Notre Dame Proves They Are Number One
Last night at the Los Angeles Coliseum, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish proved they belong in the BCS Championship Game by defeating the the University of Southern California 22-13. The score was not indicative of how close this game was as Notre Dame dominated the game. The only thing that kept it close was Notre Dame's inability to close the deal several times down in the red zone, which they will need to do against either Alabama or Georgia.
What we saw last night , and for that matter all season long, is a team that relies on its defense to stop their opponent and an offense that can pound away at their opposition to close the game out. That's what happened last night. Up 16-10, the Irish offense ran the ball down the Trojans' throats with Theo Riddick being the main man. Notre Dame had to settle for a field goal and took the lead 19-10. USC was not ready to quit as a long pass to Marquise Lee brought the ball down to the ND 2 yard line. After 2 pass interference calls, USC tried running the ball 3 times and 3 times the Notre Dame defense denied them from scoring. Then an incomplete pass ended it for USC. The Irish took the ball on their own one yard line and Riddick rushed for 15 yards and got them out of harm's way. The game was over.
Defense wins championships and Notre Dame's is arguably one of the best in the land. The offense can be punishing and Everett Golson has developed into a good quarterback. They have the ingredients of a championship team and on January 7th we'll find out if they can close the deal.
Wake Up The Echoes
Tonight the number one team in the nation, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, will take on an old rival to ensure their first trip to the BCS Championship Game. A year ago, many around the nation were proclaiming that this storied football program would never reach the heights achieved by Lou Holtz, Ara Parseghian, Frank Leahy and Knute Rockne. Well, this current edition of the Irish have other ideas.
Bob Davie, Tyrone Willingham and Charlie Weis all tried to restore the luster of the Golden Dome but to no avail. But Brian Kelly, a winner at every place he has coached, is 60 minutes away from "shaking down the thunder from the sky." This game against USC will not be easy. Interestingly enough, the last time Notre Dame visited Los Angeles they won 20-16 as Matt Barkley was injured. It was the Irish's first victory over the Trojans since October 20, 2001 at South Bend. Similarly to 2010, Barkley is out for tonight's game forcing USC to start a redshirt freshman, Max Wittek. This will be Wittek's first college start and the brash freshman has proclaimed that the Trojans are going to win this game.
Notre Dame is like the Yankees: you either love them or you hate them. The haters are already saying that the Irish don't deserve to play for the national title. That they should have lost to Pittsburgh. That Stanford should have won their game against the Irish. To the haters I say: sour grapes!! As a Notre Dame fan, I kept on waiting for the wheels to fall off. When they visited Norman, Oklahoma I expected the Sooners to roll. That didn't happen. When the Pitt game was going into overtime, I had a sick feeling that they were going to blow it like they have in the recent past. Even entering the game against Boston College, I was nervous. But this team is different than those in the recent past.
College football is better when traditional powers like Notre Dame are contending for a title. The Irish have a national following. A victory tonight will most certainly ensure that this year's BCS title game will be the most watched in history all because this private school from South Bend, Indiana will be playing in it. It will certainly be watched more than if two SEC teams are playing in Miami on January 7, 2013. Here's hoping that whether "the odds be great or small, old Notre Dame will win over all."
Tuesday’s Thoughts
While wondering who is the genius who has come up with those awful Oregon football uniforms, here is what's on my mind this morning:
* The Toronto Blue Jays have vaulted into the AL East elite with a stunning blockbuster trade that brings Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buerhle and Emilio Bonifacio to the Rogers Centre. While there are never any guarantees with trades, this one certainly may change the balance of power in what is the most competitive division in baseball.
* Meanwhile, the Yankees are waiting to hear from Andy Petitte about his intentions to play in 2013. In looking at the Yankees right now it seems hard to imagine this team doing more than making the playoffs.
