The Dar Speaketh

Terry Bowden has an incisive mind

2006-10-16T14:35:00.000-07:00

If you believe the tagline at the bottom of all his work, Terry Bowden is “Yahoo! Sports' college football analyst.” It’s important to notice that the statement is exclusive. Bowden is not called “a” Yahoo! college football analyst. He’s not “one of” Yahoo’s analysts.

He’s the guy.

Now, let’s of course also recognize that Yahoo publishes the work of several other columnists from organizations like SI.com, Rivals.com, and The Sporting News. Still, if you are THE Yahoo Sports college football analyst, one might expect you to analyze something from time to time. Therein resides the brilliance of Mr. Bowden, who has somehow gotten himself an analyst job which requires zero analysis. Pretty sweet gig really.

Let’s break down his latest effort on the Miami-FIU brawl, a topic which should certainly give any analyst plenty of material.

“Just when you thought things couldn't get worse for the Miami Hurricanes and beleaguered head coach Larry Coker, it got drastically worse Saturday.”

Pretty standard lead. Bowden goes the same route as every other brawl article and adds to the shit-on-Larry Cokerathon.

“The brawl that marred the Florida International-Miami game turned into one of the worst team fights I have seen in recent years.”

Uhh, okay. What the hell does that have to do with anything?

“The schools' first meeting took a violent and ugly turn when the trash talking led to fisticuffs in the third quarter.”

First, thanks for restating what everybody already knows. Second, Bowden hasn’t so much as hinted that he’s planning on making an argument. And third, fisticuffs? Seriously? Maybe it’s just me, but once a fight grows to 80 people in size, is graduates from “fisticuffs” to “royal fuckin’ rumble.” Please, Terry, continue.

“It doesn't matter who started the fight; these players left a huge black eye for both programs.”

Again with the obvious…still waiting on an original thought though. Also, somewhere Lamar Thomas disagrees. Anyway…

“FIU and Miami are 9 miles apart. A lot of players for both teams have competed fiercely against one another for a long time, and I'm not sure this newly established matchup should continue. One thing is for certain – it does nothing for the Hurricanes, who have worked hard over the last few years to rid themselves of the rogue image that persisted through the 1980s and 1990s.”

Just worthless. And somebody please tell me how any of the thoughts in this graph are even related. The players have played against each other for years, but this newly-formed matchup might not be a good idea. Also, what exactly does nothing for the Hurricanes? Is he talking about the matchup or the brawl? It's written like the matchup does nothing for the Canes, which is probably true, but what does that have to do with shedding the rogue image? I truly have no idea what he’s saying at this point.

“The schools and their conferences suspended 31 players Sunday. Let's hope the athletes involved understand the seriousness of their actions and that they need to make amends.”

Just for good measure, another fact that everyone knew already, followed by one more pseudo-opinion that’s not even an opinion.

And that’s it. That’s the entire column. 178 words of nothing. It might as well not exist. And they pay him for this.

Like I said, pretty sweet gig really.

So much for this rivalry (Yahoo! Sports)
Ex-'Cane in trouble for remarks on TV (MSNBC)

LIVE BLOG: Cal vs. Oregon, 4th Quarter

2006-10-07T20:00:00.001-07:00

8:16- Long touchdown run to ice it by Justin Forsett. Mike Belloti just scooped his eye out with a spoon. Cal 45, Oregon 17

And with that, I'm going to bring to a close a long day of football, booze and typing. I have it clocked at a little over 8 hours. There are about five minutes left in the game, but I trust the Bears have this wrapped up. The one eye I have left is glazed over, and my eardrums are still bleeding from the cussing barrage Mrs. Dar unleashed earlier. Oregon has literally been outplayed from the very first snap of the game. Cal has looked great. This makes things very interesting in the Pac-10. I'm very glad SC plays both of these teams at home. Until next time.

8:15- Musburger: "If Kirk left tickets for Jessica Simpson, she'd come." I just scooped out my eyeball with a spoon.

8:06- Not so much. INT on the very next play, and it was a bad one. That should pretty much give Cal the win. A comeback at this point would be monumental. The way Oregon looks, it's a million to one.

8:05- Oregon gets bailed out with a roughing the passer call after the Ducks dropped a sure thing 1st down. They're giving you chances Oregon! Jesus. Take advantage of one!

7:59- OK...Oregon holds to start the 4th. Cal punts it away. Ducks will take over at their own 30. Is there a Oklahoma sized comeback hidden in there somewhere?

LIVE BLOG: Cal vs. Oregon, 3rd Quarter

2006-10-07T19:16:00.000-07:00

7:51- Hey, everyone...the Ducks showed up! Dixon goes over the top for a touchdown. That provides juuuuuust enough to make me keep watching for a few minutes in the fourth. Cal 38, Oregon 17

7:46- Why don't they just let Herbie call the rest of the game? Seriously, why not?

7:42- Well, the Bears just rolled their way down the field while Musburger chatted up Herbstreit. Great second effort by Robert Johnson to get in for the score. Oregon is crawling around on the canvas trying to find it's collective mouthpiece. Cal 38, Oregon 10

7:31- Apparently Longshore leaves two tickets for every game for Jessica Simpson. He doesn't know her. Never met her. Never told her about the tickets, but he leaves them at Will Call every week. Again, I'll turn to thistle71, "creepy mormon."

7:25- Damien Hughes makes a nice stop on 3rd down, and Cal takes over again after the punt. This could effectively set up the knock-out punch.

7: 17- Cal kicks a FG to go up three scores. I'd say Oregon has roughly five minutes to make a move or this game is going to as good as over. Cal 31, Oregon 10

7:15- Who needs him. 41 yards to Jackson, and just like that, the Bears are inside the Oregon 30.

7:15- Still no word on Lynch's injury, but he isn't in the game to start the third.

7:14- Okay. The 2nd half is underway. TDS Pac-10 overdose is into the home stretch. Here's hoping Oregon can get back into this game. For attention's sake.

LIVE BLOG: Cal vs. Oregon, 2nd Quarter

2006-10-07T18:08:00.000-07:00

6:50- Speaking of out of place in Berkeley...Nate Longshore is Mormon? Who knew?

That'll do it for the half. Cal takes a big lead into the locker room. Oregon needs to find some fixes, because they've been exploited like an 18-year-old intern on Instant Messenger. Back in 20...

6:48- Touchdown Stewart. Big sequence. Oregon has at least delayed their demise for the time being. We can't call the game just yet. Cal 28, Oregon 10

6:45- Dixon gets sacked on 3rd down. Then...the Ducks go to the fake FG! Interesting. Down to the 1 yard line. Oregon needs to make this one count in order to stay in striking distance.

6:41- Oregon has gone to the option to try and steal some points before the half. If they could score here, it at least puts them in position to make a comeback.

6:38- Comment from thistle71: "silent rage." Things have gotten a bit comatose in my living room too. Gulp. Meanwhile, some Duck player just pulled a blind-sided jump kick on a defenseless Cal player. Pretty bad.

6:34- Explosive. After trading punts, Jackson took the kick to the house. Kid is a freakin' stud. Real nice of Brent to keep mentioning how he got away from USC too. One of the most exciting players in the Pac-10. I won't repeat all the stuff Mrs. Dar just screamed. Cal 28, Oregon 3

6:25- Cal just looks better right now in all facets. Better preparation, better exectution. Oregon setting up to punt it away again. The color guy thinks fake. Nope. And Desean Jackson broke off a big chunk on the return. Then he started doing what Musburger referred to as "woofing." Ugh.
6:19- Longshore keeper in for another score. Oregon better wake up, or this game is going to be out of reach before the break. There's a lot of time left in the 2nd for them to claw back, but it's about time to get started.

6:17- Um. Hmmm. Oregon fumbles it away. This has been an ugly game so far. Next play...Lynch wath a tight run. He even made his exit from the game cool, somersalting off with an injury. Bears back to the 2 yard line.

6:15- Hey Tedford! I bet a field goal would be nice right about now huh? Longshore gets picked in the end zone, Oregon takes over at the 20, and Mrs. Dar screams, "Kiss my momentum ass, Jeff Tedford." I'm not sure either.

6:14- Jeff Tedford with a Pete Carroll-esque call on 4th and 1 to go for it. 1st and goal.

6:10- Oooh, up close and personal with Marshawn Lynch. This is great, just great. Follow that up with a sideline report about where Lynch's mom sits during the game. I just vomited in my mouth.

6:09- Longshore comes right back with a strike to Marshawn Lynch. Bears inside the 15 again. It's looking very dire for the Ducks at the moment.

6:05- Another INT for the Cal defense on the first play of the 2nd. Mike Belloti should really starting running the ball on the first snaps of quarters. So far he's 0-2 with two picks.

LIVE BLOG: Welcome to Berkeley, Cal vs. Oregon, 1st Quarter

2006-10-07T16:58:00.000-07:00

6:04- Ohhhh! Zach Follett just destroyed Dixon on a sack to end the quarter. Wait, wha? The refs must be smoking too. That shit made no sense. They took away the sack and put 18 seconds back on the clock. I''m confused. Quarter over.

5:58:12- Touchdown. Shit, that was quick. So much for sloppy. Cal just went 60 yards in two plays. Desean Jackson hauled in a bomb for the score. Cal 14, Oregon 3

5:58- Nice looking Longshore pass to Lavell Hawkins for a long 1st down. One of the first well-executed plays in a pretty sloppy quarter...

