Big News: TCU Going To The Big East

I told you months ago that the moving around in the conferences wasn't done.  And this move of TCU from the Mountain West to the Big East is big news.  For more than one reason.

Reason #1:  It means that the Horned Frogs are now in an automatic qualifying conference for Football.  And that is huge.  Imagine if TCU makes the BCS 3 out of the next 5 years.  That is money rolling into TCU that they could never get in the MWC.  And that more than anything will allow the school to increase their profile in sports and in academics.

Reason #2:  The Horned Frogs other sports programs will be able to improve.  Imagine a TCU Woman's Basketball team that gets to play UConn at least twice a season.  Now when they recruit, they can use the conference to get players that might have not considered TCU before.  After all, if you want to be a UConn Lady Husky and they decide that you aren't good enough to be recruited by them, you might decide to go to another program in the same conference to gain some measure of revenge.  It's the same for the other TCU sports teams.  Improve visibility and improved opposition will get you a better player to recruit.

Reason #3:  An in to the lucrative Texas markets to the Big East.  Imagine now how Rutgers or Louisville will start to recruit around the Dallas.Fort Worth area.  Come play for us and your family will still get to see you play.  You will get to come back home at least every other year and play in front of your friends and family.  Just seems like it will improve all the Big East teams, not just TCU.

Reason #4:  The Big 12 gets hurt in their quest to rebuild their conference.  TCU wouldn't have brought much in expanding the conference borders and where it is seen, but it also would have kept the Big East out of Texas.  Now in Texas, you have The Big 12, The Big East, The SEC, Conference USA, and The Sun Belt having a presence there.  That is a lot of conferences and teams that are going to be recruiting there with an actual chance to be seen.  The Big 12 is down to 10 teams and Missouri just needs to be asked by any other conference and they will be gone.  Texas is starting their own TV network and has bullied the rest of the Big 12 for preferential treatment.  So now you are down to 9 teams and Texas acting like king shit.  Who do you get to come into the league and get the conference strong again?  Houston?  Memphis?  BYU?  The thing about TCU was it would give the Big 12 a respectable name to come in and stop the watching of the conference dissolve.

Reason #5:  The Mountain West is no better off than they were at the beginning of realignment.  The MWC had thoughts of being an automatic qualifier for the BCS with the acquisition of Boise St., Fresno St., and Nevada.  Imagine having a conference with the Top 4 teams being the 3 mentioned and TCU.  If you could get BYU to come back after their experiment in being an independent, you would have 5 teams that are almost always mentioned in the lower half of the Top 25.  It would look better than the current Big East roster of teams.  Hell, it might look better than the vaunted ACC.  But now you have Boise St., Air Force, Fresno St., and Nevada as your top 4 teams.  Utah is in the Pac-12.  BYU left because of inactivity of the WAC to get a better TV contract.  and TCU left for an automatic qualifier conference.  If I were the Conference Commissioner, I wouldn't stand still right now.  I would be pounding down the President's door at the University of Houston, SMU, and Missouri.  I don't think that Missouri would come, but I would try.  For the 12th team, go and get Tulsa.

Watch out for more realignment this offseason from football.  After all when a team from Texas is in a conference with teams from Connecticut, Florida, and New York, there is no reason that other nonsensical alignments cannot happen.

Sitting on the Redskins Suck Bubble

There comes a time in the life of a fan when you have to scream and laugh at the same time. For some fans, every time your team plays, that’s the time. It’s come to that for the Washington Redskins. A once very and perennially tough team, it seems the Skins have been permanently relegated to the league’s “folding table,” where the Bengals, Lions, and Clippers (ooops, that's the wrong league!) sit at Thanksgiving. For the Redskins, the last 18 years have been more than just a Super Bowl drought, it’s been a “winning season” famine! Since winning the 1992 Super Bowl, the Skins have had a .500 record only nine times (the best being 10-6 in ‘99 and ‘05), been to the playoffs only three times, and won its division once. Once! In the 28 years between 1971 and 1999, the team has had a losing season (less than .500) only five times! Since Dan Snyder’s been the owner (’99), the team has gone 85-101. Two weeks ago, the Redskins took a double “bitch-slapping” from the Philadelphia Eagles 59-28. For all intents and purposes, the “E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!” scored 35 pts (not 28) in the 1^st quarter since their first score of the 2^nd quarter was a continuation of a 1^st quarter drive and the score happened only 48 seconds in.

