Weekend on the Couch!

          

We’ve already had a crazy start to the college football season.  For the first time since I’ve been watching college football, I’m glad I’m not a voter for the polls.  After the top three, who knows! 

College Football Thoughts:

–          Hey Ole Miss!  What was that?  It sure looked like Houston Nutt wants Jevan Snead to come back another year.  24 scouts were in attendance for that!  I do think the Rebels were shafted in the polls.  To drop from 4 to 21 is ridiculous.  The only reason for the massive drop is because of the national media using the “overrated” word all month.  If the voters believed they were number four, and now think they’re overrated, they are hypocrites!  USC lost to a worse team, while the Rebels lost to an SEC team coached by Steve Spurrier on national TV on a Thursday night.  Why is USC still in the top ten?  One answer- they’re USC.  They’ll try anything to get them back in title contention.  The bias towards USC is disgustingly similar Notre Dame.

–          I think I take the unpopular stance with Dan Mullen (Mississippi State) this week.  Sure his play calling cost them the game against a “Top 5” team, but Bullies fans now know that they can expect that innovative play calling in the future when he gets more talent.  It worked at Florida for Mullen, and it will work in Starkville when he fits in the pieces.  I liked the risks, even though the reward sucked.  He’ll win those games in the future.  State fans should love that Mullen plans on coaching like he did at Florida.  That’s confidence.

–          Alabama has won their last three by 100 points.  They average 234 rushing yards per game and allow 47 per game.  That’s a championship formula, and they could arguably be the best team in the country right now.  Sorry Timmy Dynamite.

–          Speaking of…… I thought the country was going to have a vigil and a moment of silence for Tebow Saturday.  I haven’t seen that much of an overreaction since people thought Twister was going to be a good movie.  Despite the near death experience, Tebow is now one rushing touchdown behind Herschel Walker for first all time in the SEC.  He had two on the ground Saturday.  By the way, for those who think Tebow hasn’t been dynamic again this year, think again.  He does have 11 touchdowns against three turnovers.  Plus, he beat death!  SEC Commish Mike Slive announced today that from now on, concussions will be called Tebow’s.

–          Mark Richt (Georgia) is 35-4 against non- conference teams.  Too bad Okie State is one of those losses, because the Dawgs would be #4 in the country.  While LSU may be vulnerable this week, Georgia NEEDS to cut down on their penalties (10 per game) and turnovers (3 per game) if they want to get back in the hunt

–          Chris Todd (Auburn) has 1012 yards passing and 11 touchdowns.  In 2008, Tommy Tuberville’s Tigers had 1985 passing yards and 7 touchdowns on the season.  I hope the Memphis Tigers have already reached out to Offensive Coordinator Gus Malzahn. 

–          It’s too bad for Tommy West (Memphis).  We’ve all said it, and you hear it over and over again.  He’s a great guy.  GREAT guy.  But his tenure in Memphis is over.  The thing about Tommy is that he understands.  As he told me Monday, it affects him, but he can’t let it affect his coaching.  He’s been doing this for 30 years.  He’s not stupid.  He knows it’s part of the business.  The best thing this week for Memphis fans is that Tommy won’t quit on the team.  He’ll continue to do his best to get the team better each week.  Now it might not work, but he won’t quit, like Tuberville did at Auburn last year.  And some think Tuberville should come to the Tigers.  What a horrible idea!  Three quick replacement names without any deep research- Malzahn, Steve Spurrier Jr. (South Carolina Passing Game Coordinator), Shane Beamer (South Carolina Special Teams Coordinator).  Spurrier and Beamer both have the potential to be a Skip Holtz.  Why not?  Their fathers are both innovative coaches and Hall of Famers.  I’ll take that chance.

–          Speaking of fathers, Frank Beamer (Virginia Tech) is a special teams genius.  His Hokies have 74 non-offensive touchdowns in the last 11 seasons.

–          FREE MITCH MUSTAIN! 

–          The Houston Cougars are in first place in the Big XII South.  2-0 with 1091 yards of offense in two games against the nations 2^nd best division.  Case Keenum for Heisman.

–          Jimmy Clausen (Notre Dame) for Heisman!  It was a gutty effort by Clausen that may have saved Charlie Weiss’s job this year.  On the season, Jimmy Dynamite has 1122 yards, 10 touchdowns, and one interception.

–          The Texas Longhorns are averaging 540 yards per game, but Colt McCoy doesn’t have near the production he had last year.  Through four games, he has 42 incompletions.  Last year, he had 44 after eight games.  He has nine touchdowns and five interceptions.  Last year after four games, he had 14 td’s and one pick.  Colt had just 7 interceptions all of last season.  Don’t crown him Heisman just because you felt sorry for him and his Longhorns last year.

–          Florida State CANNOT bring Bobby Bowden back next year.  Too bad the old man thinks he can still coach.  They need to figure out a painless way to cut ties.  The Seminoles are 2-2 for the first time since 1989, they’ve lost 4 of 5 at home, and their coach doesn’t even know who they’re playing.

    

These two pictures are both Bowden!  At least he hasn’t aged.

–          Ralph Friedgen will be gone soon.  Maryland has more turnovers than touchdowns (13-11).

NFL Thoughts:

–          Why have 0-3 teams only made the playoffs three times since 1990?  Because 0-3 teams usually suck!  It’s the most overrated stat in football.  Seven teams are currently 0-3, and only one has a shot of the playoffs- the Titans.  Maybe Carolina could make it, but they won’t unless Jake Delhomme retires today.

–          Mark Sanchez (Jets) became the first NFL quarterback to start a season 3-0 in his rookie year.  I think the Jets have the pieces for a run at the Super Bowl.  They also have a coach that will take over for Bill Belichick as the most hated coach in the league.  I love it.  Can’t wait to see them in New Orleans this weekend.

–          The Texans are a fraud!  They were supposed to make the playoffs last year and this year.  They have one September win in the last two seasons.  Rush defense might be the problem this year.  190 yards allowed against the Jets, 240 in Nashville, and 184 against Jacksonville.  Gary Kubiak’s seat should be heating up.

–          The Chiefs have lost 26 of 28.  Up next are the Giants and Cowboys.  Good luck.

–          Kevin Kolb (Eagles) became the first NFL quarterback to have 300 or more yards passing in his first two starts.  I certainly thought Kurt Warner accomplished the feat with the Rams.  Warner had 309 and 275.  DeSean Jackson has 3 touchdowns for the Eagles and they’re all over 60 yards.  His shortest touchdown is 64 yards.

–          The Browns have been outscored 94-29 this year.  They have one offensive touchdown.  It’s the only touchdown they’ve scored offensively in the last 37 quarters.  That’s 9 and a quarter games!

–          The Ravens are my Super Bowl pick and have been since preseason.  I didn’t even know how good this offense was going to be.  Wow!  They’re like Auburn.  Joe Flacco has six touchdowns in three games.  Last season, it took him nine games to get number six.

–          The Patriots have won sixteen straight regular season games against the NFC.  Tom Brady had his 200^th career touchdown pass in the win over Atlanta.  He’s the 27^th quarterback to accomplish the feat.  Brett Favre and Peyton Manning are the only other active players in the top 27.  Favre is first with 469 and Manning is fourth with 340.  Brady should finish the season 21^st, one spot behind Steve Young.

–          Ben Roethlisberger lost for the first time in the NFL in the state of Ohio.  He’s 11-1 after the loss at Cincinnati.  Big Ben has at least one interception in each of his last five regular season games.  In that span he has seven picks and five touchdowns.

–          The Broncos have allowed a total of 16 points in three games.  Last year they held only two teams under 16 points.

–          Three teams fired their offensive coordinators in the offseason- Kansas City, Tampa Bay, and Buffalo.  They’re a combined 1-8.