5:55- Cal takes over after a punt. Musburger seems appalled that the score isn't 30-21 already after all his "Shootout, Pac-10 style" bullshit in the pre-game. Did I mention that I can't stand him?

5:53- "Somebody get him a fucking block! He just got pummeled in his fucking hip with someone's helmet!" -Mrs. Dar, on 2nd and 10

5:46- So has anybody ever been more out of place in a city than Brent Musburger is in Berkeley right now? Actually, I don't think he's actually there. He's probably across the Bay in Palo Alto just watching the game in a satellite truck sipping on some Pinot.

5:44- Oregon came right back with a big stop. That was a nice sequence for their D and one that gets them right back into the game.

5:39- Well, Oregon has settled down. They've started to get some rhythm, but Cal held tough at the 5. Field goal Cal 7, Oregon 3

5:35- Another good looking pass from Dixon, and the Ducks are to the 11. This has been a very solid drive.

5:31- The Duck center is back on. Meanwhile, they've strung together a couple nice plays. Some signs of intent.

5:28- Now it looks like Oregon's center is hurt. His leg hit a pretty nasty angle on that play. Maybe the Bears could just piss in Oregon's Gatorade too. This has been a horrible start for the Ducks.

5:19- Touchdown Bears. Nice look-off from Nate Longshore to fool the D. That was about as easy as it gets. The other cat is dead too. Cal 7, Oregon 0

5:17- Wow. Didn't expect that. Dennis Dixon threw an awful pick on his FIRST PLAY FROM SCRIMMAGE. In a related story, my wife just killed our cat.

5:13- Oooh, and the Bears have broken out the brand new, yellow alternate jerseys. Jeff Tedford or somebody else in Berkeley must've gotten Phil Knight some really good hash.

5:12- Corso just picked Cal. Herbie took Oregon. By the way, if you didn't see Gameday this morning, look at this.

5:05- Holy crap! ABC just threw a curveball. It's Musburger tonight! We'll I guess this just means we'll both hate the announcer.

5:04- And we're back. I feel refreshed (read: finally took a shower), and I am excited for Game 2 of the TDS Pac-10 overdose. Time to head up the 880 from Casa de Dar to Berkeley for Cal vs. Oregon. This is by-far the biggest game to-date in the Pac-10 this season, and it will go a long way toward determining who has the most realistic shot to knock off SC for the conference title.

We lost Neil and Mirch for Game 2, but we quintupled the energy/screaming/profanity in the room because Mrs. Dar now has a vested interest. Mrs. Dar is a Duck die-hard and a cusser! Plus! She may be the only Duck on the planet who hates Dan Fouts, who my guess is will be calling this game...we'll find out shortly. Anyway, the pieces are in place for an explosive night. I'll do my best not to pass out. Mmm, St. Pauli Girl.

LIVE BLOG: USC vs. UW, 4th Quarter

2006-10-07T15:08:00.000-07:00

4:00- Game Over! USC 26, UW 20 Jesus...that was absurd. The refs just gave UW 30 extra seconds to sub, form up, and call a play. UW has no reason to whine. The game is freakin' over. The Dawgs played great, don't get me wrong. But they came up short. Get off the field, Ty. And Trojans...you were lucky to get out with a win. Oregon, Cal, ND, and UCLA are going to be a tough four games to end the season. Better get back to work. The Pac-10 is officially up for grabs. As for me, I'm taking a break. 52 minutes until kickoff in game two. Oregon at Cal...get at me.

3:59- 2 seconds...spot the fucking ball...what is this shit? FUCK!

3:57- 4th down and 2...18 ticks...Stanbeck gets a first down...13 to go...

3:52:- Now Neil says, "I see it on SportsCenter. UW scores, misses the PAT. Then the game goes to overtime, and USC wins it." How crazy is it that that's even an option right now? Honestly, the Huskies look exactly like USC started to look at the end of Carroll's first season (my junior year). They look solid...like shit is finally coming around for them. Think about it...longtime national power that had been obselete for a handful of seasons. I'm just sayin' the parallels are there a bit. UW isn't as talented, but they are motivated and confident. That's a dangerous combo. They can start the rebirth next week...let's please hang on for this win.

3:50- First down for the Dawgs...1st and 10 from the 40...another 1st down the Shackelford. Pete, get your boys together.

3:46- Another Danelo FG. Sketch. Just let the clock please tick off. I do not like this at all. USC 26, UW 20

3:37- Chauncey Washington picks up another big 1st down. The guy has been a stud today. And I do like that the Trojans aren't blowing the game even with Jarrett and Smith out. The team is grinding it out...I guess I have to go back to analyzing SC like they're a "human" football team. They are definitely back to Earth. But, is does still look like they'll be undefeated at the end of the day...and possible #2 (Thanks Razorbacks!) First and goal.

3:34- Turner again! He's back in good graces...for now. Big gain on 2nd and 12. Keep it rolling.

3:31- Nice stop on a big 3rd down. SC needs to put 7 on the board now...if only for pride.

3:30- Mirch is here now too. His take, "This game looks rigged to me."

3:25- Taylor Mays gets called for a late hit. My first instinct was "freshman mistake." Then I saw the replay. That was a bullshit call. Awful.

3:20- 3-and-out? Timeout on the punt try? What team is this? Also Neil just said, "Wow are we gonna see the SportCenter game break tonight. 'Washington upsets USC!'" Sometimes I hate Neil. shhhh. I can see it too.

3:14- Jaw open. What the hell? USC just got punked all the way to six more points. The Pac-10 is totally wild this year. I just can't ever feel comfortable anymore.

3:09- Quote about Stanback from Raina (late arrival to the pad today), "When the fuck did this guy turn into Dan Marino?"

LIVE BLOG: USC vs. UW, 3rd Quarter

2006-10-07T14:25:00.000-07:00

3:05- Hey, what do you know? Oscar Lua just limped off. Jesus Christ.

3:03- Which gives the Trojans another momentum play. Great punt coverage.

3:01- And Moody looking strong too. Big run up the middle. Meanwhile, Steve Smith may have hurt his achilles. Seriously, could SC have more injuries? Fiiiiiiiizzzzzle. SC punting for the first time today.

2:59- Freakin' holding. Man, that was about ot be big. Again, Washington looks great.

2:58- Gobble him up! 3-and-out. Still have a feeling this game could get out of hand. Trojans need to put up 7.

2:54- FG. Pretty stale start to the third for both teams. USC 23, UW 13

2:49:20- Blocked punt! That's redemption right there fo sho! Trojan ball.

2:49- And just like that...USC ball again. Stanback finally botched a 3rd down. This is going to be the drive I think.

2:47- Fucking shit. Turner sends me right back into "not quite sure the guy's the next Jarrett" mode. Should have had that grab, and instead UW gets the ball back.

2:45- So the Trojans take over with a very short field. Didn't they go 96 yards on one drive in the first half? Enjoy defending your 37, Dawgs.

2:41- There's the Stanback we know and love. Two awful passes during a 3-and-out. Oh, by the way...nice punt.

2:37- If I was coaching the Trojans right now, I'd try an onside kick. Just an FU to Ty-Dub.

2:36- Frustrating finish to the drive. Totally stalled out inside the 10. Congrats on our field goal. USC 20, UW 13

2:34- Ok. Back to stellar...Turner, Davis, 1st and goal.

2:31:27- ...50 yards! Steve Smith! First down!

2:31- Wow. Ugly start for the SC offense...out of sync. 3rd and 14, aaaaaaand....

2:26- Wow. Way to go Huskies. Prove me right more. Blow your fluke chances, and you are dead in the water. Congrats on your field goal. USC 17, UW 13

2:23- Jesus Christ. I've been saying it for years. The flukey shit is cute. It'll keep you close for a bit. But seriously, are we here to play...holy shit...a REVERSE!!! Fuck, I'm not gonna lie...didn't see that start coming.

LIVE BLOG: USC vs. UW, 2nd Quarter

2006-10-07T13:25:00.000-07:00

2:00- And that's the half. The USC offense has looked great. Very workmanlike. The D has been stellar on every down except 3rd, and that's what has kept the Dawgs close. I feel like the Trojans should blow it open in the second half, but we shall see. UW does look solid so far. See everyone in 20...I'm going to go piss...wish I had X-MO for that.

1:55- Danelo kicks it through for 3. Trojans just need to protect the lead before the half. USC 17, UW 10

1: 54- Fuck! Great shoestring catch for a TD by Steve Smith gets negated for holding. Ouch. That was a fantastic play. Oooooooh, X-Mo.

1:51- And another nice 1st down run for Washington. The Husky D is dead.

1:50- Another cocky 4th and 2 call for the Trojans. Simple weak-side dive. Business as usual.

1:46- How, I ask, did we EVER get by watching football on TV without the wonderous X-MO? What a shite gimic.

1:45- Turner again for the first down. I'll tell you what...all the SC coaches have been saying he's the next Jarrett. This is the first time I've started to truly believe it. He's having a great first half.

1:42- There we go! C.J. Gable with- dare I say - a Bush-esque kickoff return to start the next possession. I don't think the Husky D can stop SC. We'll see if they bring any sac to the table on this drive.

