Mike Leach

I begin the long process of using the next three days to catch back up from being down sick.
I hated being away with all of the things around that I wanted to write about, but I had to use my energy to be able to go to work, as much as I would have rather been writing...

I have been unsure of what to think of this Mike Leach firing at Texas Tech.
I have seen and heard so much information that seems to contradict both sides that one could see their head spinning, but I do know this-Texas Tech has proven one thing-they truly are not committed to being a Big 12 power.

Oh, I believe that Tech wants to win and make bowl games as that makes the school money, but the price of dealing with a Mike Leach isn't worth the difference in going to a larger bowl when they can save and go to the smaller bowl games.
After all, the Raider fan is loyal and they will travel to whatever game that Tech plays in, no matter how minor.

I am a CNA but make no claims on how to properly deal with concussions from a medical standpoint, and other than suffering two, I would not say that I know anything more than how it affected me.

I do know that I was tired, wanted a quiet, dark place, and felt generally out of sorts, so there it seems that Leach could have been on the right track.

But he still was either making an amateur diagnosis or punishing Adam James and in either case, seems to have been making a mistake.
Now whether the error was a mistake or a deliberate punishment seems to be the biggest question.

I suppose it depends on whom you believe Mike Leach or Craig James, but I also feel that James used his position at ESPN to tip the scales of public opinion in favor of his son.
Please also excuse me for scoffing as a man that was paid (one of many to be fair) during his college career to the point of his school being the only school ever to receive the "death penalty" being put up as a bastion of credibility.
Put ESPN's behavior in the matter aside for another column because they showed all the journalistic credentials of the National Midnight Star in this entire affair.

The truth likely is in there somewhere in the middle.
Did Mike Leach get tired of a lazy, soft player that had a father bugging him all the time? 

Yep.

Would Mike Leach have minded a bit if Adam James left his program? 

Likely not.

Is it possible that Leach was trying to hassle James more than he would another player to get him to move on?
Possibly.

Did he take things to an extreme beyond what is reasonable to expect?
Maybe, but the facts are ambiguous and we will likely never know the complete and entire truth.

In case, fans of Red Raider football as I have been for over 30 years now are realizing that the days of Texas Tech as a legitimate Big 12 contender are likely finished.
Considering the location of Tech and the issues that the Red Raiders have to face in recruiting the state against both in and out-of-state powerhouses, Texas Tech appears to be on the long-term slide, although it may take a year or two to see those results.

As far as the new coach goes, I usually am against the hiring of an assistant that has never been a head coach for a BCS job like Texas Tech, but after seeing defensive coordinator Ruffin McNeill in the Alamo Bowl win over Michigan State, I would have fewer concerns than usual with a McNeill hiring.

Not because of anything that he did in the game, because he took gambles that he would have likely never taken in a game that wasn't an audition, but because he seemed like a genuinely nice and caring human being in his pre and post-game interviews with Heather Cox (Points to ESPN for using our favorite sideline reporter more during bowl week this year).

McNeill looks to me to be the type of coach that cares about his players as people and I came away impressed with him on my first time seeing him speak.

Does that mean that I think he will be successful? The odds are against him, but I would not be against giving him his shot.


For more insight on the whole Raider situation, click here to visit Double T Nation for all the information that you could want on the new coach at TT.

Photo Credits
Leach:Sam Greenwood-Getty Images
McNeill:RedRaiders.com

Slow Start

Hasn't been a Happy New Year as I battle off a flu virus,but things are getting better and I hope to be back either Monday or Tuesday to catch up with all the news that I have missed.
From the Ohio State Rose Bowl win to the final Browns game along with the Mike Leach firing,the best bowl game I have seen all season and Devils hockey,we will have it all.
In addition,I hope to have more on the late Steve "Dr.Death" Williams as well...
Thanks for the patience.

Photo Credit-National Poison Control Center

Brodeur blanks Penguins again

Martin Brodeur added another shutout of the Pittsburgh Penguins to his resume' as the Devils defeated Pittsburgh 2-0 in Newark.
The Devils will not have much time to celebrate as they travel to Chicago tonight to take one of the West's elite teams in the Black Hawks.
Devils goals to Niclas Bergfors (13) and Jamie Langenbrunner (9 empty net).

Hell Raisers

1) This was a well played and even game.
Both teams with 32 shots and only the first period goal by Niclas Bergfors eluded either goalie.
Both Brodeur and Pittsburgh backup Brent Johnson were at the top of their game and that made it a fun game to watch.

2) Zach Parise must have gotten under Sidney Crosby's skin in the game as the two stars exchanged words followed by a Crosby slash across Parise's arm.
Surprisingly,no penalty was called,but this could have been a call to soothe the Penguins and Crosby,who spent most of the night complaining about penalties to the point that the arbiters once stopped the game to tell Crosby and the Pittsburgh bench to stop whining.

