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JULY 29, 2007 |
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QUESTION -
name 3 pieces of college football memorabilia you wish you owned.
how/where would you display them? |
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S 1) bear bryant's houndstooth hat - this
simple hat represents: the greatest coach to ever walk the sidelines, a
pioneer and legend of the game, the golden era of college football, and the
powerhouse program that was while it would certainly be a big deal to own such
a hat, i wouldn't make a big deal of it. i'd set it on a nondescript book
shelf in my office and casually tell my friends when they visited. 2) gerald ford's leather helmet - again, while it would certainly be a big deal to
own such a hat, i wouldn't make a big deal of it. i'd set it on the shelf
next to bear's hat. 3) alonzo stagg's playbook - stagg is known
for many innovations, including the helmet and the forward pass in football,
the batting cage in baseball, and 5-on-5 basketball. but he's best known as
one of the pioneering minds in the history of college football. the evidence
of that i'm sure could be found in his playbook. i imagine a old cracked
wooden clipboard or a worn leather 3-rind binder containing page after page
of pencil-drawn plays. circles and arrows and play numbers. flipping through
the pages of that playbook would essentially be like watching college
football evolve, one page at a time. this would be my prize possession, i'd set it in
the corner of my office on its own wooden stand. when my friends visited it
would always be the last thing i'd show them. honorable mention - notre dame 'play like champion
today' sign, michigan 'go blue' banner, bench from original michigan stadium,
ticket stub from ark/texas 1969 or bama/wash 1926, first heisman trophy, bear
bryant's pratice tower, arkansas helmet from 1964 game vs texas, sign off
bear's (or bo's) office door that read 'coach bryant'. |
I 1. 1969 Michigan v. Ohio
State Program. Someday I'll own this gem. The cover of
Michigan's most historic win is a vintage shot with five famed UM coaches
atanding together in the Big House. Easily the most heralded program
for Michigan football. 2. A pair of Woody
Hayes' glasses. Woody's famed black-rimmed pointed glasses would
be a signature item in anyone's basement. 3. The football
from Charles Woodson's punt return in 97' against Ohio State. The
favorite UM moment in my lifetime barely edging out Howard against OSU and/or
Notre Dame. Having a piece of this frantic yet utterly gratifying
moment would be priceless. |
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JULY 22, 2007 |
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QUESTION -
what two things (e.g., events, games, personnel, decisions, recruits,
etc.) over the last 20 years have had the greatest impact on where your
program stands today? |
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S 1) in the sec (since 1992)
arkansas is a different team, is almost never a top-20 team, is
rarely in the conference title hunt, has no rivals, no recruiting base, and
(most disappointing) is one of the average teams in a great league and
receives almost no national attention. joining the sec wasn't all bad, the swc was
crumbling and 2) hiring/firing of gus malzahn, 2006
- if you want to know the state of the football program as it stands today,
look no further than malzahn. nutt was coming off back-to-back losing seasons
and was a dead coach walking. add that he was on the verge of losing 4
bluechip recruits from his own backyard (one the national gatorade player of
the year). so nutt did what any sane sec head coach would do - he hired the
bluechip prospects high school coach to be offensive coordinator. as crazy as
it sounds, it was a brilliant decision. nutt saved his job, signed 3 of the
kids (including the all-everything qb). nutt reportedly gave control of the offense to
malzahn, who immediately installed a modern passing game and a couple of
gimic packages to maximize darren mcfadden's touches (the wildcat package
being the most notable). the hogs finished the season 10-4, mcfadden won
the doak walker and finished 2nd in the heisman voting, the all-everything qb
went 8-0 including a couple of last second wins, and malzahn was named oc of
the year by rivals.com. a perfect story, right? wrong. malzahn was essentially demoted after the season to
co-coordinator (without his knowledge) and decided to take the oc job at meanwhile, nutt acted ignorant to the whole thing. malzahn's hiring/firing were significant for 2
reasons: a) malzahn had proven he could bring innovation
(and players) to an offense that received national attention under his
guidance. malzahn proved he could win on offense in the sec. and, malzahn
restored hope and brought excitement. in essence it's significant because hog fans found
faith in the program. b) malzahn was the anti-nutt. he wasn't full of
cliches, he wasn't unorganized, he didn't have the 'used car salesman' aura,
and he knew what he was doing. it turns out that many of the fans who
despised nutt actually loved malzahn. so when malzahn was fired, the despise
for nutt intensified to hatred and disgust. the result was some of those fans
stopped caring altogether and the others took any action they could (legal,
personal, financial, etc.) in essence it's significant because hog fans lost
faith in the program. today the program stands divided, literally, with
nutt in the center. malzahn saved nutt's job - and cost him his legacy. honorable mention 1) darren mcfadden - a doak walker winner and
heisman finalist is the stuff of razorback lore 2) ark/tenn, 1998 - hogs were 8-0, up
3, and taking a knee when a fumble caused a loss to the eventual national
champs. |
I The two events that have most
significantly shaped where 1. FSU 51 The premier OOC game of the 91'
schedule pitted two powerful, yet different in style, teams that had all the
earmarks of a classic tilt at Michigan Stadium. Most UM faithful at the
time respected FSU, but also quietly remained confident entering this sexy
match-up. At this time the PAC 10 was just beginning to evolve into a
passing league, the B10 remained a "three yards and a cloud of
dust" conference and the now common term "southern speed" was
still in its infancy. That was about to change. The game was overly nearly
immediately. FSU was more prepared, hyped, and painfully more
athletic. UM, and on a grander scale, the B10 was exposed this
afternoon. This blatant mismatch in athleticism forced In a way this game was a blessing in
disguise because it taught UM quicker than most B10 teams the necessary
adjustments needed in recruiting. It opened their eyes sooner rather
than later. Today UM is very athletic, places a key emphasis on speed in
recruiting, and for the most part can compare with most national teams
athletically. The 91' FSU debacle was the beginning of this change. 2. Tom Brady's NFL success: Through the mid 80's to early 90's UM
was assembling a respected pipeline of signal callers to the NFL.
Harbaugh, Collins, Griese, Grbac, and even Scott Driesbach either made NFL
rosters or even achieved moderate NFL success. It was beginning to be a
great tool/selling point in recruiting the most important position on
the field. UM's pro-style offense and budding pedigree was becoming
quite a draw for the nation's elite prep quarterbacks. Brady's unexpected and incredible
NFL success did a couple of things. It confirmed across
the nation that UM did a great job preparing QB's for the NFL. Secondly, it gave the pedigree an
indelible face for UM to proudly draw upon. While UM did endure a dry
spell between Henne and Mallett they are a now a factor for several elite
prep qb's. In the last five years they've signed four Elite 11 Qb's
(Gutz, Richard, Henne, Weinke) and have been considered for other
big-timers (Leinart, Tebow, Mustain). Being able to consistently
land and develop quality QB's is a near must for a program to sustain
excellence. Brady's rise to the top of the NFL has done more than
anyone else in cementing that image. Honorable Mention: DC Jim Hermann leaving for the NY
Giants. (long overdue and showed LC could make a tough call) Tennessee 45 Michigan 17 in 01'
(revisiting the 91' dilemma albeit not as drastically) QB Coach Scott Loeffler saying no to
the Patriots. (QB guru is not replaceable) Drew Henson leaving for the NY Yankees
(stalled the program for the next two years) Michigan 35 OSU 21 in 03 (imagine a 6 game losing
streak to OSU) |
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JULY 15, 2007 |
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QUESTION -
rank the top 5 mascots/nicknames in cfb. here's a recent attempt by
si.com: |
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S 1) 2) navy midshipmen - navy always gets my
respect and this is no exception. the rows of white hats, the classic
uniforms, colors, and helmets. it's one of my favorite cfb programs. the name
midshipmen is solid as a nickname, but passes all (but one) others because it
is as true a nickname as can be found. these really are midshipmen. only navy
sailors, navy humans, and navy college students would be more true. the goat
is also a nice touch. 3) stanford cardinal - there's not much
football tradition at stanford (sans john elway), so this pick is based
solely on my own regard for the right combination of class, creativity, and
absurdity. first, i like colors as team names - shades of red in particular.
