Be Careful What You Wish For

For me, the most important athlete of all time is Michael Jordan. He was the first superstar to brand himself, to go corporate. He inadvertently set the bar for every athlete after him. Since Jordan, the template to become a sports celebrity is to be as clean as possible and never take a stand on anything. Because of this, we pine for more athletes to have opinions on social issues. That is, of course, until an athlete actually has an opinion.

Now, I'm no fan of Tim Tebow. The background to my Twitter page is a picture of him crying after the Alabama loss. But the criticism he's receiving over his anti-abortion ad that's set to premier during the Super Bowl is a clear case of hypocrisy.

I also need to add that I'm not a fan of his message either. Truthfully, I don't care enough about abortion to have an opinion, but if I were to choose sides, I would be pro-choice. So everything about this ad should anger me. But it doesn't. I say let Tebow and whatever Christian group that funds him (Focus on the Family, in this case) do what they want. It's a free country.

But the fact that people are coming down on Tebow just goes to show that when people finally get what they want, they find that it wasn't exactly what they were looking for. Here we have a superstar that has the balls to express his opinions, and now everyone wants him to shut up. It's not like this is news; Tebow has always been an outspoken Christian. What did you think his stance on abortion was?

However, this is a very bad career move for Tebow. It's hard to be a franchise quarterback in the NFL when half of your fanbase disagrees with you on such a polarizing issue. It would be different if he played a non-team sport like golf or tennis, but the most important position in football? You need your guys on your side, and like it or not, some players will not want to play for a guy like him. It actually makes this stand even more impressive that he's willing to sacrifice that. Or, he was just incredibly short-sighted and doesn't understand what these kinds of outspoken opinions mean in the long run.

I cannot stand Tim Tebow the player or Tim Tebow the man, but I'm not going to vilify him because he's taking his message to the streets. The kid is brave. He's going to need that bravery when his non-pro skills get him pummeled in the NFL by an angry pro-choice linebacker.

The Dark Future of College Football

If there is one common trait amongst all American people, it may be the belief that anything that has been around for thirty years or more is here to stay. Yes, we can all agree that the Backstreet Boys and Sega Genesis aren't going to stand the test of time, because they couldn't even stand the test of a decade. But the Beatles and The Godfather cannot be argued; they've been culturally relevant for thirty-plus years, so they must matter a hundred years from now. Right?

This is flawed logic and certainly a product of the 24 hour news cycle and new media. So if you try to spark debate on whether or not football can fail in this country, you are met with very hostile disdain. Football is American lifeblood. There is no possible way that the people will get fed up with it. College or professional, football is here to stay. Right?

I've felt this fear for the NFL for a while now. Up until the last decade or so, football had been seen as a violent sport amongst death-dealing Gladiators. But with new rules and new concerns over players' safety, the game has evolved into something unlike the football I grew up with. Some may argue that the NFL is doing what Major League Baseball has refused to do - evolve with the times - which is exactly why it will survive. I'll concede that point for now.

Since that is the NFL's biggest hurdle, it should be fine. However, college football has another problem that is much bigger, and in my opinion, cause for much more concern. That problem? Arrogance.

NCAA football looks fine now; good ratings, great interest, television coverage all around. But let's look at its problems, which are well documented. The BCS is the main culprit. We all know why we hate it, so to save space I won't explain. Now think of the other complaints. Lack of black head coaches (the old boys' club) and the Heisman Trophy (biased) are the two main points I always hear. What do those all have in common? Arrogance.

See, the college football world exists in a vacuum. Though 99.9% of the fans think the BCS should be scrapped, the men who run the show just turn their heads. And they get away with it. It's the same thing that hurt George W. Bush so badly; not that the love of money and power was the ruling philosophy, but that this fact was so blatantly rubbed in our faces. The BCS heads know that their system isn't very good, but they don't care. "Deal with it", they say.

It's this same mentality that allows a majority of black players to be coached by old white guys. Ironically, it is this same dichotomy that makes the NBA so watchable. But I feel the relationship between basketball players and their coaches is actually more empowering for the black players (more on this at another time). In football, it's purely an Old Boys system, just the way it is.

As far as the Heisman, this year's ballots tell all you need to know. Every single media talking head, and every single fan, had come to the same conclusion: Ndamukong Suh was the most dominant player in the country. According to heisman.com, the trophy goes to an individual who deserves designation as the most outstanding college football player in the United States. Where did Suh place? Fourth.

