Annoying Phrases in Sports Broadcasting

After hearing non-stop stories about Rush Limbaugh for the past few weeks, I got to thinking about lots of things that annoy me with a certain amount of frequency. When it comes to sports, I find it very annoying when announcers in the booth or anchors in the studio constantly say things incorrectly or consistenly use cliches. It seems not many of them do any sort of personal research or commit anything to memory. Moreover, many just copy what others do, lacking originality and lessening the product of the broadcast, detracting from the game you're watching to the point of not being able to pay attention to the action.

I have compiled a list of sayings I would like to do without for the upcoming season. Frankly, I'd like to see them gone forever.

Phrase: "Manny being Manny"
Status: Annoying, played out
Reason: Manny Ramirez is both annoying and played out. In an age of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs, this player actually chooses to be the laziest athlete in the game. He demands more money than he's worth and only plays when he feels like it. His fielding is terrible, but he hits a fair amount of home runs a year, so he's apparently worth more than $20 million per season.
Suggestion: Replace with, "Oh look, he's living up to his potential!"

Phrase: "Matriculate the ball down the field"
Status: Improper, pompous
Reason: The definition of the word "matriculate," per the dictionary, is "to enroll at a college or university as a candidate for a degree." Can anyone explain how teams are expected to "enroll in college down the field?" Overall, this phrase is used more by analysts than color commentators, meaning it is mostly said by former players and coaches. My gut tells me an intern thought he knew a big word, but was mistaken, and told the analyst to say it on the air to sound smart. Unfortunately, the word became popular and was never researched. It has now been adopted into the uneducated expert's football lexicon.
Suggestion: Buy a dictionary and understand the words coming out of your mouth.

Phrase: "Literally"
Status: Improper, unnecessary
Reason: The actual word "literally" is not the issue here, but rather how it is used, which is usually incorrectly. When applying "literally" to a statement, you are saying that whatever it is actually happened that way, or that you are not exaggerating in any way, meaning no hyperbole or metaphor. My absolute favorite has to be ESPN analyst Rod Gilmore's take on Wisconsin's young offensive line, composed mainly of freshmen at the time, referring to them as, "literally infants out there."
Suggestion: Take a grammar course, maybe go back to middle school altogether.

Phrase: "Paydirt"
Status: Overused, played out
Reason: I have heard this used for some time, but it has recently caught fire, used at every turn. The word "paydirt" has effectively taken the place of the word "touchdown" in the NFL. This phrase, championed by Greg Gumbel, has now spread to the likes of James Brown, Curt Menefee, and even Joe Buck. Sometimes you just want to hear the actual term, "touchdown."
Suggestion: While this phrase hasn't become totally annoying yet, it is widely overused. It needs to be scaled back, only sprinkled into broadcasts. This phrase should be equated to the hunting of an endangered species, halted immediately, only to return when the status is healthy and able to be dealt with in a responsible manner.

Phrase: "Adversity"
Status: Cliche, played out
Reason: No one has thought of a replacement for the word "adversity" in decades. In fact, the term "adversity" has spread into all facets of analysis when referring to any sport. This has put a damper on intelligent conversation and decreased the credibility of former players who become analysts. Adversity is commonly used during preseason, when teams are mostly healthy. A broadcaster might ask an analyst on a talk show, "What does this team need to be successful this season?" The analysts' response will often not deviate from something along the lines of, "Well, it's all about how this team handles adversity."
Suggestion: Find a new word, it's called a thesaurus. In two seconds, I found synonyms such as: catastrophe, distress, ill fortune, tough luck, trial and affliction. Feel free to use any of those or go find your own.

Phrase: "Where we're at"

Status: Improper, wildly popular

Reason: This phrase has become so broadly accepted, I'm not sure if people know this is incorrect anymore. It's not just athletes, it's pop culture and the youth who are influenced by it. I constantly hear things like, "Where you at?" or "Where is he at?" In sports, I now hear coaches and players say on a regular basis that they need to, "see where we're at" when they lose a tough game and need to watch the tape. I wonder if people know it's actually easier and shorter to say, "Where we are" or "Where is he?"

Suggestion: Actually listen to the comments you make when they playback on television, I think you'll notice how bad you sound as soon as you hear it.

All I want to see is some originality on television, someone please break the mold. It's not difficult, all you have to do is a little research, maybe even log onto the internet once or twice. Please, if anyone is listening, tell these announcers and analysts to put some effort into what they are doing and to do some fact checking as well. Here's to a prosperous and knowledgeable football season!

Shout Out to Tim Tebow

Heisman trophy winner and two-time national champion Tim Tebow just found a larger place in my heart after hanging out with my family in Gainesville. Tebow stopped by my cousin's soccer tournament near the University of Florida, apparently because he is a family friend of one of her teammates. Tebow not only took the time to watch the games and cheer them on, sign autographs and take pictures, including the one above with my cousin Jordan, but he gave the entire team and families a personal tour of the University of Florida's athletic facilities, football stadium and trophy room. He was described as "incredibly gracious" and personable, joking around with everyone and making himself accessible to all of the guests. Thank you Tim Tebow, it's great to hear that someone who is lauded so much in the media, is actually that terrific of a person in real life.

Making Offseason Plans

With the NFL Combine now finished and free agency starting in just over 24 hours, it's time for me to finally unveil what I'd do with this team if I was owner and general manager. I now have an idea of who I want to draft and who will go where, so before everything falls into place in reality, I'll reveal what I'd do if given the opportunity.

Priorities

1. Revamp both lines. It' s been far too long since we've invested in any position on both lines via the draft and the time is now. This team has to get younger, especially in the trenches, and cannot afford to go another year without addressing the issue. This year's draft needs to be devoted to improving the core of this team and injecting some youth.

2. Cut dead weight. There are far too many past-prime, overpaid players on this team and cuts need to be made. I doubt there is a trade market for most of the players we need to jettison, so without belaboring the issue, it's time to just part ways and move forward, addition by subtraction.

3. Keep the quarterback position open. If Jason Campbell is really the future of this franchise, he should have no problem holding off a 37-year-old who has only played a handful of games in the last decade and last year's sixth-round pick. If Colt Brennan is the gun-slinging, swag-dripping rockstar many think he is, then he should emerge and find his way onto the field. Training camp would begin fresh, with nothing settled on the QB depth chart and everything to play for.

4. Hold onto draft picks and plan for the future. A single trade should not be made this offseason that results in us losing draft picks. Everything should be done in free agency and the draft. This team must keep picks to stay young, cost-effective and developing. That plan starts immediately with no more back-breaking, salary-cap-crippling aquisitions that set the organization back three or four years.

Salary Cap and Cuts

This team is over the salary cap every year and instead of learning from their mistakes or cutting our free agent blunders, the front office always just restructures contracts of aging players, guaranteeing them more money upfront and extending their contracts so money can be spread over a longer period of time. Going into next year, we are again over the cap and need to make cuts to sign draft picks and any free agents brought in. The front office has already restructured Andre Carter, Antwaan Randle El and Chris Samuels, saving close to $10 million in cap space for next year, but mortgaging the future for the present. Let's call it even with the restructuring and the figure over the cap and say the Redskins are now breaking even.

I would start at the top of the payroll and work my way down, looking to cut anyone whose pay doesn't match their production or whomever cannot perform at a high level anymore. The players cut, in order of money saved:

$8.5 million-Jason Taylor
$6 million-Shawn Springs
$4.5 million-Marcus Washington
$2.3 million-Phillip Daniels
$845,000-James Thrash
$535,000-Ryan Plackemeier
$535,000-Will Montgomery
$535,000-D'Anthony Batiste
$460,000-Alex Buzbee
An immediate savings of $24.21 million towards the cap.

That $24+ million will be used to sign a couple necessary free agents, our draft picks and re-sign our own free agents.

Re-Signings

Before free agency, we'd have the opportunity to retain our own players before they hit the open market. The list of players I'd bring back:

DeAngelo Hall CB
Demetric Evans DE
Kedric Golston DT
Anthony Montgomery DT
Ethan Albright LS
Alfred Fincher LB
Khary Campbell LB
Reed Doughty SS
Pete Kendall OG

Of that group, only Hall would command serious money and a long-term deal. The rest would provide good depth and special teams contributions, not to mention they would come cheap.