–          Top 5– 1. Ravens 2. Giants 3. Jets 4. Vikings 5. Saints

–          Bottom 5– 5. Raiders 4. Bucs 3. Chiefs 2. Browns 1. Rams

–          Quarterback of the Week: Peyton Manning (IND) 24-35, 379yds, 4td’s, Int

–          Running Back of the Week: Maurice Jones-Drew (JAX) 23-119, 3td’s

–          Wide Receiver of the Week: DeSean Jackson 6-149, TD

–          Hot Seat: Zorn (WAS), Fox (CAR), Cable (OAK), Jauron (BUF), Kubiak (HOU)

–          Richardgardner.com is a website providing sports betting opinions.  Richard is hosting a charity NFL picks contest for media around the country.  This week, I was 7-9 against the spread which was good for 52^nd place.  I want to apologize to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  I will be better in upcoming weeks.  The weekly winners receive $250 for their charity and the year end winner will get $5000 with second place receiving $2500.  I hope I can raise some money for the great people at St. Jude!  Check out richardgardner.com.  On the season, I have a 26-22 record which puts me in a tie for 32^nd overall.

The Sports Bar Big SEC Coaching Power Ranking

COACH (TEAM)- LAST WEEK

1. Nick Saban (ALA) 2

2. Gene Chizik (AUB) 1

3. Urban Meyer (FLA) 3

4. Dan Mullen (MSU) 6T

5T. Mark Richt (UGA) 8

5T. Bobby Petrino (ARK) 4

7. Steve Spurrier (SC) 11

8. Les Miles (LSU) 9

9. Rich Brooks (UK) 6T

10. Houston Nutt (MISS) 5

11T. Lane Kiffin (UT) 10

11T. Bobby Johnson (VAN) 12

13. Tommy West (MEM) 13

 

The Big SEC Quarterback Ranking

QB (TEAM)- LAST WEEK

1. Chris Todd (AUB) 2

2. Greg McElroy (ALA) 3

3. Tim Tebow (FLA) 4

4. Jordan Jefferson (LSU) 6

5. Ryan Mallett (ARK) 1

6. Stephen Garcia (SC) 9

7. Joe Cox (UGA) 5

8. Jevan Snead (MISS) 7

9. Mike Hartline (KEN) 8

10. Tyler Bass (MEM) 10

11. Larry Smith (VAN) 12

12. Tyson Lee (MSU) 11

13. Jonathan Crompton (TEN) 13 

Words to Live By

You’re not going to have a platinum record every time you put a song out, but it’s the going for it that is really the pot of gold. As I’ve gone along, as I’ve experienced life, I’ve learned that it’s the going after it that’s the really awesome thing.”– Brett Michaels

               

There’s plenty happening in Tunica this weekend.  For a complete list of events and attractions in Tunica, Mississippi, click on the link below.  Get easy access to the casinos, golf courses, and all other entertainment.

http://www.tunicamiss.com/ 

Here are some coming attractions: 

Chicago (Harrah’s) 800-946-4946

Date: October 02

In 1967, Chicago musicians Walter Parazaider, Terry Kath, Danny Seraphine, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, Robert Lamm, and Peter Cetera formed a group with one dream, to integrate all the musical diversity from their beloved city and weave a new sound, a rock ‘n’ roll band with horns. Their dream turned into 20 Top Ten singles, 12 Top Ten albums (five of which were #1), and sales of more than 120 million records.

Travis Tritt (Sam’s Town) 800-456-0711

Date: October 03

Billy Currington (Fitz) 800-766-5825

Date: October 16

Kenny G (Goldstrike) 888-245-7529

Date: October 17

Miranda Lambert (Goldstrike) 888-245-7529

Date: November 07

Darius Rucker (Sam’s Town) 800-456-0711

Date: November 11 

Have a Great Week!

All Weekend on the Couch!

              

Love to hear that the Tigers are being PROACTIVE in trying to prepare themselves for the next movement in conference realignment.  It’s inevitable so they might as well be ready this time.  The easiest move would be to kick Notre Dame out of the Big East and have Memphis replace them.  What do they bring to the table?  Prestige?  So what!  Memphis is better in basketball, and it would be great to just knock Notre Dame down a notch.  Tell them to go join Conference USA!

College Football Notes You Might Not Know:

–          Mark Dantonio (Michigan State) looks like Neil Diamond.  He tied Bill Snyder (Kansas State) for the worst performance a day after getting a new contract.  M-State lost to Central while K-State lost to Louisiana Laffeyette.

         

–          Dez Bryant (Oklahoma State) would win the Heisman if Mike Gundy could get out of the tan bed, become a man, and figure out how to get Dez the ball.  In two games, he has eight catches for 162 yards and two touchdowns.  He’s also returned a punt for a score.  He should have 8-162 every week.

–          Kevin Sumlin (Houston) was 5-0 against Oklahoma State as an assistant with Oklahoma.  Seems like he had a pretty good idea about what the George Hamilton of college coaching was planning.  It was the first win for Houston against a top five program since 1984.  Okie State has lost 3 straight when ranked in the top 5.

–          Speaking of coaches who have had great rants, Dan Hawkins is on a $2.5 million hot seat.  That could be the cost of his buyout.  After losing to Nebraska to end last season, he said, “Next season- 10 wins and no excuses.”  Well, he’s 0-2 with losses to Colorado State and Toledo.  Toledo had 624 yards.  Looks like the Buffs will have to run the table now.  Not easy with road games at Texas and Oklahoma State.  Not easy with Wyoming coming in this weekend either.  Texas ONLY beat the Cowboys 41-10, and led 13-10 at the half.  Colorado is a 7 point favorite.

–          In his last three games, Jimmy Claussen (Notre Dame) has 1052 yards, 12 touchdowns, and no interceptions.

–          In two weeks, Idaho State is 0-2.  They lost at Arizona State and Oklahoma.  They have amassed 81 TOTAL YARDS of offense this season.  81!

–          Nick Stephens (Tennessee) must really be bad.

–          Terrelle Pryor (The Ohio State) reminds me of Mike Vick.  He can do a whole lot that generally generates very little.  Ohio State has lost six straight against top five teams.

    

–          A week after my disappointing trip to Stillwater, although I did pass through the home of Carrie Underwood in Checotah, OK, I laughed when I watched Pokes Kicker Danny Bailey win the DBag of the week award.  He trotted out in the awful puke orange jersey wearing bright and shiny gold shoes.  His field goal attempt wasn’t close.  If you wear gold shoes on a football field, you best be golden!  Not so much Bailey!

–          A close second on DBag kicker of the week- Jason Olesnavage of Michigan.  Rich Rodriguez took a delay of game penalty to give his kicker a better angle- DOINK!  Not even doink!  He missed like Michael Spurlock used to miss receivers.  He almost broke the play clock.

–          Do you think Nick Saban is working on kick coverage this week?  Do you think any player is exempt from that unit this week?  The Tide have allowed a touchdown on a return in each of the first two games.  He should call Frank Beamer.  His Hokies ran one back against the Tide and had another against Marshall on Saturday.

–          Nebraska has won 6 straight.  It’s their longest winning streak since 2001.

–          Can Auburn really be 4-0 heading to Knoxville?  West Virginia comes in as a dog Saturday and Ball State will follow next weekend.  Gus Malzahn to Memphis?  It just might be too late.  It’s the first time Auburn has gone back to back with 500 yard games since 1970.  Last year the Tigers had seven offensive touchdowns against the SEC all season.  They had six against State

–          Steve Spurrier is 1-4 against Georgia since coming to South Carolina.  He was 11-1 as the head coach at Florida against the Dawgs. 

