Why Do We Play The Game?

Perfect No Longer





The Colts bid for a perfect season ended on Sunday against the NY Jets. Upper management and Jim Caldwell, the head coach, decided to pull the starters early in the third quarter while leading 15-10. To me this goes against everything we are taught and have learned in sports. You want to win the game and be considered great. You have very few chances to maximize greatness and the Colts chose to set that aside to protect their players. I understand that you want your players healthy for the playoffs but their is only one team that has gone undefeated through a season in the NFL, the '72 Dolphins. The protecting their player adage is weak when you talk about the Dolphins, they stayed undefeated with their backup qb Earl Morrow. If you have great depth then worrying about inuring your players should not be an issue. Granted that no one on the roster can replace Peyton Manning but you can't play sports let alone football in fear. The way a player gets hurt most of the time is when he isn't concentrating fully. I'm pretty sure the Colts players were engaged and ready to go. The decision was taken out of their hands and that is too bad.
The Colts offense is predicated on rhythm and the Colts won't have a meaningful game for almost a month. The way the organization could have kept their team sharp is by going for the undefeated record. Bill Polian, who is the team's GM, is still haunted by his days in Buffalo. Cornelius Bennett was lost for the season in one the team's last game before the playoffs. Polian believes if they would have sat their starters that they might have won that Super Bowl. I do commend the Colts players for saying all the rights things. They all have said they would have liked to have finished the game. Now if the Colts don't make it to the Super Bowl, people will jump all over the fact they lost this game and it messed up their timing. But if they win the Super Bowl no will remember who beat them in the regular season. I am with a former head coach when it comes to why you play the game. Go ahead Herm tell us why....

Meyer Leaving? Maybe Not

URBAN THE LEGEND

Urban Meyer is taking an indefinite leave of absence from coaching. He initially said he was going to retire but after seeing his team practice he reconsidered. Urban has to take care of himself that is a no brainer. Your long term health is way more important than recruiting or money. I think pressure of the Florida job really caused him to take a step back and evaluate what is really important. SEC fans as well as a lot of big school feel like its their school's right to be always contending for a National Championship. During the season the Gators struggled on offense this season and people were wondering what was wrong with them. The team won 22 games in a row and Gator Nation was still complaining. Fans forget that offensive coordinator Dan Mullen left, as well as Tebow's top receiver's and running backs. To make matters worse, Tebow suffered a severe concussion and the team ran the shell of its offense until he got healthy. But Meyer felt the pressure of the school's lofty expectations and it wore on him. People have said and have written that the reason why Spurrier left was because that winning 10 games a year, and the SEC title was just not good enough for the fan base and that's too bad. Building a program takes time and patient not only by coaches but the fans as well. Once a team starts to have success, fans feel like it should be easy to keep up the championships. In this regard, I feel bad for Meyer because I think he became a victim of him and Tebow's success.

If Meyer steps down, it will create more of a competitive balance not only in the SEC, but in the state of Florida, as well as nationally. The Gators have become a football factory, and Gainesville is a an easy sell to top recruits in the state of Florida and you add in the winning and the exposure the SEC receives and it becomes a no-brainer for kids to want to play there. Florida was going to drop off next year because Tebow and Brandon Spikes, their best defensive player, are leaving. With Meyer gone, the downturn might be a lot tougher than Gators fans expect. People will say that Florida can get any coach they want, but you want it to be the right coach. Even with him taking that leave of absence will hurt them in recruiting as well. The uncertainity surrounding the program will probably cause some of the top talent to reconsider Florida.The candidates are Dan Mullen, former defensive coord Charlie Strong who is now coaching at Louisville, Gary Patterson, Chris Petersen and Bob Stoops. Stoops is tied to Florida and was rumored to be the head coach when Meyer initially took the job. You never want to be the Man following the Man, ask Ron Zook. Following Spurrier was tough enough, can you imagine following Meyer?

Cincy picked the wrong year to try and go undefeated. When they face the Gators in the Sugar Bowl, they will be facing a team that will play inspired football not only for Tebow but for the head coach.

A New Sports Verb

Before you read the definition I really do like the University of Missouri. I would have gone to their journalism school but the university I went to offered a better scholarship. But if you have a team or school you love they have all done something that just makes you scream, I now have a word that helps describe it better. How I came up with the word is pretty simple. I was sitting with some of my buddies Sam and Chris, watching a pretty decent Mizzou football team take on K-State. Mizzou was a way better team and should have dominated, when it seemed like the coaching staff pulled the rug out from under their own team by calling off the wall plays. Of course, K-State came back and won and as I just said I can't believe they lost that game, they totally Mizzoued themselves out a win.

