Thursday, October 31, 2013

DEVELOPING: John Scott Gets 7

((HT: Sportsnet))

The Buffalo Sabres now have another suspension on their hands...

John Scott gets seven games in addition to the 10 games that Patrick Kaleta got for his extra-curricular activity...

Scott got seven for his extending an elbow and a head shot on the Boston Bruins Loui Eriksson...

Here's Doug Maclean and Hazel Mae discussing...

Just to add to the Sabres issues...
Why not...???

Varlamov Appears In Court

((HT: The Denver Channel/7News))

Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov appeared in a Denver court this morning to answer the kidnapping and assault charges that were brought against him by his girlfriend of four years...

Here's a copy of the arrest warrant...

Semyon Varlamov Arrest Warrant



Kieran Nicholson and Sadie Gurman of the Denver Post were in the courtroom and found out details of the arrest as Varlamov's bond was set at $5,000.

His girlfriend, whose name is redacted from police reports, said Varlamov kicked her in the chest and knocked her down, then stomped on her while she was on the ground. He grabbed her by the hair and dragged her out of her bedroom and held her face to the floor, according to the affidavit and arrest warrant. He also grabbed her by her arms and shook her and pushed her down again, she told police.

The girlfriend had been concerned about Varlamov's behavior because she says he had been drinking. It is also reported in the arrest report that Varlamov said "if this were Russia, he would have beat her more."

Here's the look from inside the courtroom this morning...


Right now, JS Giguere is set to start in goal for the Avalanche for their next game. Varlamov's attorney is claiming his client will have his day in court to prove the innocence that his agent, Paul Theofanous, is reinforcing with anyone willing to listen...

Like he would do something else...???

Chamblee Apologizes For Column, Resigns Golf Mag Gig...

((HT: Golf Channel))

Brandel Chamblee has caught a hell's worth of hell from the Tiger Woods camp over the assertion that his 2013 game gets an "F" grade over the liberties Chamblee thought Woods was taking with the rules on multiple occasions this season...

Chamblee thought Woods was better than that...

Apparently, not...

Here's what he wrote in an online column that got him all the heat from Woods, Sean Foley, and anyone else in Tiger's camp:

"When I was in the fourth grade, I cheated on a math test and when I got the paper back it had '100' written at the top, and just below the grade was this quote: 'Oh, what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive!'" Chamblee wrote. "It was an oft-quoted line from the epic poem 'Marmion' by Sir Walter Scott, and my teacher's message was clear. Written once more beneath that quote was my grade of '100,' but this time with a line drawn through it and beneath that an F. I never did ask my teacher how she knew I cheated and I certainly didn't protest the grade. I knew I had done the wrong thing and my teacher the right, but I never forgot the way I felt when I read that quote.

"I remember when we only talked about Tiger's golf. I miss those days. He won five times and contended in majors and won the Vardon Trophy and ... how shall we say this ... was a little cavalier with the rules."


Chamblee gave Tiger a 100 grade, but an "F" overall...

He then Tweeted an apology a week ago: "Golf is a gentleman's game and I'm not proud of this debate. I want to apologize to Tiger for this incited discourse."

"My intention was to note Tiger's rules infractions this year, but comparing that to cheating in grade school went too far."


Here's Chamblee's discussion of his words on the page...


So, now Chamblee will not write for Golf Magazine, but he will still do his duties for Golf Channel and NBC...

And Woods says that the "next move" in moving past this incident is up to the Golf Channel...

Whatever that means...

Cristiano Ronaldo Responds To Sepp Blatter's Impression

So, it all starts with "the" question everyone wants to ask FIFA head Sepp Blatter about who is the greatest footballer on this or any other planet at present...

Go, Oxford kid...
((HT: Oxford Union))


And, then, CR7 goes off for a hat trick in a 7-3 win for Real Madrid yesterday and does this...
Go, Commander...


So much for all those Twitter pleasantries, eh kids...???

Self-Dentistry: Pascal Dupuis 2, John Tavares 1

((HT: NHL on NBC))

A week or so ago, you saw John Tavares yank out a tooth on the bench...

Last night, the Pittsburgh Penguins Pascal Dupuis was the victim of friendly fire from the stick of Kris Letang...
And this is what happened next...


Yeah...
Just "ew..."

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Oneida Nation Wants Meeting With All 32 NFL Owners

((HT: WUSA-TV))

The Oneida nation leaders met with the National Football League in New York City to discuss the state of the Washington Redskins nickname and their feelings on it...

"Their feelings on it" are that Redskins owner Daniel Snyder should receive some kind of sanction if he continues to use the nickname in future seasons. The Oneida have even invited Commissioner Roger Goodell and Snyder to Oneida homeland.

Here's coverage of the meeting...
 

"We met at the request of Ray Halbritter of the Oneida Nation," the NFL said in a statement. "We listened and respectfully discussed the views of Mr. Halbritter, Oneida Nation Wolf Clan Representative Keller George and their colleagues as well as the sharply differing views of many other Native Americans and fans in general. The meeting was part of an ongoing dialogue to facilitate listening and learning, consistent with the commissioner's comments earlier this year."
But... the Bravehearts...??? Really...???

Varlamov Turns Himself In On Domestic Violence Charge (UPDATED)

((HT: KUSA-TV))

Colorado Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov turned himself in to Denver Police detectives for domestic violence related charges.

Varlamov has been charged with third-degree assault (a Colorado Class 1 felony) and second-degree kidnapping (a Colorado Class 4 felony) from an incident Tuesday with someone whom he had an "intimate relationship."

Denver Police are saying Varlamov turned himself in around 6 p.m. local time. He is in the Denver County jail with no bond (since you can't bond out on assault charges in Colorado), and will be in court Thursday morning.

The Avalanche sent out a statement:

"The Colorado Avalanche organization is aware of the allegations concerning Semyon Varlamov. At this time, and until the conclusion of this investigation, the Avalanche organization will have no further comment on this situation."

From Ryan Parker and Nick Groke at the Denver Post:

The kidnapping charge is a Class 4 felony, punishable by to two to six years in prison, according Colorado statutes. Class 4 felony kidnapping is defined by taking someone and moving them to another place without their consent.

The assault charge is a misdemeanor.

Varlamov will remain in jail overnight because he cannot post bail due to the assault charge.


Here's what Varlamov has been up to, according to the attorney of the accused...
((HT: CBS4 Denver))


And here's the indictment:

Semyon Varlamov Arrest Warrant



Varlamov's bond was set at $5,000.

The Dirty Dozen and Bottom of the Barrel: Cruel to be Kind

Yeah, this is one of our all-time favorites...and it fits this week:



Oh you Nick Lowe....

Yeah, it was a tough week for some: We're talking about you Missouri. Blew a chance to essentially clinch the SEC East by gagging in the 4th quarter vs. South Carolina.