–          Timmy Tebow has 45 rushing touchdowns in his career.  He’s four shy of Herschel Walker’s SEC record.  He tied Cadillac last week and is one away from equaling Kevin Faulk’s 46.  What’s amazing is that he’s done it as a quarterback.  What’s also amazing is that Herschel’s 49 touchdowns on the ground don’t come close to the best of all time in college football.  Here’s the list:

1. Travis Prentice, Miami (Ohio) (1996-99): 73 career rushing tds
2. Ricky Williams, Texas (1995-98): 72
3T. Anthony Thompson, Indiana (1986-89): 64
3T. Cedric Benson, Texas (2001-04): 64
5. Ron Dayne, Wisconsin (1996-99): 63
6. Eric Crouch, Nebraska (1998-01): 59
7. Marshall Faulk, San Diego State (1991-93): 57
8T. Steve Owens, Oklahoma (1967-69): 56
8T. Ken Simonton, Oregon Sate (1998-01): 56
10T. Tony Dorsett, Pittsburgh (1973-76): 55
10T. Chester Taylor, Toledo (1998-01): 55
10T. DeAngelo Williams, Memphis (2002-05): 55

–          The SEC has a 13-2 (.867) non-conference record after two weeks of the 2009 season, the best winning percentage in the nation.  The Big Ten is second at 18-4 (.818).

–          SEC teams are outscoring opponents 202-64 in the fourth quarter.

 

NFL Thoughts:

–          Brodie Croyle was 16-10 as a starter at Alabama.  He’s 0-9 with the Kansas City Chiefs.

–          Shaun Hill is 8-3 as a starter for the 49ers after they went to Glendale and beat the Cardinals Sunday.  As the saying goes, “All Shaun Hill does is win football games.”

–          Jake Delhomme should retire to stud.  He was one just a few years ago, but his decisions and ability are taking a slide.  He had 5 turnovers Sunday for the Panthers as Carolina got smoked by the Eagles.  He has 11 turnovers in his last two starts.  That’s worse than Jonathan Crompton!  Jake got a five year extension this year at the age of 34.

–          Mark Sanchez had a good game in his debut as the Jets waxed the Texans.  He was 12-15 for 191 yards and a touchdown on third down alone.

–          Not as good of a debut for Jay Cutler with the Bears.  Cutler threw four picks and is 17-21 in career games.  His record was worse at Vandy.  It’s been since high school that Cutler has won anything.

–          The Falcons are 8-1 at home under Mike Smith after beating Miami.

–          In 11 games with the Cowboys, Roy Williams has two touchdowns- both against Tampa.

–          Don’t get too excited Cowboys fans about your win against the Bucs.  Tampa racked up 450 yards of offense.  The Cowboys are, at best, third in their own division.

–          The Rams were thrown a bagel by the Seahawks Sunday.  St. Louis has scored 16 or fewer points in 13 of their last 17.  Plus, they’ve now lost 11 straight.

–          Top 5- 1. Ravens 2. Eagles 3. Giants 4. Vikings 5. Saints

–          Bottom 5- 1. Rams 2. Chiefs 3. Bucs 4. Lions 5. Texans

–          Quarterback of the Week: Drew Brees (Saints) 26-34, 358 yards, 6 touchdowns

–          Running Back of the Week: Adrian Peterson (Vikings) 25-180, 3 touchdowns

–          Wide Receiver of the Week: Santonio Holmes (Steelers) 9-131, TD, 8 first downs

–          Richardgardner.com is a website providing sports betting opinions.  Richard is hosting a charity NFL picks contest for media around the country.  In my first week, I was 9-7 against the spread which was good for 22^nd place.  I want to apologize to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.  I will be better in upcoming weeks.  The weekly winners receive $250 for their charity and the year end winner will get $5000 with second place receiving $2500.  I hope I can raise some money for the great people at St. Jude!  Check out richardgardner.com.

 

Random Thoughts:

–          For the past month, Paddy Harrington has had an adventure hole each weekend.  It’s amazing how he has a great chance to win the FedEx Cup despite some of the holes he has had.

–          The Memphis Tigers Basketball team made cartoon news in the Billings Gazette.  Wow!  People in Billings, Montana, are all fired up about the Tigers and John Calipari’s decision to leave.  These cartoons were taken from three separate days in the newspaper.

–          Beyonce is flawless!  She was the only redeeming quality of the MTV Video Music Awards this week.  She’s probably the only redeeming thing about MTV these days.  To quote Lt.Frank Drebin from Naked Gun, “She had legs you could lick on for a day.”

    

–          Kanye was thinking of himself again?  That’s weird.

–          Are Mark the Chef and I alone in our thinking that Khloe is better than Kourtney?  Kourtney might be hotter, but there’s just something about that Khloe.

–          I don’t think I’ve cut grass in ten years!  I’m happy to say that I don’t plan on ever doing it again.  The worst chore ever!  I’d rather clean bathrooms.  I used to get $20 a lawn.  What are the kids making today?  Don’t think they’ve gotten the pay raise they deserve!

–          I’ve watched the first two Jay Leno shows.  I’m not a huge fan of Jay’s Tonight Show work, but so far, pretty decent.  His opening monologue is still a bit cheezy and fake, but his guests have been great and the interviews have been much more interesting than the fluff crap he had on the Tonight Show.  The show actually has a little edge.  Now granted, it’s only been two shows.  We can’t be too far away from a random zoo guy coming on with “crazy” animals that Jay’s scared of.  BORING!  Johnny Carson was the only host that has ever made that segment hysterical.

 

The Sports Bar Big SEC Coaching Power Ranking

COACH (TEAM)- LAST WEEK

1. Gene Chizik (AUB) 5

2. Urban Meyer (FLA) 1

3. Nick Saban (ALA) 2

4. Bobby Petrino (ARK) 3

5. Rich Brooks (UK) 8

6. Houston Nutt (MISS) 9

7. Bobby Johnson (VAN) 7

8. Les Miles (LSU) 10

9T. Dan Mullen (MSU) 4

9T. Mark Richt (UGA) 12

11T. Lane Kiffin (UT) 6

11T. Steve Spurrier (SC) 11

13. Tommy West (MEM) 13

 

The Big SEC Quarterback Ranking

PASSING                              Att          Cmp       Int           Pct.         Yds         TD                          Last

1. Mallett (ARK)                  22           17           0              77.3        309             1                           2

2. Tebow (FLA)                   39           25           0              64.1        425            5(2 Rush TD)       8

                This Week- (15-24, 237yds, 4TD/71rush, TD/Fumble)

3. Hartline (KEN)               27           18           0              66.7        222             2                              4

4. McElroy (ALA)              54           33           1              61.1        471                 2                           7

                This Week- (18-24, 241yds, TD)

5. Todd (AUB)                     49           27           0              55.1        441                2                          3

                This Week- (10-23, 186yds)

6. Jefferson (LSU)              48           31           0              64.6        310              3(52rush)              5

                This Week- (20-29, 138yds/10rush)

7. Relf (MSU)                          21           12            2              57.1        152         3(134rush/TD)       6

                This Week- (5-11, 77yds, 2INT/52rush)

8. Cox (UGA)                         54          32            2              59.3        363             3(fumble)              11

                This Week- (17-24, 201yds, 2TD, INT)

9. Garcia (SC)                        75           44           2              58.7        461               2                            12

                This Week- (31-53, 313, 2TD, INT, 42rush)

10. Snead (MISS)                22           12           2              54.5          175               2                              10

11. Smith (VAN)                  42           21           1               50.0         241         1(Rush TD)                 9

                This Week- (11-24, 88yds, INT/Rush TD)

12. Crompton (TEN)       54           34           5              63.0        326         5                                        1

                This Week- (13-26, 93yds, 3INT)

13. Hall (MEM)                   52            28           3              53.8        203         0                                   13

                This Week- (13-22, 93, INT)

Others: Burns (AUB / 55rush, 4TD, 1Pass TD), Lee (MSU / 15-24, 150yds, TD)

 

Words to Live By

You’re not going to have a platinum record every time you put a song out, but it’s the going for it that is really the pot of gold. As I’ve gone along, as I’ve experienced life, I’ve learned that it’s the going after it that’s the really awesome thing.”– Brett Michaels

          

There’s plenty happening in Tunica this weekend.  For a complete list of events and attractions in Tunica, Mississippi, click on the link below.  Get easy access to the casinos, golf courses, and all other entertainment.

http://www.tunicamiss.com/ 

Here are some coming attractions:

Chicago (Harrah’s) 800-946-4946

Date: October 02

Travis Tritt (Sam’s Town) 800-456-0711

Date: October 03

Billy Currington (Fitz) 800-766-5825

Date: October 16

Kenny G (Goldstrike) 888-245-7529

Date: October 17

Miranda Lambert (Goldstrike) 888-245-7529

Date: November 07

Darius Rucker (Sam’s Town) 800-456-0711

Date: November 11

Don’t forget to join me every Thursday afternoon at Tunica National for our three person scramble.  $25 gets you nine holes of golf, a dinner following your round and an opportunity at great prizes, including $150 in promotional chips at the Fitz Casino for closest to the pin.  This is the FINAL week to qualify for the Tournament of Champions.  Just call 662-357-0777 or 866-833-6331.