1:39- Good lord. The Husky offense looked downright respectable on that drive. They do look like a different program. Nice decision making for Stanback too...able to get the Dawgs in for a TD instead of settling for 3. USC 14, UW 10

1:34- Give Stanback credit. He stood in and got laid out but was able to find Ellis for the 1st down. He does have promise...still counting on that INT though.

1:31- Already a career high in catches and yards for Turner.

1:28- Followed by another big catch from Turner. Great TD pass. Booty looked real sharp on that drive. I think this could be the day that SC finally covers the spread. No, I didn't bet on it...heavily. USC 14, UW 3

1:25- And another big run from Washington!

1:24- Trojans get a 1st down on another catch by Patrick Turner. You can see that the coaching staff is starting to trust him more and more. He's definitely getting his share of chances...and Chauncey Washington is looking great so far. Another solid run and then a big gain on a check-down. Good stuff.

LIVE BLOG: Welcome to L.A., USC vs. UW, 1st Quarter

2006-10-07T11:38:00.000-07:00

1:18- FSN shows Henry Winkler flashing the victory sign. 8 seconds later...Stanbeck throws it away on 3rd down. Coincidence? I think not. Huskies poke a FG through to end the 1st Quarter. USC 7, UW 3

1:16- Score check: LSU has jumped out to a 7-0 lead over Florida.

1:14- So apparently UW can only play well on 3rd and long. That's three straight conversions. Followed by a huge run by James. I gotta say, the SC D is guessing at the moment.

1:13- According to Petros, "Sonny Shackleford is doing a great job of catching Stanback's balls." Nice.

1:10- Nice find by Stanback on 3rd and long to get the Huskies a first down. That's one completion, which means his first INT is about three attempts away.

1:08- Oh, good. I was really wondering how Ohio State was faring against Bowling Green. Total toss-up.

1:07- Oh by the way, that first drive...18 plays, 96 yards. Decent.

1:00- So you know how I said that 4th and 1 was a cocky call? Yeah, well the fake FG for a touchdown was a lot cockier. Sweet stuff. USC 7, UW 0

12:59- The bad news...Jarrett just dropped what would've been a sweet TD pass. The good news...he took a shot on his shoulder and hopped right up.

12:57- 4th and 1 for the Trojans in clear FG range. What should they do? Run off tackle with Washington. Cocky first down.

12:55- After a near pick on 2nd down, Booty just threw an absolute dart to Patrick Turner on 3rd and long. First down.

12:51- The frosh Vidal Hazelton picks up a nice gain after a big Chauncey Washington run. Hazelton is going to be a very nasty player in a year or two.

12:47- Vintage Stanback one-hop pass on third-and-short. 3 and out to start the game. Daddy like.

12:46- Also back today...D-lineman Sedrick Ellis. He has been missed up front the last couple weeks.

12:44- Looks like Dwayne Jarrett is going to get some reps today despite the injured shoulder. Let's hope Pete Carroll doesn't regret that decision at 4pm.

12:40- Great. They just had to point out that Ty Willingham was the last coach to beat SC at the Coliseum didn't they?

12:31- And it's time to dance. Pray I make it through the day. The good folks at FSN have given us the gift of the borderline insane Petros Papadakis (who just brushed his shoulder off during the intro) as our color man today. I actually have a soft spot in my heart for Petros because he was still a RB at USC during my first couple years. Somewhere in the Annenberg TV News archives there's a very funny 6 0r 7 minute on-camera interview during which Petros chain-smokes three cigarrettes. This was during the season...ahhh, the Paul Hackett years.

12:18- First order of business is to gave some major kudos to Arkansas who just tied a pretty bow on their 27-10 win on the road against #2 Auburn. The Razorbacks just dominated the entire game, and in doing so, left the door wiiiiiiide open for the Trojans. USC is back in the position of just needing to win their own games to get into the title game. Would be very nice to see them make a statement today.

11:45- Welcome, all, to the the second installment of TDS Live Blog. This one's a doozy. In fact, I may be in over my head. Two games, 8 hours. All live. We pop the top (literally...there's a bottle of Cook's on ice to get shit started) on this day with USC hosting Washington. We'll wrap it up tonight with Oregon at Cal. Same drill as last time. Each quarter gets it's own post. I'll update each quarter's section throughout. Feel free to get at me during the games: the.dar@hotmail.com

The cast of characters this week: Myself, and thirteen beautiful women. That would be Mrs. Dar (raging Duck fan) and the twelve St. Pauli Girls chilling in my fridge. There's also the aforementioned Cook's and an emergency six-pack of Rolling Rock just in case we have to deal with overtime. As always, apologies in advance for the inevitable increase in spelling errors and profanity. Back in 45...

LIVE BLOG SATURDAY! A Pac-10 overdose

2006-10-05T20:26:00.000-07:00

This Saturday I will once again team up with an unhealthy amount of beer and my laptop to live-blog a huge weekend in the Pac-10. For the Left Coast fans out there, we'll kick it off at 12:30 pm (Pacific) with Washington at USC on FSN. Then we'll flip over to ABC for the big one of the day. Oregon at Cal at 5pm. Be forewarned...Mrs. Dar will be cussing up a storm for that one.

It'll be a long day. I'm thinking close to 8 straight hours, and I must say, I'm looking forward to the challenge of trying to come up with cogent thoughts for that long...not that I'm incredibly committed to the cause. Let's be real. I won't remember anything I write after the first quarter of game two, and my memory of the game will be as blurry as that Huskies logo up there.

Should be good times.

Ahmad Carroll is having a bad week

2006-10-03T19:35:00.000-07:00

If only that picture was the extent of his troubles. Sure, the guy had a horrible game on MNF. Sure, his two major mistakes led to two Philly scores, but c'mon. We're talking about the Packers here. It's not like this is the Steel Curtain. Did they really need to cut the guy 12 hours later? All that does is bump Jarrett Bush and Will Blackmon up on the CB depth chart. Career tackles: two. For both of them. Combined! I understand Carroll isn't a top-tier DB, but he is a first round pick with 104 tackles in 2+ years. Couldn't you at least try to coach him? The Packers are one horrific Al Harris dreadlock-pokes-eye-out injury away from a real emergency in the secondary.

Packers release CB Carroll (Yahoo! Sports)

And the winner is...Golf Cart!

2006-10-02T19:09:00.000-07:00

From the Super Trampoline Basketball file comes another great moment in "Stupid Kid Meets Laws of Physics" backyard athletics. This one truly had all the makings of a Rumble in the Jungle-type classic, and strangely enough, in the end the result was just as one-sided.

So without further delay, by way of FileCabi.net, I'm happy to present: Golf Cart vs. Kid's Face

Guess which one gets rope-a-doped?

Golf Cart vs. Kid's Face (FileCabi.net)
Deadspin HOF Nominee: Super Trampoline Basketball (Deadspin)

I truly don't know what to say about this

2006-09-27T18:39:00.000-07:00

One of the craziest stories I've heard in a while. Seriously, almost Mike Tyson crazy. I'm not even sure what to think about it, much less how to poke fun at it. In fact, I can't poke fun at it. We're talking serious shit here. People are coming out now saying that the whole thing is some conspiracy or a publicity stunt. I don't understand that. Who's gaining what from this?

I think T.O. clearly has an anti-social personality, and he's a guy who went from an insecure kid (sobbing in the post-season against Green Bay), to a superstar, to an egomaniacal team-wrecker almost overnight. That's a pretty severe swing. Hell, for two years we've all just been waiting for whatever crazy thing T.O. will do next. Well, there you go. The more I think about all the factors involved here and over the last several years, the more I tend to think this was actually a suicide attempt. Truly, I hope it wasn't, but I'll say this. With what we know of Terrell Owens, can we really put it past him? I hope the guy gets some help.

Lastly, Deadspin did an amazing job following all the developments throughout the day. I highly suggest you read Will's final post of the day, in which he tries to make sense out of a crazy situation. Great read.

The Human Being Vs. The Publicist (Deadspin)

Bill Doba has low expectations

2006-09-26T21:28:00.000-07:00

I really like Bill Doba. I've interviewed him 1-on-1 twice, and both times he was nothing but friendly, insightful, and honest. It's hard to really ask for much more. As for that honesty, this is a guy who, at halftime of his team's 55-13 annihilation at the hands of USC last year, was asked what he thought of the first half. His reply was vintage Doba.

"They've got my vote for number-one."

Doba's WSU Cougs host the Trojans this Saturday. Tuesday he held his weekly presser, and after a few quick answers about the merits of his own team, he was again asked about USC.

"I see too much...There's a reason they're ranked #2 in the nation, and I'm not so sure they shouldn't be ranked #1."

Trust me, I'm leaving a ton out. Between those two clauses was about 250 words of praise for just about every aspect of the Trojan team. Some other highlights:

"We watch their offensive line, and it looks like a chorus line. They all step on a zone play on the same step."

"Rey Maualuga has got my vote for All-American right now."

"The linebacking corps is scary to be honest with you."

It's safe to say Doba isn't exactly confident his team has a chance.

Pete Carroll, Bill Doba Discuss Saturday's Game at Washington State (USCTrojans.com)

NFL Week 3: Open the...er...floodgates?

2006-09-25T19:57:00.000-07:00

Getty Images

Emotional night in New Orleans, and the Saints came up big right from the start. A heck of a start for this team. I don't think anybody thought they would start 3-0, and I think the entire city deserves to see it continue. I hope the Saints continue to find ways to win games. Oh, and Michael Vick is garbage.