* It was reported on ESPN Cleveland that Browns players would like to see a uniform change. Really?? How about trying to win a football game. Cleveland fought hard to keep its colors. Those uniforms are a part of an iconic franchise, one that was once a power in the NFL. Many of these current players don't realize this, but many fans do. Would the Green Bay Packers change their uniforms??? I don't think so. Here's hoping that new owner Jimmy Haslam doesn't fall for this.
* Notre Dame is number one in college football and I couldn't be happier. It has been a long time coming and kudos to Brian Kelly and his staff. A win Saturday against USC seals the deal for the Fighting Irish. To all the haters out there, deal with it!!!!
* There is nothing more exciting than college football as evidenced by last Saturday night's upsets of Oregon and Kansas State. I thought I was going to short-circuit my remote control going back and forth between games. That's why I love college football.
* Watch out for the New Orleans Saints as they seem to be getting things in gear for a playoff run.
* The NHL/NHLPA met last night and once again the league gave the players an ultimatum: come back with a full proposal or don't bother coming back. It is clear that in order for the season to begin the players will have to give back once again. Seems to me that Emperor Bettman is poised to win again.
* Kudos to ex-Maole Leafs Ian White and Kris Versteeg for calling it the way it is. White called Bettman an idiot and Versteeg said that the Emperor and his henchman, Bill Daly, are cancers who have polluted the game and should be fired.
* The Bills victory over the Dolphins has sparked playoff talk again in Western New York. Really?? The Bills are 4-6 right now, as are the Jets, Dolphins, Titans and Chargers. The Bengals are 5-5 and the Colts and Steelers are 6-4. If the Bills don't win on Sunday against the Colts will this put an end to the playoff blather???
And finally, Niagara and Canisius both had big basketball victories over the weekend. It would be great for the area if both teams were contenders for the MAAC title and it would be a great alternative to a winter with no hockey. I wonder if the geniuses at WGR would notice???
Another Rotten Browns Loss
What has become a familiar pattern since they have come back in 1999, the Cleveland Browns did enough to keep their long suffering fans on the edge of their seats only to lose to the Dallas Cowboys 23-20 in overtime at the Palace That Jerry Jones Built. How many times have we seen this before?? I have been so conditioned to expect the worst that even at half time with the Browns ahead 13-0 I had a bad feeling. You see, the Browns had opportunities to score more than one touchdown in the first half but instead had to settle for field goals. I just knew that would come back to haunt them and in the end it did.
The Browns defensive front 7 played one helluva a game. They had Tony Romo on edge all day. The problem is that the secondary had issues, particularly the unbelievable number of defensive holding calls on Buster Skrinne. But the most damaging call was for unnecessary roughness on T.J. Ward with 63 seconds left in the game and the Browns ahead 20-17. Officials ruled that it was a helmet to helmet hit. Not sure what they were watching. Ward's helmet never hit Kevin Ogletree's helmet. It was Buster Skrinne's helmet that collided with that of Ogeltree's. The call was critical and allowed the Cowboys to be in a position to tie the game.
I'm not sure what to make of Brandon Weeden. There is no doubt he has a strong arm but he has a tendency to overthrow receivers at critical times, like on fourth and one when he overthrew a wide open Jordan Cameron. While I understand he is a rookie, one has to wonder how Colt McCoy would fair with a receiving corp that appears to have improved over the one that McCoy had to throw to last year. It seems forever that Browns fans have to wonder whether the guy behind center is "the guy". With 6 games remaining in the season, I want to believe that Weeden is the guy but I'm not so sure.
The only thing I am sure of is that Trent Richardson is the real deal. The rookie out of Alabama has been a standout and certainly warranted being the fourth pick in last year's draft. Richardson made some key runs and receptions that kept the Browns rolling. Montario Hardesty also looked good when he came in to give Richardson a chance to catch his breath. And it appears that Greg Little and Josh Gordon may be the two receivers that Browns fans have been waiting for.
