2009 NFL Draft Top QBs

Honorable Mention Nate Davis, Ball State University
5. Rhett Bomar, Sam Houston State University
4. Willie Tuitama, University of Arizona
3. Mark Sanchez, University of Southern California
2. Josh Freeman, Kansas State University
1.Matthew Stafford, University of Georgia

Year after year the public is made to believe that there are sure-fire quarterbacks that flop time and time again. Ryan Leaf or Akili Smith right a bell? This is 6Magazine's ranking of who we think will shine regardless of what the others may lead you to believe. Truth be told it will be at least three or four years before you can truly rank any draft class. Here is why we ranked them the way we did.

Nate Davis is yet another great quarterback produced by the MAC just like Byron Leftwich, Chad Pennington, and Ben Roethlisberger. Davis is of the shorter variety and that will hurt him in the NFL. Davis however remains one of the hotter topics among this years quarterback class, we rank him where we did because of lack of size and mid-level competition, but he will be a good quarterback in the NFL.

Bomar however controversial you think he is has a great arm, above average mobility and the swagger to lead an NFL team. It does not hurt being a true 6'2" either. Bomar has a checkered past, but in the right system he has the potential to be the best of bunch.

Willie Tuitama is the name that has you scratching your head right now, but the kid led the Pac-10 with 28 touchdowns his Junior year. I like Tuitama for one reason he is tough nosed and was a started for Mike Stoops and the Wildcats for three and a half years. Tuitama is often downed for locking on to receivers and not being the most accurate on throws deeper than 15 yards. However if you look at the last 2 games of his career (ASU and BYU) he has that "it" factor. Tuitama may be the Tom Brady of this year's class (hell no I'm not saying he is anywhere near as good) but he will be a damn good deal to whomever picks him up in the later rounds.

Mark Sanchez is the hottest commodity since cheese this year. I really feel he is an awesome talent but should really have come back to hone his game another year at USC. However, Sanchez looked at the awesome depth of 2010's quarterback class and left when he should have unlike Matt Leinart a few years back. Sanchez has good arm strength, mechanics, mobility, and quick release, which is why some argue he is the most NFL ready QB in this years class. I rank him third and that is that.

Josh Freeman is big, has an excellent arm, and is more mobile than his size would lead you to believe. Perhaps his best assets are his experience and three years of being the best player on his team. Freeman is no Poor-Man's JaMarcus Russell as he has been tabbed. He is a talent that will shine when he gets his opportunity in the NFL. Freeman shined against best competition KSU faced the OU Sooners and Texas Longhorns of the world. Being 6'6" does not hurt either. Like Tuitama he may not be high on everybody's draft board, but is the sleeper to me among all of the quarterbacks. Keep an eye on Freeman as he has all the tools to be an elite quarterbacks in the NFL.

Matthew Stafford, the Georgia Junior, is an extremely talented QB coming from a pro-style offense. He has amazing arm strength with great mechanics and pocket presence. He still needs to work on decision-making and intermediate accuracy. I've been following Stafford A.K.A. "The Howitzer" since his high school days at Highland Park in Dallas. "Tremendous Arm" is all I can say. He makes all the throws and has great vision. Furthermore, he does not get credit for being as mobile as he is, and can move around the pocket against the ferocious pass rush he will face in the coming years. Stafford had an amazing season at Georgia even though their offensive line was suspect most of the season. I give the edge to Stafford because he played in a pro style offense against the best defenses in the country (SEC) for three years and did a damn good job. Stafford will be the first quarterback off the board and probably the first player taken as well, and much deservedly so.

Sincerely,


DON'T JUDGE ME CLAYBORNE

2009 NFL DRAFT top RBs

Tis I Riverboat Ricky,

Remember I said I hated when football season ended several blogs ago because I have been MIA lately. Well yes, I do hate it when football season ends, but the NFL draft tithes me over until May, and then my life, esteem, and weight take a nose dive. The Super Bowl is Sunday so let's get a head start on all this draft mess.

Top 5 RBs

5. Donald Brown UCONN
4. Shonn Greene Iowa
3. Beanie Wells The Ohio State University
2. Knowshon Moreno Georgia
1. LeSean McCoy Pitt

I can hear all of the Georgia fans now telling me how stupid I must be. Knowshon Moreno is a great running back, but LeSean McCoy will be the better pro. Who will be taken first off the board, Moreno of course. Any true football fan should know that "draft experts" and GM's never make the proper decisions. These are the same guys that thought Ryan Leaf would be a better pro than Peyton Manning, the same guys that selected former Cardinals WR Bryant Johnson in the 1st round of the 2003 draft ahead of current Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin who was selected in the 2nd round. LeSean is a quicker, faster, and a better runner and all around back compared to Moreno. Don't get me wrong Moreno is a stud and will succeed in the NFL. This race for the best rb will be as close as Ricky Williams and Edgerrin James in 1999 draft.

Be sure to visit 6Magazine for in depth profiles on each of these soon to be NFL running backs. For now watch Mr. McCoy do his thing.