Carolina 26, Tampa Bay 24: The Panthers literally mashed Chris Simms' innards. Jesus Christ! The guy had to have his spleen removed! If I would've written that last week, everyone would have thought it was just a figure of speech. They smashed his fucking spleen!

Chicago 19, Minnesota 16: Rex Grossman just threw his first career 4th quarter touchdown. I have nothing to say. I don't understand how Chicago keeps winning.

Cincinnati 28, Pittsburgh 20: Wild win for Cincy. They got dominated early, and then suddenly the Steelers started making boneheaded plays. Two Carson Palmer passed later the game was locked up. The Bengal offense is scary when it clicks. A win that big deserves a similar celebration.

Green Bay 31, Detroit 24: Forget the 400th career TD. It's impressive, but we knew it was coming eventually. I'm more blown away by the fact Brett Favre remembered how to play quarterback long enough to actually win a game. I'll be damned.

Indianapolis 21, Jacksonville 14: Ok, so the Jags aren't THAT good just yet. They are going to have to be able to score more than 14 points to beat most of the top teams in the league.

Buffalo 20, NY Jets 28: What the hell happened to the real Chad Pennington? Somebody should organize a search party or something.

Miami 13, Tennessee 10: Congrats to the Dolphins. It's very hard to win a game and still prove to the world that you suck.

Washington 31, Houston 14: Coach Janky Spanky is back with a vengeance...although it was just Houston. Still nice to see Portis impact the game. The good news for the Texans...Mario Williams had two tackles.

Cleveland 14, Baltimore 15: The Browns dominated most of the game, but in the end, they still sucked just slightly more than the Ravens. Since when is McNair vs Frye an even QB match-up?

Seattle 42, NY Giants 30: This game was 42 to freakin' 3. Hey at least Eli had another comeback in him. Also, the Madden Curse lives on. It really is a crazy phenomenon.

San Francisco 24, Philadelphia 38: Something tells me Alex Smith may want to invest in some spleen pads.

New England 7, Denver 17: Said Jay Cutler, "Fuck!"

Arizona 14, St. Louis 16: Who had Week 4 in the "Kurt Warner gets benched" pool?

U.S. Golf is trying to take a club out of its butt

2006-09-24T09:42:00.000-07:00

Well, Tiger finally played well at the Ryder Cup. Nice of the rest of the team to shit the bed. Phil Mickelson just went 0-4-1. What a bitch. Meanwhile, the Europeans were playing out of their minds. They all get up for this event, they all love playing together, and consequently, they'll all have a great time drinking themselves into oblivion during the celebration tonight. Well deserved. They just stuck a 3-iron up the collective U.S. colon.

An aside, why the hell can't Sergio Garcia win a major Tour event to save his life? The guy has suddenly become the most effective Ryder Cup player in history. I'm not even joking. He's now 13-1-2 in his career. Ridiculous.

Lastly, moving stuff from Darren Clarke. I imagine it would be tough to do anything six weeks after the death of your wife much less play solid tournament golf in front of the world. His effort really galvanized the Euro team. Maybe The Dubliner can print an article about it.

NCAA Hangover: Pass the pills

2006-09-24T09:12:00.000-07:00

Well, the first TDS live blog is in the books. A great time was had by all on this end. Thanks to those of you that stopped by. Mallard wins the "Most Valuable Refresher" award for going well over 200 refreshes during the course of the game. Good stuff, sir!

As for the game itself..it is strange getting used to a USC team that doesn't have to rely on 40 points each week, but truth be told, I like this better. I continue to be thrilled with the way the Trojan defense is coming along, and I think they are one of the best units in the nation. Just great that Booty and the offense don't have to force the issue in order to give SC a chance to win. I am surprised by how tough it's been for the offense, but I still think they will keep getting better each week, and one week soon...we'll see that 6oo-yard explosion. Until then, who can argue with what we're seeing so far.

As for the rest of nation...no real surprises. Kind of a lackluster week schedule-wise but all the good teams were able to avoid a slip-up no matter how narrowly (I'm looking at you Georgia!). Would've loved to see Penn State not lose their minds late and blow their chance at an upset, but when your coach has explosive diarhhea, what can you do? Also, as much as I hate to admit...ND's comeback was remarkable. Still looks like that November match-up at the Coliseum will be huge.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go pop two advil so I can get to the bar for NFL kickoff.

USC at Arizona, 4th Quarter

2006-09-23T19:43:00.000-07:00

8:46- Geez. A 19-point 4th quarter for the Irish in a major comeback. Wild INT to ice it. Shit, give them the win. They earned that one.

8:32- Holy Fucking Shit! Pick-6 for the Irish. ND takes the lead...40-37. Absolutely nuts. Giv'em credit folks. Wild comeback for the Irish if it lasts.

8:30- We go to MSU-ND- Spartans lead 37-33. M-S-U! M-S-U!

HOLY SHIT: Bonus Coverage!!

8:25- That'll do it. SC brings in Mark Sanchez to run out the clock. Final score: USC 20, Arizona 3. A win is a win is a win. USC is still undefeated. Life is good, and the O still hasn't clicked. Big things on the horizon folks!

8:18- Touchdown Moody! He deserved that. Hell of a game for the frosh. Give him his six. USC 20, Arizona 3.

8:17- Wow. 3rd and 16. Run up the middle. Time to punt...Holy shit!!!! Dallas Sartz recovers the muff on the 4! That's the clearest example yet of how different a SC team this is. Just trust your talent and, don't get cocky.

8:14- Gotta love the old fumble recovery for a first down play. Beer me.

8:07- Like I said, the SC defense is a group of stars. Seriously, learn their names. They are that good. SC gets the rock back.

8:05- Stoops looked like he was on the verge of committing murder during that replay. It's like the refs had beef with his family or something...oh, wait.

7:56- It truly is a differant Trojan team this year. The defense is the star unit, and the offense is playing it conservative...not vice versa. Danelo makes it USC 13, Arizona 3. Beer me.

7:51- Moooooody. 30-yard run. Look, Pete, there's your starter. Give up the 4-man rotation. He's your starter. Done.

7:50- Still no word on Jarrett's shoulder. I truly don't like the sound of that. Wanna hear some good news? MSU 37-ND 21. Sweet.

7:46- 43 yard FG...and...nicely done. Cats on the board. It's like bizarro SC. USC 10, Arizona 3.

7:42- Rey Maualuuuuuga...big stop in the backfield on 2nd and long. No dice on 3rd either. Then Nick Holt just looked like a madman calling timeout. I love that SC is trying to ice the Arizona kicker to start the 4th. Good stuff.

USC at Arizona, 3rd Quarter

2006-09-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

7:37- After a 28-yard gain on 3rd and 15...Maualuuuuuuuga! Sack to end the 3rd quarter. Hey, a lead is a lead...beer me.

7:32- Hey! A 3rd down conversion for Arizona! Baby steps.

7:29- First miss in 15 FG tries for Danelo. What the hell is going on? Still 10-0. I smell a pick-6.

7:21- Arizona has 55 total yards. Just thought I'd mention that. Beer me.

7:17- Here's the thing...if this was last year's team, I'd be worried at 10-0. This year's team...I feel like that's 28-0. The defense is so damn quick, I just can't be worried going against Baby Seal Tuitama.

7:14- Arizona still hasn't converted a third down. Maualuuuuuuuuuuga! Also...another good exchange. Fouts and Co. just said this about Rey: "So quick, so strong. (pause) So big."
Mrs. Dar: "Be more gay!"

7:12- Jarrett just went to the locker room to get his shoulder looked at. Fingers crossed.

7:07:15- Beer me!

7:07- Two plays later...Touchdown Dwayne Jarrett. USC 10, Arizona 0...and......

7:04- Just like that...Touchdown Steve Smith! Easy drive, big score. Replay review...that was a hell of a catch...wha?!?! Incomplete?!?! Wow...that's Oregon backlash right there...whatever give it a play or two.

7:00- Emmanuel Moooooooody....big run up the middle. It's about time this focus on the run paid off. That'll loosen up the D for a pass.

6:55- Just about ready for kickoff...SC offense with the ball first. This will be a big statement drive. With the way the D's playing, any points could put the game away, but with as bad as the offense has looked, don't expect Carroll to call of the dogs.

USC at Arizona, 2nd Quarter

2006-09-23T17:54:00.000-07:00

6:35- Really an ugly first half and a sac-less finish by SC. The offense looks terrible right now. Not that it matters because the D is winning the game by itself, but still. Lane Kiffin and Sark need to work it out at the break. Halftime: USC 3, Arizona 0. See ya'll in 15 minutes...beer me.

6:34: We just had this exchange.
Fouts: "These refs are so scrutanized."
Mrs. Dar: "Yeah, so talk more fuckin' shit in the booth you piece of shit."
Marriage is sweet.

6:26- Another 3-and-out for the SC D, and as a big bonus...Brady Quinn just threw a pick-6...24-7 MSU. Heisman wha?

6:25- Shit, man. Fumble by Washington. SC offense is really looking average today...so far.

6:21- Sweet pick by my favorite current Trojan...Rey Maualuuuuuuuuga. BTW, I missed a "beer me" in there, so beer me twice.

6:16- Mario Danelo right down the pipe for 3. Hey points are points. The deluge is still to come. USC 3, Arizona 0.

