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Frank Cagle's latest Metro Pulse column lays out why expansion has to be done right, if the SEC is going to do it.
The consensus among the smartest and most influential sports writers around the South is that conference expansion is coming. And it likely will include four teams instead of two. It is unfortunate that the conversation has now shifted into a parlor game—who would you pick to join? In addition to A&M, the names mentioned are Oklahoma St., Virginia Tech, Florida State, and Georgia Tech. If Georgia Tech, a school that used to be in the SEC, and Florida State, in the region, came asking to join the league, it would probably work out. Arkansas and South Carolina joined in recent years. But this isn’t what the latest talk about expansion is about. It’s about stretching the SEC into a national powerhouse. Where does it stop? You want to start going to Arizona for games? Oregon? Twenty teams? A Super Conference outside the control of the NCAA? If you lose your regionalism, lose your cultural ties, and dilute traditional conference rivalries, you haven’t expanded your conference. You have destroyed it and morphed into something else.
It's interesting that a week that began with headlines about possibly expanding the conference and moving college football toward a playoff system has now suddenly derailed with the conversation of what's been going on at Miami. It's an interesting story, though I did note when ESPN brought it up and listed other schools under investigation recently that they conveniently left out Ohio State. (No, they don't have an agenda...of course not!)
The best take on the Miami situation and revelations I've heard so far is that people in Miami are questioning if they were cheating as much as alleged, why were they not winning more games?
Labels: football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 8/17/2011 07:50:00 PM |
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After it was reported as all but fact Saturday night, it seems that Texas A&M won't be joining the SEC in 2012 after all.
I've got to admit, I think that's a good thing.
In the long run, I fully believe that the SEC will expand but that it will be for financial reasons. Bringing in more TV markets increases its ability to negotiate for a larger TV contract and it will expand the recruiting base for schools in those areas. Bringing in a school from Texas will probably happen at some point--whether or not it's A&M remains to be seen.
But, I do like that the SEC seems to be willing to sit back and think through the decision and not just rush into something. As I asked Saturday, if you bring in A&M, what is the next team you bring in to even out the number. I've heard rumors of FSU, Clemson and Missouri. There was also discussion of Georgia Tech and maybe a school in Virginia.
I think the SEC is wise to step back and consider who to bring in. I've heard that it doesn't want to bring in any teams already in the SEC footprint. This is why I figure the decision on who gets an invite would be a financial one and not one based on rivalry and the tradition of the league. I'd hope someone involved in this decision would bring that up at some point, but it seems less and less likely to happen.
Labels: football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 8/15/2011 09:30:00 AM |
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The buzz that Texas A&M is bolting the Big 12 for the best college football conference in the country has reached a zenith tonight with ESPN confirming it will happen and we'll hear the details Monday.
Needless to say, it's a story I'm keeping my eye on for a couple of reasons.
The first is it's an SEC expansion and if it happens I could see the SEC going super conference and, once again, leading the way for college athletics, especially college football. We started the the conference title game and all others followed. Now it looks like we could start the super conference movement and all others will follow.
Of course, my first big question is if we expand, who are the other teams coming in? And what would this mean for realignment? And how would that impact the rivalries that have built up over the years and that are traditionally played each fall. I can't imagine an SEC football season without Tennessee vs Alabama, but I have a strange feeling this could be a casualty of realignment.
Finally, I have to think that Texas A&M's desire to leave shows the failure of the Big 12 as a conference. This is twice in the past year or so we've heard of them making a move to leave...and the blame falls squarely at the feet of Texas. They're the bully on the block, bending the will of the Big 12 to their whims and pleasures. They want to be in a conference and independent...to have the best of both worlds and they don't care who or what they step on or over to do it. And the fact that the Big 12 is allowing them to bully it and the other teams in that conference just shows what happens when you don't have solid leadership like you do in the SEC.
This could be an interesting week....and we don't even kick-off the games for three more weeks. Bring on the circus!
Labels: football, tennessee football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 8/13/2011 10:36:00 PM |
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It was a scary weekend to be one of the teams I pull for. All three of my teams lost, each in a different fashion.