Everybody just accepts that quarterbacks and running backs win the award. In the trophy's 75 years of existence, two wide receivers, two tight ends, and one defensive player have won. It's biased and makes absolutely no sense. Once again, we're told "deal with it".

This may have worked twenty years ago, but things have changed. In the diverse, opinionated country we live in today, people simply don't stand for these things. Imagine explaining the in and outs of college football to a non-fan. If honest, this is what you would come up with:

- The championship game is determined by a number of computers and human votes (of which are biased due to regional differences).

- In the event of more than two undefeated teams, the teams from BCS conferences are chosen for the championship. This is because BCS conferences are deemed as harder to win. If more than two BCS schools are undefeated, then somebody is left out due to no other reason than that only two teams can play the BCS championship. Those two teams, by the way, will ultimately be chosen by the biased human votes.

- College football is ruled by an older white class that is harder for a minority to break into than a country club.

- The game's most prestigious award can only be given to one of two positions. The balloting consists of former winners of those two positions and another regionally biased voting system.

- Every Saturday, a major network mandatorily shows you a game that is completely worthless because one of the teams used to be good. Of course, this is only true if NBC is still a major network in ten years, which is doubtful.


Not even Don Draper can sell that. The NCAA really needs to rethink its strategy. I'm still of the mind that the pussification of football will lead to the game's demise, but even if that's not true, than these problems surely will. College football needs to deal with it.

Dirty Deeds, Not Done Cheap

As I sat on my couch, smoking cigarettes and watching Killer Chimps is America (a great pregame to Oregon/Oregon State, by the way), my phone alerted me of of incoming text message. It was from a coworker of mine who also happens to be a Missouri fan. It read: "Mangino resigns."

I just stared at the message, with perhaps a blink, took another drag and continued watching what is probably the greatest episode of Monsterquest ever. I knew this was inevitable. Kansas Athletic Director Lew Perkins seemingly had it out for Mark Mangino. But then I went over to my laptop, found the article and read this:

"I have been instructed by legal counsel that we cannot release any documents related to this investigation, nor any details regarding our settlement agreement. The investigation and settlement agreement will remain part of Mark's personnel records."

In other words, the firestorm over Mangino's alleged physical and verbal abuse of players is over. Put down the pitchforks, Frankenstein is gone. The big, ugly monster is no longer going to terrorize the streets of Lawrence.

But where, I ask, has all the anger gone? Because last time I checked, Mangino had done a definite wrong and needed to be punished. Is firing him and (surely) paying him off a punishment? When did this story go from protecting the victims to saving face?

There doesn't seem to be any repercussions for Mangino's alleged acts. Which leads me to believe that Perkins engineered this all along, which is a view many Jayhawk fans have. The theory goes something like this: Mangino wasn't Perkins' guy, so he had him removed to make way for a new coach that Perkins has penned as the guy to take KU football to the next level. I'm not saying the players who accused the coach were lying, but were probably encouraged. Makes me wonder how many players at other universities are gagged when the coach they accused had a healthy relationship with their A.D.

So if this is the case, whoever the new coach is will be a very interesting follow. If this power play works, then Perkins may well be a genius. It's obvious he wants more than anything to make Kansas' football program matter on a national stage. Can he do it, or will this cripple the program?

Jim Harbaugh's name has been thrown out, which is a pretty lofty goal. But if Harbaugh or some other sexy pick lands in Lawrence, and Perkins' plan works, will it be worth it? Is ruining a man's reputation for the sake of glory make any sense ethically? Probably not, but it won't matter, because if this program rises to the top under whoever the next coach is, Mangino will be nothing more than an egg that needed to be cracked to make the omelet.

I like Mangino, but I'm alright with this. Ethics doesn't really seem to matter in sports anymore. Actually, it never has, this episode was just made public. I'm glad my school is willing to do what it takes to build a winner. Admittedly, this makes me a little sad to confess, but it's the truth. It's just the way it is.

Mangino Isn't The Problem

I'm not sure if there is a growing epidemic in Kansas, or if the problems I see stretch as far as the swine flu, but one thing is for sure: the wave of sensitivity in sports is absolutely pathetic. I just wrote about the crying over Chiefs coach Todd Haley's fondness for F-bombs. Now, it's Kansas Jayhawks coach Mark Mangino.

