((ht: cbssports.com))
Okay, so the last part of the headline probably won't make any sense unless you watch this video to the very end and know your golfer names. And you should.
Check out a Halloween themed promo done by the guys at PGA Tour Productions.
It's a bit of a riff on an Alfred Hitchcock classic featuring some of the best "Bird" moments from the PGA Tour.
Nicely done, quite funny and very timely.
Enjoy--
Friday, October 31, 2014
Reports: Embattle Michigan A.D Brandon to Resign
((ht: espn.com))According to a report by Brett McMurphy of ESPN.com, University of Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon is set to resign the job Friday afternoon.
Which, based on the hate and vitriol spewing from Ann Arbor these days--is likely the cause for celebration.
Brandon has taken a lot of heat for the abysmal performance of the football team and some off...and on the field issues surrounding it.
Among them: Coach Brady Hoke's poor handling of the concussion suffered by QB Shane Morris during a game. Hoke allowed Morris to go back in despot Morris's wooziness and wobbling. That began a vigorous campaign and rally by students on campus to have Brandon fired.
Brandon has also gotten heat for getting testy with alumni and others who have criticized him or the team via e-mail and social media.
And his poor idea of giving away student tickets to anyone who bought two 20oz Coke's for the Minnesota game. Yeah, that didn't go so well either.
Michigan per the Detroit News is holding a 1:30pm
press conference to make an "Announcement". The general consensus is that it will be to announce Dave Brandon's fate.
Videobomb Alert: Creepy Eyebrow Guy at FSU Game
((ht: sbnationcom))
We just wanted to share this because it's perfect for Halloween.
Check out the post game Sam Ponder/Jimbo Fisher interview after Thursday nights Florida State win over Louisville.
You can't miss him. (Said with raised eyebrows)
We just wanted to share this because it's perfect for Halloween.
Check out the post game Sam Ponder/Jimbo Fisher interview after Thursday nights Florida State win over Louisville.
You can't miss him. (Said with raised eyebrows)
Slide into your DMs like
sup
http://t.co/sHvP1EpkVO https://t.co/r4BArE46Sy
— Brian Floyd (@BrianMFloyd) October 31, 2014
Division II Cal U. Cancels Game After Players Arrested
((ht: deadspin.com/kdka))
California University, a Division II College Football team near Pittsburgh, PA cancelled their game this Saturday vs. Gannon University after 5 Cal players were arrested and charged after attacking a man at a bar.
Witnesses told TV station KDKA and police the players jumped the victim outside Spuds restaurant. They then allegedly beat the man so severely he's in a Pittsburgh, PA area hospital in Intensive Care with a severe brain injury.
All 5 players: Jonathan Barlow, D'Andre Dunkley, Corey Ford, Rodney Gillin and James Williamson were immediately suspended from the team and as of this posting (Fri morning) were in the Washington County (PA) jail with $500,000 bonds.
The school immediately moved to cancel the game and per KDKA TV in Pittsburgh, school president Geraldine Jones issues a statement about the decision:
“California University does not tolerate violent behavior, and the five student-athletes charged in connection with this incident will face University sanctions, along with any penalties imposed by law.
“The police investigation is continuing, and the rights of these accused students will be upheld. But in light of these allegations, I asked Coach Kellar to cancel Saturday’s game. Behavior has consequences, and all Cal U students, including student-athletes, must abide by our Student Code of Conduct if they wish to remain a part of our campus community.
“At the same time, it must be clearly understood that the actions of a small group of individuals are not representative of our entire student body, nor of all Cal U student-athletes. I ask our entire campus community to recommit to our University’s core values, and to demonstrate through their words and their actions the best that our University can be.
“Our hearts and our prayers go out to the victim, his family and his friends. All else pales in comparison"
KDKA's full story is RIGHT HERE
This is a bold statement by the school. And an impressive move. Ms. Jones is right in stating behavior has consequences.
That statement is at the crux of the multiple discipline issues in college football as we speak. The smaller schools such as Cal, are in a position to take a bold step.
The FCS schools of the world, that's a different issue. With the money involved (for everyone but the players), there is no chance any of the "Big Name" schools would ever do this.
Or even come close to it.
Nevertheless we applaud Cal U for making a strong statement of support and clearly sending a message to all that behavior such as this will not be tolerated.
Your TV story via KDKA:
California University, a Division II College Football team near Pittsburgh, PA cancelled their game this Saturday vs. Gannon University after 5 Cal players were arrested and charged after attacking a man at a bar.
Witnesses told TV station KDKA and police the players jumped the victim outside Spuds restaurant. They then allegedly beat the man so severely he's in a Pittsburgh, PA area hospital in Intensive Care with a severe brain injury.
All 5 players: Jonathan Barlow, D'Andre Dunkley, Corey Ford, Rodney Gillin and James Williamson were immediately suspended from the team and as of this posting (Fri morning) were in the Washington County (PA) jail with $500,000 bonds.
The school immediately moved to cancel the game and per KDKA TV in Pittsburgh, school president Geraldine Jones issues a statement about the decision:
“California University does not tolerate violent behavior, and the five student-athletes charged in connection with this incident will face University sanctions, along with any penalties imposed by law.
“The police investigation is continuing, and the rights of these accused students will be upheld. But in light of these allegations, I asked Coach Kellar to cancel Saturday’s game. Behavior has consequences, and all Cal U students, including student-athletes, must abide by our Student Code of Conduct if they wish to remain a part of our campus community.
“At the same time, it must be clearly understood that the actions of a small group of individuals are not representative of our entire student body, nor of all Cal U student-athletes. I ask our entire campus community to recommit to our University’s core values, and to demonstrate through their words and their actions the best that our University can be.
“Our hearts and our prayers go out to the victim, his family and his friends. All else pales in comparison"
KDKA's full story is RIGHT HERE
This is a bold statement by the school. And an impressive move. Ms. Jones is right in stating behavior has consequences.
That statement is at the crux of the multiple discipline issues in college football as we speak. The smaller schools such as Cal, are in a position to take a bold step.
The FCS schools of the world, that's a different issue. With the money involved (for everyone but the players), there is no chance any of the "Big Name" schools would ever do this.
Or even come close to it.
Nevertheless we applaud Cal U for making a strong statement of support and clearly sending a message to all that behavior such as this will not be tolerated.
Your TV story via KDKA:
Morning Wrap: FSU Gets Comeback W vs. Louisville
((ht: espn.com))
It wasn't pretty.
But pretty doesn't matter as long as you are undefeated and have nothing but teams you should beat left on your schedule.
The Florida State Seminoles overcame a 21 point deficit Thursday night at Louisville and came back to beat the Cards 42-31.
The game was somewhat of an offensive shootout, 1000 yards of offense between the two teams. FSU QB Jameis Winston threw for 401 yards...but also had three INT's. Louisville RB Michael Dyer ran for 134 yards and 3 TD's and Cardinals receiver DeVante Parker had 214 receiving yards.
But after sleepwalking through most of the first half, FSU got a touchdown just before the end of 2nd quarter and went into halftime down 21-7.
The win moves FSU to 8-0 on the season. They will be heavy favorites in their last 4 games, with only 1 road game, a visit to Miami in mid-November.
The Seminoles, love them or hate them, will be one of your 4 playoff teams this season.
ESPN.com gives us the highlights:
It wasn't pretty.
But pretty doesn't matter as long as you are undefeated and have nothing but teams you should beat left on your schedule.
The Florida State Seminoles overcame a 21 point deficit Thursday night at Louisville and came back to beat the Cards 42-31.
The game was somewhat of an offensive shootout, 1000 yards of offense between the two teams. FSU QB Jameis Winston threw for 401 yards...but also had three INT's. Louisville RB Michael Dyer ran for 134 yards and 3 TD's and Cardinals receiver DeVante Parker had 214 receiving yards.
But after sleepwalking through most of the first half, FSU got a touchdown just before the end of 2nd quarter and went into halftime down 21-7.
The win moves FSU to 8-0 on the season. They will be heavy favorites in their last 4 games, with only 1 road game, a visit to Miami in mid-November.
The Seminoles, love them or hate them, will be one of your 4 playoff teams this season.
ESPN.com gives us the highlights:
Georgia Southern's Win Streak Is 6, But Who Will Coach Troy?
((HT: College Football Talk/The Coastal Source))
We discussed earlier in the week just how successful Georgia Southern has been in their first Sun Belt Conference-Division I season- doing it the right way in developing a football program.
They took care of Troy 42-10 last night and took their win streak to six.
CFT has the numbers on the win:
Georgia Southern, the top-ranked FBS rushing offense at a shade over 400 yards per game, has racked up 1,034 rushing yards in the past five days. They’ve punted twice in 22 combined possessions.
All that running limited Troy to just 44 offensive snaps.
Here's The Big Guy with the highlights
The larger question is: Who will replace Larry Blakeney as the new coach at Troy...?
Here's a name for you...
Rush Propst...
The current Colquitt County (GA) head coach has his Packers ranked top-five in the country and are the favorite to win the state title in the highest classification in the state. He has maintained in the past that he is the "best college coach in the country that no one has hired."
The situation makes sense. A program in trouble in need for renewal and rebuilding. It gives Propst the chance to go back to Alabama to coach and he can work his system to build it his way in a Division I football conference.
So there...
Propst needs seven more weeks worth of wins to go coast-to-coast and, then, it's on Troy... and up to Troy...
We discussed earlier in the week just how successful Georgia Southern has been in their first Sun Belt Conference-Division I season- doing it the right way in developing a football program.
They took care of Troy 42-10 last night and took their win streak to six.
CFT has the numbers on the win:
Georgia Southern, the top-ranked FBS rushing offense at a shade over 400 yards per game, has racked up 1,034 rushing yards in the past five days. They’ve punted twice in 22 combined possessions.
All that running limited Troy to just 44 offensive snaps.
Here's The Big Guy with the highlights
The larger question is: Who will replace Larry Blakeney as the new coach at Troy...?
Here's a name for you...
Rush Propst...
The current Colquitt County (GA) head coach has his Packers ranked top-five in the country and are the favorite to win the state title in the highest classification in the state. He has maintained in the past that he is the "best college coach in the country that no one has hired."
The situation makes sense. A program in trouble in need for renewal and rebuilding. It gives Propst the chance to go back to Alabama to coach and he can work his system to build it his way in a Division I football conference.
So there...
Propst needs seven more weeks worth of wins to go coast-to-coast and, then, it's on Troy... and up to Troy...
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Derek Boogaard's Dad Goes Public
((HT: Sportsnet))
There's a new book out on the troubled life of NHL enforcer Derek Boogaard- the HQ encourages picking it up...
The Boogey Man's dad, Len, went on "Prime Time Sports" for the first time to discuss what he thinks happened to his son through the eyes of the National Hockey League...
Bottom line- he thinks his son's problems, mounting as he continued to play, were left and not addressed in a timely fashion...
Brett Popplewell addressed Boogaard's last days in the premier edition of Sportnet Magazine back in 2011. John Branch wrote in his book on Boogaard as Sportsnet reports: "Within a year, Derek would have teeth knocked out and be prescribed vast amounts of painkillers by team doctors.In another year, he would be in substance abuse rehabilitation. In another year, he would be in New York, rich and miserable and alone. And in another year, he would be dead."
Boogaard was diagnosed, after his death, with CTE and his father went on to do his own investigation surrounding his son's passing.
There's a new book out on the troubled life of NHL enforcer Derek Boogaard- the HQ encourages picking it up...
The Boogey Man's dad, Len, went on "Prime Time Sports" for the first time to discuss what he thinks happened to his son through the eyes of the National Hockey League...
Bottom line- he thinks his son's problems, mounting as he continued to play, were left and not addressed in a timely fashion...
Brett Popplewell addressed Boogaard's last days in the premier edition of Sportnet Magazine back in 2011. John Branch wrote in his book on Boogaard as Sportsnet reports: "Within a year, Derek would have teeth knocked out and be prescribed vast amounts of painkillers by team doctors.In another year, he would be in substance abuse rehabilitation. In another year, he would be in New York, rich and miserable and alone. And in another year, he would be dead."
Boogaard was diagnosed, after his death, with CTE and his father went on to do his own investigation surrounding his son's passing.
Willie Fritz And Guerilla Marketing
((HT: Georgia Southern their own selves))
When Willie Fritz left San Houston State for Georgia Southern, some folks thought he was crazy...
They were right...
Out of the blocks, Fritz has them contending for a Sun Belt Conference title (which they can't claim) and has Brother Phil beside himself with Division I football glee...
Doing it the right way will do that when you're elevating your program from Division I-AA to Big Boy Football.
Fritz was looking for the biggest crowd in the history of the the newly-expanded Paulsen Stadium before Thursday night's game with Troy.
What do you do to drum up support...???
Invade Fraternity Row- specifically the Sigma Chi house...