Peace,

Riverboat Ricky

Reynolds Wrap Rant

Ok, with football season winding down, I just wanted to write down some things that annoyed me this, and every other year about football. Some things I had noticed before and some things I hadn’t.

Let me preface this by saying that football (college or pro) is the greatest game that there is. The ultimate team game and the only one of our major sports that encourages outright violence and gives one opponent the ability to impose its will on the other (except for boxing I guess, but hey I said major sports).

If I hear one more commentator say “Chase Daniels” instead of Daniel; I might jump head first into a dumpster fire. Hey, I don’t like Mizzou and don’t pull for Daniel, but good Lord the kid’s name is Daniel….no "s" on the end. You guys are supposed to be professionals, come on!! Oh, and just so we can get this straight commentator guys, there is no such thing as a forward latera. It does not exist. Look it up in Webster’s and you will see that you cannot have a “forward” lateral. It would be called an illegal forward pass. And for that matter, anything passed backwards is just that: a backwards pass, not a lateral!

The thing that really drives me crazy is the next one. I am in fact trying to calm myself down now as I type so that I am not too enraged by simply writing it down. It is called a "shovel pass". Not shuttle and not shuffle. A shuttle is what you ride to the airport and shuffle is what a senior citizen does on the sidewalk on the way to Luby’s. Shovel pass!

With respect to the game itself, I have a few rants there too. The next player that fields a punt inside the 10 yard line should be fined (NFL) or benched by the special teams coach. There is nothing good that can happen from fielding a punt inside the 10 yard line. As a special teams coach, I would completely accept it if a punter could make a punt bite and sit down inside the 10 yard line like Tiger Woods with a sand wedge. I’ll take my chances. I mean as the punt returner put your heels on the ten and don’t you dare move a step backwards. I pretty much go hoarse from screaming at the TV about this next one. As a quarterback when you are scrambling out of the pocket and trying to avoid being sacked if you run out of bounds and take the loss of yards without throwing the ball away you should never be allowed to play the position again, ever! It’s pretty much the most routine and obvious thing you can do which is throw the ball away. I’m not even complaining about trying to make a play down field or running for the first down that’s fine, I understand you have to run out of bounds, but throw the ball away.

I’m sure that I could think of a few more but believe me my blood is starting to boil and the bad thing is I’ve got a little over seven months before I have regular football to watch, dissect, and scream about. I guess that is the beauty of this game. I am so in love with it that I can sit and scream at the TV and pull for my favorite team and come back for more the next week with a smile on my face.

Peace Out,


The Reynolds Rap

6Magazine Chop Ups Vol. 1

Wacky World of Recruiting

As national signing day for college football approaches the world of recruiting again proves to be a fickle mistress that is as easy to predict as Texas weather. Several recruits who remain open in their commitments seem to flirt with any and every school who will listen. Still others, who have already committed, seem to change their minds concerning the school they wish to play for about as often as Brittany Spears changes her image. Eric Ward (5-10, 190lb WR; Wichita Falls, Tx) was committed to Oklahoma since his junior season but has just recently switched his commitment to Texas Tech and to top it off enrolled for classes a week ago so he could go through spring practice with the Red Raiders. Darius Jones (6-0, 185lb ATH; Marshall, Tx), another defection for the Sooners, recently changed his commitment from OU to Baylor. Electing to play a little closer to home and was also enticed by a chance for early playing time.

I have to admit, making a potentially life altering decision when you are 17 or 18 isn’t something that many are equipped to do. In this world of text messaging, email, Wi-Fi, and DVR (by the way the best invention of all time) we want results now and don’t want to wait for opportunities down the road. I can’t say that I blame an athlete for wanting to go to a school where he would have the opportunity to succeed right away. I also see the point in going to a program that is a national power and contends for a national title year in and year out. Recruiting is a strange beast and it is always hard to know what will swing a young person’s opinion from one moment to the next.

Don’t feel too bad for the Sooners; however, they did get commitments from four very highly touted prospects just last week. They are some names that maybe most are familiar with: Trent Williams, Jermaine Gresham, Gerald McCoy, and oh yeah some guy named Sam Bradford. That’s right, recruiting isn’t always about the next blue chip high school recruit, sometimes it’s as much about keeping great players from jumping for millions of dollars in the NFL. What can I say? It’s a very nice problem to have for the top 10-12 teams in the country. They have their pick of the litter from top high school seniors and they have really good talent that coaches have to somehow talk into staying around to win another title……the rich get richer.

The Reynolds Rap

More Weak Hearts Pushed To The Brink of Quitting

Too add to my friend and business partner's previous article, I too have almost given up on sports several times. A few examples of my sports related trauma incidents are:

Colorado losing to Notre Dame in 1989
Chris Webber and the Time Out
Alabama Beating Miami in the Sugar Bowl
Arkansas losing to UCLA for the National Championship...damn O'Bannon's(basketball)
OU losing to LSU, USC, and Florida all for National Titles (pathetic)
Miami losing to Ohio State in 2002
Memphis losing to Kansas on my birthday for the National Championship
Losing the 4A Oklahoma State Football Championship twice in high school
KSU losing to Texas A&M in the 1998 BIG 12 title game
Any OU loss to Texas
Any Colorado Loss to Nebraska

I have grieved alone for many days and pondered the real meaning of life after every excruciating loss I have endured on my 26 years on this earth. I feel my man, Rich'ard Bod'wah, as we feel the same pain we got through the constant "what ifs" for weeks and weeks after the loss that you were hanging your hat on.