Have a Great Week!

On the Couch!

                        

It’s week one of the college football season, so it’s time for my SEC and Tigers picks plus some bold predictions for the upcoming season.

SEC East

1.     Florida (11-1 / 7-1) Lone loss at LSU

2.     Georgia (11-1 / 7-1) Lone loss vs. Florida

3.     Tennessee (7-5 / 3-5) Lose at Kentucky

4.     South Carolina (5-7 / 3-5) Beat Ole Miss

5.     Vanderbilt (5-7 / 2-6) Beat Kentucky

6.     Kentucky (6-6 / 2-6) 4^th Straight Bowl Win

SEC West

1.     Alabama (11-1 / 7-1) Lone loss at Ole Miss

2.     LSU (10-2 / 6-2) Lose at Georgia and Alabama

3.     Ole Miss (10-2 / 6-2) Lose vs. LSU

4.     Arkansas (7-5 / 3-5) 0-4 on Road in SEC

5.     Auburn (5-7 / 2-6) Beat MSU and UK

6.     Mississippi State (2-10 / 0-8) Win at MTSU

SEC Champ: Florida

Memphis Tigers (5-7 / 3-5) Win at MTSU

Bold Predictions:

–         Rich Brooks announces retirement prior to Tennessee game and Wildcats beat Vols for first time in 25 years

–         If Rich Rodriguez is fired at Michigan, Les Miles will be the head coach of the Wolverines

–         4 teams will have a new coach to start 2010

–         Randall Cobb will start a game at Quarterback for Kentucky

–         LSU beats Florida

–         Joe Cox will have third best numbers of any QB in the SEC behind Tebow and Snead.  He’ll be better than Mallett because of turnover differential

–         Tim Tebow wins the Heisman, a Nobel Peace Prize, a Pulitzer, SI Man of the Year, Employee of the Month, an Olympic Gold Medal, and Humanitarian of the Galaxy.

Random Thoughts:

–         Those new batting helmets do look ridiculous.  David Wright looks like a 4 year old boy in a big league helmet.

–         However, this is just another example of baseball players being the biggest D-BAGS in sports.  I’m speaking from experience too!  It’s all about how they look- Goatee, Flat Brim, Eye Black, Long Pants, Baggy Pants, Dirty Helmet, Chewing Tobacco.  Remember how base coaches complained about wearing helmets last year?  They’ve gotten over it.  MLB players need to do one of two things.  Either wear the darn thing and be safe, or look good and stop whining about pitches coming inside while you’re digging over the plate!

–         Hell’s Kitchen is a must watch.  Three people I’d love to have drinks with at one time- Chef Ramsay, Piers Morgan, and Simon Cowell.  I’d just like to sit on a patio somewhere people watching and hear them critique everyone.

–         Shaq might be the best ambassador of any professional sport in our country.  He is very valuable to the NBA and they need to realize it.

–         Urban Meyer told College Football Live on ESPN Wednesday that his favorite Tim Tebow joke is: Tim Tebow walked into a McDonalds and ordered a Whopper and they went and got him one.

 

There’s plenty happening in Tunica this weekend.  For a complete list of events and attractions in Tunica, Mississippi, click on the link below.  Get easy access to the casinos, golf courses, and all other entertainment.

http://www.tunicamiss.com/ 

Here are some coming attractions:

Carlos Mencia (Sam’s Town) 800-456-0711

Date: September 04

Carlos Mencia, superstar/stand-up comedian, is undoubtedly one of today’s most lauded entertainers and feared comics. Whether it is man-on-the-street interviews, studio comedy, commercial parodies, or nationwide sold-out tours, Mencia demonstrates an extraordinary ability to connect with a diverse audience.

 

B.B. King (Gold Strike) 888-245-7529

Date: September 05

His reign as King of the Blues has been as long as that of any monarch on earth. Yet B.B. King continues to wear his crown well. At age 76, he is still light on his feet, singing and playing the blues with relentless passion. Time has no apparent effect on B.B., other than to make him more popular, more cherished, more relevant than ever.

 

Jon B. & Damon Williams (Sam’s Town) 800-456-0711

Date: September 12

These Comedians material is universal and there’s something for all ages. There popularity has provided them the opportunity to work with some of the biggest stars in the business.

 

Chicago (Harrah’s) 800-946-4946

Date: October 02

In 1967, Chicago musicians Walter Parazaider, Terry Kath, Danny Seraphine, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, Robert Lamm, and Peter Cetera formed a group with one dream, to integrate all the musical diversity from their beloved city and weave a new sound, a rock ‘n’ roll band with horns. Their dream turned into 20 Top Ten singles, 12 Top Ten albums (five of which were #1), and sales of more than 120 million records.

 

Don’t forget to join me every Thursday afternoon at Tunica National for our three person scramble.  $25 gets you nine holes of golf, a dinner following your round and an opportunity at great prizes, including $150 in promotional chips at the Fitz Casino for closest to the pin.  Just call 662-357-0777 or 866-833-6331. 

Have a Great Week!

Happy Football Season!

On the Couch

As the College Football Season gets into the second week of camp, I’ve come up with 5 questions for each team in the SEC and the Memphis Tigers.  These are questions that teams would like to answer before the season gets underway.  Next to the team name is my pre camp predictions which will be re-evaluated after training camp.

SEC East

Florida (11-1 / 7-1)

1. Is anything short of a title disappointing?
2. Can Tim Tebow step up to an even bigger challenge and pressure?
3. Will John Brantley be a key to the offensive success this year?
4. Who is the best candidate to replace Percy Harvin?
5. Are there any flaws in the defense?

Georgia (11-1 / 7-1)

1. Can Joe Cox be good enough for Georgia to contend?
2. Is Caleb King the next great Georgia back?
3. Who’s the complement to A.J. Green?
4. Is the defense improved?
5. Can the defensive ends get a pass rush?

Tennessee (7-5 / 3-5)

1. Will confidence in Jonathan Crompton make him become what we thought he’d be?
2. Is the offense better than a year ago?
3. Can the running game be good enough to have balanced offense?
4. Is the defense capable of stealing games?
5. Can Lane Kiffin coach?

South Carolina (7-5 / 3-5)

1. Is Steve Spurrier a 7-6 sort of coach?
2. How patient will Spurrier be with Stephen Garcia?
3. Who will be the feature back?
4. Is the offensive line better than a year ago?
5. Will they have any sort of pass rush?

Kentucky (7-5 / 3-5) 

1. Can they manage schedule to keep the bowl streak alive?
2. Can they go 6-0 from October 10-November 14?
3. How versatile will Randall Cobb have to be?
4. Can they finally break through in the East?
5. Are these the best offensive and defensive lines Rich Brooks has had?

Vanderbilt (5-7 / 2-6)

1. Is the offense better than a year ago?
2. Can the young receivers grow up?
3. Are they capable of winning 3 of the 4 final games?
4. Can the defense steal enough games?
5. Was last year an aberration?

SEC West

Alabama (11-1 / 7-1)

1. Can Greg McElroy be at least John Parker Wilson?
2. Who is the receiver opposite Julio Jones?
3. Is the talent there to replace losses on offensive line?
4. Can the defense continue to dominate against the run?
5. Do the Tide have to be undefeated to win the West?

