New York City - bright lights and the home of Broadway shows. How appropriate, since one of the great unscripted productions in recent years is unfolding just across the river at Meadowlands Stadium. He's a 'giant' rising star yet his name isn't Eli. His name is Mark.
Rookie Mark Sanchez has landed the leading role as quarterback for the New York Jets, and so far the reviews have been nothing short of spectacular. Sanchez has helped lead the Jets to only their fourth 3-0 start in franchise history.
For years....no, decades, the New York football Giants have dominated the pro landscape in the tri-state area. The taste of Super Bowl success is still fresh in the mouth for many Giants fans. Jets fans got a small appetizer plate of Brett Favre last season, but in the end, it just tasted old and was tough to swallow. Eli Manning has had the exclusive rights to the 'star quarterback' label for the past 5+ seasons in the New York area, but it appears times are a changing.
Mark Sanchez, quite frankly, is everything Eli Manning isn't. He's got charisma, good looks and grew up in sunny southern California. Manning is a tad nerdy, doesn't exactly reek of charm, and grew up on the bayou in southern Louisiana. However, the one difference that matters right now is Super Bowl rings. Scoreboard Manning.
It's rather ironic, however, that Jets fan are enamoured with Sanchez. I'm not sure any of them even knew who he was 12 months ago. You have to imagine that many football fans in the New York City area didn't exactly have access to a lot of USC football games last year. Aside from perhaps the thrashing they put on Ohio State in 2008, I would bet that most Jets fans didn't even know how good this kid was going to be. USC coach Pete Carroll obviously did, and that was crystal clear the day Sanchez announced he was leaving school to turn pro. Carroll looked like someone just told him Reggie Bush's parents house had shown up on his credit report.
There is certainly some added value that has to be placed on a draft prospect who learned a pro-style offense, while still in college. (Ask Matt Cassell - he learned, but never took a snap at USC.) It also doesn't hurt to draft a kid who is used to winning. Winning breeds a positive attitude, an expectation of success.
For now, Jets fans can go toe-to-toe with their in-state rivals. They have their guy. They have their franchise quarterback. This is Broadway at its best. The lights are on, the stage is set, and the 'theater' is packed. Finally for Jets fans, when the curtain goes up, their leading man, Mark Sanchez, will be ready.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Rising Out of the Pac
It's the conference with the complex. They play their games in a timezone three hours behind the rest of the country. Most media members and fans East of the Mississippi don't watch their games, but rather use the 90 second highlight package on Sportscenter to formulate their opinions. These are the problems that face Pac-10 football. However, the new crop of coaches out West, gives hope to a conference that is begging you to stay up late to watch their games.
Granted, the coaching fraternity down South are 'brands' familiar to us all. Saban, Meyer, Miles, Richt and yes even Spurrier -- to name a few. These guys keep the SEC balanced and competitive year in and year out. However, if you take a closer look at the Pac-10's coaches today, I think you'll see that the future is very bright for this conference. This creates balance and parity, which is something the Pac-10 has lacked quite frankly over the past 7 years.
We all know about the success Pete Carroll has had at USC, however, look up and down the coast and you'll find creative, energetic, rising stars.
The Washington Huskies brought in Steve Sarkisian from USC. He's 35 years old and already made his mark on the proud Husky program. Sark brings his pro-style offense and ideas to Seattle and it looks like Washington will be back in the mix consistently sooner rather than later.
Stanford's Jim Harbaugh, only in his third season as the fiery head coach, has improved every year he's been with the Cardinal. You have to believe Harbaugh is in it for the long haul in Palo Alto, after all, he just had a $70,000 private luxury bathroom constructed for himself.
Just across 'the Bay', we all know about Jeff Tedford's consistency with the Cal Bears. Tedford has won 4 bowl games in a row at Cal and this year appears to be well positioned to win the Pac-10 conference with Heisman hopefull Jahvid Best running through Pac-10 defenses.
Chip Kelly takes over an Oregon program that Mike Belotti kept at a very high level of respectability. Expect Oregon to light up the scoreboard with Kelly's spread offense, keeping the Pac-10's reputation as a pass-happy league in tact.
From Eugene over to Corvalis, you'll find Mike Riley quietly churning out quality and consistency with the Oregon State Beaver program. Over the past three years Oregon State has posted one 10-win season and two 9-win seasons. With Jacquizz and James Rodgers running the ball this year for Riley's club, expectations are once again high for the Beavers.