The loss that you needed to be a win, losing is more than a score . It's the amount of shit you talk to "haters" who think that your team could possibly lose, and being the die-hard fan, the idea that "your team" could lose does not cross your mind. Conversely, after fighting tooth and fucking nail as an armchair quarterback for four quarters, you realize that defeat is imminent, you turn off your phone first, then your tv, and begrudgingly admit defeat.

As a real fan you cant hide from the pain mentally, and physically your drained. Skip Bayless continues to rub salt in the wound the next day as ESPN continually makes you relive the agony of yet another crucial loss with countless episodes of the same highlights from last night that they claim to be a "live" show. Text messages that let you know you're a loser and not a winner continually make their mark on a phone you wish didn't exist. Facebook statuses are updated, to further the mental agony that is the risk of being a real fan.

How do I live? How do I breathe after a loss that has taken everything from me? Who knows? Time heals all wounds I was told, so I keep fighting and make amends with the sports skeletons in my closet. There will be another season, there will be bigger games, life will move on. "I can't stop wont stop" in the words of Diddy. I have lost many battles, but I will never lose the War! Boadu my friend, hang in there your win will come and your gratification will make itself known. Every sports fan has a manifest destiny. My time will come and so will yours Mr. Ricky Writer, keep the faith dear friend as will I.

The Emotional One,


CLAUDE JR.

I'm Done With Football

The sun has set on my football fanhood. I just cannot do it anymore. You can only touch a hot stove once before you know it's hot and will burn you. To continue to touch that stove is plain stupid. Well, I am very stupid then. I continue you to root for teams that lose when I NEED them to win. No, I don't have money riding on these games. It is for pure emotional fanhood that I cheer, stress, agonize over games in hopes that the team I am rooting for wins.

Case in point, I watched in agony as the Sooners lost to the Gators a few weeks back. I don't want to go into detail about the pain that was in my heart.

Last weekend, I watched the Cardinals and Eagles go down to the wire. I wanted the Cards to win because I want Edgerrin James to get a ring. No, not every African-American wanted Donovan McNabb to get his first Super Bowl ring this past Sunday. The game was going great for my nerves until the second half. Then Arizona decided to play like shit on a stick. I found myself extremely nervous and agitated with every single play. I wasn't relaxed until the game was actually over. I was enraged when Darnell Dockett recovered the Eagles lateral attempt and tried to take it back to the house. Thankfully no miracles took place and the Cards won.

Onto the next game, the Ravens were the clear underdog and had very little chance of winning this game. But little chance is still better than no chance. The play that changed the game was not Troy Polamalu's interception return for a touchdown. It was Ravens backup CB Frank Walker's lack of a interception that allowed Pittsburgh to keep the ball on 4th down and kick a field goal to go up 9 points. The ball hit Walker between the 4 and the 1 on his jersey and he dropped it. No, Limas Sweed didn't break it up. It was a ball that a man who earned 1.9 million dollars this year with a 1.25 million dollar signing bonus should have caught! If he intercepts that pass, and the Ravens still score on the next drive as they did in the game, the score is 14-13 Ravens up. (Don't let me get started on Asante Samuel's dropped interception in the Super Bowl last year. He picks it off, Pats win, I'm a happy guy. Instead he drops it, bolts for the Eagles, and I'm not so happy guy. I'm still bitter about Asante dippin' to the Eagles also. I understand you have to get that money, but it was a happy team. I'm an Asante fan by the way, die-hard too, but damn he didn't have to jump ship, did he?)

Anyways, Pittsburgh is a good team, but they only rushed for 52 yards in the entire game, and QB Ben Roethlisberger had a 48% completion percentage. I have a funny feeling that if Walker picks off that pass, the Ravens win the game. Rex Ryan, Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, and Terrell Suggs vs. Ben Roethlisberger's 48% completion percentage with 3:43 left in the 3rd Quarter and without his goto guy Hines Ward who was injured in the 2nd Qtr. I'll take the Ravens all day long.

I was crushed that the Ravens lost, and driven to near death by the Sooners defeat. I will admit I am pulling for Edgerrin James and the Cardinals to win this Super Bowl. If they don't? I don't know if my heart can take it. I am seriously considering giving up sports. The loses are not good on my young heart. I can only imagine how Bob Stoops or Marv Levy must feel. These loses have made me understand what it is like to be a coach and the toll it takes. I think I'll steer my kids away from sports or else I'll be a crazy father much like Jeff Xavier's brother Jonathan.



I know good and well I'll go off the deep end at least once in my lifetime when I have children and they are playing sports. Nevertheless, I do not celebrate Lent, but my church always commits to a fast for 40 days. Maybe I'll give up sports all together.

