Thursday, November 27, 2014

Glad we got Luck


It's Thanksgiving weekend in Indy and the visiting Redskins will be without RGIII...NOT because he is sidelined by injury BUT because his team has benched him. This is the guy that a couple of years ago Colts fans were drooling over. They couldn't believe we'd take the kid from Stanford over the hype. Bet they get it now.

I'm SO GLAD we picked Andrew Luck over RGIII. One of them is headed to the Hall of Fame in Canton.

GO COLTS!!!!
&
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Football Weekend - Nov 15, 16

Well, I was hoping to post what a great football weekend it was, with each of my teams beating their archnemesis, but the Colts forgot how to tackle and made a no-name Patriots' running back look like a 5-time pro-bowler. It was reminiscent of the days when Jacksonville would wipe the field with our defenseless butts on the back of Maurice Jones-Drew. Bend-but-don't-break defense? More like, lay on your backside and enjoy the view of Mr. Gray's backside as he scores another touchdown on your sorry asses!

But I digress...

The FSU Defense decided to show up for the second half of Saturday's contest versus Miami, propelling the Noles to a 26th-straight victory and back to the top of both polls. We'll see tonight just what the College Football Playoff Community Roast...i mean Committee...has to say about it. At any rate, we stand alone as the only undefeated team from a power conference and took back most of the first place votes, sharing only a few of them with one-loss Alabama.

In typical Noles 14.0 fashion, we waited until the second half to come alive, outscoring the Canes 23-3 and silencing the bandwagon Miami fans who decided to show up for one game this year!

DUH U!!!

The Noles remain UNCONQUERED through two college football seasons and looked primed and ready for the first ever CFB Playoff. GO NOLES!!!!

And to the Dolts Defense...C'MON MAN!!!!!

Friday, November 14, 2014

#kinduvaduh

#kinduvaduh
#secbias
#screwtheplayoffcommitteeforbeinginsanelystupid

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Ending the Manning-Brady Debate

With all the build-up to this week's game between New England and Denver, the NFL Network is doing everything it can to reignite the Manning vs. Brady debate. Last night, I stayed up and watched an hour-long show counting down their top 10 matchups. Sure, Brady has the looks, the hot wife and the rings, but in the end, Peyton is still a one-of-a-kind/once-in-a-lifetime quarterback.

Has Brady broken the all-time TD pass record in way fewer games than it took the legendary Brett Favre? And as it stands, Manning could post a gaudy number for the new record. If he plays another two years, which is highly likely, that record could stand for decades. No, the lunchpail, do just enough to get the "W" Brady is never going to approach that level of excellence.

Case closed. But nice try to capitalize on the ratings, NFL Net.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

ESecPN Gains Traction Nationally



The SEC-bias by ESPN would be laughable if it just weren't so horribly egregious. And for them to publicly speak out about it, coming to their own hapless defense, is just sad.

Now, Rolling Stone has picked up on the growing anti-ESPN-ism amongst college football fans across the country. And while this is not a particularly FSU-related issue, I am glad the writer brought up Jameis Winston and the unparalleled media (read ESPN) scrutiny of him this year, when by all counts, the worst he did--and the only illegal act, I might add--was steal $34 worth of crab legs.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

SEC Bias? Naw!

How do I know? Chris Fowler says so!

Forget the fact that the cable sports network for which he works acquired the rights to host the SEC Network for umpteen million. But they've got no stake in it. Doesn't skew their reporting at all. Nor does it effect the polls. That's how a championship-defending team, undefeated this year (and all of last...going back 23 games), defeats a team like Notre Dame, ranked in the top 5, has one of the best records against top-tier teams, yet gets jumped because the SEC Network deemed that it's own conference is so much tougher that any win, even over the likes of Kentucky, deserves more first place votes. SEC-ass-kissers say "WHAT?"

So here's the new-look logo for the network that I've chosen not to watch unless it's the only one carrying the FSU game that week...

Oh, and nice try Fowler, but the SEC Network isn't owned or operated by CBS.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

GREAT FOOTBALL WEEKEND!

The Colts put the SMACKDOWN on Cincy today, shutting them out and scoring 27.

The Seminoles eeked one out against #5 Notre Dame in a thrilla at Doak! (Remain at number 2 in both polls, makes no sense!)

And Peyton Manning surpasses Brett Favre's record mark for number of touchdown passes! KUDOS #18.

Monday, September 22, 2014

Great Football Weekend


CONGRATS TO DEFENSIVE LINEMAN EDDIE GOLDMAN AND RECEIVER
RASHAD GREENE FOR BEING NAMED PLAYERS OF THE WEEK IN THE ACC!