The Vols went out and made far too many mistakes against South Carolina to win the game. I hate losing to Spurrier. I was encouraged by the way the Vols came back in the third quarter and actually put up some points in the second half. But unfortunately, we ran out of gas in the fourth quarter and it looks like we could have created some quarterback controversy. Yes, Matt Simms fumbled twice from hanging on to the ball too long and it cost us fourteen points. But as I heard pointed out, there were a couple of long completions in there because he held on to the ball longer and gave the receivers time to get open. My biggest fear is the coaching staff will lose the team because of this. Simms is being outspoken about his lack of love in being benched. And I've got to admit that the guy has done a lot of good things for the Vols this year.
Meanwhile, the Redskins figured out a way to lose to Detroit. Seriously?!? I only saw snippets of it on NFL Red Zone, but what I did see was totally disheartening. Speaking of QB controversies, there's one in DC now. And does it seem like Mike Shanahan is also in danger of losing his team?
Then, there's the Titans and the curse of San Diego. Dear heavens...what does it take to beat these guys? Watching the game yesterday, I figured out why I hate some teams and will tolerate others that aren't my two favorites. I tend to hate teams that have guys who want to celebrate every play as if it were a Super Bowl winning play. And that's exactly what San Diego does (so do the Cowboys). And for what? They've never won a Super Bowl and the last few years they've started off with terrible records. But yet, they celebrate every play like it's the greatest thing ever. And that doesn't even take into consideration Phillip Rivers, who just seems like a jerk to me. Anyway.....the Titans once again found ways to lose by not stopping them on third and a mile at least a zillion times. It was truly horrifying.
The best news was that with their loss to Jacksonville, the Cowboys are pretty much done this year. Here's a thought--who'd've figured that by the time we roll around to the traditional Thanksgiving games that the Lions would potentially have a better winning percentage than the Cowboys? That does give rise to one big fear--now they're playing the spoiler role and that could make them dangerous down the stretch.
So it's November now and I can guarantee at least one of my three teams will have a win this month...but that's only because the Titans play the Redskins here in Nashville.Labels: football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 11/01/2010 12:10:00 PM |
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A couple of things not long enough for a full post, but too long for a Twitter update...
- All weekend, I kept hearing about how tragic it was that Reggie Bush returned his Heisman and he was turning away all this heritage, rich tradition, etc. Yeah, not so much. See the Heisman lost all meaning as an award in 1997 when ESPN campaigned for Charles Woodson to get it over Peyton Manning. Since that time, the award has been a meaningless one....
- Phil Fulmer goes on live TV and while he didn't open hand slap Tim Brando (who is the smarmiest sports reporter EVER), he did verbally slap Lane Kiffin. And I loved it. Can he be the next AD for the Vols, please?!?!
- As proud as I am of the effort the Vols game Saturday against Florida, it still sucks to lose to the Gators for six straight years. My poor nephew doesn't recall a time when the Vols beat Florida. This needs to change starting next year.
- If Vandy can beat Ole Miss, then so can the Vols. Houston Nutt, welcome to the hot seat.
- Joining you will be Marc Richt of Georgia, who still has a loss to Florida looming and could lose to the Vols. I know, it seems unlikely, but Georgia tends to find ways to lose games they shouldn't and the UT vs Georgia game could qualify.
- It was a terrible weekend for my favorite teams, football-wise. The Titans started a QB controversy when Vince Young was replaced by Kerry Collins. Thing was, neither was effective. Pittsburgh showed that if you shut down the run game and dare Young to beat you, you can rattle the Titans offense. If I were the defense, I'd be mad as hell as the offense. They gave us a lot of chances to win.
- As for the Redskins, we still have kicker issues. How many times will this haunt us? Last year it was the Saints, this year the Texans. I will weep if the Texans make the playoffs and actually win a game.
- On a good note, the Cowboys lost. I laughed a long time about that one.
