Extra Points (College Football Edition)

1. Welcome to the Big 12?- If you missed the Baylor vs. West Virginia game on Saturday, you missed a barn burner. The score at half was tied at 35 a piece. There was barely any defense played in this game. A couple of missed field goals, a fumble and about two punts is all the fans were treated to from a defensive standpoint. Heisman candidate Geno Smith (pictured above) had a phenomenal day throwing the football. Here are his stats: 45 of 51 for 656 yards and 8 TD's. WVU had 3 receivers with 40 catches between and the 8 TD's. The Moutaineers broke 4 school records!! Completely insane numbers for football.  Baylor's quarterback wasn't bad either. Nick Florence was 30 for 48 for 582 yards and 5 TD's. Terence Williams had 17 receptions for 314 yards and 2 scores. This was exhausting typing out the stats, can only imagine with the defensive players feel like.

2. Whoa Pig Stinky!!- Arkansas coach John L. Smith has had a tough couple of weeks. First the loss to University of Louisiana-Monroe, and then losses to Bama and Rutgers and to top it all off Smith at a press conference forgets what school he is coaching. To lay this all at his feet would not be fair, the majority of the blame falls at Bobby Petrino. Petrino has and will always be a man that is void of leadership skills as well as character. And when he was fired, those players and Smith were put in an awkward position of trying to play football without a leader,specifically their leader. Its even more difficult when there is no leader on or off the field, especially when the head coach is a lame duck coach. To make matter worse for the Hogs they got blasted again by Texas A&M. This team is spiraling out of control and it all stems from a selfish act from their former coach.

3. Did I just watch a SEC game or a PAC-12 game?- Watching Tennessee vs. Georgia and one would expect a little scoring but a game that featured absolutely no defense in the SEC is just shocking. Derek Dooley is fighting for his his job and this performance by the Vols will not help his case.

4. Understand the Rule but..-The new player safety rule that states if a player loses his helmet, he must sit out the next play, is good in theory but it has it flaws. There is no punishment if a player rips off or pulls the strap off a player, that said player should have to sit out as well. Sometimes good intentions punish the wrong people.

5. Is there a better College Football announcer than Chris Speilman?-Speilman is very knowledgeable, calls the action likes he sees it. Doesn't pull any punches when a player does something boneheaded. He calls the game smart, precise and full of energy, just like he played.

Extra Points

1. The yelling and the screaming about the NFL referee lockout is not going to make them sign any faster. When you understand what the league is trying to get them to do, it seems within reason. They want them to have performance reviews, switch their pension to a 401k and a couple of other items, it can make you almost side with the league. UNTIL you witness the worse call ever and then you want the league and the owners to cave in because the integrity of the game is at stake.

2. The bigger mistake was not the TD catch but the non pass interference call. That was the larger miss by the refs.

3. The MNF game was a tale of two halves. The Seahawks were dominating the Packers in the first half with 8 sacks of Rodgers. All the commotion may have everyone overlooking how bad the Packers O-line may be. In the second half, the Pack found a running back in Cedric Benson and used him to nearly get the win.

4. Bill Belichick needs to be suspended BUT the league will not do that. You never should put your hands on another man, especially a so-called leader of men. The NFL will fine him but they should take into accounts his past transgressions into their punishment, that's why I say a suspension is warranted.

5. Does anyone realize the Arizona Cardinals are 3-0? Who knew their defense could be so dominating. Calas Campbell and Darnell Dockett are nearly impossible to block.

6. It's not a good thing when Oregon is the 2nd ranked team in the land. If Oregon is the best shot to beat Alabama, then the college football season is over.

7. The SEC is not nearly as dominating as in years past. LSU, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida are good but not nearly as good to carry the rest of the league.

8. If Florida St. can get past USF and Miami, they may be the real sleeper for a National Championship.

9. I truly believe the Rams will regret not trading Sam Bradford and drafting Robert Griffin III. RGIII is a smaller version of Cam Newton with a better arm than Michael Vick.  Bradford looks scared in the pocket and is not as mobile as many thought he was. The Rams also passed on DeSean Jackson. Hopefully Jeff Fisher can turn Bradford into a superstar.