This caps off a very nice football weekend for us Colt-Noles! In addition to FSU's exciting win over Clemson in OT, the Colts brought home their first victory from Jacksonville, in big blue fashion! I know I had a very good weekend. GO COLTS! GO NOLES!!!

Thursday, September 18, 2014

A Needed Dose of Realism

***COMMENTARY***

TALLAHASSEE--Please allow me to play devil's advocate for a moment here. Imagine, if you will, the voice of beloved Seminole radio caller Gene Deckerhoff:

"Jameis Winston is down around the 50, and he ain't moving, William Floyd."

"No he's not, Gene."

"That could spell disaster for this team and this season. The medical training staff are down there attending to a lifeless Jameis who has not moved since going down after a vicious hit from the Miami linebacker. It was incidental, I believe, but head-to-head contact, nonetheless."

In the stunned silence of Doak Campbell stadium, where you could almost hear Jameis Winston's slow breathing, how many shocked Seminoles would be thinking about his off-the-field antics, or what he said while standing on a table in the student union. As the whole of Seminole Nation held their collective breath, they would all be thinking the same thing, "Oh, #$*&@!" (insert your favorite expletive here, but make sure no one tweets about it).

Because at the end of the day, this is the reality for every kid that straps on that yellow and purple helmet meant to represent the Garnet & Gold. These kids, and yes, to me (at age 46) these are just college kids playing a sport that rakes in millions of dollars in television revenues and booster donations every year. An FSU football player dons his gear and takes the field nearly every weekend during the fall semester KNOWING that this could be the last time he ever walks or plays the sport again. Each of them is one vicious hit away from paralysis or worse.

And do you know the thanks they get? A seemingly worthless $240k college degree. I say that because most college football greats have their sights set on an NFL locker room somewhere not some corner office. Now, I could make a statement here about "pay for play" but that's not my point.

We expect these kids to go out and perform for us every day. We expect them to handle a full load of classes, two-a-day practices and maintain a level of excellence on the field that, quite honestly, is overblown to the ridiculous. And in the case of a Jameis Winston, possibly the most famous college athlete in America right now, we expect him to handle the media and the public with grace and acumen. On top of the already insurmountable pressure of college academic and athletic excellence, we pile on the pressure cooker atmosphere of 24/7 cable news and even social media (in the hands of other kids) watching him under a microscope.

I'd dare any 50-year-old professional to excel in that environment, under that much scrutiny and pressure, let alone a 20-year-old amateur athlete!

And let's have a second dose of reality here. The kid cussed on a college campus. Yes it was lude, crude and rude, but have you ever watched an episode of Key & Peele on Comedy Central? There have been way too many Sunday school teachers riding their high horse through the forums on Facebook and other social media for me to count. And as I stated there, this is 2014, not 1950. Lucille Ball-Desi Arnez, sleeping in separate bed, G-rated comedy is a thing of the past. And well it should be. Kids in college are going to say things and do things that seem utterly reprehensible and irresponsible to your grandmother who has gone to every FSU game since before Bobby Bowden was coach. And maybe even to you, whatever age or religious or moral persuasion you happen to be. GET OVER IT!

This was not a punishable offense.

And lest I be remiss, I'll point out that shooting BB guns at others, stealing soft drinks and crab legs and shouting obscenities are all just college high jinks. I grew up on movies like "Grease" and "Animal House" and "Revenge of the Nerds," so this all seems pretty tame to me. And done by any OTHER college kid would've never made national headlines.

Granted, he's the face of the program right now for FSU. I get that. Go back a few paragraphs and read about the ridiculous amount of pressure that he's under. And he's just a kid from a small Southern town. I mean, who ever even heard of Hueytown before he made waves as a high school quarterback. Who's even driven through the one stop-light, Alabama town? Now, he's thrust into the national spotlight, a sophmore in college, expected to behave like Peyton Manning.

Guess what, folks, he ain't Peyton Manning, or even Charlie Ward. He's his own person and I happen to find him particularly funny. Over the top, at times? I think one could argue that. But cut him some slack, for Pete's sake ("I see ya, PT!").

I couldn't sit back any longer while this snowball rolled downhill. It started on social media two days ago and look what it's turned into! Top story on ESPN SportsCenter? As the guys say on Monday Night Countdown, "C'MON MAN!!!" This was a proverbial mole hill that got raked into a mountain overnight by the witch-hunt media on a slow news cycle. And, sadly, much of Seminole Nation jumped right on the "brand Infamous Jameis and kick him off the team" bandwagon. I mean, with fans like that, who needs Florida or Miami? Haters be damned!