Last, but not least (well, maybe so), there is UCLA's Rick Neuheisel. Things appear to be headed in the right direction over in Westwood for the Bruins. In only his second year, Neuheisel has already travelled across country and defeated the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium and has UCLA sitting at 3-0. Neuheisel has all but guaranteed he will turn this program around, and more importantly, compete with the Trojans in the nasty LA recruiting wars.
Get to know these names. They may not have the cache' as the one's previously mentioned down South, but if you pay attention to what's happening out West, you'll see these programs start to rise out of the Pac.
Granted, the coaching fraternity down South are 'brands' familiar to us all. Saban, Meyer, Miles, Richt and yes even Spurrier -- to name a few. These guys keep the SEC balanced and competitive year in and year out. However, if you take a closer look at the Pac-10's coaches today, I think you'll see that the future is very bright for this conference. This creates balance and parity, which is something the Pac-10 has lacked quite frankly over the past 7 years.
We all know about the success Pete Carroll has had at USC, however, look up and down the coast and you'll find creative, energetic, rising stars.
The Washington Huskies brought in Steve Sarkisian from USC. He's 35 years old and already made his mark on the proud Husky program. Sark brings his pro-style offense and ideas to Seattle and it looks like Washington will be back in the mix consistently sooner rather than later.
Stanford's Jim Harbaugh, only in his third season as the fiery head coach, has improved every year he's been with the Cardinal. You have to believe Harbaugh is in it for the long haul in Palo Alto, after all, he just had a $70,000 private luxury bathroom constructed for himself.
Just across 'the Bay', we all know about Jeff Tedford's consistency with the Cal Bears. Tedford has won 4 bowl games in a row at Cal and this year appears to be well positioned to win the Pac-10 conference with Heisman hopefull Jahvid Best running through Pac-10 defenses.
Chip Kelly takes over an Oregon program that Mike Belotti kept at a very high level of respectability. Expect Oregon to light up the scoreboard with Kelly's spread offense, keeping the Pac-10's reputation as a pass-happy league in tact.
From Eugene over to Corvalis, you'll find Mike Riley quietly churning out quality and consistency with the Oregon State Beaver program. Over the past three years Oregon State has posted one 10-win season and two 9-win seasons. With Jacquizz and James Rodgers running the ball this year for Riley's club, expectations are once again high for the Beavers.
Last, but not least (well, maybe so), there is UCLA's Rick Neuheisel. Things appear to be headed in the right direction over in Westwood for the Bruins. In only his second year, Neuheisel has already travelled across country and defeated the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium and has UCLA sitting at 3-0. Neuheisel has all but guaranteed he will turn this program around, and more importantly, compete with the Trojans in the nasty LA recruiting wars.
Get to know these names. They may not have the cache' as the one's previously mentioned down South, but if you pay attention to what's happening out West, you'll see these programs start to rise out of the Pac.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
New Villain for an Old Rivalry
Jay Cutler signed with the Bears this off season. He comes to Chicago with a swagger and a 'prima donna' attitude that has even some fans in Chicago soured upon his arrival. This 23-year old brat lands in the Windy City after spending his first three seasons with the Denver Broncos, in the fairly tame AFC West.
He's now thrown right into the middle of the NFL's oldest rivaly, Bears vs. Packers. It's quite fitting that this ego-maniacal quarterback is under center in Chicago just one year after another ego left Green Bay. Cutler is perfect for this division and even more fitting for this rivalry. For Packer fans he will be way too easy to hate. Let's be honest, it was kind of tough the past couple of seasons to get the blood pressure boiling for the Wisconsin cheeseheads with Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton under center for the Bears.
Not anymore. The Bears have brought in one of the great arrogant, "I haven't achieved jack squat, but I'm a superstar," quarterbacks in the league. The NFC North needs this. Cutler has one of those faces that make you feel like he just hit on your girlfriend at the local bar.
The Packers have already experienced the satisfaction of beating Cutler. Quite frankly, they didn't just beat him...they cast a spell on him so badly, he threw a career-high 4 interceptions in his season opening loss at Lambeau Field. Packers 1, Cutler's Bears 0.
These two teams will meet again December 13th at Soldier Field in Chicago. Cutler walked away from round one with a bruised ego. Welcome to life in the 'black and blue' division.
He's now thrown right into the middle of the NFL's oldest rivaly, Bears vs. Packers. It's quite fitting that this ego-maniacal quarterback is under center in Chicago just one year after another ego left Green Bay. Cutler is perfect for this division and even more fitting for this rivalry. For Packer fans he will be way too easy to hate. Let's be honest, it was kind of tough the past couple of seasons to get the blood pressure boiling for the Wisconsin cheeseheads with Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton under center for the Bears.