10. Two most overrated teams in the NFL: Dallas and the New York Jets. With Darrell Revis lost for the year, the Jets are in serious trouble. They can skate past a few teams but facing the Pats and Bills four times without Revis will be tough.Dallas on the other hand, will only be good when Jerry Jones actually puts football people in charge.

11. Paging Nick Foles, Paging Nick Foles.. Might be wondering who this is. He will be the Eagles starter by the end of the year, if Michael Vick keeps up his erratic play.



Thanks for reading....

2 Point Conversion (5 Games to Watch)

Ok,ok, I know I have not posted in a few months. Job loss, new job, added a dog, traveling across the country BUT I'm back and ready to post. For those of you who continue to read my post thank you very much and to the newbies I hope you enjoy it!!  Football is back so let's get to work. I'm going to cover the top 5 games to watch college and pro. Let the debate begin!!!

1.Welcome To The SEC:  Georgia vs. Mizzou. Mizzou opens in the SEC at home against the 6th ranked Georgia Bulldogs. People were going to watch this game because it has its newest member opening at home under the lights against arguably the best conference in all of college football. But Sheldon Richardson has made this game even more intriguing by what he was quoted saying about Georgia football playing last weekend against Buffalo. Granted the Dawgs did struggle but here is what Richardson said:"I watched that game. I turned it off, too," Richardson (pictured above) told the Columbia Tribune on Saturday night. "It's like watching Big Ten football. It's old-man football." Coach Pinkel said they have handled the matter internally but those words do add some fuel to the fire. SEC purist have been putting down Missouri and Texas A&M since they were invited to join the league. The Tigers and Aggies have been told initially that they can't and won't be able to compete with the big boys of the SEC. I think Richardson just got tired of being put down. Is there some truth that Mizzou will struggle with the size and speed on the offensive and defensive lines? YES!!! Who doesn't struggle within the SEC with that. However,if the Tigers can outscore their opponents, in this case Georgia who is missing some key defensive players, they can win this game. My gut says the game will be close and the Tigers pull it out with a field goal. Maybe I'm just being a homer and hoping the Tigers don't get a thrashing on national TV....

2. Welcome To The SEC Part 2: Florida vs. Texas A&M. No one is giving the Aggies a chance to compete in the SEC as well. Their road will be tougher than the Tigers because they are in the vaunted SEC West. Having to face LSU, Alabama and Arkansas year in and year out will be a difficult mountain to climb. This weekend by opening against a semi-talented Gator team, the Aggies will have a shot. Kyle Field is a tough place to play and the Gators offense, especially at quarterback is a mess. Don't be surprised by the Aggies upsetting the Gators. This is not the same Florida program.

3. Say It Ain't Tebow: Bills vs. Jets. T-minus 36 hours until Tebow is fully unleashed on New York. Wait, did I miss all of the nauseating coverage of Tebow by ESPN and NFL Network? Nope but on Sunday this is when it really counts. The Jets plan on playing Tebow a lot and by that I believe Sanchez will be replaced by week 6, especially if he struggles early in the first few weeks. Tebow just inspires the guys he plays with, the coaches, the fan base and really makes it difficult for another quarterback to play. While watching a Jets preseason game, the offense moved the ball better when Tebow was in. The line blocked and protected him better, the backs ran sharper. its simply amazing to see. His teammates do not want to fail him. It really is and will be fascinating to watch, especially since its in New York.

4. Wish This Could Be The Super Bowl: 49ers vs. Packers. This game is too good to be a season opener. Its really not fair because I would like to see these two teams play each other maybe in week 8 or 9 when their offense's and defense's are clicking. Who would have thought Alex Smith would turn into a decent QB? I know I didn't and the Niners weren't so sure which is why they went after Peyton Manning. Smith is serviceable and they have put some real weapons around him by adding Mario Manningham, Brandon Jacobs and Randy Moss. Not much to say about the Packers except they have the league's best QB and offensive talent. This game will be a good one.