- Finally, ComCast gave us a free sample of NFL Red Zone and I've gotta say it was pretty awesome. Interestingly, the feed for CBS games was five seconds faster on NFL Red Zone than it was on my local CBS affiliate. I can see myself spending the five bucks a month to have this during the season.
Labels: football, Redskins, tennessee football, Titans
posted by Michael Hickerson at 9/20/2010 11:59:00 AM |
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- Like it or not, re-alignment in college sports is happening. As usual, the arrogance of Notre Dame is playing a part of it. Notre Dame has barely been part of the national title or the BCS conversation for twenty years and yet they act like we should all feel honored that they'd consider thinking about joining a conference when, quite frankly, they should have done it ten years ago. Or else be left out of the BCS. Yeah, you heard that right Notre Dame fans...your team has become irrelevant as an independent and if you don't see that, you're blind. I don't care two cents for your pride, tradition, etc. We've got all that here in the SEC and we've got most of the BCS national titles as well. Get with the program!
- I think the one big victim of the re-alignment could be the tradition that some teams have. If the PAC-10 expands to 16 teams, its will be so geographically huge that building up a healthy hatred for a team in Texas when you're in Oregon and play once every four years isn't going to happen. But then again, it's all about a money-grab.
- And the arrogance of the PAC 10 in claiming that should they go super conference means they get two BCS bids is absurd. If there's a conference that should automatically get two BCS bids its the SEC since we've shown on the field the past decade or so who the real power conference is. And with USC going on probation (couldn't happen to a better school), that conference will really be down for the next two to three years.
- Speaking of USC, I feel somehow that karma is biting Lane Kiffin and company in the ass and I love it. LOVE IT! I can't wait to see Kiffin fired from his dream job in two years. I'm also thankful he left Knoxville since some of these violations happened while he was there and given his track record, had he stayed, I'm betting Tennessee would have been under investigation and hit by sanctions. Karma is a bitch, huh, Lane! Sucks to be you! Of course, this does set up my dream scenario....two years from now, Vols play USC in a bowl game and Kiffin is on thin ice anyway. We whip USC up and down the field and Kiffin is fired the next day.
Labels: football, tennessee football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 6/11/2010 10:52:00 AM |
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When I heard the news last night that my beloved Redskins were trading away draft picks in this year and next year's draft to acquire Donovan McNabb, my first thought was--are you kidding me?!?
Once again, it appears that owner Daniel Snyder is mortgaging the future and the potential to build the team into a solid contender again for the sake of playing fantasy football. The only problem is that he keeps forgetting that the Redskins are actually a real world team.
I am left, once again, scratching my head. I know we've got some QB issues and maybe Jason Campbell isn't the answer. But then again, the poor guy has had a new QB coach every year he's been in the league. It's no wonder the poor guy gets a bit confused.
Mayhaps bringing in McNabb could work as a mentoring type of thing for Campbell. Or whoever Snyder and company spend the fourth overall pick in the draft on next month. (Somehow I have a bad feeling that we're going to have a lot of high draft picks for the next few years).
My other thought was a reminder of something a friend said to me on Facebook last year after the Vikings acquired Favre. He said that it was hard to suddenly embrace a guy that, as a fan of a certain team for so long, you'd naturally grown to dislike. I'm kind of feeling that same way about McNabb and his changing over to my team. I guess I will eventually get behind him because he's our guy now. But I'm still not certain this was the right move.Labels: football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 4/05/2010 01:12:00 PM |
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Ever since Urban Meyer came on the scene at Florida, many college football fans have wondered how he'd coach and what his winning percentage would be like without Tim "I Walk on Water but Cry Like a Girly Man If We Lose" Tebow.
Unfortunately, we won't get to find out.
According to reports, Meyer will leave Florida after their bowl game, due to health reasons.
As a human being, I wish Meyer all the best and hope that whatever his health reason is that this walking away will help put him on the road to recovery or better health.
As a Vols' fan, a large part of me takes gleeful delight in seeing Florida possibly taking a step backward with the loss of Meyer and sees this as an opening the Vols could possibly step through on our journey back to SEC East dominance....Labels: football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 12/26/2009 06:49:00 PM |
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It's been fascinating to follow the reaction to Brandon Spikes' attempted eye gouge on Georgia's Washaun Ealey during Saturday's Georgia vs. Florida game.