second, only wicked-smart college kids (who were also from, and lived in, 4 and 5) cornell big red and |
I 5. 4. Navy Midshipmen:
Midshipmen is an appropriate and unique nickname. However, Navy
gets ever more "cred" from me with Bill the Goat. How
can you not embrace a matted and haggard looking animal we are
accustomed to seeing grazing on grass in some quaint Swiss
village. They bust down that image, throw a blanket over his back, and
charge out onto the field with this once tame animal sprinting full
force to midfield. It is classic and pure Navy. 3. South Carolina
Gamecocks: Not that I think a rooster bred for fighting is a
particularly cool mascot. I am glad 2. Georgia Tech
Ramblin' Wreck: This is a personal favorite. The pristine,
vintage old car driving out on the field with GT emblems painted on its
doors. Plus, just the name "Rambin Wreck" sounds totally
bad-ass even if your team is anything but bad-ass. One of the few
mascots to take a chance with an unconventional mascot and have it pan out. 1. USC Trojans:
Everything about this makes sense. It all fits so perfectly. They
play in the Coliseum which fits the Trojan well. Then the fight song
makes me feel like I am suddenly in ancient |
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JULY 8, 2007 |
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QUESTION -
what 1 former player (i.e., alumni) does the 2007 arkansas/michigan
team need to compete for a national title? |
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S chances are that no single player
would make the 2007 version of the hogs an nc contender there are just too
many needs, the most obvious being o-line, d-line, and quarterback. it's tempting to pick a qb to return,
like say clint stoerner. this team is in need of a gritty, steady,
mistake-free leader who can make a few timely throws. casey dick is currently
the only non-freshman scholarship qb on the hogs roster and he has not shown
he can make timely throws. however, picking a qb would be a wasted pick on a
team that has the best rb tandem in cfb with a coach who runs the ball 70%
(+) of the time. it's also tempting to pick a
d-lineman. after all, pressuring the qb is the #1 solution to stopping an sec
(or any other) offense. however, picking a d-lineman would be on a team that
has speed at every position with a ultra-aggressive d-coordinator who sends
pressure from anywhere and everywhere (including, but not limited to, the
line). so, the real (and remaining) need is
at o-line. this might seem a bit surprising given that the hogs return 7
experienced lineman (but loses the starting left tackle) from a group that
pushed opposing defenses around last year. however, and this cannot be
overstated, the entire success of this team depends on: a) opening running lanes for darren
mcfadden and felix jones b) protecting casey dick on those occasions
he needs to complete a 3rd and 12 c) keeping the defense off the field
by sustaining long offensive drives so, give me the security of an
experienced, nasty, pile-driving left tackle to open lanes, protect the qb,
and sustain drives. and that security comes best in the 6'6', 350 lb frame of
shawn andrews, former hog all-american. |
I My answer is boring, but
also accurate. Try to act interested. A quick glance at the 2007 The defense is the polar
opposite. The holes and unknowns are everywhere you turn. The
safeties and d-ends could be described as adequate. Perhaps even
capable. The d-tackles, linebackers, and corners are both a mystery and
a legitimate concern. However, of those neglected units nothing screams
help clearer than our cornerbacks. Morgan Trent, who was simply abused
last year by OSU and USC, returns as our weakest version of a "lock-down
CB" in my lifetime. He's as good as we have. Opposite him is
Johnny Sears who logged the most snaps last year against Therefore, the answer is
obvious. Charles Woodson. Woodson would do all the obvious
things. He'd provide leadership for a unit desperately seeking someone
to stand up and shine. He'd totally close off the opposition's best WR
and in the process make everyone's job on the defense easier. He'd
allow DC Ron English to take more chances and be more aggressive. In
short, he would solve several issues and make UM a legitimate NC
contender. Instead we are an offensive juggernaut ripe for the pickings
because our defense simply does not appear as though it can hold up
consistently. |
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JULY 1, 2007 |
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QUESTION -
2007 has been a big year for major league baseball statistics. bonds, slammin
sammy, biggio, the big hurt, clemons, glavine, and so on are all crossing or
pursuing hall-of-fame numbers (e.g., 300 wins, 500 hrs, 3000 hits). not
to be outdone, cfb has its own share of hall-of-fame numbers; list and
discuss the 3 most meaningful. |
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S unlike professional sports, elite-ness
in college sports is measured at the level of the coach and the program.
while individual numbers like 2 heisman's (e.g., archie griffin) and 2600
yards (e.g., barry sanders) are impressive, they are secondary to national
titles and 10-win seasons. here are some program- or coach-level milestone
numbers. back-to-back ncs national titles are often elusive.
great teams (e.g., USC (2003-04) 100 wins in a decade though this is becoming more common,
it still signals a program that had prolonged dominance of conference and
national headlines for 10 years. here are the bcs teams to do it: 300 coaching wins 300 wins is the benchmark for most
elite of elite coaches. of course, there's some luck, health, and tolerance
involved. these coaches coached for 30, 40, even 50 years. survived down
years and won their share of close games. there's also some great and
innovative coaching needed to average nearly 10 wins a season. for here's a list of some of the 300 winners: alonzo stagg bear bryant pop warner joe paterno bobby bowden |
I 2,628 The immortal Barry Sanders
holds the record for most rushing yards in a single season. This
number, seemingly untouchable and held by a legend, will generate the most
attention if ever challenged or ultimately broken.
However, similar to Roger Maris' 61 HRs, this record in a way will stand
forever even if broken. Sanders racked up nearly 240
yards a game and almost 40 TD's in an 11 game slate with
little surrounding support. Regardless if this
record is eclipsed, it will always be used as the benchmark for
great CFB running backs. 48 I've always felt that Joe
Dimaggio's 56 game hitting streak would generate the most attention if ever
broken. Snapping 1 Charles Woodson remains the
lone Heisman Trophy winner who was primarily a defensive player. While
this may seem like a homer pick it may not be duplicated in our
lifetime. In the last 15 years the best another defensive player has
finished was 4th. Even if you disagree with how this award is
determined it remains a huge storyline throughout the CFB season and the
voters are increasingly shifting towards high profile offensive players with
big stats. Matching Woodson's historic achievement in 1997 will prove
very difficult and potentially impossible in today's CFB landscape. |
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JUNE 24, 2007 |
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QUESTION -
The following teams are ranked, in order by seed, as the 16 best CFB programs
from 1975-99. It is a who's who list of CFB programs. Most all of
them dripping with success and tradition. Play this 16 team tournament
out, with score and short description of each game, and determine a winner. All games would be played right now on
a neutral grass field. You are not held to these picks come time for
The Challenge.
