Weekend Football Recap — Don’t Disrespect Me by only reading me once!

If the title confuses you, Randy Moss, who scored three TDs for the Pats yesterday, was quoted afterwards as saying the Dolphins disrespected by “only covering him with one guy.”  Classic!  Single coverage is disrespectful?   Not sure about that; ill-advised, though, yes!  Randy is so much better than TO, not only as a receiver but as a quote machine.  He does not even try to be funny, but, unintentionally, he is actually quite amusing and certainly contrived.  OK, let’s do a quick recap, saving Oklahoma v Texas v BCS for the end.

College Football

1) If you are winless Washington, you are winning the (cr)Apple Cup by 3, and have Washingston State backed up to its own 20 with no timeouts left, how do you give up a 50 yard completion?  Oh, that is right; that is why you are winless.

2) If you are Arizona, and have putative (not sure I am using that word correctly, but get $0.25 to put in my blog) Pac-10 Champion on the ropes, how do you let Sammy Stroughter get behind your D at the end of a game for a 47 yard game?

3) If you are Notre Dame, are you worried that President Obama might repeal your non-profit religious status?  Charlie Weis has now lost to the first 8 loss team in ND history — Syracuse.  He is also 28-20 in the midst of his $20M contract, and he, ironically, only padded those stats with “already fired from the 0-10 Washington Huskies” coach Tyrone Willingham’s players.  At least, under the current administration, ND could write off the $20M buyout.  My guess is that Father <whoever is in charge in South Bend) will call Charlie into confession and guilt him into quitting with $2-4M payoff.

4) The BCS has been shaken up by the absolute demolition of Texas Tech in Norman.  A lot of people were worried about the 3 way tie in case of an Oklahoma win, but considering the 65 points laid by Bradford and Co, and the fact that there is Texas Tech debris strewn between Norman and Lubbock, you would need the CSI team to find any remnants of Tech’s title hopes.

So it is down to the Sooners and the Longhorns.  Sure, if Choklahoma State were to upset the Sooners next week in Stillwater, Tech wins the Big 12 South, but that is not getting them to the BCS title game, which, barring major upsets, is winner of SEC (Ala v Fla) v Big 12 Champion (if Texas or Oklahoma does not lose).

Now I am no BCS-ologist, but although Texas is #2, they only have the dreadful Texas A&M left on their schedule.  Whereas, OU has Oklahoma State (#12 BCS), which, IMO, would vault them ahead of Texas for a spot in the Big 12 Title game, as OU already leads in both People Polls.  Now of course, if OU loses to Missouri, then perhaps Texas gets to the BCS title game, but let’s save that for another blog.

Now normally Yes MSG is a big fan of the underdog — Villanova ‘85, Colorado ‘01, NY Giants ‘07 — but we cannot allow the Cowboys to win.  The country cannot stand any more Mack Brown, the man who made politicking more than Football the point of the BCS.  In fact, he made it so SOP, that now Meyer, Stoops, Carroll, all do it.  In fact, if you look up Whiny Beyotch on Google, you get this result.

Sooner Boomer!

Pro Football

I have to admit, I barely care so far.  But do appreciate in addition to Randy’s comments, things like everyone talking about the Cowboys explosion on offense and how TO is back.  Guys, they were playing the Niners?  I know Nate Clements cost the Niners $80M in Free Agency, but that deal only served as the Template for the $700B Financial bailout and the $50B Detroit (GM, Chrysler, Ford) bailout.

Matt Cassel.  Do you think he is going to give Bernard Pollard a bonus for tearing Tom Terrific’s ACL?  I am not saying that Cassel paid Pollard, as it was a clean hit, I am just saying that after only like the 5th 400 yard back to back throwing performance in NFL history, Cassel is looking at $50M Free Agent contract.  Conversely, if Tom plays the entire season, Cassel signs a $1M per year extension to back up someone somewhere.

Of course, he has made the most of the opportunity, but unbelievable that this guy never started in college, and sat on the bench for years, and now will be the star of the Free Agency offseason, where he will be grossly overpaid and underperform for some other franchise (see Schaub, Matt; Mitchell, Scott).  He could make more than Leinart and equal to Palmer (two Heisman winners he sat behind at Troy) next year.  Wow!