Free Agency

Channing Crowder LB
Mike Furrey WR

While there are some big time players out there, it would be nice to remain quiet in free agency. However, there are some intriguing prospects that could fill holes left by salary cap casualties. Offensive and defensive lines are a concern, as well as strongside linebacker.

However, attempting to stay away from the free agent disasters of the past, the only real consideration I'd give to signing an immediate starter is linebacker Channing Crowder. He has been a tackling machine and has a nasty attitude that would fit perfectly with the NFC East. He is durable and versatile, giving us the option to put him at strongside in the 4-3 as opposed to the inside role he was playing in Miami's 3-4. He's reliable, energetic and has a clean record off the field.

Mike Furrey is a solid possession receiver who could help out when needed, especially if Malcolm Kelly can't get on the field again. Furrey is a poor man's Wes Welker, small with average speed, but runs great routes and isn't scared to get hit.

The Draft

The Skins only have first-, third-, fifth- and sixth-round picks in the draft, so it's important to key in on what's important and where you can get the most value. While both lines are a priority, reaching for a player can hurt if you pass on a superstar. That said, I wouldn't touch the skill positions of this team, unless someone amazing fell to me. The secondary on this team is set, the running backs are fine for another year, the quarterback needs to be given another year, and three pass catchers were taken in last year's draft. We'd draft:

1. Michael Oher-OT, Ole Miss
3. Kraig Urbik-OG, Wisconsin
5. Jasper Brinkley-LB, South Carolina
6. Mitch King-DE/DT, Iowa

The Redskins are in a bit of a tough spot at #13. The ideal pick would be offensive lineman Eugene Monroe from Virginia, but he'll likely be a top two pick. Baylor's Jason Smith could also be a consideration at right tackle, but will likely be gone, as will Boston College defensive tackle B.J. Raji and Texas' defensive end Brian Orakpo.

Oher is a little bit risky, but has the physical skillset to play at the next level. Mix that with line coach Joe Bugel's know-how, and I think he'll be solid. Bugel made undrafted Stephon Heyer into the starter at right tackle last year, so you can imagine what the possibilities are with a first-round pick.

Urbik is a roughneck who can provide interior help in the run game. Last year's third-round pick Chad Rinehart doesn't appear to be ready for the NFL yet, so he can't be counted on to start next year. Urbik should have the opportunity to start at left guard with Pete Kendall aging and arthritic.

Brinkley is one of the largest linebackers you'll ever see. He checks in at about 270-275 lbs. playing middle linebacker. His size could allow him to move to strongside on running downs and he can lay a serious hit. Brinkley and H.B. Blades could be interchangeable as backups on the inside and outside and could be the future of the corps.

King would hope to be the utility guy on the defensive line. At around 280 lbs., he's not a genuine defensive tackle, but could play inside on passing downs to rush the quarterback. However, being that big could make him a run stuffer on the end, allowing linebackers to roam free. Best case scenario, he'd be a Justin Tuck-type for the Skins, worst case, he's another young body to throw in the mix.

Roster Breakdown

Offense

QB: (open competition)
Starter: Jason Campbell
Backups: #2 Colt Brennan/#3 Todd Collins

FB:
Mike Sellers

RB:
Starter: Clinton Portis
Backups: Ladell Betts/Rock Cartwright

LT:
Starter: Chris Samuels
Backup: Stephon Heyer

LG:
Starter: Kraig Urbik
Backup: Pete Kendall

C:
Starter: Casey Rabach
Backup: Training camp battle

RG:
Starter: Randy Thomas
Backup: Chad Rinehart

RT:
Starter: Michael Oher
Backup: Jon Jansen

TE:
Starter: Chris Cooley
Backups: Todd Yoder, Fred Davis

WR 1:
Starter: Santana Moss
Backup: Malcolm Kelly

WR 2:
Starter: Devin Thomas
Backup: Antwaan Randle El

Slot WRs: Antwaan Randle El, Malcolm Kelly, Mike Furrey

Defense

RE:
Starter: Andre Carter
Backup: Chris Wilson/Rob Jackson

DT:
Starter: Cornelius Griffin
Backups: Kedric Golston/Lorenzo Alexander

DT:
Starter: Anthony Montgomery
Backups: Kedric Golston/Mitch King

LE:
Starter: Demetric Evans
Backup: Mitch King/Rob Jackson

WLB:
Starter: Rocky McIntosh
Backups: H.B. Blades/Alfred Fincher

MLB:
Starter: London Fletcher
Backups: H.B. Blades/Jasper Brinkley

SLB:
Starter: Channing Crowder
Backups: Khary Campbell/Jasper Brinkley

CB 1:
Starter: Carlos Rogers
Backup: Fred Smoot

CB 2:
Starter: DeAngelo Hall
Backup: J.T. Tryon

Nickel CB: Fred Smoot

FS:
Starter: LaRon Landry
Backup: Kareem Moore

SS:
Starter: Chris Horton
Backup: Reed Doughty

Returners:
Kickoffs: Rock Cartwright
Punts: Dominique Dorsey

Kicker: Open competition
Punter: Open competition

Of course, this process isn't complete and this team is still a couple years away from not just being a contender, but molded in a different way, with a new mindset. The following year, a few more big contracts would have to be dumped and more draft picks would have to go into the lines. However, this is just the start. The overhaul isn't finished and would continue though the years. It would also give some young, late-round picks the opportunity to step up and see some legitimate playing time, possibly being the next Chris Horton as an absolute draft steal.

The blueprint has been laid out. Starting inside and moving our way out will keep this team young and deep, adding pieces over the years to get us to the next level.

Possible Silver Lining in the Jason Taylor Trade

As free agency approaches and teams assess their needs for the upcoming season, many franchises find themselves looking for cap space to make moves and cutting players with hefty, undesirable contracts to make their wish lists possible. The Washington Redskins annually fall into that category, and have begun the process by restructuring the contracts of defensive end Andre Carter and wide receiver Antwaan Randle El, freeing up around $4 million in cap room for next season. However, those moves alone do not get the Redskins under the salary cap and cuts or more restructurings will be necessary to comply.

Washington has a handful of aging players whose absorbitant contracts are not matching the production expected from them on the field. At the forefront of that list is defensive end Jason Taylor. While Taylor more than likely will be headed to the Hall of Fame, he is also headed towards 35, and will make $8.5 million dollars next season despite missing most of last year with knee and calf injuries. Taylor will be the second highest-paid player on the roster, $800,000 behind Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samules.

Taylor was acquired from the Miami Dolphins when starting defensive end Phillip Daniels tore his ACL the first day of training camp. That afternoon, Washington sent a 2009 second-round draft pick, as well as a sixth-round pick in 2010. However, because Taylor was brought in via trade, the Redskins can cut him without taking on any dead cap from his contract. Taylor is scheduled to make $8.5 million next year, but by cutting him, the Redskins could save all of the $8.5 million and use that money elsewhere.

While I know many Redskins fans were not supporters of the Taylor trade, myself included, there is a chance for redemption. Look at it this way, by cutting Taylor right now, the Redskins traded second- and sixth-round picks for $8.5 million in free agency money. Washington does need to get younger as a whole, so trading away draft picks isn't the right direction to take, but what's done is done so putting the best spin on it helps.

Jason Taylor has been a phenomenal player for the last decade, but the Redskins traded for him in the twilight of his career and it's time to cut its losses. Using his salary in free agency to bring in two or three players at positions of need will be much more valuable than overpaying a player past his prime for one last go-round.

I Love Steve Spurrier

After reviewing Lane Kiffin's less than stellar start at Tennessee, I got to thinking about the comments made by opposing SEC coaches about him and the overall trash talking done around the league. The first person that comes to mind is Steve Spurrier. Without a doubt, he is the ultimate coach when it comes to the gift of gab. I'm a huge Washington Redskins and Florida Gators fan, as well as an alumnus from the University of South Carolina. I have followed him my whole life and have loved him at each of those coaching stops.

Paying homage to "The Ole Ball Coach," here are some of my favorite quotes from "The Visor":

On Florida beating Tennessee every year, resulting in the Vols multiple Citrus Bowl appearances in the 90s: "You can't spell Citrus without UT."