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S ROUND 1 #1 #8 ou 17 / #9 usc 41 - absent a qb, the
sooner offense is stifled from the start. usc explodes for 28 2nd
half points. is usc the favorite to win this? #5 #4 fsu 14 / #13 #3 alabama 10 / #14 georgia 21 - the alabama defense is
on the field all game and finally breaks early in the 4th quarter. #6 notre dame 41 / #11 #7 penn st 7 / #10 #2 ROUND 2 #1 #5 #14 #10 ROUND 3 #9 usc 24 / #5 #14 CHAMPIONSHIP #9 usc 33 / #14 |
I Round One: USC 16 OU 7: Boring game
concludes with OU unable to score on late and rare drive. Media begins
to question USC's true dominance. FSU 19 Tennessee 7: They're back!
Noles' D dominates all day and Bowden is lauded for overhauling staff. Bama 14 UGA 13: Bama hangs around
all day and capitalizes when Richt gambles on a 3rd and 9 pass late in
the game that leads to an INT and great Bama field position.
Dawg fans leave discouraged with play of Notre Dame 21
Washington 10:
Snooz-o-rama. Weis plays three QB's as Irish look underwhelming in
methodical win over Willingham. ND fans rationalize game by
touting Clausen's three completions for 18 yards. Round Two USC 30 Nebraska 0: Husker fans lose
giddiness and optimism as they long for the days of Crouch and Solich
after this debacle. Callahan comes out firing and it backfires.
SC picks off Keller three times in the 1Q and Notre Dame 19 Alabama
17:
A heart-breaking loss for the Tide. Paker-Wilson fumbles late snap as
Tide are attempting to run out the clock late spoiling an otherwise flawless
afternoon for the signal caller. ND slides in a 49 yard FG as time
expires. Scofield goes into hiding for a month. four. Round Three Title Game |
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JUNE 17, 2007 |
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QUESTION -
write a want-ad for the next head coach
at michigan/arkansas as if it were going to appear in a newspaper.
be sure to specify anything (and everything) you expect in the
'successful applicant'. |
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S wanted: head football coach;
university of the successful applicant will: be a
lifelong hog fan; call the hogs proudly (and with zeal); be 50% redneck and
50% old southern charm; use backwoods cliches like "madder than a
hornet" and "slower than an opossum"; put a recruiting
"fence" around the state; find a gritty winner for a qb in the mold
of clint stoerner; find mammoth o-lineman from small arkansas towns; find
speed anywhere (but not from the north); dislike the entire state of texas
(except dallas) but go there frequently to steal recruits; get recruits from
oklahoma and louisiana as well; never get recruits from kansas or missouri
and call them "basketball" states; believe you can win the sec but
badmouth the team every chance you get (ala lou holtz); go to church every
sunday but also curse freely (never use the f-word); occasionally break ncaa
rules (not because you cheat but because you make your own rules and you
don't let anyone tell you what to do); sometimes grunt and growl to players
instead of talking; tolerate but dislike and distrust the media; smile rarely
(and never on camera and don't show teeth); have a hot wife that's 67% classy
and 33% trashy; chew tobacco; spit frequently; lose a game you shouldn't; win
a game you shouldn't; play a creampuff non-conference schedule and beat them
mercilessly; play texas and lose a close game; win in october; call all your
teams and players "special"; make sure 2-4 players a year get
stopped for routine traffic violations and are later found with: a) guns, b)
drugs, or c) both; remember, the lower the gpa the better the athlete; openly
believe that junior colleges are modern-day gold mines; blame bad decisions
on everyone else; take credit for bad decisions with good outcomes; never make
good decisions; finish 4-4 in conference no matter how good or bad the team
is; every 5 years you should: a) go to a jan bowl, b) 3 dec bowls, and c)
miss a bowl; run the ball 70% of the time no matter what (but tell fans you
like to throw the ball and brag about the qb's arm strength); occasionally
run off a player who will later be an nfl draft choice; ignore frequent
special teams mishaps and never, ever blame the special teams coach; never
fire asst coaches (just give them different titles); have agent immediately
float your name out for every new opening at a high profile job and then deny
interest and act surprised when your name is mentioned; repeatedly say that
arkansas is a "special place" and that you "love the
helmet". |
I 1. Sacrifice: Your
salary will pale in comparison to other high profile jobs. Get used to
it. Using phrases like "the pride of this great university" and
"being a Michigan Man" would be in your best interest. 2. Discipline: New
coach must train players "the right way." An occasional high
five between teammates is acceptable. However, trash-talk, running up
the score, and showing any unnecessary emotion by players is
strictly prohibited. Think "robot" and you'll be fine. 3. Loyalty: Must
keep assistant coaches a minimum of 10 years regardless of their
performance. If the assistant has 4. Old-school: Must
chastise anything progressive or new about CFB. Night games are
bad. Period. In fact, anything outside of a noon Saturday game
should be viewed skeptically. Furthermore, the UM-ND rivalry is great
drama. Playing a different OOC team, like 5. Conservative:
The minute you take the lead in a football game you must either run the ball
or throw predictable screen passes. The shot-gun and streak patterns
are theories not taught at 6. Narrow-mindedness:
Qb's are to be tall and white. Never, under any circumstance, should
you use a minority QB who is athletic and possesses the ability to make plays
outside the pocket. 7. Goal-oriented:
Your goal is simple: Win the Big Ten. B10 titles are all that
matter. Repeat this every year when some other team is playing
in the NC game. Never mention the term "national
championship" before December. 8. Pedigree: Do you
have |
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JUNE 10, 2007 |
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QUESTION -
What is the worst blown call an official has ever made in college
football? |
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S a few bad calls immediately come to mind:
a) the 5th down during the mizzou/colo game in 1990 eventually allowing colo
to win a share of the national title, b) the kick-tip between mizzou/neb in
1997 eventually allowing colo to win a share of the national title, c) the
pass phantom pass interference in the 2002 miami/ohio st bcs title game, d) a
couple of terrible calls in michigan/msu games (e.g., desmond trip, extra
second), e) the onside kick recovery in the early season oregon/oklahoma game
in 2006, and so on. but, while these were certainly
terrible calls, they don't really stir my blood years later. to me they're
simply ho-hum, 'bad calls. in fact, the call that lingers with me
isn't even really a blown infraction as it was a missed chance to do the
right thing. it was 2005, all-purpose wideout tyrone prothro ran
a streak down the center of the field right through the heart of the so miss
secondary and strong-armed qb brodie croyle lofted a beautiful spiralling
ball down toward the endzone. what happened next would be remembered as one
of the greatest catches ever made. along with prothro, 2 so miss
defenders strode step for step as the ball descended near the goalline.
prothro's concentration never wavered, even as the ball sailed long and 1 of
the defenders stood between prothro and the ball. unaffected, prothro simply
leapt, put his arms around the defender, and caught the ball against the
defender's back. an apparent touchdown and pandimonium
in bryant-denny . . . except that the refs placed the ball on the
1-yard-line. replay would indicate that, while it was a tough call, prothro
actually rolled over the defender (nearly breaking his neck) and the momentum
of the catch carried him into the endzone before his knees touched turf. the
call was not overturned. it should have been. the crowd would
have exploded and bama would have stormed back onto the national scene.