LSU (10-2 / 6-2)

1. How long will Jordan Jefferson be the starting quarterback?
2. Can Rueben Randle or Russell Shepard be the freshman of the year in the SEC?  How much and where will they be used?
3. Is John Chavis a good answer for a struggling defense?
4. How many losses will put Les Miles on the hot seat?
5. Should finishing ahead of Ole Miss be the goal?

Ole Miss (10-2 / 6-2)

1. Are the Rebs really a top 10 team?
2. Can they avoid the slipups from a year ago?
3. Can Greg Hardy stay on the field?
4.  Is pass defense better?
5. Will lack of depth on the offensive line hurt the team?

Arkansas (7-5 / 3-5)

1. Why will the defense be better?
2. Can the offensive line protect an immobile quarterback?
3. Is Ryan Mallett this year’s Jevan Snead?
4. Is their speed catching up to the rest of the SEC?
5. Are they still a year away and can they be last year’s Ole Miss?

Auburn (4-8 / 1-7)

1. How many quarterbacks will play?
2. Can they win more than one game in October?
3. How long before Ted Roof can get defense back to Auburn like?
4. How long before Gus Malzahn can get the offense to his liking?
5. Will Gene Chizik hire look foolish or brilliant?

Mississippi State (2-10 / 0-8)

1. How much time will Tyler Russell and Chris Relf see this year?
2. Can State win two non conference games?  What about at least two of the final five?
3. Can Anthony Dixon flourish in Dan Mullen’s offense?
4. Can Brandon Cooper step up at defensive end to solidify defensive line?
5. Who will step up as the second wide receiver?

Memphis (5-7 / 3-5)

1. Do they have full confidence in starting quarterback?
2. Do they need to start 5-1 just to get to a bowl?
3. Why is the defense better?
4. Can so many new faces make the defense tough to all get on the same page?
5. How many losses put Tommy West on the hot seat?

Sports Bar “Big SEC Coaching Power Rankings”

1. Urban Meyer (Florida)
2. Nick Saban (Alabama)
3. Houston Nutt (Ole Miss)
4. Mark Richt (Georgia)
5. Bobby Petrino (Arkansas)
6. Les Miles (LSU)
7. Rich Brooks (Kentucky)
8. Bobby Johnson (Vanderbilt)
9. Steve Spurrier (South Carolina)
10. Tommy West (Memphis)
11. Lane Kiffin (Tennessee)
12. Dan Mullen (Mississippi State)
13. Gene Chizik (Auburn)

There’s plenty happening this month in Tunica.  For a complete list of events and attractions in Tunica, Mississippi, click on the link below.  Get easy access to the casinos, golf courses, and all other entertainment.

http://www.tunicamiss.com/ 

Here are some coming attractions:

Carlos Mencia (Sam’s Town) 800-456-0711

Date: September 04

Carlos Mencia, superstar/stand-up comedian, is undoubtedly one of today’s most lauded entertainers and feared comics. Whether it is man-on-the-street interviews, studio comedy, commercial parodies, or nationwide sold-out tours, Mencia demonstrates an extraordinary ability to connect with a diverse audience.

B.B. King (Gold Strike) 888-245-7529

Date: September 05

His reign as King of the Blues has been as long as that of any monarch on earth. Yet B.B. King continues to wear his crown well. At age 76, he is still light on his feet, singing and playing the blues with relentless passion. Time has no apparent effect on B.B., other than to make him more popular, more cherished, more relevant than ever.

Jon B. & Damon Williams (Sam’s Town) 800-456-0711

Date: September 12

These Comedians material is universal and there’s something for all ages. There popularity has provided them the opportunity to work with some of the biggest stars in the business.

Chicago (Harrah’s) 800-946-4946

Date: October 02

In 1967, Chicago musicians Walter Parazaider, Terry Kath, Danny Seraphine, Lee Loughnane, James Pankow, Robert Lamm, and Peter Cetera formed a group with one dream, to integrate all the musical diversity from their beloved city and weave a new sound, a rock ‘n’ roll band with horns. Their dream turned into 20 Top Ten singles, 12 Top Ten albums (five of which were #1), and sales of more than 120 million records.

 

Don’t forget to join me every Thursday afternoon at Tunica National for our three person scramble.  $25 gets you nine holes of golf, a dinner following your round and an opportunity at great prizes, including $150 in promotional chips for closest to the pin.  Just call 662-357-0777 or 866-833-6331. 

Have a Great Week!

On the Couch!

I’ve made a nice groove in the couch while sitting on it the last 36 hours waiting for John Calipari to wake up!  Well, the saga is over.  Coach Calipari is heading to Lexington.  Good for him.  It’s a premier job, he is exactly what the Cats need, he’ll win, and it’s great for college basketball when Kentucky is relevant.  They are once again.

Anyway, here are some names to ponder (not in any particular order) while listening to the national pundits quote their sources on who the next coach might be:

– Mike Anderson: Find out what his buyout clause is worth (maybe as worthless as Coach Cal’s) and find out what it would take for him to bolt.  I believe he’s the best hope for keeping players and maybe one of the incoming players.  He is the man that beat the man…. TWICE!

– Andy Kennedy: Nice guy, from the South, great coach, overchieved with his talent, recruits Memphis already, and comes to a basketball school.  Since Memphis already screwed up the Ole Miss football series, might as well steal their coach to leave no doubt they’ll never play.  Plus, he’s familiar with the conference.

– Sean Miller: Might excite the smart basketball fan, but not really a splash I’m looking for.  Besides if Jamie Dixon leaves Pittsburgh, Miller would probably be first in line.

– Tim Floyd: Boring.  From the South, has had success in minor conference’s, but hasn’t succeeded in the tournament.  Has probably underchieved at USC.

– Josh Pastnor:  Obviously a good recruiter, or he wouldn’t be on Coach Calipari’s staff.  He helped recruit the incoming recruits, he’s familiar with the system, and he’s familiar with the current players.  If you go young and cheap, he might not be a bad choice.

– Steve Lavin: Too far removed, but loves the Memphis program.  I like him as a coach, but he might be too far removed for any high school kids to remember him

– John Lucas: Very familiar with Coach Calipari’s system, attended a lot of practices, good coach, but like Lavin, too far removed.

– Larry Brown: The Tigers and Grizzlies have already almost had him.  He can’t be enamored with Michael Jordan getting more involved at Charlotte, and he’s ALWAYS willing to listen.

– Reggie Theus: Flashy personality, did a great job in a short stint at New Mexico State, and failed in the NBA.  Name me a good college basketball coach who didn’t fail in the NBA!  Besides Larry Brown.

– Anyone Fred Smith wants.

This hire should be the biggest hire RC Johnson makes.  I’m a little disappointed that a deal isn’t already in place.  There isn’t much time before the national scribes and talking heads call Memphis a dead end job.  Some have already claimed that.  They need to be proactive instead of reactive.  Although, that’s not how the Tigers have operated things lately.  I believe RC’s hires have worked in football, basketball, and baseball, but the school is at a crossroads.  A bad buyout and personal feelings are keeping a football team mediocre.  A horrendous buyout and clauses in player committments could potentially destroy next basketball season.  How is Coach Calipari’s buyout $200,000?  HE’S ONE OF THE HIGHEST PAID COACHES IN HIS PROFESSION!  Did they believe they would always keep him?  The stadium fiasco has never had a good plan or thought process.  The Big East left Memphis out and they’re stuck in a garbage conference.  RC….. it’s time to make the right move QUICKLY, or you can just borrow Mitch Barnhart’s hot seat that he doesn’t need anymore.

Come join me at Tunica National this Thursday from 3-4 for Mid South Golfer the Radio Show with Bob Wolcott and Jimmy Darr.  It’s the most comprehensive golf show in the Mid South.  Plus, at 5 is the three person scramble.  Make sure to qualify early for the year end Tournament of Champions.  Call 866-Tee-Off-1 or 662-357-0777 to register.