Cannot wait to see who he dates — Gisele (Supermodel) and Jessica (Bimbo) are taken, so I am going with a movie star — but an up and comer as Justin Timberlake has nailed all the established ones.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Essence of Taste (redux)

We all anxiously await the Texas Tech v Oklahoma game tomorrow.  I would break it down for you, but I am sure that Big12 Correspondent GeneB wants to do that considering he is an OU alum.  Either way, should be an 80 point affair.

With that on mind, let’s go on to some other items:

1) More Madonna.  Guy Ritchie is not going to take Madonna for half.  At least, that is the report on their divorce.  Madonna has a fortune worth reportedly $500M, which makes total sense.  However, Ritchie is presumed to be worth $50M.

What the heck?  Guy has made like three successful films, that were identical — Lock Stock (1998), Snatch (2000) and RocknRolla (2008), but with different titles, and is woth $50M.  CraigBe, please explain.

2) The Auto Industry.  I believe all my readers know how I feel about giving billions (additional, as Detroit, do not forget, has already received $25B for plant modification and the ability to meet fuel standards by 2020 (which they are already asking for relief on)).  These bozos leading the companies and the unions have not created an auto anyone wants in like 30 years.  Yet we are supposed to bail them out?  How about a bankruptcy and restructuring?

Anyway, I was debating how it is difficult to let so many jobs go but at the same time how I don’t want to throw bad money after bad.  So I thought, why not let Detroit have the money, if, IF, IF, we allow Warren Buffett to negotiate the terms?  Makes more sense than Congress, who would attach such conditions as “please let us know when you can how you will lose the funds.”

Warren gave $5B under superstrict terms to Goldman Sachs, and that should be the model.

Coincidentally, I caught Magic Johnson on Morning Joe this morning and since he is from Lansing (Dad was an auto worker) and he is a super successful entrepreneur (far more successful than MJ as Magic has expanded to real businesses, not just expanding the Nike empire), and he discussed eloquently how he would disburse the money.  Look, Magic cannot seem to put a sentence together on TNT NBA broadcasts, but after this morning’s performance, I prefer he distributes any extra monies to Detroit versus Paulson, Frank, Pelosi, or Reid. 

Oh, and on that note, here is Chrysler’s input to the LA Auto Show from the NYT:

Chrysler, which had embarrassingly canceled its only two hybrid vehicles in October — the same month they were introduced — had nothing left to introduce here.

3) AIG.  Speaking of bailouts.  Seems that AIG is to use like $500M for executive bonuses and retention.  I know it is obvious, but are these really the execs we want to retain?  This fits Yes MSG’s axiom of:

- The Professional Sports PR Assistant: Each team has a number of low rung functions like this.  Probably a $25-30K per year job.  However, you know what they pay for these jobs — ZERO.  You know why?  Because people like Theo Epstein and Brian Billick (yes, these two guys) are willing to work for nothing to get a foot in the door.  Most jobs are like that.

Now I am not saying that you replace GM’s or AIG’s CEO with a Yale grad fresh out of college, but there is certainly a strong group of candidates at lower rungs of management who could easily do the job, obviously better than the current CEOs who have set a negative bar.  So I say FIRE THESE GUYS with NO BONUSES (who gets a bonus for asking for $25B?) and get in someone who appears to want it and need it.

Lots of large organizations seem to do this with their execs.  Oh, we have to pay them huge bonuses to retain them. But these are the guys who

• Got you in this mess in the first place, and who
• Have no options — where are all these execs going to go?  It is not like there are a thousand VP and C-level jobs available. 
• This is most egregious in large, market dominant orgs.  Take Detroit.  You are a car exec with a highly dubious track record.  Who would hire you?  And if you are at all geographically constrained, what other companies in Detroit could even hire you?  You have no OPTIONS.  Magic Johnson or Warren Buffett would leverage that point, fire you with no bonus, and start sinking the metaphorical three pointers with a new, hungry, forward thinking management team

Most jobs can be done by the equivalent of the PR Assistant, the rest is luck.  For every Steve Jobs who has proven his vision and genius repeatedly, there are 1000s of CEOs and other execs who were lucky.

(I think I had more, but have to go to my day job)

The Housing Market

It is a tough economic environment, mainly brought on moronic mortgage borrowers, abetted by  unscrupulous lenders and bankers, that could bring our economy to its knees.  So it is nice to know we are not alone, with even prominent Germans getting caught up in the bubble.