But that's on you. We figured you would at some point. And you did us all a favor by eliminating another undefeated team from the equation, so that's not such a bad thing.



Oh, geez, now we've done it, we've introduced Nic Cage into the equation. Chaos can only follow...

But a look back--Last week: 14-2, back on track, 94-16 for the season. Pretty damn good, eh!



But enough Nic Cage, it's time as Casey Kasem always said...to get "On with the Countdown"

THE DIRTY DOZEN:

1) Florida State 7-0. Yep, we did it. Brother Jon is going to laugh...or cry here, but you can make a case for this being the best team in all the land. There is always the specter of the ACC choke, but we don't think Jameis Winston will allow it. This Week: vs. Miami, Our Pick: FSU 37, Miami 20

2) Oregon 8-0. Winning against easy competition--check. Winning against obnoxious competition---yep. Beating a good UCLA team, yep, check that too. No reason to think anything will change, though we still wonder how they'll hold up against a physical team. Guess we'll find out. This Week: at Stanford. Our Pick: Oregon 41, Stanford 27

3) Alabama 8-0. Sorry, to be king, you have pass a series of tests. And Crimson Tiders, you haven't been tested this year other than vs. Johnny Football. And if he had even a lick of defense, Texas A&M would have beaten you. We'll find out what'cha got next week. This Week: BYE

4) Baylor 7-0. Can we just say that if Texas dumps Mack Brown, Art Briles should be the man to lord over Austin. But then again, why leave Baylor, they're pretty damn good. Admittedly, they resemble Oregon teams of the past few years, but so what? This Week: vs. Oklahoma, Our Pick: Baylor 43. Oklahoma 31

5) Ohio State 8-0. Okay, we admit it. The whitewashing of Penn State was impressive. But it was Penn State, not Alabama, not Oregon nor any other Top 5 team. It's not gonna help you to face Purdue and Illinois the next 2 weeks. This Week: at Purdue. Our Pick: tOSU 48, Purdue 10

6) Stanford 7-1. So your season is now pretty much on the line Cardinal. Still can't figure out how you lost to Utah, but you did. Here's your chance to redeem that. Are you up to the task? This Week: See #2

7) Clemson 7-1. Another disappointing team. We really thought more of these guys. Yeah, sure, they followed up the FSU embarrassment with a win over Maryland, but it wasn't exactly impressive either. This Week: at Virginia, Our Pick: Clemson 43, Virginia 17

8) Miami 7-0. Yeah, sorry, we aren't buying you as returning to your "U" days of lore. You've beaten up on mostly Little Sisters of the Poor and were lucky to escape Wake Forest. Yeah, not impressed. Sorry. This Week: see #1

9) Auburn 7-1. Looks like they are back. You can easily make the argument Gus Malzahn for coach of the year. Especially if the Tigers keep winning. Couple of tests lay ahead though and Nick Marshall is a bit dinged up. That might be a problem. This Week: at Arkansas, Our Pick: Auburn 37, Ark.23

10) Northern Illinois 8-0. Yes, that's right. Best team you've never heard of. And Jordan Lynch is the best college QB you've never heard of. 18 TD passes, 8 TD runs. Beat that? Yeah, didn't think so. This Week: vs. UMass, Our Pick: Northern Illinois 47, UMass 7

11) Missouri 7-1. That was an ugly loss last week and may be the end of the run here. Though James Franklin's possible return could change some things. We'll give you guys another week. Prove you belong. This Week: vs. Tennessee, Our Pick: Missouri 33, Tennessee 21

12) Fresno St 7-0. Yes, that's right. We're take a Mountain West team to round out the dozen. Why not? We don't think Oklahoma is that good, LSU and Texas A&M have lost twice. Not to say they won't return, but we'll give Fresno the love here. This Week: vs. Nevada, Our Pick: Fresno St. 44, Nevada 29

THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL:



5) Umass 1-7.



Yes, yes you are. Nothing else needs to be said. Prove us wrong. This Week: See #10

4) UConn 1-7. Not sure what the Huskies and UMass say about football in the Northeast, we'll leave that to your imagination. But man, we hope those two teams never play. At least not on TV. This Week: vs. Louisville (ouch), Our Pick: Louisville 53, UConn 10

3) Georgia State 0-8. Sorry guys. Close ain't gonna cut it. You haven't beaten anyone. And we're pretty sure you aren't going to beat anyone left on your schedule.



Truth---This Week: vs. W.Kentucky, Our Pick: WKY 37, Ga.State 21

2) Miami (OH) 0-8. No, the OH, doesn't mean "owe", it means "zero" as in that many wins. You aren't getting out of the basement here guys. Ain't happening. Your top 2 running backs, a combined "zero" TD's. Sensing a trend here. This Week: vs Bowling Green (Nov 5), Our Pick: Bowling Green 37, Miami 0

1) Southern Miss 0-8. It was a nice gesture by the student body to hold a support rally for you. Really, it was. They have to be as confused as we are, didn't this used to be a pretty good, "Mid-Major" program? Really, it couldn't have been that long ago, could it? This Week: at Marshall, Our Pick: Marshall 42, Southern Miss 12

Yes, New Mexico State finally won a game. So they get the week off---our list that is...

Maybe they just wanted some cake---ENJOY!




Pacer Fwd Paul George Buys All Tickets to Fresno St. Season Opener

((ht: thebusinessjournal.com))

Wow! Indiana Pacers all-star forward Paul George celebrated his new contract in rather spectacular fashion.

It appears Mr. George bought every single ticket to his alma mater's (Fresno St) season opener on November 16th.

That would be 15,695 tickets. Yes, 15,695....now free tickets to the public.

Read more from the The Business Journal (Fresno) RIGHT HERE

Bravo Mr. George. We don't know exactly how much money that adds up to, but we're pretty sure it's a lot.

George can afford the generosity. He just signed an $80 plus million dollar, 5-year contract extension with the Pacers.

And yes, that's a lot of money for anyone.

If you are unfamiliar with Paul George, he's one of the best NBA players you may not have heard of. Here's a brief highlight reel:

Developing: Carl Pelini Resigns at Florida Atlantic--UPDATE

((ht: thebiglead.com))

Okay, the question to the non-hardcore sports fan is "Who is Carl Pelini?" and why would anyone care that he resigned from Florida Atlantic University...?

Here's your answer. Pelini, coach of the 2-6 Owls along with his Defensive Coordinator Pete Rekstis were forced to step down because, according to ESPN.com reporter Brett McMurphy, the two attended a social event where pot was used and agreed to resign.




The school is in the process of holding a press conference as we write this to make the announcement. We will update this as the day progresses

--Update: The school officially has announced the resignations stating that offensive coordinator Brian Wright will finish the season as the coach.