5.Welcome Back Peyton: Steelers vs. Broncos. Peyton was almost a 49er, and if he was then I would say they would have been in the Super Bowl within the next two years. But alas, he chose Denver and now his first game is against the vaunted Steelers defense. The Steelers return to Denver where they lost on a last second TD by Tebow in the playoffs. I know redemption will be on the mind of the players but they will probably be without James Harrison and Ryan Clark, two of their better defenders.But this will be about Peyton and his return to the game after a year off. He will be facing a really tough defense but he will be at home and that should help.

NBA Observations

So after a brief hiatus, I'm back writing about the NBA. This season has gone by so fast, with games just about every minute, it was hard to keep track with all the comings and goings, storylines and mishaps. But I'm going to try and update the season so far with some observations. Also, there will be some thoughts about Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Bobcats.

1. First thing first: The Miami Heat will not win an NBA title as they are currently constructed. Let me first say I like the Heat. They have star power as players and in the stand, however their team is not constructed correctly to win a championship. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade essentially play the same position and neither knows how to play with each other when they are on the floor together. Chris Bosh doesn't rebound effectively and is almost clueless in the post. Recently they have had awful defense lapses where they aren't guard the point guard, nor are they defending the the post. Ultimately, I see Erik Spoelstra being fired and this team dismantled if they don't win a championship this year.

2. I finally figured out why the majority of sports fans are turned off by the NBA. The players have way too much control over teams and the perfect example of that is Derek Fisher. Fisher, who was with the Lakers, is also head over the players union. It used to be when a player was traded, and he didn't like the team he was traded to, he wouldn't report to that team, force a buyout and rejoin his old team, basically dictating his trade. However, they changed the rule, well sort of. Fisher was traded to the Rockets, who were in desperate need of point guard and leadership, while fighting for a playoff spot. But Fisher didn't like that and forced his way out of Houston and ended up on the OKC Thunder. If the players union head manipulates the rules to his advantage, then the rest of the players will follow. Where's the integrity in the NBA?

3. Speaking of integrity, Carmelo Anthony, who forced his way out of Denver to New York, decided that Mike D'antonio and his scoring offense just didn't fit him. So what did Melo do? Talk to the coach, or try to find out how he could better fit with his teammates? Nope, he just quit playing for D'antonio and got him fired. Then amazingly when Mike Woodson is named coach, Melo inexplicably said he now feels energized and is ready to play. Doesn't he owe the Knick fans and his former coach an apology for being lazy? Not in his mind. The one team that is happy to see his spoil ways gone is the Nuggets. In the long run they are better off without the wanna be superstar.

4. It's not just those two guys who have had a bad PR year. Dwight Howard alienated his teammates, coaches and fans in general with his waffling back and forth about being traded or staying in Orlando. Andrew Bynum openly defied his coach by taking a 3 point shot and then laughed about getting pulled from the game after it. This is what happens when you have a league that is devoid of veteran leadership from all its top players and the players see themselves as bigger than the team.

5. My favorite player all-time is Michael Jordan. The way he played the game of basketball play transcended anything I had ever seen. He was so dominant on the court and the Nike empire he built off the court, just captivated me. Now I see some flaws in him. Not in his personal life but in a business sense, especially when it comes to his life as an NBA owner. The Charlotte Bobcats are just awful. They are absolutely the worst team in the league. The problem I believe Michael has is relating his dominating and hard working style that he had as a player and moving that into the boardroom. Conversely, everything that Magic Johnson has done away from the game has turned to gold. Magic has clearly figured out a way to be dominant in business as well as on the floor. This is a discussion me and kdc had about Michael and Magic:

kdc: I wonder if - post retirement - Michael wishes he were Magic & not Michael? Seems like he hasn't figured out how to be a civilian & being much more than "Michael Jordan, the best player of his generation" (but that was a long time ago in the internet age).

Momo: Michael has not shown a personality that makes him likable off the court plus poor business decisions have made it worse. Think about the success Magic has had in boardroom and in TV, his presence on TV but overall his personality is magnetic and Magic lets it show. Conversely, Michael, poor decision with Wizards and in Charlotte and a messy divorce, makes Michael alot more vulnerable. Even Bird has had more success off the court than Michael.

kdc: It's like he's still the Michael on the court & that doesn't work in the real world. He can't not be that Michael - & that Michael isn't all that appealing to civilians (vs. fans). He's rich but not too savvy basketball wise (off the court) nor business-wise.