6:15- And just like that...here's Desmond Reed in for a carry.

6:14- Nice run by Moody. This kid is gonna be a stud eventually. Also, very happy to see Carroll going with a slightly smaller bevy of RBs today.

6:10- Been dying to see Lane Kiffin let JDB air it out a little. Steve Smith was a toe or two away from making one hell of a catch. It's only a matter of time now. Also, nice of the broadcast team to treat a pretty simple replay review as if it were a Congressional hearing.

6:00- Fuck me! Nice 40 second sequence! ND is trailing 17-0, and USC just blocked the Cats' FG try. SC hasn't done a damn thing with the ball yet, and it still feels like the game is over.

5: 58- Wow. That's a surprise. JDB with an ugly INT. Jarrett slipped on his route, but give credit to Arizona. They are obviously emotionally charged.

LIVE BLOG! USC at Arizona, 1st quarter

2006-09-23T15:53:00.000-07:00

5:51- Brian Cushing sack to end the first quarter. Tuitama is already feeling slightly concussed.

5:49- SC punting again. Vintage 1st half playcalling...just feeling out the D looking for a weakness. Zona clearly is struggling against the Trojan D. Beer me.

5:48- Kudos to ABC who just took Musburger's audio for the ND game and put it over SC video. See, I knew Brent wouldn't let us down.

5:44- 3rd and 9...Keith Rivers sacks Willie "Baby Seal" Tuitama. SC ball.

5:43- Jack Arute just compared popular thinking about the outcome of this game to "clubbing baby seals." I love being a Trojan fan.

5:40- I just heard the words "decrease in semen" on a Flomax commercial. Where the hell are the limits?

5:39- Ooooh boy. I don't mind the playcall going for it on 4th and 7. That's typical Pete Carroll. But JDB...simma down homie. Lucky that one didn't become a pick-6. No worries...solid field position for the D to take over. Just getting warmed up.

5:36- Well, folks we have our first booth review of the day. Do you think they mention last week's Oregon-Oklahoma game again?

5:32- 6 plays...3 first downs. Decent.

5:28- I really like to see SC getting FB Stanley Havili into the flow early. This freshman is going to get a lot of snaps today taking over for Ryan Powdrell.

5:22- And, that's the drive...kick it away. Beer me.

5:21- Tuitama just checked off and then overthrew his WR by 10 yards. I think he flashed the "hang loose" sign.

5:17- Arizona just returned the kickoff 41 yards. Perhaps more than they will garner over the next 15 minutes.

5:11- Wait...what happened with the Oregon game last week?!?!

5:07- Our announcer for the day...Dan Fouts. I actually think he does a decent job, but I still would've liked to see Brent Musburger.

5:03- As the Trojans kick-off their Pac-10 schedule, we kick-off live blog coverage here at TDS. I'll be adding new sections for each quarter and in the meantime updating each section regularly during said quarter. Get the Refresh button ready. Feel free to holler at me during the game: the.dar@hotmail.com

The cast of characters joining me today: Mrs. Dar (Oregon fan), Neil (fellow Trojan), a room full of snacks, and 24 ice cold Rolling Rocks to get us through the next three hours. I apologize in advance for the inevitable increase in typos as the game goes on. Let's get it crackin...beer me!

LIVE BLOG SATURDAY

2006-09-22T15:08:00.000-07:00

The time has come to take this space to the next level. Therefore, with the help of my good friend, Case O. Rolling Rock, I will be live blogging the USC-Arizona game tomorrow. Kickoff is 5:00 PM Pacific on ABC.

Get your Refresh button ready.

Tiger Woods should just buy Ireland

2006-09-20T19:49:00.000-07:00

Forget every single thing you've ever read about Tiger's history of mediocre Ryder Cup performances. Ignore the "not a team player" criticism because it does not apply anymore. This year's Cup is no longer about the team. It's about Tiger and nobody else. Some douche bag newspaper editor in Ireland just did the one thing that gives you no hope when you have to go against El Tigre. He made the whole thing personal.

From the September issue of The Dubliner:
"Most American golfers are married to women who cannot keep their clothes on in public. Is it too much to ask that they leave them at home for the Ryder Cup? Consider the evidence. Tiger Woods' wife can be found in a variety of sweaty poses on porn sites."

Oh, and just to really hammer home the point, the paper published this nonsense next to a nude photo that it claimed was of Tiger's wife. It wasn't...gulp.

And Elin wasn't the only wife singled out by name. Half the U.S. team just had their families publicly ridiculed. They are a group of guys who have lost two straight Cups including the largest-ever margin of defeat in '04, and during those losses the main complaint was the Americans lacked the emotion, unity, and motivation of the Europeans. Think that will be a problem this time around?

And then there's Tiger. His wife (who ironically happens to be from Sweden, which does happen to be in Europe) is the centerpiece of the entire controversy, and he is one of the few- Kobe is the only other guy that springs to mind - modern athletes that possess that Jordan-esque will to destroy as soon as a personal challenge has been issued. The Europeans had better pray that the weather postpones this thing, because Tiger is in Ireland looking for the kill.

I can't wait to watch it.

Perhaps the shocker will make an appearance

2006-09-19T21:30:00.000-07:00

Getty Images

USC has formally complained to ABC about Brent Musburger. First reaction...so what? I've been informally complaining about him for years. Anyway, during the broadcast Saturday, Musburger sold out John David Booty's "hang loose" hand signal, which Booty uses to warn the receivers that he's picked up on one-on-one coverage. Booty told Musburger about it during a "background only" pre-game prep meeting with the broadcast team.

"John David told us that his signal when he finds one-on-one and they're coming, it's that 'hang loose,' that familiar sign you've seen surfers use," said Musburger.

Now if this meeting was really for background only, as reported, and if the stuff discussed was privileged info not to be mentioned on-air, then yeah, Musburger screwed up...on journalistic principle if nothing else.

But has it really come to this? Let's do a quick roll call of SC's off-season issues. Reggie Bush scandal, Jarrett's NCAA violation, the Sanchez sexual assault accusation...I'm sure I'm leaving some out. Couldn't Booty just use a new signal next week? I am pretty sure Pete Carroll can draw something up. I've met USC Sports Information Director Tim Tessalone a few times. Great guy, always very helpful. But I just don't understand how this issue could possibly be at the top of his to-do list.

Regardless, I still think Brent Musburger deserves a nice hearty...

USC complains Musburger gave away team sign (ESPN.com)

The Jaguars will kick your ass

2006-09-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

The lowest-scoring game in MNF history, and it was still entirely one-sided. The Jags defense just destroyed Pittsburgh. A natsy, nasty unit. The problem is, I'm just not sure the Jags will be able to bring that type of energy to the field every week. They looked like a team that was juiced to play the defending Super Bowl champs, but I'm not sure they get quite so geeked next week. Plus, as much as I like Byron Leftwich, I think the Jacksonville offense is thoroughly mediocre.

In fact, I actually really agree with a statement Steve Young just made on the ESPN post-game coverage, "I think the Jags play to win 14-10, and I think they lose 14-10 as many times as they win; especially in January."

Dominant performance tonight for Jacksonville, no doubt, but I'm not ready to jump on the bandwagon just yet.

After review...yeah we fucked that up

2006-09-18T20:31:00.000-07:00

Can't say I'm real surprised by this. The Pac-10 not only suspended the officiating crew and the instant replay team from Saturday's Oregon-Oklahoma game, today they also issued a formal apology to the Sooners for basically screwing them out of a win. There was no doubt that two horrible calls were made in the waning moments of that game, and yes, that late in the contest, they did probably cost Oklahoma the win.

Now, I certainly don't think think the suspension of the refs is unjust. They screwed up on a big stage. However, I do still believe Oklahoma had a lot of other chances to put the game away that they let slip away, and they don't have anybody but themselves to blame for that. If I'm Bob Stoops, there is not a single mention of the refs in any of my practices this week. The bottom line is that the Sooners put themselves in the postition to have the game stolen from them. Had they buckled down a little more late, the bad calls wouldn't have made a difference.

An aside: The president of Oklahoma University sent a letter to the head of the Big-12 asking for the game to be stricken from the records books. That dude is a bitch.

Update: The replay official who blew the call has actually been having a pretty tough time, including some health worries and a death threat. I can't say I don't feel bad for this guy either...a very public bad day at the office.

Pac-10 suspends officials for one game (Yahoo! Sports)
Replay official reports death threat; can't eat, sleep (ESPN.com)

There's an editor at ESPN.com who needs a raise

2006-09-17T18:16:00.000-07:00

ESPN.com

NFL Week 2: Check it to pancakes!

2006-09-17T17:27:00.000-07:00

Getty Images

Philadelphia 24, NY Giants 30 F/OT: Well, well. Look at little brother go. Eli led a 17-point 4th quarter comeback on the road against a division rival and THEN threw the game winner late in OT. He finished with 371 yards and 3 TDs. Just a huge win for his confidence, and for the Giants chances.

Indianapolis 43, Houston 24: Even with the huge comback Eli can't totally upstage Peyton, who threw for 400 yards and 3 scores. Screw you, glory hog!

Cincinnati 34, Cleveland 17: Carson Palmer threw his first two TDs of the year, Chad Johnson did the chicken dance, Rudi Johnson is turning into one of the premier backs in the league, and nobody got arrested. All around good day in Cincy.