We all know by now that Mangino repeatedly yelled at, berated, and put his hands on his players. He was, for lack of a better word, abusive, both mentally and physically. Reports of Mangino giving the same treatment to campus police also paint the coach as a mean, unstable man. Unlike Jason Whitlock, I'm not going to tell you he is this way because he's fat. I don't care why he's this way, but I know he is.

What bothers me is why all of this is coming out. Could the players just not take it anymore? Was it getting to be too much? From what I've heard, there aren't any players calling for Mangino's firing. Most of the reports are coming from former players. During a five game losing streak, mind you. Nobody wants to hear how mean the coach is when you're 12-1 and hoisting up an Orange Bowl trophy. But when you are in the midst of a hugely disappointing season? All of a sudden people become very interested.

If these reports were about Urban Meyer, I can guarantee you that the response from fans would be that this is all sour grapes; complaining from weak players who couldn't handle it. Obviously it works, the success is there. Remember, Kansas football was a joke before Mangino arrived. It was his toughness and his old-school approach which got results. Only, the results aren't there, so toughness is turned into abusiveness.

When I played football as a ten year old, I had a coach who day after day would tell me I wasn't good enough, made me run laps even when I didn't do anything wrong, etc. Truth is, I was small, weak and not really committed, and that abusive coaching would have resulted in two things: either me getting the message and working through it, or complaining and deciding to quit. I chose the latter. I was a weak kid. However, I did learn the lesson. I understand now what these former players obviously have failed to grasp.

We live in a blame-first society. Nothing is ever our fault. It's the mean coach's fault the team didn't get better, the conniving coworker's fault we didn't get the promotion. It's never the weak-minded players that lose games or your fault for not working hard enough for a pay raise.

Mangino said today that "I can’t do the work of some parents, what they should have done before they got to me. There’s some things for 18 years that happened in their lives that I can’t change in four years of college. Can’t change their behaviors, can’t change their attitudes." He surely can't change their minds, either. He's to blame, and that is that.

Just remember, KU fans, that when you're wearing your Orange Bowl shirts, old-school abuse brought those results in. So if you don't like the way Mangino coaches, fine. But you need to throw those shirts and those memories away. You can't have it both ways.

Carroll's situation is different

If I gave you the choice to either live in southern California or Atlanta, I'm guessing that you would choose the sunshine. Then if I told you that the California job was solid with nearly guaranteed success, and the Atlanta job was in shambles, then you would definitely take the former. Unless you're Pete Carroll, that is.

Because if you were Carroll, you would consider leaving USC to coach the Atlanta Falcons. To everyone on the outside, this seems like a horrible decision. But coaches do this all the time; leaving good jobs to take bad ones. Usually, it has to do with money. However, it's not like Carroll and others make minimum wage. They are highly compensated. So what's really the motive behind these moves?

Coaches, like everyone who is involved in sports, are competitive by nature. Usually that equates into winning, but it goes a bit further than it does with players. For example, could you see Tom Brady signing with the Dolphins just to challenge himself? The answer, of course, is no. But with coaches, this kind of thing happens all the time. As long as they are getting paid, the idea of a challenge is enough to hire anybody anywhere. Look at June Jones, who gave up a solid gig in Hawaii to coach at SMU. From an island paradise to Texas. While money obviously helps, no way Junes would have left if it weren't for the fact that he could make himself a legend.

So it's kind of hard to blame these coaches for wanting to challenge themselves. That's probably why everyone came down on Nick Saban. He didn't want a hard job (Miami), so he took an easier one (Alabama). He even took a pay cut so he wouldn't have to deal with a bad hand. Bobby Petrino, who quit on the Falcons during the season, did the exact same thing, taking a pay cut to coach at Arkansas. I would normally applaud people who took jobs they liked for more money, but in the business of competition, this seems a little weak.

I'll give Carroll the benefit of the doubt. If he is willing to put his career on the line so he can prove to the world, or at least himself, that he can be a winning NFL coach, more power to him. I have to like a coach who is never satisfied. And you can't be mad if you're a USC fan, because Carroll has done everything you could have asked for.

LSU wins, OSU chokes, and I'm ready for basketball

Hey, thanks BCS! Thanks for giving everybody the SEC/Big Ten matchup we wanted. It was such a great game, fought hard on both sides. Big time players made big time plays, and at no time was I bored or thinking about other teams. It was everything I was wanted.