--Update: Per: Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinel reporter Dieter Kurtenbach, Pelini released a statement saying "I apologize for exercising poor judgement".

--Update (4:20pm) Per Kurtenbach:

Also---Both men (Pelini and Rekstis) appear to have admitted to their boss, FAU AD Pat Chun, they participated in "Illegal Drug Use".

Oh boy, this is getting worse by the Tweet....



Here's coverage from our friends at WSVN-TV
WSVN-TV - 7NEWS Miam Ft. Lauderdale News, Weather, Deco

And here's AD Pat Chun from the afternoon presser...
((HT: NBCMiami))

Things You Can't Unsee: Dallas Mavs Singing Take on "The Fox"

Oh geez...we're gonna have nightmares tonight.

We just saw one of the more painfully awful moments in music video twists ever. Admittedly, we had to look up the song "The Fox" by Ylvis, but we're now kind of regretting that too.

All this is because the infinitely entertaining Dallas Mavericks decided to do "Their" spin on the song called "What the Mavs Say".

And it's as bad and visually disturbing as you could imagine it being...

Take a look:

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

MLS Expansion: The Miami Beckham's??

David Beckham
So, it appears that Major League Soccer is on a bit of a growth curve these days.

America's top level professional league currently has 19 teams, and many of whom play in new or newer stadiums that are often full of fans.

And while the league has had success in the Northwest with Seattle and Portland, several Midwest teams and a smattering in the Northeast, they've not made a move in the south.

That may change as a report today stated that Soccer legend David Beckham is interested in bringing a franchise to Miami. And before you say it, yeah, we know, nobody considers Miami part of the South. But that's another story for another day.

Beckham, when he signed his deal to play for the L.A Galaxy a few years ago, had a clause put in his contract that said he could get a franchise for a mere $25 million. Big money to you and me, not so much to Becks...

We might add here that MLS Commish Don Garber wants to bring MLS from 19 to 24 teams by 2020. Bringing Miami onboard, combined with Orlando, who just passed a deal for a new stadium and Atlanta who's been all but guaranteed a franchise when the Falcons get their new stadium built, puts the tally at 22. We are guessing, Garber will find 2 more in the next 6-plus years.

Add NYC FC and that means that only one spot is open...

In June, Beckham toured Sun Life Stadium (where the Miami Fusion floundered the first time MLS went to south Florida) and Florida International University. They also met with Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez.

FIU wants to court the Beckham Group- that included Marcelo Claure, president and CEO of Brightstar Corporation.

Beckham also visited Montreal, San Diego, and Orlando...

Mike Pouncey Speaks On Subpoena

((HT: WSVN-TV))

Miami media got to grab Miami Dolphins center Mike Pouncey for the first time after he was given a subpoena in a grand jury investigation involving the Aaron Hernandez case and the possibility of being called having to do with accusations that Hernandez may be involved in interstate gun trafficking either separate or apart from the murder investigation ongoing in Massachusetts at present...

Got all that...???
Here's the ambush...well, it's more like a cornering
WSVN-TV - 7NEWS Miam Ft. Lauderdale News, Weather, Deco

OSG High: Cheating Using Hudl...??? Maybe...

Destrehan (LA) High is in the top 5 in Class 5A at 8-0, and is under investigation by the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA) for possibly cheating using Hudl...

“We’ve have never dealt with anything like this before,” LHSAA executive director Kenny Henderson told The Shreveport Times' Roy Lang III.

Hudl has become the beauty of the high school football world. It is a computerized clearing house for itemizing game film by play, formation, player, situation... you name it, the program breaks it down and has caused the stopping of coaches meeting at restaurants at half-way points on the freeway to prevent tape swapping forever...

And, pretty much, every school uses it now...

Looks like Destrehan got the South LaFourche (LA) username and password and went to town...

Destrehan ended up beating South LaFourche 49-24 Friday night.

From Lang:

According to Henderson, the LHSSA “visited” Destrehan, located along the Mississippi River about 20 miles west of New Orleans in St. Charles Parish, on Monday.

“Were doing an investigation and I can’t tell you more than that because it’s an ongoing investigation and, honestly, I just don’t know what to tell you,” Henderson said.


Here's what Destrehan has done in the past- winning a state title back in 2008...
((HT: Albert Dupont))

The "Wrecking Ball" Fake Field Goal?

((ht: yahoo.com/prep-rally))

Uh, yeah, okay.

Friend of OSG Sports Cameron Smith found him a doozy from this past weekend.

The video you are about to see is being called "The Wrecking Ball" play. It comes from Sherwood High School in Sherwood, Oregon.

Notice several things here.

1) The holder bounding away from the kicker in, well, an odd kind of way.

2) The deliberate standing around by the defenders from Putnam High School

3) The jump pass to an apparent 6-11 Tight End in the end zone. (No, we've not heard of a 6-11 TE either).

Check out the original story on Yahoo Sports, because there's more to it, RIGHT HERE

Here's the video in question:

Go Aztecs! Baseball Plays Game In Halloween Costumes

((HT: GoAztecs.com))

According to the Aztecs, this is an annual thing...

Players dress up in Halloween costumes and people vote on who looks the best...

This year's winner: The Jamaican Bobsled team...

C.J. Saylor was up front with a bat in his hands, with Tyler Sapp, Mark Seyler, Danny Sheehan and Cody Thompson along for the ride.

The prize for best costume was to be a 2014 Corvette Stingray. But, because of NCAA restrictions, the Jamaicans instead were given warm applause.

Other costumes were an App Store, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, and Facebook apps, along with Charger Girl, a blonde bombshell, a lifeguard, Captain America, and Captain Underwear...

The Red team beat the Black Team 5-3...
Here's your highlights...

Monday, October 28, 2013

Matt Stafford Did Say "Clock It!"

((HT: NFL Films))

The Detroit Lions QB was mic'ed up for the Dallas game Sunday...

Here's a sneak preview of the last drive where everyone in a Cowboys uniform thought he was going to do what he was yelling that he was going to do...


That's what we get for listening to him, right...???

Unless, of course, you're "Shea In Irving..."
((HT: Dan Patrick Show/Audience Network))

Sandusky Victims to Get $60 Million from Penn State

Jerry Sandusky
Wow...okay, Penn State must have a serious amount of money tucked away in its coffers.

The school announced Monday morning, they've reached settlements with 26 of the 32 people who made sexual abuse allegations against former Assistant Football coach Jerry Sandusky. Payments for those settlements according to the school--$59.7 million.

Penn State was quick to make clear the money would not come from tuition, taxpayer funds or donations, but rather a variety of insurance policies and other self-sufficient sources.

From the school's press release: "The Board of Trustees has had as one of its primary objectives to reach settlements in a way that is fair and respects the privacy of the individuals involved,” said Keith Masser, chair of the Board of Trustees. "This is another important milestone in accomplishing that goal. I would like to thank the board’s Legal and Compliance Committee, as well as its Legal Subcommittee for its leadership throughout this process.”

