So Why Not BYU?

This is admittedly way early, but it is a question we all need to be asking.

If the Cougars run the table from here on out, why not them in the BCS title game?

There is no doubt that the absence of Bradford for the second half hurt Oklahoma’s chances, but as Dr. Saturday points out BYU was handling the Sooners pretty well up until the point Bradford went down.

In fact it was a flaw in the overall Oklahoma team dynamic – their inexperienced offensive line – that led proximately to Bradford’s absence. And when it most mattered the Oklahoma defense failed to keep the Cougars out of the end zone. While last year’s Heisman winner might be the story, BYU won this game.

(Continue to Saurian Sagacity)

Sunday Paper

I'm a little disappointed in the way things played out with the new and improved extra-protective batting helmet that David Wright tried out this week.

I'll admit - the things look silly. Players from the Mets and Rockies apparently called Wright The Great Gazoo, referencing the Flinstones character...I think it brings to mind Michael Dukakis. Regardless, I think they're necessary, and I don't think David Wright helped matters much by deciding to ditch the helmet after one game.


According to Wright, the change was due to comfort rather than appearance, but he took enough ridicule from all angles that I have to think he was somewhat worried about his image.

And that's the problem, because Wright is a star, and his image could have helped garner more widespread use of the product.

(Continue to 200 Miles From the Citi)

Notre Dame Impressive in Opener

Watched the game today with a fellow Notre Dame fan who wanted another touchdown in the fourth quarter.

"Don't want to be greedy," he said, "but 42-0 would have looked a lot better than 35-0."

Oh, well. Some guys are never satisfied.

Maybe Notre Dame's 35-0 win over Nevada doesn't qualify as a true blowout, but it certainly was a decisive, workman-like victory for the Irish.

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

Knee-Jerk Thoughts on Georgia Loss

I was actually right about something regarding Week 1 of college football: Georgia’s defense stifled Oklahoma State’s offense.

The Bulldogs held Cowboys’ quarterback Zac Robinson to 11-22 and 135 yards. Kendall Hunter only averaged 3.3 yards a carry, and the reason why Oklahoma State finished with 172 yards rushing was the fact the Cowboys wore down a tired Georgia defense that was put into a lot of bad situations.

So what did you see?: Well, nothing good on offense outside of the first series. It looked like that first series was scripted since spring ball opened. And Branden Smith playing that much on offense early and then disappearing? Mike Bobo, my man, you’re behind the times.

(Continue to The Chapel Bell)

Sun Devils Defense Rises Up

The Arizona State University Sun Devils defense walked onto the field Saturday night and stole the spotlight. On a night where most focused on the quarterback position, where senior Danny Sullivan made his first start, the ASU defense became the center of attention as the Sun Devils overwhelmed the Idaho State Bengals 50-3 Saturday at Sun Devils Stadium.

The Sun Devils' most important squad stormed the Bengals' offense and made plays all night.

(Continue to Arizona Sportspage)

Rampage Jackson Scratched from UFC

It appears scheduling conflicts will postpone the heated grudge match between light heavyweights Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (30-7) and Rashad Evans (18-1-1) at UFC 107 on December 12th.

Jackson, 31, recently landed the role as B.A. Baracus in the upcoming "A-Team" remake and will soon begin shooting according to the Vancouver Sun. The six-week film shooting schedule will apparently hamper Jackson's ability to put in a solid camp in time for the December 12th, UFC 107 date with Evans which was set to take place in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.

(Continue to Fighter's Corner)

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)

Commish: Do Something About Snyder

We’ll be hearing from Roger Goodell again very soon, I’m sure.

If he’s serious about the league’s public image being at stake, if the concept of a code of conduct he has enforced the last few years has any meaning, if “protecting the shield’’ is more than the cliché it has become lately, then the commissioner of the NFL will be calling Redskins owner Dan Snyder into his office and demanding that he explain himself – and then slapping him with a fine, or suspension, or both, that will be heard and felt from his FedEx Field luxury box to wherever in the world any casual fan has tugged on a cap with an NFL team logo.

Because if Goodell thinks his sheriffing job stops at the wallets and livelihoods of the players, he’d better think again. For every way in which the actions of the Michael Vicks, Plaxico Burresses and Pacman Joneses reflect poorly on the NFL, multiply it by a thousand – and that’s what Snyder and his partners in crime in the Redskins’ front office are doing to their own fans, right down to their own decades-long season-ticket holders.

(Continue to The Steele Drum)

Are You Ready to Talk Football?

Because our members take their football very seriously, the management at the Grill Room have been working feverishly over the past couple of days to get our TVs aimed just right at the great NFL satellite in the sky for the impending 2009 season.

Nothing better than a hearty meal, a German bier or five, and some good ol' football to help wile away the darkening months of a European fall and winter.

And because our discerning clientele know that the only sure-fire way to botch up an expertly prepared main course -- in this case the great game itself -- is a shoddy announcing crew, we have carefully prepared a diner's guide aimed at rating the best and worst of those talking teams from the five networks that will be offering up NFL football fare this year: CBS, FOX, ESPN, NBC and the NFL Network.

(Continue to The Grill Room)