instead (and unsurprisingly) the bama offense took 3 additional plays to limp
across the goalline and the crowd was understandably luke-warm about the
eventual touchdown. the catch received national exposure
and won prothor an espy. it was the greatest 52-yard, non-td catch in |
I Worst call of my lifetime
... I spent probably three
hours searching the internet for a picture to justify this pick. Yet,
was unable to locate one. It would have helped. 1990: The #1 ranked Wolverines
hosted MSU in the Big House. As many UM-MSU games would later show this
was the beginning of several high-scoring, back-and-forth affairs between the
in-state rivals. MSU took the lead with a late TD and UM promptly
answered with a short dart to Derrick Alexander to pull within one with under
a minute to go. At this time overtime was a mere thought and Gary
Moeller made the only decision he had; he went for the win. The electrifying Desmond
Howard lined up in the slot to left of Elvis Grbac in what seemed like
man-to-man coverage. A dream scenario for the ultra-quick future
Heisman Trophy winner. With a quick juke and stutter-step Howard left
DB Eddie Brown immediately reeling as Howard ran a quick slant in the upper
left hash. Knowing he was beat, Brown grabbed onto Howard's ankle/foot
in a desperate move to avoid the conversion. Howard
immediately lost his balance, but hung onto the football only until he
crashed into the endzone where the ball squirted free. The refs called
nothing. The pass interference was obvious, yet not called. Even
worse, replays would reveal the ground caused the ball to jar free and
that the catch itself was good. Refs called incomplete. Game
over. That was MSU's last
win in Mere minutes after the
game our school librarian, and MSU alumnus, called the house to
"discuss" the aftermath. I answered the phone,
listened to about three sentences, and hung up on him without uttering a
word. I'll never forget the look on my dad's face. He
was part upset that I was so rude and part, "Atta boy."
He asked who it was, I told him, and we went about our day. |
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JUNE 3, 2007 |
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QUESTION -
|
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S john l smith, from mike price, wash state to to make matters worse, u of |
I Glen Mason: In 1995 Glen Mason,
then the coach of Gary Barnett: Most
"do-overs" involve a missed opportunity or premature
decision. Some, in the case of Barnett, Price, and Gary Moeller, result
in complete humiliation of their family and university while concluding in
a dramatic (sometimes overnight) loss of status, income, and hope.
Some are severe mistakes and Barnett's mishandling of the female kicker situation
was epic. In the mid 90's Barnett was hailed as a mastermind and
among the best in his profession. After CU fired him after some
politically incorrect statements (which I still think were overblown) and a
rape scandal Barnett was out of a job with little hope of ever reclaiming his
once sterling reputation. |
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MAY 27, 2007 |
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QUESTION -
Name three college basketball coaches, past or present, who would have
made successful CFB coaches. Also, provide the CFB program in which
they would have been the best fit. |
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S tom izzo, tim floyd, lsu - this may be
the perfect pairing. floyd needs a fan base who cares and blue-chip talent.
hardened by years of thankless nba fans and owners, floyd is all business
when it comes his teams. lsu needs an even-tempered coach who can deal with
fan hysteria while getting the most out of a rich recruiting area. also,
floyd is a |
I Gene Keady: Army. Keady
screams either football or wrestling. The lame attempt at a
come-over. The menacing eyes and steely demeanor.
Constantly yelling as though he were leading a pack of juveniles picking
up highway trash. The man was a true hard ass both in style and
appearance. Not a better or more appropriate fit than at Bob Huggins: Billy Donovan: Notre Dame. Whoever
coaches ND is always hated regardless of who they are. Willingham an |
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MAY 20, 2007 |
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QUESTION -
a company has been producing college football cards (like
baseball cards) for 125 years. they have produced a card for every d-1
player and coach during that time. what are the 4 most
valuable/popular cards this company has ever produced? |
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S john heisman rookie player, 1887 - all of
heisman's cards are extremely rare, but the 1887 card was the first and most
rare - making it the most valuable. in 1887, cfb cards had only been printed
for 5 years and hadn't yet become popular collector's items. and at the time,
heisman himself wasn't even a popular player at brown. but his transfer to
penn, in his home state, and his coaching success that followed drove the
value of the card up. but, it wasn't until the heisman trophy was established
that the original heisman card exploded onto the collector's scene. not
coincidentally, the 1887 card featured heisman the player in the identical
pose of the trophy eventually named for him. the heisman 1887 is considered
the 2nd most valuable card in existence, behind the stagg 1889 and only a few
100 are in circulation. woody hayes rookie coach, 1949 - a little
known coach in his first year at oj simpson, 1967 - the 'instant
impact' cards were reserved for transfers (juco, small school, etc.), most of
whom played a limited role in their 2-3 years on campus. one exception was oj
simpson who led the nation in rushing and won the heisman in his 2 years at
usc. the simpson rookie card was a high-value card through his college career
and increased during his pro career. the card took off however when simpson
stood trial for, and was eventually acquitted of, murder charges. it was
easily the most high profile legal case involving an athlete and simpson once
again displayed unmatched escapability. beating ucla is 1 thing, but beating
a murder charge when blood is found in your escape vehicle - well that's just
legendary. smu signing class card, 1987 - the signing
class card has always been one of the most popular. after national signing
day on february 1, signees are invited to their new campuses to be
photographed as a group. this was true for the 1987 signing class at smu. on
february 1 they made there way to |
I 1. 1889 Amos
Alonzo Stagg: End for Yale. The Honus Wagner of CFB
cards. This card, grainy and diminutive in appearance, was circulated
as part of the famed 20 card 1889 set. It's value soars over his
other archaic peers (Rockne, Camp, etc) because ole' card #12 of the set
(Stagg) was the first card featuring a player in action. Stagg's over
the shoulder catch pictured on the card set the bar for future action photos. 2. 1945 Paul
Bryant: Maryland Coach. This card lived in obscurity for
nearly a decade. Passed off as nothing more than a boring coach card it
was widely disregarded, and ultimately not saved, for years. The sweaty
Bryant in a tattered gray 3. 1980 Hershel 4. 1998
Chris Simms Error Card: QB for |
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|
MAY 13, 2007 |
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|
QUESTION -
Tell me one CFB storyline, player, coach, or program you are simply tired of
hearing about. In short, a topic you know will be reported in an
endless manner by the media this upcoming season that will eventually make
you sick. |
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|
S i'm tired of hearing that the football
landscape has changed so dramatically over the past 40 years - it hasn't. pundits say that it's impossible to
have a dynasty in modern cfb, yet experts say that an sec team will
never have a decade like talking heads say that the bcs
conferences have parody. yet, sometimes the programs change, penn
state has a down year or ps - not since |
I The topic I am sick of has
gained traction and momentum the last couple of years. It is the
newfound belief that we should not have preseason polls. Lately some
annually underachieving or irrelevant team gets off to a great start, yet is
always ranked towards the bottom of the other unbeatens and even a couple one
loss teams. Immediately, often by mid-October, the media is begging for
you to respect them and will undoubtedly utter, "Where would they be
ranked if we did not have preseason polls?" This approach generally
does not apply to mid-majors as we know their script, but teams like Clemson
who can catch an early hot streak yet always stumble and generally in grand
fashion. If you want respect in the early polls then earn it.
Give the voters something to be optimistic about entering the
season. If you are generally a 7-5 program then you'll be viewed as a
7-5 program until otherwise noted. Teams like Preseason polls are
obviously not going away. They will continue to be a huge player in the
ending BCS bids. Take care of business on the field and
everything "generally" will work itself out. Until then
quit bitching about a ranking your school has not seen in forever and
focus on the remaining six games on your schedule. |
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|
MAY 6, 2007 |
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|
QUESTION -
forecast the top 3 selections in the 2008 draft. |
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|
S 1) darren mcfadden, 2) brian brohm, 3) jake long, |
I In no specific order.... 1. Darren McFadden:
Likely the most popular, at this time, selection for #1 overall.