After the video footage of Spikes made it way to U-Tube, you knew it was only a matter of time until it blew up into a huge, three-ring circus of controversy.
I won't condone what Spikes did. It was clearly wrong. And it's also wrong of us to dismiss as "well, those things happen in the pile during a football game."
However, I do think Spikes deserves more than a half a game suspension against Vanderbilt. In a year in which we've seen a guy lose his entire season because he lied to the NCAA, I think Spikes clearly deserves a bit longer. We had a guy go up into the stands after a game in a fight to start the year and he got a longer suspension.
But it appears the NCAA and the SEC aren't planning to step in and do anything since Urban Myer, Midget Wrestler has stepped in and handled the situation.
I'm guessing if your team is in the running for a national title, there's a different set of rules you have to play by.Labels: football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 11/03/2009 07:43:00 PM |
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Is it just me or does anyone else find it interesting that the first two coaches to play in the BCS title game have both been on the hot seat the past two seasons. Last year, it was the debacle season that led to Phil Fulmer being replaced at Tennessee and now this year, rumors are swirling about the future of Bobby Bowden at Florida State.
It's interesting to hear some of the same criticisms leveled at Bowden that were leveled at Fulmer last year--namely that the game has passed them by and that new blood is needed. Of course, FSU has created a no-win situation of their own by giving coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher a $5 million bonus should Bowden not retire as head coach at the end of the year.
Earlier this year, as I was reading Clay Travis' "On Rocky Top," I got to thinking about coaches who are institutions at certain schools. Fulmer was one at UT, Bowden is one at FSU and Jo Paterno is one at Penn State. As I relived what happened to Fulmer, I began to wonder just how long the leash was at FSU and Penn State for these "legendary" coaches.
Guess we're finding out now that the leash is only as long as losses to Miami and South Florida with another potential loss to Florida in the horizon at FSU.
I've noticed a lot of long-term coaches rallying for Bowden, including Mack Brown at Texas and Paterno at Penn State. Which is nice for Bobby and all, but where was this show of support last year when Fulmer was on the hot seat?
It's interesting to hear that the argument for Bobby staying is that he's done so much for college football and he should be allowed to step away on his own terms. But I'd argue that it's what Bobby achieved early in his career and how he changed the landscape of college football that is what's coming back to bite him now. He was so successful in the '90's that now even a good season looks like a failure and then string together a few like the last couple of years and, well, it's not looking good.
Of course, there are other criticism like Bobby has lost touch with the team and the coaching staff being leveled. I don't know how much or how little or if it is true because I don't really follow FSU football that closely.
However, I am fascinated by the fact that in two years we could lose the two coaches who were on the sidelines for the BCS title game...and how the BCS itself has changed the expectations and hopes of the schools involved and ultimately will lead to two great coaches being forced out from their respective schools.Labels: football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 10/08/2009 01:00:00 PM |
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On this morning's episode of Rick and Bubba, the guys interviewed Jason Spires. Spires is a passionate fan for the Alabama Crimson Tide, the L.A. Dodgers and the L.A. Lakers but has found himself missing one aspect of the rabid fandom in his life--an NFL team. So, he decided he'd pick one and began a quest to do so, including a web site and sending a letter trying to get various NFL teams to tell him why he should root for them.
He says that he started the web site for himself, his family and his buddies, but now he's got interest from several national media outlets, including the Evil Empire themselves, ESPN. In fact, he appeared yesterday on Outside the Lines to discuss his quest.
Listening to Jason talk about what he was looking for in a team got me thinking about some things that have been rolling around inside my head this past week--especially in light of how poorly my pro teams have fared so far this year.
The most interesting question is, what makes you a fan of this team over that team. For example, how did I come to love the Redskins and Titans so much and, at the same time, despise Dallas, Baltimore and San Francisco. As I've stated before, my love of the Redskins was born when my family lived near D.C. in the mid-80's and the team was making its first run under Joe Gibbs. My passion was lit when the Redskins won the Super Bowl for the first time and it's never really waned in that time. So, of course you can see why I'd choose to dislike the Cowboys so much since they are the natural rival to my favorite team.