On Peyton Manning returning to Tennessee for his senior year: "I know why Peyton came back for his senior year, he wanted to be a 3-time Citrus Bowl MVP."

On Florida State's lack of institutional control with their players: "You know what FSU stands for, don't you? Free Shoes University."

On a fire in an Auburn dorm room that burned, among other things, 20 books: "The real tragedy was that 15 hadn't been colored in yet."

On whether Florida would beat Georgia that particular season: "I don't know. Is Ray Goff still the head coach there?" (Spurrier was 6-0 against Goff, often referring to him as Ray Goof)

On Florida's 52-17 victory over Georgia in Athens, 1995: "We knew coming in nobody had scored 50 against them here, so that's what we wanted to do. This may be the only time in our lifetime that Florida plays here, so we wanted to make it memorable for the Gators."

On Georgia's recruiting after a 45-13 win in 1991 over the Bulldogs: "Why is it that during recruiting season they sign all the great players, but when it comes time to play the game, we have all the great players? I don't understand that. What happens to them?"

Regarding his nickname for Ben Hill Griffin Stadium: "The Swamp is where Gators live. We feel comfortable there, but we hope our opponents feel tentative. A swamp is hot and sticky and can be dangerous." (Hence, "The Swamp" was born)

On recruiting from the state of Alabama during the Crimson Tide's era of scholarship violations: "In 12 years at Florida, I don't think we ever signed a kid from the state of Alabama. Of course, we found out later that the scholarships they were giving out at Alabama were worth a whole lot more than ours."

On whether coaching would be more difficult in the NFL than college: "Yes, because there are no Vanderbilts in the NFL."

After beating Mississippi State 52-0: "Their pass defense was number one in the nation coming in, but it won't be going out."

After winning the SEC championship: "This is our annual team picture."

After beating Ohio State in the national championship in both football and basketball: "We've kind of turned Ohio State into Runner-Up U, haven't we?"

After being called "classless" by North Carolina coach Mack Brown for bringing his Duke team back onto the field for a team photo in front of the scoreboard after a win in Chapel Hill: "Why? I've got a better record on that field than he does."

Finally the best story I've ever heard about Spurrier and his recruiting, taken from his biography by Bill Chastain:

"McGriff went to a weight-lifting competition held at the school where he encountered Spurrier.

'Steve didn't like weight-lifting at all,' McGriff said. 'I didn't know he was going to be there. We show up at the same time. I see him in his casual way.'

Spurrier: Hey, how you been, whatcha gonna do? You gonna watch this weight-lifting thing? You like that?
McGriff: No, I don't really, I like to work out and all that, but I don't know that I want to watch this competition. But I'm going to do it, because that's what the guy's doing and he's going to see me.
Spurrier: Then whatcha gonna do?
McGriff: Well, hopefully, I'll see him, then I'll be back at the school tomorrow.
Spurrier: Well, I really don't like this stuff. Whatcha wearing a tie for?
McGriff: Well, I won't wear this to every high school. If I'm in Pahokee, I don't have this on. Or if I go to Tampa Plant High School, I don't have this on. But I'm here at Cardinal Mooney.
Spurrier: I don't like to wear ties. I don't know, I don't think I'm going to watch this stuff. I'll see you in a little while.

Spurrier retrieved his workout clothes from his car and changed in the Cardinal Mooney locker room.

'He goes out there with the Cardinal Mooney baseball team and starts shagging flies,' McGriff said. 'He doesn't see shit for the weight-lifting thing. So the great part of the story is, somehow he's got his car keys, but he stayed out shagging flies for so long that he gets locked out from his clothes. He can't get them out. Well, he had a home visit that night. He goes to this boy's home. Shows up, he'd been sweating, because it's May, it's hot. He doesn't have a shirt on. This boy comes home and there's Steve Spurrier sitting on his couch, on a towel, no shirt on, drinking a beer with the guy's dad. And of course, I know Steve, and I'm laughing my brains out the next day when Steve is telling me this story. Then I see somebody else who confirmed the story. Well, I'm working my butt off to sign my guy. I don't sign him. You think Steve signed his guy? He did.'"

Kiffin Volunteers to be an Idiot

Without coaching a single game yet, Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin has bull's eyes coming at him from all different directions. After attempting to turn the current national champions in for cheating and trying to raid every rivals' coaching staff, Kiffin has now committed several NCAA recruiting violations and stirred up some serious ill will for Citrus, I mean Rocky, Top.

The problems started for Kiffin the first day he got the job. South Carolina head coach, the master of trash talk, Steve Spurrier, suggested Kiffin might have committed a recruiting violation by calling a recruit before he was authorized to do so by the NCAA. Kiffin says he was authorized to make phone calls, and did so to his prized recruit, top-ranked receiver Marlon Brown, who eventually committed to Georgia. Ouch.

Since then, Kiffin has made several more missteps. Kiffin said Florida head coach Urban Meyer cheated in the recruiting process by contacting wide receiver Nu'Keese Richardson while he was on an official visit to Tennessee. Kiffin made two mistakes on that public announcement:

1. What Urban Meyer did was not a recruiting violation.
2. What Kiffin did by talking about it in public was a violation.

"Coach Kiffin has violated the Southeastern Conference Code of Ethics," SEC commissioner Mike Slive said in a statement. "SEC Bylaw 10.5.1 clearly states that coaches and administrators shall refrain from directed public criticism of other member institutions, their staffs or players."

Not only did Kiffin not know the rules of violations by falsely accusing another coach, he ended up committing a violation himself. Ouch.

Later that week, Tennessee announced it was going to self-report more violations committed by Kiffin to avoid further punishment from the NCAA. The first of the new wrongdoings was during a recruiting visit at Tennessee where nine recruits participated in a mock press conference at the university's media center. The second violation was the use of a fog machine for a recruit's entrance to Neyland Stadium. Both of these violated NCAA recruiting rules, which prohibit simulating a game experience for recruits during official visits. Ouch.

The week after that, Kiffin ran into trouble again for referring to an unsigned recruit by name on a local Knoxville radio show. Kiffin talked about Bryce Brown, a Rivals.com five-star running back, who reneged on his verbal commitment to the University of Miami and is considering playing professionally in Canada before going to the NFL. What made it worse was before asking questions, the radio host told Kiffin he couldn't refer to specific recruits by name. Ouch.

Not only has Kiffin shot himself in the foot several times, he has also made quick enemies with some of his top competitors. After Spurrier's recruiting accusations, Kiffin lured Spurrier's brother-in-law, David Reaves, off the South Carolina staff to Tennessee. The Ole' Ball Coach certainly won't forget about that one.

Despite accusing Florida of cheating, Kiffin allegedly went after the Gators' receivers coach, Billy Gonzales, while Florida was preparing for the national championship game. However, Gonzales did not take the job. Ouch.

Kiffin then went after Forbes magazine's most powerful man in sports, Alabama head coach Nick Saban, hiring Lance Thompson, one of Alabama's best recruiters. Maybe Thompson can go over the rules with Kiffin one more time. Saban has since asked all of his committed recruits to not take visits to Tennessee.

Finally, Georgia head coach Mark Richt bested Kiffin once again. Not only did he snag Marlon Brown, Tennessee's number one recruit, he also kept one of the Bulldogs' best recruiters from going to Knoxville. Kiffin offered recruiter Rodney Garner a $400,000 bonus to join the Volunteers, but he turned it down, choosing to stay in Athens. Ouch.

Kiffin can try all he wants to bring some excitement to Rocky Top, even if it means ruffling a few feathers while rebuilding the program. However, he needs to understand what he's doing in the big picture. He has now made himself the biggest target in the SEC next year, and he doesn't really have the firepower to thwart the attack. We've seen what Urban Meyer can do when he wants to seek revenge. We've seen how motivated Mark Richt can get his team. We've seen how surgical Nick Saban can be when the Tide rolls. Next year, Tennessee goes to the Swamp and Tuscaloosa. Georgia and South Carolina will come to Knoxville. Don't expect any house warming gifts.

A Look Back at the BCS

Before the BCS bowls occurred, I put out a list of matchups I would much rather see than the ones that would ultimately be played. Now that the college football season is over, it's time to look back at what went right, and what went wrong, with my selections.