I’m a die-hard, loyal, rabid DC sports fan—a “homer.” For decades, the Skins earned a reputation of having the hardest season ticket to get. I’ve had mine for the past 4 years, but I might as well have bought them off the back of a truck because the games are no longer “fun” to go to, or to watch. If you want to get a first-hand impression of how really pissed off Skins fans are about their beloved team, listen to the now classic post-Eagles/Skins game rant (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePAevL_cEaA) of Chad Dukes of the “LaVar Arrington Show with Chad Dukes” (WFAN 106.7) as he went “Duke Nuke ‘Em” on the Skins. Man, he said it all, and then some!!!

We got to the stadium at 5:00, did the obligatory tailgate, razzed every Eagles fan we saw—it seemed like every other person was wearing green and white. Then settled in our seats for what we were sure to be a slug fest. Within seconds of the opening kickoff, I was texting smack to my Eagles friend—then it happened. TOUCHDOWN! TOUCHDOWN!! TOUCHDOWN!!! TOUCHDOWN!!!! TOUCHDOWN!!!!! Then it started to rain. My “pisstivity” with the Skins didn’t start with those five consecutive TDs—I pretty much gave up on the game with the first 2 TDs within two minutes. Now what pissed me off was the long walk down the ramp from our Section 400 seats. At 35-0, in the pouring rain, half the stadium was bailing and the FedEx workers wouldn’t let us down the escalator—they made us walk because they expected more fans to arrive! As I slogged down that ramp, I just got madder and madder—and I hadn’t heard Chad’s ranting yet—that didn’t occur until the next day. I was fuming, steaming mad, but I was chuckling at the same time. “Dan Snyder!” I thought aloud and began laughing.

San Diego Clippers: Doomed From The Beginning

For many years I’ve wondered why the San Diego Clippers never succeeded before Donald Sterling bought the team and moved them to Los Angeles. Tonight I decided to check out Basketball-Reference.com for the answers and it’s stunning how the former Buffalo Braves (what the Clippers were before 1978) franchise mismanaged their assets in the years before they left New York state for sunny Southern California.

Did you know the San Diego Clippers could have had a frontcourt in 1979-80 with Moses Malone, Cliff Robinson and Kermit Washington? Or a backcourt with Adrian Dantley? How about a frontcourt of Brad Daugherty, Charles Barkley, Terry Cummings and Tom Chambers seven years later along with guards Byron Scott and Danny Ainge? It’s all true. The Clippers could have been a successful NBA franchise in San Diego but the moves the team made years earlier killed any chance the team had of developing a fan base.

Here’s how it all went wrong, starting with Malone and Robinson:

The Hurricanes are still the Bruins' daddy

Nothing's changed since the playoffs where the Canes came back on the Bruins after being down 3-zip.  As of the writing of this piece, the Canes are 3-3 on the power play.  If you'd like to watch a game that defines the thought that hockey can be the most aggravating sport at times, it's this one.  One team's goalie stands on his head while his team is being outplayed, yet they take advantage of their opportunities on the power play to win a game they had no business winning.  Only in hockey.  I think the 'Canes scored 3 power play goals on 4 shots.

Much props to Cam Ward, who was outstanding in this game and is no slouch at all between the pipes. So standing on his head comes as no surprise, getting his first shutout of the season in this game.  And no team is better than the Hurricanes at holding a lead, which usually comes down to great goaltending and smart play with the puck.  So congrats to the Hurricanes for winning a game where they didn't play well or at least as well as the opposition, on the road no less.  That's a sign of a good team.  Repeat after me:  Special teams and goaltending, special teams and goaltending...
By the way, congrats to Mark Recchi on scoring his 1500th point the other night.