There’s plenty happening this month in Tunica.  For a complete list of events and attractions in Tunica, Mississippi, click on the link below.  Get easy access to the casino’s, golf courses, and all other entertainment.

http://www.tunicamiss.com/ 

Here’s a sneak peak of what’s coming up in Tunica:

Trigger Proof » 888-245-7829 / Stage Bar @ Goldstrike

Dates: April 01 through April 04

 

Charlie Daniels » 888-245-7829 / Gold Strike

Date: April 03

 

Greg Redding and The Memphis All Stars » 800-871-0711 / Hollywood Casino

Dates: April 03 through April 04, April 10 through 11

 

Gabby Johnson » 888-245-7829 / Stage Bar @ Goldstrike

Dates: April 07 through April 17

 

Bang! Fighting Championships-MMA » 800-456-0711 / Sam’s Town

Date: April 11

 

STYX » 800-303-7463 / Horseshoe

Date: April 11

 

Creedence Clearwater Revisited » 800-456-0711 / Sam’s Town

Date: April 17

 

Earth, Wind & Fire » 901-525-1515 / Harrah’s

Date: April 23

 

Josh Turner » 800-303-7463 / Horseshoe

Date: April 25

 

Talk to y’all this week.

 

Weekly Ramblings

Thoughts I’ve had while waiting for Notre Dame to grab an onside kick.

– I knew that Ole Miss would beat llLouisiana-Monroe, but I did not see a 59-0 blowout coming. That was an impressive performance by the Rebels. They are playing well right now and could be playing themselves beyond the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. I know Harold Graeter, Steve Ehrhart and the rest of the folks would love to have the Rebels, but they may not be available for the Liberty Bowl. If Ole Miss wins at LSU this week, I don’t see any chance of them coming to Memphis.

– What Florida is doing to opponents these days is ridiculous. Another week, another 50+ point output and another blowout for the Gators. There is no doubt they are playing the best football of any team in the country right now. I have to believe that Urban Meyer took particular enjoyment out of beating a Steve Spurrier coached team by 50. The only question I have about Florida right now is how in the hell did they lose at home to Ole Miss?

– Congratulations to Vanderbilt! The Commodores are bowl eligible for the first time since 1982 after their win at Kentucky. It was starting to look like they were going to pull another collapse after the 5-0 start and end up not getting to 6 wins, but Chris Nickson played extremely well with 285 yards of offense and D.J. Moore was outstanding with two touchdown catches on offense and two interceptions on defense to lead the Dores to that ever-elusive sixth win. This week, Vandy looks for number seven when they host Tennessee and Vandy is actually favored in the game, which according to Chris Low of ESPN.com, has only happened two other times in the last 30+ years.

– Anyone who watched Kodi Burns try and throw the ball on Auburn’s final drive against Georgia, should understand why the Tigers have been so bad offensively this year.

– Congratulations to Rich Rodriguez for doing in one year what no coach could do in the last 128, lead Michigan to an 8-loss season. I don’t think it’s all Rodriguez’s fault, but it is a pretty amazing stat. Also amazing is that neither Tennessee or Michigan had ever lost eight games in a season, and both may do it this year.

– How is it that so many people involved in the NFL don’t know the rules? The refs in the Steelers-Chargers game didn’t know the rules on the final play of the game so they took a touchdown away from the Steelers. Even though the points only really mattered in Vegas, it’s unbelievable that not one ref on the crew knew for sure what to do. In addition to that, you have Donavan McNabb not knowing that after one overtime period, a game ends in a tie. How can any player in the league not know that rule? Every casual fan of the NFL knows that rule. It’s common knowledge, I just thought everyone knew that.

-Another ridiculous NFL note: Adrian Peterson was fined $5,000 by the league for wearing a white skull cap under his helmet. Apparently, black is the only color skull cap allowed by the league. Considering you only get to see the skull cap when a player has his helmet off, who cares what color it is?

– Congratulations to DeAngelo Williams! The former Memphis Tiger turned in his third straight 100-yard performance Sunday and has four touchdowns in those three games. He’s playing extremely well.

– I didn’t know what to think about the Tiger basketball team playing an 11pm game, but after going to the game I can say I liked it and wouldn’t mind seeing them do it again. It was a fun atmosphere and it didn’t take away from attendance. The fact that 18,000 people show up for a game at that time just further illustrates the love affair this city has with Tiger basketball. The ovation for Derek Kellogg before the game was a very nice gesture by the Tiger fans.

– This week’s Sports Illustrated includes an article on former Tiger Derrick Rose. You can check out the article here.

– Shaq called himself and Kobe the greatest 1-2 punch in Lakers history. Would you take Shaq-Kobe or Kareem-Magic? It’s a tough call, but MWR would lean slightly towards Shaq-Kobe.

– I’ll be in Daytona Beach for the next few days with the Ole Miss basketball team filling in for David Kellum on the call of the games while Kellum is in Baton Rouge with the football team. I’m looking forward to it and want to thank the Ole Miss Radio Network for the opportunity. If you’re going to get the call to pinch hit, Daytona Beach not a bad place to get to go. The Rebels will play Utah at 5:30 Friday and Marshall at 3pm Sunday. You can hear both games on Sports 56 in the Memphis area.

– That’s all for now, I’m out!

Weekly Ramblings

This week’s ramblings are dedicated to looking ahead at the Grizzlies season at what I expect. So here is MWR’s player-by-player look at the Grizz for 2008-09.

Rudy Gay-Rudy made a huge step in his development last year and I expect much more of the same out of him this year. He is an explosive offensive player with athleticism that is second to none, but he must get better defensively this season. With his athletic ability there is no doubt he can be a good defender, but he has to put more effort into it. There are many times where he gets lazy on the defensive end and this team can’t afford that. He also needs to step up and be a vocal leader on and off the court. He’s the best player on the team so it’s only natural for the others to look to him for leadership.

O.J. Mayo-He’s been groomed his whole life to be an NBA player and now he gets his chance. He has a chance to be special. Some people are expecting him to be the ultra athletic flashy type player, but that’s not what he is. Mayo has tremendous skills that will allow him to do a lot of different things on the offensive end, but he’s not the type of athlete Rudy is, and unlike Gay, Mayo comes in as a very good defender so he will immediately make the team better at that end of the court.

Mike Conley-This is a big year for Conley. His rookie year had mixed results. He didn’t get to play early, was slowed by injuries, and then late in the year played well in spurts. Most point guards take a couple years to develop so it’ll be interesting to see how Conley comes along this year. He must use his quickness to get to the basket and break down defenses and then must be able to finish at the rim himself or set up teammates. He also has to push the ball and make good decisions on the break. I’m still a believer that he can be a very good NBA point guard, but he must get better this season.

Marc Gasol-Marc has looked very good so far in the preseason and through the first few games of the regular season. The think I like about him, is his willingness to play physically. Unlike his brother, Marc is willing to bang and even knock someone to the floor if he has to. He also has good hands and decent offensive skills. He’s probably the best center theGrizz have ever had, but that’s not saying a whole lot.

Darrell Arthur-Could prove to be the steal of the draft. He’s extremely athletic and is very active around the basket. Has the ability to score a little, but most of his points will come offputbacks. His main contributions will come on the boards.

Kyle Lowry-If Kyle accepts his role for what it is as the backup point guard, he can be an important part of the team, but if he continues to think he should be the starter, than he will continue to battle the coaching staff and his role will be diminished. There’s a chance he could be moved before the season is over, but while he’s here I hope he can keep a good attitude and help out at the point. He can’t shoot so when he’s in there, he must focus on being a great defender and creating off the dribble.

Hakim Warrick-Hak showed last year he can score and can rebound at the power forward spot. The problem for Warrick is that he’s a bit of a tweener and it hurts him defensively. He’s often overmatched by the strength of the other power forwards, but can’t match the quickness needed to guard small forwards. I like Hak, but I’m not sure how much faith the coaching staff has in him. This could be his last year in Memphis.