Mizzoued-Pronunciation: /Mizz-oued/ or /Mizz-ou/ Function: verb Definition:when one's team makes a critical error, or something inexplicable happens in a big game they are going to win. Most of the time a player or a coach does something that blows one's mind, that one cannot believe it happened. An agonizing moment that will live in sports history. Sentence: "They mizzoued themselves again." or " How could the Bulls mizzou themselves out of a win against the Kings?". Example: University of Missouri football and basketball teams, The 1985 St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs since 1908, Florida St. football versus Miami, 1996 St. Louis Cardinals blowing a 3-1 lead to the Braves, 2004 Yankees blowing a 3-1 lead against the Red Sox, Jean van de Velde at the British Open.

So when your team has one of the above mentioned moments, instead of swearing, now you have a word to fill in that blank: Mizzoued. Here are some clips of teams mizzouing themselves, enjoy! And if you have any other suggestions let me know.

Isn't It Time To Stop The Whining

The 40 Year-Old Baby

So he is whining again. He whined in Green Bay. He pouted in New York. Now he is stomping around like a five year-old in Minnesota. Can Brett Favre please act his age?!?! He is having a phenomenal year with the Vikings but wherever he goes he loves to bring drama with him. His latest meltdown involves his coach Brad Childress. The Vikings were in position to close within a game of the Saints if they could beat the Panthers. With the Vikings up 7-6 and Brett being knocked around like a pinball, Childress informed Favre that he was thinking about benching him. Favre told him no and the two had a heated discussion on the sideline. Most people would not have known the two would have had this discussion but Favre threw his coach under the bus at the press conference after they lost. He stated the discussion was "heated" and he wasn't coming out of the game. Brett feels he has earned the right not to be benched. His play in December/January the last five years has shown he needs to sit if he wants to win a championship. I just can't take the superiority complex he has. He wants to play, then he doesn't. He only wants to go to the Vikings if he does play. Favre believes he is bigger than the team and his teammates and the game.

The Vikings have two problems with all this drama. One is they don't have a veteran on this team to pull Favre aside and tell him to settle down. Can you imagine if Terrell Owens or Randy Moss or Chad Ochocino (yes I did type his name that way) told their coaches they weren't coming out of the game. The coverage of the incident would have portrayed them as malcontents who disrupt the team's chemistry. Favre gets the hall pass because he is plays for the love of the game and he is the "Ultimate Competitor". That is so unfair. His whole I'm just a common man from Kiln, Mississippi act has worn thin. How long can he continue to hold teams hostage with this diva-like attitude. When are people going to realize how self-absorbed he really is. Everyone seems afraid to call him out. Yes, he has all the accolades and he has won a Super Bowl but someone needs to stand up to him on the Vikings if they want to win a championship. The coaches are afraid to bench him because they feel like he is their only hope. The gave Favre the franchise and now he is running it.

The other problem is this was once Adrain Peterson's team and now its Brett. The reason Favre said he wanted to play with a running back like Peterson. He talked about how dynamic he was and how he was just there to help. Everyone spoke about how teams would have to play them honest and couldn't load up the box to stop Peterson. Peterson this year is averaging career lows for him. The Vikings just sit back and chuck it down the field. There is another reported incident where Childress called a run-play and Favre ignored it and called a pass play. Childress wanted to bench him then BUT the offensive coordinator talked him out of it. So now Brett knows what play to call when and he doesn't stick to the game plan. In the real world when you do the opposite of what your boss or superiors tell you to do that is called insubordination. How Favre gets away with this is beyond me. If the Vikings want to turn this around the team needs to go back to riding the legs of Peterson.

I don't want the Vikings to win the Super Bowl and I don't think they will. But a part of me hopes they win, so the 40 year-old baby can go back to Mississippi and all the pouting and whining can stop.

No Expansion Needed

Leave It At 64

Just to erase any doubt I am a HUGE college basketball fan and I LOVE MARCH MADNESS. For me its Christmas again but this time it last a whole month. I haven't had the fortune to attend a Final Four but I have been to opening round games as well as a Sweet 16 game. I pick games in pools and have won big time. In my former career, I would schedule Thursday and Friday off just so I wouldn't miss a game. Just wanted to give a little background so you knew how passionate I am about College basketball. So when I heard that the NCAA is looking to expand the tournament, I thought to myself why mess up the best event in all of sports. The only answers I could come up with are money and job security for coaches.