McFadden has blistered 8 man fronts in a tough CFB conference. He is
not a "system back" and his accomplishments are more impressive
given his lack of surrounding talent. He should blow up the combine and
be the most highly sought after offensive player in CFB. 2. Jake Long:
Likely would have been a top 10-15 pick had he entered this year. Plays
a coveted position, Left tackle, and would offer a nice safe pick for a team
near the top of the draft. 3. Derrick Harvey:
A fast, mean, and physical speed rusher off the edge.
Should remind scouts of past Gator DE Javon Kearse. Created
constant havoc in the BCS title game and will be amongst an impressive litter
of SEC defensive linemen in next year's draft. |
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|
APRIL 29, 2007 |
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|
QUESTION -
many of the players selected in the 2007 nfl draft were not
well-known, even to the most devoted college football fans; forget those
guys. of those that were well-known, list 1 draft boom and 1 draft bust from
day 1 (i.e., rounds 1-3) and 1 draft boom and 1 draft bust from day 2 (i.e.,
rounds 4-7). |
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|
S of course the situation matters, but there are
players every year who emerge as surprise rookie superstars. likewise there
are players who are surprisingly silent. here are my picks for those guys: day 1 boom = patrick willis. willis is a monster
tackler with good speed and great size. he's a football guy, a lunch-pail
guy, a guy who will immediately be the heart of the san fran defense. here's
a bold prediction: willis will lead all rookie in tackles and be the runaway
defensive rookie of the year. day 1 bust = gaines day 2 boom = michael bush. bush will be what ron
dayne never was: a big, agile back with vision and burst. he's has played in
a pro system (with a pro-level qb), caught balls out of the backfield, rushed
well against pro-level defenses (miami), and would have been 1st round talent
had the injury not dropped his stock. bush will rush for 500-600 yards in
2007 while sharing carries and be the fulltime guy by '08. (i also like hb blades out of pitt) day 2 bust = antonio pittman. of course there are lots
of potential busts from rounds 4-7, but few were traded for specifically. |
I I'd like to make a personal
disclaimer prior to making these selections. For me, forecasting someone's
NFL career has much more do with their opportunity and surroundings rather
than their talent. For example, in my lifetime I consider Jerry Rice
the best player I've ever seen. However, had the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
drafted Rice I am not sure he'd even be a HOF'er let alone the best WR
ever. Therefore,...... Round 1-3 BOOM Brandon Merriweather: Very talented, in a
healthy and productive environment, and he plays a position that translates
well from CFB to the NFL. Merriweather, considered a character issue
entering the draft, will become a law-abiding citizen and smack-down safety
by the end of his rookie year. In three years he'll be mentioned with
Roy Williams, Troy Polamalu, and Ed Reed as a premier safety in the NFL. ROUND 1-3 BUST Calvin Johnson: This is so obvious
I am amazed the loyal Lions cannot see this coming. Yes, the kid is
talented. Some even call him the "best prosect the last 10
years." However, consider that he is entering a franchise with an
aging QB who is pinning their hopes on Drew Stanton as the heir
apparent. An offensive line that cannot pass-block or run-block.
A mediocre and very average running game whose "star" RB might not
play this season. And a franchise that is so steeped in losing that it
can ruin the career of anyone, let alone the best prospect in 10 years.
By the time CJ escapes Round 4-7 BOOM Troy Smith: Forget the NC Title
Game. Smith had no time to do anything against UF. Before that he
had pin-point accuracy and won several big games while showing great
leadership. He is as tall as Drew Brees and surrounded by numerous
veteran mentors including the QB. Smith is entering an ideal situation
and I am betting he eventually replaces McNair as the starter. 4-7 BUST Isaiah Stanback: This is more
desperate than when the Cowboys used their 2nd rounder on an inconsistent and
drug-infested Quincy Carter years ago. Perhaps not more desperate, but
desperate nonetheless. I cannot even visualize Stanback throwing an NFL
pass. Take an O-lineman or safety. Why throw away a 4th rounder
on a kid with zero chance in the NFL. |
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|
APRIL 22, 2007 |
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|
QUESTION -
Dayne Crist has been anointed as the best prep QB in The question has three parts... 1. What is Dayne Crist thinking? 2. What are your thoughts
regarding his decision? 3. Where will Dayne Crist be in
three years? |
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|
S 1) first he's thinking that an oral
commitment is non-binding. second he's thinking charlie weis will guarantee
his nfl career. third he's thinking that, at best, he'll beat out clausen
and, at worst, he'll get 2 years as starting qb of notre dame when clausen
leaves after his junior year. 2) an oral commitment is hardly even a
decision any more - so i don't think much about it. if he sticks with nd,
then history will prove it as either smart or dumb; the quality of the
decision won't be apparent until he's already succeeded or already failed.
same is true if he switches the commitment. 3) in 3 years he'll sitting out during
a transfer year. he'll leave nd after losing the backup job to some other
5-star kid and enroll at san diego st. |
I 1. I am fairly confident Dayne
Crist got caught up in the moment without fully thinking this decision
through. Jabba rolled into their home with his Super Bowl rings, fancy
football terminology, and NFL memories and promises. Roll that in with
an academically elite university with huge national attention and the match
was made. It all sounded too appealing for the Crist family and they
prematurely jumped at the opportunity. 2. I think Crist is a
fool. He is either a fool or does not harbor any immediate goals of
football success. It's not like it's some solid recruit just ahead
of him. It is hyper-recruit Jimmy Clausen that is going to be given numerous
chances to succeed for at least the next three years. I
respect the macho-ism of "may the best man win" and feeling
you are so talented you can beat out anyone, even the already
legendary Jimmy Clausen. But there is only one QB who starts and
eventually the voice of reason must kick in. My only potential
rationale is that the family are life-long ND fans and devout
Catholics. But I doubt it. 3. My guess is Crist never
enrolls at Notre Dame. ND will stumble out of the gates and be staring
at the Gator Bowl as a best case scenario before October. Weis will
deflect the grumblings and over-zealous media by giving Clausen the
job. The media will love it, Clausen will lead them to wins
over Navy and Stanford, and then will say something like "wanting
to win multiple NC's at Notre Dame". The writing will be on the
wall and Crist will eventually de-commit and go AZST or |
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|
APRIL 15, 2007 |
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|
QUESTION -
name 3 "what-ifs" that would have significantly changed the
college football landscape over the past 10 years. |
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|
S 1) what if notre dame hadn't hired 2) what if osu hadn't gotten the
pass interference call vs 3) what if vince young hadn't
signed with texas, 2002-2005 - before young arrived in |
I 1. What
if 2. What if 3. What if Mike
Richardson had turned around a half second quicker? Remember the
4th and 8 pass to Jarrett at ND two years ago? The game is defined by
the "Bush Push", however |
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|
APRIL 8, 2007 |
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|
QUESTION -
give me your early favorites for 2007 big ten offensive ploy, defensive ploy,
and coach of the year. |
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|
S offensive poy = pj hill, wisconsin - in the tradition of
great badger rbs, hill will rush for 1500 yards+ behind a veteran o-line and
be the primary offensive weapon on a top-10 team. the wrs are good enough to
keep the opponents lbs honest and the defense is good enough to keep the
badger offense on the field. defensive poy = dan connor, penn st - connor should feel the
void left by posluszny and be the stats leader on a solid defense. 100+
tackles and a handful of sacks gives him the edge over laurinaitis in a year
when few big name big ten defensive players will get preseason publicity. coach of the year = joe paterno - the defense should be
serviceable, if not strong, and the offense should be borderline explosive.
