CHIEFS DENYING EVERYTHING, A&M KICKED TO THE CURB & WHY THE BIG-12 SAID NO TO BYU
The head honcho's over at One Arrowhead Drive were putting out fires all day Friday & they denied everything. First up it was general manager Scott Pioli who responded to a report from Nick Wright at KCSP AM who said Pioli was prepared to fire head coach Todd Haley if the Chiefs hadn't won in Indianapolis last Sunday. "One-hundred percent false, it was never going to be as early as 5 games into the season" Pioli said. "As early as 5 games?" His denial sort of fell short of saying Haley wouldn't be fired. Maybe it's my old ears but it sounded as if Haley kicked the can down the road for a few weeks.
Denial #2 came from team president Mark Donovan who said the story Bob Gretz posted on his website late Thursday night was false. "There's no basis in fact, not sure where the blogger is getting his info, but there is no announcement planned" Donovan said. Calling Gretz merely a blogger is like calling Donovan just a Chiefs' employee. Gretz was the main writer on the Chiefs' official website for years, he was the sideline reporter for the Chiefs' radio network & Bob is present during every single press conference the Chiefs conduct. Donovan's response to a question regarding the firing of Tammy Fruits, director of group sales & marketing was "we never discuss personnel in regard to their employment status." In other words, she was fired.
The Missouri Tigers play Iowa State at 1PM this afternoon in the Homecoming game, MIzzou's 100th. This tradition that spread nation-wide thru colleges & high schools, was started at Mizzou, 100-years ago. Putting tradition aside for a moment, the Tigers need a superior effort today to get back on track if they're to become bowl-eligible. Cyclone QB Steele Jantz(has a big soap opera future with that name) can make plays & keep his team in games. Once Big-12 play began, the Cyclones fell off the map losing big to both Texas & Baylor. Mizzou needs a win by double-digits & a defensive performance to build upon. Some decent placekicking would be nice as well.
Where homecoming began 100-years ago
The Aggies of Texas A&M & the Texas Longhorns have a rich tradition of playing their intense rivalry game on Thanksgiving night. Apparently that tradition, no matter how rich, has been kicked to the curb by Texas. The Aggies are leaving the Big-12 to explore just how mediocre they can become in the SEC & the Longhorns told them on Friday they couldn't expend an out-of-conference game on the Aggies in the future. Texas was already booked solid for OOC games until 2018, but they decided they want nothing to do with A&M anytime in the future. Maybe the Aggies can begin a new tradition playing an equally irrelevant program in the SEC. How about Kentucky or Vanderbilt?
Did anyone take the time to watch the ESPN "College Primetime" game tonight? I'd hardly call Hawaii at San Jose State primetime. We missed the first half enjoying a delicious meal at my sister's house with their friends from Oklahoma. But after returning home, I watched the second half & it was, shall we say, unprimetime-like. San Jose turned the ball over on each of their first five possessions. Five turnovers in five possessions? Yes, but not as bad as Hawaii who had 6 first half turnovers. Primetime? I think not. Hawaii converted three of the turnovers into three touchdowns but their last PAT was blocked & returned by Duke Ihenacho for a 2-point conversion making the score 27-22. Ihenacho scooped up the blocked kick at the 25-yardline & set sail for the Rainbow goal line only to start limping from a leg cramp, he limped along for about 20-yards before picking it up enough to cross the goal line before he was tackled. After turning the ball over for the 6th time, San Jose held & began their final drive at their own 13 with 1:24 left. QB Matt Faulkner completed four consecutive passes to the Hawaii 37 & after an incompletion, he hit Chandler Jones up the right hash mark at the 20 & Jones took it the rest of the way for the winning score. After twelve turnovers, the San Jose State Spartans won their homecoming game 28-27.
Sometimes the thought process of football players amazes me. Take Cowboy center Phil Costa for example. On Friday he referred to New England nose tackle(his opponent Sunday) Vince Wilfork as a "speed bump, that's all." I've always believed annoying all-pro players you're about to knock heads with as bad strategy, but that's just me. The fact that Costa is only one game removed from his 4-bad snap performance two Monday's ago vs. Washington, so maybe his timing wasn't the best either. We'll see how much of a "speed bump" Wilfork is come Sunday.
More than a speed bump
Just for the record, I said yesterday I was ahead of all five guys at CBSSports.com & both of the pickers at FOXSports.com, which I am in regards to picking NFL games. ESPN put out their picks for this weeks games & I currently have a better record than seven of the network's finest. I lead Chris Mortensen, Adam Schefter, Mike Ditka, Keyshawn Johnson, Eric Allen, Dave Wickersham & Ron Jaworski. So before you gripe about my picks, know this, it could be worse if you relied on the "true experts."
I've received numerous emails wanting to know why the Big-12 took TCU instead of BYU considering another Texas school really doesn't help in recruiting vs. a totally new state with a huge fan following & excellent TV ratings. I couldn't give you a reasonable answer until now. The Big-12 passed for two reasons, BYU wanted certain guarantees about the number of nationally televised games for their team. They also wanted the right to televise any games not picked up in the ABC/ESPN/FOXSports packages on their own TV network, BYUTV. Sound familiar? But unlike Texas, BYU was open to negotiation regarding their network aspirations. The other problem can from the Big-12's TV partners & it stemmed from the BYU policy of "No play Sundays." The Mormon school doesn't schedule any games on Sunday. Not a problem with football, the pros take up the day, but basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball etc etc. They don't schedule games on Sunday, their sabbath. The TV partners had worries because the Big-12 basketball tournament finishes on Sunday nearly every year. Let this be a lesson to you religious types, never, ever mess with television, especially on Sunday.
