Some random thoughts

1. In the past, I have been a proponent of NFL teams having one running back who gets nearly all of the carries. But after watching so many games this season and seeing success by players like Ryan Grant, Andre Hall, Kolby Smith, Earnest Graham, and Derrick Ward, I'm now a believer in the idea that running back is probably the least valuable position in the NFL. Sure, some guys like LT or AD may have extraordinary talent but otherwise a running back is just a running back in the NFL. If a guy has the athletisicm, can hold on to the ball, and can stay healthy, he will probably have success if he's given the chance. So my point is that I've changed my mind and now agree with the idea that the feature back is a dying breed in the NFL and (with very few exceptions) there is no point in a team investing a lot of money and years into one RB b/c there are dozens of other guys who could probably do his job just as well as he can.


2. Although the Packers lost tonight and Brett got hurt, the silver lining for Packers fans has to be the play of Aaron Rodgers. After a few years of sitting on the bench and never getting a chance to play meaningful minutes, Rodgers brought the Pack back from a sizeable deficit and looked like a very good QB in the process. I'll admit this could be chalked up to beginner's luck, but let's not forget that Rodgers was a first round pick (some even had him valued as a top 2 or 3 overall pick) who had been sitting and learning behind perhaps the greatest QB of all time. So it should not be surprising to discover that he is actually an NFL caliber QB. I'm not declaring him the new face of the Packers or even saying he will definitely have a great career, just that based on tonight's game alone, I like where Rodgers is in his development (especially when compared to fellow draftmate Alex Smith). He plays aggressive and fearless, throws a nice ball, and makes good decisions.

3. The other night I was watching a college basketball game and the refs called a walk....Jay Bilas was doing the color for the broadcast and, in his words, he declared that he agreed the player had "shuffled the puppies".....Just saying that I enjoyed that phrase and plan on incorporating it into my everyday basketball speak.

Paste Magazine Interviews Ryan Adams

The fine folks at Paste Magazine recently did an exclusive interview/covershoot with the one and only Ryan Adams. In the interview, Adams discusses the upcoming 5-disc box set, interacting with fans during shows, recording new tunes, and how he sometimes "visualizes" the music during jams. It's a great read for anyone who's a fan of Adams' work. You can check it out here.

After you're finished reading the interview, come back and check out this great performance by Ryan and the Cards from a recent appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman. First, the band plays heart-wrencher "How Do You Keep Love Alive", which destroys me every time I hear it. Then they take over Dave's desk and cheer me back up with a breezy rendition of "Pearls On a String". Good stuff.

Continuing the Debate

It seems only fitting that amidst all the debate going on about the spread offense that I write something that popped into my head a while back. I must even admit that before this is discussed or even read that I never in my wildest imagination thought that this would be something that I would ever write.

Loneliness is the most universal feeling of the human experience. At some point during all of our lives we have been alone, whether it be hanging out alone on a Saturday night or sticking to an idea that no one else believes in. Maybe no other person felt more alone in an idea than Ron Zook in 2004 while still the head coach at Florida.

While the Swamp was seemingly caving in all around him, the Zooker's long time friendship with athletic director Jeremy Foley (which was instrumental in his hiring as head coach) seemed to wash over whatever mishaps the program endured throughout the first two plus years of the tenure. Always valued as a rigorous recruiter, Zook brought in great talent to the Gator faithful, highlighted by #1 overall quarterback of his class, Chris Leak. However, during the midst of his third straight mediocre season, the coach that succeeded the 'Ol Ball Coach, was informed that he would not be brought back.

So with no job, no respect and the basis for a very successful website (fireronzook.com), the coach with a world of offensive experience was delighted to hear from anyone. That anyone just happened to be a very much rebuilding Illinois football team, which lead by Kurt Kittner was only three years off a losing trip to the Sugar Bowl. And while this seemed like just another stop into his trip to oblivion, Zook was named 2007 Big Ten Coach of the Year on Tuesday. Lost somewhere in the praise that all in the Big Ten were spewing for Michigan's Lloyd Carr who retired Monday morning, was the fact that maybe the Big Ten style of football was being retired as well.

Running the spread offense (what else?), the Fighting Illini went 9-3, and seemed to have captured Ohio State's dream of a National Championship while winning the Illibuck. Look deeper and you'll see a team built like non other in its widely competitive conference. Another star recruit by the name of Juice, lead the offense that did not rely on the almost assembly line Big Ten running game (i.e.,P.J. Hill, Mike Hart, Chris Wells).