Miami 6, Buffalo 16: Culpepper had 237 yards. Losman had 83. Wha?

Minnesota 16, Carolina 13 F/OT: Wow. 0-2. Carolina has a ton of work to do. They better hope Steve Smith can get/stay healthy.

Chicago 34, Detroit 7: The Lions defense that bragged about holding Seattle to 9 points in a loss just gave up four TDs to Rex Grossman. Nice.

Green Bay 27, New Orleans 34: Drew Brees had three early turnovers, the Pack jumped out to an early lead, the game was at Lambeau, and the cheeseheads still managed to blow it. Things are getting very ugly in Green Bay. On the plus side, there's a lot of good comedy material coming from it. Check out DJ Gallo's take on Brett Favre...item 8.

Baltimore 28, Oakland 6: Yep, the Raiders really are that bad.

Atlanta 14, Tampa Bay 3: How do you follow up 252 rushing yards? With 306.

Seattle 21, Arizona 10: No real worries for the Seahawks in this one. Alexander has to work harder for his this year, but Seattle is clearly the best team in the NFC West.

San Francisco 20, St. Louis 13: Didn't see that one coming...hence Seattle is clearly the best team in the NFC West.

Denver 9, Kansas City 6 F/OT: Five field goals. Just about what we expected for a Jake Plummer vs. Damon Huard matchup.

NY Jets 17, New England 24: Nice to see Chad Pennington put up back-to-back solid games, but today he was playing from behind the whole game. Pats off to a quiet 2-0 start.

San Diego 40, Tennessee 7: The Titans are really jealous of all the publicity the Raiders are getting. This was a statement game for them.

More NCAA: Charlie Weis needs a drink and a burger

2006-09-17T16:46:00.000-07:00

(2) Notre Dame 21, (11) Michigan 47: Man, that just feels so good doesn't it? In South Bend no less. Notre Dame is obviously a dangerous team, but they got absolutely destroyed. They were overconfident, and they underperformed. Ugly combo. Matter of fact, Charlie, go ahead and order the cheese fries too. You've earned it. Michigan on the other hand played a damn-near perfect game.

(18) Oregon 34, (15) Oklahoma 33, No question that this was a shady finish. Two bad calls went against the Sooners late. You know what? Shouldn't matter. They still gave up two TDs in 22 seconds. They still let a sloppy Oregon team hang around long enough to fire up the crowd and make a move. They still let a game-winning kick get blocked. Credit Oregon for making plays late in the game. Big win for the PAC-10. Rough day for the officials.

(3) Auburn 7, (6) LSU 3, Vintage SEC. Two bruising defenses, and a wild finish. LSU will be thinking about those three extra yards for the rest of the season.

(12) Louisville 31, (17) Miami 7, The Canes are out of the Top 25 for the first time since 1999. I wonder who Larry Coker should fire next.

(20) TCU 12, (24) Texas Tech 3, You know, two seasons ago Texas Tech won this game 70-35. I'd say the Horned Frogs got a little revenge with this defensive performance. Solid win.

Finally, congrats to the entire Pac-10, who went 4-0 against the Big 12 this week. SC, UO, ASU, and the Cougs all beat flyover schools. But hey, how about those Huskies? A blocked extra point to beat Fresno State...that is a legit win for a program that hasn't had one in a while. Glad to see some inprovement from Willingham's boys.

"Me and Booty were gettin' together all week."

2006-09-17T16:33:00.000-07:00

That one great line in Dwayne Jarrett's post-game sound says it all. Jarrett recieved a lot of criticism from the USC coaching staff after a lackluster opener. He responded yesterday; absolutely untouchable. I was actually frustrated the Trojans didn't try and throw to him more in the second half. Their offensive momentum was totally killed in the third quarter, and I think that one or two nice plays from Jarrett during that stretch would've kept everybody rolling and really put the game away. Too bad he didn't get the throws because watching him carve up the Nebraska secondary was truly like Varsity taking on the "C' team. Overpowering. That will be very important moving forward this season. SC will need more days like this from DJ. More power to the Huskers for covering the spread.

I thought Booty looked solid. He had one drive to start the third where two passes could have have gone the other way. He got lucky on those, but I don't think he really had another off-target pass the rest of the game. He made some incredible throws. I also love the way they use him on the rollout. His running ability is much better than Leinart's, and I think having that extra dimension will really help the WRs buy time and get open. When Booty really gets comfortable in the offense, I think they'll be explosive. I do however think Pete Carroll needs to settle on two RBs to take the bulk of the work. I think the five-man rotation is a total rhythm-killer.

Lastly, all the best to fullback Ryan Powdrell. This kid worked his ass off for years to finally get his chance, and in his second game he gets his leg snapped. A gruesome injury and one that could easily end his career. That’s the horrible part. He was going to be a big part of this year’s offense, and now he may not get the chance to ever achieve the big things that were coming to him. I hope he’s able to recover, but seeing that injury I wouldn't bet on it. Just an unfortunate situation.

Bring on Arizona.

A Trojan talks himself through it

2006-09-14T20:50:00.000-07:00

How do I feel about it? Too complicated a question. Too many layers. Too many thoughts, emotions, and unknowns that prevent me from even being able to form a real opinion, much less voice it. And while I try to think about all the questions and all the doubts, the only things that come racing back during my attempt to actually form an opinion are the touchdowns and trophies. It's during this thought process I realize one thing. It doesn't matter.

I'm a logical sports fan, so I have to try to attack this logically. I'll watch any sport you throw in front of me, but I tend to analyze strategies and admire talents more than I invest myself in the outcome. USC Football is the only team I truly root for. That gets burned into you when you spend four years there, as I'm sure it does at any school. Call me cheesy, but that emotional attachment is truly what makes college sports so captivating.

And that's why we get so worked up when that purity gets sullied. There's a reason people say a fan "bleeds" the color of their team. Your team becomes part of you. You catch yourself referring to them as "we," and thus you feel offended when one of "us" betrays you. That is the first instinct, the stomach punch. Actually, it's the second instinct. The first is a sense that there's no way in Hell that this is all true. No way in Hell that it was a hack like Yahoo! Sports Charles Robinson that was going to bring down "my" team. No way that a sure NFL lottery pick and his family could be so dumb. No way anybody in their right mind would jump the gun like this when the millions were as good as guaranteed. But even if all of it is true, in the end do I have the right to be angry? Ah, here comes that logic again.

Why did I go to USC? Simple. I knew that they had one of the best programs in the nation for the discipline I wanted to study. It was purely a career move. Why did Reggie Bush go to USC? Same reason. I went for broadcasting. He went for football. God knows I wouldn't have argued if somebody wanted to pay me even five bucks an hour for all the time I spent working at the college TV station, but nobody did. Reggie had a better career path than I did.

And there's the rub that has me feeling angry and nothing at the same time. Are they really going to take back SC's 2004 title? The one that had zero doubt (Auburn fans excluded)? The one where Leinart threw 5 TDs against Oklahoma? I just can't see it happening, can't imagine a story that big. Can't imagine that the NCAA is willing to take that huge of a step. Not for an offense that has happened countless times before at countless schools. But maybe they are willing. Maybe they'll make Dan Wetzel happy and turn SC into THE example. The warning about what will happen if "your" team gets too big for its own supervision.

It's when I'm faced with those two scenarios that I realize it doesn't matter. Would I like them to keep the title? No doubt. The last three years (and hopefully this one) were likely the best run of success I will ever witness as a true fan. I hope I'm wrong, but let's be real. Streaks like that don't happen often. However, faced with the possibility of hardware being taken away, I have to say, I don't care. The title itself is not validation for all the Saturdays I've spent screaming at the TV or in the Coliseum.

When you get used to watching a team like the one SC fielded over the last several years, you don't get surprised by anything anymore. Not Carson, not Reggie, not Leinart, not Snoop on the sideline, not 4th and 8 in South Bend, and not Vince Young. That's why nothing here will surprise me. It won't shock me to learn that Yahoo! really did jump the gun in their headhunt of Bush and that none of this is accurate. It wouldn't shock me if it was all true and the Trojans do get their feet held to the fire. Afterall, the rules are in place, despite how rediculous they may be (see Jeff Samardzija's Cubs contract). With the current NCAA system, it will continue to happen elsewhere as well. Oklahoma can also attest to the lack of doubt surrounding that.

The bottom line is this. I won't remember anything about Reggie Bush except how amazing he was toting a football. I don't think less of him as I write this, and I think the nation is seeing what a solid human he is in the way he's embraced New Orleans. Or maybe it's all just the brilliant marketing of the man who may or may not have gotten him into this mess in the first place? I don't have the answers. Hopefully, somebody does, and hopefully we all get to hear them. Taking it one step further, hopefully the NCAA will adapt it's rules to better reward the athletes that make it millions, but that's for another time. Right now none of that matters to me. What matters is how Sedrick Ellis will bounce back from his knee scope, which freshman RB will step up to take Reggie's place, how Booty will manage the offense, and how dominant Fred Davis is going to be. The only thing that matters is Nebraska on Saturday.

Afterall, I bleed cardinal and gold.