Peace out,

Ricky Writer

Overlooked

The quarterback on defense is normally the middle linebacker, but in these two NFL Conference Championship games this weekend the defensive quarterbacks will be the safeties. You've heard about Brian Dawkins, Troy Polamalu, and Ed Reed, but Antrel Rolle or Adrian Wilson of the Cardinals have been left out of the conversation this week.


Although left out of the conversation, both of these safeties are playing out of their minds.

Wilson, who is an 8 year veteran out of NC State has played solid over the past two playoff games with 9 tackles and 1 forced fumble. In the regular season, he had 75 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 picks.

Rolle, who is a 4 year veteran out of "The U" has been playing out of his mind these last two games. Rolle has 9 tackles and 1 pick and has made countless other plays that are not shown in the stat columns. Rolle is in his first season as a full-time free safety, making the move from cornerback with the drafting of rookie CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Yes, the big name safeties in these two games deserve the attention they have garnered, but the Cardinals hands down have the best secondary and safety tandem in these two games. You have to be a die hard fan or look at the depth chart to name Polamalu, Dawkins, or Reed's sidekick at safety, while you know the names Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle of the top of your head.

These two safeties will give Donovan McNabb a hard time this weekend and will be the key to victory for the Cardinals. Jim Johnson's Eagle defense is great, but Kurt Warner who was snubbed for the MVP award this year will manage to put points on the board. The Cardinals overcame the hump last week by winning in the Eastern time zone in cold weather. They also toughened up and held the great Panthers rushing attack to only 75 yards. Look for the Eagles offense to struggle against the Cardinals defense, and the Cardinals to put up just enough points to go on to the Super Bowl.

Peace,


Ricky Writer

Defensive Trio Return to USC

The USC Trojans received a huge boost for 2009, when head coach Pete Carroll announced Monday, that All-American safety Taylor Mays, cornerback Josh Pinkard and tailback C.J. Gable would return next season.

Mays' return bolsters a defense that lost its entire starting linebacker corps, two defensive linemen and safety Kevin Ellison. Mays, an All-American and Thorpe Award finalist, was projected as a first-round draft pick in the NFL draft. Juniors and third-year sophomores, including quarterback Mark Sanchez, have until Thursday to declare for the April draft. Josh Pinkard, who plays cornerback and safety, is awaiting word from the NCAA regarding his petition for a sixth year of eligibility.

Pinkard was honorable mention All Pacific-10 Conference selection last season after missing two seasons with knee injuries. Mays and Pinkard return means USC's defense suddenly does not look as weak as it was expected when their departures were prematurely assumed. The Trojans expected to lose 10 starters but will return starting corner Shareece Wright, who redshirted in 2008 following a neck injury along with the afore mentioned Mays and Pinkard.

The big question now for USC is the future of quarterback Mark Sanchez. He is expected to return for his senior season, but that decision could be altered if Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford announces he is turning pro before Thursday's deadline. NFL analysts project Sanchez could be the No. 2 quarterback taken in the draft behind Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford if Bradford stays in college.

Mays announcement that he will return will definitely help USC remain the dominant team it has been in the last decade. Mays return eases the blow of losing the stars of the linebacking core Rey Maluanga and Brian Cushing. Look for USC to dominate even if Sanchez does not return for the 2009 season. Aaron Corp and Mitch Mustain are more than adequate replacements for Sanchez should he enter the NFL Draft. Corp and Mustain were top tier recruits coming out of high school.

USC will again be dominant with the return of these three key players back to TROY. We all know the Trojans have a reload system every year like no other team has had in the last two decades. Don’t be surprised if the Trojans bring it home in 2009. Best of luck to Gable, Mays, and Pinkard in 09’.

Sincerely,


C for Victors

What Did We Learn From the 2008-2009 Bowl Season

College Football is over. The NFL season will soon be over and I'll be in tears having to watch meaningless basketball and endless baseball. Can't cry over spilt milk so lets give a quick run down of the bowls.

Eagle Bank Bowl

Wake Forest 29 vs. Navy 19

The Midshipmen are going to back to form when Paul Johnson left to Georgia Tech, which means a lot of losses. If Wake Forest basketball keeps going down hill, this will no longer be a basketball school.

New Mexico Bowl

Colorado State 40 vs. Fresno State 35

It was the Bulldogs' game to win, but they didn't take the Rams serious. I still respect Pat Hill's play you anytime anywhere approach.

Magic Jack St. Petersburg Bowl

Memphis 14 vs. South Florida 41

Matt Grothe went out on a win. I doubt if he'll star in the league. But USF, UCF, and FAU will all start making noise in the near future. There is too much talent in Florida for these teams not to excel.

Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl

Arizona 31 vs. BYU 21

BYU started off so hot. If people show you who they are believe them. Say the same thing about Mike Stoops. Mike is a fighter, on the cusp of being fired this season to not only take the Wildcat to their first bowl in several seasons but to win it over a good BYU team. About time a Stoops won a bowl.

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

Southern Miss 30 vs. Troy 27

I didn't even watch this game. I'm not going to lie about it. But when is Southern Miss going to make the leap to powerhouse, they've played the "respectable spoiler role" for way to long.

