketball team?

Just kidding. It's the Utah Jazz. I couldn't remember if these guys still had these jerseys, then I saw them last night on Sportscenter. The Jazz wore these powder blue things last night in San Antonio.

Powder blue went out in the 1980's, and were mainly limited to baseball uniforms. In the NBA, the New Jersey Nets briefly wore powder blue. The Tennessee Titans experiment with it in the NFL.

This is a bad look. The Jazz need to stick with the purple. Save the powder blue for retro baseball jerseys.

NFL Picks-Week 17

It’s the final week of the season in the National Football League. Going into the weekend, only two games have no playoff implications, and one of those involves a team that has clinched a division, but cannot move up or down. Pete Rozelle would be proud.

This is such a good week, the NFL is allowing doubleheaders to be shown on both CBS and Fox. If you live in a city not hosting a game Sunday afternoon, you get four games this Sunday afternoon. If you live in a place like Houston, Dallas, or New Orleans, you still get three. It should be a great weekend of football.

The NFC presents an interesting situation. There are five teams tied for the 6th playoff position: NY Giants, Green Bay, St. Louis, Atlanta, and Carolina. None of these teams play one another this week. All of these teams have records of 7-8. At best, a team will qualify for the NFC playoffs at 8-8. If all five teams lose, there will be a team in the playoffs with a losing record of 7-9. I’m cheering for that to happen. It would be a riot.

16 big ones, coming up…

Last Week: 7-9 Season: 144-97

Detroit at Dallas: The Lions are horrible. They have won two games all year, and are in line for a top two draft pick. The Cowboys came up flat once again last week, getting spanked by the Eagles. Terrell Owens spent the day before the game hanging out at the Iggles’ hotel, then complained after the game about not being thrown the ball early enough. He makes plays, but has had his share of drops, as well. Tony Romo, in two months, has gone from carrying a clipboard on the sideline to dating country diva Carrie Underwood, she of similar rags-to-riches fame. I like the Cowboys, but they need to get their heads right with ball. Dallas wins this week, and hopes like crazy for the Falcons to help them. Pick: Dallas
New York Giants at Washington: Here’s a team coming apart at the seams. The Giants are Team Turmoil, but still control their own destiny for the playoffs. The Redskins are still competing every week, and would like nothing better than to send the Giants home for the off-season. I like Washington here. Pick: Redskins
Carolina at New Orleans: The Panthers need a win to retain hope for that sixth playoff spot. The Saints are locked into the 2nd spot and a first round bye. Jake Delhomme is back for the Panthers. The Saints aren’t going to lay down, by any means, but the Panthers take care of business on this trip. Pick: Carolina
Cleveland at Houston: The one game this week between two teams totally knocked out of the playoffs. Cleveland is down to their third quarterback, as Ken Dorsey will be starting for the Browns. He hasn’t started in three years, when he played in San Francisco. The Texans are coming off a big, big win over Indianapolis. The Texans close out the season with a win, and fall down several notches in the draft as a result. Pick: Houston
Jacksonville at Kansas City: Call this one the Help Bowl, because both teams have a slight chance to make the playoffs, but need help. This is in Kansas City in December, and the Jags are a questionable road team. Pick: Chiefs