Its All About The Benjamin's

The money angle is this. Their contract with CBS for 12 billion, and yes I did say billion is about to expire. So the NCAA is looking for a way to generate more revenue for their respective schools. By expanding the tournament and bringing it to cable (say ESPN/ABC) you can expand your audience somewhat. CBS has a clause that it must break the games up in two segments to show local news and people on both coast are missing games that are in progress. I agree bringing it to cable will help grow the sport. ESPN has a truckload of networks and you could watch all first round games on their 20 ESPN channels. Now for people who don't have cable or satellite, they can still air a game on ABC. You can also watch all the games for free on-line on the NCAA website. Not having all the action interrupted for local news is a good thing. That part of the expansion I agree with.

64 Means Something

Two years ago Jim Boheim of Syracuse was ranting and raving for the tournament to expand because his team got left out. He was on every show pleading his case for the expansion. Ironically last year his team played one of the best games of the year in the Big East Tournament where they beat UConn and advanced to the finals of that tournament to get an automatic bid, was Boheim complaining then? Not at all. Coaches will push for the expansion to 96 teams because it provides them with the security of making the tournament and therefore they keep their job. Conference tournaments give you a shot of making the tournament. Jim Valvano's N.C. State Wolfpack team was one of the worse ACC team but they won their conference tournament, got the bid and won the whole thing. 96 dilutes the field and it really doesn't provide for a Cinderella like George Mason or Gonzaga. The number 64 is special. Its the perfect number and the right fit for basketball. 64 provides team with a hope of being David and knocking off Goliath. Leave the number of teams alone. Tweaking amount of teams entering in would take away from the magic of March.

NFL Quick Hits

A Four Pack Of NFL Thoughts...


1. Sit'em Or To Play'em

With the Colts and Saints being undefeated, there is a question on whether they should sit their players or go for the record. I like Sean Payton's approach with his teams and that is to go for the record. The '72 Dolphins and the '07 are the only two teams to go through the regular season undefeated, with the Dolphins being the only team winning the championship. Now the Colts have been in this position before and resting their players has backfired on them. The one team that is built to beat the Colts and have a nice little streak going themselves is the San Diego Chargers. The Colts have so much trouble with them in the playoffs. Peyton Manning and the rest of his teammates should be playing to keep themselves in rhythm. The Colts offense is predicated off timing, less playing will throw their offense off kilter. The Saints on the other hand have the Vikings breathing down their neck for homefield advantage. The Saints can play in the Metrodome, but never having to travel is a nicer luxury to have. Having a the Vikings chase them keeps New Orleans in playoff mode throughout the rest of the season. I say playing is better because the stats say the teams that have home field advantage, often have a losing record playing the wild-card team. Mercury Morris and the rest of the '72 Dolphins want these teams to sit their starters so they can pop their champagne...



2. You Are What Your Record Says You Are






I was talking to my cousin yesterday and he reminded me of this quote by Bill Parcells. This is so true when it comes to the futility that is in the NFL. The Rams, Lions and Browns are bad. No other word or words can describe these three teams. I was on the fence about who was worse the Rams or Lions and I can now say its the Rams. These team has absolutely no talent, no direction and no leaders. The Rams biggest mistake was trading away the Jay Cutler pick and keeping Marc Bulger. That has set this franchise back five years. So Cutler isn't setting the world on fire in Chicago, pair him with Steven Jackson and you are at least .500.The Rams could have rectified this problem by drafting Mark Sanchez but they went with an offensive linemen, this just should the ineptitude of this franchise. The Browns are in the same situation. You need a franchise qb to build around, and Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson is not the answer. This team hates their coach and lays down weekly against their opponents. The reason why the Lions are a little better, they have Matthew Stafford. At least he provides the Lions with a ray of hope along with Calvin Johnson. I nearly forgot Tampa. They are probably in the same positions as the Rams. I just don't see any talent on that team but they drafted a quarterback and will build around him.








3. Speaking Of Bad Teams...

Coaches on the hot seat or that will be fired. Eric Mangini is most likely gone. As mentioned before, his players despise him, and I believe most of Cleveland dislikes him. Mangini just seems to rub people the wrong way. Excessive fines, no commitment to a qb are just a few of the things that will get him run out of Cleveland. John Fox will be out and you will probably see Bill Cowher in Carolina. Buffalo has already fired their coach and Mike Shanahan and a host of others have been linked to this job. Washington will have a new coach and so will Dallas. A sleeper to me is the Houston Texans. Gary Kubiak team should have made the playoffs and now they are in danger of finishing below .500 again. I would include the Raiders but they might keep Cable because no one else would want that job.