Week 12 NFL Predictions and Week 11 Results

New England (-7) at Detroit.  I don't see a letdown from the Patriots after an emotional win against the Colts last week.

New Orleans (-4) at Dallas.  There are people picking Dallas with the upset.  That being said, the Saints are 7-3.  Their offense is starting to click, and the Dallas defense still isn't up to snuff.

Cincinnati at NY Jets (-9).  I don't like the line being this high for the Jets.  Their offense is missing something.  Maybe the Bungles coming to town will cure what ails them.

Pittsburgh (-7) at Buffalo.  I think that the nastiness that the Raiders played the Stellers with last week will cause the Steelers to have a chip on their shoulder the rest of the season.  That's not good for the rest of the league.

Tennessee at Houston (-7).  Rusty Smith is the starting QB for the Tennessee Titans.  That is all you need to know.

Minnesota (E) at Washington.  Leslie Frazier will get his 1st win as Head Coach of the Vikings, despite the play of Brett Farve.  Vikings will be motivated after the head coaching change.

Green Bay at Atlanta (-2).  The Falcons are built for the tracks indoors of the NFL.  If this was at Lambeau, the pick would be the Green and Gold.

Carolina at Cleveland (-11).  The world is ending.  The Browns are double digit favorites.  But how do you not pick them against the worst team in the NFL this season. 

Jacksonville at NY Giants (-8).  Tom Coughlin has a soft spot in his heart for beating the Jaguars.  Look for the Giants to roll.

Kansas City (-2) at Seattle.  Kansas City is the better team but Seattle plays well at home.  I'll take the Chiefs to win by a field goal.

Tampa Bay at Baltimore (-9).  The Ravens defense is still extremely dangerous and will show that against a young Bucs offense.

St. Louis (+4) at Denver.  I am going against the grain here.  The Rams have not been Road Warriors and the passing game isn't vertical.  I still see them winning this game against a rebuilding Broncos team.

Philadelphia (-3) at Chicago.  A matchup to watch and see if Michael Vick can run roughshod over the Bears defense.  I say no, but he will get the Eagles the victory.

San Diego (+2.5) at Indianapolis.  The Chargers always give the Colts a game.  Usually winning in the process.  I'll take Rivers and the Bolts offense that is getting Vincent Jackson and Antonio Gates back into the lineup this week.

San Francisco at Arizona (E).  Would anybody watch this game if it wasn't on Monday night?  Both teams have QB problems and at least one head coach won't be around next year.  I'll take Arizona.



Record For Week 11:

Overall:  12-4  Win Pct:  75.0%  Favorites:  8-2.  Road Favorites:  3-0.  Home Favorites:  5-2. Underdogs:  4-2.  Road Underdogs:  4-2.  Home Underdogs:  0-0.


Overall Record:  85-71-3.  Winning Percentage:  54.4%  Favorites:  55-54-2.  Road Favorites:  29-18-2.  Home Favorites:  26-36.  Underdogs:  31-17-1.  Road Underdogs:  19-14-1.  Home Underdogs:  12-3.  

In Memoriam: Pat Burns (1952 - 2010)

"…I know my life is nearing its end and I accept that. As for my career, I always said to my kids, 'you don't cry because it's over, you're happy because it happened.' That's the main thing. I'm happy it happened." -- Former Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Pat Burns, March 26, 2010.

It’s been about eight hours since I found out former Leafs coach Pat Burns passed away and I’m still devastated. But at some point I have to write something about this and tonight I thought I’d share how I became a Leafs fan.

I didn’t know it at the time but my love for the Leafs started in the summer of 1986. Back then, San Diego was a hockey wasteland. The WHA’s San Diego Mariners folded nine years earlier and with the exception of the PHL’s San Diego Hawks (and the immortal Bill Goldthorpe) the only hockey games you saw on television were whatever Los Angeles Kings games you could pick up on KCAL with a rabbit ears antenna on a clear night.