Momo: Agreed. His biggest issue is that he has not allowed fans to get to know him.For instance, all books that have been written about him have not been authorized by him. Reporters who covered him have written about the Michael Jordan on and off the court and have received quotes from people who are supposedly close to him. Michael has not figured out how to make the media and today's social media to his advantage. Unlike Magic and Bird, he's has stayed far away from the press instead of showcasing some of his personality. Magic is competitive and loves to win at business, however he has taken to a platform and shown people his effervescent personality and it works. It's like Michael doesn't know how to communicate with others off the court.

kdc: In fairness, almost no one can compete w/Magic's outgoing personality, but that doesn't make him a shoe-in business wise & he's done a great job there.

To the side, I also think it's interesting Bird (while hardly brilliant as a GM, but incredibly successful w/coaching), is the only one that's made basketball work post-playing career. So few do competently.

Michael Jordan has always had people around him that catered to his needs and never challenged him. The people who challenged him and told him no were his father and Phil Jackson. In the boardroom, MJ is now surrounded by "Yes Men", men who never disagree and only agree with all the decisions he makes. Until he puts someone in place that will challenge all decisions that his franchise makes, the Bobcats will never prosper and MJ will fail again in life after basketball.

Up next: 5 overrated player and 5 underrated players....

Sean Payton Isn't Remorseful

So when commissioner Roger Goodell handed down the penalties to the the Saints last week, Sean Payton issued a statement saying "he took full responsibility" for the bounty program and "he was sorry". There is no true remorse from Payton because today he said he was thinking about an appeal and that he didn't lie to the NFL. The problem with these statements is that the league and the 50,000 pages of documents refutes everything that came out of Payton's mouth. So either the league and its team of investigators are lying or Payton believes the country is stupid and will take his word over facts that is stacked as high as a building. To me this totally confirms the fact that if Tom Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints, had any intestinal fortitude he would immediately remove Payton as the head coach of the New Orleans Saints.

Instead of laying low and out of sight, Payton is making himself available to the media and walking around the owner's meeting like nothing happened. Of yeah did I mention the fact that now he is trying to get his mentor and good friend Bill Parcells to coach the team in his absence! Everyone knows that Payton would basically coach through Parcells and give him instructions over the phone or via e-mail. Does this sound like a man who is remorseful for actions that hit at the integrity of the league. On top of that Payton and Mickey Loomis are ignoring the fact that they would have to interview a minority candidate to satisfy the "Rooney Rule". What candidate in his right mind would want to be a token interview for these guys? You know they have a guy in place and the interview is just a formality so they can look good to the league. Also if I'm an assistant Pete Carmichael, offensive coordinator, and Steve Spagnulo, Payton just showed he doesn't trust your judgement or ability to run the team in his absent. Who would want to work for a boss that doesn't trust you? Not me. Also keep in mind that the Saints will release/cut Jonathan Vilma and make him the scapegoat for Bountygate. You just wait and see and Payton will thank him for his service and move on to another linebacker. This whole thing reeks and Payton is at the forefront.

But wait, it gets better. Payton is going to lose a little over $5 million dollars, so in order to recoup some of his loss funds, he going to go work for Fox NFL Sunday. If that is not giving a middle finger to Goodell and the NFL, I don't know what is. I can't coach my team on the sidelines but I'll comment on their games and work for one of the leagues partner and showcase how great I am. This guy is unbelievable!!! Any other employees that work for a corporation that lied to his superiors, including the CEO and shareholders would be shown the door. This guy is going to work for another division of the same company, while taunting the CEO. Only in America could this take place.

You can tell how much of a hands off owner Tom Benson. He has allowed Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum (Payton and Loomis) tarnish and ruin the New Orleans Saints. Sean Payton is not remorseful for his actions. He believes that since he won a Super Bowl that entitles him to dictate the terms of his suspension. A truly remorseful person would have taken, and I cannot believe I'm writing this, the Gregg Williams way. Which is we have not heard a word from him since he apologized. If I'm Goodell I think I change Payton's suspension to indefinite, just like Williams. Not out of spite but because if it is the responsibility of the coaches and the players to protect the shield, that is the National Football League, Payton is showing that he believes he is bigger than the shield. And is proving it everytime he opens his mouth.