I am back!

I know my loyal reader missed me, but Yes MSG took the much better half on an overnight to Denver to catch Madonna in concert this past week.  Now I know what you are saying — did you pick up your skirt on the way? But really, the show was awesome, and Madonna, and U2, are the two greatest musical acts of my generation.  (Elvis, Beatles, Stones, Springsteen are all previous generations, even if I have seen some of them and they were great.)  I put The Police, who I just saw too, a notch below. 

Regardless, there was not a lot of suspense in College Football.  Unlike last year, with the exception of the Big 12 South, there is not a lot of round robin upsets.  We are looking at Florida v Texas Tech in the finals, unless Tech loses at Oklahoma (distinct possibility) or spits the bit against Missouri in the Big 12 Title Game (not likely).

But while I was out, it was nice to see Congress thinking of giving the Big 3 automakers an addtional $25B on top of the $25B they already got.  It was rather odd to see two programs, in which Carl Levin (D-Michigan) and Thomas Friedman (Op-Eds NYT) debating whether Detroit was worthy (Yes according to Levin) or not (No, according to Friedman).

I mean, do we really want a writer and a career politician determining how to spend $25B?  Um, no.  Of course, considering the CEO, Rick Wagoner, says he is unclear why he should resign if they take the money, maybe the previous two are better choices.  (Um , Rick, who got GM into this mess — admittedly every short sighted and idiotic CEO over the past 30 years, but you did your part.)

But this got me thinking.  They claim that 1-3M jobs are at risk if the Auto industry fails.  What about Microsoft?  They, reportedly, have 640,000 partners.  Let’s say that each one has 20 employees.  That is 12.8M employees tied to Bill Gates.  Add in the 200K that Microsoft and vendors have and we are at a cool 13M.

What percentage are at risk if Google continues its onslaught?  I say easily 20%, if not up to 50%.  So a Microsoft failure could cost 2.6-6.5M jobs.  I say Steve Ballmer should camp out on the Hill if Detroit is any lesson.

Yikes!

Weekend Recap

Following on GeneB’s Weekend Preview below, we can recap the action. 

[Now I know that many of you appreciate my political take perhaps more than my knowledge of FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision), and, admittedly, Ms. Palin is keeping us all afloat (maybe she actually did know that Africa was a continent, but regardless, when you are being considered to lead your party in 2012, it is not a good thing that there is any doubt about this.  Perhaps she can call Dan Quayle for advice.) but time to return to what is important and actually impacts my life -- College Football]

First of all, lost in all the BCS hoopla is the fact that Notre Dame lost again.  Offensive Genios Weis’ team got nohit by Boston College 17-0.  Thankfully, this should put ND in some pre-New Years’ game, although you never know; they might land in the BCS Title game anyway since their fans travel (wouldn’t you if you lived in South Bend?) and they have a huge following (among Catholics who elected JFK president).

On another front, Cal had its chances and screwed it up again against SC with an absolutely anemic offensive performance.  SC scored only 17, and one touchdown was on a non-catch, and one was at the end of the game, but a misalignment on offense cost Cal at TD, and their offense was Little Sisters of the Poor quality the rest of the game.  Excuse my while I go put my hand on a hot iron (yes, SportsGuy-esque, but that Whiner keeps bitching about the totally legal hit on Tom Brady and forgets that his team is 7-2, leads the AFC East, and has 3 Super Bowl victories this decade.  Suck It SportsGuy — ps – you are still my idol.

Penn State fortunately lost to Iowa so we don’t have to witness that pathetic QB play in the BCS Title Game.  See Ohio State last year, year before, for reference. 

Alabama squeaked one out over LSU, but they get upended December 6 against FLA.  That will catapult FLA into the BCS title game against winner of the Big 12 South — Texas.  Sorry, GenoB, but here is my logic.

Texas Tech, current Number 2, loses to Oklahoma on November 22 in Norman.  That will be the only loss for the rest of the season among Tex Tech, Texas, and OU.  This leads to a 3 way tie in the Big 12 South.  Tiebreaker is BCS average.  Right now, Texas is in the lead.  Now I don’t understand the BCS, despite the fact that I have a PhD in Nuclear Physics and moonlight as a Neuro Surgeon, but I don’t see OU passing UT, especially when UT beat them head-to-head.  Sadness for all of us in the “Mack Brown is a whiny beyotch” club, whose membership is closed due to oversubscription.