New England at Tennessee: The Patriots are playing well heading into the playoffs. I wouldn’t want to go to Foxboro next week. The Titans have caught lightning in a bottle, as they have won seven games in a row with Vince Young at quarterback. Tennessee needs a lot of things to happen to make the playoffs, but they do their part. Pick: Titans
Oakland at New York Jets: The Jets need a win to make the playoffs. They get a gift with a home game against the woeful Raiders. The Raiders are playing for the top pick in the draft. The Jets are one of the good stories of the year. The Jets cruise in this one. Pick: J-E-T-S
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati: The Bengals lost a heartbreaker last week in Denver on a botched snap on an extra point with less than 30 seconds left in the game. The Steelers came up flat in a big game and were drilled by the Ravens. The Bengals need this one to have a chance to make the playoffs. The Steelers are spoilers, and nothing else. Cincy comes up big at home. Pick: Bengals
Seattle at Tampa Bay: The other game with no impact on the playoffs, but Seattle has already clinched the NFC West, in spite of a three-game losing streak. The Bucs are a shell of their former selves. The Seahawks get enough back this week to end the season on a winning note. Pick: Seattle
St. Louis at Minnesota: Don’t look now, but the Rams have a chance to make the playoffs. They need a win and some help, but they have a chance. The Vikings had a chance to be in this gaggle of teams, as well, but have been too mediocre for even the NFC. Rams take care of business. Pick: St. Louis
Atlanta at Philadelphia: The Eagles were given up for dead, but, four Jeff Garcia wins later, they have a chance to win the NFC East, and the #3 seed in the playoffs. The Falcons can make the playoffs with a win and some help, and can also help the Cowboys with a win. Yeah, right. Garcia, Brian Westbrook, and a bunch of guys do it one more week, big. Pick: Philly
Buffalo at Baltimore: The Bills lost a heartbreaker last week, knocking themselves out of playoff contention. The Ravens find themselves in second place in the AFC, and can clinch a bye in the first round of the playoffs with a win. Steve McNair has resurrected his career in Baltimore. The Ravens are tough to beat. Pick: Baltimore
Miami at Indianapolis: How many times does Nick Saban have to say he’s not going to take the Alabama job? The Dolphins are having injury and performance problems at quarterback, and are starting Mister Cleo Lemon at QB this week. The Colts lost one they should have won last week in Houston. They now need a win and some help to get a bye in the first round of the playoffs. The Colts win here, but don’t get the help they want. Pick: Indy
Arizona at San Diego: A coronation for the Chargers. Arizona lost QB Matt Leinart last week to injury, so Kurt Warner returns as QB for the Cardinals. It doesn’t matter, as the Chargers give the ball 40 times to LaDainian Tomlinson, and earn home field advantage throughout the playoffs. At this point, the Chargers are the team to beat for the world championship.
San Francisco at Denver: The 49ers have been respectable this season, winning six games. The Broncos have won two in a row with new QB Jay Cutler, and find themselves in the same position they would have been in if they hadn’t changed QBs. The Broncos need this one to sew up the 5th seed in the AFC, and should get it. Pick: Denver
Green Bay at Chicago: Call this one the Might Bowl. Green Bay might have a chance to make the playoffs, depending on results earlier in the day. This might be Brett Favre’s last game, depending on what he decides later regarding retirement. The Bears might bring an A game with nothing to play for except pride and an ancient rivalry. The Pack has more to play for here. Pick: Green Bay