San Diego Credit Union Poinsetta Bowl

Boise State 16 vs. TCU 17

The Non-BCS championship was a good game. TCU fought, scratched and willed their way to a one point win. Can we get a Non-BCS team ranked in the Top 12 for next season please. Come on dogg, they deserve it.

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl

Notre Dame 49 vs. Hawaii 21

Notre Dame finally wins a bowl game in 9 years. They are lucky they didn't play last year's Hawaii team. Weis is still on the hot seat, and Jimmy C is still overrated.

Motor City Bowl

Florida Atlantic 24 vs. Central Michigan 21

As I stated earlier. FAU, USF, and UCF will soon make national noise, USF and UCF have done so in previous seasons, but I'm talking with consistency.

Meineke Car Care Bowl

West Virginia 31 UNC 30

It was UNC's game to win, and they gave it away to WVU. Pat White went out on a win. Butch Davis is a poor man's Pete Carroll. Look for the Tar Heels to get back to those Mack Brown days.

Champs Sports Bowl

Wisconsin 13 vs. FSU 42

Bobby Bowden still has his mojo, but Wisconsin fell off big time. They still had P.J. Hill and did more than underacheive this season.

Emerald Bowl

Miami 17 vs. California 24

It was the Jacory Harris and Jahvid Best show. The Best man won.

Independence Bowl

Northen Illinois 10 vs. LA Tech 17

The most boring game of the entire bowl season.

NC State 23 vs. Rutgers 29

Russell Wilson was the best true freshman quarterback no one talked about all year long. I hope he didn't get hurt too bad, because baseball season is coming. Oh yah, he is a two sport stud for the Wolfpack. It was nice to see Tiquan Underwood and Mike Teel go out on a win.

Valero Alamo Bowl

Mizzou 30 vs. Northwestern 23

What happened to Chase Daniel? They won, but it is not the same Chase. Also say goodbye to J-Mac as he dips to the league next season.


Humanitarian Bowl

Maryland 42 vs. Nevada 35

Maryland RB Da'Rel Scott was benched 2.5 quarters for missing curfew. You'd think he'd be a tad bit rusty when he got in the game. Nope, 174 yards on 14 carries and 2 touchdowns. Hell of a way to get out of the dog house.

Texas Bowl

Western Michigan 14 vs. Rice 38

Chase Clement to Jarrett Dillard vs. Western Michigan, nuff said.

Pacific Life Holiday Bowl

Oregon 42 vs. Oklahoma State 31

The beginning of the demise of the Big 12 in the 2008-2009 bowl season. The Pokes were up 17-7 after the first half. They flat out got out muscled.

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl

Houston 34 vs. Air Force 28

Kevin Sumlin ended Houston's bowl win drought since 1980. Black head coach ladies and gentleman. Take notice please.

Sun Bowl

Oregon St. 3 vs. Pittsburgh 0

The most boring game of the bowl season. I felt like I was watching a soccer game. It was probably because Jacquizz or James Rodgers played in the game because both were out with shoulder industries.

Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl

Boston College 14 vs. Vanderbilt 16

Vanderbilt wins it's first bowl game in 53 years.


Insight Bowl

Kansas 42 vs. Minnesota 21

KU wideout Desmond Briscoe is the next big thing. 14 grabs 201 yards and 3tds.


Chick-Fil-A Bowl

LSU 38 vs. GA Tech 3

I'm 26 and my little brother is 12. No matter how hard he tries he'll never beat me in a game of one on one basketball. I'm bigger, stronger, and faster. LSU has better athletes point blank.


Outback Bowl

South Carolina 10 vs. Iowa 31

When the Ol' Ball coach first arrived at USC it was said once he got the recruits, he'd be back. We'll he has had the recruits for a while now and is still losing.


Capital One Bowl

Georgia 24 vs. MSU 12

Another story of the Big 10 being defeated by the SEC in a bowl game. Adios to Knoshown and Mr. Stafford.


Gator Bowl

Nebraska 26 vs. Clemson 21

Aside from the Sooners, Clemson has been one of the most disappointing teams this season. Roy Helu was injured much of the game, but look out for him next season, he's the best RB you've never heard of.


Rose Bowl

Penn St. 24 vs. USC 38

I mean, did anyone really think Penn St. would win. Is USC tailback U or quarterback U, Palmer, Leinhart, Booty, and Sanchez. Sanchez threw for 413 yards and 4 tds.


FedEx Orange Bowl

Cincinnati 7 vs. VA Tech 20

Good old fashioned Beamer ball. VA Tech's vitals: 258 rushing yards, 39 minutes time of possession, and 4 takeaways. Having Macho Harris on your team doesn't hurt either.


Cotton Bowl

Ole Miss 47 vs. Texas Tech 34

Ole Miss always had the athletes, now they have the coach in Houston Nutt and the QB in Jevan Snead. You saw them beat LSU 31-13 this year.


Autozone Liberty Zone

Kentucky 25 vs. East Carolina 19

ECUs 2008 season should be a ride at Six Flags.

Sugar Bowl

Utah 31 vs. Alabama 17

The only undefeated team in the FBS.