The St. Louis Blues hockey team was owned at the time by La Jolla businessman Harry Ornest, and when the Blues announced they were going to play an exhibition game at the San Diego Sports Arena against the Calgary Flames in late September I made sure I was first in line to buy tickets for the game. The biggest reason why I wanted to go? I wanted to see Doug Gilmour, who was my favorite NHL player after Bobby Clarke retired two seasons earlier. They had a similar style of play, except Gilmour didn’t use his stick like a scalpel on his opponents like Clarke did.

I attended the game with a very attractive “girlfriend” and we sat right behind the Blues bench. It was one of the most enjoyable games I’ve ever attended. Not only did I get to see Gilmour, Rob Ramage and Greg Millen in action for the Blues, but I also got to see a very young and feisty Gary Roberts play in one of his first professional games. Not bad for $30, huh?

Let’s fast forward seven years later to the spring of 1993. I’m in my third year of my junior year of college at San Diego State (It’s a long story) and almost all Los Angeles Kings hockey games were now available on cable television in San Diego via the Prime Ticket network. Pro hockey had returned to San Diego in the form of the IHL’s San Diego Gulls and Gilmour was now a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, a franchise I kept an eye on ever since they drafted Wendel Clark first overall in 1985.

That spring, both teams faced off in the Campbell Conference finals for the right to play the Montreal Canadiens for the Stanley Cup. I was impressed with the Leafs because they reminded me of the Oakland Raiders. Unlike my Kings, the Leafs were a blue-collar team that worked hard and mirrored their tough head coach, intimidated everyone that stood in their way and won more often than they lost. They didn’t retire uniform numbers (Bill Barilko and Ace Bailey excepted) and their fans were everywhere. Even here in San Diego!

My most vivid memories of Pat Burns were from Game 1. After Marty McSorley and Clark fought at the Kings blue line, Burns pointed a finger at Kings head coach Barry Melrose and tried to go after him. To this day I still think Burns would have ripped Melrose’s mullet out of his skull if those ushers and police weren’t between them.

Although the Kings prevailed in seven games, I have to admit my heart wouldn’t have been broken if the Leafs had won the series. They played my kind of hockey and up until I disowned the Kings a few seasons ago I rooted for both franchises --even if I had to keep my membership in Leafs Nation a secret for many years.

Pat Burns made me a Leafs fan. That is what I’ll remember about him the most.

3 Time Jack Adams Winner Pat Burns Dies At Age 58

Mr. Burns was the head coach of the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Boston Bruins when he won his Jack Adams awards.  He won his only Stanley Cup as coach of the New Jersey Devils in 2003.  Lung Cancer is the cause of death.

“On behalf of the ownership, management, staff, and players of the New Jersey Devils, we are all deeply saddened by the loss of Pat Burns,” Devils’ President/CEO/General Manager Lou Lamoriello said in a statement. “Pat was a close friend to us all, while dedicating his life to his family and to the game of hockey. He has been part of our family here in New Jersey for eight years. Today, the hockey world has lost a great friend and ambassador. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Line, and the entire Burns’ family.”

God Speed Pat, and ensure that you take your turn coaching the great players that you will meet in heaven.

Packers vs. Redskins

On October 10, 2010, I attended the NFL game between the Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins. My brother-in-law (BIL), his best friend, and another friend all flew in from my hometown Sheboygan, WI, to attend the game. It was quite hilarious that when we were setting this weekend up, my wife decided that she would fly to WI to visit my dad and sister while our BIL and friends came out to Virginia -- they actually passed each other in the airports.

My BIL's best friend is the Anheuser-Busch (AB) distributor back in Sheboygan. When they learned of this impending game, he sent an email to AB asking for tickets. AB sent him 4 "dream seat" tickets, Section 31, Row 3, in the east end zone. Basically, we were field level, 3 rows up. When I learned of what he received and found out that they're only available as a season ticket purchase and cost $5k per ticket per season. I was so concerned about getting hit with an ethics violations at work that I voluntarily spoke with the Ethics Officer before they arrived. She assured me that neither the DHS or OIG has contracts with AB, why I still can't figure out, and that they were given to my BIL's best friend, who would give one to me.