University President Rodney Erickson added; “We hope this is another step forward in the healing process for those hurt by Mr. Sandusky, and another step forward for Penn State. We cannot undo what has been done, but we can and must do everything possible to learn from this and ensure it never happens again at Penn State.”

Per multiple reports, part of the agreement has a confidentiality clause in it. That clause would not allow the victims or family members to disclose how much they received from the school.

Read more from PennLive.com RIGHT HERE

In many ways, this ties up most of the loose ends in the 2009/10/11 case that saw the Nittany Lions former defensive coordinator arrested and charged with multiple cases of child sexual molestation, publicly humiliating the school and many of it's legends. Sandusky is in jail, where it appears he'll be for a very long time, the school administrators involved are no longer with the school.

No doubt the people of Happy Valley will be happy the saga has almost ended. The only curveball would be if Sandusky appeals his sentence.

Oh wait...

Gudas Ejected For Stick Swinging After Bottle Squirt

After he got sprayed with water blue Gatorade from the Florida Panthers bench...

Just watch... short of getting mad after "fall down go boom..." that's when Gudas came up swinging...
((HT: FS Florida/Sportsnet))

So, Upshall serves a two-minute bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct. Gudas is dealt two minutes for slashing, a 10-minute misconduct, plus a game misconduct...

That'll learn ya...

Mike Pouncey Served Subpoena In Hernandez Investigation

((HT: ESPN))

This was not how Dolphins center Mike Pouncey envisioned his trip to Foxborough...

About an hour after the game with the Patriots, he was served with a subpoena to appear in front of a grand jury related to his involvement with Aaron Hernandez and his possible dealings with interstate gun trafficking...

Lester Munson discusses...


Remember the Pouncey brothers were the ones who wore "Free Hernandez" hats in the off-season and were snapped in a photo wearing them.

Maurkice apologized.
Mike did not...

Greg Bedard of SI.com discusses Pouncey's possible issues on the "Joe Rose Show" on WQAM-AM Radio

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Remember When Dez Bryant Said He Could Do What Calvin Johnson Does...???

The HQ staunchly laughed and disagreed since we've covered him since his days at Sandy Creek High School in suburban Atlanta...

Today, pretty much, put that laughter over the top...

Compare...
((HT: NFL on FOX))


Contrast...


Which should render this debate, like all the others they have on a daily basis...
Moot...
((HT: ESPN))


And what, exactly, does Dez Bryant do... other than what is contained in the video above in clutch time...???

Jus' axin'...

OSG Prem: ManCity's Defense Is Their Downfall

((HT: BPL))

The HQ would like to know what in the blue hell is going on with City's back line... especially after today's surrendering of a point snatching defeat from the jaws of a sister-kissing at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea...

Game's tied at ones after a beautiful goal by Sergio Aguero, and this happens in the 90th minute...

THE 90TH MINUTE...


Nastasic and Joe Hart played their best version of "I got it, you take it..." and gave Fernando Torres their best make-good on his airmailing of a goal attempt in the first half...

Here's Manuel Pellegrini post-match...
((HT: SkySports))

Punt Return Of The Year Comes From D3...???

Yup...

It's only 75 yards in east-west distance, but Muskingum's Dominick Williams went the distance- and then some...

Muskingum still lost to Heidelberg 49-21
((HT: Lost Lettermen/Chris Mobley))

So, Wait... Who's Bowl-Eligible...???

The short answer is Minnesota, Duke, Tulane, and Rice...

And, no, this is not some kind of pre-Halloween joke or something...

The HQ has always enjoyed Coach Cut's work at Duke... he gets it... and, thankfully, the Athletic Department has had the patience they're supposed to with a program that is a square peg-round hole when it comes to the sport and the kids you can bring in to the program on a yearly basis...

Everyone likes to talk about "signature wins" and all that stuff... a supposed win where your program moves forward past a point of success and a glass ceiling- on to bigger things...

If you believe in those things, then the win over Virginia Tech yesterday in Blacksburg may have been it. There were entirely too many interceptions thrown by Logan Thomas. The Hokies defense kept the football Devils in check (and downright ineffective) in the second half, but the visitors held on.
((HT: ACCDN))


In the B1G, Minnesota either showed everyone how they're progressing as a team- putting the concerns around head coach Jerry Kill aside for another few days- or they exposed Nebraska for the charade they are as a ranked team...

Probably, the latter if you as the HQ (and Tommie Frazier- who went on another Twitter "toldyaso" rant after the game)...
Here's the Tracy Claeys special...
((HT: BTN))


Tulane knocked off Tulsa 14-7 in C-USA play to improve to 6-2 and stay undefeated in division play. The Green Wave are now bowl eligible for the first time since 2002...

It led to song...as it should have...
((HT: Stephen Segari))


And Rice is also 6-2 after taking care of UTEP 45-7. Taylor McHargue threw 4 TD passes and the Miners are now 1-6 on their own. But the cool moment was when 4'9" walk-on Jayson Carter got his first in-game reps...
Evidence below...
((HT: Rice SID))

West Texas A&M Puts Up 90 Points On McMurry. Buffalos Win 90-57

It was an old fashioned shoot out in Abilene, Texas Saturday.

In a battle between NCAA Division II foes as 9/16 ranked West Texas A&M put up 90 points on McMurry in a 90-57 win.

Here's the highlights, many thanks to KTAB-TV, Abilene, Texas.




West Texas A&M totaled 693 yards of total offense led by quarterback Dustin Vaughn who threw for 452 yards and six touchdowns.

Buffalo running back Aaron Harris rushed for a career high 136 yards on 11 carries.

"It was kind of a breakout game for both Harris and Alridge on the ground,"  West Texas A&M interim head coach Mike Nesbitt said.  "Our offensive line did a great job sealing up some holes and getting a good push, especially in the third and fourth quarters today."

Both teams combined for 172 offensive plays and 1,401 yards of total offense.  

Those of us at the OSG HQ want to know, where's the defense.

ICYMI: Cards Win Game 3 Of World Series on Obstruction Call

Okay, we kind of wish we stayed up or at least had the World Series on the television last night after reading about this.

Game 3 of the World Series ended Saturday night in a way unlike any other---ever.

The St. Louis Cardinals walked away with a 5-4, bottom of the 9th victory, when Allen Craig was awarded home plate after 3rd base umpire Jim Joyce ruled he was obstructed.

Ironically, he may very well have scored when Jarrod Saltalamacchia's throw sailed over 3rd baseman Will Middlebrooks head, but Craig and Middlebrooks got tangled up as Craig slid to beat the throw.

That's when the chaos ensued. Craig (who's fighting a foot injury), limped towards home plate as fast as he could, but didn't beat the throw home.