Being a Browns fan is pure hell. While there seems to be some glimmer of hope on defense and with the young RBs and WRs, it's hard to get overly excited since we have seen this story since 1999. At some point you have to win games like the one on Sunday to build confidence. With Big Ben out for the Steelers who come to town next week, you would think that it would be a great opportunity for a big win in front of the hometown fans. I want to believe that it is possible but deep in the recesses of my brown and orange mind I know that something bad will happen. Such is life as a Browns fan.
If Bettman Were President
One of the biggest stories in the news today is the impending deadline of fiscal disaster if the President and the Congress can't come up with a deal. Can you imagine if Emperor Gary Bettman was President??? He would have convened a meeting with Speaker John Boehner and told him we are raising taxes on everyone, not cutting any entitlement programs and Congress will relinquish its right to question anything. Boehner of course would reject this ultimatum and then President Bettman would call for a two week moratorium on any further negotiations.
The above scenario may seem ridiculous but it is exactly what is happening with the NHL-NHLPA negotiations. Some fans like to place blame on both sides. You will get some who say that the players are getting paid well and should just be happy they are playing a game and earning great money. But these positions neglect the following:
1.) The owners are the ones who give out outrageous long-term contracts. Right up until the league announced there was going to be a lock out, teams were signing players to multiple year contracts.
2.) Bettman put forward a take it or leave it proposal on the first day of negotiations setting the tone for distrust among the players.
3.) The players have agreed to go down from a 57-43 split to a 50-50 split of the revenue. All they are wanting are current contracts honored. They have proposed a gradual phase-in of the reduction. Remember the players in 2004-2005 took a pay cut.
4.) In my opinion, it is the players who came up with the most creative proposal to achieve fiscal stability by proposing a revenue sharing plan which would see big market teams helping out small market teams.
5.) The players in the last contract gave in on a salary cap, changes in eligibility for free agency, a salary roll back (reduction) and salary arbitration.
Emperor Bettman is leading the league to disaster. Fans are getting outraged. Sponsors are not happy. And in spite of all of this, Emperor Bettman has called for a two week moratorium on negotiations. It's a slap in the face to the fans, the people who work at the arenas, the tavern and restaurant owners near the arenas, the owners & employees of sports apparel stores and the parking lot attendants. But as far as the Emperor is concerned, let them all eat cake.
How Bout Those Knicks!!!
The 1969-70 NBA season was when I began to give a damn about the NBA. You see that was the year that the NY Knickerbockers won the NBA title. The team's starting 5 was Willis Reed at center (when centers mattered), forwards Dave DeBusschere & Bill Bradley and Walt "Clyde" Frazier & Dick Barnett at guard. With Phil Jackson and Cazzie Russell coming off the bench, the Knicks went on to knock off the heavily favored LA Lakers who were led by Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. In fact, if memory serves me well the clinching game at MSG, with Reed badly limping to start the game, was the first one ever in prime time on television.
Those were great days and my following of the Knicks was interrupted by the Larry Bird Celtics but I came back with the Patrick Ewing-led team. But after Ewing and Company were gone, my interest in the Knicks evaporated. In fact, my interest in the NBA was pretty much gone. With Emperor Bettman's cancelling of NHL games, I have started to watch the Knicks again and it has been highly entertaining.
Going into last night's game, I wondered how real this Knick undefeated start was. But the fourth quarter last night showed me that this team may indeed be for real. The Knicks were down by 12 midway in the fourth quarter and I'm wondering whether it's time for me to go to bed. I began to rationalize that they can't win every game and they haven't won in San Antonio for years so its not a big deal if they lose. But they came roaring back to take control of the game and win it.
This Knicks team seems for real. Jason Kidd has made a huge difference. His veteran leadership has been a huge factor. Last night, Carmelo Anthony showed that he can contribute even when he is not scoring by playing defense and setting up teammates. And Mike Woodson has been a positive factor as head coach. One wonders how much better this team can be once Amare Stoudmire comes back.
While it is only November, last night's win over the Spurs gives Knick fans reason to have high hopes for this season. It has been a long time since there have been meaningful playoff games played at MSG in late April and May. Could this year be the year that changes?? Maybe. But as long as Emperor Bettman keeps the pucks on ice, I will be along for the ride.
