Thursday, January 31, 2008

Super Bowl shufflin'

Since this is my blog, I will shamelessly self-promote what I have in the works for the weekend in the Ledger-Enquirer.
Friday: A column on Troy University’s ties to the Super Bowl. The New York Giants feature a pair of Trojans — pass rusher extraordinaire Osi Umenyiora and Tom Coughlin's favorite kicker, Lawrence Tynes. Their coach at Troy, Larry Blakeney, told me some funny stories about where he was when Tynes made the game-winning field goal against Green Bay in the NFC Championship game.
Sunday: What happens to the 1972 Miami Dolphins' legacy if New England wins? In my mind, it doesn't devalue anything the Dolphins accomplished. They were the first wire-to-wire unbeaten. It's true that Don Shula, Larry Csonka and some of the other guys have danced on the graves of those rare teams that threatened but never equaled their mark, but a couple other stars from the '72 team gave me a different perspective about how they view the Patriots.
Mike Kolen, a former Auburn University linebacker, and Bill Stanfill, a former Georgia defensive lineman, played prominent roles on the 1972 Super Bowl team that went 17-0. They're not bitter old men. If anything, they see elements of the old Dolphins in this New England team.
"The key to their success is they don't make mental errors,'' Stanfill told me. "They're extremely disciplined and they have a lot of individual talent, but they funnel that all into the team effort.''
Check www.ledger-enquirer.com/sports in the coming days for more.
Later.
Ch-ch-ch-changes

I'm not the most Web-savvy guy in the world, but I simply could not continue on in the old blog format.
Figured it was time for some house-cleaning and a splash of color.
In the near future, I plan to spruce things up with some photos.
Sports photos.
Not photos of hot women in bikinis.
Unless, of course, they happen to be playing a sport.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Tide has Big Mac attack

Here's something to look forward to during the 2008 college football season.
Two teams in the same state, both of which long adhered to offensive philosophies as conservative as the populace's political beliefs, playing fast and loose.
Auburn spreading the field with five wide receivers and Alabama shedding the tentative and mimstake-prone play that sent its 2007 season spiraling down the drain.
For the first time in a long time, the November Iron Bowl showdown will be compelling for reasons other than the potential for the extension of a streak or the execution of a failing head coach.
The football might actually be worth watching.
Auburn proved in the Chick-fil-A Bowl that Tony Franklin's spread offense has substance to match its style. Alabama should be equally intriguing to watch now that former Fresno State assistant Jim McElwain has been installed as its new offensive coordinator.
Alabama head coach Nick Saban confirmed the hire moments ago.
''He did an outstanding job last year at Fresno State,'' Saban said in a press release. ''Their improvement on offense, especially in the play of their quarterback, was tremendous. They had an impressive showing offensively against a very good Georgia Tech defense in their bowl win. In terms of production, they upped their offensive numbers significantly compared to the previous year. He’s worked with some great coaches including Pat Hill, John L. Smith and Scott Linehan. He also brings NFL experience working with quarterbacks, which is another big plus. We talked to a large pool of coaches when we interviewed for this position and Jim was absolutely the best candidate we spoke to.”
Here's why Saban should be giddy about landing McElwain. After spending one season as the Oakland Raiders' quarterback coach, McElwain took over a Fresno State offense that had been less than stellar the year before. With his help, the Bulldogs improved from 4-8 to 9-4 while putting up 32.9 points and 419 total yards per game.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

NL East remains beast

Remember how Tom Glavine’s return to Atlanta would reinvigorate the Braves and make them relevant again in the National League East?
Let's just say it might be ill-advised to start planning the pennant celebration.
The New York Mets just said, ‘‘Oye Come Va'' to Santana.
That would be Santana as in Johan, not Santana in the form of the Latin rockers.
At the same time, the Santana discography includes several selections that provide some insight into what this means for the Mets and the NL East as a whole.
As the Santana standard ‘‘This Boy's Fire'' indicates, Santana throws some serious heat. In fact, as his 2004 and 2006 Cy Young Awards prove, he's ''Smooth.''
When Glavine left, it appeared the Mets might have ''No One to Depend On'' in the rotation vacancy created by Glavine's departure.
OK, enough with the Santana song titles.
The point is the guy throws some nasty cheese and will likely reinstall the Mets as the team to beat in the division. Santana represents a major acquisition for the Mets, who made tentative plans Tuesday to give up outfielder Carlos Gomez and pitchers Phil Humber, Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey in a trade that should become official very soon. New York, which endured an apocolyptic September pratfall last season, suddenly boasts a very formidable rotation with the left-handed Santana, Pedro Martinez, John Maine, Orlando Hernandez and Oliver Perez.
"If it's true, obviously, you're getting arguably the best pitcher in the game," Mets third baseman David Wright told the Associated Press after hearing of the proposed trade.
Sorry, Atlanta. Your path back to the top of the division just got tougher.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Senior moments