UUOTD-Thursday

Today's UUOTD is nominated by The Wife.

She has been grossed out by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' uniforms ever since they came out a few years ago. The pewter pants really bother her. From my perspective, the pants do match the helmet, but they are a little much with the red jersey.

In my opinion, though, they are an improvement over the orange Creamsicle uniforms worn under the previous ownership.

At least the jersey is all one color, and they don't have a silly stripe on the side of the uniform. Still, the pewter is a little more than I can handle.

College Bowl Picks, Part 2 (and Bowl Ratings)

It’s another weekend, and time for another batch of bowls. Or, at the Mother Ship in Bristol, Connecticut, it is Capital One Bowl Week. Time to pick more bowls, and also to cast judgment on the quality of the bowl.

Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl at Nashville: Clemson vs. Kentucky. The Tigers were very up and down this year, and had the talent to win the ACC in a down year, but didn’t pull it off. Their high point was a win at conference champion Wake Forest. Kentucky is rebuilding their program from the depths of probation, and coach Rich Brooks has been on the hot seat for two years. The Cats have beaten all the teams they are supposed to beat. Clemson has more talent. Pick: Clemson.
Nashville isn’t a bad place, especially if you’re into music. It can be cold in December, though, and this bowl has had games in sub-freezing temperatures. It’s an 11:00 AM kickoff on ESPN, so it’s not the most glamourous of bowls. As long as the locals get an SEC team, though, they’re happy. Rating: 2
Brut Sun Bowl: Oregon State vs. Missouri: Oregon State has notable late season wins over USC and Hawaii. Missouri started strong, but finished inconsistently. The Beavers are hot, and I’ll pick them. Pick: OSU-West
Brut? I think my dad has some in his bathroom cabinet. El Paso isn’t a garden spot, but this is one of the longest-running non-New Year’s Day bowls. It has also been on CBS for four decades, which says something in this cable-dominated universe. They get middle-rung teams from the Pac 10 and, this year, the Big 12. This bowl has loads of tradition, which helps its rating. Rating: 3
AutoZone Liberty Bowl: Houston vs. South Carolina. The Gamecocks are in their second bowl game in a row under the Old Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier. The Cougars come in as champions of Conference USA. The Gamecocks play in a tougher conference, but I don’t expect them to totally stop Houston’s high-powered offense. Pick: Coogs
Any bowl game where you can go see Graceland isn’t too bad. Memphis has good ribs, as well. This bowl has been around for a long time, and has weathered a lot. They scored a coup this year by signing a deal with the SEC to provide a team to oppose the Conference USA champion. As far as non-New Year’s Day bowls go, this one is pretty good. Just as in Nashville, though, the weather in Memphis can be iffy in December. Rating: 3
Insight Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Minnesota. The Red Raiders had to endure the dalliance of their coach with the Miami job at the end of the regular season. They went 7-5, which is now unacceptable at Tech. They throw the ball all over the place. Minnesota rescued their season, closing out at 6-6 after starting slowly and nearly losing to North Dakota State. Pick: Tech
This was originally the Copper Bowl, played in Tucson. It then moved to the former Bank One Ballpark in Phoenix, and has now replaced the Fiesta Bowl at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. That gives the Valley of the Sun three bowl games this year. The game this year is on NFL Network, meaning most of the country will not have access to it. It’s a bowl, though, and Tech and Minnesota would rather go there than to not go at all. Rating: 2
Champs Sports Bowl: Purdue vs. Maryland: Purdue had an above-average season this year, but was not anything special. Maryland, after getting pounded by West Virginia in September, went on a winning streak and was in contention for the ACC title at the end of the season. Pick: Maryland
This was formerly known as the Blockbuster, Carquest, and Micron PC Bowl in Miami, and was moved to Orlando and took the name Tangerine Bowl, before Champs bought the name. The payout has gone way up, and the game has moved to the week after Christmas. There are much worse places for a bowl than Orlando, though the Citrus Bowl stadium is starting to fall apart. Rating: 2.6

Rating The Bowls

The division formerly known as 1-A has a quirky and antiquated post-season system, driven by tourist dollars, guys in loud-colored blazers, TV executives, and commissioners of power conferences. There has, in recent years, appeared a preponderance of bowl games. This year, there are 32 bowl games, including the BCS national championship game. As I've watched parts of them, I've often wondered: What's the use of all this? Wouldn't these cities be better off bidding on playoff games?

Before I go any further, I will make the following statement: As long as the bowl system is in place, any city/chamber of commerce/corporation/conference that can come up with the NCAA minimum of $750,000 per team should be allowed to have a bowl. If the folks in Shawnee, Oklahoma want to have a bowl game in Jim Thorpe Stadium (built in the WPA era, capacity 5,000), and they can come up with $1.5 million to pull it off, then more power to them. That's a bit extreme, but anyone that can do it should be able to have a bowl game in their city. With that being said, I have developed a rating system for bowls.

I rank bowls based on: payout, conference tie-in (prestige of conference and bowl's place in picking order), TV contract (network and time of game), location/stadium, and tradition. A newer, lower-paying bowl will obviously be rated much lower than bowls such as the Rose, Sugar and Orange. Each bowl will have a rating based on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the best.

I will rank the bowls for which I have already picked winners. I will also have bowl ratings with future installments of bowl picks.

Why rank bowls? To have fun with the warped system that we have. Each of these cities have their fine points, and some are better places to live than others. However, some bowls do nothing more than fill some hotel rooms and fill TV time.