The spread has been a staple in the Pac-1o, who baste themselves with athletes, while football players go to other programs. However, by instilling some of these principles to a midwest program and return of the previously mentioned Williams and tailback, Rashard Mendenhall, the Zookers are going to be a preseason favorite for not only the Big Ten title, but the National one as well. And while no one in Florida will ever have respect for the coach that threatened their legacy, a new conference and base of Champagne fans have completely revived the man that most left for dead.

So what does it all mean? Is the Big Ten really going to change the styles that have embodies the blue collar ethic of their alumni and fans? Zook did endure two less than stellar seasons and heard the whispers again this preseason before their second place Big Ten finish. If the trends of the nation continue, which are dominated by the spread offense, how long can Jim Tressel and Les Miles (I am calling it a foregone conclusion) keep their teams tucked in?

Rank Your Favorite Sports

All of the recent conversation about the Heisman race (which is great, by the way - thanks to all of you for the feedback) got me thinking about my order of preference for sports. Now, it's worth noting that I have been known to sit and devote 3+ hours of my life to watching George Mason play Kansas State in college basketball or Central Michigan play Western Michigan in college football with no vested interest in any of these teams. So, sports in general rank pretty highly on the scale of things I like. Now I am going to attempt to rank them in order for me, and I'm very interested in hearing how anyone who might be reading this would rank their favs. Without further ado...

1. NFL
No other professional sports league embodies being "the show" quite like the NFL. The athletes are bigger, stronger, and more knowledgeable about the game to such an extent that it is not uncommon for "elite" college football stars to be complete failures in the pros. From the moment the last seconds tick off the clock on Sunday night, I am already anticipating the matchups that will come next week.

2. College Football
Always exciting. There are no other sports where a single loss can completely ruin your entire season. It requires teams to be completely and utterly perfect each and every Saturday. And if you don't bring your A-game, there is a very good chance that you are going down, regardless of the team on the opposite sidelines. As I've said before, this season is particularly great. But last season wasn't too shabby either. Just ask Jared Zabransky.

3. College Basketball
Many people may feel that this number three ranking is blasphemy, being from the Bluegrass state and being an avid Kentucky fan. But that doesn't mean that I don't love college hoops. These kids play their assess off every time they are out there. There's always gonna be a team that goes on a big winning streak, there's always gonna be a player who rises above the rest to generate NBA hype, and there's always gonna be that player that never quite lives up to his potential (*cough*Joe Crawford*cough*). All of that, and I haven't even mentioned the NCAA tournament - I think it pretty much speaks for itself.

4. MLB
Right now I am totally engrossed in the "Hot Stove." I'm kinda bummed about Torii Hunter leaving Minnesota, totally underwhelmed that A-Rod resigned with the Yanks, and intrigued about seeing Joe Torre in Dodger blue. Oh yeah, and it turns out that Barry Bonds is a liar...who knew. Baseball was the first sport I ever fell in love with, and there is always a soft spot for your first love, right? Nowadays, I primarily watch a lot of baseball in April and May and then again in September and October.

5. NBA
When I was young, I would watch any NBA game on television. What, the Bucks are about to play the Sonics? Let me make some popcorn! Then, my interest flickered out. Two or three years ago, you couldn't have paid me to watch an NBA game (except for the dunk contest and 3-point shootout at All Star weekend). Now, my interest in the NBA has slowly returned. I still don't really have a favorite team, but I love what the Celtics have put together and I love the Bulls' young, talented roster (even though they are playing like complete shit right now). The fact that LeBron James made an appearance in the NBA Finals was great for the game, both for David Stern and the fans.

So there you go...my favorite sports in order of preference. Now feel free to post yours. And it doesn't have to be these same sports, by any means. If you're a fan of NASCAR or hockey or Ultimate Fighting, let us know why (cuz God knows I can't get into any of these sports).

I Love This Song...