It didn't matter. Joyce had made his call, and according to the MLB Rule Book as long as he made a concerted effort to advance, he would be ruled safte.

That's what happened.

We'd show you the highlights, but really, this was the only highlight that mattered:

Conner Shaw Rallies Gamecocks Off The Bench For 27-24 Win Over Missouri In Double Overtime

Conner Shaw after 27-24 win over Missouri
South Carolina quarterback Conner Shaw wasn't suppose to play against Missouri.  A sprained left knee was causing Shaw to watch the game from the sidelines.

Shaw and the Head Ball Coach didn't like what they were seeing.

The Gamecocks committed three turnovers, gave up the ball on down twice and missed a field goal.  

Mid-way through the third quarter Missouri was up 17-0 and Tiger fans were thinking about a trip to Atlanta and the SEC Championship Game on early December.

The Gamecocks' season was on life support.

Enter Conner Shaw.

"I went over and asked him if he could play and he said sure."  South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier said.  "I said we had to make the move now. Dylan was just a little off here and there. I thought he had a few guys open and he zinged them out, but he threw some good balls. It just wasn't his night and Connor gave us a little sharpness in there."

It turned out to be perhaps and season defining move by the Head Ball Coach.  Shaw relieved Dylan Thompson and led the Gamecocks to a pair of touchdowns and a field goal force overtime.

Then on the overtime Shaw led South Carolina to a touchdown and a field goal and that was enough.

Missouri kicker Andrew Baggatt missed a 24 yard field goal off the left upright and South Carolina escaped Columbia, Missouri with their season saved for the time being.




“God is great, man,” Shaw said. “I wasn’t even supposed to be playing this game. Give all the glory up top.”



Shaw finished the night 20-of-29 for 201 yards and three touchdowns.

“It was a game I thought we were dead," Spurrier said. “It just worked out tonight. That’s all you can say, it was meant to be.”



"I thought it was a very courageous effort on his part". Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel said.

South Carolina is back in the race for the SEC Championship.  

It was a stunning loss for Missouri.

"Our guys are certainly frustrated and disappointed, and they should be." Pinkel said.  "They are competitors and we will have to bounce back from this."

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Who Is Bo Cordell And Why Are We Talking About Him...???

((HT: Tusculum University their own selves))

Tusculum QB Bo Cordell broke the Division II record for career yards passing in the Pioneers 41-33 loss to Wingate.

Cordell (pictured right with head coach Frankie DeBusk, thanks Ben Cash/Tusculum) threw for 349 yards (32-55-349-2TD) to get his career total to 15,049 yards. That broke the D-II record set by Zach Amedro, who threw for 14,733 yards for West Liberty from 2007-10. Cordell is also now 5th all-time in passing yards...

Case Keenum holds the record for most career yards passing regardless of classification with 19,217...

Wingate broke up a TD pass attempt in the endzone with less than a minute to go to preserve the win...

Here's an interview that Cordell did with Darren Reese of the Greeneville Sun newspaper about what he's doing up at Tusculum in his junior year...

Who Is Octavias McKoy And Why Are We Talking About Him...???

((HT: Western Connecticut State Football their ownselves))

The Stamford, Connecticut running back is now the NCAA record holder for yards in a game...

455 yards on 43 carries with 5 TD's in WCSU's 55-35 win over Worcester State gives him the record over Marietta's Dante Brown by 15 yards- set in 1996. McKoy (pictured right, thanks Matt Wright- Worcester State SID) scored on runs of 15, one, 41, 53 and 71 yards as they outscored Worcester 27-7 in the second half after being tied 28-28 at the half.

Here's what the Colonials knew they were getting when he signed on...


LaDanian Tomlinson has the D1 record with 406 yards rushing...

Jordan Lynch Is Working The Outside Lane

((HT: XOS Digital))

Northern Illinois QB Jordan Lynch finished 7th in the voting last year for the posing-stiff arm trophy that the best player gets in Division I...

With all these efforts that he's trying to put on the board, it looks like NIU is trying to get him as much attention as possible when the voting actually happens...

Like today...

Lynch had four touchdown passes, one touchdown run and one touchdown catch as they beat Eastern Michigan 59-20...

Here's the highlights of the Huskies win...


NIU (8-0, 4-0 in Mid-American Conference) won its 24th consecutive home game and their 21st straight against a MAC opponent.
NIU's 8-0 start is the program's best since 1965...

The HQ thinks it's safe to say the other front runners for that trophy may do the same kinds of stunts as we go further in the year...

Darrell Wallace, Junior Makes History, Harvick And Dillon Make Soundbites

((HT: NASCAR on FOX))

It was a history-making day at Martinsville this afternoon as Darrell Wallace, Junior became the first black driver in 50 years to win a top-level NASCAR-sanctioned event. Wallace won the truck series event after dueling Jeb Burton at the restart with five laps to go...

Here's the finish and the highlights...


Wendell Scott won in Jacksonville in December 1963 in what is now the Sprint Cup Series.

"We congratulate Darrell Wallace Jr. on his first national series victory, one that will be remembered as a remarkable moment in our sport's history," NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France said.

"I had a chance to talk with Darrell and his father in Victory Lane today and we are just thrilled for him and his entire family on the win in Martinsville," car owner Joe Gibbs said. "We obviously think a lot about Darrell. He has tremendous talent and we really believe he can have a huge impact on our sport."

But there were more fireworks after the event as Kevin Harvick went on mic and expressed his displeasure toward Ty Dillon and RCR Racing for getting spun late in a battle for positioning...


So there...

OSG Prem: Suarez Shines, Southampton Rolling

((HT: NBCSN/BPL))

Luis Suarez and Liverpool are on a huge roll right now as it has been not necessarily proven, but reinforced, as to how important he is on the offense. Suarez and Sturridge were credited for all four goals today against West Brom...

Here's Suarez's first of the day, which was special...


Which team do we pay attention to when we're talking about Manchester United...???
The one that was on display in the first half Saturday against Stoke, or the one that did this on their way to a 3-2 come-from-behind win at Old Trafford...???


Elsewhere, Arsenal and Everton scored 2-0 wins, and Southampton got one of those themselves and are now THIRD in the league table

OSG High: Glades, Miami Game Canceled Due To Gang Violence

((HT: WPTV-TV))

The Glades Central- Miami Northwestern game was taken off the books last night because of the report of gang violence in the area...

A Thursday shooting in Belle Glade led the police to send the heads-up and the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and School District Police decided it was best to cancel the game.

Northwestern Athletic Business Director Tiffany Wright she said the school received a call at 11AM breaking the news...

A Palm Beach County School District official told espnwestpalm.com that the game will not be played on Saturday and that Monday is "unlikely." There's only two weeks left in the regular season...