4. MVP

MVP is a tough call. You got Brees, Favre, and Manning. If Brees and Manning were not putting up Madden video game like numbers, Aaron Rodgers and Chris Johnson would also be great candidates.The sentimental pick would be Favre because of the age and the last two years of him playing hurt. For me I have to go with Drew Brees. He is playing out of his mind. The Saints score when they want to. Brees makes all the throws you want your qb to make. He has resurrected a downtrodden franchise and city. You rate a MVP by if he wasn't there, would their team be that good. The Saints or the Colts for that manner would not be that good. I just give the slight edge to Brees.

Bowls Are Set

BCS Bowl games are set and most people feel the system got it right. Here's a quick breakdown of the match-ups and here is a breakdown of those.

Orange Bowl: Iowa vs. Georgia Tech

These two teams have very different styles in how they attack you. Iowa likes to mix up the run with the pass, while Ga. Tech likes the triple option or wishbone look and will pound you to death. Why the Orange Bowl took Iowa over Cincy is that they travel very, very well. Last year the Cincy faithful didn't show up and the Orange Bowl officials did want to embarrass themselves again. The great part about this game being so late it will allow the Iowa team to get Ricki Stanzi, their qb and host of other injured players back. How physical these two teams play should make it somewhat entertaining to watch.

Sugar Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Florida



The interesting part about bowl games is sometimes you get match ups where one teams wants to be there and the other doesn't. Florida expected to be in the National title game, New Orleans is not where they wanted to spend their New Year. This was the case last year when Alabama faced Utah, and got blasted. Its all about mindset, and the Gotors have the right guy leading them to face the Bearcats. Tebow will have his guys focused, I believe he will not want to leave college on a two-game losing streak. The game Cincy played over the weekend against Pitt showed how resilient this team is. I found it interesting that Brian Kelly let Pitt score so his offense would get the ball back with a lot of time left on the clock. Pitt should have recognized this and kicked a field goal. but they didn't and Cincy is BCS bowling for two years in a row. Hopefully Brian Kelly stays at Cincy. If he takes the Notre Dame job it will be a huge distraction to his team. Rumors have been circulating that he is meeting with them tomorrow. Building the Bearcats into a powerhouse is a good thing for college football. Kelly is not Notre Dame's first choice. They will hire him because the other big name's of Meyer and Stoops will turn them down. Would Kelly be a good fit? Sure, but its not what their rabid fan base wants. He should stay at Cincy where he is appreciated and he could dominate the Big East.


Rose Bowl: Oregon vs. Ohio St.




I just don't think Ohio St. can put up the points and can consistently stop the Ducks offense. This is not he typical finesse Oregon football team. These Ducks are physical and like to pound the football. Buckeyes offense is inconsistent at times and their defense has a tendencies to get ran over by teams that run the ball consistently. This is going to be a tougher game for Ohio St. than facing USC. Oregon may not have the talent of USC, but they are solid and play great team football. I think the Ducks are going to shock the Buckeyes. The Big Ten really needs to rethink its schedule because the long layoff ends up hurting their teams. Even though they can heal up, not playing for over a month causes their teams to come out flat. They might want to throw in bye weeks and move games until after Thanksgivings and into the first week of December.





Fiesta Bowl: TCU vs. Boise St.








I love these two teams, what I dislike is them playing in this game. This is just like the NCAA selection committee pitting Butler vs. Gonzaga. No one wants the mid majors to play against the BCS conference schools and beat them. It happened last year in the Sugar Bowl. Utah took down Alabama and the year before that Boise St. shocked Oklahoma. It makes it easier to pair these two schools together and have a loser so that at least only one non-BCS school is undefeated. These two teams played last year and TCU won 17-16. This year I expect a few more points being scored but TCU should still win.



BCS National Championship: Texas vs. Alabama





In a previous post I said that I believe Texas will win. The way that the Texas offense played in the Big 12 championship could make one almost change his pick. Positive for Texas is that Bama doesn't have anyone on the D-line named Suh. Wil Muschamp worked under Saban and knows his tendencies. Saban will try and make sure his team doesn't read their press clippings. McElroy played well and Ingram is a beast, but I just think the stars are aligned for Texas. Saban defense will get some pressure on McCoy. Texas needs to run the ball well to negate that pressure. Now if they can just score more than 12 points...