Denial #2 came from team president Mark Donovan who said the story Bob Gretz posted on his website late Thursday night was false. "There's no basis in fact, not sure where the blogger is getting his info, but there is no announcement planned" Donovan said. Calling Gretz merely a blogger is like calling Donovan just a Chiefs' employee. Gretz was the main writer on the Chiefs' official website for years, he was the sideline reporter for the Chiefs' radio network & Bob is present during every single press conference the Chiefs conduct. Donovan's response to a question regarding the firing of Tammy Fruits, director of group sales & marketing was "we never discuss personnel in regard to their employment status." In other words, she was fired.
The Missouri Tigers play Iowa State at 1PM this afternoon in the Homecoming game, MIzzou's 100th. This tradition that spread nation-wide thru colleges & high schools, was started at Mizzou, 100-years ago. Putting tradition aside for a moment, the Tigers need a superior effort today to get back on track if they're to become bowl-eligible. Cyclone QB Steele Jantz(has a big soap opera future with that name) can make plays & keep his team in games. Once Big-12 play began, the Cyclones fell off the map losing big to both Texas & Baylor. Mizzou needs a win by double-digits & a defensive performance to build upon. Some decent placekicking would be nice as well.
Where homecoming began 100-years ago
The Aggies of Texas A&M & the Texas Longhorns have a rich tradition of playing their intense rivalry game on Thanksgiving night. Apparently that tradition, no matter how rich, has been kicked to the curb by Texas. The Aggies are leaving the Big-12 to explore just how mediocre they can become in the SEC & the Longhorns told them on Friday they couldn't expend an out-of-conference game on the Aggies in the future. Texas was already booked solid for OOC games until 2018, but they decided they want nothing to do with A&M anytime in the future. Maybe the Aggies can begin a new tradition playing an equally irrelevant program in the SEC. How about Kentucky or Vanderbilt?
Did anyone take the time to watch the ESPN "College Primetime" game tonight? I'd hardly call Hawaii at San Jose State primetime. We missed the first half enjoying a delicious meal at my sister's house with their friends from Oklahoma. But after returning home, I watched the second half & it was, shall we say, unprimetime-like. San Jose turned the ball over on each of their first five possessions. Five turnovers in five possessions? Yes, but not as bad as Hawaii who had 6 first half turnovers. Primetime? I think not. Hawaii converted three of the turnovers into three touchdowns but their last PAT was blocked & returned by Duke Ihenacho for a 2-point conversion making the score 27-22. Ihenacho scooped up the blocked kick at the 25-yardline & set sail for the Rainbow goal line only to start limping from a leg cramp, he limped along for about 20-yards before picking it up enough to cross the goal line before he was tackled. After turning the ball over for the 6th time, San Jose held & began their final drive at their own 13 with 1:24 left. QB Matt Faulkner completed four consecutive passes to the Hawaii 37 & after an incompletion, he hit Chandler Jones up the right hash mark at the 20 & Jones took it the rest of the way for the winning score. After twelve turnovers, the San Jose State Spartans won their homecoming game 28-27.
Sometimes the thought process of football players amazes me. Take Cowboy center Phil Costa for example. On Friday he referred to New England nose tackle(his opponent Sunday) Vince Wilfork as a "speed bump, that's all." I've always believed annoying all-pro players you're about to knock heads with as bad strategy, but that's just me. The fact that Costa is only one game removed from his 4-bad snap performance two Monday's ago vs. Washington, so maybe his timing wasn't the best either. We'll see how much of a "speed bump" Wilfork is come Sunday.
More than a speed bump
Just for the record, I said yesterday I was ahead of all five guys at CBSSports.com & both of the pickers at FOXSports.com, which I am in regards to picking NFL games. ESPN put out their picks for this weeks games & I currently have a better record than seven of the network's finest. I lead Chris Mortensen, Adam Schefter, Mike Ditka, Keyshawn Johnson, Eric Allen, Dave Wickersham & Ron Jaworski. So before you gripe about my picks, know this, it could be worse if you relied on the "true experts."
I've received numerous emails wanting to know why the Big-12 took TCU instead of BYU considering another Texas school really doesn't help in recruiting vs. a totally new state with a huge fan following & excellent TV ratings. I couldn't give you a reasonable answer until now. The Big-12 passed for two reasons, BYU wanted certain guarantees about the number of nationally televised games for their team. They also wanted the right to televise any games not picked up in the ABC/ESPN/FOXSports packages on their own TV network, BYUTV. Sound familiar? But unlike Texas, BYU was open to negotiation regarding their network aspirations. The other problem can from the Big-12's TV partners & it stemmed from the BYU policy of "No play Sundays." The Mormon school doesn't schedule any games on Sunday. Not a problem with football, the pros take up the day, but basketball, volleyball, baseball, softball etc etc. They don't schedule games on Sunday, their sabbath. The TV partners had worries because the Big-12 basketball tournament finishes on Sunday nearly every year. Let this be a lesson to you religious types, never, ever mess with television, especially on Sunday.
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