Well, none of that is true. This "championship" was completely awful. That is, unless you enjoy blown coverages, missed tackles, overthrown balls, dropped touchdowns, poor blocking and worse officiating. And if you smile after every personal foul, this game was for you as well. Yep, every reason for a playoff was packed right here for the taking.

But I'm gonna be Miss Cleo for a second, and tell you what's going to happen. First off, people will say "Ohio State didn't belong". This will be the only true statement you hear.

Then, you'll hear "LSU is definitely (one of) the best teams in college football". This is untrue. Fact is, LSU played horrible in this one as well, just not as bad as their opponent. If USC, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, West Virginia, or Virginia Tech played tonight, they would've won easily. Or at least it seemed that way. But we'll never know, because randomly picking two teams is the way to go.

Then pundits will talk about how it was the right matchup, blah blah blah, when it reality it was a mostly unwatchable game between two overhyped teams from two overhyped conferences.

But what really pisses me off? That the BCS mafia will somehow spin this in their favor. They will tell you how the voters chose a two-loss LSU team, who eventually beat the overall #1 team, and that it all worked out in the end.

Don't buy that garbage. Go back and watch the film; this game was horrible. Poorly played on both sides until one team just couldn't motor anymore. Why did I ever care?

That's right, I didn't. On to basketball, where, you know, they actually have a postseason to determine their champion.

A tradition unlike any other

I'd like to think that the reason I was watching hockey on New Year's Day was because of an unruly hangover. This is probably just wishful thinking. Because truth be told, I have just become completely disinterested in bowl games. TCU vs Houston? Alabama vs Colorado? No thank you.

And to think, this is the reason we don't have playoffs; to secure the sanctity of the bowl tradition. Who wants to? Who wants to watch Georgia lay a smackdown on Hawaii, or USC pummel Illinois, and then have both teams' season end when everybody wants to see them play each other?

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't need to give any more reasons of why we need a playoff. Considering you, the reader, are not on a bowl committee, you probably think we need one already. Or you have a severe mental disorder. Either way, that's not what this is about.

No, this is about a young person who simply doesn't get why people cannot let this tradition go. It seems harder to convince southerners that the bowl season sucks than to convince them that civil rights is a good thing. I have a dream, and it doesn't involve either Tulsa or Bowling Green.

And how much tradition and nostalgia is there for the Meineke Car Care Bowl, really? Or my personal favorite, the San Diego County Credit Union Bowl. Or as the kids would say, the SDCCU Bowl (crazy kids). Just because things used to be good doesn't mean they are going to be again.

But, I guess that's the thing with tradition; it always outstays its welcome. I just wonder if the old guards realize how little the younger generations actually care. I mean, I was watching hockey. Hockey. I rest my case.

Going Bowling

You'll just have to trust me, but I had picked Utah to win over Navy last night. Hard to bet on a team whose premier win was over Notre Dame. Well, here's the rest of my picks:

Boise State, South Florida, Alabama, Boston College, Brigham Young, Rutgers, Florida, LSU, Kentucky, USC, Cincinatti, Virginia, Oklahoma State, Auburn, Connecticut, UCF, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Tulsa, Kansas, Arkansas, Georgia Tech, Arizona State, Central Michigan, Tennessee, Oregon State, Cal, TCU, New Mexico, Florida Atlantic, Hawaii.


We'll see how I do.

Greedy as a Hog

I've never really had that big a problem with coaches bidding themselves off. I view the men and women of the sports world as I would if they were in business, even though they screw up constantly and actually have to struggle with employers to wear a suit and tie. Sports is, after all, a business. I assume that is a problem.

Bobby Petrino is just another coach leaving hardship for greener pastures, resigning from the hell hole that it the Atlanta Falcons to go lead the Arkansas Razorbacks. But that's what's troubling: he's just another coach doing what coaches do.

Now, I'm not going to fault Petrino for "lying" to everybody. With the way the media is now, people are forced to make decisions before they're ready, and usually choose the "I'm with my team" route. It's been an acceptable policy for coaches to leave on a whim, and the fault lies with the acceptance itself. Oh, people are lashing out now, but when the dust clears, Petrino will be a Razorback, and nobody will care any longer.