Tuesday’s Thoughts
While wondering when Monday Night Football lost its relevance, here is what's on my mind this morning:
* The talks between the NHL and the NHLPA seems to have hit the wall as it appears that Emperor Bettman has issued an ultimatum that the league will not budge off of its latest proposal. Isn't that what negotiations are suppose to be about?? Give and take, right?? How does this guy keep his job beats the hell out of me.
* It has been years since Notre Dame has been relevant in college football. The big difference between this year's team and the teases of the past has been its defense. Led by Manti Teo, the Fighting Irish have one of the best defenses in football. Whether they will get a shot at playing in the BCS title game remains to be seen but kudos to Brian Kelly for what appears to be a turn around at South Bend.
* Since Emperor Bettman has taken hockey away, I sat down and watched the New York Knicks last Friday against Dallas and found the game very entertaining. It appears that the Knickerbockers may have found the right coach in Mike Woodson, who's no nonsense approach may be just what the doctor ordered. It remains to be seen how this team will perform throughout the season, but so far Woodson has them heading in the right direction.
* The Cleveland Browns have a new owner in Jimmy Haslam. Haslam has the passion that may be needed to inject some energy in a franchise that has floundered since it has come back to the NFL in 1999.
* Mike Holmgren leaving the Browns doesn't break my heart. I began to lose confidence in Holmgren as a result of his handling of the Colt McCoy concussion. I also think his hiring of Pat Shurmur as head coach was a mistake and may be corrected by Haslam at the end of this season.
* Soon the Winter Meetings will begin and I will be surprised if the Yankees do anything of note. Of course, we Yankee fans need not worry as Brian Cashman says he's not worried about filling the holes in right field, catcher and the starting rotation.
* Bills GM Buddy Nix says that he will be looking for a franchise QB in the 2013 draft. Really. Nix and Company has sold the Bills Mafia on Ryan Fitzpatrick and now Nix has realized that Fitzmagic is not the answer. The fact is that Fitzpatrick is a serviceable QB but you are not going to win anything with him. Nix has been a joke of a GM and he is lucky he works for Ralph Wilson.
* Someone should tell Bills Coach Chan Gailey that he needs to lose the facial hair.
* Had to laugh last night hearing Schoop and the Bulldog slapping down all the Chester Cheektowagas and Louie Lackawannas slamming Fitzpatrick. Typical WGR. The all-sports radio station, and home of the Bills, spent all summer selling people on how this team will make the playoffs. These two nitwits were still at it last night. But when things go bad, they can't take it when Danny Depew calls up and vents his spleen because the Bills don't look like a playoff team. The fact is that they are not a playoff team!!
* The only good thing about Emperor Bettman's cancellation of games is not having to listen to the GR loudmouths talking about how Ryan Miller is overrated.
* And finally, there are not many NFL games I really look forward to watching but I can't wait to see the Colts and Patriots next Sunday. Andrew Luck has led the Colts to a 6-3 record and it will be interesting to see him compete on the same field with Tom Brady. Hey Buddy, see what a franchise QB can do for you??
Bettman Has Got To Go
I have never been a Gary Bettman fan. He is arrogant and obnoxious. Moreover, he is not a hockey guy. He is only concerned about maintaining the confidence of enough team owners to keep his job. By my count, two lockouts in the last seven years, which included a lost season in 2004-2005, is the record of failed leadership.
The last lockout was centered on the establishment of a salary cap. The league got that and were poised for prosperity. Out of his own mouth, Bettman proudly announced in June that the NHL had a hugely successful season from an economic standpoint. From a fan standpoint, the contract with NBC Sports provided great TV coverage. The Winter Classic continued to be a New Year's Day event. All of this makes it hard for me to swallow Bettman's poor mouth routine.