MOBILE, Ala. — Familiar faces are everywhere at the Senior Bowl, from the elevator at the headquarter hotel to the grandstands at Ladd-Peebles Stadium.
There's Tampa Bay Bucs coach Jon Gruden watching the North team practice and trying not to smile too much after receiving a contract extension and pay bump. There's Cleveland Browns coach Romeo Crennel scouting the South team later that same day, recording his observations into a small digital recorder.
The point of this week used to be seeing NFL prospects in action three months before the April draft. These days, the Senior Bowl is just as much about being seen.
Patrol the periphery of the stadium during a practice and you'll find a coaching convention in progress. It's a schmooze-fest for the out of work. There's former Ole Miss head coach Ed Orgeron up in the stands, cozying up to the Oakland Raiders scouts he knows. There's former Auburn offensive coordinator Al Borges standing in the end zone, talking to college colleagues.
The oddest aspect of the week is that the game is secondary. Players can make or break their reputations based on how they practice. Most of the 800-some NFL coaches, assistants, scouts, general managers and support personnel were heading out of town after Wednesday's workouts.
"It's kind of weird, but they definitely want to see how we can practice,'' said East Carolina tailback Chris Johnson, who built considerable pre-Senior Bowl buzz with his 4.2 speed in the 40-yard dash and his breakout bowl performance. "The game can't show much really because we'll have only been together for three of four days.''
While the round of interviews with NFL front office folks reached a lull, the players still encounter plenty of folks who want a piece of them. There are more than 1,000 credentialed folks at the Senior Bowl and most of them seem intent on congregating around the escalator on the second floor of the Riverview Plaza Hotel.
There are stockbrokers, investment advisors and mortgage consultants who have all sorts of plans for how the players can put their impending riches to use. The hotel bar is crowded with agents or wanna-be agents who came to town in search of clients. The caste system becomes more jewel-encrusted on the second floor, where more established and client-rich agents like Pat Dye Jr. and Jimmy Sexton hold court and undoubtedly think of dollar signs.
Sexton, who also happens to represent some very rich college coaches like Alabama's Nick Saban and Auburn's Tommy Tuberville, spent nearly all of Monday night with a cellphone pressed to his head.
He's certainly not alone in that regard. When Saban arrived to watch Tuesday's practice, featuring former Alabama players DJ Hall, Simeon Castille and Wallace Gilberry, he devoted most of the next 80 minutes pacing the stadium sideline chatting away on his cell phone.
If he was talking to an offensive coordinator candidate, he could have saved himself some valuable cell phone minutes. There are at least five guys qualified for the job standing within 50 yards of him.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Falcons reach end of line

MOBILE, Ala. — Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan apparently won’t get the Atlanta Falcons head coaching job, but he got to the heart of what needs to happen for the franchise to succeed.
‘‘You have to work as a unit and as a team,’’ he told me while watching a Senior Bowl workout Tuesday morning. ‘‘They're not going to be successful just because of (a new head coach). You get your people to work together, from the scouting department to the training staff to everybody. If you pull that rope in the same direction I know it works and it's much easier than if you think you have all the answers.’’
Give this team enough hope, however, and who knows what will happen?
The player who once represented hope for a Super Bowl, quarterback Michael Vick, is doing time in Leavenworth. The coach last hired to make them a cohesive unit, Bobby Petrino, fled before his rookie season even ended. The general manager who had them perched on the edge of an NFC championship not so long ago, Rich McKay, has been pushed to the margins.
They have been turned down by Bill Parcells for the GM job, blown off by Bill Cowher and Pete Carroll. They helped several head coaching candidates get sweeter deals with other teams because of the interest shown during a two-month search process.
They have entrusted their future to a 41-year-old rookie general manager in Thomas Dimitroff, who appears to have enthusiasm and competence on his side if not experience.
Just when it seemed as if the team's head coaching search would extend into February, Dimitroff pulled this surprise.
He offered the job to Jacksonville defensive coordinator Mike Smith, who joined Ryan as one of the two candidates to receive multiple interviews.
Here's what matters about Ryan: His Jacksonville defenses have been consistently good, he favors a 4-3 defense, he’s the brother-in-law of former Ravens coach Brian Billick and he was an assistant when Baltimore won the Super Bowl.
The Falcons needed a coach capable of toughening them up and instilling a sense of unity.
Assuming Smith accepts their offer, the Falcons can set about the potentially difficult process of pulling their rope in the same direction. Then the question will simply be a matter of how long it will take to see evidence of upward mobility.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Cheese for brains