So Texas gets the nod and destroys Missouri in the Big 12 Title Game and then plays FLA in the BCS Title game, where Yes MSG is choosing between Iraq (under Saddam of course) and Iran (under Khomeni, Khameni, Rafsanjani — ok, he actually looks good by comparison, and Ahmadinejad), but would have to go with the Gators as Mack with two BCS titles would be the End-of-Days that Ms. Palin so believes in. 

(Nice how I brought that full circle, isn’t it?)

Weekend Preview

In case you are trying to detect a pattern around the games I care about, I save you the trouble…All focus is on somehow getting the Oklahoma Sooners to their eighth National Championship.  That it happens to involve lots of other teams and games is just a bonus.

So this weekends College action:

Last nights TCU loss to Utah was not a good development for Oklahoma.  Oklahoma had been the only team this season to beat TCU, and that victory against a one-loss, highly ranked TCU team would have helped a lot in the computer rankings and regular polls.  We’ll see how much that loss hurts down the road.

Similar situation this weekend with a Big East matchup between front runner West Virginia and challenger Cincinnati.  A win by 6-2 Cincinnati (who Oklahoma beat) goes a long way to polishing up Oklahoma’s non-conference resume.  Go Bearcats.

Other key games.  Brilliantly dubbed the “biggest game in the history of this year,” by Mike Leach, 8-1 Oklahoma State visits 9-0 and second ranked Texas Tech this weekend.  Oklahoma needs a victory by Texas Tech in order to set the stage for a 3 way tie for the Big 12 South Championship.  Pulling hard for a patened “Poke Choke” this weekend.  (For unfamiliar Seattle fans, the poke choke is very similar to “cougin’ it”),

Alabama and Nick Saban travel to LSU.  LSU fans will be riled up to beat their former coach.   Here’s hoping that they are partying in Baton Rouge well into the night.

Penn St. plays Iowa.  It would be nice for Penn St. to lose somewhere.   On the other hand, the idea of playing Penn St. in the National Championship game is pretty attractive.  Penn St. loss not likely here, but a bonus if it happens.

Cal-USC.   For Martin’s sake, lets have Cal pull this off and end the USC talk once and for all. 

and finally, Oklahoma travels to Texas A&M.  Kyle Field is a great venue.  Oklahoma needs to take the crowd out of the game early.  A&M is not good, but has shown improvement in the last couple of weeks.  They usually save their emotional shocker for Texas.  Let’s hope that stays true again this year.

President Obama

You must admit, regardless of how you voted, that is a pretty amazing title for this post.  I think the seminal moment for me was after his acceptance speech, when President-Elect Obama (PEO from now on) had his extended family come onto the stage, and in a weird way it hit me:

- The USA has just elected an African American President of the United States — wow. 

Yes, I realized he was African American a long time ago , but it was never a consideration for me, and while it still isn’t personally, it is an undeniable sign of progress that we can elect someone who is not a White Male.

To go with the patented Yes MSG sports metaphor, Obama is like Doug WIlliams.  Back in 1987, I did not care that he was a “Black” Quarterback, but a lot of people did, as he was the first to take a team to the Super Bowl (and win).  Thereafter, things changed: Steve McNair, Donovan McNabb, Daunte Culpepper and Byron Leftwich were just Quarterbacks.  Heck, even Michael Vick was rarely if ever painted as a Black Quarterback, just a stupid one.  That, my friends, is progress.

I am not sure I could have envisioned this 4 years ago, and certainly not 8+.  I remember at one point thinking, and I am a bit of an International political junkie, forget Margaret Thatcher, consider that Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Israel, even Liberia, had all elected females to their highest office.  And until this year, that seemed like a remote possibility. Even more remote, an African American.

Yet, arguably, the second most likely outcome from this election season would have been President Hillary had she overcome the Obama machine. 

Continuing with a mish mash of sports analogies, I was rather shocked with the speed and quickness of the victory.  Having had to wait until 3am 4 years ago, and December in 2000, having a concession speech by McCain shortly after 8pm and an acceptance speech at 9pm, this was like Super Bowl 24 (Niners-Broncos; 55-10).  The end to a rather amazing journey by PEO.