Which brings up my relatively new love for the Titans. I'll admit this one took me a bit by surprise because when the Oilers came to Tennessee, I really didn't have much interest in them. I would watch games and I was happy they beat the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, but it was really their first season as the Titans that my interest began. That was the season they changed names, moved into the Coliseum and won a lot of games, including earning a berth in the Super Bowl. And while you can see a common theme here--teams going to the Super Bowl--I think it's deeper than that. Otherwise, I'd pick a new team every year and there is no way on this earth I will pull for the Patriots or Cowboys if they're in the Super Bowl. I think part of what endeared the Titans to me was that they embraced their new home and also realized they didn't need to compete with the college game for fan love and loyalty in the South. I've been to a few NFL games but the Titans is the only one that comes closest to capturing the spirit of going to a college game. I think their embracing that has helped a lot...plus they've got Mike Keith who is the best play by play guy in the NFL.
If we could clone him so he could call UT games on Saturday, I'd be really happy.
But back to my point...
Of course, an integral part of being a fan is loyalty to a team. For one thing, have you seen the price tag on the various articles of clothing for teams these days? That's one reason I can't see how band-wagon fans can afford to jump from team to team each year. Also, I don't see how they can really enjoy and savor your team being good if you haven't been through lean times. As incredible as the Titans' run was last year, it was even more fun for me because I'd watched a lot of games where we weren't very good and had a down year. It's the same feeling I hope to get someday again with the Redskins, though right now it's not looking too good.
In listening to Jason, he said that what he wants is to be loyal to one team and be a rabid fan for them. Which is why I pray he doesn't choose the Cowboys because the last thing we need is one more idiot Cowboys fans out there.
But it also raised another question for me--one that Clay Travis' book "On Rocky Top"raised. What is it about these teams that makes us care so much? Why do we get so up when they win and so down when they lose?
Why do we let three hours on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon cloud our outlook on the rest of the week?
And is Jason condemning himself to this when and if he picks his NFL team?
I'd certainly love to make a case that he should choose the Titans or the Redskins, but I hate to tell him that no matter who you pick, at some point they're going to break your hearts.
I just wish the Titans and Redskins could find a way to stop doing it every Sunday. Or at least that's how it's seemed this year...Labels: football, sports
posted by Michael Hickerson at 9/30/2009 02:00:00 PM |
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Redskins embarrass
Titans fumble chances away
Could be long year
I don't think the Titans are as bad as an 0-3 record would indicate but we've still got some huge, glaring issues on special teams and in the secondary. That and the fact that Kerry Collins couldn't connect on his final 15 or so passes.
As for the Redskins, I had a bad feeling heading into this game about how this could turn out. You never want your team to be the answer to future sports trivia questions along the lines of who did one of the worst teams in history break their losing streak against. Once again, it shows that fantasy football is best played among your friends and not with an actual NFL franchise.
And I have to ask something that relates to both teams, sort of. Were the Titans able to cover up a lot of issues last year because Albert Haynesworth was such a difference maker? Or was Albert such a difference maker because he had so many other talented players around him?
It makes some sense given that the Titans defense has taken a step back this year and that Albert isn't exactly tearing it up in D.C.Labels: football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 9/28/2009 12:30:00 PM |
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From this morning's Chattanooga Times Free-Press:
 Labels: football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 9/05/2009 04:28:00 AM |
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Brett Favre is returning to football three weeks after he told everyone he was done.
Apparently not to much.
Rick and Bubba replayed the interview he did with them after he announced his retirement a few weeks ago. In it, Favre says his youngest daughter told him she wished he could take her to the Super Bowl.
I'm guessing that probably served as a good bit of his motivation to return.
That and twelve and a half million dollars for the season. Pretty good little retirement package there, I guess.