Reggie Bush Investigation (Yahoo! Sports)
Take Back the Title (Yahoo! Sports)

Apparently now steroids will get you shot...or your DNA jacked

2006-09-14T14:34:00.000-07:00

Look, the whole steroid era has me just as cynical as the rest of you. I think guys like McGwire and Bonds are jokes. I think roids are nasty drugs that shouldn't be allowed in sport, and in later life they'll probably kick the crap out of the people that use them. But Jesus Christ! Am I really to believe steroids had anything to do with Steve Foley getting capped three times by the police? That is certainly how this article makes it sound. Personally, I think it had more to do with the erratic driving, his .223 BAC, the aggressive gesturing, the 7-year history of alcoholism, and the multiple incidents of fighting with cops. Maybe that's just me.

Anyway, it looks like having the authorities overreact to suspected steroid users is becoming a pretty common occurrence. Today German authorities successfully raided the house of former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich in order to...wait for it...seize his DNA. Holy shit. I don't think ADT has an alarm to prevent that yet.

Prosecutors seek Foley blood sample, suspect steroids (Yahoo! Sports)
German authorities raid Ullrich's home (Fox Sports)

Man, Hell sure is cold today

2006-09-14T09:43:00.000-07:00

Ross Kinnaird / Getty Images

Holy crap, he lost. Tiger Woods was proven human today, as Shaun Micheel ousted him in the first round of the World Match Play Championship. Micheel beat him 4 and 3, snapping El Tigre's streak of five straight Tour wins. The most impressive thing to me about the streak was the way the wins kept coming. To me is wasn't at all like his crazy run a few years back when he was really bursting onto the scene. This was cold-blooded. Tiger was robotic in every round, just steadily assassinating course after course. It was like the difference between the Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf" Super Bowl team and the Patriots' workmanlike team that ran onto the field as a group in 2002, focused solely on the task at hand. Tiger just did that for two straight months. Fun stuff to watch.

Tiger tamed: Woods ousted in Match Play (MSNBC)

Stingray murder!

2006-09-13T14:50:00.000-07:00

I justify the posting of this item on a sports blog by calling it deepsea fishing. By way of Higher Than Satire, a new game in which you can help Terri Irwin avenge her husband's death by taking out murderous hoardes of killer stingrays. This will be Terri's finest hour.

Click here to play

Dwayne Jarrett will be looking for this guy

2006-09-13T09:29:00.000-07:00

Meet Andre Jones. Andre is a starting cornerback for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, who we've already determined, seem to be a bit masochistic. But Andre appears to be taking it to another level. Confronted with the task of stopping Jarrett, Smith, Booty, Davis, etc, Andre has let his hubris boil over, essentially guaranteeing a Nebraska win on Saturday.

"When we beat this team, we can show the world that we are a great team and we restored the order," Jones said Tuesday, "When we beat USC, its going to slingshot our season."

I don't think I'm in the minority when I say that it's probably not the smartest idea to provide bulletin board material to a Trojan team that is already out to prove doubters wrong this season, especially when the only tests of your own talent have thus far come against Louisiana Tech and Nicholls State. I seem to remember another Big 12 defender, Oklahoma's Larry Birdine talking mess about Matt Leinart and USC before the Orange Bowl a few years back, and we all remember how that turned out.

Again, I'm just not sure the Huskers have any idea what's coming to them. Preach on, Andre.

Update: Jones actually chose to attend Nebraska after turning down a scholarship offer from USC while he was at Fresno City Community College. Something tells me he may be regret that decision come Saturday.

Huskers' Jones all but guarantees win over USC (Yahoo! Sports)

Karl Malone scares me

2006-09-12T19:53:00.000-07:00

Karl Malone has been accused in a lawsuit of offering a $25,000 bribe to a friend and former business partner if said buddy took the fall for an illegal hunting trip back in 1998. Apparently, Karl and the boys had been up in Boise trying to blast elk without permits. Malone thought that this little transgression may hamper his contract talks with the Jazz; hence the bribe. Now, if I was Sidney Ray Davis (yes, that's the friend's real name) I'd have been more than a little irritated that Karl eventually signed a $66.5 million dollar deal that year and yet only offered me a measly 25-grand. Regardless, the lawsuit also claims that Karl's brother threatened Davis with physical harm, which I would have been much less willing to accept.

Anyway, my favorite part of the whole story is the reaction from Malone's lawyer, Randall Call, who naturally says the whole thing is false.

"We've dealt with this kind of extortion before," Call said. "It's a little like terrorism, you can't buckle into it at any time or else it will prevail."

Wow, folks. The "T" word, and just in time for the anniversary of 9/11. I gotta tell you, Karl and his lawyer have been studying up. This defense has worked about 764 straight times for the Republican Party. I wouldn't be surprised if Sidney Ray Davis gets shipped to Gitmo over this. Then again, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if Malone just shoots the guy.

Malone accused of offering $25K bribe (FOXSports.com)

Pete Carroll really will mess with your head

2006-09-12T13:38:00.000-07:00

From the USC Marshall School of Business comes an interesting look at positive psychology and how it can contribute to leadership success. Not surprisingly, the focus of the piece is SC coach Pete Carroll, who has long been admired or criticized (depending on if you like NCAA or NFL football) for showing the same - if not more - enthusiasm each week as his players. Turns out there's actually some science behind all this.

The gist of the article is that Carroll is essentially "Exhibit A" for a discipline of psychology known as Positive Organizational Scholarship. At first it reads pretty much like a school trying to use their hero football coach as an example of their curriculum. But I was interested to find out that Carroll really does have an almost obsessive root in the discipline. In fact, while getting his Masters in psych at Pacific, the guy wrote his thesis on Abraham Maslow, who is apparently the "father of POS."

As boring as it all may sound, it does actually provide a little insight into the huge winning streak, the national titles, and the constant stream of top recruits. Bonus points for the cheesy "power photo."

USC Marshall School of Business (USC)
Banishing Fear (.pdf)

Tom Jackson hates this kid

2006-09-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

My last post about a wild Week 1 in the NFL. We've finally gotten our hands on the highlight of the week. Yes, by way of Dejuiced and The Mighty MJD, it's the clip of Tom Jackson calling Michael Irvin retarded during ESPN's weekend coverage. I take note that Jackson has since apologized for the insensitive remark, but let's be honest, TJ had to feel good laying that one on The Playmaker after all the shite he's had to sit and listen to. Sharing a set for years with Berman and Irvin will slowly make anybody an angrier human being.

So, without further ado, here's the video.

Tom Jackson says what we've all been thinking (Dejuiced)
Jackson Apologizes for "Retarded" Comment (Pro Football Talk)

Said Mandela, "Oh, for Christ's sake!"

2006-09-11T14:40:00.000-07:00

Hey remember during the World Cup when Zinedine Zidane butted the bejeezus out of Marco Materazzi? Yeah me too. You know why? Because in their ongoing attempts to make sure everybody forgets about the incident, FIFA keeps reminding everybody about the incident. They're so hung up on it that now FIFA is trying to organize a kumbayah get-together between Zizzou and Marco so that they can put the event behind them. And here's the best part. In an effort to really maximize their misplaced symbolism, FIFA is thinking about having them meet at Robben Island, South Africa, which just so happens to be the place that Nelson Mandela and several other anti-apartheid leaders were imprisoned for many years.

Shhh, you hear that? That's millions of murdered, imprisoned, and disenfranchised South Africans rolling over in their graves. Seriously, enough is enough. I'm pretty sure that neither Zidane nor Materazzi could give a fuck about clearing the air. Marco got chippy, Zidane talked shit, Marco said he wanted to bone Zidane's sister, and Zidane checked him with a dome to the chestplate. It's as simple as that. Sure, it was ugly. Yeah, it was an unfortunate way for the World Cup to end, but you know what? That's sport...beef happens. I refuse to believe that there is some lofty, humanitarian message to be taken from it all. More power to FIFA if they can actually get these guys to agree to this.

FIFA trying to bring together Zidane, Materazzi (FOX Sports)

Peyton Manning looks uncomfortable

2006-09-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

I know it was a big game and all. Lots of hype, probably a fair amount of pressure on Peyton to face the media in a timely manner, but couldn't we at least get the man a hand towel? I'm not sure I've ever seen anybody sweat so much during post. It seriously looks like he jumped out of his uniform and just threw on his suit. The guy was going to have to sit there and answer 879 straight questions about playing against his brother. Shouldn't he at least be allowed to be comfortable? Not even a glass of water?

As far as the actual game, I thought it was pretty well-played all around. Both Mannings were solid. Eli had one horrible play on the botched hand-off to Tiki, and he had to just huck up a prayer at the end, but for the most part he looked in control and pretty calm. A few bad calls go the other way, and NYG could have easily won the game.

My only bone to pick is actually with Archie Manning. Why the hell are you so damn grumpy? The guy looked like he was at a funeral in all 27 NBC cutaways. I understand that you don't want to have to see either of your kids lose. It makes sense that you wouldn't want anybody to get embarassed or hurt. But Jesus, it is a football game. Somebody is going to win, and somebody is going to lose. If it was me, at least one time during the game I would've looked down on the field and thought, "Fuck me. Both of my sons are starting quarterbacks in the NFL! And they keep showing our home videos every 20 minutes! We are one hell of a family!"

Confusing. I just would have thought a Manning vs Manning game would have been cause for at least some form of celebration, not the torture that Archie looked to be enduring.

NFL Week 1: Pass the Vicodin

2006-09-10T17:14:00.000-07:00

Cincinnati 23, Kansas City 17: Carson Palmer was workman-like, Rudy Johnson was impressive, and Trent Green got knocked the fuck out. Hey, at least Larry Johnson lived up to the hype...oh, wait.