See...???
Told you he knows his marketing...
When Willie Fritz left San Houston State for Georgia Southern, some folks thought he was crazy...
They were right...
Out of the blocks, Fritz has them contending for a Sun Belt Conference title (which they can't claim) and has Brother Phil beside himself with Division I football glee...
Doing it the right way will do that when you're elevating your program from Division I-AA to Big Boy Football.
Fritz was looking for the biggest crowd in the history of the the newly-expanded Paulsen Stadium before Thursday night's game with Troy.
What do you do to drum up support...???
Invade Fraternity Row- specifically the Sigma Chi house...
The Reason: Coach Fritz Visits Sigma Chi from Georgia Southern Football on Vimeo.
See...???
Told you he knows his marketing...
New LA MLS Team Has 22 Owners
Yay! Los Angeles still has no NFL team, but in 2017, they'll have Major League Soccer.And...if all of the owners attend a home game, they are guaranteed great attendance---ha!---just kidding.
Seriously though, the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) really does have 22 owners. They range from Magic Johnson, who owns half of L.A to Mia Hamm and her husband Nomar. Tony Robbins (the motivational guys) is an owner and so is one of the guys who founded YouTube. Oh, and Vincent Tan a guy who owns Cardiff City in the Premier League and was called by USA Today "The Worst Owner in Sports".
But the group is led by a grouping including Henry Ngueyn, Peter Guber and Tom Penn
So there is that.
The LAFC has a website...but no stadium. They have owners, but no team. But if you look at the website, hey, they are lobbying for fans and corporate sponsors. The 2017 start date will coincide with new MLS franchise in Atlanta, giving the league 22 teams and the intention of adding 2 more by 2020.
Here's a live feed of the presser. Maybe they'll keep the video up at this link too?
KNX1070's Claudia Peschiutta was there as well...
The larger hope of the HQ is that Vincent Tan gets kept as far away as possible from the day-to-day operations...
The Dirty Dozen and Bottom of the Barrel: Truth!
And the truth is, we've hit the College Football Playoff rankings time.
Let's just say, the way overhyped first edition left more than a few observers scratching their collective heads.
Okay, maybe not all of us.
Our point is; that's not going to be how they finish. No way. Too many rivalry games. All the SEC West teams still play one another. And TCU still has to play Kansas State.
A lot of things will change. Trust us. Things in college football always change.
Haha! Enjoy your cheesy 1980's video---
Us, we're moving on. Mostly because there's some bragging to be done here....
11-2 last week. Not bad. We've been pretty consistent this season. Consistently good that is!....Haha!
No, seriously, the 11-2 mark makes us 89-18 on the season and while not perfect, it is pretty damn impressive...
But enough about me. It's time to get "On with the Countdown"...
THE DIRTY DOZEN:
1) Florida State 7-0. Still don't like them. Still hope they lose. But not seeing it. Jimbo Fisher is a moron who thinks the SEC and ESPN is ganging up on him. Ha! You really are stupid Jimbo. You don't get it. It's not, nor has it ever been about you. But...they still are the defending champs and as the Nature Boy always says;
And that ain't happening. This Week: at Lousiville, Our Pick: FSU 38, Louisville 31
2) Mississippi State 7-0. Sure, they struggled with a better Kentucky team. But they get credit for surviving the 1st part of their SEC gauntlet. Still have games with Bama and Ole Miss left. Survive that and yeah, you may be the man...This Week: vs. Arkansas, Our Pick: Miss St. 37, Ark. 23
3) Alabama 7-1. Are they back? Did they ever leave? Sure...they coasted after getting a quick lead on Tennessee but nobody can stop Amari Cooper on offense. He and Blake Sims have transformed a once slow motion Tide offense. And that may get them back to the title game. Sigh...This Week: BYE
4) Auburn 7-1. Time to play big boy football there Tigers. You've had a few good breaks this season. The offense has struggled at times. The defense more so. But time to step up. After this week, you still have Georgia and Alabama to deal with. This Week: at Ole Miss, Our Pick: Ole Miss 27, Auburn 23
5) Ole Miss 7-1. Best defense in all the land. And had Bo Wallace not totally brain-farted, the Rebs might still be undefeated. But that's all it takes to change the season. These guys still have a chance to get in the playoff. Win this week and all that's left is the Egg Bowl. This Week: See #4
6) Kansas St. 7-1. The Wildcats are a couple missed field goals from being undefeated. And they are much better than you think. They just quietly go about their business and in the Big 9(12), as long as you play defense you have a shot. They play defense. This Week: vs. Oklahoma St., Our Pick: K-State 38, Okie St. 31
7) Oregon 7-1. The Ducks are still the Ducks and they'll always be loved by the pollsters. And as long as they have Marcus Mariota, they have a chance to beat anyone. But as always--they still suck on defense and tend to lose if under pressure. We'll see if that holds true. This Week: vs. Stanford, Our Pick: Oregon 43, Stanford 31
8) Michigan State 7-1. Your Little 10 champs? Maybe. We should know better after this week. They've scored a ton of points this year, given up a lot too. Beat Ohio State, they are likely to walk away with the title. B1G title that is. This Week: BYE
9) TCU 7-1. The temptation is to rank them higher after Trevonne Boykin and his pals dropped 82 on Texas Tech. And hey, that makes them the #1 in scoring avg this season. But...there are still roadblocks ahead. And if the Froggies don't play better D, they won't get past them. This Week: at West Virginia, Our Pick: West By-Gawd 51, TCU 47---UPSET ALERT!!
10) Notre Dame 7-1. Confession. We are not fans of the Irish. And it sometimes affects our ranking of the boys from South Bend. But...keep in mind, it's mostly because they are usually way overrated. This, to us, is the right place for them. But they could jump if the teams ahead cannibalize themselves. This Week: at Navy, Our Pick: Notre Dame 41, Navy 23
11) Georgia 7-1. Bad news--no Todd Gurley for 2 more weeks. Good news--The Dawgs haven't needed him. The improving defense has helped UGA get the table set to make this a memorable season. But they too always seem to gag under pressure. Can they avoid it this year? This Week: vs. Florida, Our Pick: UGA 23, UF 13
12) Arizona 7-1. Go Rich Rods...A bad, close loss to to Southern Cal is the only blemish for the Wildcats. But props to these guys. They've become relevant again after a long time out of the spotlight. And hey, they beat Oregon. So that counts too. This Week: at UCLA, Our Pick: Fighting Rodriguez's 37, UCLA 30
THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL:
5) UConn 1-6. Oh, poor, poor UConn. How many years ago was it you were playing in the Fiesta Bowl game? Amazing how fast fortunes can turn. This is a bad team that is likely to run the table. Except they finish with a Toilet Bowl game vs. SMU. This Week: vs. UCF, Our Pick: UCF 37, UConn 12
4) Georgia State 1-7. Guess the Panthers picked a bad week to play the nations best running team last week. 600 plus yards and 60-plus points later, Ga. Southern walked away with a win. There may be A winnable game on the schedule, but which one? This Week: at Appalachian St., Our Pick: Appy State 37, Ga. State 21
3) Tulsa 1-6. Another team that had a good run in the not so distant past. But hard times have come to their town. And we don't know if things are going to get better either. (Cheesy 80's music references--look them up). This Week: at Memphis, Our Pick: Memphis 31, Tulsa 23
2) Troy 1-7. The Trojans need to just write off this season. It's been ug, ug, ugly and it's not going to get better either...
No, even Trojan Man can save them. This Week: at Ga. Southern, Our Pick: Ga.Southern 51, Trojan Man 27
1) SMU 0-7. Come on man! Mack Brown? Really? Mack can't be that stupid, this is a horrid team. Must have been some sort of dream by the Dallas Morning News. Right? And hey, the Mustangs hit double figures last week (10pts)...so things are looking up. This Week: BYE, Our Pick: BYE 41, SMU 3 Ha!
So...are ya ready for November? Things are getting ready to change...a lot. Too many teams playing too many teams in the polls. They will cannibalize themselves. Really, they will...just wait and see...
We leave you with New Music Thursday---a very cool song:
Arkansas Has Heisman Fun With Sebastian Tretola
((ht: footballscoop.com))
Fat Guy Heisman! Stat!
We are always appreciative when an athletic department and football players have a little fun with their images.
Applause to the University of Arkansas athletic video department for producing a Heisman promotional video for 350 lb, Offensive Lineman Sebastian Tretola.
In case you are wondering who he is:
Yeah...
The folks in Fayetteville have designed a promotional campaign around a 30-for-30 style video that is hilarious.
And besides, who has a QB rating better than Tretola's 480? Nobody....
Fat Guy Heisman! Stat!
We are always appreciative when an athletic department and football players have a little fun with their images.
Applause to the University of Arkansas athletic video department for producing a Heisman promotional video for 350 lb, Offensive Lineman Sebastian Tretola.
In case you are wondering who he is:
Yeah...
The folks in Fayetteville have designed a promotional campaign around a 30-for-30 style video that is hilarious.
And besides, who has a QB rating better than Tretola's 480? Nobody....
World Series Recap: Madison Bumgarner Wins The World Series
Giants Win World Series For Third Time In Five Years; Bumgarner Is MVP
By: Apurv Baichwal
The Giants have been known as the Torture since 2010. They always seem to string games and series out to the very end, and they possess an uncanny ability to put themselves in the worst positions yet still win. After being shutout and completely dominated 10-0 yesterday, the Giants came back strong to win this game, and the World Series, 3-2.
Simply making the World Series for the third time in five years proved the Giants’ skill, but winning the World Series for the third time in five years proves that they are a dominant team in baseball, and a perennial contender to win the Fall Classic. They also made themselves the second National League team to win three in five years, with only Stan Musial’s historic St. Louis Cardinals of the 40s. This year, they won in Game 7, after barely making the postseason from the wildcat position, but even so, they played amazingly in the postseason and showed everybody that they were meant to be there, and they were meant to win the World Series.
Madison Bumgarner was easily named World Series MVP, after having another stellar outing today. On only two day’s rest, Bumgarner entered the game in the fifth inning and pitched five stellar innings, and 68 pitches after his 117 on Monday, to earn himself a five inning save, the first save of his career, and give himself an ERA of .43 in this World Series. This relief appearance marked his first of the sorts since Game Six of the 2010 NLCS, and he made it a great appearance. In his five innings, he only allowed two hits, while recording four strikeouts in a stellar, almost perfect appearance. He finished the Fall Classic with a huge outing, and he cemented himself in World Series history with his great performance. He already had the record for the best career World Series ERA from his last outing, but he made this number almost visible, as he lowered it to .25, a number that looks more like a batting average than an ERA.
In this specific game, the pitching was really key, as Jeremy Affeldt and Madison Bumgarner combined for a 7.1 inning shutout. Affeldt pitched 2.1 innings, an extremely long outing for him, but he was great for the whole of it, as he only allowed one hit, although he did hit a batter. He picked up the Game Seven win with this stellar outing, although the MLB seemed confused about this fact, as they originally credited the win to Bumgarner. Fortunately, they corrected this mistake, as they properly assigned the win to Affeldt and the save to Bumgarner. After Affeldt’s great pitching, Bumgarner stole the show with his performance, as earlier noted, earning him the five inning save. Tim Hudson started this game, although he did not last long, and he was the only pitcher to struggle for the Giants. Although his outing was quite poor, he still earned himself a place in World Series history by being the oldest pitcher to ever start a World Series game at 39 years old. He also earned himself a more notorious spot, as his start was the shortest World Series Game Seven start in baseball since 1960, at only 1.2 innings. In these innings, Hudson gave up two runs on three hits and a walk, as he never really seemed to settle into the game. It is possible that he would have settled down later, but Bochy did not give him a chance, as he made the quick—and most likely correct— decision to go to the bullpen early.
Another smart Bochy decision was to start Juan Perez in left field instead of Travis Ishikawa. They both provide about the same offensive prowess, except that Ishikawa has been strong in clutch at bats, while Perez is a speedier runner. The main difference between the two is that Juan Perez is a much better left fielder, as he is actually an outfielder, unlike Ishikawa who is truly an infielder. This move paid off in multiple occurrences, especially when Perez made a catch running back towards the wall, that Ishikawa very probably would not have made. The other play was one where Perez sprinted to the left field line to catch a ball that would have dropped in fair if Ishikawa had been playing, due to the fact that he does not possess the same speed as Perez. So, Bochy’s managerial decisions were great today, both with his pitchers and his defense.
The scoring in this game all came early, and both offenses were quiet after the fourth inning, as the two bullpens, or really the Royals bullpen and Bumgarner, locked down the hitters. The Giants struck first in the top of a second with a strong rally, exactly what we predicted they would need to win the game today. Pablo Sandoval led off the inning by letting a pitch graze his elbow and give him a free pass to first base. Hunter Pence then followed with a single to left, advancing Sandoval to second, and Belt added a single of his own to load the bases. The Giants then scored two runs on two sacrifice flys, the first by Michael Morse and the second by Brandon Crawford. Although the Giants once again scored runs without a hit, they still managed to manufacture the runs, as both Morse and Crawford used their at bats well to knock in the runs.