BCS Championship: Florida beats Oklahoma
My pick: Same
-Overall, it was a competitive game, and one that didn't disappoint, aside from not being a shootout as many expected. Tim Tebow is coming back for his senior season and I fully expect him to solidify his place as the greatest college football player in history. Florida's defense really clamped down on Oklahoma, who certainly missed DeMarco Murray, and held them to only two touchdowns. Florida's offense played well, mostly thanks to Tebow, and showed how many weapons they truly have. Thank you Florida, for not letting me down in big games. I had the Gators picked to win it all, and they came through as always.

Rose Bowl: USC rolls over Penn State
My pick: USC vs. Texas
-USC really showed how much of a juggernaut they can be and how many athletes they bring to that program. USC had this game wrapped up by halftime and Penn State was purely outclassed. While this game had promise on paper, I would have preferred to see Colt McCoy and the Texas offense square off against USC's stacked defense. I think that matchup would have really shown what can win you championships in college football, high-powered offense or lockdown defense.

Sugar Bowl: Utah upsets Alabama
My pick: Texas Tech vs. Alabama
-I need to admit it, I was completely wrong on this one. I had Texas Tech penciled in, to match old school versus new school in this game. I thought Utah would get crushed and be put in their place. I thought Texas Tech's unconventional offense would be a great dichotomy to pit against Nick Saban's traditional style of hard defense and a tough ground game. Instead, Texas Tech couldn't even win their own bowl game against Ole Miss, and Alabama didn't even show up for the Sugar Bowl. While I give Utah all the credit in the world for beating all of their opponents and really taking it to Alabama, I have to say the Crimson Tide were extremely uninspired in this game. Alabama's top lineman, tackle Andre Smith was suspended for allegedly having illegal discussions with an agent, and was a microcosm of where the Crimson Tide were mentally, completely checked out of the game and looking ahead.

However, I don't want to write Utah's victory off as just a win against an unwilling opponent. The Utes did everything they were supposed to do and were completely prepared for this game. However, I don't think they deserve to be in discussion for the national championship just yet. Remember, this was a team that barely got by TCU earlier in the year when the Horned Frogs' kicker missed two makeable field goals that would have sealed the game and a Michigan team that had its worst record in school history.

Orange Bowl: Virginia Tech beats Cincinnati
My pick: Same
-I picked this game to be the sacrificial lamb of the BCS bowls and it totally proved my point. Both of these teams are incredibly boring and attract no one except for alumni and current students. In the end, it was nothing memorable and showed that neither team was worthy of a BCS invitation.

Fiesta Bowl: Texas squeaks past Ohio State
My pick: Utah vs. Boise State
-Again, I have some crow to eat on this. I originally wanted to see the two undefeated, non-BCS conference schools duke it out to see which one was more deserving of being in the upper echelon of college programs. However, Utah showed they belonged with the big boys, while Boise St. couldn't get past TCU in the San Diego County Credit Union Pointsettia Bowl (the name is so bad, you always have to say the full title when you bring it up).

While Texas versus Ohio State turned out to be a good game, Ohio State again showed they can't win the big ones. While the Buckeyes didn't completely fall on their collective face this time around, it still shows they don't deserve BCS bids just because they travel well and bring lots of money. Ohio State needs to show they can actually win something of importance (maybe a big non-conference game?) to prove they deserve an invitation to a major bowl. If the Buckeyes lose two games, and there's an undefeated team out there in the top 10, the undefeated team should go. I'm tired of see the Buckeyes lose game after game when it actually means something. Texas showed they couldn't just roll over everyone with their big-time offense. The Longhorns were losing 6-3 at halftime and only amassed 24 points. While it was a good game and Texas still came out victorious, it also showed the selections for the championship game were correct. Florida and Oklahoma both deserved to be there, and Texas didn't prove otherwise.

There were greats games, upsets and letdowns. There were great matchups, snoozers and mistakes. However, I think in the end they got it right. Florida and Oklahoma deserved to be there and the other games ultimately didn't mean anything. I think Florida is the undisputed national champion, but a playoff would be a better way to get there. I made a some good calls and some bad calls, but things ultimately went my way.

Rethinking the College Football Playoff Idea

About a month and a half ago, I unveiled quite possibly the greatest college football playoff scenario anyone has ever fathomed. However, while I think my idea is fantastic and should be installed immediately, I forgot how stupid some people choose to be. While watching ESPN's "Outside the Lines," they ran a segment talking with Congressman Joe Barton of Texas, the ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, who is trying to pass legislation to kill the BCS and force a college playoff.

First, let me rant. Congressman Barton, looking at the tough times this country is facing as the ranking Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, don't you think you should be focused on such things like, I don't know, energy or commerce? Maybe you could try working on fixing the deep recession our economy has slipped into during your time on the Hill? I disliked how Congress got involved with professional baseball, but I really can't stand how you're trying to force the hand of the NCAA into whatever you want. What power did you usurp and who anointed you as the decision maker on how to run this country's most beloved sport? Get off your high horse, Rep. Barton, this isn't your fight and you should be concentrating on fixing the problems you have been assigned to and for the people of your district that elected you.

Ok, rant over, let's get back to the topic. The stupidity that came from the "Outside the Lines" discussion baffled me. It was as if Rep. Barton entered with no forethought or research as to the implementation of his plan. This idiot went on for nearly 10 minutes about how he would change college football to get an undisputed champion.

Congressman Barton's plan called for the shortening of the collge regular season and for every bowl game to serve as a venue for an individual playoff matchup. He wanted to go back to "the good ole days" of when he was in college and there were only nine or 10 games a season. After every team's schedule would be slashed, we would then move on to a playoff system of nearly 70 teams. We would then be subjected to weeks of horrendous matchups before getting to the heart of the matter. Even NCAA basketball's March Madness takes so long, it overflows into April. A larger tournament for football could take nearly two months!

This is truly one of the worst ideas I've ever heard on the subject. The reason the NCAA says there isn't a playoff is because it would take away from the most exciting regular season in sports. Congressman Barton wants to shorten that regular season. He then wants to have a huge playoff just like March Madness. By including close to 70 teams in the playoff, you are allowing some of the worst teams in Division I-A to participate. How many people are intrigued by a Florida-Louisiana Tech first round matchup? Didn't think so. Football doesn't have the possibilities of sustained upsets like basketball does. You will never see a George Mason-like occurrence in college football. There will never be a scenario where Kent State tries to run the table after beating Texas, USC, Oklahoma and needs to get past Alabama to make the Final Four. That would never happen.

Rep. Barton's plan is not well thought out. In fact, it sounds like he made it up on the fly. He has not taken into consideration the committments that have been made by every school. By shortening the regular season, you will kill every team's non-conference schedule, as they are contractually obligated to play their in-conference opponents. Therefore, in order to bring us that fantastic Florida-Louisiana Tech matchup, the Florida-Florida St. game will have to be cancelled. Don't worry Rep. Barton, the fans will love it. Who needs rivalries anyway? Games like South Carolina-Clemson, Georgia-Georgia Tech, maybe even Notre Dame-USC will have to be cut to make room for the Grandaddy playoff finale. I'd love to hear Barton explain that to all the fans.

Finally, Barton has not figured out the name of this entire game, money. You think a political figure would know how that goes, wouldn't you? As the economy stalls, budget cuts for public institutions soon follow. As big of a cash cow as college football is, you would think schools would turn to football for help, but then Barton wants to get in the way. By shortening the regular season, you'd be cutting home games, and large sources of revenue, for every school in the country. As schools face budget cuts, I'd love to see Barton go to Ohio State and say, "Sorry, you know the ticket and concession sales of more than 110,000 people you were counting on from your season opener? That's gone now." If the regular season gets cut, Barton will have the President and Athletic Director from every school in the entire country at his doorstep with hands out, demanding billions of dollars to make up for the lost revenue he cost them by cutting the regular season.

I don't like the bowl system, but goodness, it's a million times better than what Congressman Barton has proposed. I want a college football playoff, but you can always count on some idiot to ruin a great idea. The problem with the playoff is that every person has a different idea of how it needs to happen. I want my way, and my way only. You will ruin college football with a 64+ team playoff for the national championship and I'd rather have a Papajohns.com Bowl that I will never watch than an oversized behemoth of a playoff that will kill the sport I love.