It was a beautiful, early fall day in VA. Not a cloud in the sky nor rain in the forecast. I believe the temperature at game time was in the 70's. We caught the Metro to FedEx Field and it is about a mile hike to the stadium (this Marine doesn't hump anymore), and we found fellow Sheboyganites to tail gate with. If you've seen the NFL commercial where it shows the fans who travel with their teams, look for the 1966 Dodge RV that's painted like a GB helmet. That's who we tailgated with. Every Packer fan knows you got to have brats at a tailgate; and another friend from Sheboygan, Chuck Miesfeld, who owns Miesfeld's Meat Market, was there. Johnsonville Brats are made in Sheboygan, but every Sheboyganite knows Miesfeld's is the best. I remember Redskins fans walking by the RV amazed at it, and owner telling them, "Free self-paced tours, just beware there's a 50 percent chance you'll be converted."

So we get to the seats, and they're just beautiful (I guess I owe AB a shout out for them.) We watch the warm-ups and OMG, these players look like highly trained thoroughbreds; well, except for the D and O linemen who are just incredible bulks. To see Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, Clay Matthews, and Jermichael Finley that close; they might have had 10% body fat combined.

In the 1st quarter, a pass is thrown to TE Donald Lee and he gets hit and fumbles the ball. Jermichael Finley tries to tackle whoever recovered the fumble and gets injured and is out, as we learn later for the season. Clay Matthews is living in the backfield of the Redskins and is giving Donovan McNabb hell. If you remember, the Packers scored a TD pass to Donald Lee in the 1st quarter, their only one, right in our end zone. It appears that Donald Lee sees green Packer jerseys and thinks about doing a Lambeau Leap, but changes his mind and gives high-5's instead. That was my BIL and his best friend he jumped to. We got pictures and video of it, there was even a guy from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel taking pics. What was funny is after it happened, they started getting text messages and phone calls from WI asking them, "Was that you?"

Well, as you know, in the 3rd quarter, Clay Matthews goes out with a hammy problem and there's no longer any pressure on McNabb. After leading 13-3 with over 11 minutes to play in the 4th quarter, the Skins come back, tie the game, and win it in OT. (Yeah, I'm the guy in the Packer hat and jersey right under the "Fox" logo.)

I got to say that for the most part the Skins fans were pretty good. For awhile it looked and felt like Lambeau East in the stadium, and most Skins fans didn't heckle us. Of course, after the game there were some assholes who wanted to rub their win in our face; but, overall, it was a polite host. Of course we were warned it wouldn't have been that way if the Skins were playing the Cowgirls or Eagles.

Overall, I rate my game experience as a 9. A 10 would have included a win, but we gave the game away, which some grizzled Skins fans recognized. That's a plus in my book that even die-hard fans recognize a gimme.

Week 11 NFL Predictions and Week 10 Results

I need to get on a hot streak over the final 7 weeks to even get over 65% correct.  So here we go.

Chicago (+2.5) at Miami.  The Bears are looking better on offense the past 2 weeks and couple that with their stifling defense, I look for the Bears to beat the Dolphins.

Washington at Tennessee (-8).  Two Jeckyl and Hyde teams here.  I can't shake the felling that the Redskins are still reeling from that debacle against the Eagles.

Buffalo (+5.5) at Cincinnati.  I am leery of any game that the Bengals are favored in.  Factor in the Palmer problems and the TO experiment going wrong in Cincy and I'll take the Bills.

Cleveland at Jacksonville (-1).  The Jaguars offense is starting to look good.  And I don't think that Colt McCoy will be able to exploit that Jaguars pass defense.

Green Bay (-3) at Minnesota.  The Vikings debacle of 2010 continues with the Packers beating the Purple and Gold.  The natives in Minnesota want to see Joe Webb and what he can do once the Vikings are officially eliminated from the playoffs, not T-Jack.  A week 13 injury for the year to Farve is a possibility. 

Oakland at Pittsburgh (-8).  I think the Steelers got the message after Jeff Reed got cut.  Look for the Raiders to slip back to .500 after this one.