Unfortunately for the Giants, the Royals responded in the bottom of the second with two runs of their own, chasing Tim Hudson from the game. This World Series Game Seven matchup remained tied until the fourth inning when the Giants added the decisive run in the game.
Back to the defense: in the third inning, Joe Panik converted a tremendous double play that went through a challenge process as Royals’ first baseman Eric Hosmer was originally ruled safe at first. This call was overruled after a long, long replay, and in addition to being a huge play, it was also a huge momentum boost, as the Giants really looked to have their “it” factor, something we predicted they would need to win before the World Series even started.
The situations in the second and the fourth inning were very similar, with the results being quite similar as well in an episode of deja vu. Pablo Sandoval once again led off the inning and got on base, although this time he did so with an infield single up the middle, that he managed to beat out because the second baseman slipped while trying to make the play. Hunter Pence then singled to center advancing Sandoval to second, in another eerily similar play. Brandon Belt, however, broke the pattern as he flew out to deep left field. This out was turned into a productive one, fortunately, as Sandoval realized that the Royals’ left fielder would be moving backwards to make the catch, and therefore in a poor position to make a throw. He used this knowledge as he tagged up from second and slid head-first into third ahead of the throw to get to third with one out. By advancing to third, he put himself in a great position, and that one base running play was the reason why the Giants scored. Right after this play, Michael Morse slapped a single to right field, easily scoring Sandoval and advancing Pence to third. Had Sandoval stayed at second on Belt’s flyout, the Giants very likely would have not scored the winning run. So, Sandoval’s base running, along with his hitting and fielding, was key to the Giants’ win.
In the bottom of the ninth, with two outs, and Bumgarner still pitching, the Giants added to the Torture. Royals’ left fielder Alex Gordon hit a single to center, which alone would not have been very torturous. However, Blanco over ran the ball and allowed the ball to bounce under his glove. It then rolled to the wall where Juan Perez slipped and eventually picked up the ball, giving Gordon more than enough time to make it to third base.
From here, the Royals’ star catcher Salvador Perez, who was injured earlier in the game when Hudson hit him right above the knee with a pitch, came to bat with a man on third and two outs in the bottom of the ninth in Game Seven of the World Series. Fortunately, Bumgarne stayed calm and collected as he forced Perez to pop out foul of the third base line, where Sandoval caught the ball easily, then collapsed with joy.
Overall, the Giants came together today to put together rallies, produce runs, and most importantly win. The heart of the order was great, led by Sandoval who went three for three with two runs scored. Pence and Belt also had great nights at the plate each going two for four, while Pence added a run. Michael Morse also picked up two RBI on one hit and a sacrifice fly in three at bats.
Bumgarner was stellar today. Pablo Sandoval made a statement that will be important this offseason as he is a now technically a free agent. Hopefully the Giants retain him, as he proved himself to be a great asset the whole season, and especially this series, but there will definitely be multiple teams vying for him. The Giants have won the Fall Classic today, for the third time in five years, and they proved themselves to truly be the best team in baseball.
Follow Apurv on Twitter: @abaichwal
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Op-Ed: Brother J-Hart Discusses Todd Gurley
((HT: WJBF-TV))
FOSG John Hart is a sports guy-turned news anchor in Augusta, Georgia...
And, as part of La Familia, the HQ runs a public service for those of you who miss it when he revs up the opinion section of his newscast...
He did... and discussed his alma mater and their troubled running back...
Frankly, we feel the same way about Jameis Winston- except that he is far more out of control than Gurley, Newton, or Manziel...
And the HQ wishes that he was nowhere within 500 miles of our school- personally or professionally...
But we doubt that will ever happen...
FOSG John Hart is a sports guy-turned news anchor in Augusta, Georgia...
And, as part of La Familia, the HQ runs a public service for those of you who miss it when he revs up the opinion section of his newscast...
He did... and discussed his alma mater and their troubled running back...
Frankly, we feel the same way about Jameis Winston- except that he is far more out of control than Gurley, Newton, or Manziel...
And the HQ wishes that he was nowhere within 500 miles of our school- personally or professionally...
But we doubt that will ever happen...
OSG High: Tennessee's First-Ever Women's Head Football Coach
((HT: WSMV-TV))
We first got the attention of this story in the espnw piece by Ashley Scoby
But, circling back and checking out the best season Pickett County High has had in a handful of seasons, the HQ figured we would go back to the beginning.
Brittney Garner was named head coach for the Bobcats when they let her predecessor go over the summer. The bottom line was that Garner was already certified for softball and took the job so the team wouldn't be dissolved.
Former Pickett lineman Samantha Harden is helping out as a community coach and former coach O.B. Caudle has come out of retirement to help Garner out as well.
The fact that they're 2-7 doesn't matter...
Patrick McMurtry caught up with them at the beginning...
WSMV Channel 4
Like we said...
Cool stuff...
We first got the attention of this story in the espnw piece by Ashley Scoby
But, circling back and checking out the best season Pickett County High has had in a handful of seasons, the HQ figured we would go back to the beginning.
Brittney Garner was named head coach for the Bobcats when they let her predecessor go over the summer. The bottom line was that Garner was already certified for softball and took the job so the team wouldn't be dissolved.
Former Pickett lineman Samantha Harden is helping out as a community coach and former coach O.B. Caudle has come out of retirement to help Garner out as well.
The fact that they're 2-7 doesn't matter...
Patrick McMurtry caught up with them at the beginning...
WSMV Channel 4
Like we said...
Cool stuff...
OSG High: Seahawks Open Practice Facility For Marysville-Pilchuck
((HT: KIRO-TV))
This was a class move...
With a community still reeling from a school shooting last week, the Seattle Seahawks and head coach Pete Carroll decided to do something really cool.
He invited the school directly affected and the team that was supposed to be their opponent for a region title over to the team's facility to practice and just hang out for a little while.
No word on when Oak Harbor will be able to make their trip over, but the gesture is still class... Our original story on the tragedy, the forfeit, and the reaction from Brother Phil is hyah...
This was a class move...
With a community still reeling from a school shooting last week, the Seattle Seahawks and head coach Pete Carroll decided to do something really cool.
He invited the school directly affected and the team that was supposed to be their opponent for a region title over to the team's facility to practice and just hang out for a little while.
No word on when Oak Harbor will be able to make their trip over, but the gesture is still class... Our original story on the tragedy, the forfeit, and the reaction from Brother Phil is hyah...
BASTA: Royals Slaughter Giants To Earn Game 7
((HT: BASTA/Apurv Baichwal))
Ouch.
Today’s game was bad, and there’s really not too much to be said about it. The Giants got shutout 10-0, in Game Six of the World Series. Fortunately, they were up 3-2 before today, so today’s game can simply be forgotten.
Peavy had a pretty awful day by statistics, as he only lasted 1.1 innings, and he gave up five earned runs on six hits and a walk. However, the only consolation to this awful stat line is that most of these hits were cheap, including a chopper to Brandon Belt that turned into an infield single. In the second inning, the Royals’ leadoff man, Alcides Escobar hit this chopper to Belt, who had to come off the line to field it. With runners at second and third, Belt took his time checking the runners to make sure they would not try to advance in this one out situation. He was then about to run to first to get the out, but then Peavy called for him to look home for some unknown reason, causing him to hesitate. Then, by the time Belt could run to the bag, the speedy Escobar had beat him there for an infield single. Although this hit was an extreme example, the idea was still there: the Royals got a lot of lucky hits, especially in the second inning.
In total, they scored ten runs, seven of which came in the fateful second inning. Generally, none of the Giants pitchers were on top of their stuff, although they got dined a lot worse than they should have been. For example, Peavy was actually not pitching too badly, and he only gave up five runs because he left the game with the bases loaded after giving up two runs. Since everyone who was on base scored, Peavy was charged with all of those runs, although Yusmerio Petit was the pitcher who actually gave them up.
Here's proof:
((HT: MLB.com))
Looking at Petit, he had a very poor outing today, giving up two runs on three hits in .2 innings pitched. He has been stellar in long relief situations through this postseason, besides today, and hopefully this game is just a hiccup. He has been great out of the bullpen, filling in the middle innings when the Giants’ starters get pulled early. He will most likely be vital tomorrow, in Game Seven of the World Series, the last game of the baseball season.
On a more negative note, Hunter Strickland pitched like Hunter Strickland again today, and he gave up a solo home run to Mike Moustakas in the seventh inning. Hopefully Bruce Bochy has realized that he is not a reliable pitcher to put out on the mound, and he will likely not be used tomorrow as long as the game is close, which it most likely will be.
Tomorrow’s game has the same start time of 5:07 PDT, in Kansas City, and it will be a showdown, as it is an elimination game for both teams. The winner will earn a ring; the loser will go home. So, the Giants really need to win this game.
The Giants hitters only mustered six hits today, and that number will most likely not be enough to win the game. Ten hits is probably the magic number that they will need to win, although that all depends on whether they are able to string their hits together into rallies. The Giants did have five walks today, which is a surprisingly good number, but most of that must be credited to the wild tendencies of the Royals’ starter Yordano Ventura, who gave up three walks in a row in the third inning.
Veteran right-hander Tim Hudson will start the game, facing off against the Royals’ veteran righty Jeremy Guthrie, in a repeat matchup from Game 3. Once again the Giants need to hope for a different outcome, as they lost last time 3-2. Hudson will have to manage his control like he always does and keep the ball low so that he can get groundouts. If he can keep the ball mainly on the ground, he should be able to have a solid outing and hopefully prevent the Royals from starting any big rallies. Petit may also have a role tomorrow in long relief, especially if Bruce Bochy decides to make a pitching change early. Finally, Madison Bumgarner may even see some action tomorrow if the situation of the game deems it necessary. Seeing as this game is the final one of the season, Bumgarner may come out of the bullpen in key situations in Bochy feels that he can help the Giants win.
The Giants need a win tomorrow (obviously), and they will do anything necessary to win it (obviously). So, Bumgarner may see action, Lincecum may see action, and anyone could be coming off the bench to pinch run or pinch hit in seemingly unusual situations, as the Giants will need to manufacture runs in anyway they can. To do so, they will need to maximize their potential to score, meaning that they need faster runners on the bases whenever possible, and with runners in scoring position they do not want to be wasting at bats on weaker hitters.
Unlike today, where the Giants got shutout, tomorrow San Francisco needs to score some runs if they want to win. If the offense can click and come up with a couple strong rallies to put four or five runs on the board, the Giants will have a quite decent chance of winning the Fall Classic. Hudson will have to be a workhorse, and the bullpen will have to be locked in on the pitching side, and with these two aspects together the Giants have a very high chance at winning. Finally, San Francisco has made itself famous for the “it” factor, where they always seem to get good bounces, great rolls, and the benefit of all coincidence. We wrote about this “it” factor in our World Series preview, and the notes still ring true. The Giants need the baseball gods to be on their side if they want to win, as today the baseball gods sided with the Royals making the Giants lose. Finally, the Giants can win tomorrow, but only if they string hits together, lock their bullpen in, and have the benefits of the baseball gods on their side, providing them the final spark that they need to finish October with a ring.
Follow Apurv on Twitter: @abaichwal
Ouch.
Today’s game was bad, and there’s really not too much to be said about it. The Giants got shutout 10-0, in Game Six of the World Series. Fortunately, they were up 3-2 before today, so today’s game can simply be forgotten.
Peavy had a pretty awful day by statistics, as he only lasted 1.1 innings, and he gave up five earned runs on six hits and a walk. However, the only consolation to this awful stat line is that most of these hits were cheap, including a chopper to Brandon Belt that turned into an infield single. In the second inning, the Royals’ leadoff man, Alcides Escobar hit this chopper to Belt, who had to come off the line to field it. With runners at second and third, Belt took his time checking the runners to make sure they would not try to advance in this one out situation. He was then about to run to first to get the out, but then Peavy called for him to look home for some unknown reason, causing him to hesitate. Then, by the time Belt could run to the bag, the speedy Escobar had beat him there for an infield single. Although this hit was an extreme example, the idea was still there: the Royals got a lot of lucky hits, especially in the second inning.
In total, they scored ten runs, seven of which came in the fateful second inning. Generally, none of the Giants pitchers were on top of their stuff, although they got dined a lot worse than they should have been. For example, Peavy was actually not pitching too badly, and he only gave up five runs because he left the game with the bases loaded after giving up two runs. Since everyone who was on base scored, Peavy was charged with all of those runs, although Yusmerio Petit was the pitcher who actually gave them up.