New Orleans Saints Done?

When I saw the penalties handed down by the NFL to the Saints organization I was shocked and stunned. Suspending Rams coordinator Gregg Williams indefinitely, Sean Payton for a year, the GM for 8 games, an assistant coach for 6, fined them $500k and took away two 2nd round picks for the next two years, the first thought that came to mind was the Death Penalty that they hand out on college. The NFL sent a clear message that the way the game used to be played, where bounties were tolerated, would no longer be allowed. It's unbelievable to me that Sean Payton ignored the league when they informed him to stop the program and then lied about it to them is just plain stupid on his part. Also they have an email where someone asked Payton to put"$5,000 on taking Aaron Rodgers out of the game".This isn't the first time Payton and the Saints have been in trouble. I wrote a few years ago about the DEA investigating the team for illegal use of prescription drugs. That was surprisingly swept under the rug. This is the type of offense that puts the franchise in a precarious situation. What does owner Tom Benson do when Payton returns? Does he keep him? I believe its a huge risk because Payton has now made the Saints a target. Say a person gets hurt from a hard hit, the Saints will be scrutinized and penalized. Payton and Williams for their parts in lying and covering up will find it hard to continue working in the NFL. Also hears another angle, if I'm Drew Brees I would want out of New Orleans. The Saints will probably be really bad next year, because most of their defensive players, including their heart and soul and captain, Jonathan Vilma, will be out multiple games. Who would want to be around this team when they will get asked everyday about Bountygate and on top of that you are losing games. Brees will have to throw for 6,000 yards just to keep this team competitive. Or let's take it another way and say the Saints win without Payton, why keep him? Sean Payton decided that he was bigger than the league and condoned the actions of trying to intentionally hurt other players. The worse part about all this is the players suspension have yet to be released. If I'm Brees, I do not want to be apart of this sinking ship. This situation is going to get much worse before it gets better.

Elway's Job Is On The Line

Peyton Manning signing a 5-year $96 million contract with the Denver Broncos was finalized on Tuesday. My initial take was shock at the length and guaranteed money in the contract. Manning who has had four surgeries on his neck and did not play all of last season, is now the highest paid player in the league. There is no player, especially one coming off the type of surgery, is worth that type of money. But for the Broncos, Manning is worth every penny. Simply put, John Elway and John Fox wanted nothing more but to find a way to stop the Tebow train. Peyton gives them the out they wanted, an excuse to bring in a Hall of Fame quarterback, so they could ship Tim Tebow out of town. Elway and Fox do not and will never like Tebow or his quarterbacking style. They never truly embraced him and at times it seemed they wanted him to fail. In Manning, the Broncos get an offensive coordinator and quarterback, the guy closer molded to their hearts. There's no need for quarterback coaches to teach mechanics or having to try to dumb down their offense, in their view. Peyton has total control of the offensive schemes, which is what he truly wanted and Elway wanted a guy that was a passer like him. It's a win-win for both guys if it works. However, history tells another story when it comes to HOF quarterback changing teams toward the end of their career. Johnny Unitas failed in San Diego. Joe Namath only played a few games with the Rams and did not have any type of success. Montana achieved some success with the Chiefs but never the same heights he had with the 49ers. Lastly, Brett Favre went to two different teams but never won another Super Bowl. What Elway is trying to do is get instant success by bringing in the grizzled old vet, instead of waiting patiently and developing his team around Tebow. Will the Broncos be better than 8-8? Yes. Is the AFC West easy to win? Of course. But I believe Manning does not have that much more time left to play or that much left in the tank to make a serious contender. The Broncos have more holes than he and Elway think. If Manning really wanted a fast track to the Super Bowl he would have went to San Francisco where the pieces are already in place and where he would be the missing link. Manning stated its a win now situation for him. The win now situation is not only for him but it's on Elway as well. This decision will either bring an instant championship or the Broncos will be setback for another decade. People in Denver have been searching for the next John Elway to lead them to the promise land. Don't believe a semi-healthy Peyton Manning is the answer.