Monday, September 2, 2013

Week 1: SEC Rewind

Well the first week of SEC Football is in the books. What do we know about the conference? What are some of my observations? Here we go!

Georgia is overrated. Yes, I said it and not because they were beaten by an ACC team in Clemson. Although, that would be enough justification in itself don't you think? They were very porous in defending the run and their own run offense moved liked irrigation pond water. Mark Richt has officially squatted himself right back on the old "Peach State" hot seat (although South Carolina actually produces more peaches than Georgia so in reality SC is the Peach State...oh, never mind.) You know what I mean. Richt was out coached by Clemson's Defensive Coordinator Brett Venables and Offensive Coordinator Chad Morris. I can't rightly give any credit to Dabo Swinney because I still haven't figured out exactly what he is coaching, can you? Let's just say the Dawgs are in trouble heading into the Border Clash with Carolina.

Ole Miss survived vs.Vandy. I still don't know if they are improved from last year? Personally I think they are a few years off and then I still don't think they can finish any better then fourth in the SEC West. Vandy's Coach Franklin is the Flavor Flav of the SEC, a premier hype man. However, that may not be enough for Vanderbilt this year.

Tennessee! Yes, your better than Vandy and Kentucky. Unfortunately, that's it. Butch Jones has his work cut out for him. Note to Butch: Your not going to get any better playing Austin Peay. Watch out for Bobby Petrino and Western Kentucky next week. Hey, on the bright side you do have two sure wins. With Phil Fulmer 9-10 win seasons were the norm. How do you like your new norm?

LSU was impressive against TCU. Zach Mettenberger looks like he's finally comfortable in Elmer Fudd's, I mean Les Miles offense. Have to admit I meant to watch more of this game but was transfixed on the Georgia game up in the Cow Pasture.

Arkansas. I can't really make a valid evaluation of Bret Bielema's team after their performance against a depleted UL Lafayette team. Looks like you will have three more scrimmages vs. Samford, Southern Miss and Rutgers next and you still probably won't know too much about yourselves prior to your 9/28 tilt with Texas A&M. By the way, that's not a good game in which to find out about yourself in. Just sayin'.

Missouri. What can I say, you disappoint me. We all had you pegged to make the leap to respectability ahead of Texas A&M. Seems Coach Gary Pinkel can't get with the program. While Kevin Sumlin is winning the recruiting battle with Texas seems Pinkel is not quite sure were to recruit from. Bottom line is if you can't start getting recruits from the South to the other Columbia Mizzou is in trouble. Murray State is not exactly a game with which to impress said recruits. On the brite side, you won the game. With Toledo, Indiana and Arkansas State upcoming your another team we will know nothing about heading into SEC play.

Kentucky, really? How can I put it? Hmmm...you stink! I know, I know Coach Stoops is bringing the program back. Yeah, Justin Timberlake is bringing sexy back also! Western Kentucky? You've got to be kidding me. Somewhere Joker Phillips is laughing his ass off. Win a game and I'll comment on your state of affairs. Until that time, be gone with you! You are testing my patience.

Texas A&M. A signature 2nd half (pun intended of course.) Johnny Football was counting his money and giving Coach Sumlin the Gas-Face! Although young Joekel played half-decent in the first half let's hope for your sake Johnny Loudmouth doesn't go down this season. That 1st half was a little sluggish without Manziel at the helm.The ESPN analyst's have challenged Johnny to a handicap cage match. Lou "Superfly" Holtz and Scott "Mankind" May want to give the Heisman winner a beat down he will remember. There is no "I" in team Johnny. Seems there's one in ManzIel though?

Florida. I don't know what to think of you quite yet. QB1 Driskell did his job against an outmatched Toledo team. Defense looked good but not great. I really hate these cupcake games. Should get a good test this coming Saturday vs. Miami.

Auburn. Your back! Not really but it's a start. You didn't look half-bad against Washington State. Which on the flip side means you didn't look half good either. Gus Malzahn is doing a yeoman's job getting the War Eagle engine back on the tracks. Nick Marshall looked like a QB making his first start. I do see an upside in the young man. Looks like Gus is going to try and keep this Tiger offense on the ground this year. Might not be a bad ideal at all if he can keep the chains moving. You might actually be 3-0 going into the LSU game. Hey, it's a start.

Al-a-bam-a (in my Keith Jackson voice,) Whooa Nelly. Do I see some chinks in the armor? Big plays were the name of the game vs.Virginia Tech. Still haven't determined whether VT defense was that good or if the Tide is still working on that O-Line. May have been a combination of both. Nick Saban has a work in progress going on with that front four. I didn't see the gaping holes of yesteryear appearing with quite the same frequency. T.J. Yelden had to actually work for quite a bit of his yards Saturday. However, Saban's D was still able to bring that trademark pressure. Logan Thomas was either running or throwing all day like a Hokie with his head cut off. Next up for the Tide is Johnny Football and Texas A&M. I like the Tide's chances in that one.