Here's proof:
((HT: MLB.com))
Looking at Petit, he had a very poor outing today, giving up two runs on three hits in .2 innings pitched. He has been stellar in long relief situations through this postseason, besides today, and hopefully this game is just a hiccup. He has been great out of the bullpen, filling in the middle innings when the Giants’ starters get pulled early. He will most likely be vital tomorrow, in Game Seven of the World Series, the last game of the baseball season.
On a more negative note, Hunter Strickland pitched like Hunter Strickland again today, and he gave up a solo home run to Mike Moustakas in the seventh inning. Hopefully Bruce Bochy has realized that he is not a reliable pitcher to put out on the mound, and he will likely not be used tomorrow as long as the game is close, which it most likely will be.
Tomorrow’s game has the same start time of 5:07 PDT, in Kansas City, and it will be a showdown, as it is an elimination game for both teams. The winner will earn a ring; the loser will go home. So, the Giants really need to win this game.
The Giants hitters only mustered six hits today, and that number will most likely not be enough to win the game. Ten hits is probably the magic number that they will need to win, although that all depends on whether they are able to string their hits together into rallies. The Giants did have five walks today, which is a surprisingly good number, but most of that must be credited to the wild tendencies of the Royals’ starter Yordano Ventura, who gave up three walks in a row in the third inning.
Veteran right-hander Tim Hudson will start the game, facing off against the Royals’ veteran righty Jeremy Guthrie, in a repeat matchup from Game 3. Once again the Giants need to hope for a different outcome, as they lost last time 3-2. Hudson will have to manage his control like he always does and keep the ball low so that he can get groundouts. If he can keep the ball mainly on the ground, he should be able to have a solid outing and hopefully prevent the Royals from starting any big rallies. Petit may also have a role tomorrow in long relief, especially if Bruce Bochy decides to make a pitching change early. Finally, Madison Bumgarner may even see some action tomorrow if the situation of the game deems it necessary. Seeing as this game is the final one of the season, Bumgarner may come out of the bullpen in key situations in Bochy feels that he can help the Giants win.
The Giants need a win tomorrow (obviously), and they will do anything necessary to win it (obviously). So, Bumgarner may see action, Lincecum may see action, and anyone could be coming off the bench to pinch run or pinch hit in seemingly unusual situations, as the Giants will need to manufacture runs in anyway they can. To do so, they will need to maximize their potential to score, meaning that they need faster runners on the bases whenever possible, and with runners in scoring position they do not want to be wasting at bats on weaker hitters.
Unlike today, where the Giants got shutout, tomorrow San Francisco needs to score some runs if they want to win. If the offense can click and come up with a couple strong rallies to put four or five runs on the board, the Giants will have a quite decent chance of winning the Fall Classic. Hudson will have to be a workhorse, and the bullpen will have to be locked in on the pitching side, and with these two aspects together the Giants have a very high chance at winning. Finally, San Francisco has made itself famous for the “it” factor, where they always seem to get good bounces, great rolls, and the benefit of all coincidence. We wrote about this “it” factor in our World Series preview, and the notes still ring true. The Giants need the baseball gods to be on their side if they want to win, as today the baseball gods sided with the Royals making the Giants lose. Finally, the Giants can win tomorrow, but only if they string hits together, lock their bullpen in, and have the benefits of the baseball gods on their side, providing them the final spark that they need to finish October with a ring.
Follow Apurv on Twitter: @abaichwal
NCAA: Todd Gurley Has to Sit Two More Games
Oh boy...
If you thought the Georgia natives were restless over the suspension of star RB Todd Gurley before, they are even less thrilled now.
The overlords at the NCAA announced Wednesday morning Gurley will have to sit for two more games, making his suspension a 4-game suspension.
He would be eligible to return November 15th against Auburn.
The NCAA said Gurley, who appeared to have been accepting money for autographs for the past two seasons, has to donate the approximately $3,000 he is said to have received to charity and complete 40 hours of community service.
The school (UGA) also announced immediately after the ruling that they would appeal the decision since Gurley has already sat for 2 games. The NCAA membership committee is supposed to take up the matter by the end of the week.
Which won't help the Dawgs before they play archival Florida....this week.
The NCAA says the suspension is consistent with their rules and it could have been worse had the University and Gurley not been as cooperative as they were.
In the meantime, the Bulldogs will no doubt continue relying on super freshman Nick Chubb who has filled in quite well for Gurley. Chubb has run for 345 yards and 2 TD's in Georgia's last two games.
Coming off a bye week and preparing to play Florida means you will probably see Chubb continue to carry the rock.
Our friends at Saturday Down South give us video of Mr. Gurley in action:
If you thought the Georgia natives were restless over the suspension of star RB Todd Gurley before, they are even less thrilled now.
The overlords at the NCAA announced Wednesday morning Gurley will have to sit for two more games, making his suspension a 4-game suspension.
He would be eligible to return November 15th against Auburn.
The NCAA said Gurley, who appeared to have been accepting money for autographs for the past two seasons, has to donate the approximately $3,000 he is said to have received to charity and complete 40 hours of community service.
The school (UGA) also announced immediately after the ruling that they would appeal the decision since Gurley has already sat for 2 games. The NCAA membership committee is supposed to take up the matter by the end of the week.
Which won't help the Dawgs before they play archival Florida....this week.
The NCAA says the suspension is consistent with their rules and it could have been worse had the University and Gurley not been as cooperative as they were.
In the meantime, the Bulldogs will no doubt continue relying on super freshman Nick Chubb who has filled in quite well for Gurley. Chubb has run for 345 yards and 2 TD's in Georgia's last two games.
Coming off a bye week and preparing to play Florida means you will probably see Chubb continue to carry the rock.
Our friends at Saturday Down South give us video of Mr. Gurley in action:
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Tsarnaev Friend Found Guilty Of Lying To Investigators
((HT: MyFoxBoston))
If you haven't heard the name Robel Phillipos, you probably need to file it away as someone you need to know about...
After six days of deliberating, Robel Phillipos, a friend of the Tsarnaev brothers, was found guilty on both counts of lying to investigators about being in Dzokhar Tsarnaev's dorm room while two other friends removed a backpack containing potential evidence after the April 15, 2013, Boston Marathon attack.
The bombs placed near the marathon finish line killed three people and injured more than 260.
Phillipos had an interesting defense- marijuana consumption.
Here's the latest on the verdict- albeit a very mixed one...
Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston
He is facing up to 16 years in prison and a verdict will be given in late January- the same month the Tsarnaev trial is set to begin.
Phillipos will be held under house arrest until then.
If you haven't heard the name Robel Phillipos, you probably need to file it away as someone you need to know about...
After six days of deliberating, Robel Phillipos, a friend of the Tsarnaev brothers, was found guilty on both counts of lying to investigators about being in Dzokhar Tsarnaev's dorm room while two other friends removed a backpack containing potential evidence after the April 15, 2013, Boston Marathon attack.
The bombs placed near the marathon finish line killed three people and injured more than 260.
Phillipos had an interesting defense- marijuana consumption.
Here's the latest on the verdict- albeit a very mixed one...
Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston
He is facing up to 16 years in prison and a verdict will be given in late January- the same month the Tsarnaev trial is set to begin.
Phillipos will be held under house arrest until then.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Former NBA Star Blaylock Gets 15-Year Jail Sentence for Vehicular Homicide
((ht: ajc.com))
Former NBA All-Star Mookie Blaylock pleaded guilty to Vehicular Homicide and other minor charges in a metro Atlanta area courtroom Monday afternoon.
The charges stem from a May 2013 traffic accident south of Atlanta when he crashed into a car driven by Monica Murphy who died on the scene. Blaylock, who was also seriously injured in the crash, agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors that calls for 7-years of jail time and 8-years of probation, though he'd be eligible to have the prison term suspended after 3-years.
While Blaylock, who admitted he had an alcohol problem, was apparently not intoxicated at the time of the crash, he was under orders not to be driving due to a seizure disorder attributed to his alcoholism.
Read more from AJC.com RIGHT HERE
Blaylock played for 13-years in the NBA and retired in 2002. He was drafted in 1989 by the New Jersey Nets and played for the Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors.
Here is some video of Blaylock with the Hawks:
Former NBA All-Star Mookie Blaylock pleaded guilty to Vehicular Homicide and other minor charges in a metro Atlanta area courtroom Monday afternoon.
The charges stem from a May 2013 traffic accident south of Atlanta when he crashed into a car driven by Monica Murphy who died on the scene. Blaylock, who was also seriously injured in the crash, agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors that calls for 7-years of jail time and 8-years of probation, though he'd be eligible to have the prison term suspended after 3-years.
While Blaylock, who admitted he had an alcohol problem, was apparently not intoxicated at the time of the crash, he was under orders not to be driving due to a seizure disorder attributed to his alcoholism.
Read more from AJC.com RIGHT HERE
Blaylock played for 13-years in the NBA and retired in 2002. He was drafted in 1989 by the New Jersey Nets and played for the Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors.
Here is some video of Blaylock with the Hawks:
Police: FSU RB Being Investigated for Domestic Battery
The strange world surrounding Florida State University continues to swirl on the heels of a statement by Tallahassee police that star RB Karlos Williams is being investigated for possible domestic battery.
"The Tallahassee Police Department is currently working an alleged domestic battery involving Karlos Williams. TPD received the case on Saturday night, October 25th, 2014 and it was immediately assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division. The alleged crime is an active on-going investigation and Florida Law does not allow TPD to discuss the details of any case while it is on-going.
Once the case is complete, it will be released under the guidelines of Florida Public Records Law."
You can also go to the PD's Facebook page RIGHT HERE
((Note--You should go to the Facebook page and read the comments, funny but scary sad))
We aren't exactly sure why the statement was released the way it was, but it hasn't been taken down either. To the best of ours...and everyone else's knowledge, Williams has not been arrested or charged with anything at this time (Monday afternoon)
In the meantime--A separate report from a Jacksonville, Florida Sports Talk host Fridauy afternoon stating Williams was already suspended has been denied by FSU coach Jimbo Fisher who probably has lots of experience playing whack-a-mole now.
You can read about that from the Orlando Sentinel RIGHT HERE
And raises a question...if the police report was filed Saturday, why would it be talked about on Friday?
Well, the reason is alleged photos and messages posted by Williams pregnant girlfriend on her Facebook and Twitter pages.
Police do say they are not allowed to comment on an ongoing investigation. Despite the fact the Facebook post earlier today did just that. Considering their past track record, we'll all be waiting to see how that plays out.
Jimbo Fisher is expected to have his weekly presser Monday evening as FSU prepares for their Thursday night game vs. Louisville. We can't wait to hear that one...
Williams is the leading rusher for the 7-0 Seminoles, who've been dogged all season long by the erratic behavior of star QB Jameis Winston.
"The Tallahassee Police Department is currently working an alleged domestic battery involving Karlos Williams. TPD received the case on Saturday night, October 25th, 2014 and it was immediately assigned to the Criminal Investigation Division. The alleged crime is an active on-going investigation and Florida Law does not allow TPD to discuss the details of any case while it is on-going.
Once the case is complete, it will be released under the guidelines of Florida Public Records Law."
You can also go to the PD's Facebook page RIGHT HERE
((Note--You should go to the Facebook page and read the comments, funny but scary sad))
We aren't exactly sure why the statement was released the way it was, but it hasn't been taken down either. To the best of ours...and everyone else's knowledge, Williams has not been arrested or charged with anything at this time (Monday afternoon)
In the meantime--A separate report from a Jacksonville, Florida Sports Talk host Fridauy afternoon stating Williams was already suspended has been denied by FSU coach Jimbo Fisher who probably has lots of experience playing whack-a-mole now.
You can read about that from the Orlando Sentinel RIGHT HERE
And raises a question...if the police report was filed Saturday, why would it be talked about on Friday?
Well, the reason is alleged photos and messages posted by Williams pregnant girlfriend on her Facebook and Twitter pages.
Police do say they are not allowed to comment on an ongoing investigation. Despite the fact the Facebook post earlier today did just that. Considering their past track record, we'll all be waiting to see how that plays out.
Jimbo Fisher is expected to have his weekly presser Monday evening as FSU prepares for their Thursday night game vs. Louisville. We can't wait to hear that one...
Williams is the leading rusher for the 7-0 Seminoles, who've been dogged all season long by the erratic behavior of star QB Jameis Winston.
San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks Square Off in Line Brawl
Oh boy, in the world of hockey fights, this was a pretty big one.
While you still often see fights in the NHL, you don't often see them involve just about everyone on the ice when one starts.
Yet that is exactly what happened Sunday night during the San Jose Sharks vs. Anaheim Ducks game in Anaheim Sunday night.
It began with John Scott flying off the bench and attacking Tim Jackman. While the refs were ushering those two off the ice, pretty much everyone else began piling on and swinging in a scrum on the other side of the ice.
