CHUCKY COULD BE IRISH & A FEW VETERAN'S DAY REFLECTIONS
If Charlie Weis is sent packing & I think he should be, who will replace him in what is probably the most high profile job in all of college football? How about Chucky? I could see John Gruden going to South Bend for a decade or more. I certainly like his chances of winning a national championship with the Irish better than Weis. I think Charlie's had his chance & he simply didn't get it done. The talent level of this team is better than any he's had at Notre Dame. Oh, he had a better record in '05 at 9-3, then got stomped by Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. The 10-2 '06 team was squashed by LSU in the Sugar Bowl, 41-14. The '09 edition of the Fighting Irish is the most talented team Weis has fielded, but they lost to Michigan, 1-5 in the Big Ten, USC & last week to Navy. Notre Dame had beaten Navy 46 straight times, but they've lost to the Midshipmen twice in the last 3 seasons at South Bend. Charlie's winning percentage is .593, the guy he replaced, Tyronne Willingham, was .583. I think if Weis continues to hover around Willingham's winning percentage, the call for him to go will get louder & more adamant. Gruden's younger, hipper, more of a fire breather than Weis. Charlie has a great offensive football mind, I just question the jump from being a Patriot assistant to Notre Dame. Gruden has had a year to relax & refresh on ESPN's Monday Night Football broadcast team. The job certainly pays enough to entice Gruden, but here's the question, is Notre Dame willing to eat a sizable sh*t sandwich to pay off Weis? The other guy who could be in the mix is Cincinnati's Brian Kelly. He has just about outgrown the Bearcat program, they're a top-10, undefeated team, how much more can he do in a program of this size & limited budget? I like Chucky over B.K., but either way, Weis has to go.
The Chiefs revolving door of mediocre & unknown players continues. Wednesday, they placed guard Mike Goff on I.R. with a neck injury. Andy Alleman will take his place in the starting lineup, but they didn't sign another warm body for their putrid offensive line, instead they resigned linebacker Justin Rogers, a former Patriot(surprised?) who had been with the Chiefs for one week before he was cut last month. Are Pioli & Haley throwing darts over there at Arrowhead?
Ole Miss defensive end Greg Hardy will miss the remainder of the season after breaking his wrist. It will require surgery to install a plate & 2 screws. Hardy was thought to be a first round NFL talent, but he has been unable to stay healthy for more than a few games at a time. Now he'll have to go to April's draft with very little game film from his senior season.
The college slate this weekend isn't the best, only a few impact games. Friday night, ESPN2 will televise a Big-East contest of major importance as #25 West Virginia visits #5 Cincinnati. The undefeated Bearcats face the Mountaineers, a revived Illinois squad & close with a trip to #12 Pittsburgh. The Idaho state championship will be decided when the 7-3 Idaho Vandals visit Boise to play the #6 ranked Broncos on the Smurf blue field. The Idaho program has made a complete turnaround, with their best season in 10 years. QB Nate Enderle might miss the game with a rotator cuff injury. The Ricky Stanzi-less Iowa Hawkeyes travel to Ohio State & the winner will go to the Rose Bowl. The aforementioned Fighting Irish play at #12 Pittsburgh in what might be Weis' last stand. The Panthers closing schedule is brutal with the Irish, their annual "Backyard Brawl" with West Virginia & Cincinnati.
The pro lineup features more mega-matchups. Cincinnati at Pittsburgh for the division lead, Philly at San Diego in what is pretty much a must-win for both teams, New England at Indianapolis Sunday night in a renewal of the classic Brady-Manning showdown. Dallas travels to Green Bay in what could be the Packers' last shot at moving toward a playoff spot & not further from it. Sadly, those of you in Mid-America without NFL Sunday Ticket, won't get a choice, you'll be force-fed the NFL's worst matchup of the weekend, the appetite suppressant known as Kansas City versus Oakland. "Get yer Tums, Raiders, Chiefs, get yer Tums".
I'd like to send a shoutout to the guys over at Ozark Ready MIx. I've been told their morning coffee break is spent right here on this page & for that I thank you.
Yesterday was Veteran's Day, maybe you remembered if you went to the bank or post office, they were closed. If you watched ESPN, Hannah Storm was broadcasting all morning from West Point. The 4 hours she spent there was superior television. ESPN2's "First Take" was broadcast from the Coast Guard Academy. The NFL paid tribute to vets all day Sunday & in promotional ads this week. In the wake of the massacre at Fort Hood last week, the cable news channels stepped up their obligatory, but tired & sometimes insincere "we support the troops". Most of these talking heads, who've never been with combat troops, have the slightest comprehension of the bond servicemen & women have for one another. To honor our vets & those currently in uniform, MSNBC ran an extensive story of how the Army lied about Pat Tillman's death. The former Arizona Cardinal who walked away from a million dollar NFL contract to serve his country after 9/11 & was killed in a friendly fire incident in April of 2004. They saved that for yesterday? Very nice, thank you for "supporting our troops" on Veteran's Day. What will we see next year on Veteran's Day, "Dead at Fort Hood were asking for it?" Thank God these people in uniform aren't so cynical, they believe in service, honor & country. Many of these so-called journalists making salaries 10 to 20 times that of an American soldier, sailor, marine or airman ought to thank whatever power they believe in, there are people willing to make this committment. Not many in this spoiled, selfish society would volunteer for this type of demanding duty.