South Carolina. The real CAROLINA had no problem with the Tarheels. It was hotter than a billy goat's ass in a pepper patch on Thursday evening in Columbia, SC. Jadeveon Clowney took more abuse from the ESPN announcer's for being "gassed" then he did from anyone on the Heels O-Line. As we expected the Carolina D-Line did not disappoint. They limited a high powered Heel offense to 10 points, 7 of which came as a gift compliments of an erroneous personal foul call.  Connor Shaw looked like a seasoned veteran and backup Dylan Thompson threw a TD on his only attempt of the game. I would say that the Cocks QB situation is well in hand.. I really like the running back combo of Mike Davis and Brandon Wilds. The change of pace is going to be a thorn in opponents sides all year. The receiver's stepped up in the absence of a healthy Bruce Ellington. I like what I'm seeing from the young receiving corps. You know how you don't want to get Bruce Banner angry. Well the analyst's have gotten Jadeveon Clowney angry. Georgia, your not going to like him when he's angry! See you next week folks.

Monday, April 15, 2013

Tiger is the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time)

Eldrick "Tiger" Woods is the greatest golfer of all time and you, yes YOU, don't like it!

Folks, you are really missing something special, something historical. A once in a lifetime comet that is streaking by, never to be witnessed again. A living, active legend, an icon within our midst. However, you can't see the forest for the trees. You are consumed with bitterness, pettiness and jealousy that cloud your vision like cataracts. Tiger Woods is the Michael Jordan of golf. Everyone has prospered in the game because of him. He has transcended the sport while leaving the player's around him with better opportunities, endorsements and livelihoods. He has raised the talent level in golf by demanding and expecting excellence to beat and compete with him. Is he without fault? Absolutely not. He has had transgressions to which he has been punished in the media and paid for. He has had injuries and battled back, self-exiles etc. He is a human-being, not a machine. Yet you don't appreciate his greatness.

Tiger changed the game! The great one's always do. They made the basketball lane wider because of Chamberlain, they outlawed dunking because of Lew Alcindor/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's greatness. Because of Tiger they tore up golf courses and made them longer to "Tiger Proof' them. Woods so decimated the venerable Augusta National in 1997 and 2001 that by the next year they added yardage to half the holes and in subsequent years they grew rough higher, added trees, moved back tees and narrowed fairways.

Tiger Woods also competes against the best golfer's in the world. Not taking anything away from Jack, Arnie and Sam etc. but Woods competition is not selling cars or insurance in the off-season. Tiger's competition practices year round and their only pursuit in life is winning and the hopes of one day dethroning the king if not for only a few weeks or months at a time. Understand Woods has been ranked #1 in the world a cumulative 627 weeks and counting. The next closest player (Greg Norman) never recorded more then 331 weeks and he's now playing on the Senior Tour somewhere.

What else is it that he must do? Surely he will near 18 Major Championships. I know you don't want him to surpass Jack Nicklaus but baring injury he will. It's just a matter of when?  He has already surpassed everyone, Jack included, in PGA tour wins (82) with the exception of Sam Snead who he is tied with at (82.) By the way, Tiger has only played in 373 events to Snead's 553 and Nicklaus's 594. Ah yes, but you hold out hope. You continue to look for the next great thing in golf to knock Woods off his throne. Westwood, Kaymer, Donald and McIIroy have all come and gone with a combined 15 career wins including 2 Majors. I'll even throw in Mickelson's 41 career wins with 4 Major's and that still only raises cumulative total to 56 PGA wins and 6 Majors. Still considerably short of Tiger's totals.

But you continue to sit there brooding. The only thing left for you to do is break down driving, fairway, greens hit percentages and various other laughable statistics to attack Tiger with. You will say he hasn't won a Major since 2008. It's gotten to the point now that even PGA tour wins are not good enough for him. Woods must win Major's for you to legitimize his place in history.

This past weekend at the 2013 Master's Championship analysts and former player's Nick Faldo and Brandel Chamblee made embarrassing spectacles of themselves by criticizing Tiger after he erroneously made an illegal drop. The Master's rules committee enforced a two-stroke penalty on Woods.as provided by their interpretation of the rules. Faldo and Chamblee could barely hold their contempt and called for Woods to be disqualified or for him to DQ himself. What ensued were hours of unjustified character assassination against Woods. Through it all Tiger took the high road and never struck back. To me Woods showed more character during this fiasco then both analysts together. After a week were he admittedly did not play up to expectations he still managed to place 4th even after the 2 stroke penalty. Another Top 5 finish.

You need to smell the roses while the garden is in bloom. Revel in this once in a lifetime experience. When I reach my golden years I am going to have fond memories and stories of Tiger Woods the greatest golfer that ever lived. What will you have? I don't know. You're still looking for the next great thing. The problem is it's already here and his name is Eldrick "Tiger" Woods (The G.O.A.T.) The Greatest Of All Times!