Football is no longer war. Generals are not rallying their troops to go into battle. Rather, hired hands are pitted up against one another, and the coach is little more than a micro-manager who tries to get his own players to care more than the other guys. They're seen as expendable by the league, and more importantly by the players. Loyalties are replaced by royalties, the heart with the brain. It's not Petrino's fault; he's just playing the game. Only, it's not a game anymore, it's a business.

Michigan has overestimated its influence

One of the more shocking moments lost in the heap of shocking moments from this year's college football season, was that Notre Dame proved to be one of the worst teams in the country. What wiped the surprise off of our faces were teams like Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Connecticut, who proved to us that Div. 1 football is anybody's game. So we got used to the fact that the schools who once reigned over the land were no longer in control. Notre Dame, Miami and Florida State have already shown us that. But remember who was the first dragon to be slain?

Nobody knew that Michigan's loss to Appalachian State would be a theme for the 2007 season. But what is more important is that it could turn out to be the theme for Michigan's future. They couldn't possibly fall into the depths of obscurity, could they?

Believe me, they're trying. The ASU loss put a black mark on the program, embarrassing them on national television for all recruits to see. Any to add to that embarrassment, now they are coming off like an obsessive ex-lover.

Reports are that, even after signing a contract extension, Michigan is still pleading for Les Miles to come back home. After all, they are running out of options. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano turned down the offer, even though his school is more famous for the hair styles of their women's basketball team than football.

Truth is, nobody wants the Michigan job. So now it has turned back to Les Miles, a coach who has already rejected the job once, and is expected to do the same again. The Wolverines are becoming a joke. When coaches rather stay in the SEC or East Rutherford than go to Ann Arbor, it's a sign that the times they are a changin'. And the recruits are watching.

Coaches' votes revealed

Just hours ago, I wrote about how my anger over the BCS had turned to pure sadness. Well, that didn't last long. Check this out, it's the voting record for every coach who had the power to alter the national title game. Let's look at some highlights, shall we?

The coaches for LSU, Ohio State, and Oklahoma voted their team #1. How are they allowed to do this? They obviously are biased.

Georgia coach Mark Richt voted his team #2. Give him some dap for that one. Same with Illinois coach Ron Zook, who voted his team #9. Maybe that's a little higher, but at least he controlled himself.

Dennis Franchione, coach of Texas A&M, voted Hawaii #22! The Warriors are they only undefeated team. What the hell? He also voted Oklahoma as #6.

Bobby Bowden has Oklahoma #10.

Howard Schnellenberger, coach of Florida Atlantic University, has an amazing looking card. This includes Kansas #2, Hawaii #3, Missouri #4, Boise State #10, and USC #12.

Check out the rest of it yourself. But this tells us one thing: the national title game, in part, is a freaking popularity contest. I guess we all knew this, but when you actually look at the votes, it's simply amazing. Opinions of men who have biases and haven't seen half of the teams have a say in who is where. What a bunch of B(C)S.

There is no national champion this year

My birthday is on January 8. The day before, Ohio State and LSU will play in the BCS title game. But when I'm out with friends and family accepting presents, there will still be no national champion. Oh, the record books will tell you that somebody was. One group of fans will brag about how their team won. But they will be wrong. This is very depressing.

I'm no longer angry about the BCS. I am simply sad. When I watch the Buckeyes and Tigers square off, I will be merely watching another football game. I cannot force myself to care.

The system is a farce, we know. It's just another year where we get to watch big name programs play in college football's biggest game. The BCS is happy about this. They perceive this as a victory.

I'm off to watch basketball now. There are no feelings towards this 2007 season that I can express. Thank you, BCS. You have me not even caring about a sport I used to love. Even as a Jayhawk fan, who got lucky in their bowl selection, I'm done.

Call me when there's a playoff.

The BCS is here to stay

Everyone is getting a little tired of explaining why there needs to be a playoff in college football, and that might be what the BCS mob wanted all along. In a report from the Sporting News, BCS coordinator Mike Slive is still convinced that a playoff isn't the cure. Here are his reasonings:

"One is protect the regular season. It might be trite to say there's a playoff every weekend, but there is. Secondly, we value the Bowl system. It gives a lot of student athletes an opportunity to compete for additional championships. And thirdly, there's an academic component. I know there are cynics about that, but there's an academic component, and we are going to keep football as a one-semester sport."

Let's take this piece by piece.