International Bowl

Uconn 38 vs. Buffalo 20

I was rooting for Buffalo or maybe their coach Turner Gill, either way, I didn't get what I wanted, but Uconn deserved to win.


Tostitos Fiesta Bowl

Ohio State 21 vs. Texas 24

Ohio State lost this game. Texas didn't win it. My question is why wait until the end of the season to run a two man quarterback system. Todd Boeckman proved he couldn't cut it in last year's bowl game and the beginning of this season. Terrelle Pryor outplayed him so why was Boeckman rewarded. Also, why in the world would you run a zero coverage blitz at the end of the game on your own 26 yard line?


GMAC Bowl

Ball State 13 vs. Tulsa 45

Total domination from the coaches to the players. Ball State QB Nate Davis might want to stay in college.


BCS National Championship Game

OU 14 vs. Florida 24

Why doesn't Bob Stoops eat cereal, because he always loses the bowls. He was out-coached for the third season in a row in a BCS bowl game. Coming into the game OU was 76/80 in the red zone. The Sooners went 2/4 in the red zone, and that proved to be the difference in the game.

Chokelahoma

The Oklahoma Sooners squandered an opportunity for an eighth national title last night in the national championship game. Give all the credit to Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin and Brandon Spikes for leading a determined Florida effort.

The truth of the matter is that as much as the aforementioned Gator trio helped the Gator nation, the Oklahoma Sooners lost this game more than Florida won it. Oklahoma finished 5th in the country in Red Zone scoring percentage at a 93% clip. Oklahoma failed twice to score in the Red Zone against the Gators. Furthermore, crucial turnovers also limited the formerly potent Oklahoma offense to only 14 points. Previous to entering the Pro Player Stadium, the Sooners scored the most points in the history of college football in a single season.

I blame coaching. Oklahoma was not “out-athleted”, they simply played very conservative and their attack was very vanilla. So vanilla that it was the attack of Braum's, Blue Bell, and Ben and Jerry's. Charlie Strong blitzed early and often and also added a new wrinkle putting Janoris Jenkins on Ryan Broyles in the slot more similar to an NFL defensive scheme than a college one and it really stifled the Sooners all night. Another big reason that the Sooners were limited offensively was the absence of Demarco Murray, whose jitterbug style and break away speed was sorely missed as Chris brown’s straight ahead style was not as effective as Murray’s would have been if he was healthy. The Oklahoma defense was stellar holding the Gators to 24 points and really giving the Sooners ample opportunity to win the game on the offensive end.

You really have to hang this loss on Bob Stoops and the Sooner offensive game plan, which stunk even though there was still opportunity to win. A birdie has sent me a message saying that as of last night David Boren confirmed that Stoops was leaving to take the head-coaching job for the Denver Broncos. I don’t know how true this is but it may be the motivation OU needs to take their game to the next level.

Oklahoma reigns dominant over college football besides games that matter, which is basically an oxymoron. To lose half of the last 6 national championships is unacceptable. Furthermore, the only title that Stoops won was with what was on of his least talented teams at OU with John Blake's players. Superman(Tebow) and Spikes should garner praise as great leaders for Florida, but is was Oklahoma’s lack of an on field leader that was the impetus downfall for the Sooners throwing a national title in the trash once again.

Sincerely,




Big Game Clayborne

What Florida Needs to Do to Win

The Gators need to be who they are to win the game. Who are the Gators? The fastest team in America that's who. Jeff Demps, Brandon James, Chris Rainey, Percy Harvin, Joe Haden, etc. Speed kills and the Gators will need it to defeat the Sooners.

Offense

The Gators do not need to worry much about the Sooners defense. It sucks bottom line. The way Florida went blow for blow with the vaunted Alabama defense shows me that they will have no problem with the Sooners defense. Stay balanced with Tebow, Demps, and Rainey in the run game. Harvin should be back to full speed, and if not a 3/4 speed Percy Harvin is still a threat at anytime to break a big play. Wideouts David Nelson and Riley Cooper showed they can step up and perform well if called on. The Gators' 3rd ranked scoring offense versus the Sooners 58th ranked scoring defense has the clear advantage.

Defense

The Gators defense will be the key to the game. The Sooners have yet to face a defense this fast this season. The defensive line doesn't have big name stars that are known to the world, but all four of these guys are emerging. The linebacking core is solid, and Brandon Spikes, a first team All-American is the heart and sould of the defense, and the best player. He is able to defend the pass and the run, leading the Gators in tackles with 87 and second on the team with 4 picks.

The Gators have to get substitutes in and out the game fast dealing with the Sooners no huddle offense. Sam Bradford must be rattled for the Gators to win. He cannot stand comfortable in the pocket and pick apart the secondary. The Gators can get pressure on Bradford with their front four, but Bradford is athletic enough to dodge the one defender that will get through, and still be able to make the pass down field. This is why the Gators must blitz the Sooners with a vengeance. The Florida linebackers have enough speed to get to the Bradford before he can make the hot-read and get the throw off accurately.

Sooners RB Chris Brown is very efficient and backup Mossis Madu will provide some of the explosion lost with RB Demarco Muarry out of the game. Florida needs to be weary of quick hit running plays, draws and screens.