Here's the wrap...
Northwestern would go to 4-4 and Glades to 3-5 if there's no make-up because it would have to be considered a Glades forfeit.

Two teens were arrested and local police are searching for a third that they think is also involved in the shooting that was referred to by local police as "an ongoing feud."

OSG High: Cheerleaders Benched For Condoms In Spirit Bags

((HT: KHOU-TV))

Okay... this could be two schools of thought...

The Wharton (TX) High cheerleaders who put condoms in the goodie bags for their football players were either being preventative and showing some forethought or...

Well, the other one...

The powers that are with the school district called that move a violation of the student code of conduct. The cheerleaders were given a one-day, in-school suspension and were banned from last night’s game against Bellville.

Here's the fallout...

The school system says their decisions are based on state law...

The HQ would like to know what law they're thinking of for that punishment...

OSG Clasico: Barca Up At The Break (UPDATED W/Barca 2-1 Win)

((HT: beINSport))

And here's how... it had nothing to do with Messi or CR7


The game is being seen by a billion people- about three times the Roman Numeral Clasico played here in the States...

Chew on that for a second...

More game details at the final whistle...

PM UPDATE: A ridiculous goal by Alexis Sanchez gave Barca enough cushion to survive el Clasico, 2-1. But one point of contention for the Real fans came from this no-call that should have given an equalizer to the visitors...
((HT: beINSport via Instagram))


Oh, here's the Sanchez goal... see for yourself...

We Have Our First Bowl Bid... And BYU Has It As Cougs Beat Boise

((HT: 4Utah.com))

Taysom Hill had over 400 yards of total offense, but more importantly, what has happened to Boise State these days...???

The Cougars knocked off Boise 37-20 last night and accepted a bid to the Fight Hunger Bowl in San Francisco in late December.
BYU also snaps the Broncos 50-game October win streak that dated back to 2001...

Here's your highlights...


“We’re thrilled that BYU will be playing in this year’s Fight Hunger Bowl,” FHB Executive Director Gary Cavalli said after the game. “When BYU announced it was going independent a few years ago, we were in contact with Tom Holmoe about 30 seconds later to offer an opportunity to play in our bowl. BYU has one of the country’s proudest athletic traditions, a tremendous fan base and a great bowl history. We anticipate a terrific matchup on December 27 with a quality Pac-12 opponent.”

BYU has been bowl eligible in each of the nine seasons under head coach Bronco Mendenhall- going 6-2...

Can A Flash Mob Save The Southern Miss Season...???

((HT: Southern Miss Sports/CFT))

It's no secret that the Golden Eagles are at the Bottom of the Barrel- as Brother Phil will attest on a weekly basis...

And prevailing wisdom is that the program may be in the dumper for a while- considering all the damage that was done by Ellis Johnson in his only season as boss man...

They have lost 18 in a row and had an issue even beating FIU earlier this season...

So, that brings us to this...

Head coach Todd Monken put out a call to the masses in Hattiesburg and this show of support happened...


Phil will also stipulate, the HQ is sure, that Monken could be the guy to turn the program around- given the long-term chance...

Slip Sliding Away: Bucks-Raptors Cancelled Due To Unsafe Court

((HT: NBA))

The new floor for the Milwaukee Bucks might have too much wax on it or something...

The Bucks-Raptors game was cancelled after a bunch of players hit the floor in a negative, non-fouling manner...

Here's the look at the slipperiness...


Head ref Danny Crawford said he and the other officials determined the floor was unplayable.

“We kept making eye contact out there and we saw the players were having issues with traction,” Crawford said, in an interview with a pool reporter. “Then when we had a few guys go down, we figured we should have a conference. And both teams wanted not to continue the game.”

Friday, October 25, 2013

The Dirty Dozen and The Bottom of the Barrel: The Overrated Edition



Uh..yeah, so there's that.

Anyone else notice that the 1st week of the "BCS" poll and there's always a slew of upsets? Not that we are throwing conspiracy theories out or anything.

And really, you could apply this chant to pretty much anyone in the SEC this season (Yeah, I said it!--Prove I'm wrong)



Clemson, slaughtered, UCLA, barely a whimper, Texas A&M, bye-bye. Oh, and don't forget Louisville....sigh...

It was a tough week to pick games, but this is a marathon not just a one week thing. Keeping that in mind...here's the tally so far. 10-6 Yikes!!  But 80-14 on the season...



Ha!

As Casey Kasem always said, "Let's get on with the Countdown"

THE DIRTY DOZEN:

1) Oregon 7-0. Kinda would like to see Nick Aliotti (sp?) and Mike Leach square off after last weeks aerial circus in Oregon. But seriously now. And no, don't call me Shirley...



In all seriousness. Ha! The Ducks do face their toughest stretch of the season get through the next 2 weeks...This Week : vs. UCLA, Our Pick: Oregon 47, UCLA 31

2) Florida State 6-0. Yes, really. They embarrassed Clemson. Though admittedly, Clemson kinda made that a little easier. Is there any doubting Famous Jameis now? The ACC is there for the taking. And this time a BCS berth too. This Week: vs. NC State, Our Pick: FSU 41, NC State 20

3) Alabama 7-0. Oh how the mighty have fallen. And don't blame them, the other guys have accomplished more this year. Really. Look it up. Beating Arkie 52-0, not a great accomplishment these days. This Week: vs. Tennessee. Our Pick: Alabama 37, Tennessee 16

4) Mizzou! 7-0. Admit it. How many of you picked them to be here at this point of the season. Stop lying bitches! We aren't sure they'll stay, but for now Gary Pinkel and Maty Mauk, enjoy the ride. This Week: vs South Carolina. Our Pick: Mizzou 27, SC 23

5) Ohio St. 7-0.



No, sorry, you don't. It's not all your fault, your Big 10 brethren are killing you. Even the ones you don't play. But like all good things in CFB, run the table and you get an invite to the dance. The Bucks more than likely will do just that. This Week: vs. Penn St. Our Pick: tOSU 33, Penn St. 31

6) Baylor 6-0. My new favorite team...this year. Come on' man, 64 ppg this year, how can you not love that? And they only give up 16. But they haven't been tested either. That's about to change. This Week: vs. Kansas, Our Pick: Baylor 64, Oklahoma 16

7) Miami 7-0. Dodged a bullet last week 'Canes, didn't ya? It is such an ACC thing to do, almost lose a game you shouldn't. Squeaking by a weak North Carolina team isn't a Top 10 type thing. But anyway. This Week: vs. Wake Forest, Our Pick: Miami 37, Wake 10

8) Texas Tech 7-0. Oh you crazy Kliff Kingsbury, the Big Schools gonna come calling. Very, very soon. Will you stay at the alma mater? You've done a nice job in Lubbock so far. Even if Lubbock is the middle of nowhere. This Week: at Oklahoma. Our Pick: UPSET!! Oklahoma 27, Texas Tech 26