Not anymore. The Bears have brought in one of the great arrogant, "I haven't achieved jack squat, but I'm a superstar," quarterbacks in the league. The NFC North needs this. Cutler has one of those faces that make you feel like he just hit on your girlfriend at the local bar.
The Packers have already experienced the satisfaction of beating Cutler. Quite frankly, they didn't just beat him...they cast a spell on him so badly, he threw a career-high 4 interceptions in his season opening loss at Lambeau Field. Packers 1, Cutler's Bears 0.
These two teams will meet again December 13th at Soldier Field in Chicago. Cutler walked away from round one with a bruised ego. Welcome to life in the 'black and blue' division.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Has To Be A Better 'Option'
Georgia Tech's head football coach Paul Johnson insists on running the option on offense. This typically leads to slow, methodical, plodding drives. This offense also tends to rely on 'the homerun ball' to get points on the board. This past Thursday night vs. ACC rival Clemson was no different.
For the first quarter of play, apparently coach Johnson had one of those giant STAPLES red buttons, because Tech fans everywhere were saying, "That was easy!" The Yellow Jackets had an 82-yard TD run, an 85-yard punt return for a TD, and a fake field goal which led to a 34-yard TD pass from the kicker to Demaryius Thomas.
Then....the red button broke.
For the remainder of the game, Georgia Tech struggled to get anything cooking on offense, while their defense simultaneously wore down. When your offense is based upon three yards and a cloud of dust, it presents a number of challenges as a game unfolds:
When time becomes a factor, can you move the football? Are you equipped to run the 2-minute drill consistently at the end of the game, particularly with a quarterback who throws fewer balls than Yankee closer Mariano Rivera. For that matter, what happens when this team falls behind by more than two touchdowns at any point during a game this season? When you need a quick score, you must be able to throw the football.
Looking at the bigger picture, will Paul Johnson ever recruit a capable pocket passer, who can lead a team 80 yards in 2 minutes? Tech Quarterback Josh Nesbitt was average at best in the game winning drive which lead to a field goal. Prior to that, he was throwing most of his passes into the 'big booster' seats. Time will tell if running the option will affect recruiting. The obvious challenge is attracting star wide receivers to this style of offense, but what about the quarterback position? Will Paul Johnson only be able to recruit the athletic, 'run-first' type of player, while neglecting to go after the traditional skilled marksmen?
For now, Coach Johnson will evade his critics as long as the Yellow Jackets keep winning. They dodged a bullet, defeating Clemson Thursday night. Clemson isn't Miami or Florida State. The Hurricanes host Georgia Tech next Thursday night. Miami will be faster on defense and more capable on offense. Paul Johnson doesn't care. His philosophy and style won't change. So get ready south Florida, the forecast for next Thursday calls for consistent clouds of dust.
For the first quarter of play, apparently coach Johnson had one of those giant STAPLES red buttons, because Tech fans everywhere were saying, "That was easy!" The Yellow Jackets had an 82-yard TD run, an 85-yard punt return for a TD, and a fake field goal which led to a 34-yard TD pass from the kicker to Demaryius Thomas.
Then....the red button broke.
For the remainder of the game, Georgia Tech struggled to get anything cooking on offense, while their defense simultaneously wore down. When your offense is based upon three yards and a cloud of dust, it presents a number of challenges as a game unfolds:
When time becomes a factor, can you move the football? Are you equipped to run the 2-minute drill consistently at the end of the game, particularly with a quarterback who throws fewer balls than Yankee closer Mariano Rivera. For that matter, what happens when this team falls behind by more than two touchdowns at any point during a game this season? When you need a quick score, you must be able to throw the football.
Looking at the bigger picture, will Paul Johnson ever recruit a capable pocket passer, who can lead a team 80 yards in 2 minutes? Tech Quarterback Josh Nesbitt was average at best in the game winning drive which lead to a field goal. Prior to that, he was throwing most of his passes into the 'big booster' seats. Time will tell if running the option will affect recruiting. The obvious challenge is attracting star wide receivers to this style of offense, but what about the quarterback position? Will Paul Johnson only be able to recruit the athletic, 'run-first' type of player, while neglecting to go after the traditional skilled marksmen?