Redskins Quick Hits

Frustration

The fall of the Washington Redskins in the second half of the season appalled me. Jim Zorn's offense was so terrible I could barely stand to watch. How simple could your formula be? Run for two yards, run for no gain, throw an incompletion, then punt. I know the team was banged up at the end of the season, but no one stepped up. There's no leadership on that offense and it showed. Santana Moss is a quality receiver, but lets his actions speak for him. He won't be the guy in the huddle getting everyone hyped up. Chris Cooley can always be counted on in possession, but isn't a big play threat and it seems he would rather open his mouth on his blog than on the field. Clinton Portis is the face of the franchise, but his outspoken personality doesn't rally anyone around him, it usually ostracizes his teammates. Antwaan Randle El talks, but doesn't back it up with production. His "dangerous returner" label needs to be taken off and he jumps around and dances more than he catches the ball. He's more frustrating than appealing. Jason Campbell bothers me, he doesn't look like he'll ever be a leader, but we'll get to that in a minute.

Ineptitude
The rookies on this team did nothing. Even Chris Horton, the steal of the draft, didn't do much in terms of big plays after week 2. The three second-round receivers were so disappointing, but I don't know who to blame. Did Jim Zorn not give them a chance by putting them in games, or are they just that bad that they can't get themselves on the field? Either way, we got nothing from the rookies, not even a glimmer of hope for the future. There is not a single one of them that I can say, "Wait till next year, this guy will blow up." Nothing about them says, "You can hold off on this position in free agency and the draft, we're set." Every position on the team needs to be evaluated. I love Colt Brennan and would like to see what he can do in a real game. Unfortunately, he wasn't given that opportunity this season. I hope he gets a shot at some point.

Monotony
Jason Campbell's demeanor bothers me to no end. At the beginning of the season, sports reporters and coaches raved about how you could never tell whether he'd thrown a touchdown or an interception and how he fit perfectly with Jim Zorn's "stay medium" mentality. I see it an entirely different way. Sure he won't get too down, but he never gets up either. He never plays with any fire and almost looks like he doesn't even have a passion for the game. If you "stay medium," you settle for mediocrity. I don't see the advantage of it, I understand keeping an even keel, but football is a game of emotion just as much as it's physicality and schematics. That's why the "any given Sunday" mantra is always alive, because you never know how a team will come out and play. The underdog might be more fired up and want the game more, and that's why they win. Jason Campbell will never lead this team anywhere if he doesn't step up to the plate and show some swagger out there. He just seems content to stay straight faced, unfazed by anything, but not excited by anything, indifferent to the game as a whole and ok with whatever happens.

Disrespect
London Fletcher finally snapped about the Pro Bowl, and I believe justly so. He was again overlooked by his peers (not the fans) as Patrick Willis and Jon Beason will represent the NFC at middle linebacker. While those two did have more tackles than Fletcher this season, Fletcher has more tackles than any other player this decade. For him to be passed over again is another slap in the face of what could be a Hall of Fame career if people paid closer attention. Don't worry London, no one is faulting you for getting upset about the decision, at least someone on this team is playing with some fire out there.

Tuberville Leaves Amidst Controversy

Former Auburn head coach Tommy Tuberville is out of work, a seemingly snap decision that caught many people off guard. Officially, Tuberville resigned from the university, but that usually means a forcing hand shows you the door. The school says Tuberville surprised them with the decision and that he was welcome to come back. Tuberville says he left on his own accord, after 10 years of success in the SEC, no small feat. However, Tuberville's mother says her son was fired, sending the situation into open forum discussion, ranging from radio talk shows to Auburn students protesting outside of the President's on-campus mansion.

I was shocked when I heard the news of Tuberville's departure. I know this year hadn't gone how Auburn expected, but Tuberville is a proven winner. It hasn't been five years since he took them to an undefeated season, how could his leash be this short? Auburn finished the season 5-7, ending with a loss to archrival Alabama in the annual Iron Bowl, the first victory for the Crimson Tide in seven years. Still, Tuberville has a winning record against Bama, 7-3 during his tenure. It's not like he had lost the program. If anything, it was the meddling of his system. Auburn tried to play copy cat this season, attempting to implement the spread offense, like so many other SEC schools. This was a stark contrast to what Tuberville's Auburn teams had been known for, hard running with recent alums such as Carnell "Cadillac" Williams, Ronnie Brown, Brandon Jacobs and Kenny Irons. Auburn wasn't set up for the spread offense.

I question the veracity of Tuberville's resignation. College football is in such a state of "what have you done for me lately" that one bad season is all it takes. Ten years of success are all but forgotten after one down year. Tuberville wasn't even given the chance to turn it around, like Charlie Weis has at Notre Dame. Instead, Tommy Tuberville was treated like Tupperware, thrown out in search of something fresh.

BCS Unveiled

The college football playoff wasn't going to happen this year, and might not ever happen, but the BCS games were finally revealed over the weekend after the conference championships. I can't say I agree with each of them and while there are some decent matchups, there are others I wanted to see.

Of course, the national championship game between Florida and Oklahoma is the best of the bunch and promises to be a barnburner with the score possibly going into the triple digits, combined. It will be speed versus speed, spread versus spread, Heisman finalist versus Heisman finalist, and could be Heisman winner versus Heisman winner by gametime. Points are assured, and that's a huge draw.

My biggest disappointments are Cincinnati-Virginia Tech and Alabama-Utah. Since the Big East lost Virginia Tech, Miami and Boston College to the ACC, it hasn't really deserved an automatic BCS bid. Cincinnati does not belong in this class and would get crushed by any upper echelon program. Virginia Tech usually falls into the latter category but is having a down year. This game doesn't have any pizzazz or appeal to make people other than alumni watch. It will be a bunch of no-names grinding it out and a 24-13 game that ultimately doesn't mean anything.

Alabama-Utah is a disappointment because Alabama deserves better than this. Utah will get put in its place by that defense and will get run over by the Crimson Tide's rushing attack. All season long, we've heard stories about how the Big 12 gunslingers would fare against a real defense, i.e. some of the SEC elite. This was a perfect chance to double up and have not only Florida play Oklahoma, but Alabama play Texas as well, just to settle the argument. Instead, Alabama goes from top ranked in the country to playing a non-BCS team, quite a fall from grace.

I am most angry at Ohio State getting yet another BCS bid while other teams are left on the bench. I know true freshman QB Tyrelle Pryor makes that a different team, but how can you put a two-loss team in over a one-loss or, worse, an undefeated team? Boise State would have been a perfect matchup for Utah, letting the non-BCS conference teams duke it out for supremecy, allowing Alabama to play Texas. Not sexy enough? What happened to Texas Tech? Sure, they got blown out in one game against Oklahoma, but I seem to remember Ohio St. getting clowned on by USC earlier in the year. Then, the Buckeyes lost again to Penn St. and hasn't been in contention since. Texas Tech will put up more points, and I'm willing to bet they would also beat Ohio St. head to head. The Red Raiders just wrapped up their best season in school history, tied for first place in the best division in college football, and are going to the Cotton Bowl. I don't call that justice.

Penn St.-USC will be an intriguing matchup between a solid Nittany Lions team and the world-class Trojan defense. The Rose Bowl has consistently been a good game and I don't expect any less. I'll tune in, but my mind will still be focused on what could have been.

If we could remove all the conference commitments and hand-picking of the sponsors, let's get the dream matchups out there. Taking out the business/money section of the equation, here's what I want to see:

National Championship: Florida vs. Oklahoma
-The two best conferences in the country put their champions head to head in a shootout for the crystal football.

Rose Bowl: Texas vs. USC
-Texas has another high-flying offense and is still arguing about their inclusion in the championship game, but let's see how good they really are against a defense littered with NFL talent.

Sugar Bowl: Alabama vs. Texas Tech
-Alabama deserves better than a non-BCS conference matchup. Let's put old school versus new school, Nick Saban's solid defense and running game against Mike Leach's unorthodox passing attack.