Odds makers and the talking heads on ESPN are now assuring us Minnesota is the team to beat from the NFC this year. At this point, I'm not sure why we're bothering to play the season in the NFC since with Favre in Minnesota, no one else even has a chance. Of course, these are the same geniuses who were putting the Jets in the playoffs last year after they ended the Titans undefeated season at LP Field. (If you'll recall, the Jets tanked down the stretch and missed the playoffs).
I have a feeling that the NFC East teams will have a lot to say about whether or not Mr. Favre gets to fulfill his daughter's wish.Labels: football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 8/19/2009 01:10:00 PM |
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It's not even football season yet and the continuing saint-ifciation of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow has begun in earnest.
Driving around last weekend, ESPN's Freddy Coleman was gushing about how this upcoming season would be the greatest in all of college football history because Tebow was back along with Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford. It lead into an interview with Tebow outside the ESPY Awards (the most overrated and useless awards in the universe) in which the interviewer couldn't kiss Tebow's posterior fast enough.
I will admit that Tebow is a good guy and that I respect what he does off the field and how he lives out his daily walk in a very visible way. In a day and age when we get far too many reports of the other side of the coin, the story of Tebow should be refreshing...
And yet, I can't find it refreshing. Namely because the way its reported it sounds like Tebow heals a colony of lepers on the way to each game. Or don't forget that time he fed 50,000 angry Gator fans with two hot dogs and a 20 oz. bottle of Coke. They all got their fill and had plenty left over to feed the newly healed leper colony.
I have a feeling it will only get worse. Heaven knows (pun intended), the legend to Tebow was only added by his big speech last year. And now they've made it a plaque in the Florida locker room.
The more I hear, the more I want a defensive lineman in Big Orange to clobber him when the Vols head to the Swamp in September for the annual show-down. Not hurt, mind you because I'm sure he'd just heal himself, but introduced to the turf. Until then, I will just have to hope that Lane Kiffin makes good on his desire to hear Rocky Top playing in the Swamp to celebrate a victory over St. Tebow and the Gators....Labels: football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 7/23/2009 04:00:00 PM |
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A couple of weeks ago, I wondered what could possibly be more annoying than the unrelenting coverage of whether or not Brett Favre will play another season in the NFL.
I've found out...
The unrelenting coverage of when Michael Vick will be allowed to play again in the NFL.
I realize it's a slow time of the year and that it's a big story, but I really think this is being covered to death. I am shocked we don't have leaked footage of Vick getting the ankle bracelet taken off by the authorities when he completed the home arrest portion of his sentence. Or maybe it's just out there and I missed it as my eyes glazed over.
I will admit that I am fascinated by the extreme opinions that exist on when and if Vick should be allowed to play football again and the plan or plans he should follow to get back into the good graces of the league.
Of course, I've heard that my beloved Redskins are considered in the mix to get Vick whenever he returns to the league. All I can say to my good buddy Dan Snyder is, please for the love of all that is good, don't go down that road. I know there are at least three or four Virginia Tech fans in the world and they probably live near D.C. and would like to see Vick come to the team. But honestly, the guy has too much baggage for our team to take on right now. Let's continue the progress with Jason Campbell and win or lose with him.Labels: football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 7/23/2009 01:46:00 PM |
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During the 2006 NFL Draft, a lot of debate on Nashville airwaves centered on who the Titans should pick at quarterback. Some people wanted Vince Young, some people wanted Matt Leinert and some wanted to draft hometown man, Jay Cutler.
We all know how history played out and while the jury is still out on which of these three will have the best NFL career (I'd say it's almost a two QB race at this point between Young and Cutler), I still think the Titans made the right choice. A feeling that only becomes clearer the longer this whole story of Jay Cutler vs the Denver Bronocs continues to grow and evolve.
I can see both sides. Cutler is irritated that his new coach actively purused a trade to bring Matt Cassell to the Broncos. The new coach (whose name eludes me) wanted a guy who he knew well and would fit into his system.