1. Protecting the regular season

There is not a playoff every weekend. Want proof? Hop on a plane or boat down to Hawaii, and ask Colt Brennan and the gang if they feel they are playing in a playoff. The reality is that no matter what, the Warriors will never have a chance to play for a national title. And don't whine about their schedule; they tried to get Michigan to play them, who instead opted to play Appalachian State. Great decision.

2. Keeping the bowl tradition

Last I checked, there are too many bowls to begin with. Ranging from the PapaJohns.com Bowl to the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl (those are real, by the way), are they really that important? And considering that most playoff scenarios only have eight teams, that's only four bowls that are missing out. Not to mention that either: a.) you can add more bowls, or b.) make the playoff rounds bowls.

3. Academics

The worst reason of all. Do the Division II or III schools suffer from their playoffs? Do they not go to class? Why does it work for them but not for the Buckeyes and Gators? Take away the conference championships (which needs to be done anyways), and the month long layoff, and you could get the playoffs done by the first week of January. Remember: under an eight team playoff, only two teams would play three rounds.

So, in conclusion, this guy is full of crap. But we knew that already. Everyone who is not Slive or Kirk Herbstreit agrees on this. Somehow, we are still not closer to any real solution. I can't wait until March.

Why Les Miles should go to Michigan

Normally I'm opposed to coaches abandoning their schools for old dream jobs. I prefer that these men carve out their own niches and create their own legends with whatever school was kind enough to give them the opportunity. The only time I can remember thinking a leaving coach had made the right decision is when Bob Huggins went to West Virginia. If he was still with Cincinnati, then that would not be the case, but he was only at Kansas State for one year. With that being said, I think it's time for Les Miles to pack it up and leave the bayou.

Playing in the SEC is basically being matched up with a ranked opponent every single week. This makes it very hard to get to the national title game under the current BCS system. So why wouldn't you want to coach in the Big Ten, where you have only one important game a year, the Ohio State game.

Speaking of OSU, they have an opportunity to reach the title game after facing an incredibly weak non-conference schedule, and losing to an unranked opponent at home. Pretty sweet deal, right? Now, imagine that you can have that and coach at your alma mater, a perennial power house.

Coaching at LSU is like dating a porn star. You can never live up to what you think you need to do, and her past relationship is on public display. Yes, he could be "the guy" at LSU, but at what cost? I can't imagine anybody who would want any part of that. For most coaches, it will be the best job they could ever get in college football. But for Les Miles, there's Michigan. If he doesn't take it now, then he should forget about it. We don't need another Roy Williams fiasco. Because as Williams showed, no matter how hard you want to stay, your heart will always tell you to go.

LSU's Loss Makes Hawaii Look Good

Arkansas' win over LSU on Friday night was huge, but make no mistake, a lot of people saw it coming. With the regular season winding down, some fans were still convinced that elite teams and conferences existed. They don't. What separates LSU from Hawaii and Ohio State from Kansas is a very thin line. Any team can lose on any given week, whether it's Oklahoma losing to Colorado or Michigan losing to Appalachian State. Get it in your head now: Nobody is safe.

The talent pool is now flooded in college football. In my opinion, there is no such thing as a bad loss, since there are quality players up and down on every roster in Division 1. What this means is that whoever wins it all this year has much more to brag about. This is a year where consistency wins out. It is the year of the coaches, where every Saturday comes down not to who has the best players, but what coaches can get their teams ready.

This, above all, is the reason I believe Hawaii should be considered for the BCS title game. Just about every other team has shown that they don't want it. LSU couldn't handle it, neither could Arizona State or Ohio State. We'll see if the Big 12 champion can handle it. But when Big Ten schools can lose to Division II schools, it makes Hawaii's run so much better. Yes, they have the weakest schedule, but is there such thing as a weak schedule anymore? No game is a gimme, no team can ever look ahead.

Santa, please bring me a playoff.

Nick Saban Is A Moron

No, not because he took the Miami job, though that was technically moronic. Nick Saban is a moron on the level that not many reach. He resides on a plateau of ignorance usually reserved for the likes of lawyers, congressman and Boston fans. Slightly above the Three Stooges and below your crazy uncle, Saban simply lacks the judgement that most of us have. Don't believe me? Then check out this quote:

"Changes in history usually occur after some kind of catastrophic event. It may be 9-11, which sort of changed the spirit of America relative to catastrophic events. Pearl Harbor kind of got us ready for World War II, or whatever, and that was a catastrophic event."