Orange Bowl: Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech
-This bowl becomes the sacrificial lamb. Neither of these teams deserve to be here so they're stuck together in this second-rate battle.

Fiesta Bowl: Utah vs. Boise St.
-Two undefeated, non-BCS conference teams get to go at it. Boise St. is two years removed from what I think was the greatest bowl game of all-time, I'd expect a lot of trick plays and risk taking. I think it would be a big recruiting boost on a national stage to continue parity across the country.

I still favor a playoff, but they handed me lemons. I'm just making lemonade.

Remembering Sean Taylor a Year Later

Today marks the one year anniversary of Sean Taylor's passing. It is still hard for me to come to grips with this reality. I miss you Sean, it is not just today that you are remembered. I think about you everyday and will carry on your memory forever. I know I will see you again.

It's Time for a College Football Playoff

Congratulations to the Bowl Championship Series! You didn't get $700 billion, but you did get bailed out in a major way, yet again. This season had the potential to provide three undefeated teams from BCS conferences at the end of the season, creating pure bedlam for the system. Unfortunately, Penn State did not hold up its end of the bargain, falling to Iowa on a last second field goal, 24-23.

We are now in a position for two undefeated teams from BCS conferences to play each other in the national title game. All Alabama and Texas Tech have to do is win out. Then again, Alabama and Texas Tech have to win out. If they don't, the cries for a college football playoff will be deafening.

I'll go ahead and give you the worst possible scenario for the BCS to conceivably have. Trust me, this one is scary.

Starting with the top and working our way down, Alabama has already clinched the SEC West title and will play SEC East champ Florida. Let's say both teams win out and Florida beats Alabama to win the SEC title. Florida is the champ and both teams have one loss.

Moving to the Big 12, let's say undefeated Texas Tech loses to Oklahoma this coming weekend, causing a three-way tie in the Big 12 South between Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Texas. Through the rules of the tiebreaker, Texas would represent the Big 12 South in the championship game, most likely against Missouri. We're talking about a disaster situation here, so let's say Missouri pulls the upset.

In the Pac-10, let's say Oregon State wins out. Since they beat USC head-to-head, they own the tiebreaker and would win the Pac-10 title, while USC would remain a top 10 BCS team if they win out.

In the Big Ten, Penn St. will win it if they don't lose another game, including Michigan State, who they are currently tied with at the top of the conference standings. Penn St. would then represent the Big Ten in the BCS.

Unfortunately, both the ACC and Big East get to have BCS teams this season. The ACC is neck-and-neck, and I mean that in the worst way possible. With only a few weeks left in the season, nearly every team in the conference still has a mathematical shot at going to the title game. Every team in the league has three or more losses and no one looks intimidating. Let's pick the hottest team at the moment and say Miami wins the ACC. The Big East is a little better, but has been a let down with West Virginia, South Florida, Rutgers and UConn all having sub-par seasons. Let's pick the top team right now, Cincinnati, to take it.

In the non-BCS conferences, there's been competition for a spot as well. Utah, Boise State and Ball State are still undefeated. BYU and TCU are also ranked in the top 20. Although Ball St. probably won't pose a threat to claim a BCS spot, Utah and Boise St. are in the top 10. Let's say Utah beats BYU and Boise St. stays unblemished. There are now two non-BCS conference teams in the top 10.

Now for the recap. There are five BCS bowl games, leaving spots for 10 teams. The way this situation has played out means Florida, Missouri, Oregon St., Penn St., Miami and Cincinnati all clinch automatic bids to BCS games. That leaves four spots for Alabama, Texas Tech, Texas, Oklahoma, USC, Utah and Boise St., who all have reasonable arguments for inclusion, to fight and bicker over.

Who do you leave out? Do you exclude Alabama, who has been ranked in the top five since week 5, because they lost a conference championship that teams like Oregon St., Penn St. and Cincinnati didn't even have to play? Do you pass on Texas Tech or Oklahoma, who both would have just won loss, but didn't get to play in their conference championship because of an unlucky three-way tiebreaker? Do you punish Texas for playing in a championship game and losing, giving them a worse record than Texas Tech or Oklahoma, but only because they had to play an extra game? Does USC deserve to be left out because they were upset on an ever-so-dangerous Thursday night away game (with the team they lost to also happening to win the conference)? Do Utah and Boise St. get the short end because of their schedule? They only would have beaten every team they faced.

The argument would be endless. So many fans pulling in so many directions would rip college football limb from limb. Please tell me how a playoff would not be the solution for this!

We all know it's about the money. Commissioners try to act like they would be draining college football players by extending their seasons and keeping them from their school work and other obligations. If you were so concerned about their well-being, why do you make them wait an entire month before the bowl games are played, while every other college student is home on break? You don't seem to have any reservations about making them play on Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year's Day. Don't give me that act, I'm not buying it.

How would you not be getting your money in the playoff system? You'd still have games to nationally showcase. In fact, you could have just as many games as before.

I support a six-team playoff, just like the NFL has set up now. The number one and two seeds have first-round byes, while the three and six seeds play each other and the four and five seeds meet. Assuming there aren't upsets, the four seed then plays the one seed, while the three seed advances to play the two seed. Staying on course, the one and two seeds would then meet for the championship. There you go. You can now use your five BCS bowls as the venues, i.e. the Rose Bowl for the three-six matchup and the Fiesta Bowl for the four-five game, so on and so forth.

If I'm making too much sense, please stop me.

For those who say a playoff would take away from the importance of the regular season, it's not a viable argument. Of course the regular season would matter. There would only be six spots in the postseason out of 119 teams! Teams like Miami, Florida St., Oregon St., Ohio St. and West Virginia wouldn't have a shot with multiple losses. On top of that, the six-team system rewards the top two seeds with a bye, which I think is a crucial element, and is the reason I don't favor an eight-team playoff. Using Texas Tech as an example, it's not a reward to say, "Hey Texas Tech, great season. You went undefeated and played outstanding football. Now as a reward, do you remember that tough Texas team you beat earlier this year? Well you get to play them again, and this time it's on a neutral field. Congratulations!" Giving the top two teams byes would sweeten the deal and would make the regular season more important as teams battle to stay undefeated so they can get that bye.

The system we have now is flawed. While it gives us some great matchups at the end of the year, those games are ultimately meaningless. The only game that matters is the national championship and every year there is some gripe about who made it and who didn't. A playoff would easily fix the problem, keep the same amount of BCS bowl games, using them as playoff venues, and wouldn't extend the season if that month off after the end of the regular season was trimmed down.

Seeing as how we are in a season of change, during an election year of change, this country is also ready for a college football change. Go to the playoff system, the time is now.

Romo is Overrated; Campbell Emerging

It has to be said, especially after Dallas week, Tony Romo is overrated as an elite quarterback in this league.

I've been watching him for some time now and I'm still trying to figure out what everyone sees. Obviously it takes skill to be a starting quarterback in the NFL, but he receives a lot of praise for succeeding in a situation where so many other players would have the same effect. Romo has options that other teams simply don't. He can hand the ball off to a Pro Bowl running back, Marion Barber, or drop back to pass behind three Pro Bowl linemen, and look for his Pro Bowl wide receiver, Terrell Owens, or his Pro Bowl tight end, Jason Witten. If you can't have success working in that system, something is wrong with you. I wish bust-labeled, number one overall pick Alex Smith could go to Dallas and play. He'd probably win comeback player of the year.

What bothers me most about Romo is his ability to ruin everything when his team needs him most. Going into the Redskins game last week, he had given seven points to the opposition or cost his own team seven points in every game of the season by either fumbling in his own end zone, or throwing an interception in the red zone. Although he couldn't extend that streak against the Redskins, he did throw an interception to keep another one alive. He now has thrown an interception in seven straight games, dating back to last season. When the going gets tough, Romo gets his offense on the sideline.

The playoffs? You want to talk about playoffs?? Romo has been a botch in back-to-back years. There's been the mishandled game-winning field goal, an untimely interception, and some poor game management. But let's not get too deep into it because "that's my quarterback."

The Cowboys were anointed as soon-to-be Super Bowl champions just a week ago and I'm so happy things have crashed down to earth. Well, at least for most. ESPN still hasn't figured it out. In the brand new power rankings, the Cowboys slipped from first to third, still ahead of the Redskins who just beat them and have the same record.