Think about it:  4 years ago this guy was a State Senator.  Now that will give some pause, and I will get to that, but maybe he does not have a long track record of being anything more than a “Community Activist,” but the guy just got himself elected President of the United States — that demonstrates a lot of leadership, organizational skill, and, to be honest, toughness.  You don’t get to be President without being cutthroat, just that skill was more obvious in Bill Clinton and in W’s staff.

Now I believe that Obama was to some extent the benficiary of a Perfect Storm.  As I wrote previously, if the Dems had blown this election, with an unpopular war and an economy in the tank, then they would need to reinvent the party (or blow it up).  So you had as factors:

- Poor foreign policy leading to a loss of standing in the World for the USA

- Unpopular War

- Economic policy that appears to favor “Wall Street” not “Main Street,” that led to a financial crisis (no, I don’t singularly blame the current Prez for the financial crisis, but he would get disporportionate credit for any rescue, so he gets the same for blame)

All the above tainting McCain

- An obviously skilled political operative in Obama (remember, he took down the “Mavericks” and more impressively, the Clinton machine, who practically wrote the “Horse’s Head in the Bed” school of negotiation)

- A charismatic, unflappable candidate in Obama — English teachers nationwide are rejoicing

And, in the end

- A completely unqualified candidate for VP, who, while she energized the base (who were they going to vote for otherwise, Nader?), was more of a detriment in the end as voters recognized her lack of preparation for the office.  McCain would have been better off with Tina Fey — seriously.

In the end, Obama’s election was more about (yes, corny) Hope for the Future.  As Hubie Brown would say, he has more Upside Potential. 

With McCain, you sort of knew what you were getting.  No, I don’t exactly mean four more years of Bush, but a relatively conservative agenda, coupled with a democratic congress, and, therefore, 4 years of gridlock.  Not that gridlock is always a bad thing as Congress attemtping to design and execute any plan is often worse than them doing nothing.  But nothing earth shattering over the next four, unlessof course, our desperate prayers for McCain’s continued heatlh went unanswered and we ended up with Mrs. Maverick President resulting in the greatest mass emigration to Canada since Vietnam.

With Obama, you sort of have K-Rod circa 2002.  Where did this guy come from?  How good will he be?  To stretch the metaphor: Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf?

I know my friends in the Leaf camp figure he has a subversive Wassabi Muslim agenda, will name Jeremiah Wright to the Supreme Court and William Ayers as his Secretary of Defense.

The rest of us want to be in the Manning camp.  Figure that the combination of his obvious intelligence, the size of the issues facing the country, and the opportunity to change the face of politics, will lead to a promising presidency.  Perhaps even the kind we were promised in 2000.  You remember:

- a bi-partisan approach

- putting America (all Americans) first

- a humble if strong Foreign Policy

That one did not work out so well, but the day when I stop having hope with a changing of the guard will be a depressing day.

So let’s see if he can pragmatically attack the issues facing our nation.  And let’s hope he remembers that he represents EACH AND EVERY AMERICAN, and that he is in charge of those Democrats that I fear more than him.  If he cedes control, he loses Congress in 2010 and the Presidency in 2012.  If he takes control, he has a real opportunity.

 

So while this is Obama’s potential legacy, what of the other side?

I think McCain is now free to return to who he is.  He will not be beholden to his party, and can return to even more Straight Talk Express.  What is freer than a 72 year old, loaded with cash, who will be considered as an Elder Stateseman.  I truly believe that his allegiance is to his country, and would expect him to assist PEO as well as provide colorful commentary on the Sunday talk shows.

Palin will undoubtedly try to take the mantle of Republican leadership, but too many in her own party consider he such a lightweight that I don’t see it happening.  She will not be able to hold her own on any policy versus other contenders for the throne.  She will disappear a la Dan Quayle is my guess, without, perhaps, getting a partnership in a Private Equity firm as Danny did.  After all, her main assets will be four years older, so barring Sophia Loren genetics, well…..She can instead focus her effort on defending marriage as a union of ‘two unwilling teenagers’ (stolen from Tina Fey).