We'll wait and see what everyone is saying come playoff time when this has been put to bed and Jameis is throwing bombs to Rashad Greene for six and leading his team to another championship game. I'll be in Dallas watching a great number of you eat crow. I'll have plenty of napkins there for you. Good day, Noles.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

A LOT FUNNIER THAN THE NEW PM GATORADE COMMERCIALS!

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Counting down to the start of football season

8 weeks until FSU faces off against OK State!
9 weeks until Luck faces PM in a Colts-Broncos showdown!

Thursday, May 1, 2014

#OPILIOSTRONG

In the wake of the latest #JAMEISWINSTON snafu, I've coined a new phrase for the Seminole Football team. Forget "Ignition Tradition" which is just stupid and contradicts itself, we are #OPILIOSTRONG !!!


Saturday, April 12, 2014

Unrest in the tribe

There's a lot of unrest in the tribe. Secret dealings between FSU's athletics department and Nike have caused an uproar. Yesterday, they unveiled the new Seminole football uniforms, with matching helmets for home and away games. Yes, you heard that right. FSU is the new Oregon and will be sporting different helmets to match their home and away jerseys.

Who needs tradition, right?

As I commented on Facebook this morning, just replace all icons from Florida State's past with the Nike swoosh and be done with it already! #corporatesellout

I recommend that anyone else who is unhappy with these changes, take it up on Nike Football's Facebook page: http://tinyurl.com/kodkagl

That's all I have to say about that.

Monday, March 17, 2014

Oh Geez!

And just when I was getting excited about Colts football again. No COLTSTRONG hashtag on this one. Where are his friends? Why haven't they staged an intervention before now? Not the news we need out of Indy.

KRAVITZ: Irsay Fighting for His Life, Needs Help...
http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/kravitz/2014/03/17/kravitz-irsay-fighting-for-his-life-needs-help/6523925/

Monday, March 3, 2014

Blog Relaunch

With the recent championship win by my Noles and a move back to Tallahassee, I thought this the perfect time to relaunch my blog about college and NFL football, namely my two teams in each category, the Seminoles and the Colts.

I have missed blogging here the last couple of seasons, except for occasional posts here and there. Life just got in the way.

Now that things are settling down, I want to post a regular column here and get ramped up for the 2014 season. I saw somewhere a couple of weeks ago that we are 2 Sundays past the 2013 NFL season with just 28 Sundays to go. When put in that perspective, it's not too long a wait. I'll bide my time the next month or so, watching college hoops. It is March Madness, after all, and this Hoosier is a basketball junkie this time of year. But I digress...

It was a stellar year for my Seminoles, reminding the nation once again that the mighty Seminole tribe is not to be forgotten, beaten or taken for granted. And just like our namesake, the Florida State Seminoles were UNCONQUERED in 2013, completing the perfect season, catapulting Jameis Winston to the Heisman Trophy winner's circle and FSU to it's third national title. It was a tri-fecta, much like the one we accomplished in 1999. Did you know that every year the Seminoles have won the National Championship in college football, they've also been led by a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback? First, it was the venerable Charlie Ward, then the veteran Chris Weinke, both leading our teams in a successful bid for the Sears Trophy. All three Heisman winners got to jubilantly hoist that coveted crystal football in the air!

KUDOS to Winston, Benjamin, Jernigan, Joyner and Co. on completing the perfect season, making all of Seminole Nation proud!

COLTS
Will my NFL team be making a run at a Superbowl ring anytime soon? Who knows. Current, pre-NFL Draft thinking has them focusing on receivers and key offensive positions. I'm not so sure that's the best approach to bolstering this roster for future success. If Reggie Wayne returns to a decent receiver corps, we should be solid in that area. Without the Pro-Bowler, we were still an offense to be reckoned with...just ask Seattle or San Francisco! So why are we not focusing instead on our defense. The bend-but-don't break, two deep safety system we've employed since the 1990's isn't going to get us to our goals. As Seattle proved once again, the old adage is most certainly true, "Defense wins championships!" When is the Irsay brain trust going to get it? I've been very happy with the young GM Grigson, but he needs to set Irsay straight and let Luck and Co., as is, handle the advancement of the football. He needs to set his sights on building the best defense in the league and break the pattern of mediocrity Colts fans have become so accustomed to. A stout defense puts the offense in better field position, helps them by scoring points and giving Andrew Luck the ball. The future HOF'er can't score touchdowns from the sidelines. The defense makes certain he stays on the field. It's kind of a no-brainer.

Well, that wraps up this overdue relaunch of my Colt-Nole blog. I'll leave you with this breaking news from legendary cable newsman, Ron Burgundy...