Special Teams

Mardy Gilyard and Jordan Shipley ring a bell. Both wideouts ran back kickoffs against the Sooners this season. Many other KR have gotten huge chunks of yards against the Sooners kickoff coverage. If Brandon James is able to break one for a score it could be the difference in the game. Also, the Sooners will score against the Gators, so James will have beaucoups of opportunities to return kicks, so even if he doesn't break the long one, his 23.6 KO return average will take a huge boost against the Sooners shotty coverage placing the Gators in great field position all game long.

If the Gators listen to me, they will win.

Peace,


Ricky Writer

Can OU Win?

It’s true that Oklahoma has spent the entire season making teams look like JV squads en route to breaking an NCAA record with 702 total points. It’s also true that Heisman winning QB Sam Bradford has put up numbers gaudier than Slick Rick. What’s not true is that the Sooners have done any of this against the country’s top defenses, aside from TCU.

For the Sooners to roll on to a national championship, Bradford is going to have to first prove that his numbers weren’t just for show, or to ensure a Heisman, and that he can do to Florida’s number 8 ranked defense what he has done to so many other sub par Ds this year. As if this may not be a hard enough task for Bradford and the Sooners, they will be without second leading rusher DeMarco Murray, who has undergone surgery to repair a ruptured hamstring tendon, making the spotlight on Bradford even brighter.

Don’t expect the sooner D to shy away from Tim Tebow or the Gators versatile offense, especially after comments from Tebow claiming that he’d like to have a crack at a Big XII defense, and the buzz those comments have created. The fact remains that the Big XII (particularly the Big XII South) was the best conference in the nation this year, while on the surface it appears that the SEC was down from top to bottom. A closer look would show you, though, that the Gators O has put up some pretty gaudy numbers of its own against some pretty stingy defenses (and higher ranked than most of those faced by the Sooners). What this means is that there may be more pressure on the Sooner D to stop Tebow and his weapons than there is on Bradford to pile up points.

The bottom line here is that while they are the higher ranked team, there is more pressure on the Sooners (on both sides of the ball) to show up on Thursday than there is on the Gators, which may not bode well for any fans hoping for a chance at a Boomer Sooner chant.

Peace,


Mr. Dix

Wildcard Weekend Review

You all saw the games, hopefully so I'm not going to tell you things you already know, rather I'm just going to give you a look at the weekend from my huge round big eyes.

Colts vs. Bolts

Darren Sproles is a monster. He's played this way all his life and its a great time for fans to take notice and NFL GMs especially since Sproles' contract is up this season.

The Colts had plenty of chances to put the game away, so even though the late defensive holding call against Colts CB Tim Jennings was very bogus, the Colts have no one to blame but themselves.

NFL OT rules suck. Peyton Manning, the NFL MVP, didn't even get to see the field in overtime. Yes, defense wins championships, but it is still not fair. Both teams should touch the ball on offense. It all comes down to a coin toss and who gets the ball first. In this past season, 9 of the that went into OT were decided in the first possession.

Falcons vs. Cardinals

The final score does not indicate how well the Cardinals controlled this game. They held the leagues second leading rusher, Michaedl Turner, to only 60 yards. A season low for him. You know the Cards are going to put up points, but with Edgerrin James gaining 73 yards and the defense stepping up, it was a no brainer who would win. Matt Ryan played well going 26 for 40 for 199 and 2 td strikes, but he also threw 2 picks. Either way, Cards deserved to win, and the Falcons had a great season.

Ravens vs. Dolphins

The Dolphins had a league low 13 turnovers in 16 games this season. When you don't turn the ball over you win games which is why the Fins won the AFC East this season. Well yesterday they didnt stick to their bread and butter, which is smart football. The Fins turned the ball over 5 times yesterday, a season high. The Ravens are good, but don't give them any help by beating yourselves which is exactly what the Dolphins did. Ed Reed balled out as usual, picking off two passes and taking one back 64 yards to the house.

Eagles vs. Vikings

Quarterbacks are pretty important. Both teams turned the ball over twice. It was a hard fought game. Adrian Peterson was nuetralized all game as was Brian Westbrook, yes they both had two huge plays but they weren't the reason that the Eagles won or the Vikings lost. The QBs were. Stat line, please.

Donovan McNabb

23 of 34 passing for 300 yards, 1 touchdown vs. 1 pick

Tavaris Jackson

15 of 35 passing for 164 yards, no tds vs. 1 pick



Peace Out,


Francis White, Jr.

NFL Wildcard Playoff JIMMYS

The Wildcard weekend did not disappoint. Several players balled out, but these two out-shined them all.
Darren Sproles, Chargers RB

When LT went down with an injury the Bolts didn't skip a beat because "Little Tank" as he is known stepped in played lights out. (Shout out to Shawn Merriman) Sproles had 326 all purpose yards and 2Tds. His last touchdown was the game winning touchdown to move the Chargers onto the Divisional Playoff round.
Ed Reed, Ravens FS

My man crush on Ed Reed the football player, superstar safety, best safety to ever live, best center fielder not playing baseball and coldest thing to ever play the game of football continues. It was a regular day for Mr. Reed. 1 tackle, 2 picks, one returned for a touchdown. He was tripping the the 4th quarter, however, when he let a possible third pick go right through his hands.