3) David Clarkson left the game in the second period and may have re injured his right leg.
Here is hoping that the combative Clarkson didn't come back too soon in a hurry and miss more time over the long term.

4) The goal by Bergfors came less than two minutes into the game and on an odd angle from just outside of the right faceoff circle.
Those are the type of shots that goalies often have the toughest time handling as often they don't expect the shot or even see the puck flying at them...

5) Bryce Salvador missed the game and will not be with the team in Chicago.
Matt Corrente played in his place and Pierre Luc LeBlond was placed on the IR to make place on the roster..

Photo Credits-Rich Schultz-AP Photo

Steve Williams passes at age 49

    Big news day today as Mike Leach was fired at Texas Tech, the Humanitarian Bowl was (as I guessed) was the most exciting bowl game of the season and the Devils added another win with a 2-0 shutout of the Penguins.
However, the biggest news of the day to me was the passing of Steve "Dr. Death" Williams, who finally succumbed to his long battle with throat cancer.
Williams was an All-Big 8 guard for Oklahoma along with being an amateur wrestling All-American despite not joining the Sooner grapplers until football season was over.
Williams finished second in the NCAA tournament to future Olympic gold medalist Bruce Baumgartner despite the gap in preparation between the two.
Many observers of the mat game thought that Williams had he been a full-time wrestler might have been able to beat Baumgartner eventually.
Williams attended training camp with the USFL's New Jersey Generals before entering wrestling with Mid South Wrestling, where he had his most success in the United States before a long run as one of the American stars for All Japan Pro Wrestling.
This is a huge loss to me as one of my all-time favorites has passed.
Look for another post on the wrestling career of Steve Williams sometime next week.

P.S-I own the shown helmet and it isn't for sale!

Reviewing the tape-Browns dodge Raiders

Amazingly,the Cleveland Browns won their third game in a row with a 23-9 win over the visiting Oakland Raiders.
The Browns improve to 4-11 on the season and finish up on Sunday against the traveling Jacksonville Jaguars.

Brownie Bits

1) The first question that anyone wants to know about is the future of Eric Mangini.
My answer is that I don't know.
I would say that Mike Holmgren is likely leaning toward replacing him,but a win over the Jaguars would go a long way to helping Mangini's chances.

2) That said,Mangini is going to have a tough time finding another head coaching job anyway with his reputation and may be better served walking away.
If Mangini returns,he will likely have a very short hook and an offensive coordinator that will likely be Holmgren's choice not his own.
Mangini could be better served leaving now and being able to say that he left due to philosophical differences rather than fired after a bad start in 2010.

3) Considering ALL of that,the names that I am hearing the most as a potential replacement are Steve Mariucci and Marty Mornhinweg.
Mariucci is one I could live with as he has success in San Francisco and of all the losing coaching of the Matt Millen era in Detroit,he did the best of the bunch.
Mornhinweg is one that I can definitely pass on.
His gaffe of winning a overtime coin toss and electing to kick is one that is quite unforgettable and most Lion followers believe that he was overmatched by the job.
An excellent offensive coordinator and I would like to see him in that spot in Cleveland,but no way as the head man.....

4) To the on the field action and 148 more yards for Jerome Harrison,albeit on 39 carries.
Still wondering what made Eric Mangini discover Harrison after 13 games,but better late than never.Harrison may not be the long term answer,but he should be able to get the Browns through 2010 and allow the Browns to target other positions to need to upgrade first.

5) Rob Ryan's defense bent but didn't break as the Raiders threatened numerous times,but was only able to come away with three field goals.
Three interceptions and four sacks on Charlie Frye were able to offset Frye's 333 yards through the air.
David Bowens pick early in the game led to a Browns touchdown,but the biggest one to me was Brandon McDonald's with Oakland down 20-9 and driving deep in Cleveland territory.
The pick and long return eventually led to the Browns final points off the foot of Phil Dawson and moved the lead to 14 points.

6) Waiver pickup Matt Roth added another sack and assisted on another to put into his collection since arriving from Miami.
The former Iowa product has shown a knack for not only rushing the passer,but being around the football.
Roth might be the type of three down linebacker that the Browns have lacked for years.

7) Derek Anderson wasn't overly flashy in his return to the lineup,but his scoring toss to Mohamed Massaquoi was a thing of beauty.
Anderson put just the right amount of air under the ball and allowed Massaquoi to race under the ball and haul it in.
It was exactly the type of pass with touch that Anderson has struggled so much with in the last two seasons.

8) This might have been the chippiest game that I have watched this season as both teams seemed to be pushing and shoving on every play and the Raiders were penalized so often that they almost seemed to be wanting to be flagged.
On the drive that produced the Anderson to Massaquoi TD,the Raiders handed the Browns 30 yards in personal foul penalties alone and had a player ejected in each half.
Undisciplined football and one thing that I can give credit to Eric Mangini for is that the Browns don't often get called for the brainless penalties like those....