Boom...
In all, 160 minutes of penalties, mostly due to the multiple fights (the line brawl wasn't the only one) were handed out during the game, which by the way, was won by San Jose 4-1...
Your Line Brawl courtesy SomeHockeyVideos:
While you still often see fights in the NHL, you don't often see them involve just about everyone on the ice when one starts.
Yet that is exactly what happened Sunday night during the San Jose Sharks vs. Anaheim Ducks game in Anaheim Sunday night.
It began with John Scott flying off the bench and attacking Tim Jackman. While the refs were ushering those two off the ice, pretty much everyone else began piling on and swinging in a scrum on the other side of the ice.
Boom...
In all, 160 minutes of penalties, mostly due to the multiple fights (the line brawl wasn't the only one) were handed out during the game, which by the way, was won by San Jose 4-1...
Your Line Brawl courtesy SomeHockeyVideos:
ICYMI: NY Jets With Worst Trick Play Ever
Folks, the New York Jets are a crappy football team. Despite their near constant presence on the Sports TV wrap-up shows, they are a bad football team. They don't have nor have they earned the right to have that much coverage. Nobody outside New York...and maybe not even there based on a recent Facebook poll cares anything about them.
That all being said, this is visual proof of just how sad the J-E-T-S are. It's a really, really bad attempt at a trick play on a kickoff return during their 42-23 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
The Jests had T.J Graham lay down in the "Green" end zone, wearing his green Jets jersey during a kick that landed deep in the end zone with the thought that new acquisition Percy Harvin would throw it to him as he suddenly sprang to life.
Yeah...
It didn't go quite that well. Harvin got the ball, tried to run out of the end zone and before he could wind up...was tackled on his own 2 yard line.
Good bye Rex Ryan, it was nice doing stories about you:
That all being said, this is visual proof of just how sad the J-E-T-S are. It's a really, really bad attempt at a trick play on a kickoff return during their 42-23 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
The Jests had T.J Graham lay down in the "Green" end zone, wearing his green Jets jersey during a kick that landed deep in the end zone with the thought that new acquisition Percy Harvin would throw it to him as he suddenly sprang to life.
Yeah...
It didn't go quite that well. Harvin got the ball, tried to run out of the end zone and before he could wind up...was tackled on his own 2 yard line.
Good bye Rex Ryan, it was nice doing stories about you:
BASTA Breaks Down SF Giants Win: Bumgarner Masterful As Giants Capitalize on Royals’ Miscue
By: Apurv Baichwal
Madison Bumgarner has carried the Giants through this season, and he has been especially essential during this postseason. He has risen through the ranks of Cy Young winners Tim Lincecum, Jake Peavy, and Matt Cain to feature himself as the ace of the rotation. He is only 25 years old, yet he is pitching in his third World Series already. His composure and poise on the mound are exquisite, and so far this postseason he has been all but perfect. Through the postseason, Bumgarner has started a whopping six games, and Bochy has mentioned that he “may have to use him again,” meaning that Bumgarner may see action if there is a Game Seven to this World Series.
Through the postseason, Bumgarner has pitched 47.2 innings, as many as some relief pitchers might pitch during an entire season. Although the sheer volume of Bumgarner’s work is impressive, he has been masterful through these innings as he has only allowed seven runs, six earned through the postseason. He has also only allowed 26 hits and six walks making his WHIP a stellar .678. Also his ERA for this postseason is minuscule at 1.14, while he has recorded 41 huge strikeouts as Bumgarner has dominated all the lineups he has faced. Also, he has dominated in the World Series especially, with a truly microscopic career .29 ERA that gives him the record for lowest ERA in the World Series. He also threw two complete game shutouts just this postseason, one in the wildcard game and one today, and he has picked up four wins. Overall, Bumgarner has truly been an ace through the postseason, and he has been so great that it is almost a given that the Giants will win when he starts the game.
Today, this assumption was proven true, as he threw nine scoreless innings for an complete game shutout win where he absolutely baffled and dominated the entire Royals’ lineup. This shutout win marks him as the first pitcher since Josh Beckett in 2003 to throw a shutout in the World Series. He only gave up four hits through the game, and his command was so perfect that he did not give up a single walk. He also struck out eight batters as he completely confounded the Royals. He threw 117 pitches through this outing, and he threw 84 of those pitches for strikes, a hugely impressive clip of 71.8%.
While Bumgarner dominated the game, the Giants’ hitters did have a pretty good night as well, although their achievements pale in the face of Bumgarner’s.
Early in the game, the Giants capitalized on the miscues of the Royals’ fielders to go up early, 2-0. In the second inning, Hunter Pence led off with a single to left, one that slid right under the Royals’ shortstop’s glove. He moved to the right to backhand the ball, but it sped up on the infield dirt, and slid under his glove for a base hit to left. Brandon Belt then wowed both the Royals and the crowd as he laid down a perfect push bunt to the shortstop, which he beat out to first, putting runners on first and second. With the Royals playing the lefty Belt to pull the ball, and shifting their infield to reflect this expectation, Belt saw an opportunity to advance Pence, and possibly even get on base, and he executed perfectly, capitalizing on the Royals’ shift, and the fact that the Royals’ shortstop is not used to fielding bunts, to make it to first and extend the inning. Travis Ishikawa then flew out to deep left-centerfield, but Pence and Belt both managed to advance on this productive out, as Pence advanced first, then Belt read the throw from center going up the line, and he capitalized on the poor throw to advance as well. Brandon Crawford then got his first RBI of the night on a groundout to second base, where the Royals chose to get the out and allow the run, rather than allow the bases to be loaded with one out against Bumgarner. In classic San Francisco style, the Giants knocked their first run in without a hit, something that they have a penchant for.
The Giants struck again in the fourth inning with some more small ball as Pablo Sandoval led off the inning with a single to left that shot down the line past the Royals’ third baseman. Hunter Pence and Brandon Belt each struck out bringing Travis Ishikawa up with two outs, but this time he was even more productive than the last. He singled to left, on ball that once again shot under the shortstop’s glove in a very similar manner to Pence’s hit, advancing Sandoval to second. Brandon Crawford then singled to center, and this ball was bobbled by the center fielder, allowing Pablo Sandoval to score for Crawford’s second RBI, even though Sandoval hesitated rounding third. You can view this sequence, including Ishikawa’s and Crawford’s hits and the Royals’ fielding miscues here.
The game was quiet after this score, until the bottom of the eighth inning when the Giants struck once again. Sandoval and Pence led off the inning with singles, to right and left respectively. After Brandon Belt struck out, Juan Perez made his mark in the World Series with a huge hit. Even though he was brought into the game for defensive help, as he has been all postseason with Ishikawa being a subpar left fielder, Perez still managed to drive in two runs as he hit a huge double off the centerfield wall that literally could not have been hit any harder without leaving the park. This double easily scored both Sandoval and Pence, and the speedy Perez even advanced to third on the throw home. You can view this hit, and see how close Perez was to having his first career home run, even though he has only had one hit all season with runners in scoring position, right here. Brandon Crawford then picked up his third RBI of the game with a bloop single to left, giving the Giants’ their final score of 5-0.
If Madison Bumgarner had not pitched as amazingly as he did, Brandon Crawford’s three RBI night would have been much more widely talked about, and it was still a great feat, but with Bumgarner’s stellar pitching, the runs were not even necessary.
With this win, the Giants go up 3-2 over the Royals in the World Series. They split the first two games in Kansas City, then went 2-1 in the three games at home, exactly what they needed to do to put themselves into position to win it all. Now, they must win one out of the next two games in Missouri, as one more win will give them the World Series. Tomorrow is an off-day for travel, and then the Fall Classic will resume on Tuesday with a 5:07 PDT start time, showcasing right-hander Jake Peavy against the Royals’ right-handed flame-thrower Yordano Ventura. As of today’s game, repeats of matchups have begun. Bumgarner beat “Not So Big Game” James Shields today, just like he did in Game One. Tomorrow’s game will be a rematch from Game Two, but it will hopefully have some better results, as although Peavy pitched alright, the bullpen was awful last time. Hopefully Jake Peavy can be the guy who ends the World Series, and gives the Giants their third ring in five years, but if not, the Giants will have to rely on the final game on Wednesday, where it would hypothetically be win or go home for both teams.
The bullpen was able to rest today as Bumgarner pitched the whole game, and they will gain an extra day of rest tomorrow, so hopefully they can be strong Wednesday to backup Jake Peavy. If the offense can continue to produce any way they can, and the bullpen can pitch well, like they usually do, the Giants have a good chance of ending the Fall Classic with Jake Peavy at the helm.
Stats Courtesy of SanFrancisco.Giants.MLB.com
Follow me on Twitter: @abaichwal
Madison Bumgarner has carried the Giants through this season, and he has been especially essential during this postseason. He has risen through the ranks of Cy Young winners Tim Lincecum, Jake Peavy, and Matt Cain to feature himself as the ace of the rotation. He is only 25 years old, yet he is pitching in his third World Series already. His composure and poise on the mound are exquisite, and so far this postseason he has been all but perfect. Through the postseason, Bumgarner has started a whopping six games, and Bochy has mentioned that he “may have to use him again,” meaning that Bumgarner may see action if there is a Game Seven to this World Series.
Through the postseason, Bumgarner has pitched 47.2 innings, as many as some relief pitchers might pitch during an entire season. Although the sheer volume of Bumgarner’s work is impressive, he has been masterful through these innings as he has only allowed seven runs, six earned through the postseason. He has also only allowed 26 hits and six walks making his WHIP a stellar .678. Also his ERA for this postseason is minuscule at 1.14, while he has recorded 41 huge strikeouts as Bumgarner has dominated all the lineups he has faced. Also, he has dominated in the World Series especially, with a truly microscopic career .29 ERA that gives him the record for lowest ERA in the World Series. He also threw two complete game shutouts just this postseason, one in the wildcard game and one today, and he has picked up four wins. Overall, Bumgarner has truly been an ace through the postseason, and he has been so great that it is almost a given that the Giants will win when he starts the game.
Today, this assumption was proven true, as he threw nine scoreless innings for an complete game shutout win where he absolutely baffled and dominated the entire Royals’ lineup. This shutout win marks him as the first pitcher since Josh Beckett in 2003 to throw a shutout in the World Series. He only gave up four hits through the game, and his command was so perfect that he did not give up a single walk. He also struck out eight batters as he completely confounded the Royals. He threw 117 pitches through this outing, and he threw 84 of those pitches for strikes, a hugely impressive clip of 71.8%.
While Bumgarner dominated the game, the Giants’ hitters did have a pretty good night as well, although their achievements pale in the face of Bumgarner’s.
Early in the game, the Giants capitalized on the miscues of the Royals’ fielders to go up early, 2-0. In the second inning, Hunter Pence led off with a single to left, one that slid right under the Royals’ shortstop’s glove. He moved to the right to backhand the ball, but it sped up on the infield dirt, and slid under his glove for a base hit to left. Brandon Belt then wowed both the Royals and the crowd as he laid down a perfect push bunt to the shortstop, which he beat out to first, putting runners on first and second. With the Royals playing the lefty Belt to pull the ball, and shifting their infield to reflect this expectation, Belt saw an opportunity to advance Pence, and possibly even get on base, and he executed perfectly, capitalizing on the Royals’ shift, and the fact that the Royals’ shortstop is not used to fielding bunts, to make it to first and extend the inning. Travis Ishikawa then flew out to deep left-centerfield, but Pence and Belt both managed to advance on this productive out, as Pence advanced first, then Belt read the throw from center going up the line, and he capitalized on the poor throw to advance as well. Brandon Crawford then got his first RBI of the night on a groundout to second base, where the Royals chose to get the out and allow the run, rather than allow the bases to be loaded with one out against Bumgarner. In classic San Francisco style, the Giants knocked their first run in without a hit, something that they have a penchant for.
The Giants struck again in the fourth inning with some more small ball as Pablo Sandoval led off the inning with a single to left that shot down the line past the Royals’ third baseman. Hunter Pence and Brandon Belt each struck out bringing Travis Ishikawa up with two outs, but this time he was even more productive than the last. He singled to left, on ball that once again shot under the shortstop’s glove in a very similar manner to Pence’s hit, advancing Sandoval to second. Brandon Crawford then singled to center, and this ball was bobbled by the center fielder, allowing Pablo Sandoval to score for Crawford’s second RBI, even though Sandoval hesitated rounding third. You can view this sequence, including Ishikawa’s and Crawford’s hits and the Royals’ fielding miscues here.