Peace,

Frank White, Jr.

The Other National Championship Game

The Fiesta Bowl pits the No. 3 ranked Texas Longhorns vs. the No. 10 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes.

We all know Texas got screwed by the Big 12 conference tiebreaker rules. Although the Horns will not be in BCS championship game, they can still win the AP title. Currently Florida has 50 first place votes, OU 9, and UT 6. If OU beats Florida, those 50 votes are up in the air and depending on how both games go Texas still has a chance for a split national championship. The last time a split title happened was the 2003 season when OU slid in the back door to play in the BCS title game against LSU in the Sugar Bowl while USC was on the outside looking in and took their frustrations out on an under match Michigan Wolverine squad in a 28-14 USC victory.

Texas boasts Hesiman trophy runner up, Colt Mccoy, to lead their offense. Mccoy has completed 78 percent of his passed for 3,445 yards and 32 tds with only 7 picks. Mccoy also moonlights as a running back leading the team with 576 yards rushing and 10 tds.

The UT defense is led by Bronko Nagurski award winner Brian Orakpo. Orakpo had 35 tackles, 9 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, 23 QB pressures, and 3 forced fumbles.

The OSU offense is led by Junior tailback Beanie Wells who rushed for 1,091 yards and 8tds. Freshman QB Terrelle Pryor and Senior WR Brian Robiskie also put up points for the Buckeye offense. Pryor has only showed his age very few times this season as he plays with great poise throwing 12Tds to only 4 picks with a 152 QB rating. Robiskie did himself a service by staying in school for another year and is giving Pryor a reliable deep threat target by catching 37 balls with 8 of them being touchdown grabs.

The Buckeye defense is lead by Senior LB James Laurinaitis, who was voted consensus All-American for the third straight season with 121 tackles and 4 sacks. Thorpe award winner Malcolm Jenkins leads the Buckeye secondary. Jenkins opted to stay in school this past season rather than to hit the league the extra year experienced has certainly helped. He has only picked off 3 passes this year, but teams do not throw his way often.

Who's gonna win?

The spread is for the Longhorns -8. However the Longhorns have not faced this Buckeye defense or any other defense this good for that matter. While the Buckeyes have faced an offense as prolific as the Longhorns, when they faced USC in the 2nd week of the season this year and lost bad to the Trojans. I think Texas hasn't quite gotten over being screwed by its own conference and look for them to take this as a concellation game and not a great opporutinty to play in a BCB bowl game. Look for OSU to beat Texas 21 to 17.

Peace,

Ricky Writer

Darren Sproles Days Are Numbered

Michael Turner, starting running back for the Atlanta Falcons, played second fiddle to Chargers star RB Ladanian Tomlinson for four years. When given the opportunity, Turner balled out, so well that the Falcons took a risk on a player who was never a feature back by giving him a 6 year $34.5 million dollar contract. Turner didn't disappoint either, leading the Falcons to the playoffs and being 2nd in MVP voting this year. Could Darren Sproles be the next Chargers backup RB to get paid this off-season?

Sproles, a fourth-round pick in 2005, will be a free agent at the end of this year. He is a great returner, has good speed, even better quickness and is tougher than you would expect. Coming into the league he was thought to be only a 3rd down back. Like Turner, when provided the opportunity, Sproles has not only played well, but made some fans utter Ladanian who?

His 326 all purpose yard and 2 touchdown effort effort this past weekend in the Wildcard game against the favored Indianapolis Colts put Sproles in the driver's seat of a big time contract this off-season.

The Chargers only main free agency concerns other than Sproles will be RT Jeromey Clary and Guard Mike Goff. Look for Clary to get resigned because he is more talented and younger and for Goff to bolt(no pun intended) to another team.

So what is Chargers management to do? Pay a back up like you would a starter because the back up plays like he should start but the current starter, Ladanian Tomlinson, is a better starter than the back up Darren Sproles who could start for several teams in the NFL? Yes, everyone in the NFL wants to get paid, but it is so much more fun when you get paid and you play a starter's role. This is why I think no matter how much the Chargers put on the table, Sproles wants to start and its not gonna happen in San Diego, so Sproles will be gone at season's end. Heck, the Yankees couldn't resign Sproles if they couldn't promise him the starting gig.

When Sproles does sign his deal this year, he'll have to pay homage to Warrick Dunn and Brian Westbrook who have made it possible for "little guy" running backs to succeed as every down backs in the NFL.

There is something in that San Diego water, because Marcus Allen and Reggie Bush both hail from the 619. LT and Michael Turner have made huge impressions on the league thus far in their careers and now Sproles is making his mark. Chargers management shouldn't take the Sproles loss to hard, they've proven by drafting LT, Turner and Sproles that they know what a good back looks like so they'll have no trouble replacing Sproles in this year's up coming draft.

Good work D-Sproles.

Sincerely,

Rajean Pierre Louis