9) Credit to the Browns much maligned secondary as Mike Adams and Eric Wright played very well.
Some of that might have been due to Oakland having pass catchers that aren't household names in their own households,but still good games for Wright and especially Adams,who is playing out of position at cornerback...

10) If Oakland ever wants to move tight end Zach Miller,I hope Cleveland would be interested.
Miller might be the best tight end that I have seen all season.

11) And what a bomb off the foot of Sebastian Janikowski at the end of the half.
61 yards isn't the NFL record,but considering the weather and being at sea level,the boot was easily the best kick that I have ever seen.

Photo Credits
Harrison:Mark Duncan-AP Photo
Roth:Joshua Gunter-Cleveland Plain Dealer
Janikowski:David Richard-AP Photo

Devils split two

The Devils have split two games since I last wrote about hockey,losing in a listless performance in Washington 4-1 and defeating Atlanta 3-2 at the Rock.
So we will look at both games in today's Hell Raisers.
New Jersey has back to back games on Wednesday and Thursday as the Devils face Pittsburgh at home and then the Blackhawks in Chicago.

Hell Raisers

1) David Clarkson returned to action in the win with a bang as he dropped the gloves in the first period.
The Devils hadn't had a fight in what seemed like ages and they banged out two in the first period as Andrew Peters fought less than two minutes into the game,earning a game misconduct.


2) Zach Parise was having issues finding the net in December not scoring a goal,but ended that skid with a two goal (16 and 17) night against the Thrashers.
The game winner was a thing of beauty off two sizzling passes on the PP from Jamie Langenbrunner and Patrik Elias.

3) Bryce Salvador is questionable after leaving the Atlanta game in the second period with a "lower body injury".
The Devils had returned Matt Corrente to Lowell before the game to activate Clarkson,but recalled him to replace Salvador.
The Devils finished the game against Atlanta with just five defensemen.

4) Considering the lack of blueline depth in the game,the Devils only allowed one soft goal as Marty Reasoner's flutter puck eluded Marty Brodeur,although Mike Mottau may have gotten a chunk of the puck.
Not bad at all....

5) Colin White's goal (2) was a pure bullet.
White has such a strong shot that I have always wondered why he didnt shoot more and therefore score more.
It is not too late,Colin!

6) The Devils loss in Washington was a bad one.
Other than Rod Pelley's goal (2),there was very little inspiring about the Devils effort.
I wish I could write more,but there isn't much to say besides this-On this night,Washington was easily superior.

Back tomorrow with a review of the tape and my take on the Mike Leach situation at Texas Tech.

Photo Credits-Rich Schultz-AP Photo

Pigskin Picks

Quick Pigskin Picks that includes a mid week bowl game since that will be over before the next Pigskin picks!

The Browns host Oakland in another battle of bad teams,yet both are on somewhat of a roll.The Browns have won their last two,while the Raiders have won two of their last three with both wins coming on the road.
The funny thing about this is the QB matchup as Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson,who dueled for the starting job in Cleveland face off with each other.
I leaned slightly toward Oakland with their superior playmakers,but If Cleveland dedicates itself to the run like they did against the Chiefs (The Raiders are 28th against the run),this could be three in a row.

Seattle visits Green Bay.
The Packers have to have this one in their last home game.
Green Bay controls its own destiny in the playoff run,but doesn't want to be in a spot of having to win in Arizona next week to get in.
Seattle is playing out the string.
Lots of Aaron Rodgers passes in this one.

Game of the week in a week that lacks playoff hopefuls against each other made this a tough call.
Sadly,it looks like the best matchup of this type features 8-6 Baltimore against 7-7 Pittsburgh.
The Ravens can lock up a playoff spot with a win and some help,the Steelers need to win both their games and hope the royal flush falls their way.
Are the Steelers back?
Are the Ravens as good as they looked in two wins over bad teams?
Beats me and the better question-why do I even care?
Can I root for a double disqualification???

Our bowl pick is a game that I bet few of you besides me will watch-Wednesday's Humanitarian bowl in Boise as the Bowling Green Falcons duel with the Idaho Vandals.
Idaho gets the home state advantage,but BG has the best player in WR Freddie Barnes,the nations leading pass catcher.
If Barnes catches five passes in the game,he sets a new NCAA record for passes caught in a season.
Common factors?
Both teams are 7-5,both teams were waxed by Boise State,neither beat a team in a bowl,both score a ton and both give up a ton.
The slim difference? Bowling Green's D is a hair better,Idaho has not given up under 20 points all season except for its opener and allowed 63 and 52 points in its last two games...
If you like wild,high scoring football,you might want to give this a chance!

Picks
Browns 16-13 (only because Oakland has stated they WILL kick to Josh Cribbs!)
Packers 34-14
Steelers 21-19
Bowling Green 52-50