The game was quiet after this score, until the bottom of the eighth inning when the Giants struck once again. Sandoval and Pence led off the inning with singles, to right and left respectively. After Brandon Belt struck out, Juan Perez made his mark in the World Series with a huge hit. Even though he was brought into the game for defensive help, as he has been all postseason with Ishikawa being a subpar left fielder, Perez still managed to drive in two runs as he hit a huge double off the centerfield wall that literally could not have been hit any harder without leaving the park. This double easily scored both Sandoval and Pence, and the speedy Perez even advanced to third on the throw home. You can view this hit, and see how close Perez was to having his first career home run, even though he has only had one hit all season with runners in scoring position, right here. Brandon Crawford then picked up his third RBI of the game with a bloop single to left, giving the Giants’ their final score of 5-0.
If Madison Bumgarner had not pitched as amazingly as he did, Brandon Crawford’s three RBI night would have been much more widely talked about, and it was still a great feat, but with Bumgarner’s stellar pitching, the runs were not even necessary.
With this win, the Giants go up 3-2 over the Royals in the World Series. They split the first two games in Kansas City, then went 2-1 in the three games at home, exactly what they needed to do to put themselves into position to win it all. Now, they must win one out of the next two games in Missouri, as one more win will give them the World Series. Tomorrow is an off-day for travel, and then the Fall Classic will resume on Tuesday with a 5:07 PDT start time, showcasing right-hander Jake Peavy against the Royals’ right-handed flame-thrower Yordano Ventura. As of today’s game, repeats of matchups have begun. Bumgarner beat “Not So Big Game” James Shields today, just like he did in Game One. Tomorrow’s game will be a rematch from Game Two, but it will hopefully have some better results, as although Peavy pitched alright, the bullpen was awful last time. Hopefully Jake Peavy can be the guy who ends the World Series, and gives the Giants their third ring in five years, but if not, the Giants will have to rely on the final game on Wednesday, where it would hypothetically be win or go home for both teams.
The bullpen was able to rest today as Bumgarner pitched the whole game, and they will gain an extra day of rest tomorrow, so hopefully they can be strong Wednesday to backup Jake Peavy. If the offense can continue to produce any way they can, and the bullpen can pitch well, like they usually do, the Giants have a good chance of ending the Fall Classic with Jake Peavy at the helm.
Stats Courtesy of SanFrancisco.Giants.MLB.com
Follow me on Twitter: @abaichwal
Sunday, October 26, 2014
DEVELOPING: Cards Taveras Dies In Car Crash
((HT: 120Sports))
Sad news out of the Dominican Republic...
120 is reporting that St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras has reportedly died in a car crash in his native country.
“Obviously, we have deep condolences to his family. We are still waiting for more details before issuing a full statement,” said Cardinals GM John Mozeliak, via MLB.com’s Jen Langosch (on Twitter).
From MLB Trade Rumors:
Taveras’ girlfriend also reportedly passed away. A variety of outlets from the Dominican Republic had reported news of the accident. Taveras was 22 years old. ESPN Deportes' Dionisio Soldevila says the police report indicates that Taveras’ car had veered off the road.
KMOV-TV in St. Louis reports his death was confirmed around 7:30 PM. Taveras was scheduled to play winter ball in the Dominican Republic before returning for spring training where he was expected to compete for the starting spot in right field.
The 22 year old came to the majors in style earlier this season
More when we know more...
Sad news out of the Dominican Republic...
120 is reporting that St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Oscar Taveras has reportedly died in a car crash in his native country.
“Obviously, we have deep condolences to his family. We are still waiting for more details before issuing a full statement,” said Cardinals GM John Mozeliak, via MLB.com’s Jen Langosch (on Twitter).
From MLB Trade Rumors:
Taveras’ girlfriend also reportedly passed away. A variety of outlets from the Dominican Republic had reported news of the accident. Taveras was 22 years old. ESPN Deportes' Dionisio Soldevila says the police report indicates that Taveras’ car had veered off the road.
KMOV-TV in St. Louis reports his death was confirmed around 7:30 PM. Taveras was scheduled to play winter ball in the Dominican Republic before returning for spring training where he was expected to compete for the starting spot in right field.
The 22 year old came to the majors in style earlier this season
More when we know more...
Scott Hartnell Does Not Like Jordan Nolan
((HT: NESN/647 Hockey Vids))
Scott Hartnell is no fan of Jordan Nolan and the LA Kings in their early contest today with Columbus...
The HQ will stipulate that Nolan is a pest. It is something he is very good at...
Like today...
Watch for it...
The HQ suspects there may be a talking-to from Messrs. Pronger and Shanahan for both Nolan and Hartnell.
But, regardless of the numbers, stick swinging is too dangerous at any moment...
Last thing we need is another one is these incidents...
Scott Hartnell is no fan of Jordan Nolan and the LA Kings in their early contest today with Columbus...
The HQ will stipulate that Nolan is a pest. It is something he is very good at...
Like today...
Watch for it...
The HQ suspects there may be a talking-to from Messrs. Pronger and Shanahan for both Nolan and Hartnell.
But, regardless of the numbers, stick swinging is too dangerous at any moment...
Last thing we need is another one is these incidents...
Another Skate Blade Incident In The Minors (NSFW)
((HT: TSN/Bardown/PJStar))
The SPHL game between the Huntsville Havoc and Peoria Rivermen was suspended when the Havoc's Justin Cseter was unintentionally cut by the skate blade of Peoria's Dennis Sicard. Cseter fell on the blade of Sicard and it slashed his thigh in a gap in his equipment between the pants and the knee. A stick was used as a tourniquet- which is really tremendous thinking in a panic situation.
This isn't pretty...
There were reports of fans fainting in the stands because of all the blood. From Dave Eminian's piece in the Peoria Journal-Star: Doctors said Cseter suffered a wound about 1 1/2 inches deep and about six inches wide across his inner thigh on his right leg. His muscle was cut, but the skate blade missed his artery. Thirty minutes later he was rolled out on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance and hospitalized, with surgery ahead of him. WMBD Radio in Peoria is reporting that Cseter was out of hospital this morning and returning to Huntsville with the team. His prognosis is good. There is no timetable set for his return, but he is expected to make his way back onto the ice to play in the Havoc line-up at some point.
The SPHL game between the Huntsville Havoc and Peoria Rivermen was suspended when the Havoc's Justin Cseter was unintentionally cut by the skate blade of Peoria's Dennis Sicard. Cseter fell on the blade of Sicard and it slashed his thigh in a gap in his equipment between the pants and the knee. A stick was used as a tourniquet- which is really tremendous thinking in a panic situation.
This isn't pretty...
There were reports of fans fainting in the stands because of all the blood. From Dave Eminian's piece in the Peoria Journal-Star: Doctors said Cseter suffered a wound about 1 1/2 inches deep and about six inches wide across his inner thigh on his right leg. His muscle was cut, but the skate blade missed his artery. Thirty minutes later he was rolled out on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance and hospitalized, with surgery ahead of him. WMBD Radio in Peoria is reporting that Cseter was out of hospital this morning and returning to Huntsville with the team. His prognosis is good. There is no timetable set for his return, but he is expected to make his way back onto the ice to play in the Havoc line-up at some point.
Sunday Morning NFL: Falcons Snatch Defeat From Jaws of Victory
So...NFL fans got a rare treat on October 26th, a 9:30 a.m wakeup football game featuring the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions playing in London.And...well, suffice to say at least the Lions fans were happy about it.
Detroit got a last second, 2nd attempt at a game-winning field goal by Matt Prater to squeak out a 22-21 win over Atlanta.
Somehow after a penalty, the Lions lined up for a 42-yard attempt by Prater for the win. As he went to kick it, a delay of game penalty was called. Prater missed that kick.
But another chance, with :02, from 47 yards...that was all the former Broncos All-Pro needed.
Now, mind you, the Falcons looked nearly unbeatable in the 1st half, storming out to a 21-0 lead.
But that would be all the scoring they could muster against the top ranked Lions Defense.
Matthew Stafford threw for 325 yards and 2 TD's, and Golden Tate made up for the absence of Calvin Johnson by catching 7 balls for 151 yards and a score.
But outside 60 yards running and a TD by Steven Jackson, the Falcons struggled yet again, losing their 5th straight game.
We feel for the Falcons and coach Mike Smith. Having covered them for years. We grew to respect what both he and G.M Thomas Dimitroff did, turning possibly one of the worst teams in NFL history back in 2007 into a perennial winner.
But that was a bit of smoke and mirrors. The Falcons were beneficiaries of easy schedules and quite a few lucky breaks that bounced their way. Which masked their weaknesses on both sides of the line.
Smitty and Dimitroff are two of the good guys in Football, well liked and well respected. But it's probably time to make a change as the team is not going to be any better than they are in the near future. The foundation isn't bad, but it's time.
As for Falcons fans--write this year off, you aren't going to get better than this.
The Lions, well, after come from behind wins the past couple weeks with their best player out. The future is bright. Jim Caldwell has brought new energy to the team and may very well be the coach who finally gets a team loaded with #1 draft picks to reach their potential and get in the playoffs.
Highlights to come later today--when the NFL allows them to be online...
The anaylsts at CBSSports.com discuss:
OSG Prem: Russell Brand Celebrates West Ham Win In A Very Russell Brand Way
((HT: Beanyman Sports/BPL/BT Sport))
Russell Brand was a busy fan yesterday...
For those of you unaware, the comedian is a big West Ham United fan. And when the Hammers knocked off Manchester City yesterday, it was a reason for great Brand-celebrating...
Like in the post-match interview room with West Ham manager Sam Allardyce
And with his dad, Ron, on live television...
How very Russell Brand...
Russell Brand was a busy fan yesterday...
For those of you unaware, the comedian is a big West Ham United fan. And when the Hammers knocked off Manchester City yesterday, it was a reason for great Brand-celebrating...
Like in the post-match interview room with West Ham manager Sam Allardyce
And with his dad, Ron, on live television...
How very Russell Brand...
Murray State Sees You, TCU, And Raises... 86 In A Win
((HT: Murray State Athletics))
The last time the HQ saw Murray State head coach Chris Hatcher was a few years back when he was having ups and downs in Statesboro, Georgia at Georgia Southern. Now, he has taken his high-powered, heavy-speed offense to Murray, Kentucky as the head coach of the OVC's Murray State Racers.
Yesterday, Murray hosted Kentucky Wesleyan and did what Hatch's teams are supposed to do- score a lot of points.
45 unanswered in the second half and 86 overall in an 86-29 win over the visitors.
Surprisingly, the Racers only had 720 yards of total offense on Saturday. Three special teams scores (2 on kickoffs and one on a punt return) also helped the cause.
Murray QB KD Humphries found nine different receivers and threw for 2 scores. Pokey Harris had 10 carries for 184 yards to lead the 408 yard attack for the home team.
Here's the highlights
With some postgame from the head coach...
Hatch's old record for points at Murray was 83 set a few years back.
The last time the HQ saw Murray State head coach Chris Hatcher was a few years back when he was having ups and downs in Statesboro, Georgia at Georgia Southern. Now, he has taken his high-powered, heavy-speed offense to Murray, Kentucky as the head coach of the OVC's Murray State Racers.
Yesterday, Murray hosted Kentucky Wesleyan and did what Hatch's teams are supposed to do- score a lot of points.
45 unanswered in the second half and 86 overall in an 86-29 win over the visitors.
Surprisingly, the Racers only had 720 yards of total offense on Saturday. Three special teams scores (2 on kickoffs and one on a punt return) also helped the cause.
Murray QB KD Humphries found nine different receivers and threw for 2 scores. Pokey Harris had 10 carries for 184 yards to lead the 408 yard attack for the home team.
Here's the highlights
With some postgame from the head coach...
Hatch's old record for points at Murray was 83 set a few years back.
ICYMI: Fat Guy TD Pass To Another Fat Guy
((HT: TodaysTHV.com/KTHV))
The HQ thinks we have a record... fattest pitch-and-catch combo for a TD in the Ess-E-Cee
Sebastian Tretola's TD pass in the Arkansas win over UAB kinda looks like a rub-your-nose-in-it moment against the Blazers...
But, it's at the minute mark in the highlights brought to you by Mary Dunleavy and her cast of ex-Hogs
Long snapper Alan D'Appollonio caught the shotgun formation pass as the Razorbacks improve to 4-4...
And, we think, Tretola passes Jared Lorenzen for the record.
The HQ thinks we have a record... fattest pitch-and-catch combo for a TD in the Ess-E-Cee
Sebastian Tretola's TD pass in the Arkansas win over UAB kinda looks like a rub-your-nose-in-it moment against the Blazers...
But, it's at the minute mark in the highlights brought to you by Mary Dunleavy and her cast of ex-Hogs
Long snapper Alan D'Appollonio caught the shotgun formation pass as the Razorbacks improve to 4-4...
And, we think, Tretola passes Jared Lorenzen for the record.
Bill Murray Intros Sunday Morning NFL Because Of Course He Does
Bill Murray is awesome.