On top of this, the summer saw a number of multi-year contracts. When I say multi-year, I'm talking about 10 and 12 year contracts. These are the very contracts that Bettman and Company want to do away with and not honor. Let me ask you, if you had a contract with your employer that says you would make $50,000 a year and he came to you and said, "you know in spite of your good performance and the fact that we are making money, I'm cutting your salary by 10%", would you be happy about that?? Probably not.
The league continues to talk about how small market franchises are struggling. What Bettman & Company will not realize that these so-called small market teams are in cities that have no business having a hockey team. You see another failure of the Bettman era is the ridiculous expansion into markets that don't give a rats ass about hockey. Two teams in Florida, three teams in California, teams in Nashville, Carolina and Phoenix is an invitation for disaster. But you see the crazy expansion allowed Bettman's bosses to make money off of the entry fees that these new teams had to pay upfront in order to have the privilege to play in a league that views its players as the enemy.
I want to believe that this season can be saved. I want to believe that hockey will begin in December. But I have absolutely no faith in Gary Bettman. Let me leave you with one last question: whatever happened to a commissioner who acted in the best interest of the game as opposed to his own best interest??
Now What Mr. Cashman??
Hiroki Kuroda has turned down the Yankees $13 million dollar qualifying offer leaving the Pinstripers without their number two starter. Brian Cashman stated in a couple of newspaper stories that he is confident that the Yanks can sign Kuroda but if they can't he is happy that the Yankees will get a compensatory draft pick. They will also get compensatory draft picks if Rafael Soriano and Nick Swisher sign elsewhere and Cashman sees this as an insurance policy that will help build the farm system. That would be true if Cashman and Company were able to draft players who eventually succeed in Major League Baseball.
Without Kuroda the Yankees are in big trouble, especially if Andy Pettite does not come back. Will Cashman then try to sell us with the signings of Freddy Garcia-types to fill out the roster?? The loss of Soriano and Swisher are not as serious as losing Kuroda. Kuroda was exceptional last year and really stabilized things when CC Sabathia was hurt. Losing Kuroda would force Cashman to make some kind of move however based upon Hal Steinbrenner's edict to have payroll at $189 million dollars by 2014, I am not optimistic.
The winter meetings in December will be very interesting as the future of this franchise will be shaped: will the the Yankees continue to be a factor in the American League or will they begin their descent back to the days of Horace Clarke, Jerry Kenney and a half-empty Yankee Stadium.
Yankeeland In Trouble
After a terrible post season, the New York Yankees find themselves with some major question marks. Rafael Soriano and Nick Swisher will not be back. We don't know whether Andy Pettite and Hiroki Kuroda will be in pinstripes and Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter are another year older. On top of all of this, Hal Steinbrenner is committed to bringing payroll down to $189 million dollars.
This past year's team was one of the least entertaining in a number of years. The home run or bust offense has failed miserably. Brian Cashman's statement that he is not going to change a philosophy that was successful under Gene Michael is a joke because if you look at the record, only one year from 1996-2000 did the Yankees have a 40 HR hitter. That was in 1997 which was the only year that the Yankees did not win the World Series during that time period.
Cashman's job is safe and that is a problem. He has failed to recognize that this team needs to get younger and it needs to rely less on home runs. In the post season, you have to be able to manufacture runs and these Yankees are unable to do that. Part of the problem is that the Yankee farm system has been terrible in developing position players under Cashman. It is inconceivable that the richest team in sports has such a terrible scouting staff. When was the last time the Yankees developed an outfielder, a third baseman and a first baseman (Bernie Williams, Mike Pagliarulo and Don Mattingly)??
I hate to say it but we can be on the verge of a dark period in Yankee history rivaling the late 80's early 90's. Cashman and Company have done absolutely nothing to restock this team with young homegrown talent. Take Jeter, Pettite, and Mariano Rivera from this roster and what you have is a collection of mercenaries around Robinson Cano, Phil Hughes, Brett Gardner and Joba Chamberlain. For those of you who don't know, that's what the 80's were like. Yankee fans we can be in for a long winter.
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