THIS & THAT..........FRIDAY
The top-5 curse from last season is playing itself out again in 2009. For the 4th week in a row, a team ranked in the top-5 has been upset. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, USC & now Ole Miss succumbed to the curse. Ole Miss was defeated last night 16-10, by South Carolina, in one of the sloppiest games I've watched in a long time. The play calling, both offensive lines, Ole Miss QB Jevan Snead, the officiating crew, all were less than sparkling. There were 17 penalties in the game, 13 sacks, numerous dropped passes, Ole Miss was 1-13 on third down, South Carolina averaged 1.9 yards per rush, Heisman hopeful Jevan Snead was 7 of 21 for 107 yards for Ole Miss & Carolina QB Stephen Garcia was declared the 'player of the game' with a 16 for 34 passing night, that's right, less than 50% earns player of the game. The officiating crew was just as terrible, missing an obvious face mask penalty that would've prolonged an Ole Miss drive, they blew an ineligible man down field at the 5-yard line, forcing a South Carolina field goal & they couldn't call a penalty without having a conference first. Tells you a lot about the game. Ole Miss lost their 6th straight SEC opener. I had S.C. +4, which was a winner, but it was really tough to sit thru this messy game.
Miami will be without 2 starting defensive linemen Saturday when they travel to Virginia Tech. Andrew Smith has an unspecified leg injury & Marcus Forston has a broken jaw. No timetable for their return was given.
Three days after suspending 3 players from their football program indefinitely, Iowa State has reinstated all three. Kennard Banks, Kevin Hamlin & Cleyon Lang, who were named in Central Iowa Drug Task Force warrants were allowed back into the football program with little explanation Thursday. The school did say the three were subject to a student judicial board hearing & their athletic involvement could be affected by the hearings. The whole thing baffles me, I hope there's more to this story, because it doesn't make sense with what's been released so far.
A heap of trouble in Lawrence Kansas as players from the football program & the basketball team were involved with their third brawl in less than a week. Campus police became involved with the last 2, Tuesday evening & Wednesday morning. Basketball player Tyshawn Taylor had to be transported to the hospital with what's being called a dislocated thumb. Bad blood between the two teams has been brewing for nearly five years according to several former players of both teams. Apparently it all boils down to who's the hottest thing on campus. The Jayhawk roundballers won the national championship in '08, the football team went 12-1 with an Orange Bowl win the same season & the confrontations have escalated since then. Coach Bill Self & Coach Mark Mangino have vowed to discipline players privately & players from both teams apologized, promising no more such incidents. Have these incidents distracted the football team's preparations for their Saturday matchup with Southern Mississippi? We'll see very shortly.
The injury list for the Chiefs-Eagles game this Sunday is extensive. Donovan McNabb, RB Brian Westbrook & WR DeSean Jackson haven't practiced all week. Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson has already been declared out for Sunday with a groin injury. WR Dwayne Bowe spent his Thursday practice on an exercise bike & a towel covering his head, suggesting some type of illness.
Former Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard signed with the Houston Texans to help shore up their suddenly shaky pass defense. Houston coach Gary Kubiak said Thursday he expected Pollard to be in uniform Sunday & to participate with the specials teams at a minimum.
Former Mizzou & Cleveland Brown tight end, Martin Rucker was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday. The Eagles needed a catch-first tight end.
Detroit & Oakland couldn't beat the blackout bug this week. Both weren't even close to a sellout on Thursday afternoon. San Diego just beat it again for the 2nd time in 2 home games.
New York Giants safety, Kenny Phillips was placed on injured reserve on Thursday with a rare form of arthritis in his knee & some medical experts say it could very well end his career.
In the What-Were-They-Thinking Department, Kings Island Amusement Park outside Cincinnati gave local TV news crews a sneak peek at a new fall attraction, "The Halloween Haunt". It's basically a haunted house ride & WLWT TV reported the haunted house attraction included a replication of the Steve McNair murder scene. The park received so much angry feedback, they canceled the attraction. Do I need to say anything else?
Finally, we had a wonderful visit from our longtime friends Joe & Dana Z. of Las Vegas. They were getting their daughter Rebecca settled in culinary school in Chicago & they drove 1,100 miles round trip to spend 2 days with us this week & it was great. Thanks for coming & we look forward to seeing you again next summer when hopefully, we can have a small Bellagio reunion here at the Lake.
I'll preview the Missouri-Nevada ESPN game for tonight later this afternoon along with any late breaking news, so check back.
Miami will be without 2 starting defensive linemen Saturday when they travel to Virginia Tech. Andrew Smith has an unspecified leg injury & Marcus Forston has a broken jaw. No timetable for their return was given.
Three days after suspending 3 players from their football program indefinitely, Iowa State has reinstated all three. Kennard Banks, Kevin Hamlin & Cleyon Lang, who were named in Central Iowa Drug Task Force warrants were allowed back into the football program with little explanation Thursday. The school did say the three were subject to a student judicial board hearing & their athletic involvement could be affected by the hearings. The whole thing baffles me, I hope there's more to this story, because it doesn't make sense with what's been released so far.
A heap of trouble in Lawrence Kansas as players from the football program & the basketball team were involved with their third brawl in less than a week. Campus police became involved with the last 2, Tuesday evening & Wednesday morning. Basketball player Tyshawn Taylor had to be transported to the hospital with what's being called a dislocated thumb. Bad blood between the two teams has been brewing for nearly five years according to several former players of both teams. Apparently it all boils down to who's the hottest thing on campus. The Jayhawk roundballers won the national championship in '08, the football team went 12-1 with an Orange Bowl win the same season & the confrontations have escalated since then. Coach Bill Self & Coach Mark Mangino have vowed to discipline players privately & players from both teams apologized, promising no more such incidents. Have these incidents distracted the football team's preparations for their Saturday matchup with Southern Mississippi? We'll see very shortly.
The injury list for the Chiefs-Eagles game this Sunday is extensive. Donovan McNabb, RB Brian Westbrook & WR DeSean Jackson haven't practiced all week. Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson has already been declared out for Sunday with a groin injury. WR Dwayne Bowe spent his Thursday practice on an exercise bike & a towel covering his head, suggesting some type of illness.
Former Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard signed with the Houston Texans to help shore up their suddenly shaky pass defense. Houston coach Gary Kubiak said Thursday he expected Pollard to be in uniform Sunday & to participate with the specials teams at a minimum.
Former Mizzou & Cleveland Brown tight end, Martin Rucker was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday. The Eagles needed a catch-first tight end.
Detroit & Oakland couldn't beat the blackout bug this week. Both weren't even close to a sellout on Thursday afternoon. San Diego just beat it again for the 2nd time in 2 home games.
New York Giants safety, Kenny Phillips was placed on injured reserve on Thursday with a rare form of arthritis in his knee & some medical experts say it could very well end his career.
In the What-Were-They-Thinking Department, Kings Island Amusement Park outside Cincinnati gave local TV news crews a sneak peek at a new fall attraction, "The Halloween Haunt". It's basically a haunted house ride & WLWT TV reported the haunted house attraction included a replication of the Steve McNair murder scene. The park received so much angry feedback, they canceled the attraction. Do I need to say anything else?
Finally, we had a wonderful visit from our longtime friends Joe & Dana Z. of Las Vegas. They were getting their daughter Rebecca settled in culinary school in Chicago & they drove 1,100 miles round trip to spend 2 days with us this week & it was great. Thanks for coming & we look forward to seeing you again next summer when hopefully, we can have a small Bellagio reunion here at the Lake.
I'll preview the Missouri-Nevada ESPN game for tonight later this afternoon along with any late breaking news, so check back.
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