Baltimore (-11) at Carolina.  Brian St. Pierre is starting at QB for Carolina.  People are upset that Tony Pike isn't getting the start.  When there is controversy about which 3rd string QB to start, you know that the football team isn't going anywhere.

Detroit (+7) at Dallas.  Dallas is getting too much credit for beating the Giants.  And the Lions are getting no respect after losing to the Bills.  Look for Megatron and Co. to keep it close and have a chance to win at the end.

Arizona at Kansas City (-9).  The Cardinals defense isn't good at all and I think Charlie Weis isn't going to throw the ball 50 times this game.

Houston at NY Jets (-8).  Matt Schaub will be playing on a hurt knee this weekend.  Look for Gang Green to blitz and see if Schaub is comfortable back there.  My guess is that he won't be.

Tampa Bay (+3) at San Francisco.  Tampa might not be the best team in the NFC but they are better than the 49ers.  Raheem Morris is a possible COTY candidate.  Mike Singletary is not.

Seattle at New Orleans (-13).  I'm taking a leap of faith with this one.  The Seahawks keep dogging games after winning impressively and the Saints offense hasn't looked like it was in 2009.  That said, look for the Saints to roll up and down the field.

Atlanta (-3) at St. Louis.  The Falcons should run away with this game.  They are the newly anointed best team in the NFC.  So therefore, it will be a nail biter with Atlanta pulling it out in the end.

Indianapolis (+3.5) at New England. These teams play close games.  And even though the Colts don't look like world beaters this year, they can beat All-World coach Belichick.  Look for Manning to keep this real close.

NY Giants (+3) at Philadelphia.  I like the Eagles, just not this week.  Look at the people laughing at the Giants play against the Cowboys last week.  I think the Giants come out and show people that they are a possible Super Bowl contender, not a laughingstock.

Denver at San Diego (-11).  The Chargers are starting to look like they are doing their late season hot streak yet again.  Watch for them to torch the Denver defense.


Record For Week 10:

Overall:  5-9  Win Pct:  35.7%  Favorites:  4-8.  Road Favorites:  2-3.  Home Favorites:  2-5. Underdogs:  1-1.  Road Underdogs:  1-1  Home Underdogs:  0-0.


Overall Record:  73-67-3.  Winning Percentage:  52.1%  Favorites:  47-52-2.  Road Favorites:  26-18-2.  Home Favorites:  21-34.  Underdogs:  27-15-1.  Road Underdogs:  15-12-1.  Home Underdogs:  12-3.  

Ottawa Senators And Reality Away From The Ice

Hockey teams are always proving that they are a family.  It is the same this year with the Ottawa Senators as they are dealing with a death in the extended family.

Sometimes hockey has to take a back seat and that's why the Ottawa Senators have interrupted their four-game road trip to come home.

Before they face the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., on Wednesday, the Senators attended an Ottawa memorial service for Daron Richardson, daughter of assistant coach Luke Richardson. She died Saturday at the age of 14.

The Senators learned of her death while beginning their trip in Boston on Saturday night. After playing at Philadelphia on Monday, they made an unexpected return home to pay their respects to Richardson, a former teammate and longtime NHL defenseman, and his family.

"We play hockey for a living, it's our job, but this is more important," Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson said.

Daron Richardson, the younger of Luke and Stephanie Richardson's two daughters, died of injuries resulting from her attempt to hang herself in the family's basement on Friday.

"It's difficult and when you have a family, you start questioning yourself as a parent," said Alfredsson, a father of three young boys. "What would you do, especially when it's coming out of the blue like this?"

The Richardson family is from Ottawa and is well known for its involvement in the community. As a result, a public celebration of Daron's life took place Wednesday morning on the arena floor at Scotiabank Place.

It is sad that Daron Richardson decided that life wasn't worth living.  I don't know the reasons that she decided it wasn't, but my prayers go out to her family and friends.  It goes to show you that even those families that you think have it made because they have money and fame are still just like everyone else.  And I tip my hat to the Senators organization and players.  They understand that their assistant coach is dealing with loss, questions, and uncertainty after this.  And they will be there supporting him and his family every chance that they get, I am sure of that.