9) Clemson 6-1. Wah, wah, wah....we knew the Tigers would lay an egg at some point, we just didn't think it would be in their biggest game of the season. But there's time to make up for it. Sorta....This Week: at Maryland. Our Pick: Clemson 48, Maryland 13

10) Stanford 6-1. Nice recovery vs. UCLA. We had you way overrated it appears....---sigh---but once again, there is plenty of time to make up for it. But'cha gotta start now. This Week: at Oregon St., Our Pick: Stanford 37, Oregon St. 33

11) Auburn 6-1. Your welcome Mrs. Nelson. We now know the answer as to who was the "real" coach of this team when they won the 2010 title. And no, it wasn't the Chizik. Great start for the Tigers and Nick Marshall is proving to be the real deal. Of course he torched a crappy Aggie D, so take it with a grain of salt. This Week: vs. Florida Atlantic. Our Pick: Auburn 52, FAU 10

12) UCF 5-1. Yes, UCF! Bitches! So they really don't warrant this, but they proved Louisville a fraud and nearly beat South Carolina (should have). Plus we were raised nearby in Longwood, so we love the Orlando area. This Week: vs. UConn. Our Pick: UCF 31, UConn 10

THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL:



5) UConn 0-6. Oh, the horror. Oh and six and a new coach and little to no chance of pulling out of your tailspin. We feel so bad for you. Well, okay, maybe not. Expect the pain to continue. This Week: See #12

4) Western Michigan 0-8. Well, on the good side, only 4 more agonizing games. On the bad, you get to lose 4 more times. So you've got that to look forward to, which is nice. Hey, at least you are averagin 13 a game. Oh, yeah, you are giving up 37. So there's that too. This Week: at UMass (ew!), Our Pick: UMass 13, W.Michigan 12

3) Miami (OH) 0-7. Oh, you mighty Redhawk or Chicken Hawk or Chicken Pot Pie or whatever you call yourselves these days. You lost to Akron. And you average 10 points a game. Yeah, it's going to be a long year. But hey, basketball's around the corner! This Week: at Ohio, Our Pick: Ohio 47, Chicken Hawks 10

2) New Mexico St. 0-7. We still can't past you giving up 66 to New Mexico 3 weeks ago. How does that happen? Ever? Even if you lose? Well, anyway, now's your chance to escape, you play an FCS team just starting in FBS. Oh, wait, they've won 5 games. That's 5 more than you. This Week: vs. Abilene Christian. Our Pick: Abilene 41, NMSt 10

1) Southern Mississippi 0-6. 18 straight losses. Wah, way! Hey, maybe you can hire Brett Favre? Heck, anyone would be an improvement. It's just hard to believe this was a powerhouse program less than a decade ago. Never would have though it. This Week: vs. North Texas. Our Pick: N.Texas 43, S.Miss 21

Don't know why, but this just popped into my head. Enjoy your Football Weekend:




REPORTS: Washington Bravehearts or Washington Redskins?

((ht: cbssports.com))

Hmmm....are the fine folks at CBSSports onto something?

Well, TMZ has the same story and there's some interesting coincidences going on.

In the din of calls for the Washington Redskins to change their team name comes interesting news from Washington.

CBSSports.com and TMZ are both reporting Aris Madirossian, a man believed to be neighbors with Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder, apparently has applied for a patent for the name Washington Bravehearts and also a web domain (WashingtonBravehearts.com) with the same name.

He also appears to have registered the LLC name of Washington Bravehearts, LLC.

Read more from CBSSports.com RIGHT HERE

TMZ gives us a look at the LLC agreement RIGHT HERE

TMZ also says that Snyder and Madirossian, though not currently in business together or know publicly as friends, have quite a few things in common and have a somewhat friendly or at least neighborly relationship.

Read more from TMZ RIGHT HERE

Yes, we are aware that this is all extraordinarily circumstantial evidence. This may just be a coincidence or even a ruse. And we are well aware that Snyder swore he'd never change his teams name.

But when the president weighs in on the issue and quite a few others follow suit, you have to at least consider it. And smart money says Snyder is.

And quite honestly, if can get away with the Bravehearts name, it is kinda cool if you think about it.

This will probably be cool the first few times they play it--after that...not so much:

Your Normal, Every Day C-USA Buzzer Beater...

((HT: FS1))

This is what happens when you are hidden behind the Kentucky-Miss State game and some baseball game...

Marshall and Middle Tennessee State played it out to the bitter end. Logan Kilgore threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Tavarres Jefferson as time expired to give Middle Tennessee a 51-49 win...

Evidence Below...

Kilgore was 22-40 for 277 yards and 4TD's as the Blue Raiders are now 4-4 (2-2 in Conference USA).

Marshall is now 4-3 (2-1 in C-USA).

Oh... the touchdown pass...

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Your Basic, Every Day Own Goal... In The NHL...

((HT: FS Florida/NHL))

This is, for all intents and purposes, what soccer calls an "own goal..."

In a wild game that finished 6-5 in OT, this was what got them this much closer to overtime in the first place...

OSG High: Haiku Gets FB Player Kicked Off Team, And Then, Not...

((HT: WJW-TV))

Nick Andre was a starting DE for his high school for Rittman (OH) High and his team was in the end of a 1-7 season...

He was asked to write a poem on something in class and Andre took on the ideas of the cliques of his team and its problems. After the peom was read aloud in class the administration felt that they had decided that Andre "Wrote a mean and disrespectful poem about another student and our athletic director/head coach." The principal classified the poem as “hazing, harassment.”

As a result, Andre was suspended for four days and everyone started screaming from the high heavens that the school was wrong in what they did...

Here's the explanation...


Strangely enough, after everyone started taking the school to task for violating Andre's First Amendment rights of free speech, the superintendent of the Rittman School District says the suspension has been overturned, and the junior defensive end has been reinstated to the football team.

Shocking, I know...

Carl Edwards: Music Video Star

((HT: Yahoo!Music))

It's not a fluffy, country song, either...

It's a Sara Evans ballad...

And he plays the evil, uninterested boyfriend...

The larger question is: Who would ever be an uninterested boyfriend to Sara Evans...???

I mean, really...
Here's the proof...

So, Did Jon Lester Do Something Or Not...???

((HT: Dennis Paruch via Vine))

Here's the event in question...


Cards minor leaguer Tyler Melling insinuated the following on his Twitter account:

Jon Lester using a little Vaseline inside the glove tonight?

MLB has responded:

"We cannot draw any conclusions from this video. There were no complaints from the Cardinals and the umpires never detected anything indicating a foreign substance throughout the game."

So, now we have a talking point for Game 5, don't we...???

HockeyCentral Discusses John Scott

((HT: Sportsnet))

Here's the first salvo in the John Scott shenanigans...