Both sides are acting like petulant children in this debate, but it's Culter who is coming off more like a spoiled brat than ever. I had my reservations about Culter during the 2006 draft and nothing he's done since that time has really made me re-evaluate that. He may have all the talent in the world, but he hasn't shown the ability to consistently win in either college or the NFL. He's had his moments (I'm sure he pulls out his DVD of Vandy beating UT to show his one bright moment from his college career), but he's remarkably inconsistent.
Now, he's demanding a trade and has put his $2 million home up for sale in Denver. (Has he checked the real estate market?) Even if he stays, he's disgruntled and wants out. And he's not exactly making himself look like an attractive prospect in the bargain. Do you really want this a guy this petulant on your team?
I am not saying Vince Young has shown he can be the model of maturity or consistency. But it seems like he's taken the being benched and taking a back seat to Kerry Collins with a lot more dignity than Culter has taken his situation in Denver. Of course, a lot of that could be chalked up to the influence of one Jeff Fisher. And maybe that Vince realizes that it's not all about him and that it's about the team.
All I know is it provides some drama to watch out in Denver...and to be thankful it's not drama surrounding either of my favorite teams.Labels: football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 3/16/2009 01:09:00 PM |
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ESPN is all a-buzz with talk about the Cowboys cutting T.O.
All I can say is, I guess it shows you what you have to do for the Cowboys to cut you. You can be a drug addict, have run-ins with the law and be a pretty disreputable thug, but if you help the team win games and get far into the playoffs, they'll put up with you. (Exhibit A: Michael Irvin). It's only when the team doesn't make the playoffs and collapses down the stretch that you're cut. (Exhibit A: Adam Jones, T.O.)
I have to admit, there's a part of me that takes secret glee in hearing that T.O. has been cut.
And then, there comes the overwhelming feeling of dread that one of my two beloved teams might decide to take a chance on the controversial wide-reciever.
The good news for the Redskins is that by signing Albert Haynesworth, the team probably doesn't have the room under the salary cap to get T.O. Thank goodness, because this is exactly the type of bone-headed move Dan Snyder would do if he could. And if we get an inkling he's thinking about it, I implore Joe Gibbs to come out of retirement and smack some sense into Snyder.
And on the radio, they were discussing if T.O. should become a Titan. An on-line poll indicated it was 60% against, 40% for having him on the Titans. To that 40% I ask--are you insane?!? Do we really want to have that cancer on our team?!? We got burned as it is by Adam Jones. Do we need more of that?!?
That said, I don't see the Titans making this move. It makes little sense and apart from Adam Jones, the team has shown good sense in bringing in players who aren't going to be cancers in the locker-room.Labels: football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 3/05/2009 08:36:00 AM |
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There seems to be a lot of gloom and depression around Music City these days, a lot of it related to the fact that the Titans lost Saturday, ending their otherwise marvellous season. I've caught snippets and been part of several conversations the past few days, lamenting the fact that we turned the stupid ball over three times in the red zone and that horrific no-call by the refs in the fourth quarter.
:::Deep breath:::
All of this got me to thinking about my loyalty to certain sports franchises and my disdain and lack of love for others. As many of you know, my first love in the world of professional football is the Washington Redskins. So, for years, I've had a good, healthy lack of love for the Cowboys.
I love to hate the Cowboys.
But while the Washington/Dallas rivallry will always be my favorite in pro sports, lately it seems like the Ravens have been making a run to bump the Cowboys off as my number one most despised team in the NFL. And as I've pondered it over the past few days, I realized they may have moved into that top spot of teams I actively hate and pull against. Why you ask?
Because the Ravens have hoisted the Titans' pitard not once but twice in the last eight years when everything was on the line. Yes, the Titans have been able to beat them in the regular season, but in the last couple of years it's been the Ravens who have robbed the Titans of what we wanted most--to go the Super Bowl. They've won two critical games on our field when we were the top dog in the NFL and derailed what could have been a "dream" season for the Titans. To add insult to injury, it was the Ravens who came in and took away our undefeated streak at home back in the 2000 season.
Add to that, the divisional realignment that moved us out of playing the Ravens twice a season and it only magnifies the desire I have to want to see the Titans beat them down every time the two play. (I think the NFL should adopt the same policy the SEC has and have some rivals that aren't in the same division play every year along the lines of UT vs Bama.)
