Season Opens with ... Roast Duck

The first big Saturday of college football is on tap, and wouldn't you know it, the year's first autumn-like breezes blew through the hills of Southwest Germany on Friday night. Actually burned the first fire of the season in the Grill Room.

Football...American style...Ahhh, you can taste it in the air.

And speaking of taste, as we scurry about this morning readying the place for our first big Saturday of the season, here's what's on tap for our customers:

Today's featured entree:
Roast Duck

Well, that didn't take long. University of Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount has been sacked for the year by the school thanks to his starring role in Thursday night's melee (and now feature film) which followed his team's 19-8 loss to Boise State.

(Continue to The Grill Room)

Game of the Weak

Mike Hlas is an award-winning columnist with the Cedar Rapids Gazette and force behind The Hlog. Each week he will break down the biggest mismatch in college football. Considering the increasing number of Bowl Championship Series teams scheduling games against cupcake opponents, Mike's task is more challenging than trying to organize a family picnic involving members of the Oregon and Boise State teams.

There's so much Weakness in the opening week of the 2009 college season that you'd think swine flu set in long ago, at least in the offices of athletic directors across the nation.

With almost everyone in I-A playing nonconference games in Week 1, rare is the region spared by a hideous mismatch. For instance:

Louisiana Monroe (which now apparently goes by the snappy handle of ULM) is at Texas.
North Dakota is at Texas Tech.
Towson visits Northwestern.
Jacksonville State is at Georgia Tech.
Northern Colorado meets Kansas.


(Continue to The Wiz of Odds)

Q&As with Alabama and Auburn

Finally, it’s time for kickoff. And the debates about whether Alabama can win a national championship and whether Auburn can stay out of last place in the SEC West can intensify – if that’s possible.

Both schools enter the 2009 college football season with some intriguing questions and I am here to provide the answers as No. 5 Alabama prepares to take on No. 7 Virginia Tech Saturday night at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, while Auburn plays host to Louisiana Tech.

Let’s begin this top-five question and answer session with …

(Continue to Rue's Rant)

Weis Faces Heat as Fifth Season Opens

Do not count former Notre Dame linebacker Tom Reynolds among Charlie Weis' biggest fans.

According to the "Daily Domer", Reynolds is the man responsible for the following words that appeared on a huge billboard erected earlier this week just outside the Notre Dame campus: "Best wishes to Charlie Weis in the fifth year of his college coaching internship. Linebacker Alumni."

Ouch! Coach Weis could not be reached to comment on the billboard.

(Continue to Bob Birge's Irish Eyes Are Smiling)

Good Seats Left for Miami-FSU Game

There is a lot of chatter on sports-talk radio and Internet message boards in the Sunshine State about Monday night's primetime showdown between Miami and No. 18-ranked Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium.

In this rivalry's prime, no other matchup in the country generated as much media coverage or fan interest. These days? The Virginia Tech-Alabama game on Saturday is the one most of the pundits are excited about.

(Continue to Seminoles Sports Center)

Bucs Mum on Their Thoughts

Anyone expecting a direct answer from Buccaneers head coach Raheem Morris on the firing of offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski hasn't spent much time around the NFL

Tampa Bay's passing offense has been next to abysmal during the preseason, with quarterbacks Byron Leftwich and Luke McCown performing their best Alphonse and Gaston act during the first three games wrestling for the starting job.

It's been bad enough to kindle memories of the Vinny Testaverde era. Entering Friday's game against Houston, the Bucs were averaging 154.7 passing yards a game, with a league-worst 4.7 per passing attempt.

(Continue to Henry's Chopping Block)

Thrilling End to ODI Opener

If the ensuing six games in the ODI series involving England and Australia are as thrilling as the first, then we're in for an entertaining series.

England put up a valiant effort chasing down Australia's 260 but came up four runs short - and had they not leaked 50 runs at the end of Australia's innings, and made better use of the second powerplay, then they would have been assured victory.

Australia's bowling attack is well balanced, with the return of the innovative Bracken, measured Hauritz and effervescent Lee who, while unrelentingly competitive, still managed to have a smile on his face in the final four overs.

(Continue to Crick Down the Legside)