morelli matured at qb toward the end of '06 and derrick williams is ready to
achieve his freshman hype. if a reliable, durable rb emerges this could be
the best nittany lion offense since larry johnson in 2000. the schedule is
tough, but notre dame, |
I Offensive POY: Defensive POY: James
Laurinaitis:
My guess is that OSU will overachieve, especially on defense, and hover
around the top 10 all year. Laurinaitis already has the needed
publicity from his WWF wrestling father and should anchor and captain another
solid defensive unit in C-bus. Teammate Malcomn Jenkins and PSU
LB Dan Connor will push for the honor. Coach of the Year:
Kirk Ferentz:
Beliema will have expectations this season. Tressel will not
garner serious consideration unless the stars align properly in C-bus
and anything short of a one loss season will eliminate Carr. Enter
a blast from the past; Kirk Ferentz. The loss of Drew Tate may
actually be a blessing. The Hawkeyes return talent at their skill
positions on offense (outside of QB), and their largest weakness will be
at o-line which happens to be KF's trademark. Also, as a mere
side-note, the Hawkeyes avoid UM and OSU. Ferentz will reclaim the
momentum he had previously built and don't be shocked if |
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|
APRIL 1, 2007 |
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|
QUESTION - You
are in a NHL SEGA 94 tournament against your three primary competitors.
For you it is Inman, Hance, and Vasher. For me it is Scofield, Hance,
and Vasher. Using the history of CFB as your
guide, assign each member to a CFB program that most resmembles their game,
your opinion of their 94' tradition, current respect of their game,
etc. For example, Giamio would be (as an
example) |
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|
S these comparisons are limited to the last 15 years
of a football program - the length of time we've been playing hock. inman = virginia tech - underrated, wins more than
you think, rarely wins big but rarely loses big, a few moments of true
greatness mixed with 15 years of overachieving. play varies in big games.
probably too conservative to ever make a significant leap up the charts but
too well-coached to ever fall either. hance = notre dame - no defense, potentially
lethal offense, usually overmatches average players and is overmatched by
good players. a tendency to keep games close but rarely pulls the big upset
and occasionally gets run off the ice in a beatdown. still has some name
value, but was better 15 years ago. vasher = |
I Vasher: LSU. Not in the elite
company of his common opponenst, but has improved greatly the last 10
years. Has the ability to make real big noise in the sport and is
respected by everyone he plays. Traditonally a baseball school (Sports
Talk) and plays better at home (his basement). Expectations are higher
than what reality would show. Scofield: Hance: UCLA. A basketball school
(Coach K) that has been routinely whipped and embarassed by instate
rivals. Only when the stars are aligned properly do they win a
meaningful game. When things go bad they fold up the tent quickly and
are prone to blowout losses. A flashy offense that is
predictable. |
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|
MARCH 25, 2007 |
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|
QUESTION - which of the major bcs
program is probably cheating. |
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|
S the vols have a fat, personality-less coach,
limited tradition, terrible orange uniforms, and the worst recruiting base in
southeast. so, how they consistently sign bluechip kids from across the
country is a complete mystery. the most likely explanation is that they
cheat. and bad. bags of cash, free cars and houses, sex with coeds, you name
it. dominant d-tackles, notoriously the toughest (and dumbest) kids to
recruit, regularly sign with the cheating is so obvious it hurts. the real
question is how are they doing it. |
I USC Ok, I know they are USC. The same USC in
sunny Plus, how does this Reggie
Bush deal, that has conveniently been shoved under the rug, scream anything
but cheating? Add into the mix the quiet shiftiness of Pete Carrol and
the abundance of cash and celebrity influence surrounding LA and USC must
cheat. They might do a nice job of cheating, but they cheat. |
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|
MARCH 18, 2007 |
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|
QUESTION - Give
me your early favorites for SEC offensive PLOY, Defensive PLOY, and Coach of
the Year. |
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|
S offensive poy = darren mcfadden, defensive poy = quentin groves, auburn - a speedy, playmaking
d-end like groves should thrive in a defense that includes a veteran
secondary and an experienced interior line. groves will be the
most-recognized name on a defense that will likely rank in the top 10 most of
the year. other than groves, lsu stars glenn dorsey and ali highsmith are
names to watch. coach of the year = steve spurrier, s |
I Offensive POY: Andre
Woodson, Defensive POY: Ali
Highsmith, LSU.
LSU is assembling arguably the most consistent and respected defense in the
SEC. Highsmith will be a force at LB and the signature player on a
squad, that while rebuilding the secondary, should once again establish
themselves among the nations best. Coach of the Year:
Mark Richt, UGA.
After back-to-back years of losing massive amounts of talent the Dawgs will
return a deep squad next year. Given last year's respectable 9 win
season, minus several key parts, the Dawgs could quietly sneak into the mix
in the SEC East. Overcoming a |
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|
MARCH 11, 2007 |
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|
QUESTION - in honor of march
madness, name the 6 best football programs at traditional basketball schools. |
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|
S 1) 2) 3) gtech - 10 consecutive bowl games and a
former nfl head coach. 4) ucla - 17 wins over the last 2 seasons
including a win over USC. 5) 6) |
I This is tough because I am
having trouble deciding if some schools are football or basketball schools
and coming up with programs outside of yours is difficult.... 1. 2. UCLA:
Bonus points for being arguably the most acclaimed hoops program ever.
Additional points for numerous Rose Bowls and a name second only to USC in
the PAC 10 for football. 3. 4. 5. UConn:
Maybe a bit of a stretch, but this football program has achieved a ton at
such a young D1 age. 6. |
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|
MARCH 4, 2007 |
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|
QUESTION - You are given a one year
sabbatical from your job. Your task is to write a 300 page CFB book on
any program, season, player, coach, event, game, etc. In short, as long
as it relates to CFB it is fair game. The topic can be past or
present. You are given unlimited access to games, coaches, AD's,
boosters, fans, etc. What is your book about? |
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|
S the book would be about recruiting. but, it
would not tell the stories of recruiting that fans already know - the ones
that focus on 40-times, recruiting rankings, and the poor inner-city kids who
overcome tremendous odds. no, instead the book would tell the real, untold
(and often unknown) stories of recruiting - the ones with 25 text messages a
day, 100's of hand written letters, dozens of scholarship offers, in-house
visits, shameless middle-aged men, excessive gifts/trips, strip bars,
all-night parties, back-room deals, bags of cash, cover-ups, endless lies,
and cheating, cheating, and more cheating. the book would report on what fans want (and need)
to know: recruiting, seedy and raw. the book would follow 2 big-time recruits through
the complete recruiting process culminating with signing day announcements.