For now, Coach Johnson will evade his critics as long as the Yellow Jackets keep winning. They dodged a bullet, defeating Clemson Thursday night. Clemson isn't Miami or Florida State. The Hurricanes host Georgia Tech next Thursday night. Miami will be faster on defense and more capable on offense. Paul Johnson doesn't care. His philosophy and style won't change. So get ready south Florida, the forecast for next Thursday calls for consistent clouds of dust.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Thoughts From Campus
Right on cue, I woke up Saturday and the air in Atlanta was a little cooler and crisper. Things just felt right. The sound of ESPN's Gameday show was the perfect music to get my day started.
I went out to lunch for the earlier games to have a beer and some wings at the local sports bar (Taco Mac). After lunch, I made the grocery store pit stop to load up on snacks for the 3:30pm games. My personal interest was in the USC game to watch true freshman quarterback, Matt Barkley. Fortunately, I have two flat screen TVs in the same room, so I was able to watch the Georgia/Oklahoma State game at the same time.
I took a break to grab some dinner with friends and made it home to catch most of the Virginia Tech/Alabama game. My long day ended around 1:30am when the Washington/LSU game ended.
Here now are some random thoughts from the first week of college football:
Coach RichRod had a tough week with the media, however, once Saturday arrived, he was able to put all that behind him and showcase a few of his prize recruits, particularly two freshman quarterbacks named Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson. It's no surprise under Coach Rod that this offense is clicking early. The Wolverines will be back sooner than later.
Georgia's loss at Oklahoma State begs the question: how does a program under Mark Richt (one of the best quarterback mentor's in America) look vulnerable with the loss of Matthew Stafford? If Georgia wants to be considered an 'elite' program, they need not miss a beat when they lose guys to the NFL. Coach Richt might want to take a page out of Pete Carroll's plans and go with the freshman, Aaron Murray. If the Dawgs lose a few more games with Cox under center, it might be time to throw Murray into the deep end and sink or swim the rest of the way.
Speaking of Pete Carroll, his true freshman quarterback, Matt Barkley looked poised in his first game as a Trojan. The 18-year old phenom from the quarterback factory that is Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, was a humble 15 for 19 for 233 yards with a TD in his debut. More importantly, he had zero interceptions and no fumbles under center. It certainly helped that Coach Carroll was able to utilize his stable of running backs most of the game, which kept the pressure off Barkley. Next week, however, is a much bigger stage for Barkley as the Trojans travel to 'the horseshoe' to take on Ohio State. I look for more of the same from USC -- keep the ball on the ground with Joe McKnight, Stefon Johnson, Allen Bradford and CJ Gable.
Who is going to be the first coach to smile after a win? Charlie Weiss at Notre Dame or Paul Johnson at Georgia Tech. Geez...talk about bitter beer face. Weiss looks like a guy who just found out his gastro-bypass procedure didn't take. Some guys have different ways of motivating their kids. Apparently Weiss and Johnson's theory is never let them think they're doing well. Time will tell if this shtick gets old or shows signs of success.
Regardless of what you think about Bob Stoops, you have to feel terrible for his Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Sam Bradford. Bradford left the game with a shoulder injury and could be out up to 4 weeks. This kid could have left college after last season and been a first round draft pick, but decided the college experience was more rewarding at this time in his life. Let's hope he gets a chance to finish out this season.
What are the Florida Gators really accomplishing by opening their season vs. Charleston Southern and Troy at home? They might be better off scrimmaging against themselves for another two weeks. When the BCS computer processes all the data at the end of the year, I think teams should be penalized for scheduling multiple cupcake games. I can understand opening your season with ONE 'warm-up' game, but the Gators scheduled three of these games. Yes, throw in a scrimmage against Florida International on November 21st and the trifecta is complete. In all, they only play 4 road games all year and 3 of those games are @ Kentucky, @ Miss State, and @ South Carolina. It's the 300 pound gorilla in the room - no one wants to talk about what a joke the Gators 2009-10 schedule is this year.
Finally, a quick comment on the ACC this year. Not to overstate the obvious, but Miami and Florida State need to step their game up this year. It's critical to the ACC conference that these programs return to glory. We keep reading about Randy Shannon's great recruiting classes at Miami, well, now it's time to produce. Over at Florida State, Coach Bowden needs to show that he still has 'it' and isn't sticking around just to pad his wins for the record books. Virginia Tech doesn't look as good as projected. Tyrod Taylor isn't the answer. You wonder if Coach Beamer thought he might catch lightening in the bottle and find the next Michael Vick.