Phew, this has been a long campaign and post.  Now I can get some sleep, then wake up refreshed and check on the races that matter:

1) Al Franken for Senate in Minnesota (currently tied at 42% with incumbent Coleman (who did the other 16% vote for?)

2) The BCS!

My Wife Had a Headache

Saturday Night Yes MSG had plans to attend one of two Halloween parties.  Unfortunately, Mrs. Yes MSG because Mrs. No MSG as she had a headache (insert your own put down here).  However, the serendipity derived from said pain was that I watched the 4th quarter of Texas – Texas Tech.

I, like most I believe, felt that Texas would win this game as TTech was still a gimicky team that put up lots of numbers, but always lost the important ones — to UT, or OU.

As UT was at one point down like 22-3, it looked like this might be the year that all changed.  But then Texas came storming back and it appeared that Tech and QB Graham Harrell would go the way of previous Tech teams led by immortals such as Cliff Kingsbury. 

Texas was down by 6 but driving toward the end of the game.  You KNEW they were going to score.  And when they got inside the 20 with about two minutes to go, I started to think that maybe Tech should let them score to keep some time on the clock.  Not that they did it on purpose, but Tech did allow a touchdown with 1:29 remaining and a 1 point deficit.

At this point, I figure Tech has enough time to get in FG range, but would blow it.  After all, this program has been Texas Blech, almost as self defeating as Choklahoma State.  But after a good kickoff return, Tech starts completing passes down the field as is getting close to field goal range.

But Harrell throws a pass that freshman (name I forgot) let’s bounce of his hands for a sure interception.  Miraculously, the DB from Texas drops the ball.  I mean, it could not have been an easier catch.  Of course, now there are only 8 seconds to go, and Tech is too far for a field goal. But with one time out, they need about ten yards to make it a reasonable try for the win.  So what do they run?

A long sideline fade.  (insert DIck Vitale voice) ARE YOU KIDDING MEEEEEEE!  All world receiver Crabtree runs down the right sideline covered by a freshman DB.  Harrell throws behind Crabtree so he can make the catch inside the 10, which he does.  Amazingly, there are about 4 seconds on the clock when he catches it, so he just has to step out of bound.

(insert Howard Cossell voice) BUT NO!  Crabtree spins around, breaks the tackle and waltzes into the end zone with a single tick on the clock. 

What was Crabtree thinking?  If the DB holds on to him and wrestles him out of bounds — game over.  Shocking.  And while the DB will take the blame, it is the safety for UT who is at fault.  He came over to support but let up and merely ran ABOVE the play presuming Crabtree would go out of bounds.  When Crabtree broke free, he was nowhere to be found.

Had he close BELOW the play, as he should have, as Crabtree spun away he would have been in position to knock him out of bounds, likely with no time on the clock.

Alas, though, happy that UT lost on an amazing final two minutes and one of the best, if risky, individual plays I have seen.

Now I have no idea who Mel Kiper has going first in next year’s draft, and Crabtree might be a real sophomore, not a redshirt, although he is 21, but this is Texas Tech, but he has to be on the short list.  Personally, taking receivers early is a risk, especially at the top of the draft; for instance:

- Keyshawn and Irving Fryar went #1 and both were good picks

- Charles Rogers went #2 and was a pot smioking bust

- Any reciever from USC (see Williams, Mike) is not worth it

- Roy Williams $20M guaranteed???????????????????

- Calvin Johnson is young and plays for Detroit, but disappeared in all the big games in College at G-Tech

But Crabtree may have the size and speed and hands to make it worthwhile.  Through 20+ games he has 204 receptions, 2883 yards and 37 — THIRTY SEVEN — touchdowns.  Sik [sic].

Now on to the BCS.  I predict:

- Alabama — current #1 — loses in SEC Title game to Florida

- Texas Tech — #2 — beats Choklahoma State at home next week, but then loses a 100 point shootout to Oklahoma in Norman.

- Penn State — #3 — wins out and makes National Title Game as only unbeaten

- Texas — #4 — wins out but cannot win their conference as Tech holds the tiebreaker (I think), so cannot play in BCS Title Game

So the Nittany Lions will, like their Big 10 predecessors, face:

SEC Champion Florida, who absolutely annihilates them 42 – 17.

Take it to the bank — or Lehman Bros.