Song: "Love Will Tear Us Apart"
Artist: Joy Division
Year: 1980



Sometimes a band is ahead of their time. Read any present-day review of anything related to Joy Division and that very sentiment will be reverently echoed on numerous occasions. In my opinion, the band was light-years ahead of their time. Whether you're a fan of indie rockers like Interpol or mainsteam darlings like the Killers, the influence of Joy Division is far-reaching. They perfected a sound that many of their disciples were able to emulate but none were able to master. In a stark contrast to many of their more complex arrangements, "Love Will Tear Us Apart" is a simple tune with simple lyrics. It's the straightforwardness of it all that kills. After reading the title, is there any question as to the content? This song gets a lot of flak from some music "purists" because it was arguably the band's most popular. Released as a single between phenomenal albums Unknown Pleasures and Closer, the song generated a lot of press for the band and received a lot of praise from music critics. I would venture to say that when a song is really good, it shouldn't be surprising if it becomes popular.

In the future, I plan on only posting my favorite lyric from these "songs I love." But since Ian Curtis's drone may be difficult to understand for those who aren't familiar with his work, here are all of the lyrics to this gem. Sadly beautiful.

Lyrics:
When the routine bites hard
and ambitions are low
And the resentment rides high
but emotions won't grow
And we're changing our ways,
taking different roads
Then love, love will tear us apart again

Why is the bedroom so cold
Turned away on your side?
Is my timing that flawed,
our respect run so dry?
Yet there's still this appeal
That we've kept through our lives
Love, love will tear us apart again

Do you cry out in your sleep
All my failings exposed
Get a taste in my mouth
As desperation takes hold
Is it something so good
Just can't function no more?
When love, love will tear us apart again

A look at the Heisman race

A few nights ago I heard an announcer suggest that the best outcome for the Heisman Trophy this season would be to simply redshirt the trophy and award two of them next season. I find this to not be a terrible alternative because in the chaos that has been this college football season there is no logical way to choose a Heisman favorite since the knee that connects Mr. Dixon’s skinny upper left leg to his skinny lower left leg turned the wrong way in Tucson on Thursday night. Plus, it would be nice next season to see Dicky Jr and Micah each get their own trophy rather than having to share one. But since that’s not an option, we break down the candidates (in alphabetical order):

Colt Brennan: Hawai’i has played the 3rd easiest schedule in football this season. Phelps has more quality wins than Hawai'i. Plus, Colt got drilled against Jerry Tarkanian’s Fresno State Bulldogs and missed the Nevada game due to the lingering effects. His numbers are spectacular but so were Timmy Chang’s when he played for the Rainbow Warriors. It will be a shame if he factors into the Heisman race or if the winner of the Hawai’i/Boise game gets a BCS bowl game.

Chase Daniel: Daniel's numbers are excellent and his team doesn't lose. That might be all it takes to win the trophy this season. If the Tigers can knock off the Jayhawks and then avenge their previous blemish against Oklahoma (which won’t happen), Daniel makes a legitimate case to win the trophy.

Dennis Dixon: Done playing football unless he’s willing to play WR and an NFL team is willing to take a chance on a lanky WR with a gimpy knee and professional baseball dreams. But let’s give him an invite to NYC since he would have won had he not gotten injured.

Glenn Dorsey: Supposedly he’s the best defensive lineman ever. That means he gets double or triple teamed (or illegally chop blocked if the opponent is Auburn) so he doesn’t put up big numbers. I have no choice but to believe analysts when they tell me he changes the game because I pretty much refuse to watch interior linemen on every play. So if Glenn Dorsey wins the Heisman, I have no problem with that. I can’t form an argument against him.

Chris Long: See Dorsey, Glenn (above). Except Long is a DE instead of a DT and Howie Long is his dad.

Darren McFadden: DMac might be the most talented skill position player in college football but the Razorbacks have struggled to win games this season. He has to get an invite because his numbers are great, especially when you realize his opponents always have at least 11 guys in the box, even on passing downs. I hope the Vikings draft him, install the Wildcat package using DMac and AD interchangeably at QB, rename it the Wildviking package and continue to be mediocre.

Todd Reesing: The out-of-nowhere Kansas Jayhawks are a legitimate national title contender. Reesing has had the Jayhawks offense rolling as of late, including the 76 pts they hung on this year’s version of the Blackshirt D. If Kansas can beat Mizzou and Oklahoma to claim the Big 12 title and Reesing posts quality numbers in those wins, then he deserves consideration.