It was certainly an eventful week one to the college football season. We are all guilty of making quick generalizations about programs off of just one week. This was just my "knee-jerk" reaction to things I saw this past Saturday. We won't know who the contender and pretenders are until probably October 15th. Until then, we can only watch, enjoy and hope that these next few months feel like an eternity...
I went out to lunch for the earlier games to have a beer and some wings at the local sports bar (Taco Mac). After lunch, I made the grocery store pit stop to load up on snacks for the 3:30pm games. My personal interest was in the USC game to watch true freshman quarterback, Matt Barkley. Fortunately, I have two flat screen TVs in the same room, so I was able to watch the Georgia/Oklahoma State game at the same time.
I took a break to grab some dinner with friends and made it home to catch most of the Virginia Tech/Alabama game. My long day ended around 1:30am when the Washington/LSU game ended.
Here now are some random thoughts from the first week of college football:
Coach RichRod had a tough week with the media, however, once Saturday arrived, he was able to put all that behind him and showcase a few of his prize recruits, particularly two freshman quarterbacks named Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson. It's no surprise under Coach Rod that this offense is clicking early. The Wolverines will be back sooner than later.
Georgia's loss at Oklahoma State begs the question: how does a program under Mark Richt (one of the best quarterback mentor's in America) look vulnerable with the loss of Matthew Stafford? If Georgia wants to be considered an 'elite' program, they need not miss a beat when they lose guys to the NFL. Coach Richt might want to take a page out of Pete Carroll's plans and go with the freshman, Aaron Murray. If the Dawgs lose a few more games with Cox under center, it might be time to throw Murray into the deep end and sink or swim the rest of the way.
Speaking of Pete Carroll, his true freshman quarterback, Matt Barkley looked poised in his first game as a Trojan. The 18-year old phenom from the quarterback factory that is Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, was a humble 15 for 19 for 233 yards with a TD in his debut. More importantly, he had zero interceptions and no fumbles under center. It certainly helped that Coach Carroll was able to utilize his stable of running backs most of the game, which kept the pressure off Barkley. Next week, however, is a much bigger stage for Barkley as the Trojans travel to 'the horseshoe' to take on Ohio State. I look for more of the same from USC -- keep the ball on the ground with Joe McKnight, Stefon Johnson, Allen Bradford and CJ Gable.
Who is going to be the first coach to smile after a win? Charlie Weiss at Notre Dame or Paul Johnson at Georgia Tech. Geez...talk about bitter beer face. Weiss looks like a guy who just found out his gastro-bypass procedure didn't take. Some guys have different ways of motivating their kids. Apparently Weiss and Johnson's theory is never let them think they're doing well. Time will tell if this shtick gets old or shows signs of success.
Regardless of what you think about Bob Stoops, you have to feel terrible for his Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Sam Bradford. Bradford left the game with a shoulder injury and could be out up to 4 weeks. This kid could have left college after last season and been a first round draft pick, but decided the college experience was more rewarding at this time in his life. Let's hope he gets a chance to finish out this season.
What are the Florida Gators really accomplishing by opening their season vs. Charleston Southern and Troy at home? They might be better off scrimmaging against themselves for another two weeks. When the BCS computer processes all the data at the end of the year, I think teams should be penalized for scheduling multiple cupcake games. I can understand opening your season with ONE 'warm-up' game, but the Gators scheduled three of these games. Yes, throw in a scrimmage against Florida International on November 21st and the trifecta is complete. In all, they only play 4 road games all year and 3 of those games are @ Kentucky, @ Miss State, and @ South Carolina. It's the 300 pound gorilla in the room - no one wants to talk about what a joke the Gators 2009-10 schedule is this year.
Finally, a quick comment on the ACC this year. Not to overstate the obvious, but Miami and Florida State need to step their game up this year. It's critical to the ACC conference that these programs return to glory. We keep reading about Randy Shannon's great recruiting classes at Miami, well, now it's time to produce. Over at Florida State, Coach Bowden needs to show that he still has 'it' and isn't sticking around just to pad his wins for the record books. Virginia Tech doesn't look as good as projected. Tyrod Taylor isn't the answer. You wonder if Coach Beamer thought he might catch lightening in the bottle and find the next Michael Vick.
It was certainly an eventful week one to the college football season. We are all guilty of making quick generalizations about programs off of just one week. This was just my "knee-jerk" reaction to things I saw this past Saturday. We won't know who the contender and pretenders are until probably October 15th. Until then, we can only watch, enjoy and hope that these next few months feel like an eternity...
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