Momo's Munchies

1. Is it just me or did the college football season end two weeks ago? No real drama left and I'm not looking forward to the bowl games.

2. Urban Meyer to Ohio St. is not a shocker. The shocker is how Urban TRIED to make everyone think he wasn't contacted and he didn't accept the job last week.It was the worse kept secret in all of sports. Meyer has no one to answer to but his family. He was the one who decided to step away because of health and family reasons. Meyer was the one who signed a contract with his children stating he wouldn't coach for five years. Personally, I think Meyer got tired of competing with the other SEC schools for top talent and bolted for Buckeye land. At the very least, the Buckeyes will not slip that in the Big Ten.

3. Can anyone answer how the Crimson Tide can play for a title and they didn't even win their division, let alone conference?!?!?!?!?!?!?

4. Kansas fired coach Turner Gill after two seasons. Have they forgotten they are Kansas and football is not a top priority at the school? The AD stated they wanted their team to contend regularly in the Big 12. Maybe he was talking about basketball because even in Kansas best year two years ago, when they snuck into a BCS bowl, they lost to Mizzou on a neutral field.


5. Ndamukong Suh got suspended for two games for kicking a Packers lineman. If I'm Terrell Pryor, I'm highly upset and am making a call to the commissioner. This isn't the first time Suh has fought an opponent or teammate. There are now stories coming out of Nebraska where the coaches had to sit him out from practice to keep him away from certain players. If Goddell thought it was fair to punish Pryor for circumventing the supplement draft rules and deceiving the NCAA, then Suh's suspensions should have been longer for his collegiate offenses. Goddell opened himself for this type of criticism.

6. Also Jim Schwartz and the Lions team should be fined as well. They have condoned his actions for the last two years. Schwartz wants his team to be the toughest bully on the block but they often lose composure when the teams they pick on fight back. Someone in the Lions organization needs to stand up and be a leader. You can play tough and hard but there needs to be veteran leadership to make sure everyone is playing the RIGHT way.

7. Isn't it funny how everyone gush over Brady and the Patriots when they beat bad teams? No one even realizes that their defense is so bad that it gave up 400 passing yards to Vince Young. Yes that Vince Young who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Young had a career passing day against the Patriot secondary.

8. I was wrong three years ago when I said the Rams should have taken Mark Sanchez instead of Jason Smith. The actual pick should have been Michael Oher who fell to the Ravens. Just not sold on Sanchez and I believe that Rex Ryan isn't either. He just makes too many boneheaded mistakes at critical moments in the game.

9. If the Saints and Packers hook up in the NFC Championship game, its going to be a shootout.

10. A part of me actually feels bad for the Texans. They are 8-3 and now are down to their 3rd string quarterback. For a franchise that has never made the playoffs, this season has been set up nicely for them. Peyton's hurt, Jacksonville got rid of their veteran quarterback and the Titans were actually rebuilding. All the Texans needed was a little luck to win the division and host a playoff game. Being down to a rookie quarterback isn't too bad with the top ranked defense. Still, I have a feeling the Titans mat catch and pass them and that's where I actually feel bad.

End Zone (Week 5)

1.Has Donovan McNabb hurt his Hall of Fame chances with his last two years?
KDC: Okay, w/out comparing stats against QBs already in the HOF, I had him on the HOF bubble. To me, the lackluster results in Washington last year and the pitiful periods he’s had at Minnesota already are the kind of performances that burst that bubble and get you into the Hall of Very Good. McNabb, by all accounts, is a wonderful guy, but he’s not a 40-year-old Favre whose final couple years will be dismissed as a guy playing for love and money and hanging onto glory. This is a guy who was supposed to seriously upgrade his teams, yet (at best) didn’t help them, while (at worst), actually hurt bad teams. That image lingers when it’s time to vote.
Momo:Yes he has. I love what Donovan stands for and what he has meant to the league but his last two years have really hurt his status as an elite quarterback. McNabb stature first was damaged by Shanahan by the benching in an early season game and now in Minnesota he can't bu a win. If Donovan had won a title it wouldn't look so bad because every qb has a down year every now and then but his last two years have been brutal. What McNabb's last two seasons have done is helped make a strong case for Kurt Warner entering the Hall of Fame.


2.Do you think Rex Ryan tough guy bravado will keep working if the Jets don’t win a championship in a year or two?
KDC: Those kind of guys usually burn their team and fans out over time. Even when they win. He’s done a wonderful job of revitalizing the organization, but if they continue to perform in such a punchless fashion on both sides of the ball (remember Tony Romo gift-wrapped their first win for them), then he’s made his timeline awfully short.
Momo:Rex's personality is playing well in New york but it is going to wear out pretty quickly,, especially if they don't win soon. I know the players love playing for him because Rex has their back and puts the onus all on him. He has definitely made the Jets relevant but I don't think he will be around long enough to reap all the benefits of his labor.