Granted we don't know him personally, but he just exists on this alternate, dry humor plane where everything is living life to it's fullest, doing what you want to do kind of dali-lama-ish existence where he just drops wisdom upon us all.
Check out the intro he did Sunday morning to kick off FOXSports's coverage of the Atlanta Falcons/Detroit Lions game in London.
All we can say is that it's "So Very Bill Murray"
Enjoy:
Granted we don't know him personally, but he just exists on this alternate, dry humor plane where everything is living life to it's fullest, doing what you want to do kind of dali-lama-ish existence where he just drops wisdom upon us all.
Check out the intro he did Sunday morning to kick off FOXSports's coverage of the Atlanta Falcons/Detroit Lions game in London.
All we can say is that it's "So Very Bill Murray"
Enjoy:
Morning Roundup: Brian Stow Says Play Ball as Giants Rout Royals
((ht: mlb.com))
With all the college football action Saturday, you may have missed game 4 of the World Series.
And if you did, you missed another great game in a series that may not be highly rated on TV, but has been genuinely fun to watch.
The San Francisco Giants rallied from an early 4-1 deficit, to come back and beat the Kansas City Royals 11-4.
The game featured the Giants hammering the seemingly invulnerable Royals bullpen for 8 runs without hitting a home run the entire game.
Hunter Pence had 3 hits and 3 RBI's and Pablo Sandoval and Joe Panik drove in 2 runs apiece.
But perhaps the biggest highlight of the night came before the game started. Brian Stow, a Giants fan seriously injured and nearly killed a couple of years ago after being attacked by a couple of Los Angeles Dodger fans in L.A, surprised Giants fans by rolling out in a wheelchair and telling everyone it was time to "Play Ball"
Game 5 is Sunday night in the city by the Bay. It looks like this may very well be a 7 game series.
Here are Saturday nights highlights---or at least some of them starting with the 5 runs they got off Royals rookie reliever Brandon Finnegan:
With all the college football action Saturday, you may have missed game 4 of the World Series.
And if you did, you missed another great game in a series that may not be highly rated on TV, but has been genuinely fun to watch.
The San Francisco Giants rallied from an early 4-1 deficit, to come back and beat the Kansas City Royals 11-4.
The game featured the Giants hammering the seemingly invulnerable Royals bullpen for 8 runs without hitting a home run the entire game.
Hunter Pence had 3 hits and 3 RBI's and Pablo Sandoval and Joe Panik drove in 2 runs apiece.
But perhaps the biggest highlight of the night came before the game started. Brian Stow, a Giants fan seriously injured and nearly killed a couple of years ago after being attacked by a couple of Los Angeles Dodger fans in L.A, surprised Giants fans by rolling out in a wheelchair and telling everyone it was time to "Play Ball"
Game 5 is Sunday night in the city by the Bay. It looks like this may very well be a 7 game series.
Here are Saturday nights highlights---or at least some of them starting with the 5 runs they got off Royals rookie reliever Brandon Finnegan:
Morning Roundup: TCU Drops 82 on Texas Tech
((ht: foxsports.com))
Whoa! 82 points? That's more than the Texas Christian basketball team scored in all but one game last season.
But that's exactly how many points the Horned Frogs scored Saturday afternoon against Texas Tech winning 82-27.
Trevone Boykin, who may be the best quarterback you've never heard of threw for 433 yards and 7 TD's...yes, 7 TD's for TCU. Mind you Boykin didn't play in the 4th quarter against a completely overmatched Red Raider squad.
Oddly, TCU coach Gary Patterson has always been known as a defensive coach, but as happy as he was about the offense, he was not thrilled his team gave up 27 points and a ton of yards in the win.
Rather than go on at length about all the crazy Madden 15 like statistics, we'll just cut straight to the chase and say "Watch the Highlights".
Thanks FOX Sports:
Whoa! 82 points? That's more than the Texas Christian basketball team scored in all but one game last season.
But that's exactly how many points the Horned Frogs scored Saturday afternoon against Texas Tech winning 82-27.
Trevone Boykin, who may be the best quarterback you've never heard of threw for 433 yards and 7 TD's...yes, 7 TD's for TCU. Mind you Boykin didn't play in the 4th quarter against a completely overmatched Red Raider squad.
Oddly, TCU coach Gary Patterson has always been known as a defensive coach, but as happy as he was about the offense, he was not thrilled his team gave up 27 points and a ton of yards in the win.
Rather than go on at length about all the crazy Madden 15 like statistics, we'll just cut straight to the chase and say "Watch the Highlights".
Thanks FOX Sports:
Morning Roundup: LSU Takes Down Ole Miss in Bizarre Finish
Usually it's LSU that ends up with the bizarre and strange Les Miles-ish type finish. But not on Saturday night.
#24 LSU upset #3 Ole Miss after one of the strangest finishes this season.
The Tigers were up by 3, 10-7 with less than 2 minutes to go when Ole Miss got the ball. All Rebel QB Bo Wallace had to do was get the ball downfield far enough to get at least a field goal to get the tie and put the game in overtime.
And Wallace moved his team down the field, albeit with the help bad pass interference penalty against LSU. He got them close enough for a potential 42-yard kick to tie the game.
That's when the chaos ensued.
Ole Miss couldn't decide what to do with :09 left and got a delay of game penalty, which backed up the kick 5 yards.
Still makable for most SEC kickers. Gary Wunderlich, the kicker is fairly accurate, but not with a big leg. His long on the season 46.
Instead, Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze decided to run another play, it was 3rd down. Wallace dropped back with instructions to either throw a quick hitter to get closer for Wunderlich or throw the ball into the stands.
Wallace tried to throw it to a double covered receiver in the end zone.
It was intercepted. Game over, LSU wins.
Perhaps the only offensive highlight of the game--Leonard Fournette ran for 113 yards for LSU, who also turned the ball over 4 times.
The win moves the Tigers to 7-2 overall, 3-2 in the SEC. Ole Miss drops to 7-1, 4-1 in the SEC.
Your highlights from ESPN:
#24 LSU upset #3 Ole Miss after one of the strangest finishes this season.
The Tigers were up by 3, 10-7 with less than 2 minutes to go when Ole Miss got the ball. All Rebel QB Bo Wallace had to do was get the ball downfield far enough to get at least a field goal to get the tie and put the game in overtime.
And Wallace moved his team down the field, albeit with the help bad pass interference penalty against LSU. He got them close enough for a potential 42-yard kick to tie the game.
That's when the chaos ensued.
Ole Miss couldn't decide what to do with :09 left and got a delay of game penalty, which backed up the kick 5 yards.
Still makable for most SEC kickers. Gary Wunderlich, the kicker is fairly accurate, but not with a big leg. His long on the season 46.
Instead, Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze decided to run another play, it was 3rd down. Wallace dropped back with instructions to either throw a quick hitter to get closer for Wunderlich or throw the ball into the stands.
Wallace tried to throw it to a double covered receiver in the end zone.
It was intercepted. Game over, LSU wins.
Perhaps the only offensive highlight of the game--Leonard Fournette ran for 113 yards for LSU, who also turned the ball over 4 times.
The win moves the Tigers to 7-2 overall, 3-2 in the SEC. Ole Miss drops to 7-1, 4-1 in the SEC.
Your highlights from ESPN:
Saturday, October 25, 2014
OSG High: Football Coach Meets Birth Mother After 40 Years
((HT: 11Alive.com))
Talk about a half time celebration...
Tucker (GA) coach Robby Gilbert was in for a shock of shocks at the end of halftime last night...
A coach the HQ has covered for a while got to close a quest and begin a new chapter in his life at the same time...
Jon Shirek tells a great story...
Talk about a half time celebration...
Tucker (GA) coach Robby Gilbert was in for a shock of shocks at the end of halftime last night...
A coach the HQ has covered for a while got to close a quest and begin a new chapter in his life at the same time...
Jon Shirek tells a great story...
Marlins Man Gives Up World Series Seat to God Bless America Singer
((ht: ftw.usatoday.com))
Nice....
If you've been watching this years World Series, chances are you've seen "Marlins Man" aka attorney Laurence Leavy sitting behind home plate in his orange Miami Marlins gear.
Mind you the Marlins are not playing in said World Series.
Leavy has been taking heat for sitting behind home plate with the Kansas City Royals going so far as to offer him Royals swag and a different seat to watch the game.
But Leavy has declined, drawing attention to the Marlins and himself just by sitting there.
Well "Marlins Man" did something Friday night that he'll be remembered even more for.
After hearing Steven Powell of the U.S Navy battle a bad microphone while singing "God Bless America" at ATT Park in San Francisco, he offered up his seat to the sailor.
Well played Marlins Man, well played---
Here's some Vine Video of Powell struggling with the mic:
Nice....
If you've been watching this years World Series, chances are you've seen "Marlins Man" aka attorney Laurence Leavy sitting behind home plate in his orange Miami Marlins gear.
Mind you the Marlins are not playing in said World Series.
Leavy has been taking heat for sitting behind home plate with the Kansas City Royals going so far as to offer him Royals swag and a different seat to watch the game.
But Leavy has declined, drawing attention to the Marlins and himself just by sitting there.
Well "Marlins Man" did something Friday night that he'll be remembered even more for.
After hearing Steven Powell of the U.S Navy battle a bad microphone while singing "God Bless America" at ATT Park in San Francisco, he offered up his seat to the sailor.
We had a GREAT TIME ladt night. Thats what life is about. And.... paying it forward every single day pic.twitter.com/yyC0TS4zB0
— Marlins Man (@Marlins_Man) October 25, 2014
Well played Marlins Man, well played---
Here's some Vine Video of Powell struggling with the mic:
Seattle Area H.S Offers Division Title to Grieving Marysville-Pilchuck
((ht: seattletimes.com))
Great tragedy for some often brings out the best in others.
Which in the world of Sports often happens in strange and different ways.
On Friday, the students of Seattle area Marysville-Pilchuck High School had their worlds rocked when a freshman football player walked into the school cafeteria and began shooting, killing one student and injuring 4 others before taking his own life.
Friday night, Marysville-Pilchuck was scheduled to play their arch-rivals, Oak Harbor. Out of respect to what happened, the game was not played.
But in the spirit of the moment and out of respect for their fellow students, the football team at Oak Harbor did something that will always be remembered.
They forfeited the game.
And that forfeit gave Marysville-Pilchuck the district title. Oak Harbor gladly accepted second place. Along with that, several Oak Harbor players came to Marysville and attended a Pilchuck team meeting. A gesture that was happily accepted and appreciated by all concerned.
Read more from the Seattle Times RIGHT HERE
KING-TV gives us Video and the TV story:
Great tragedy for some often brings out the best in others.
Which in the world of Sports often happens in strange and different ways.
On Friday, the students of Seattle area Marysville-Pilchuck High School had their worlds rocked when a freshman football player walked into the school cafeteria and began shooting, killing one student and injuring 4 others before taking his own life.
Friday night, Marysville-Pilchuck was scheduled to play their arch-rivals, Oak Harbor. Out of respect to what happened, the game was not played.
But in the spirit of the moment and out of respect for their fellow students, the football team at Oak Harbor did something that will always be remembered.
They forfeited the game.
And that forfeit gave Marysville-Pilchuck the district title. Oak Harbor gladly accepted second place. Along with that, several Oak Harbor players came to Marysville and attended a Pilchuck team meeting. A gesture that was happily accepted and appreciated by all concerned.
Read more from the Seattle Times RIGHT HERE
KING-TV gives us Video and the TV story:
PGA Prez Fired for Calling Poulter "Little Girl"
Oh boy...or girl. Haha!
Sorry for the bad jokes folks, just waking up to do the morning roundup.
Late Friday, the PGA of America removed Ted Bishop as their president after Bishop tweeted that PGA pro Ian Poulter was a "Little Girl" and then followed it up with a Facebook post bashing Poulter by saying he sounded like a "Little Girl squealing at recess"...
The exchange began shortly after Poulter's book about his Ryder Cup experiences was released during the week. In it, Poulter made some comments Bishop did not like about 2008 Euro Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo and US 2014 captain Tom Watson.
And the war of words began...
You can read more from ESPN.com RIGHT HERE
Bishop has since made the rounds, apologizing for the social media posts and has since deleted them. But it was too late.
The PGA, after asking him to resign early Friday, went ahead and voted to impeach Bishop after he refused to resign, wanting to apologize to the PGA of America board in person.
PGA Chief Executive Pete Bevacqua said this; "The PGA of America understands the enormous responsibility it has to lead this great game and to enrich lives in our society through golf," PGA chief executive Pete Bevacqua said in a statement. "We must demand of ourselves that we make golf both welcoming and inclusive to all who want to experience it, and everyone at the PGA of America must lead by example."
The talking heads of ESPN discuss:
Sorry for the bad jokes folks, just waking up to do the morning roundup.