Brad Fay, Doug Maclean, and FOSG Billy Jaffe try to figure out where the league and the NHLPA "should" go next...

The only question is now: Does Scott get the book thrown at him...???

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Just How Bad Are Things In Buffalo...??? (UPDATE: Mike Milbury Explodes And NHL Responds)

((HT: Sportsnet/NHL on NBC))

Let's face it... the Buffalo Sabres are not a very good hockey team and the only thing saving them from being a horrific hockey team right now is the goaltending of Ryan Miller...

The Wednesday night game against the Boston Bruins showed just where the franchise is...

After Boston took a first period lead, the building shut up until this moment in the third that should get John Scott a phone call from the league office...

Here's the short version...
Scott went straight for Loui Eriksson's head and didn't even mask it... Here's the long version... ((HT: Fred Murtz)) The Twitter machine has been in overload identifying that Sabres head coach Ron Rolston won't even make the end of the year with his team and apparent coaching style. NBC Sports Mike Milbury said postgame that Rolston should be fired tomorrow and Scott should be out of the league. Evidence here... ((HT: Once again, Murtz and NHL on NBC)) But, as a history lesson, Sabres GM Darcy Regier has had heavyweights on his rosters before (read: Patrick Kaleta et al.) and there are even more who are saying that "The Code" has been thrown out the window in any future match-ups with these two teams. The only solution is to have Zdeno Chara square off against Scott since he would be picking on somebody his own size at that point... The HQ would suggest the following: The offending player sits for the same length of time that the injured player has to recover from the injury and the team gets fined a matching amount that the player gets fined as well. The coach also serves a suspension... Just a thought... that the HQ knows will NEVER EVER HAPPEN... PM UPDATE: The NHL has upheld the 10-game suspension on Kaleta and has suspended Scott indefinitely pending a hearing...

More Racist Chants During Champ League (UPDATED)

((HT: Manchester City TV))

Not that this is a surprise or anything... it's just the most recent version of it...

Both UEFA and FIFA have big initiatives including their biggest stars trying to block out any kind of racism and racist chants during games at the sport's biggest stars...

This time, it was Manchester City's Yaya Toure hearing it from CSKA Moscow's fans...

Here's City TV's interview with Yaya after the match...


Russian soccer fans have a history of doing these kinds of silly things thinking that they're cool and all that...
But, they're really not...

And, sadly, the HQ doesn't think this is going to stop any time soon...

THURSDAY UPDATE: CSKA is, of course, denying anything happened...

"There was a lot of noise in the stadium. Nobody else, other than Yaya Toure, heard anything. The only trouble that has come about was because Yaya Toure heard something," CSKA's deputy media manager Michael Sanadze said.

UEFA said on Thursday morning: "We are awaiting the reports from the match which should land at some point today or tomorrow.

"Once received, the contents will determine whether a disciplinary case be opened. Should this be the case, we will communicate accordingly."

Champ League Wednesday: It's All Zlatan

Today's second day of the week in group play for Champions League gave us more blowouts than anything...

Man City won on a painted pitch against CSKA Moscow, 2-1... and the HQ is not kidding about the paint job...
Leverkusen put four on Shakhtar, Galatasaray's all-stars won 3-1, and Bayern put 5 on Plzen...

There were some closer games as ManU beat Real Sociedad 1-0, Real beat Juventus 2-1, and there was actually a tie- Benfica and Olympiakos at ones...

But the performance of the day goes to Zlatan Ibrahimovich as PSG was all over Anderlecht...
The final was 5-0, and Zlatan had four of them...
((HT: Fox Soccer/UEFA))


The hat trick came down in an 18-minute span and Zlatan has now scored 10 goals this season- already...

The Battle To Be The University of Louisiana: La.Lafayette vs. La. Monroe

((ht: thenewsstar.com))

Oh boy. The Lovely Bride may get upset at me saying this, but "Only in Louisiana".

It appears that the University of Louisiana at Lafayette may be in a bit of trouble with it's state legislature and with other state schools.

In a rather lengthy story in the Monroe News-Star, reporter Tabby Soignier goes into detail to explain what the Rajun Cajuns have done to anger some folks.

The school has apparently made a concerted effort to market themselves as UL or University of Louisiana, leaving out the Lafayette part.

The problem, it's a violation of state law. And the University of Louisiana at Monroe, well, they aren't too thrilled about it either.

The Cajuns have been sticklers with ESPN and others about using the "UL" branding while talking about them, something that the folks at the 4-letter kind of balked at. The Warhawks in Monroe, well, their complaint is it makes them sound like a sister school.

According to Soignier, the state came up with the law, to keep one school from proclaiming itself the state's "Flagship" school. Though we are pretty sure, LSU has more name recognition than all the directional Louisiana schools combined.

Anyway, read Soignier's article in the News-Star RIGHT HERE

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. The law appears to not state a penalty for doing this, the question is, how far will the calling out go?

We get Monroe's argument, and quite honestly it's a valid one, that they don't want to be considered a "Little Sister".

Conversely, Lafayette, which has had some success on the national stage of late, we get why they are trying to do this too.

Our guess is this has the makings of a regional war, the fun part is going to be seeing how far all three sides in this debate are going to be willing to take it.





Strange But True: Arizona Promo Spot Includes Rich Rod and Mascot in Shower

((ht: coachingsearch.com))

This is sort of funny on one level, but entirely creepy on another.

The University of Arizona appears to have taken to a marketing campaign based on the famous "This is SportsCenter" ESPN commercials which often feature mascots.

And this piece posted by CoachingSearch.com, is a bit strange to us. It features Wildcats coach Rich Rodriguez arriving at his office for work and going to use his restroom only to find the Arizona's mascot Wilbur the Wildcat already in the bathroom--using his shower.

Disturbing.


Connecticut Man Arrested for Threatening NY Mets?

((ht: courant.com))

After reading the headline to this story, the obvious question would be--Why?

And it would be a good question.

A 42-year old West Haven, Connecticut man was arrested Wednesday morning for making threatening Twitter posts to the New York Mets Baseball Players and Front Office personnel.

Yes, seriously.

A tweet with a mug shot from a WFSB-TV reporter:




Why Aryn Leroux would do something so idiotic and stupid is still a bit of a mystery, but according to the Hartford Courant, Leroux fancied himself as a Mets fan. His motivation for the threats? Who knows?

Read more from the Courant RIGHT HERE

We can only assume that Leroux was upset about the teams performance this past season. Which really, if you think about it, wasn't nearly as bad as most of us assumed it would be. Agruably the Mets have set themselves up as a future contender with a heck of a young pitching staff featuring Matt Harvey, once he gets healthy again.

Either way, Leroux is facing a charge of Threatening and Breach of Peace in Connecticut and was supposed to be arraigned some time Wednesday afternoon. They should add being a moron to the charges.