Just
some random thoughts for a Monday morning…..
Ohio
State plays Michigan this Saturday at noon and the Buckeyes
see this game as a stepping stone to the Big Ten title game next week
in Indianapolis, playing the winner of the Minnesota-Wisconsin game
Saturday. But for Jim Harbaugh, this game might be his swan song.
Harbaugh
has not beaten the Buckeyes in 4 tries. All coming against Urban
Meyer. This will be his first meeting with Ryan Day, who has won 13
games as head coach in Columbus. In fact, the
last time Michigan
beat Ohio State in
football was on November 26, 2011. But do the Wolverines have what
it takes to beat what many think is the most complete team in College
Football this season?
Currently
Michigan appears to be playing their best under Harbaugh in his
tenure. They have won 4 straight and should be playing in a New
Years Day bowl game. And the game is in the “Big House”. The
decibels will be high, as will be the emotions. A win will cement
Harbaugh’s tenure in Michigan for years to come, but a loss………
The
NFL has a problem
on and off the field. Their handling of the Garrett Myles-Mason
Rudolph fight from last week has proven in the NFL, if you hit a
woman your suspension is less than if you if you fight on the field.
Don’t think for one second Myles doesn’t deserve to be suspended,
because he did. But to completely dismiss the possibility that
Rudolph uttered a racial slur by simply saying their was no audio
available is insulting to the fans of the league. Especially when
video showed a parabolic microphone within 15 yards. That microphone
is the kind with a satellite dish around it and it picks up the
signals the offense and defense yell out before a play. Yet the NFL
would have you believe that audio wasn’t available.
On
the field the story remains the same. Referees can’t seem to get out
of their own way, or the way of the games. New Orleans, even though
they won, challenged an obvious miscall on offensive pass
interference and it was upheld. Then Carolina challenged an uncalled
and questionable defensive pass interference late in the game, and it
was overturned. Only in New Orleans.
Freddie
Kitchens continues to prove he is not an NFL caliber head coach. In
fact, he is not a head coach at any level. Kitchens needs to spend
more time coaching his team and less arguing with Refs. After the
Browns had built a 28-0 lead, Kitchens, who calls the plays for the
Browns, went into a shell and caused the “lull” he questions
about his team every week.
Kitchens
started playing the clock in the second quarter and tried to kill the
game, without using the two best running backs the Browns have had
since Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner. Kitchens is in over his head and
needs to be replaced after the season. But Cleveland might win out,
and unfortunately for the future of the franchise, that is the worst
thing that could happen.
In
Cincinnati, please fire Zac Taylor immediately. Taylor is
another coach who has no business holding that title. He is not who
you want watching over the rebuild of the Bengals on the field.
The
New England Patriots are still the best team in the NFL,
until another team proves they can out coach the best coach in NFL
history, Bill Belichick. Belichick over prepares and always has his
teams ready for anything the opponent can throw at the Pats.
Yesterday
was a great example. Twice the Cowboys tried a trick play and twice
the Pats were up to the challenge. Under Belichick the Patriots have
won with offense, defense, small receivers, big receivers, big name
players and nobody’s. They have won with back up quarterbacks in
Matt Cassell and an unknown guy at the time, Tom Brady. The only
constant has been Belichick.
That
being said, the Dallas Cowboys are the most overrated team.
The Cowboys have yet to beat a team with a winning record and have
crushed other that have totaled only 14 wins against 40 losses and 1
tie. The New York Jets have the best record of any team Dallas has
won against at 5-6. Dak Prescott is going to sign a very lucrative
contract after the season off the numbers he has put up on losing
teams, rather than winners. Make no mistake, Dallas is a good team.
But not a Super Bowl contender.
Mount
St. Joseph’s men’s basketball team has a roster of 9
sophomores, 5 freshman and 1 senior. They are 1-4 based mainly upon
the schedule they have played. Of their 4 losses, 2 have come
against teams in the NCAA Division 3 top 20 polls. Wittenberg at #5
and Marietta at #18. Tuesday night the schedule presents Wabash.
The Little Giants are ranked #14 in the Nation.
The
Lions are learning to win. Coach Toby Carrigan is putting the youth
through this type of schedule to make them better for the Heartland
Conference schedule, starting in December. Make no mistake, this
team will be ready. They are fun to watch and if they can get
consistent scoring from players other than Devin Young, Brady Thomas
and Peyton Meadors, they will be a formidable club.
To
the Cleveland Indians,
please do not trade Francisco Lindor.
To the Cleveland Cavaliers, you’re fun to watch under John Beilein. But please trade Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson for draft picks at the trade deadline.
And to you, Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