Late Friday, the PGA of America removed Ted Bishop as their president after Bishop tweeted that PGA pro Ian Poulter was a "Little Girl" and then followed it up with a Facebook post bashing Poulter by saying he sounded like a "Little Girl squealing at recess"...
The exchange began shortly after Poulter's book about his Ryder Cup experiences was released during the week. In it, Poulter made some comments Bishop did not like about 2008 Euro Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo and US 2014 captain Tom Watson.
And the war of words began...
You can read more from ESPN.com RIGHT HERE
Bishop has since made the rounds, apologizing for the social media posts and has since deleted them. But it was too late.
The PGA, after asking him to resign early Friday, went ahead and voted to impeach Bishop after he refused to resign, wanting to apologize to the PGA of America board in person.
PGA Chief Executive Pete Bevacqua said this; "The PGA of America understands the enormous responsibility it has to lead this great game and to enrich lives in our society through golf," PGA chief executive Pete Bevacqua said in a statement. "We must demand of ourselves that we make golf both welcoming and inclusive to all who want to experience it, and everyone at the PGA of America must lead by example."
The talking heads of ESPN discuss:
ICYMI: Oregon Outscores Cal in Friday Night CFB
((ht: foxsports.com))
This would be the reason why though we like Oregon, we don't think IF they make the College Football playoff, they'll last very long.
On the strength of 5 TD passes by quarterback Marcus Mariota, the Oregon Ducks outscored Cal 59-41 Friday night moving them to 7-1 on the season, 4-1 in the Pac 12.
The game featured 1150 yards of offense and 21 penalties and probably finished long after most of the East Coast was sleeping.
Much like Baylor, who can score with anyone, the Ducks are dangerous as heck. Mariota is arguably the best quarterback in College Football. But he can't play defense, which over the years has been the one thing that's kept Oregon from winning titles.
We'll see if Oregon can run the table. If they do, the Ducks will surely be one of the four playoff teams. But then again, we aren't even in November yet....
Your highlights from FoxSports:
This would be the reason why though we like Oregon, we don't think IF they make the College Football playoff, they'll last very long.
On the strength of 5 TD passes by quarterback Marcus Mariota, the Oregon Ducks outscored Cal 59-41 Friday night moving them to 7-1 on the season, 4-1 in the Pac 12.
The game featured 1150 yards of offense and 21 penalties and probably finished long after most of the East Coast was sleeping.
Much like Baylor, who can score with anyone, the Ducks are dangerous as heck. Mariota is arguably the best quarterback in College Football. But he can't play defense, which over the years has been the one thing that's kept Oregon from winning titles.
We'll see if Oregon can run the table. If they do, the Ducks will surely be one of the four playoff teams. But then again, we aren't even in November yet....
Your highlights from FoxSports:
Things You Can't Unsee: Tom Izzo in Full KISS Makeup
((ht: btn.com))
Okay, so it appears this year, College Basketball coaches around America are trying to one up each other.
Quite honestly, we didn't think anything could top Tubby Smith, dressed as Shaft, driving into the Texas Tech gym on a motorcycle and then wiping out could be topped.
But we may have been wrong.
Check out Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo.
Not only did he have KISS in the house to rock and roll all night, he actually dressed up with them and performed, albeit with an accordion...
Okay, so it appears this year, College Basketball coaches around America are trying to one up each other.
Quite honestly, we didn't think anything could top Tubby Smith, dressed as Shaft, driving into the Texas Tech gym on a motorcycle and then wiping out could be topped.
But we may have been wrong.
Check out Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo.
Not only did he have KISS in the house to rock and roll all night, he actually dressed up with them and performed, albeit with an accordion...
Tom Izzo's best Midnight Madness performance yet? Watch the @MSU_Basketball coach make a KISS-inspired entrance! http://t.co/SxXAfw0DO4
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 25, 2014
Caterham Can Skip US Grand Prix To Find New Owners (UPDATE: Marussia Skips As Well)
((HT: FIA/Sky Sports))
Let's face it...
The situation at Caterham's F1 team is a mess-and-a-half...
The old owner says the new owners are responsible for paying the bills. The new owners are saying the old owner never turned over the keys to the kingdom. As a result, Formula One Major Domo Bernie Ecclestone has given permission for the team to miss the next two races while they get their finances straightened out.
it's so bad right now that administrator Finbarr O'Connell closed the team's doors and no one and nothing is allowed in or out to tinker with anything.
Chief Executive Graham McDonald discusses the current mood
Part of a statement from FIA read:
"In a telephone conversation today between Finbarr O'Connell and Bernie Ecclestone, Mr Ecclestone agreed to support the administrators in their wish to sell the Formula One team to a party with the financial strength to sustain it into the future.
"Mr Ecclestone also agreed to give dispensation to Caterham F1 such that it could, if necessary, miss the US and Brazilian Grands Prix, but hoped that a new owner would be in a position to race the team at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix."
Ecclestone has said in the past that FIA would be okay with ten squads. But the new owners who thought they were the new owners and have gone back and forth with the Tony Fernandes ("old") group in a war of words saying one group is responsible to pay bills and not themselves.
The lack of a Caterham side opens the door for both Sauber and Marussia to make more owners points in-roads and put Caterham in a deeper financial hole for the beginning of the 20125 racing season.
Especially, if no new owners are found by Abu Dhabi...
UPDATE: Looks like the Marussia squad is done with the US and Brazil GP's as well. The crash involving Juiles Bianchi in Japan has ricked the team to its core. At the last race in Russia- a race the home-owned squad wanted to have a stellar showing- they only ran one car in deference to Bianchi. The group hasn't seemed to be emotionally in the game and their financial issues are leaning them to regrouping for 2015 as well.
FIA rules say that you can sit out three races without violating the racing charter- looks Marussia might do that by choice and Caterham not so much so...
Let's face it...
The situation at Caterham's F1 team is a mess-and-a-half...
The old owner says the new owners are responsible for paying the bills. The new owners are saying the old owner never turned over the keys to the kingdom. As a result, Formula One Major Domo Bernie Ecclestone has given permission for the team to miss the next two races while they get their finances straightened out.
it's so bad right now that administrator Finbarr O'Connell closed the team's doors and no one and nothing is allowed in or out to tinker with anything.
Chief Executive Graham McDonald discusses the current mood
Part of a statement from FIA read:
"In a telephone conversation today between Finbarr O'Connell and Bernie Ecclestone, Mr Ecclestone agreed to support the administrators in their wish to sell the Formula One team to a party with the financial strength to sustain it into the future.
"Mr Ecclestone also agreed to give dispensation to Caterham F1 such that it could, if necessary, miss the US and Brazilian Grands Prix, but hoped that a new owner would be in a position to race the team at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix."
Ecclestone has said in the past that FIA would be okay with ten squads. But the new owners who thought they were the new owners and have gone back and forth with the Tony Fernandes ("old") group in a war of words saying one group is responsible to pay bills and not themselves.
The lack of a Caterham side opens the door for both Sauber and Marussia to make more owners points in-roads and put Caterham in a deeper financial hole for the beginning of the 20125 racing season.
Especially, if no new owners are found by Abu Dhabi...
UPDATE: Looks like the Marussia squad is done with the US and Brazil GP's as well. The crash involving Juiles Bianchi in Japan has ricked the team to its core. At the last race in Russia- a race the home-owned squad wanted to have a stellar showing- they only ran one car in deference to Bianchi. The group hasn't seemed to be emotionally in the game and their financial issues are leaning them to regrouping for 2015 as well.
FIA rules say that you can sit out three races without violating the racing charter- looks Marussia might do that by choice and Caterham not so much so...
Friday, October 24, 2014
Adam Sandler Tells Conan O'Brien About Meeting Shaquille O'Neal's Penis
((ht: teamcoco.com))
Yeah, sorry this may or may not be family friendly depending on your perspective about things.
But it's really, really funny.
Check out this interview/joke from Conan O'Brien's show. O'Brien is talking to Adam Sandler about former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal. And Conan's people decided to animate the conversation.
For real. It's actually done as a cartoon.
Sandler goes on to talk about how funny O'Neal is and how he and his fellow comedians are amazed at this.
But what Sandler wanted to know only one thing....
How big was the Shaq diesel junk? (he didn't say it like that)...
Watch, listen and laugh--it's really funny....and dirty only in a PG way...
Yeah, sorry this may or may not be family friendly depending on your perspective about things.
But it's really, really funny.
Check out this interview/joke from Conan O'Brien's show. O'Brien is talking to Adam Sandler about former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal. And Conan's people decided to animate the conversation.
For real. It's actually done as a cartoon.
Sandler goes on to talk about how funny O'Neal is and how he and his fellow comedians are amazed at this.
But what Sandler wanted to know only one thing....
How big was the Shaq diesel junk? (he didn't say it like that)...
Watch, listen and laugh--it's really funny....and dirty only in a PG way...
Little League Coach Fined and Suspended for 8-Year Old's TD
((ht: cbs46.com))
When is an interception return for a touchdown in the 4th quarter of a game costly?
When it happens in a little league game where there is a mercy rule and the TD return exceeded it.
That's what happened over the weekend in Lawrenceville, Georgia. The Lawrenceville Black Knights were beating Collins Hill 32-0, when 8-year old Elijah Burrell intercepted a pass and started returning it for a TD. That broke a Gwinnett Football League rule that says a 33 point spread in a game is enough for the game to be called.
The coach of the Black Knights, who for some reason was NOT named in the story, was fined $500 and suspended for a game.
Parents and the kids, mostly 8 and 9 year olds are chipping in to pay for their coaches defense.
Erik Richards of the Gwinnett Football league told Atlanta TV Station CBS46 that the Knights laid on the ground, ran off the field and mocked the other team. Which is why he is enforcing the penalty.
Which is fine, but begs a question that nobody has appeared to ask? Why didn't the refs call the game at 32-0? If the letter of the law is 33 points is the difference, this would have happened at the 1st attempt the Black Knights made at scoring. There was no way for them NOT to break the rule.
So why all the hullabaloo? We don't know, the whole thing sounds silly...
Your story from CBS46:
CBS46 News
When is an interception return for a touchdown in the 4th quarter of a game costly?
When it happens in a little league game where there is a mercy rule and the TD return exceeded it.
That's what happened over the weekend in Lawrenceville, Georgia. The Lawrenceville Black Knights were beating Collins Hill 32-0, when 8-year old Elijah Burrell intercepted a pass and started returning it for a TD. That broke a Gwinnett Football League rule that says a 33 point spread in a game is enough for the game to be called.
The coach of the Black Knights, who for some reason was NOT named in the story, was fined $500 and suspended for a game.
Parents and the kids, mostly 8 and 9 year olds are chipping in to pay for their coaches defense.
Erik Richards of the Gwinnett Football league told Atlanta TV Station CBS46 that the Knights laid on the ground, ran off the field and mocked the other team. Which is why he is enforcing the penalty.
Which is fine, but begs a question that nobody has appeared to ask? Why didn't the refs call the game at 32-0? If the letter of the law is 33 points is the difference, this would have happened at the 1st attempt the Black Knights made at scoring. There was no way for them NOT to break the rule.
So why all the hullabaloo? We don't know, the whole thing sounds silly...
Your story from CBS46:
CBS46 News
Could Mack Brown Take SMU Job?
((ht: dallasnews.com))Huh? Sure, $4 million is a lot of money to coach a football team, but SMU? Why would you put yourself through that?
According to a report in Friday mornings Dallas Morning News, SMU is floating a $4 million a year offer to former University of Texas head coach Mack Brown to take over the team.
Brown is currently a College Football analyst/coach-in-waiting at ESPN, where he apparently is enjoying the time away. He's stated that he won't do anything until he finishes the season there.
Read the DallasNews.com report, which includes an awfully optimistic list of potential head coaches RIGHT HERE
Why would you hire a coach like Brown who essentially is going to have to rebuild the entire program? Yeah, sure, the Mustangs had some good years under former coach June Jones who got them to some bowl games. But his best year was an 8-5 season.
Throwing around that kind of money would indicate SMU AD Rick Hart is willing to play with the big boys, sure. We get that.
But that part of this that nobody--at least nobody in Texas is talking about is that this is SMU. The Mustangs are, in every aspect, the WORST team in College Football this season.
Outside of one game where they erupted for 21 points (and they lost), they've not scored more than 6 points in any other game.
Maybe Brown will take the job, find the fountain of youth and return SMU to their 1980's glory. Though according to the story, that wouldn't happen until Brown finishes the season as fired coach/analyst for ESPN.
We wish SMU luck. But remember who you are. There is nothing wrong with shooting high, but remember that you should probably aim low...
((P.M Update--Hart Tweeted out Friday afternoon that to his knowledge, nobody from SMU or the search committee has reached out to Brown or his reps. In some respects it would make sense because this is such a surprising story. But, someone has at least floated the idea--or there wouldn't be people throwing it out there to reporters))
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