Here are the ratings for bowls to date:

Poinsettia: San Diego is a great place, to which I have never been. From what I've heard, Qualcomm Stadium is beginning to fall apart, and the Chargers want a new stadium. This is a new bowl, the lower-paying of the two San Diego bowls, but a needed bowl for the Mountain West conference. They also have a deal for Navy to appear periodically. If there is a place that can handle two bowls, it's San Diego. Rating: 2.2
Las Vegas: Folks usually don't go to Vegas to catch college football. But, it's a nice diversion for traveling fans. This is the home of the Mountain West champion. The stadium is a little old, and is way off the Strip, in Henderson. Being close to Utah & BYU, it works for the Mountain West. Rating: 2.6
New Orleans: This bowl was created for the champion of the Sun Belt Conference. Conference USA provides a middle-rung team as the opponent. The Sun Belt has won this game twice in six years, but it gives their conference to shoot for. The Superdome is usually about a third full for this one. As long as the Sun Belt would rather aim for this game instead of the 1-AA playoffs, this game is fine. New Orleans doesn't need another bowl, but the Sun Belt does. Rating: 2
Papajohns.com: Birmingham got back into the bowl business this year. Legion Field, formerly known as the Football Capital of the South, is falling apart. Birmingham has hosted two other bowls: the Hall of Fame Bowl, and the All-American Bowl. They love football there, but there's a big difference between Alabama-Auburn and a couple of also-rans from the Big East and Conference USA. This is like having a bowl in Oklahoma City. A great place to live, but a questionable place for a bowl. Rating: 1.2
New Mexico: A brand new bowl, designed to give the Mountain West another bowl, and to promote the state of New Mexico. This year's title sponsor is the New Mexico Tourism Department. If it works for them, more power to them. Ultimately, though, another case of good place to live, questionable bowl destination. The MWC vs. WAC matchup isn't a lot to write home about, either. However, San Jose State enjoyed Albuquerque last week, a lot. Rating: 1.6
Armed Forces: Formerly known as the Fort Worth Bowl, this is played at TCU's aging Amon Carter Stadium. Fort Worth is a great place to live, and is underrated as a tourist attraction. However, the weather can be iffy, the MWC-CUSA matchup isn't the greatest, and one can only spend so much time in the Stockyards. This bowl has overcome it's birth pains, though, and is on the way to success. Rating: 1.6
Hawaii: This game was organized to give the University of Hawaii a place to go when bowl eligible. It is a roaring success when the Warriors are in it. It's also entertainment for Christmas Eve. Hawaii is always a good place to go, but you don't want to mess with the Warriors if you have to play them there. Rating: 2.4
Motor City: This bowl was created for the MAC champion. The bowl benefited from the construction of Ford Field, giving it a first-class venue. Problem is, outside the stadium, you're in Detroit in December. Brrr. Rating: 1.4
Emerald: San Francisco, with all its quirks, is a tourist attraction. This game is played in a baseball park, gets a low pick from the Pac 10 and ACC, and is a candidate for cold weather. However, they hit a home run this year with Florida State and UCLA. Rating: 2.4
Independence: You could say that if Shreveport can pull a bowl off, anyone can. This bowl was in Shreveport long before casinos were. They've struggled with sponsor names (Weed Eater), snow (the 1999 freak snow storm game between Mississippi State and Texas A&M), and the various other issues that a mid-tier bowl faces. Still, they press on. This is the little bowl that could. The Big XII and SEC like it. Rating: 1.8
Texas: This is the latest incarnation of the Houston Bowl, formerly known as the galleryfurniture.com bowl. The Houston Bowl needed help, as TCU and Iowa State have still not received total payment from last year's game. So, enter the Big XII, the Houston Texans, and the NFL Network. Those entities saved and restructured the game, believing that Houston was too large a city and Reliant too nice a stadium to not have a bowl game. Good luck. Rating: 1.6
Holiday: Easily the best of the pre-New Year's bowls. San Diego is a great place, and this bowl gets the second pick from the Pac 10 and the third pick from the Big XII. This has been a great game for just about all of its 30-year history, including several barnburners as home of the WAC champion. The only things this bowl doesn't have are a New Year's Day date, and a new Chargers stadium. Rating: 3.6

More bowl ratings to come, along with more bowl picks..