Darko Milicic-What can I say, I’m starting to think that Darko is simply a bust and will never be a big contributor in the NBA. It was a good risk the Grizzlies took by signing him, but it just hasn’t worked out. He’ll play some minutes and hopefully he can contribute as a defender and rebounder, but he just doesn’t have the skills to do much of anything offensively.

The rest of the roster doesn’t figure to contribute much so I won’t go through them. I think this team is on the right track in trying to rebuild. Theyhave a solid three-man nucleus in Gay, Conley and Mayo that could lead them to good things in the future and I think Gasol will be a solid big man for years to come. They still need many parts, but they are on the right track. I don’t expect them to win many games, I have predicted 23, but I think the improvement will be noticeable and there will be a light at the end of the tunnel. They will also be more fun to watch, although not many fans will show up to see it. If they do get off to a really bad start, such as 2-12 or something, I think MarcIavaroni will be fired, hopefully that won’t happen though. They had a great win in their home opener, let’s hope they continue to play well at home at least and they can get the home fans excited and coming to games.

I’m looking forward to watching this team develop, it could be a pretty fun year if they all come along like we hope.

Tuesday Ramblings

MTR is back after a couple weeks away with thoughts I’ve had while flying back and forth to LA to watch my Cubs play like sh$% for the second straight post season.(Look at my post from Sunday for more on that trip)

– Maryland should be kicked out of college football for Saturday’s 31-0 loss to Virginia. The Cavaliers had been outscored 128-20 in their three games vs Division 1A opponents, including a 31-3 loss to Duke the week before. How in the world could Maryland lay an egg that bad?

– I want to apologize to all the Vanderbilt fans for totally underestimating the Commodores. I picked Vandy to win all of 2 games all season and they’re off to a 5-0 start and ranked in the top 15. It’s been an incredible start for Vandy and it looks like they will finally end their bowl drought. Look for Bobby Johnson to parlay this success into a nice new job at his alma mater, Clemson.

-Speaking of smart kids winning football games, Northwestern is also off to a 5-0 start. When was the last time both Vandy and Northwestern were 5-0? I haven’t done the research, but I’m guessing it’s never happened before.

– This Marvin Harrison case is bizarre. Harrison is now being sued by a man who alledges that Harrison shot him.  What makes this case really weird is that charges have not been filed against Harrison despite some pretty strong evidence. Police know that Harrison fought with the man before he was shot, they know the bullet came from a gun owned by Harrison and they found that gun in Harrison’s garage. Oh, and one other thing, the vistim and witnesses have identified Harrison as the shooter. What do the Philadelphia police need to file charges?

– I have to agree with SOTC, “Gary Unmarried” is the best new show of the season. It’s very funny.

– Speaking of TV shows, Sheldon on “The Big Bang Theory” may be my new favorite character. It’s a tough call though between Sheldon, Dwight from “The Office,”  Alan Shore and Denny Crane of “Boston Legal” and Barney from “How I Met Your Mother.”

– During my flight to and from LA I had a chance to read a lot of the Jeff Pearlman book “Boys Will be Boys” about the 1990s Dallas Cowboys. It’s a really interesting read. If you are a Cowboys fan, you should definitely check it out.

That’s all for now, I’ll be back next week.

Sunday on the Couch!

What a start to the football season, and we’re only three weeks in!  How about them UCLA Bruins?  Wow, did they get spanked.  Tennessee was stopped by that defense.  Plus, UT became the first team to not score 40 on UAB.  Good luck against Timmy Dynamite and the Gators.  I expect the Vols to absolutely get crushed.  By the way, is Jonathan Crompton still a freshman?

Speaking of getting crushed, I expect the Memphis Tigers to get crushed a lot this year.  0-3 with losses to Marshall and Rice.  It won’t get any easier than that.  I didn’t expect the Tigers to go bowling this year.  I certainly don’t think they have a chance now, especially after allowing 33 points per game, and giving up 424 yards a game to Ole Miss, Rice, and Marshall.  GET THE BALL TO DUKE CALHOUN!

Other thoughts on the college football weekend: Ohio State should be embarrassed.  I think they should start Terrelle Pryor the rest of the year.  Nothing against Todd Boeckman, but the Buckeyes won’t get any respect with him as the QB.  Pryor is their best athlete and he’s the quarterback of the future.  He’ll also give the Buckeyes a new look, which they need.  Would you rather go 11-1 with a fraud of a team, or 11-1 with a bright future? 

Other than USC, the Pac 10 might be the most overrated conference in football.  To go 0-4 versus the Mountain West Conference in one weekend is embarrassing.  And by the way, Cal also lost to a bad Maryland team.  USC should cruise again. 

I can’t imagine a worse game to watch then Auburn and Mississippi State.  CSS’s replay of the game should last three minutes.

Here are the results of the Sports Bar picks after three weeks:

 

Weekly Winners- Jeff (1, 2, 3T), Cameron (3T), Will (3T) 

SEC                        TIGERS                 COLLEGE               NFL                          OVERALL

Cam 4-2 (11-8)      Will 3-0                   Jeff 6-4 (18-12)      Jeff 2-2 (6-3)          Jeff 8-6 (24-15)

Jeff 4-2 (11-8)        Jeff 2-1                   Cam 7-3 (17-13)     Fish 2-2 (5-4)         Will 8-6 (20-19)

Fish 2-4 (9-10)       Fish 1-2                  Will 6-4 (15-15)     Will 2-2 (5-4)         Cameron 8-6 (19-20)

Will 4-2 (9-10)        Cam 1-2                 Fish 3-7 (11-19)    Chef 1-3 (4-5)         Fish 5-9 (16-23)

B Lang 0-1 (4-4)    B Lang 0-2             B Lang 0-2 (5-3)     Cam 1-3 (2-7)         B Lang 0-4 (7-8)

                                                                                                B Lang 0-2 (2-3)

If I continue to pick this poorly, I might have to stop printing these!  Listen to all of our picks every Friday on the Sports Bar.

NFL thoughts from the weekend:  At least 8 coaches will be fired or quit by the Super Bowl

Wade Phillips has the best fist pump in the game today.  He celebrates better than any coach in the league.

He also has the best tight end and best wide receiver.  If the Cowboys don’t make it to the Super Bowl, the season will be a failure.

The Bengals are pathetic.  They would be the worst team in the league if it wasn’t for the Rams. 

Is it finally the year for the Arizona Cardinals?  Kurt Warner looks like the QB from his Rams days.  They lead the Seahawks by two games.  I won’t believe it until it actually happens.

The three worst fantasy players after three weeks- Joseph Addai, Marvin Harrison, and Carson Palmer.  TERRIBLE!

Kudos to Mike Shanahan for going for two to win the game.  It sure is easy to second guess, and I normally would say that trying that trick would be a bad idea.  However, the Chargers were down after the no- fumble call, and they had no timeouts left.  They were flustered on the field and Shanahan took advantage.  Great call.  He needs a big season to keep his job.  Maybe he realizes that too.

Doc Rivers got an extension through 2011 with the Celtics and can earn $7 million per year.  Did he just suddenly learn how to coach this year?  His career record is 168-160 with the C’s.  Don’t forget, he went 66-16 last year.

Mo Cheeks also got an extension.  He’s 113-133.  If he gets Garnett, Allen, and Pierce, he might also learn how to coach.

Which game will have a bigger crowd?  Memphis basketball vs. Syracuse or Memphis football vs. Nicholls State?  I’m going with the hoops.

How was Duke Calhoun not suspended for skipping practice?  NOT AT ALL?  He was also rewarded with a pass on the first play from scrimmage.  Hmmm….. Sounds like a coach being desperate to me.