along the way it would also profile the coaches and programs who were doing
the recruiting. the main stories of these 2 recruits, their backgrounds, and
personalities would be infused with 2 other storylines. the first storyline
would focus on the histories of the coach and programs: 1) the coach's past
indiscretions, interviews with former assistants, past recruits, opposing
coach's, etc., 2) major boosters, their business dealings, relationships with
former coaches/players, interviews with former business partners, etc., and
3) the programs past record with the ncaa, past coaches, disassociated
boosters, interviews with former players, transfers, opposing ad's, etc. the
second storyline would focus on the recruiting process itself: 1) what
usually happens with big-time recruits, 2) uncensored interviews with the
recruits themselves, 3) what are they being offered, 4) who's doing the
offering, and 5) how are the offering influencing their decisions. the goal of the book would be to blow the cover
off recruiting - to give fans a window into the recruiting process as it
actually unfolds with all the sensational (and scandalous) details. |
I My book is going to focus around one theme: A coach on
the hot seat. For one season I want to follow around a university and its
football program whose coach is in a truly make-or-break season. The
interviews/access I want to largely include in my book... 1. The boosters. What impact do the high-end
boosters really have in the fate of a coach? 2. Go behind the scenes with the AD and university
president. Are they making demands? Are they formulating a
"short list." How concerned are they over the financial
obligation to the current coach? 3. The HC and his assistants. Is the HC losing his
cool in meetings. Does he feel the pressure? How does he cope with the
stress and uncertainty. Does there come a point when his assistants
start making calls to other coaches preparing to lose their job? Will
the HC feel relieved when this is over? 4. The spouses and their children. How does
the wife deal with the stress? Are they talking to realtors? Does
the wife drink more? How aware are the kids of the cut-throat
environment their father lives in? I want unlimited access to the office
of the AD. The living room of the coaches house on Saturday night
after a tough loss. I want to listen to phone calls made by
boosters. I want to be their when "for sale" signs go up
in their yard. I want to get inside their sole and reveal the
true devastation and widespread impact when a coach gets fired. |
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|
FEBRUARY 25, 2007 |
|||||||||
|
QUESTION - what will the top 10
storylines be heading into the 2007 college football season? |
|||||||||
|
S 1. 2. power of the sec - 3. state of the b10 - january is rarely
kind to the b10 and 2007 was no different. the 2 conference bell-cows 4. nick saban - this is a major, major
story. bama was a cfb powerhouse? check. bama was unhappy with its current
place in the cfb world? bama went after a national-title-caliber coach?
check. bama paid said coach $4 million/year to leave the nfl? check. bama
football just became relevant again? check. 5. this year's 6. new acc and big east coaches - big-name
programs and big-name coaches were on the move this off-season and nowhere
was that more apparent than the acc and big east. but 7. 8. notre dame sucks - it feels good to say
it and mean it. the irish will likely be good soon, but for this 1 year the
roster will be full of experienced players with no talent and talented
players with no experience. the leader of the latter group will be yo-boy
jimmy clausen who will be the first freshman in history to hold all pre- and
post-game news conferences at the cfb hall of fame. 9. 10. no heisman front-runners - mcfadden,
slaton, brohm, mccoy, and booty will be many people's preseason top five. but
each has a weakness that could cripple them early. mcfadden has no passing
game, slaton shares the yards with white, brohm lost petrino, mccoy is a
sophmore, and booty is no leinart. unlike recent years, the eventual heisman
winner may not come from the preseason top five list. |
I 10. Sam Keller.
A proven transfer potentially taking over the reigns at one of CFB's beloved
programs. This QB battle will generate loads of attention early and
will gain momentum if Keller gets the nod. 9. 8. The circus in 7. The ACC.
Fresh off a terrible season, the ACC has too many quality programs for a
repeat of last year's dismal performance. With a lineup that could
warrant the 2nd best league in CFB this conference will be out to
prove last year was a fluke. 6. Jimmy Clausen.
If a depleted ND squad fails, as many expect, the clamoring for hyper-recruit
Jimmy Clausen will grow by the week. Expect an
eventual start for the true freshman and a media blitz to
follow. 5. Tim Tebow.
4. Nick Saban and
the new hires. Saban is the headliner. He has, warranted or
not, created very lofty expectations in T-town. Immediately. The
return of Dennis Erickson will draw attention to 3. 2. The SEC.
While the SEC always creates love for the best conference, this season could
mark the largest gap between them and the rest of the CFB world. They
will be the run-away selection as the best conference in CFB with
whoever is 2nd a distant 2nd. Bowl season will dictate their true spot. 1. The psyche of |
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|
FEBRUARY 18, 2007 |
|||||||||
|
QUESTION - Of
all the current SEC coaches, minus Steve Spurrier, which coach is most likely
to someday be regarded as the greatest coach in that program's history? |
|||||||||
|
S some programs don't have room for
another 'greatest coach'. for consequently, tommy tuberville
has the best chance of becoming the greatest coach at his program - auburn.
no auburn coach has had nationally significant success. the 2 closest and
shug |
I Urban Meyer. Of the potential cadidates,
Meyer, Tuberville, Richt, and Miles, Coach Meyer has the toughest coach to
climb. Steve Spurrier will always be a key historical link to
Gator Football. He started their success and, despite a bried
hiccup with Ron Zook, should be credited for laying the foundation that
Meyer has built upon. However, there are
a few reasons why Meyer will one day overcome Spurrier and become
the most noteworthy UF coach of all-time: 1. He is young.
Meyer could easily have 25 more years of coaching left in the tank. 2. He is not likely
to take his show to the NFL. While this is tough to gauge at such
a premature time, as of now Meyer's system would not translate well to the
NFL. 3. He is at a
desirable CFB campus. There are few opportunities for Meyer to get
a better CFB gig. Tuberville, Miles, and to a lesser degree
Richt are more likely to be wooed by a bigger CFB name. 4. He already
has a national title. If Meyer can string together a
couple more NC's in next decade, which appears certainly plausible, he'll
have only the "name" of Steve Spurrier to eclipse. 5. Which
brings me to my next point. Spurrier will always be
adored in 6. Meyer has charisma. He gained much
attention this year when he spouted off against a looming |
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|
FEBRUARY 11, 2007 |
|||||||||
|
QUESTION - if you could use your
'way-back' machine to travel backwards in time to 3 saturdays and watch any
player or game in college football history, where would you go? |
|||||||||
|
S 1) texas vs usc, 2006 - the storylines for
this game were unmatched: 3 heisman-worthy winners on one field in leinart,
bush, and young; a 34 game winning streak and a 3rd consecutive national
title in the balance; the rose bowl. and yet, those things turned out to be
secondary to what unfolded on the field. the game itself surpassed every
storyline. 2) 3) barry sanders vs |
I I would not go simply to see a player. I
would go to see a historical game or a game I that I find particularly intriguing.