Maybe it’s the extreme cold and constant snow that turns them wacky.
In any event, one misguided Green Bay Packers zealot won’t be able to have contact with his wife and son because he allegedly tried to pull his child onto the team bandwagon a little too forcefully.
According to a story filed by the Associated Press, 36-year-old Pardeeville, Wisc., resident Mathew Kowald was cited for disorderly conduct after restraining his 7-year-old son for an hour with tape and subsequently taping a Packers jersey to him. It seems Mr. Kowald was upset that his son wouldn't wear a Green Bay jersey during the team’s playoff victory last weekend.
Kowald paid a $186 fine and was released, but his wife filed a restraining order against him that will keep him from seeing his family. Lt. Wayne Smith of the Columbia County (Wisc.) Sheriff’s Dept. said other domestic issues have surfaced.
Guess that means Kowald has fallen well behind the pack in Father ofat the Year voting.
That a parent went to far in pushing football fanaticism on a child shouldn't be so surprising. That such a thing didn't happen in Georgia or Alabama and involve a staple gun rather than tape most certainly is, however.
I just wish I'd known that parents could be arrested for forcing their children to wear undesirable garments. As much as I love my mom and dad, I would have been willing to press charges for such childhood indignities as Winnie the Pooh pajamas with padded feet and the especially heinous kindergarten and first grade mandate to wear galoshes to school on rainy days.

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Not bad for old guys

There’s nothing like hearing Elvis standards belted out with the hint of a French-Canadian accent.
Of all the highlights from the Columbus Cottonmouths’ Legends Game Saturday night, including the mock fights and the attempts by former coach Bruce Garber to broadside a referee with a well-thrown water bottle, the best moment came when former goaltender and permanent Elvis enthusiast Frankie Ouellette borrowed a microphone and sang a pair of The King's hits to the crowd.
That moment helped explain why the Cottonmouths and, particularly, their 1997-98 Levins Cup team are so beloved by Columbus sports fans.
The Legends Game, featuring old-timers the same age as yours truly, offered a chance to appreciate the retired players who helped hockey find a foothold on the Chattahoochee. Ole Kjenstad and Mike Martens still looked like they could play for pay if given a week or two to work their way back into game shape. Cottonmouths' coach and general manager Jerome Bechard didn't look too shabby either, although he'll never win a race on the ice.
In fact, my friend and former Ledger-Enquirer co-worker John Vogl wrote an excellent blog entry about the beloved Bechard. It can be found at:

http://buffalonews.typepad.com/sabres/2008/01/ill-take-jerome.html

You might remember John from his days covering the Cottonmouths at the Ledger-Enquirer. He now writes for the Buffalo News, covering the Sabres. He passed through town Saturday night to catch up with the Snakes before covering the Sabres in Atlanta on Sunday.

Friday, January 04, 2008

Horning in on Muschamp

AUBURN, Ala. — The life and times of the Auburn Tigers keep getting stranger.
First, head coach Tommy Tuberville spent his Thanksgiving holiday hunting turkeys in Arkansas and letting speculation build that he would consider a head coaching offer from the Razorbacks.
Then he came home, got his contract extension from Auburn and continued on oblivious to the resentment he created among some Auburn faithful and influence peddlers who were less than enthused about his protracted silence.
Then he did something that probably made Pat Dye cough. He fired Al Borges, an offensive coordinator with a 41-9 record, and replaced him with Tony Franklin, a no-huddle spread offense guru who doesn't believe in the I-formation or student body left and right.
Considering the Tigers had a mere nine days of preparation to install their new look offense for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, their performance against Clemson was quite impressive. They seem to be close to figuring out the nuances of the spread offense, but now they have another gaping void to fill.
After spending Thursday and most of Friday interviewing with Texas coach Mack Brown, Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp will be leaving to take the same post with the Longhorns.
Ledger-Enquirer Auburn beat reporter ace Christa Turner confirmed the news early Friday evening. Muschamp brushed off reporters at the airport, declining comment until he met with Tuberville.
It marks the second time in three seasons that Texas has poached a bright young assistant off Auburn's staff. You may recall that Iowa State coach Gene Chizik served as a co-defensive coordinator there.
The move by Muschamp was more surprising given that he had virtual autonomy and stood to make about $425,000 this season. Not to mention the fact that he had a number of key components returning to an Auburn defense that was suffocating for most of the season.
While Texas may have the resources to be a national title contender again soon, it seems like a lateral move at best. Like Chizik, Muschamp will be a co-defensive coordinator. As of 6:15 p.m., Muschamp had yet to publicly comment on his reasons for taking the job so we're left to wonder whether he had philosophical differences with Tuberville or simply felt Texas offered a more easily negotiable path to becoming a head coach.
One thing is clear: Texas gained a tremendous assistant coach and Auburn will have a tough time replacing him.
Where should Auburn go from here? Georgia Tech’s Jon Tenuta is on the market (although it's widely believed LSU will pursue him), but are the Tigers better off focusing on a younger assistant who could provide a closer match to Muschamp's fiery on-field persona? Or should they do something really radical and call former Ole Miss head coach and uber-recruiter Ed ‘‘Foo-baaaaw!'' Orgeron?
If Auburn winds up going with another young up-and-comer, how long will it take Texas to come calling again?