It's just a continuation of disrespect from the media coverage of the "NFC Beast." ESPN blogger Matt Mosley wrote an article praising the NFC East as the best division in the NFL, but seemed to leave out some rather large parts. He really only included three of the four teams. Do you want to take a guess on who missed out? Starting with the picture in the headline, Romo, Eli Manning and Donovan McNabb are shown, with the caption that the three of them "are leading their teams in the NFL's toughest division." I guess Jason Campell isn't leading his team anywhere. In fact, the Redskins aren't even mentioned until the 13th paragraph with a simple statement, "Jason Campbell has been solid in his team's two wins." That was all that was mentioned. Thanks Matt. Don't worry about Campbell having a better passer rating than Romo and not turning the ball over all year long.

Maybe now you can change your tune since Campbell has been solid in his team's three wins, most recently against the former number one Cowboys. Get off Romo, give credit where it's due. Campbell outplayed Romo last week and is emerging as someone you don't have to be scared to include when you talk about the NFC East.

"My Gators, Step Over Ya"

Dave Chappelle couldn't have said it any better. Tim Tebow and the boys are on a roll so far this year, already dismantling two of its top rivals, Miami and Tennessee. If the Gators get the sweep by beating Georgia and Florida State...well let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Florida is stacked this year. Not only on offense, but swarming on defense as well. Tebow hasn't had to put up gaudy numbers or run the ball 20 times a game to do it either. While it might take him out of Heisman consideration early, it's better for him, and the team, down the road.

As Tebow takes less of a pounding, more playmakers emerge in the spread offense. WR Percy Harvin has been a stud since stepping foot on campus, return specialist Brandon James can go the distance at any moment, freshman RB Chris Rainey might be the fastest kid in the country (LSU's Trindon Holliday would be a great race), and transfer RB Emmanuel Moody could give them a physical runner between the tackles. Tebow hasn't had to do much besides manage the game and make clutch runs and throws to get crucial first downs. While his numbers have been pedestrian, 489 passing yards with 5 passing TDs and 118 rushing yards and no rushing TDs through three games, his leadership is always on display. He is never rattled, always makes something happen, and constantly pushes for more. I think he's wanted to go for it on every fourth down so far this season. He can always be seen looking back, and yelling, in head coach Urban Myers' direction, refusing to come off the field. Players have to thrive off that whenever he's around them, he just has that type of competitive personality.

Florida's schedule can be split up into quarters, with the first having just wrapped up. Preseason, the first three games looked like there could be some pitfalls: start off with BCS-participant Hawaii, up-and-coming Miami (FL), and an always tough, ranked Tennessee game in Knoxville. Although all three of those teams have been letdowns, Florida still made sure to assert its dominance when they played.

Now it's on to a quick second quarter, with two games in which the Gators will be heavily favored: SEC West doormats Ole Miss and Arkansas. Florida has to win these two games without any suspense because after that, it's a grind.

The third quarter features games against three ranked opponents, two of which are in the top five with Florida in both polls: 5 LSU, Kentucky, 3 Georgia and 21 Vanderbilt. It's hard to expect the Gators to come out of that unscathed, but anything is possible. If they do, they can't have any setbacks as they wrap up the fourth quarter and head into the SEC championship.

The fourth quarter is a stretch of games the Gators should win, but tend to make hard on themselves. South Carolina has been a challenge since Steve Spurrier returned and Florida State can never be underestimated as a rivalry game. The Citadel is an exhibition.

With Florida passing the first round of tests, it's imperative for them to keep the pedal to the floor. If they get to halftime with a shutout in the loss column, they can enter the next phase knowing their fate is in their hands. Another national championship is in the crosshairs, it's up to them to finish.

Lett It Slip Away

Although Eagles rookie wide receiver DeSean Jackson didn't cost his team with his best impersonation of Leon Lett in Texas Stadium, I will forever remember it as his legacy. In his efforts to get his celebration ready and look as flashy as possible, Jackson released the ball before he broke the plane of the goaline. What's worse is it wasn't the first time he's done it in his career.

So far Jackson has been a big part of the Eagles' potent offense in the absence of starting wide receivers Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown. In fact, Jackson has the most receiving yards of any rookie, and ranks eighth in the league overall. Not bad for a position NFL scouts say takes the longest to master.

Unfortunately, this gumshoe is one of the cockiest players I've seen to date. It could very easily draw attention to him for all the wrong reasons, and he didn't make it any easier on himself by literally throwing away a touchdown in a game where his defense couldn't keep the Cowboys out of the end zone. If the Eagles did not end up scoring a TD on that drive, as Brian Westbrook did on the next play, Jackson would have had that play follow him around for the rest of his life.

For now, he's having a solid campaign. His speed is elite, and he has moves to make even the savviest veteran miss. My knock on him is his size. He's maybe 5'10", 175 lbs. tops. As physical as the NFC East is, I don't think his body will hold up. Consequently, if his size does become an issue, it can turn him into a one-dimensional player in the offense as a vertical threat who can't go over the middle for fear of getting knocked out.

Jackson has as much talent as any receiver in this draft class. However, listen up young buck. You have not accomplished anything in this league yet. I know you see how flashy TO and Ocho Cinco are and you want to emulate that, but don't let things go to your head. That's how you fell out of the first round of the draft to begin with. Don't let your bad habits overshadow your production, otherwise you won't be worth the cost of the aspirin to numb the headache you'll become.

Week 2 Pro Picks

Tennessee @ Cincinnati: Titans
Even with the Vince Young situation, the Bengals are still more of a mess. The Titans found a way to beat the Jaguars last week when Young went down with a sprained knee, they'll be fine this week without him.

Green Bay @ Detroit: Packers
The Packers are playing like a complete team with Aaron Rodgers at the helm, and the team seems to have moved on as a whole from Brett Favre. I'm taking the Packers to keep the train rolling against the Lions.

Oakland @ Kansas City: Chiefs
Reports are out that head coach Lane Kiffin will be fired by the Raiders as early as Monday morning. It sure is hard to get your team ready for a game when you already have one and a half feet out the door. I'm going with the Chiefs to get their first win against this struggling Raiders team.

New York Giants @ St. Louis: Giants
The Eagles did it to them last week, and the Giants are going to do it to them this week. The Rams look terrible. Not much has changed from last year till now. Defending champs against a 2-14 team from last season? I'll take the champs.

Indianapolis @ Minnesota: Vikings
Can the Colts start the season 0-2? I'm going with it. The Vikings will be comfortable at home, but either way this game was going to be in a dome. The Colts will be relying solely on Peyton's arm while the Vikings will be relying on that awesome running game. I think the Vikings will be able to control the clock more with their gameplan and keep Manning off the field.

New Orleans @ Washington: Redskins
Call me a homer, but this is a must-win for the Skins. Their offensive struggles have been well-documented, but this week the Saints are without starters DT Hollis Thomas, LB Mark Simoneau, LB Scott Fujita, S Roman Harper, CB Randall Gay and WR Marques Colston. The Saints are missing a lot there, and the Redskins have to pounce on the opportunity in the home opener. Head coach Jim Zorn knows this is breathing directly down his neck, he better get a result, for his sake.

Chicago @ Carolina: Panthers
Both teams pulled off upsets in week one, but who can sustain the momentum? I think this one is really a toss up, I'm going with the Panthers on a whim.

Buffalo @ Jacksonville: Bills
The Jaguars struggled last week, and Marcus Stroud is back in Jax after being traded to the Bills in the offseason. I think the Bills are poised for a breakout year, helped by the injury to Tom Brady, but will Jack Del Rio circle the wagons this week and get his team on track? I'm not banking on it, I'm sticking with the Bills.

San Francisco @ Seattle: Seahawks
Seattle doesn't have any receivers left, but San Fran could be a team in peril. Head coach Mike Nolan has seen his team go from trendy to embarrasing, and it might be too late to revive the situation. I'll stick with the Seahawks at home in that noisy stadium.

Atlanta @ Tampa Bay: Bucs
I know Matt Ryan had a great start last week, but the Bucs have been finding ways to win games, going back to last season. I'm sticking with the home team in this divison rivalry.

