BLACKOUTS CONTINUE, CINCY 6-0 BUT PIKE HURT & RYAN LEAF TO BE DEPORTED?
The plague of blackouts continues in the NFL. Both Jacksonville & Oakland will be blacked out again this Sunday. San Diego was granted an extension to try to sell the remaining seats for Monday night's game against division leading Denver. Cincinnati was granted an extension like no one has ever seen. Normally if a team is within 1,500 non-premium seats of selling out on Thursdays, they can get an extension. But this week the Bengals were right at 3,000 unsold seats & still got an extension. The 4-1 Bengals lead the division & have what could be a tough game with Houston on Sunday, but Bengal sources say the problem is the economy.
Also on the ticket front, the Denver Broncos have announced they will reduce the price of club level seats for 2010. Wow, a 5-0 team already reducing ticket prices for next season? There are 8,100 club level seats at Invesco Field with an average price of $317, which is pretty steep. The Broncos said the tickets would be reduced 15-24%. Some seats with PSL's are sold at a lower rate. Still, a good move by a franchise already heading in the right direction.
I told you earlier this week Steeler RB Rashard Mendenhall might never give up the starting spot since he replaced Willie Parker, who was sidelined with turf toe. Mendenhall gained 242 yards on 44 carries & had 3 touchdowns subbing for Parker the last 2 games. Mendenhall came down with the flu yesterday & it appears Parker may start Sunday in his place even tho his sore toe isn't healed completely. Also on the injury front, all-world safety Troy Polamalu has practiced all week & his expected to play his first game since spraining his knee on opening night against the Titans.
Neither QB Matthew Stafford or WR Calvin Johnson practiced Thursday or Friday. The Lions aren't saying if they'll play Sunday in Green Bay, but I'd say right now it's less than a 50% chance.
Todd Haley can't go a week without tinkering with his 0-5 Chiefs. Yesterday he canned wide receivers coach Dedric Ward & replaced him with Richie Anderson. Anderson was a running back with the Giants. Don't look for any improvement in Kansas City's receiving corps, Sunday's opponent, the Washington Redskins, are ranked 3rd in the league in pass defense. They haven't allowed a 100-yard receiver since week 3 of last season, a string of 18 games. That was last accomplished by Larry Fitzgerald. The Chiefs also signed linebacker Justin Rogers. Guess where he came from? If you said New England, you're only half right. He was a 6th round draft pick in '07 by the Patriots. They cut him before the season & Dallas picked him up where he remained on their active roster for 2 seasons. The former SMU Mustang was one of the leading tacklers on special teams. Running back Jackie Battle was placed on I.R. to make room for Rogers. Battle will require surgery for a shoulder injury he sustained last Sunday against the Cowboys.
The 6-0 Cincinnati Bearcats got a win last night in Tampa against South Florida 34-17. It came at quite a cost, starting QB Tony Pike injured his non-throwing left arm & will miss at least one game, probably more. Pike broke his arm last season & had a plate & 6 screws surgically implanted to repair the fracture. The plate shifted last night & Cincy officials don't know if he'll need more surgery. Pike had already thrown 2 touchdowns in the 1st half for the 8th ranked Bearcats. His replacement, Zach Collaros, was sensational, running 10 times for 132 yards & 2 scores to close out the 21st ranked South Florida Bulls. Cincinnati faces Louisville next week & Collaros will be the quarterback.
Ryan Leaf continues to have problems, this time he did nothing wrong. Leaf, facing 8 charges stemming from a burglary in Texas, may be deported. The burglary was an attempt to steal prescription pain killers of a player on the West Texas A&M, where he was the quarterbacks coach. He later fled to Canada & was arrested trying to cross the border into the United States. He completed drug rehab & was working as a marketing associate for a major fishing tour company. Leaf, a lifelong fisherman from the Northwest, had settled into his position selling fishing trips into Canada but now the Canadian government wants to deport him because of the drug allegations against him. Too bad the countries aren't reversed, in this country as an alien, you can commit a crime & be set right back on the street, no problem. I hope he can stay clean & sober regardless of where he lives.
South Carolina, already facing a tough task taking on #2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, now they'll have to do it without 2 major offensive contributors. Running back Jarvis Giles, who splits time with Kenny Giles(no relation), was suspended by coach Steve Spurrier for a yet unknown infraction. Staring left guard, Heath Batchelor, has left the team because he longer wants to play football. He did essentially the same thing last season before returning for spring practice. Spurrier said this episode will end his playing days for the Gamecocks.
USC backup running back, Stafon Johnson was released from the hospital on Thursday. He suffered a crushed larynx, trachea & esophagus when a bar with 315 pounds on it slipped from his hand & land on his throat in the Trojan weight room. Johnson is still tube-fed & can't speak, but doctors believe he'll make a full recovery & be able to return to the football team. Talk about a freak accident.