Forget, if you can, that he said 9-11 "sort of" changed things and that Pearl Harbor "kind of got us ready for World War II, or whatever", and focus on the fact this he is talking about last Saturday's loss to Louisiana-Monroe. I'm surprised he didn't use the analogy of a loss to a team from Louisiana to Katrina. In the words of Garth Algar, "Are you mental?"

Losing tough games is, well, tough. Suffering the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history and a war that killed over 70 million people, however, is a little different. It's obvious that Saban has no idea how to get his team pumped, but comparing a football game to these catastrophes is a little out of line. The reason I have a problem with all of the "Never Forget" bumper stickers and politicians using 9-11 as a talking point during debates is the same reason I have a problem with what Saban said: when you bring these things up, you're reopening deep wounds.

We don't need this kind of crap in sports. Nick Saban is so far removed from reality right now that one would think he directs Chevy commercials. Of course, he will apologize soon, and everybody will forget. He might even get his team to win some games in the next few seasons, at which point everybody will be writing about how good of a coach he is. But when it comes to Saban, let me tell you, I will never forget.

How Good Is Kansas?

That's been the topic of debate in college football; is Kansas the real deal? Most of the hollering around the message boards go something like this:

"I'm still skeptical about Kansas. They haven't played any hard teams and I GUARANTEE they watched the Mizzou/Nebraska footage to find out how Mizzou was able to take it to them. If you know where the holes are its easy to score. "

"and by the way...Kansas' opponents' record is an astounding 35-51"

"it is a joke that KU is ahead of Oklahoma on the ratings"

Well, you get the idea. It's no surprise that 99% of these comments are made by people with names such as Gators82 and OSUgurl and a whole slew of other fans of powerhouse schools. The biggest argument against the Jayhawks seems to be strength of schedule. Though, it's a little sketchy when you look at Ohio State's SOS, which is only one spot higher than KU's. That by itself is enough to kill the argument, but let's take it a step further.

How can you fault a team for winning every game on its schedule? To say LSU, Oregon, Oklahoma or whoever else is better is complete speculation. There is no way to know if KU would be undefeated if they played an SEC or Pac 10 schedule, so going on what we know, Kansas is at least the fourth best team in the country. Actually, not having them ranked second is a testament of speculation. It is saying that LSU and Oregon are, without any doubt, better than KU. Anyone with half a brain realizes that nobody can make this assumption. That is why in sports like the NFL, they go by your record, not by how good they really think you are. College football is the only sport with this asinine system, and with teams like Kansas and Hawaii (who is getting snubbed more than anyone), it could really end up hurting.

Fact is, Kansas has beaten everyone on their plate, a feat only two other teams share. Traditional football schools need to get over themselves. As of now, the rankings don't matter at all to them, since they control their own destiny. As does Kansas, because if they were to win out through the Big 12 championship, they would undoubtedly play in the national title game. All these rankings mean right now is that Kansas, a football laughing stock relegated to celebrating only in March, is the hot topic right now. Ranked fourth in both basketball and football, the national exposure they are getting is doing nothing in the grand scheme of things other than helping their program reach out beyond the confines of Kansas and targeting blue chippers all over the country. I guess it's no wonder why the SEC, Pac 10 and Big 10 schools don't like it. If Kansas can do this with players that the big schools didn't even want, then imagine what they can do with top-tier talent.

Bill Callahan, You're Fired!

Tradition is the strongest word associated with college football. It is what separates the NCAA from the NFL; the lack of parody and expectations that grow from year to year. Some schools simply succeed, and some simply don't. When it comes to football, Kansas was one of those teams who didn't, while Nebraska was rich in winning tradition. But Saturday erased all of that. Saturday killed tradition.

76 points is what the Cornhuskers' defense allowed. 11 touchdowns. Not only was Nebraska knee deep in high expectations, but they buttered their bread with defense. Not only does this once prominent school has no defense, but the coach can no longer defend himself. Bill Callahan: resign, or be gone and never show your face again.

I realize that every school has its ups and downs, even traditional powerhouses like Nebraska. But never (ever, ever, ever, ever) has this school allowed another school to score 76 points. It's an embarrassment. Granted, it was against a Jayhawk squad who is currently undefeated, and who might be top-5 ranked in a few hours, but still. As a KU fan myself, I actually felt sorry for the Huskers, a feeling I have never had in all my life. That's when you know things are bad.