The choices..... 1. 1969 Michigan-OSU: The most
important game in the history of UM football. Convincingly knocking off
the undefeated arch-rival juggernaut in Bo's first year would easily be the
most numbing experience of my life. 2. 1996 Michigan-OSU: This
actually might have been a bit uncomfortable. I might have sprinted for
the exits to get home. However, watching OSU fans sit stunned (two
years in a row) in their home stadium as another NC appearance went down the
toilet would have been oh-so-pleasing. 3. 1984 BC-Miami: A great high
scoring game with the 2nd most famed ending in CFB. I am tempted to pick an
old-school game just to see the atmosphere. However, after I soaked it
in I'd probably get a little bored with the game. These picks may be
boring, but they are truthful. |
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|
FEBRUARY 4, 2007 |
|||||||||
|
QUESTION - Pick
a historical game from pre-1980. A game that was once billed
as "titanic" and "immeasurably important" yet may
be largely unnoticed by today's younger CFB fans. When you've picked the game then
provide a brief recap of the game. |
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S hyped as one of only a few 'games of the century'
(also called 'dixie's last stand' as it was the last major sporting event
that matched 2 all-white teams), this memorable game featured the #1 and #2
ranked teams in the country playing on the last weekend of the season. both
were undefeated; texas was #1 and riding an 18 game winning streak. the intensity of the rivalry had long since been
established; the pregame hype was unprecedented. the original
october date was actually changed to december to maximize the game's
publicity. when when kickoff arrived it as clear that the hype had
not gone unnoticed. 50% of all televisions tuned into the game, billy graham
delivered the pre-game address/prayer, and nixon himself arrived in the game itself matched the hype. arkansas led
14-0 into the 4th quarter; the result of 2 long first-half scoring drives
orchestrated by razorback qb, and texas native, bill montgomery. but early in
the 4th quarter texas qb texas would later solidify their claim to #1 by
beating notre dame in the cotton bowl. penn st, who also finished undefeated,
declined an invitation to meet texas in the cotton bowl and has argued ever
since that they were the better team. this game rarely gets discussed anymore. in part
because the swc dissolved a decade ago and with it the arkansas/texas
rivalry. but it should, it was the pinnacle for a conference that would later
ride this game, and its bad-boy reputation, into historical annals of college
football. |
I Nebraska/OU, 1971 - Thanksgiving
Day. Two intense and hated border rivals. Both undefeated.
A Heisman trophy winner. A legendary coach. A fantastic
ending. 1 versus 2. The ultimate billing, "The Game of the
Century." What else do you want? After trading possessions early, OU
punted to the electrifying, and soon to he Heisman winner, Johnny
Rogers. That was merely the beginning of a
riveting and fist-clenching affair that would go back and forth all
afternoon. Half way into the 4Q OU moved in
front 31-28 on Jack Mildren's TD pass with under two minutes remaining.
The Sooners had overcome a 3rd quarter 11 point deficit and a couple of
4th down conversions. The invincible Yet after a methodical and
time-consuming drive Nebraksa has answered the bell once again. A short
plunge had put them up 35-31 with 1:38 left in the game. The Sooners
failed to convert a single first down in their last, desperate drive.
A deflected pass into the After a pit stop in |
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JANUARY 28, 2007 |
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QUESTION - which
top 20 cfb program would crumble if it lost its current coach? which
top 20 cfb program would improve dramatically if it lost it's current
coach? |
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S get worse: frank beamer - there's little question that beamer is
exactly responsible for vtech's status in cfb. he's the reason that vtech was
invited to join the acc 2 years ago; he's the reason one of the most popular
players in the nfl, michael vick, became a hokie; he's the reason vtech
played fsu for the national title in 1999; and he's the reason vtech has 6
10-win seasons in the past 8 years and played in 14 consecutive bowls. he
doesn't get 5-star recruits, he doesn't have a fertile recruiting ground, he
doesn't have tradition to sell. without beamer none of this would have
happened and, with any other coach, vtech would be an afterthought. get better bobby bowden - this is so obvious that it's almost
unfair. fsu is a potential giant in cfb, as was clear for the entire decade
of the 90's. head coaches reach legendary status, asst coaches get good head
jobs, recruits love the noles attitude (and recruits are everywhere), it has
a national reputation, and the acc is easily the most winnable bcs conference
(wake forest and gtech played for the title last year). to his credit, bowden
has had not trouble landing stellar recruiting classes and winning acc
titles. but, fsu has only 1 10-win season in the last 6 years and hasn't
finished in the top 10 since 2000. there are probably 2 dozen cfb coaches who
could take the job tomorrow and earn a top-10 finish and 10 wins in 2007 -
and as crazy as it sounds to say this about fsu, that would be a dramatic
improvement. |
I Two names jumped out
immediately once I read this question. After further contemplation they
have remained. Mack Brown: In all fairness, it
is difficult for Chris Peterson: The results are in and it
is official that Peterson was the true reason behind Dan Hawkins
success. Since his departure |
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JANUARY 21, 2007 |
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QUESTION - You are the same person you
are today. Same upbringing. Experienced the south in your younger
days and graduated high school in 1. What five schools get official visits and
why. 2. What school is the runner-up? 3. What school gets your commitment? |
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S experts initially have me linked to all the
typical suspects: 1) 2) clemson - the experts imagine that this
is tommy bowden delivering a smooth recruiting pitch and don't realize that i
have ties to south carolina and was at one time a casual tiger fan. i don't
have clemson high on my list but i want them to want me. 3) 4) 5) penn st - the tradition of psu and the
legend of joe-pa pique my interest. this visit is part courtesy and part curiosity.
i never seriously consider psu but really want to see it. i also take an unofficial visit to i decide to narrow the list to 3 by mid-january
after finishing the visits. the climate and sheer size of penn st make for an
easy decision. i call joe-pa and politely tell him no thanks. the idea of
clemson is compelling but the reality always comes up short. in the days leading up to national sigining day
i'm genuinely undecided between vtech, a few days before signing day i make the tough phone
call to beamer and carr thanking them for their time and telling them that
i'm headed to |
I Entering my recruitment I am consider a heavy UM
lean. Given my parents attended UM, and I've grown up a huge in-state
fan, many experts are bored following my recruitment. The end results
seems so obvious. Yet, to the surprise of many, I take my full
allotment of visits and set a late date for my announcement. If I am a UM
gimme then they'll at least have to sweat it out. 1. 2. 3. 4. Georgia Tech. While I am not
thrilled about playing in the ACC, everything else about GT is appealing from
afar. The thought of living in ATL is very thought-provoking.
Plus, I'd get a top-level education with nice weather for a decent CFB
program. They'll need to blow my socks off to stay on the list however. 5. I finish all my visits by early December. UM
is still my leader, but I am at least thinking about other options.
Yet, I am overwhelmed by the media scrutiny and need to pare down my list
prior to signing day. By mid-December I have eliminated .. Georgia Tech: After visiting more quaint and
appealing college towns I am no longer drawn to the big city. Plus, the
venues in the ACC are unimpressive and I realize I am playing for a
basketball school. Lastly, Chan Gailey was the least impressive of the
coaches I have met. With confidence I eliminate GT. On signing day I commit to |
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JANUARY 14, 2007 |
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QUESTION - name the current coach/program
that is the most overrated and the current coach/program that is the most
underrated. |
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S underrated tom o'brien, overrated bobby petrino, |
I Predicting a program/coach as overrated is a
daunting task if one is to do it correctly. To truly be underrated a
coach must still be developing and their pinnacle in the future. Frank
Beamer was often regarded as underrated, however we have caught on.
Beamer is a good coach leading a respected and consistent program. He
has outgrown the "underrated" label. At the same time legends
like Bowden and Paterno, while having an impressive body of work, have
largely been exposed in the media as past their prime. They can no
longer be labeled overrated since few believe they are good enough to garner
legitimate respect. Therefore, as I peer into my crystal ball I reveal
an overrated and underrated program/coach. However, I will only be
proven correct when time allows these programs to reveal their true
identities. Overrated: Ask a Volunteer fan and they'll honestly believe
they are an elite program. In a name sense, they still might be.
However, following their NC title in 98 the Vols have been nothing more than
an above average SEC team. Bowl losses to Underrated There is a lot to not like or not care about |
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