Here's how I see some of the major matchups tomorrow:
Oklahoma vs. Texas
The Red River Shootout where the schools split the stadium in half for ticket sales, one half in burnt orange & the other half in red & white. It's been one of the premiere college football games for decades. The big matchup in this game is between the quarterbacks, Heisman winner Sam Bradford for OU & Heisman finalist Colt McCoy for the Longhorns. Texas has had trouble running the ball & now 2 tailbacks that get the bulk of the carries are both injured & may not play. The Sooners have lost all-world tight end Jermaine Gresham but they hope to have leading receiver, Ryan Broyles ready for the 11 AM kickoff. If Texas is unable to run the ball consistently & they're forced to pass against one of the toughest pass defenses in the country, I think OU wins. The line is 3 1/2 & with all the injury-related questions, I'll watch it, but without a wager. Nationally televised on ABC.
Iowa at Wisconsin
The Hawkeyes are undefeated & ranked #11. Wisconsin has been a disappointment for the second year in a row under coach Brett Bielema. The Badgers hung around for a while last week vs. Ohio State, but in the end they were blown out. This team doesn't appear to have much leadership, they panic, they pack it in. Iowa blew them out in Iowa City last season, so why is Wisconsin favored by 2 1/2? I don't know, but I'm on Iowa. ESPN at 11 AM
Texas Tech at Nebraska
This game will tell just how good the Nebraska defense really is. Their win against Missouri last week was tainted a little bit by the monsoon conditions. If the prevail tomorrow as an 11-point favorite, I'll be impressed. Tech coach Mike Leach hasn't made his starting quarterback known to the public. Will it be Taylor Potts(recovered from a concussion) or Steven Sheffield(threw 7 TD's last week)? No wager, but I'll be watching ABC at 2:30.
USC at Notre Dame
When I first saw the line, #25 Notre Dame +10, I liked the Irish, but after doing my homework, I doubt I'll mess with this game. USC has pounded Notre Dame the last 2 seasons 76-3. The Irish have trouble keeping the pass rush off of QB Jimmy Clausen. The #6 Trojans rush the passer as well as anyone in the country. They have an All-American safety in Taylor Mays patrolling the deep middle as well as crashing down to stop runners in their tracks. The Irish lost their best receiver, Michael Floyd, in the Michigan game. They are 4-1, but could easily be 1-4. They haven't put an opponent away since opening day versus Nevada. They're also 1-4 against the spread, covering only the Nevada game. Can't make a play, but I'll be watching & rooting for the Irish. NBC 2:30 PM
Houston at Tulane
Houston recovered from the debacle at UTEP, edging Mississippi State last Saturday, 31-24 in a 'pick-em' game. The Cougars are a 17-point favorite at Tulane & for good reason, the Green Wave is dreadful. There will be more Houston fans in the Superdome stands than the faithful from Tulane. Houston has a 2-game break here in the middle, catching Tulane & SMU before they have to play S. Miss. & Tulsa. They'll take care of business here winning by at least 30. I'm bettin' on it. CBS College HD 2:30 PM
Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech
The #4 ranked Virginia Tech Hokies face a stiff conference test at #19 Georgia Tech. The Yellowjackets triple option is something to see, RB Jonathan Dwyer, #21, is one of the top-3 backs in the country. The Hokies won this matchup last year at home, 20-17. I see another close game tomorrow. Close game? Give me the home underdog Yellowjackets & the 3 1/2 points. ESPN2 5:00 PM
Kansas at Colorado
The 17th ranked Jayhawks might be looking ahead to their matchup with Oklahoma next week. They better pay attention to the Buffaloes this week. Colorado is 1-4 on the season but they've covered the last 3 against Wyoming, West Virginia & Texas. Kansas, 5-0, on the other hand, hasn't covered their last 3 against Duke, Southern Miss & Iowa State, all home games. The Jayhawk defense has been exposed, gashed & picked apart. The Buffs should be able to stay within the 10-point spread, but I'm not getting involved, Colorado coach Dan Hawkins scares me.
Missouri at Oklahoma State
Another one I'll watch but stay away from betting-wise. Too many weird goings-on down in Stillwater. The Dez Bryant mess where he was stripped of his college eligibility because he lied to an NCAA investigator about having lunch at Deion Sanders' house. He's the biggest impact player in the Big-12 outside the QB's. Kendall Hunter, the Big-12's leading rusher last season is injured & may not play again this season. The Cowboys still have Zac Robinson tho & he still makes things happen running & throwing. Mizzou's Blaine Gabbert injured his ankle last week against Nebraska, but he has practiced all week & it's supposed to be a problem. The road team has been dominant in this series winning every game since 2000, but I'm not convinced Mizzou can go one the road without a running game & prevail. I don't even want any part of this game with the Tigers getting 7 points. If you catch this game on TV, watch OSU's left offensive tackle, Russell Okung, #76. He'd look good in a Chiefs uniform next season. ESPN2 8:15 PM
Today's name of the day: Quandon Christian, cornerback, Clemson.