Of course, a lot of that could be the sting of losing to the Ravens and having to hear Ray Lewis tell us all how great God is because the Ravens won. (I'm all about loving God, but I don't think the Lord is really that involved in the outcome of football games....no matter how much prayer time I devote to my team winning.) Part of it could also be that the Cowboys aren't in the playoffs this year (insert sounds of joyful glee here).
So, for now, I am officially declaring the Ravens as the team I hate most in the NFL.
With the understanding that the Cowboys are a close second and can jump up to first at any moment....Labels: football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 1/13/2009 03:00:00 PM |
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I'm on the horns of a dilemma when it comes to who I want to pull for in tomorrow night's Patriots vs Giants game. Being a lifetime Redskins' fan, it's hard to pull for the Giants for any reason since they're divisional rivals. But then again, my intense dislike for the Patriots knows no end. I can't stand those guys.
I've been pulling against them all year as they move closer and closer to their perfect season. They should have lost a few weeks ago to the Ravens and ended all this speculation on whether or not they can go undefeated. It's not that I have a lot of love for the '72 Dolphins (they beat my Redskins in the Super Bowl even though I wasn't around yet....), it's just that I can't stand the Patriots and I'm about to vomit from all the media hype surrounding this team.
Why do I despise the Patriots so?
Well, first up you've got Tom Brady who while he's a great football player is too much of a player off the field. We're talking about a guy who has kids by two different women and pretty much has little or no contact or interaction with the first one. Oh sure, he set up a college fund for the first one, but it's not like he can't afford it. Sure he fathered the kid, but he's not a dad. And the way he's held up as some golden boy and this is glossed over just makes me dislike him all the more. You don't hear this kind of crap about a real stand-up guy on and off the field like, say, Peyton Manning.
And any team that plays dirty like the Patriots does and goes out of their way to get Randy Moss...you lose my respect there.
But where the Pats lose my respect the most is in their head coach. For one thing, he's a cheater. Spy-gate showed that and, in my mind, it taints the entire record of the Bill Belachick era in New England. Second of all, the guy has no class. Last year, the Pats were up on the Titans in the final game of the year and Belachick inserted Vinnie Testaverde to get a meaningless toughdown for some stupid record of Testaverde getting a TD in every season since he replaced Moses as starter. Even if weren't against my second-favorite team, I'd still find it dispicable. You don't see a classy coach like, say Joe Gibbs doing stuff like that. And then there's the way Belachick has run up scores this year--going for it on fourth and inches in your territory or inside your own twenty when you're up by double digits. Leaving Tom Brady and the starters in long after the game is clearly won. It make me wish that some linebacker would come in and knock Brady out of the game just to see Belachick get his comeuppance.
But it looks like the team will go undefeated in the regular season. Apparently the Giants are going to roll over--Brady even told them they should (how I'd love to see the defensive starters play just long enough to introduce him to the turf a few times...)--and basically give the Pats the game. How much you wanna bet Belachick leaves his starters in the whole game?
Anyway, what I want to see is the Pats go undefeated and then lose in their first playoff game. Should the Titans make it in and win the first game, they'd go to New England. If that happened and the Titans won, you'd not be able to wipe the smirk off my face for weeks. Especially if Albert Haynesworth got to pressure and/or sack Tom Brady a dozen or so times....that'd be awesome!
UPDATE: And here's just one more reason the Pats are thugs and punks and have no respect for the rest of the league. It's rare I say anything complimentary about the Dallas Cowboys, but at least the Cowboys have the class to wear a 21 on their helmets to honor Sean Taylor, who was shot and killed a little over a month ago. For those of you who don't know, Taylor played for the Redskins, who are the big rival to the Cowboys. But yet the Cowboys as a team have enough class and respect to honor Taylor, unlike the Pats who can't be bothered. Another reason to hate this team and organization.Labels: football
posted by Michael Hickerson at 12/28/2007 06:29:00 PM |
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