 

The Dish

Gators QB Tim Tebow fires back at UM coach Randy Shannon South Florida Sun Sentinel- The Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback said he was offended by the Hurricanes coach questioning Meyer, who ordered Jonathan Phillips to kick a 29-yard field goal with 25 seconds left that punctuated Saturday’s 26-3 win in The Swamp. “If you want to talk about him, you should definitely talk about a lot of other coaches before Coach Meyer. They are paid to stop us, [offensive coordinator Dan] Mullen is paid to score. Shannon said, “Sometimes when you do things and people see what kind of person you really are, you turn a lot of people off. It helped us more than you will ever know.” Tebow said, “We play with character, strength and honor on the field and off. It’s not like we were up by that much. We were playing the University of Hawaii — I mean, Miami — and we were only up by two touchdowns.”  Timmy Dynamite is my favorite player in the league!

 

Dawg People in Cemetary?– Central Michigan quarterback Brian Brunner writes a blog for NCAA.com and had this to say about the Chippewas’ visit to Georgia last Saturday: “Ballgame aside, the trip to Athens, Ga., was quite an experience. There was one scene so bizarre and frankly a bit frightening that offensive tackle Andrew Hartline nudged me and had me look out the window. “Groups of people were tailgating in a cemetery. Welcome to SEC football.” — Nashville City Paper

 

Ric’s Face Flairs Up After Family Brawl (TMZ Staff) Former wrestler Ric Flair’s mug was busted up after a tussle with his daughter and her boyfriend in a North Carolina parking lot. The reported fray was rowdy enough for a visit from the fuzz — who ended up taser gunning and arresting daughter Ashley after she allegedly kicked one of the officers.

 

NBA Superstar Caught Doing Lance Bass on Tape! (TMZ Staff) In what could be hailed the single greatest karaoke performance in the history of recorded music, Portland Trail Blazer Greg Oden grabbed the mic during a charity event in Oregon and ripped out the most ridiculous version of ‘NSYNC’s “It’s Gonna Be Me” you’ve ever heard in your life.

http://www.tmz.com/2008/09/09/nba-superstar-caught-doing-lance-bass-on-tape/

 

Texas Tops Country in Merchandise– For the 3rd straight year, the University of Texas led the nation in merchandise sales. The rankings reflect royalties reported from July 1, 2007, to June 30, 2008. Texas collected $8.2 million during that time. The top 20 are: 1. Texas, 2. Michigan, 3. Florida, 4. LSU, 5. Notre Dame, 6. North Carolina, 7. Georgia, 8. Alabama, 9. Penn State, 10. Tennessee, 11. Oklahoma, 12. Auburn, 13. Wisconsin, 14. Kansas, 15 Kentucky, 16. Florida State, 17. Nebraska, 18. Illinois, 19. Arkansas, 20. South Carolina. — Austin-American Statesman

 

Idaho Vandals remove logo from back of football uniform pants (Idahostatesman.com)- The University of Idaho football team has removed the logo from the back of its uniform pants after the new design caused an uproar. Idaho wore the pants — which featured a prominent “I” with “Vandals” in script across the butt — during its 70-0 season-opening loss to Arizona. The pants got much of the attention, much of it mocking the Vandals. The program’s equipment managers have removed the sewn-in logo from all of the pants.

 

News Briefs: Buy Jacko’s Dirty Drawers (ExtraTV)- One lucky bidder can get their hands on a pair of Michael Jackson’s unwashed underwear! According to Page Six, the size 28 Calvin Klein briefs — evidence from Michael’s 2003 child molestation trial — will be up for sale on eBay. Even more disturbing, they’re being posted with a reserve bid of $1 million.

 

 

Best Mugshot Ever — Except Maybe Nolte or James Brown (TMZ Staff) How about Eric Carmen mugshots — the dude who sang “Hungry Eyes” and was busted for DUI (Driving Under the Influence)?

                                      

Birthdays celebrated last week: Patsy Cline (76), Sid Caesar (86), Adam Sandler (42), Otis Redding (67), Arnold Palmer (79), Roger Maris (74), Franz Beckenbauer (63), Harry Connick Jr. (41), Barry White (64), Jesse Owens (95), KiJana Carter (35), Linda Gray (68- Sue Ellen!), Nina Blackwood (53), Bela Karolyi (66), Nell Carter (60)

Pictured (L to R): Heather Thomas (51), Michael Keaton (57), Rachel Hunter (39), Tom Wopat (57), Kristy McNichol (46), George Jones (77), Neal Peart (56), Mel Torme (83), Faith Ford (44)

 

 

 

 

There’s plenty happening in the next few months in Tunica.  For a complete list of events and attractions in Tunica, Mississippi, click on the link below.  Get easy access to the casino’s, golf courses, and all other entertainment.

http://www.tunicamiss.com/ 

Here’s a sneak peak of what’s coming up in Tunica:

September 27	The Allman Brothers Band	Horseshoe	800-303-7463
October 4	Montgomery Gentry	Horseshoe	800-303-7463
October 11	Lisa Lampanelli	Sam’s Town	800-456-0711
October 18	Air Supply	Sam’s Town	800-456-0711
October 18	Willie Nelson	Horseshoe	800-303-7463
November 7	Anita Baker	Horseshoe	800-303-7463
November 8	Tracy Lawrence	The Fitz	800-766-5825
November 8	Phil Vassar	Gold Strike	888-245-7829
December 13	Frank Caliendo	Sam’s Town	800-456-0711

Tune in to Mid-South Golfer the Radio show this Thursday from 3-4pm from Tunica National Golf and Tennis Club. The Sports Bar follows from 4-6pm.  Plus, sign up for Thursday’s three person scramble and get your team qualified for the Tournament of Champions brought to you by the good folks at Fitzgerald’s Casino.

 

For more information, call 866-TEE-OFF1 or go online at www.tunicanational.com.  See you there. 

Talk to y’all this week.

Ramblings

Thoughts I’ve had while laughing at all the fantasy football owners that drafted Tom Brady(I laugh just because I’m not one of them.)

If you’re looking for women’s hockey players, don’t look in Bulgaria. Their women’s hockey team may be the worst team of any kind in the history of sports. How do you lose a hockey game 82-0?

It’s a good thing Randy Shannon wasn’t coaching the Bulgarians, he certainly would have been upset with the Slovakians for running up the score. Hey Randy, here’s an idea, have your defense stop the Gators. Also, coaches like to cover the spread in games to make their betting boosters happy, and don’t act like you don’t know that goes on. Florida needed a field goal to cover the spread and they kicked it, I have no problem with that. I know people hate to admit that lines and betting come into play in situations like this, but if you don’t think they do, you’re crazy.

MTR would like to thank SOTC for posting the picture of future first lady Brittney Spears. Brittney is back and looking great once again. I just hope she realizes I was there supporting her through all the tough times. When everyone else was making fun of her, I had her back the entire time and she owes me.

Americans can all rejoice now, Lance Armstrong is officially coming back. The man once voted a top 25 American of all time, will be riding again and aren’t we all better because of it? You can find my tribute to Lance from today’s show here.

I have never been a big fan of Vince Young as an NFL quarterback, but that was because of his physical ability. It is now becoming clear that Young lacks the mental skills for the position also. First he didn’t seem to want to go back in Sunday’s game after throwing an interception, then there was a weird episode Monday night. Now, his mom has come out to ask for love and support to make her son a happy person. Dude, Vince, you are an NFL quarterback, you really need to tell your mom not to come to your rescue in the media, it makes you look very weak. After all of this, it has become even more clear that the Titans made a bad choice when they chose Young.

If you’re not watching “America’s Toughest Jobs,” you should be. It is really enlightening to see what some people do on a daily basis in order to make a living. I admit I had no idea that people were still working as gold miners until I saw it on the show.

I also have to agree with SOTC on Neal Boyd as the favorite to win “America’s Got Talent.” The guy is amazing and you can’t help but like the guy. Also on the “America’s Got Talent” front, I love the Zooperstars when they come to AutoZone Park or FedExForum, but they have no business at all in the top 20 of a nationwide talent search. If they advance to the top 10, it is a joke.

For my thoughts on the week in college football and the NFL, visit my personal blog at www.elisavoie.com

Thanks, I’ll talk to you later.