Matt Ryan: Matty Ice’s BC Eagles are now 9-2 and we’ve seen him engineer a couple game winning drives, including two unbelievable minutes in Blacksburg and a come from behind victory in Death Valley to claim the ACC Atlantic division title. The throw to beat VaTech had that “Heisman moment” feel all over it and if the trophy was awarded based on 4th quarters alone, Matty Ice would be the winner by a landslide. Since its not, I have trouble seeing him as the winner but he’s worthy of an invite.

Tim Tebow: Frequently we’re reminded how defensive players are overlooked in the Heisman voting, but how often do robots enter into the discussion? Tebow is deserving of an invite to NYC and is likely the favorite to win the trophy, despite his Gators having 3 losses (they do play in the toughest conference in football... just a few notches below the AFC). Next season when he learns to be a real quarterback (NOT a fullback, NOT just lowering his head and running to the left) he should be the unquestioned favorite and will likely make robots across the world very proud.

Pat White: Very entertaining to watch White operate the Mountaineers’ spread option attack. Not a great passer but blazing fast and makes solid decisions. The spread option requires White to only make a few reads and allows WVU’s playmakers to consistently get the ball in space. I wouldn’t be too surprised if the Mountaineers are cutting down the nets in N’awlins after they’ve defeated The Ohio State University to win the national football title (sounds crazy, but after the Big 12 teams beat each other up and Georgia knocks off LSU in the Atl, the two teams left standing will be WVU and tOSU). That being said, Stevie Slaton steals some of his teammate’s votes and the two of them net zero personal awards this season.

Invites to NYC:
Matty Ice
Tim Tebow
The winner of the Reesing/Daniel game
DMac
Dennis Dixon

Bringing home the hardware:
Tim Tebow... unless someone else steps up in a big way in the next few weeks

Ducks Come Up Lame in Loss to 'Cats

Much to the surprise of no one, the #2 ranked Oregon Ducks suffered their second loss of the season last night in prime time to the unranked Arizona Wildcats. The Ducks joined their Pac 10 counterparts USC and Cal along with South Florida and Boston College to become the fifth #2 ranked team to fall since early October. This has left many sportswriters and fans wondering if there is a "curse" of the #2 teams.

There are a number of reasons why this is ridiculous. First of all, it is November now, and anyone who knows anything about being goth knows that you can only put a curse on someone through Halloween. After that, it's no dice until the new year. If anything, this is yet another example of the degree of parity in college football today. In a lot of ways, this is a direct extension of the Boise State victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl back in January. The little guy isn't always so little anymore. Just ask Michigan if you don't believe me.

But even beyond that, we have had a string of #2 teams who no one was really buying as being deserving of the #2 spot. Aside from USC, none of these teams were truly considered "for real." As it turns out, none of them really were. Now the same question will be posed for the remainder of the top tier teams in college football. This weekend alone will provide a little more insight into the legitimacy of teams like Kansas, Missouri, and West Virginia. And would it really shock anybody if mighty LSU fell to Ole Miss?

All of this insanity makes for a great time to be a college football fan. And yes, it is just another example of why there needs to be a playoff system for the sport, but we all know that isn't going to happen. So I am trying to look at the situation in a positive light: This year's bowl season is going to KICK ASS! Seriously. Nearly every game will likely showcase some team that has done something special at some point this season. Kentucky will be able to show the nation the team that knocked off top ranked LSU, fans will be able to see Hawaii's often overlooked Heisman trophy candidate Colt Brennan, and Connecticut fans may actually have travel plans over Christmas break that don't involve the Hartford Civic Center.

So yeah, Oregon lost. Imagine that. A quarterback named Leaf couldn't get the job done. Imagine that. It's late November and the BCS picture is still as cloudy as muddy water...imagine that. But stay tuned college football fans, because I've got a feeling that this post season could be one we are talking about for a long time to come.

A good omen

For my first post (and I'm sorry if I'm stealing CC's thunder by making the initial post), I just want it to be known that when I was creating my gmail account for this blog, the word with the wacky letters at the end that I had to type to prove I'm a real person (which makes me feel kinda good about myself) was "FAEKE"...... correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's an alternate pronunciation of one of my favorite words. Its as if Britt Hensley, while packing his can of Kodiak and frantically scratching the back of his head, heard we were now blogging and his response (as is his response to everything) was simply "faeke". I can't think of a more appropriate blessing for the future of this blog.