If Nebraska University ever wants to get back to even semi-respectable stature, then they need to fire Callahan right now. Not at the end of the year, not at the end of the week, not tomorrow, not in five minutes, but right the hell now. He is a horrible coach. And in case the jury is still out, I'll give you 76 reasons why he should be coaching the offensive line at San Jose St. by January.

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Coliseum

I wrote last weekend that upsets to Florida and Oklahoma had killed chances for a playoff in college football. Well, USC just opened the debates back up. There is a good chance that all of the top five teams could lose a game this season, and if they do, picking out two of them to play for the national title would be impossible. The best talking points for the pro-playoff crowd (99% of people on Earth), are the occurrences of multiple undefeateds or no undefeateds. With USC's loss to Stanford, there is no clear #2, and there might not even be a clear #1 by the end of November. It is a great year for college football. If it ended in controversy, the backlash should be enough to end this stupid BCS BS. I will be rooting for all the unbeatens to lose, except for Kansas, of course.

There is no better feeling than owning your rival. My school, Kansas, has abused Kansas State in basketball. It has gotten to a point where we can no longer brag about beating the Wildcats on the court, but are subject to endless bragging if we were to lose. It's not very fun that way. The reverse has been the case for football, but now that has changed. KU's win Saturday at Manhattan was the turning point for Jayhawk football. They haven't won there since 1989, where I was more concerned with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles than sports. But now with a new TMNT movie and a road win against the Wildcats, deja vu has never tasted sweeter.

With USC's loss, the idea of heading down the road to San Diego and coach the Chargers must have started to look a lot better for Pete Carroll. This was picked up on by Norv Turner, who then beat the Broncos 41-3 less than 24 hours later. Good rebound. Speaking of the number 41, that's how many points the Trojans were favored against Stanford. I know it was a huge upset, but I don't want to live in a world where any team is favored by 40 or more points. Maybe now it won't happen again.

It was yet again a Saturday full of upsets, but none bigger than this: Notre Dame 20, UCLA 6. That's two in a row the Barely Fighting Irish have taken from the Bruins. I was really hoping that Notre Dame would be winless when they played Navy, but you take what you can get. With Randy Moss having zero touchdowns on Sunday, he now only leads the Notre Dame offense 7-6 on the year, though he has played one less game. On Friday, he was leading 7-4. Come on Randy, you can do this.

The Small Conferences

Connecticut. South Florida. Syracuse. Kansas State. Colorado. Oklahoma State.


These are the contenders in the Big (Small) East and the Big (Small) 12. The basement dwellers currently include Texas, Oklahoma, Louisville, and West Virginia. Oh have the mighty have fallen. The Sooners could have cruised throughout the rest of the season, but lost to Dan Hawkin's squad like they were playing intramurals. Texas lost to Kansas State, again. West Virginia lost to South Florida, again. Louisville lost to Syracuse - at home. In my best Jerry Seinfeld voice, I will ask, what is going on with these conferences?

The Week 1 AP polls had those schools ranked as follows: West Virginia (3), Oklahoma (5), Texas (7), Louisville (8). I kind of expected Texas to lose, since they have been unimpressive all season. West Virginia did play a ranked South Florida team, but had six turnovers in doing do. These two conferences are horrid. Even Nebraska had trouble beating Ball State at home. And then they have to play road games at Missouri, Texas, Kansas (who is 4-0) and Colorado, who just beat Oklahoma. Next week's Red River Rivalry between Oklahoma and Texas should be interesting, though I expect Oklahoma to win easily. Louisville still has to play West Virginia and South Florida, and could possibly lose both.

There is no reason to watch games that don't involve SEC or PAC-10 schools anymore. Those conferences, from top to bottom, are far superior than any others. Even the Big Ten is getting small in stature, with Michigan losing their first two games and Penn State losing their last two games. Notre Dame doesn't have a conference, and fittingly so. By Monday, the top four teams will be from the SEC and Pac-10.

Next weekend LSU visits Florida in what is easily going to be the most important game of the year. After that, we have to wait for the USC/Cal game on November 10. These are really the only two games that matter anymore, since the Small conferences have completely shot any excitement about a national title run. And this isn't really helping a push for playoffs in college football, because as of now, there's only going to be two teams left anyways.