Also on the ticket front, the Denver Broncos have announced they will reduce the price of club level seats for 2010. Wow, a 5-0 team already reducing ticket prices for next season? There are 8,100 club level seats at Invesco Field with an average price of $317, which is pretty steep. The Broncos said the tickets would be reduced 15-24%. Some seats with PSL's are sold at a lower rate. Still, a good move by a franchise already heading in the right direction.
I told you earlier this week Steeler RB Rashard Mendenhall might never give up the starting spot since he replaced Willie Parker, who was sidelined with turf toe. Mendenhall gained 242 yards on 44 carries & had 3 touchdowns subbing for Parker the last 2 games. Mendenhall came down with the flu yesterday & it appears Parker may start Sunday in his place even tho his sore toe isn't healed completely. Also on the injury front, all-world safety Troy Polamalu has practiced all week & his expected to play his first game since spraining his knee on opening night against the Titans.
Neither QB Matthew Stafford or WR Calvin Johnson practiced Thursday or Friday. The Lions aren't saying if they'll play Sunday in Green Bay, but I'd say right now it's less than a 50% chance.
Todd Haley can't go a week without tinkering with his 0-5 Chiefs. Yesterday he canned wide receivers coach Dedric Ward & replaced him with Richie Anderson. Anderson was a running back with the Giants. Don't look for any improvement in Kansas City's receiving corps, Sunday's opponent, the Washington Redskins, are ranked 3rd in the league in pass defense. They haven't allowed a 100-yard receiver since week 3 of last season, a string of 18 games. That was last accomplished by Larry Fitzgerald. The Chiefs also signed linebacker Justin Rogers. Guess where he came from? If you said New England, you're only half right. He was a 6th round draft pick in '07 by the Patriots. They cut him before the season & Dallas picked him up where he remained on their active roster for 2 seasons. The former SMU Mustang was one of the leading tacklers on special teams. Running back Jackie Battle was placed on I.R. to make room for Rogers. Battle will require surgery for a shoulder injury he sustained last Sunday against the Cowboys.
The 6-0 Cincinnati Bearcats got a win last night in Tampa against South Florida 34-17. It came at quite a cost, starting QB Tony Pike injured his non-throwing left arm & will miss at least one game, probably more. Pike broke his arm last season & had a plate & 6 screws surgically implanted to repair the fracture. The plate shifted last night & Cincy officials don't know if he'll need more surgery. Pike had already thrown 2 touchdowns in the 1st half for the 8th ranked Bearcats. His replacement, Zach Collaros, was sensational, running 10 times for 132 yards & 2 scores to close out the 21st ranked South Florida Bulls. Cincinnati faces Louisville next week & Collaros will be the quarterback.
Ryan Leaf continues to have problems, this time he did nothing wrong. Leaf, facing 8 charges stemming from a burglary in Texas, may be deported. The burglary was an attempt to steal prescription pain killers of a player on the West Texas A&M, where he was the quarterbacks coach. He later fled to Canada & was arrested trying to cross the border into the United States. He completed drug rehab & was working as a marketing associate for a major fishing tour company. Leaf, a lifelong fisherman from the Northwest, had settled into his position selling fishing trips into Canada but now the Canadian government wants to deport him because of the drug allegations against him. Too bad the countries aren't reversed, in this country as an alien, you can commit a crime & be set right back on the street, no problem. I hope he can stay clean & sober regardless of where he lives.
South Carolina, already facing a tough task taking on #2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa, now they'll have to do it without 2 major offensive contributors. Running back Jarvis Giles, who splits time with Kenny Giles(no relation), was suspended by coach Steve Spurrier for a yet unknown infraction. Staring left guard, Heath Batchelor, has left the team because he longer wants to play football. He did essentially the same thing last season before returning for spring practice. Spurrier said this episode will end his playing days for the Gamecocks.
USC backup running back, Stafon Johnson was released from the hospital on Thursday. He suffered a crushed larynx, trachea & esophagus when a bar with 315 pounds on it slipped from his hand & land on his throat in the Trojan weight room. Johnson is still tube-fed & can't speak, but doctors believe he'll make a full recovery & be able to return to the football team. Talk about a freak accident.