Seattle 9, Detroit 6: The Lions looked like an inspired bunch, and the Seahawks were lucky to get out with a win. It may be a long season for Shaun Alexander.

New England 19, Buffalo 17: A late, game-winning safety. Ahh, week one.

Atlanta 20, Carolina 6: Wow. Say what you want about the Cats being without Steve Smith. They got absolutely rolled today. 252 rushing yards? Can't very well blame the offense for that one.

Baltimore 27, Tampa Bay 0: Ugly. Three picks for Chris Simms, maybe the experts should all cool off on hyping him for a bit.

Chicago 26, Green Bay 0: First time Brett Favre has EVER been shutout. Fear not, Brett. I think Trent Green may have some Vicodin you can borrow.

Arizona 34, San Fran 27: Tough one to call. Is this actually improvement we're seeing from both teams, or are they really just equally bad? Either way, I get the feeling it's going to be a bizarre year in the NFC West.

St. Louis 19, Denver 10: There's the Jake Plummer we all know and love.

New Orleans 19, Cleveland 14: 141 total yards for Reggie Bush in his debut, and a win on the road. I'd think everybody involved with the Saints is very pleased with this start.

NY Jets 23, Tennessee 16: Vince Young was 3-4 with an INT. The good news, his three completions were on the only three plays he has memorized. Only about 120 to go.

Philadelphia 24, Houston 10: Well, well. McNabb looked very solid, and Stallworth helps Philly a lot. This could be an interesting team going forward. Also, a great debut for Reggie Bush, who went for...huh? What? They drafted who?!?!

Jacksonville 24, Dallas 17: Say what you want about the guy. T.O. is a cartoon of himself, he's selfish, he's annoying. But that TD catch was incredible. Seriously, who needs training camp?

Well, that was easy.

2006-09-10T10:06:00.000-07:00

That was a dominating performance by Ohio State. Top to bottom they were simply the better team, and yes, Troy Smith was great. Under control, precise, everything he had to be to win a big game on the road. He didn't dominate the game by any means, but he did control it, and sometimes that's just as fun to watch. I would say that OSU is definitely worthy of their number-one ranking for the time being. The test will be avoiding a slip-up between now and December. There will definitely be some scares, and I still think the Buckeyes look like a team that could end up with a loss somewhere down the road. This really could be the year that the BCS explodes. Can you imagine if OSU, Texas, USC, Auburn, Notre Dame, LSU, and West Virginia all finished with one loss? My fingers are crossed...except for the SC part.

In a side note, nice to see the fans in Columbus rise to the occasion as well. Another very strong performance.

Fan violence mars Ohio State's big win over Texas (ESPN.com)

The Cornhuskers seem very excited to get stomped by USC

2006-09-09T16:05:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the Nebraska Cornhuskers who are off to a fantastic 2-0 start to the year. Today they shallacked Division 1-AA Nicholls State 56-7 to follow-up last week's big win over Louisiana Tech. Really, two marvelous wins, guys. Now the Huskers are all juiced about the momentum they have going into next week's game at USC. In fact, some of the guys ran off the field today screaming, "U-S-C! U-S-C!"

Nebraska DE Jay Moore said, "Late at night I couldn't help but picture what it would be like playing USC."

Well, Jay, something tells me it's going to be a lot different than beating up on a 1-AA school. In fact, when Ryan Kalil and Sam Baker are the guys hitting you in the mouth 60 times in an afternoon, my guess is that you're going to miss going against the JV squads. Nebraska's winning streak currently stands at five games. USC is two plays (Vince Young's Rose Bowl winner, and a missed FG in '03) from a 48-game win streak. Oh, and they are making their home debut. Oh, and they are a team of a lot of hungry kids eager to prove themselves in the post-Matt and Reggie era. Oh, and they're coming off a bye week. I could go on.

The five-game streak is nice, the top-25 ranking is cute, but I'm just saying. I'm not sure the Cornhuskers really have a good idea of what they've gotten themselves into.

Taylor (4 TDs), No. 21 Huskers sharp on eve of USC showdown (ESPN.com)

Jesus.

2006-09-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

Louisville rips Temple 62-0 without Bush (Yahoo! Sports)

$82,000 would buy a lot of dildos.

2006-09-09T11:34:00.000-07:00

The long arm of the NFL law has finally reached out and touched Fred Smoot and Bryant McKinnie. The league has announced it will fine each player one game check for their respective roles in Minnetonka Madness. For McKinnie that works out to about $41,000. For Smoot it's $82,000. Hey, if that's the price you pay for being the centerpiece of one of the most lurid pro sports scandals in a while and earning Hall Of Fame status in the meantime, I would think it was well worth it.

Also, I find it charmingly appropriate that Smoot's penalty was twice as much as McKinnie's.

Update: The Vikes just signed McKinnie to a seven-year extension worth $48.5 million. Imagine the possibilites.

Hall of Fame Inductee: Vikings Sex Boat (Deadspin)
Fred Smoot has seen (and likely enjoyed) Requiem for a Dream (The Mighty MJD)

Mack Brown is blowing smoke up Troy Smith's ass.

2006-09-09T10:12:00.000-07:00

I am a little troubled by a quote I've seen from Texas coach Mack Brown, "Troy Smith to Ohio State is what Vince [Young] has been to us. He's a leader. He's a senior. He's a guy who can make plays with his feet, but he has a great throwing motion and he's very, very accurate. "

Now I fully understand Brown saying something like this in the press...to me it's pure gamemanship. But this line of thinking has actually been circulating a lot in the media during the build-up to this game. That's what gets me. People can't actually believe this can they? I understand the parallel of Smith being the senior leader on a team with national title hopes. I understand that on a very base level, he has a similar skill set to VY (not to get all Scoop Jackson on you, but so does Drew Tate). But shit, Vince Young? The same Vince Young who became one of the all-time great college QBs by singlehandedly willing his team to wins for two seasons? The same Vince Young whose team ran an offense that bascially gave him the option on every down to do whatever the hell he wanted? Sorry, I just don't buy it.

I've seen a lot of Troy Smith. I think he is a great player. I think he's very important to OSU's chances (isn't any starting quarterback?). Despite his convincing opening-week performance against the gridiron powerhouse that is Northern Illinois, I think Troy Smith is no Vince Young. Maybe today he proves me wrong. Maybe he rolls Texas for three scores in the air and two more on the ground. I'm all for that. I just don't see it coming. That's not to say I don't think OSU will win the game. I think they have a great chance, but I don't see it being solely because of Troy Smith. Smith is a great QB. Vince Young is a college football legend. We shouldn't toss the comparison around so easily...unless of course we're Mack Brown and want to play mind games.

Update: Just in case you want to know the outcome in advance. Solid performance from Smith.

Imagine the crap Stu Scott would say about him if he played today.

2006-09-09T09:54:00.000-07:00

In a strange bit of symmetry, I find it fitting that on the day I post my first real blog entry, my all-time favorite athlete goes into the Hall of Fame. Everybody has that one guy that made you always try a little bit harder playing the 3...2...1...BUZZER! game in the driveway as a kid. For me, Dominique Wilkins was THE guy. In fact, as I got older I wore #21 throughout my entire basketball career because of Nique. Also, I just joined a co-ed soccer league with Mrs. Dar...guess my number. Anyway, the guy was amazing, and I never thought he got enough praise for 26,000 points and 9 all-star games. Here's a great column (albeit by the Simmons intern) about this very topic.

My point is now that I'm older I don't think it's possible for any athlete to inspire me that much seeing as I have to work, pay rent, etc. Priorities change, but it's funny how the loyalties you forge when you're young and impressionable stick with you down the road. For instance, I am still bitter that Michael Jordan won the '88 dunk contest just because it was being held in Chicago. His final dunk was a total sham. It was the second time in the contest he did the free-throw line dunk, and his foot was a foot over the line! Did not deserve a 50. Here's a cool recap of the whole thing, but note where MJ's foot is at the 1:54 mark.

Anyway, to sum up, the top spot in my sports conscience will always belong to Dominique Wilkins, and I'm thrilled to see him get into the Hall. Congrats as well to Charles Barkley and Joe Dumars. They hold similar places of reverence in my mind for being some of the best in the world during the period that I truly became a basketball nut.

Oh, way to go, Geno Auriemma too!

Enter The Dar

2006-09-08T20:27:00.001-07:00

And with that, we're off. Allow me to embark on a half-assed attempt to rip off the esteemed company that I have now subjugated to my own "Links" section. Truth be told, I have no intention of competing with the nubmer of fantastic sports blogs I visit everyday. Let's be honest here, I'd be dead before I even started. Instead, I am choosing to simply write about stuff that I find interesting for a fleeting second of my day and hope that somebody in the vast internet wasteland wants to roll with me for a few minutes between meetings. So with that, an introduction.

I am The Dar. Hello, and welcome. The focus of this blog is simple, sports. I love them, and while I do consider myself a relatively astute citizen and of a sound moral and political mind, I just think sports are more fun to talk about. So feel free to chime in, but for God's sake, do not feel obligated to stay on topic.

Lastly, on a serious note, a sincere thank you to the aforementioned blogs to the right. I get a lot of good laughs from you guys everyday, and while there is no doubt in my mind that you guys are, how you say, "better" than me, I do hope I can at least return the favor from time to time.