Saturday, December 16, 2006

Is NCAA selling ice cream to Eskimos?

Recently, Alumni from the University of Florida were in a feeding frenzy over tickets to the National Championship game against Ohio State. Florida responded by asking, "How much you Got?" Some disillusioned Gators were offering $15,000, their first born, and a whole lot more. All this commotion is being played out over a mythical national championship game. I wonder how much demand would there be for the Super Bowl if the combatants were decided by a bunch of coaches, sportswriters, also computer geeks. With all respects to Florida and Ohio State, we really don't know if these are the two best teams in college football; consider, there is no playoff. For all we know, hard charging LSU could have the best squad. Granted, I love the drama played out during the regular season. One lost, and you can almost kiss a national title run goodbye. Lets not pretend, however, this is the National Championship contest because its not decided on the field. The selection process, moreover, is dubious at best. In an association that sponsors playoffs for every other sport, the best the NCAA should do is acknowledge that the winner of the BCS is nothing more than -excuse the pun LSU- a paper Tiger.

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Red Necks Want To Hang John Gruden

In Tampa, Fl, the red necks are calling for the head of Bucs' football coach, John Gruden. Despite winning the Super Bowl three years ago also the NFC South last season, the necks want Gruden's head on a silver platter. According to disgruntle fans, Gruden is supposed to be an offensive genius, however the Buccanneers rank last in the NFL in total offense. In Pittsburgh, the Bucs kicked a field goal with four seconds left to avoid a shutout. The organization will have another first round draft pick next year, but with the disappointing perfomances of running back, Cadillac Williams and receiver, Michale Clayton, there is no reason for optimism. Clayton's declined has been particulary hard to fathom. Two years ago, he caught over sixty passes; this season, however, he's dropped more balls than Boston's, Manny Ramirez. Both Williams and Clayton are Gruden picks. Tampa's poor drafts have coincided with the departure of player personel director, Tim Ruskell. Gruden and general manager, Bruce Allen, are making all the calls and its showing. Selecting players is a full time job, and the league is full of coaches who tried to do it by themselves. Seattle's Paul Holmgren, had to relinquish his GM duties when the Seahawks fell by the wayside. Gruden thinks he can locate prospects in the senior bowl, but there's more to it. Players have to be scouted game by game, and their backgrounds have to be checked out throughly. Former USC standout receiver, Mike Williams, is a case in point. After signing a multi million dollar contract, he became fat and lazy. Not unusual for players who are drafted in the first round. John Gruden should go back to coaching and the Bucs should get a new general manager who will be more than a yes man for Gruden. This is the only way to save a good football coach's neck.