Here's how I see some of the major matchups tomorrow:
Oklahoma vs. Texas
The Red River Shootout where the schools split the stadium in half for ticket sales, one half in burnt orange & the other half in red & white. It's been one of the premiere college football games for decades. The big matchup in this game is between the quarterbacks, Heisman winner Sam Bradford for OU & Heisman finalist Colt McCoy for the Longhorns. Texas has had trouble running the ball & now 2 tailbacks that get the bulk of the carries are both injured & may not play. The Sooners have lost all-world tight end Jermaine Gresham but they hope to have leading receiver, Ryan Broyles ready for the 11 AM kickoff. If Texas is unable to run the ball consistently & they're forced to pass against one of the toughest pass defenses in the country, I think OU wins. The line is 3 1/2 & with all the injury-related questions, I'll watch it, but without a wager. Nationally televised on ABC.
Iowa at Wisconsin
The Hawkeyes are undefeated & ranked #11. Wisconsin has been a disappointment for the second year in a row under coach Brett Bielema. The Badgers hung around for a while last week vs. Ohio State, but in the end they were blown out. This team doesn't appear to have much leadership, they panic, they pack it in. Iowa blew them out in Iowa City last season, so why is Wisconsin favored by 2 1/2? I don't know, but I'm on Iowa. ESPN at 11 AM
Texas Tech at Nebraska
This game will tell just how good the Nebraska defense really is. Their win against Missouri last week was tainted a little bit by the monsoon conditions. If the prevail tomorrow as an 11-point favorite, I'll be impressed. Tech coach Mike Leach hasn't made his starting quarterback known to the public. Will it be Taylor Potts(recovered from a concussion) or Steven Sheffield(threw 7 TD's last week)? No wager, but I'll be watching ABC at 2:30.
USC at Notre Dame
When I first saw the line, #25 Notre Dame +10, I liked the Irish, but after doing my homework, I doubt I'll mess with this game. USC has pounded Notre Dame the last 2 seasons 76-3. The Irish have trouble keeping the pass rush off of QB Jimmy Clausen. The #6 Trojans rush the passer as well as anyone in the country. They have an All-American safety in Taylor Mays patrolling the deep middle as well as crashing down to stop runners in their tracks. The Irish lost their best receiver, Michael Floyd, in the Michigan game. They are 4-1, but could easily be 1-4. They haven't put an opponent away since opening day versus Nevada. They're also 1-4 against the spread, covering only the Nevada game. Can't make a play, but I'll be watching & rooting for the Irish. NBC 2:30 PM
Houston at Tulane
Houston recovered from the debacle at UTEP, edging Mississippi State last Saturday, 31-24 in a 'pick-em' game. The Cougars are a 17-point favorite at Tulane & for good reason, the Green Wave is dreadful. There will be more Houston fans in the Superdome stands than the faithful from Tulane. Houston has a 2-game break here in the middle, catching Tulane & SMU before they have to play S. Miss. & Tulsa. They'll take care of business here winning by at least 30. I'm bettin' on it. CBS College HD 2:30 PM
Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech
The #4 ranked Virginia Tech Hokies face a stiff conference test at #19 Georgia Tech. The Yellowjackets triple option is something to see, RB Jonathan Dwyer, #21, is one of the top-3 backs in the country. The Hokies won this matchup last year at home, 20-17. I see another close game tomorrow. Close game? Give me the home underdog Yellowjackets & the 3 1/2 points. ESPN2 5:00 PM
Kansas at Colorado
The 17th ranked Jayhawks might be looking ahead to their matchup with Oklahoma next week. They better pay attention to the Buffaloes this week. Colorado is 1-4 on the season but they've covered the last 3 against Wyoming, West Virginia & Texas. Kansas, 5-0, on the other hand, hasn't covered their last 3 against Duke, Southern Miss & Iowa State, all home games. The Jayhawk defense has been exposed, gashed & picked apart. The Buffs should be able to stay within the 10-point spread, but I'm not getting involved, Colorado coach Dan Hawkins scares me.
Missouri at Oklahoma State
Another one I'll watch but stay away from betting-wise. Too many weird goings-on down in Stillwater. The Dez Bryant mess where he was stripped of his college eligibility because he lied to an NCAA investigator about having lunch at Deion Sanders' house. He's the biggest impact player in the Big-12 outside the QB's. Kendall Hunter, the Big-12's leading rusher last season is injured & may not play again this season. The Cowboys still have Zac Robinson tho & he still makes things happen running & throwing. Mizzou's Blaine Gabbert injured his ankle last week against Nebraska, but he has practiced all week & it's supposed to be a problem. The road team has been dominant in this series winning every game since 2000, but I'm not convinced Mizzou can go one the road without a running game & prevail. I don't even want any part of this game with the Tigers getting 7 points. If you catch this game on TV, watch OSU's left offensive tackle, Russell Okung, #76. He'd look good in a Chiefs uniform next season. ESPN2 8:15 PM
Today's name of the day: Quandon Christian, cornerback, Clemson.
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