3.Sunday night Packers vs. Falcons, a bigger game for whom?
KDC: Matt Ryan’s been haunted ever since he got buried under a tidal wave of green & gold in the playoffs last year. They must win this game to prove they’re legit. Unfortunately, they beat the Packers last year in the regular season when the Pack didn’t have a running game, QB Aaron Rodgers fumbled the ball away at the goal line, and Tony Gonzales got a key first down on an incompletion (as replays showed). I see the Pack winning big.
Momo:This is all about Matt Ryan and the Falcons. Ryan is still having nightmares about the postseason game when Woodson and the Pack turned their season into a nightmare. Ryan has not been the same since the Packers ran all over him. He looks real uncomfortable in the pocket. The Falcons needs this more to prove to everyone that they are contenders.


4.Should a contender sign Terrell Owens, if healthy?
KDC: I’ve never been a TO fan. Certainly the ability was always there, but now that he’s on the backside of his career, it appears (assuming health) the antics have finally caught up to him & no one’s interested. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
Momo: Owens can help a team but it would be really dangerous to bring him into a place where the team is young and contending. I'm not sure anyone is really interested in bringing all the drama into their franchise. My opinion is that T.O. does not play this year and could be done for good. Too much of a distraction even though he can contribute.

5.Thoughts on the Eagles slow start:
KDC: No one’s comfortable together yet. Plus, did they address their areas of biggest concern (O-line, linebackers, defensive backfield) in the offseason? Not especially (except for Asomugha as a corner). Now they’re paying for it when Michael Vick isn’t in there (and even when he is, like last week). There’s time to bounce back, but they should certainly be concerned.
Momo: Sometimes it takes a few games for talent to gel. The eagles have two problems:1.A defensive coordinator that used to be the offensive line coach (never a good thing) 2.Really young linebackers that are being taken advantage of and that is putting tons of pressure on the secondary. all the offseason moves have made the Eagles a target and they seem unsure on how to handle all the attention.Also ;m wondering where is Desean Jackson big plays. He has been really quiet for a guy in a contract year.

2pt Conversion (Week 4)

1. Who would be the biggest surprise if they stay undefeated this weekend between Arkansas, Vandy, and San Diego St.?
Momo:Without a shadow of a doubt its Vanderbilt. The Commodores are a perennial doormats in the SEC and win Saturday over South Carolina and the alums might erect a statue of new head coach James Franklin. Vandy would be just three wins away from being bowl eligible and that would be huge for a program that has been down on its luck.
Droddy: I have to go with Arkansas and it really is not close. I would be stunned if Arkansas beat Alabama with the biggest reason is the Ark’s 1 dimensional offense. If you cannot run the ball effectively, it allows a great defense to attack the quarter back with all out aggression – exactly where the pigs find themselves. I realize AL struggles on offense, but if they are on the field for most of the day, Arkansas defense will break eventually. Vandy and SDST winning would be surprises, but I can at least imagine the possibility.

2. Your thoughts on all the realignment in cfb:
Momo: First I need to get something off my chest about realignment. The next time some school president or chancellor or coach chimes in about the shadiness of agents and runners, someone should hold up a mirror so they can see their reflection. This action of realignment is deplorable and ridiculous. All these schools care about is reworking contracts so they can get their conferences more money. Fans and alumni will be there for their schools and find new rivals to root against, but some of the passions and traditions will be lost. Passion and tradition is what fuels college football. The only positive thing I can see from realignment is a playoff. This sport needs a playoff and college football would be on par with the NFL for popularity. That I believe is what the conference commissioners see as their way to break away from the NCAA to get a playoff instituted.
Droddy: I am torn on the realignment discussion. I love tradition and the historic rivalries that make college football the most exciting four month of the year, but I also think the game desperately needs a playoff. If conference realignment can do two things, I am for it: #1 create a playoff that is fair to everyone involved #2 add Boise St or any other “contenders” to a real conference. On point #2, I would like to see the teams not in a major conference go ahead and drop down to another division where they can compete or not worry about winning a national championship. In other words, you have to be in a major conference to have a chance to be in the playoff – I am not only talking about Boise States of the world, but a certain Blue and Gold team from Indiana. The playing field needs to be evened out, if they are going to do this…it would be nice if they did it right. That said, we all know this is not about making fan happy or a better Saturday experience – its about how much money can be made from TV contracts. Simple as that.

3. Winner of OK St. v Texas AM in control of Big 12?
Momo:I got OSU as my sleeper so I think this game is huge for them. They need this win as a shot before they have a showdown with OU.
Droddy: Until proven otherwise, Oklahoma is in control of the B12. More often than not, these teams look great, until they play Oklahoma.

4. Should college athletes be paid?
Momo:Athletes should be paid a little something especially since the school gets revenue from a player. Let's use Andrew Luck as an example. Don't you think Stanford jersey's sales of number 12 has increased since last year? Luck deserves a little piece of the pie.
Droddy:I do not see a big problem paying the athletes a little bit of money during the season. They are not allowed to hold jobs and put in countless hours to entertain us weekly. Now this will not stop the cheating that many people think, but it is probably the right thing to do. With States constantly cutting back in money going to the major universities, this may never be feasible…every athlete that plays would need to be paid, not just football.

5. Pick the winners: Alabama v. Ark, LSU v. WVU:
Momo:Arkansas does not have a chance against Bama. I love LSU's defense but am afraid of their offense. WVU can score and will give the Bayou Bengals some trouble BUT LSU probably prevails. I think it will be closer than people think.
Droddy: Easy…Bama and LSU – these 2 are on a collision course for an epic war in November.