Last night we went to a sold out charity event for The March of Dimes. Because of the generosity of Linda's employer, the event's major sponsor, we've gone the last 3 years. We've given cash, bought the table's centerpiece & bid in silent auctions. The live auctions are really out of our league financially, many items going for thousands. People giving that kind of money, even in this economy, God Bless them. The word was they raised a record amount of money for a very worthy cause. After dinner, as the M.C. was ready to turn the mic over to the auctioneer, he said "it's Veteran's Day, would every veteran & any active duty people in attendance tonight please stand up so we can thank you for your service". Linda poked me & I stood, along with maybe a dozen other vets in a room of 500+. There was a thunderous ovation & I have to tell you it was the first time in my life I ever felt people, other than my family or close friends, salute a group of vets I was a part of & the feeling was amazing. Even after we sat down, the ovation continued. Halfway thru the live auction, the auctioneer asked the veterans to stand once again & that new feeling inside of me returned. For about 20 seconds, all was right in my world. If you're a Vietnam-era veteran like me, it's doubtful you ever heard applause like that. It was nice, if you were there last night & read this, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart.
The Chiefs revolving door of mediocre & unknown players continues. Wednesday, they placed guard Mike Goff on I.R. with a neck injury. Andy Alleman will take his place in the starting lineup, but they didn't sign another warm body for their putrid offensive line, instead they resigned linebacker Justin Rogers, a former Patriot(surprised?) who had been with the Chiefs for one week before he was cut last month. Are Pioli & Haley throwing darts over there at Arrowhead?
Ole Miss defensive end Greg Hardy will miss the remainder of the season after breaking his wrist. It will require surgery to install a plate & 2 screws. Hardy was thought to be a first round NFL talent, but he has been unable to stay healthy for more than a few games at a time. Now he'll have to go to April's draft with very little game film from his senior season.
The college slate this weekend isn't the best, only a few impact games. Friday night, ESPN2 will televise a Big-East contest of major importance as #25 West Virginia visits #5 Cincinnati. The undefeated Bearcats face the Mountaineers, a revived Illinois squad & close with a trip to #12 Pittsburgh. The Idaho state championship will be decided when the 7-3 Idaho Vandals visit Boise to play the #6 ranked Broncos on the Smurf blue field. The Idaho program has made a complete turnaround, with their best season in 10 years. QB Nate Enderle might miss the game with a rotator cuff injury. The Ricky Stanzi-less Iowa Hawkeyes travel to Ohio State & the winner will go to the Rose Bowl. The aforementioned Fighting Irish play at #12 Pittsburgh in what might be Weis' last stand. The Panthers closing schedule is brutal with the Irish, their annual "Backyard Brawl" with West Virginia & Cincinnati.
The pro lineup features more mega-matchups. Cincinnati at Pittsburgh for the division lead, Philly at San Diego in what is pretty much a must-win for both teams, New England at Indianapolis Sunday night in a renewal of the classic Brady-Manning showdown. Dallas travels to Green Bay in what could be the Packers' last shot at moving toward a playoff spot & not further from it. Sadly, those of you in Mid-America without NFL Sunday Ticket, won't get a choice, you'll be force-fed the NFL's worst matchup of the weekend, the appetite suppressant known as Kansas City versus Oakland. "Get yer Tums, Raiders, Chiefs, get yer Tums".
I'd like to send a shoutout to the guys over at Ozark Ready MIx. I've been told their morning coffee break is spent right here on this page & for that I thank you.
Yesterday was Veteran's Day, maybe you remembered if you went to the bank or post office, they were closed. If you watched ESPN, Hannah Storm was broadcasting all morning from West Point. The 4 hours she spent there was superior television. ESPN2's "First Take" was broadcast from the Coast Guard Academy. The NFL paid tribute to vets all day Sunday & in promotional ads this week. In the wake of the massacre at Fort Hood last week, the cable news channels stepped up their obligatory, but tired & sometimes insincere "we support the troops". Most of these talking heads, who've never been with combat troops, have the slightest comprehension of the bond servicemen & women have for one another. To honor our vets & those currently in uniform, MSNBC ran an extensive story of how the Army lied about Pat Tillman's death. The former Arizona Cardinal who walked away from a million dollar NFL contract to serve his country after 9/11 & was killed in a friendly fire incident in April of 2004. They saved that for yesterday? Very nice, thank you for "supporting our troops" on Veteran's Day. What will we see next year on Veteran's Day, "Dead at Fort Hood were asking for it?" Thank God these people in uniform aren't so cynical, they believe in service, honor & country. Many of these so-called journalists making salaries 10 to 20 times that of an American soldier, sailor, marine or airman ought to thank whatever power they believe in, there are people willing to make this committment. Not many in this spoiled, selfish society would volunteer for this type of demanding duty.
Last night we went to a sold out charity event for The March of Dimes. Because of the generosity of Linda's employer, the event's major sponsor, we've gone the last 3 years. We've given cash, bought the table's centerpiece & bid in silent auctions. The live auctions are really out of our league financially, many items going for thousands. People giving that kind of money, even in this economy, God Bless them. The word was they raised a record amount of money for a very worthy cause. After dinner, as the M.C. was ready to turn the mic over to the auctioneer, he said "it's Veteran's Day, would every veteran & any active duty people in attendance tonight please stand up so we can thank you for your service". Linda poked me & I stood, along with maybe a dozen other vets in a room of 500+. There was a thunderous ovation & I have to tell you it was the first time in my life I ever felt people, other than my family or close friends, salute a group of vets I was a part of & the feeling was amazing. Even after we sat down, the ovation continued. Halfway thru the live auction, the auctioneer asked the veterans to stand once again & that new feeling inside of me returned. For about 20 seconds, all was right in my world. If you're a Vietnam-era veteran like me, it's doubtful you ever heard applause like that. It was nice, if you were there last night & read this, I say thank you from the bottom of my heart.
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