New England @ New York Jets: Jets
No Brady, no win. The Jets have put together a team that's ready to win right now with all the free agents they picked up in the offseason. This is not the right week to break in QB Matt Cassel for the Pats.

Miami @ Arizona: Cardinals
The Dolphins still haven't shrugged off the woes of last year, and although the Cardinals aren't a great team, they'll have enough to get through this one.

San Diego @ Denver: Chargers
I think the Bolts get their act together in this one. The Broncos crushed the Raiders last week, but so will a lot of teams this year. The Chargers can't start this season 0-2 and be successful this year.

Pittsburgh @ Cleveland: Steelers
The Steelers still have the edge in this rivalry, even though the Browns are a much improved team. I'm going with RB Willie Parker to have another big week running the ball.

Philadelphia @ Dallas: Cowboys
Tough one to call, but the Cowboys looked like the real deal last week. The Eagles came out of the gates firing, but it was against the Rams. I think Dallas pulls this one out in the home opener.

Week 2 College Picks

13 Kansas @ 19 South Florida: Kansas
South Florida looked rough around the edges last week against Central Florida. I think Kansas can be just as good as last year, they just aren't deep. One major injury can derail their season. Lucky for the Jayhawks, it's only week two and the injury report is still clean. I'm taking Kansas in a shootout.

23 California @ Maryland: California
The ACC is awful this year. Even worse? Maryland is at the bottom of the ACC. Cal wins this one big.

16 Oregon @ Purdue: Oregon
I thought the loss of Nate Costa would really hurt the Ducks, but it looks like they've taken it in stride. I'm going with Oregon, with a lot of combined points on the board in this one.

UCLA @ 18 BYU: BYU
Can the Bruins pull off another upset? I don't think UCLA can bring the same fire to the field away from the Rose Bowl. Moreover, BYU has a lot to play for with the criticism of that gimme-15-yard penalty to help beat Washington. I'm picking the Cougars.

2 Georgia @ South Carolina: Georgia
I hate to go against my Gamecocks, but Georgia has too much on the line for this one. South Carolina-Georgia is always a great game, usually down to the wire, but the way South Carolina gave that Vanderbilt game away last week and with their terrible offensive line, I can't pick the upset here. Georgia is so fast everywhere on the field. Chris Smelley will have his hands full, especially if preseason All-SEC wide receiver Kenny McKinley is limited with a hamstring injury.

Michigan @ Notre Dame: Michigan
What a downer this one is going to be this year. Two usual institutes of college football are in the process of rebuilding. Home field means nothing here as the fans really won't stay in it if Notre Dame doesn't come out firing. I can see Michigan winning this one 10-6.

9 Auburn @ Mississippi State: Auburn
Upset watch for this one. Mississippi St. feeds off the cowbells and Sylvester Croom is finally getting this program together. Auburn's lack of a standout QB for the first time in years leaves question marks around the Tigers, but I don't think Mississippi St. has the offensive firepower to pull this one off. Be prepared for a defensive battle, turnovers and a lot of field goals. The Tigers barely escape.

Virginia @ Connecticut: UConn
Virginia is another weak link in the ACC this year with a lethal combination of talent lost to the NFL, academic and off-the-field issues. The Wahoos lost starting QB Jamell Sewell to academic ineligibility and his backup-turned-starter Peter Lalich can't travel to away games because of an underage drinking arrest. With UConn on the up and UVA on the downslide, I'm taking the Huskies at home.

3 Oklahoma @ Washington: Oklahoma
The Huskies are at a crossroads this week. Does last week's loss on a game-ending blocked extra point motivate them to come out stronger this week, or do they collapse in pity? Oklahoma isn't the team you want to find out against. Sam Bradford is too steady to let the crowd rattle him and the committee of tailbacks allows the Sooners to dictate the tempo of the game if things get hairy.

5 Ohio State @ 1 USC: USC
If Beanie Wells can't go, this one will be painful. Maybe the Buckeyes were caught looking ahead in their game against Ohio last week, or maybe they just can't play without Wells. Either way, the Coliseum will be rocking for this and Pete Carroll will have his team ready. Call me an Ohio State hater, but it's time to show something. The winner of this game should be ashamed of themselves if they don't make it to the national championship with their respective cake-walk schedules. I'm going with the Trojans in L.A..

10 Wisconsin @ 21 Fresno State: Wisconsin
This is one of the best teams Pat Hill has had at Fresno St. in his time there, but I'm going with Wisconsin for one reason. They have the advantage of not playing until 10:30 pm. Therefore, they will be able to watch Ohio St. fall to USC and see that the Big Ten is their's for the taking. The Badgers will be too motivated if the Buckeyes lose, knowing they can hop up the rankings.

Preemptive Strikes

Turn the lights out. No NFL MVP for the Patriots' second run at perfection. No Pro Bowl stud for the defending Super Bowl champs. Boy, this season has already lost a lot of star power. After the preseason and the first week of the regular season, players like Tom Brady, Shawne Merriman, Ed Reed and Osi Umenyiora, just to name a few, are dealing with career-threatening injuries.

I don't know about you, but I want to see the best athletes on the field. There are teams I don't like, but I would never wish injury upon anyone in sports. The fact of the matter is, when players like the aforementioned list aren't in the game, the product on the field and the quality of the game isn't the same. When you watch a game, especially if your favorite team is involved, and think about what could have been because your star player is out, it totally licks bursa sac.

I'm sure other story lines will come to the forefront and the show will go on, as has always been the case in the NFL. With heavy doses of Brett Favre, Tony Romo, division rivalries, emerging rookies, and the Manning Brothers' Double-Stuft Oreos commercials, you might just forget all about it. However, I have to say I can't remember any other season where I've seen this many injuries to so many star players.

The weekly injury reports read like a who's who of pro football: Tom Brady (torn ACL, MCL), Shawne Merriman (torn LCL, PCL), Osi Umenyiora (torn lateral meniscus), Ed Reed (shoulder/neck nerve), Chad Ocho Cinco (partially torn labrum), Marques Colston (torn thumb ligaments), Vince Young (sprained MCL, not to mention his therapist said he's suicidal), the entire Seahawks' receiving corps, and I'm just getting warmed up.

People wait months and months for the season to start, and for some, their chances at winning it all have been severely damaged after just one week. It's hard to take, but everyone has to move forward. Let's wish those players luck in their attempts to get back on the field, the source of so much excitement for diehard fans. Good luck guys, I want to see you all back out there.

Quick Hits

I want to commend Michael Strahan for staying retired in the face Osi Umenyiora's season-ending knee injury. The Giants threw a lot of money at him and as tempting as that can be, I think there is a lot to be said for going out on a high note. Very few players get to end their careers with a championship in hand, and I think Strahan really did the classy thing by sticking to his original decision. Instead of coming back, potentially having a down year and leaving your fans with a bad taste in their mouths, everyone will remember you for that great Super Bowl win, a lasting legacy to go along with your NFL record of most sacks in a season.

Chad Johnson is now legally Chad Ocho Cinco and I love it. Right now, both college and pro football are putting the clamps down on fun-loving creativity and I can't stand it. Let people play and have a good time. If the league can chew players up and spit them out, at least let them dance a little bit and joke around. There's no harm in it.

Hats off to Shawne Merriman trying to play this season with two torn knee ligaments. He's now going on season-ending injured reserve, but how tough is this guy to even make an attempt to play? Here's to a speedy recovery Shawne, I hope you come back as the "Lights Out" everyone knows you to be.

John Clayton recently wrote an article about the best modern rivalries in the NFL and mentioned the Eagles-Cowboys as the premiere rivalry in the NFC East. He went so far as to question, "Where is the Cowboys-Washington Redskins rivalry?"

It's right here, John, wake up. The media loves to shower the Cowboys with praise over their recent, regular-season success (they still haven't won a playoff game in over a decade), but why don't you look at the numbers? The Redskins have won four of the last six in the rivalry. Five of the last eight have been decided in the final minutes. The Redskins prevented the Cowboys from making the playoffs in 2005, and last season the Redskins beat the Cowboys to make the playoffs. In fact, the last four Redskin victories have been two blowouts, and two last-second comebacks. This rivalry hasn't gone anywhere.