I never met Joe Paterno, even though I'm from State College. But his legacy will always be a part of what I am and how things should be done in sport. Most will remember what happened in November. But for those of us who know better, the class and generosity will be how I remember Joe Paterno. Maybe the game of football changed, but the core values remained the same. He will always be Penn State.
Rest In Peace Joe Paterno. Make sure the skies stay blue and white!!
JP2012
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
NFL Divisional Recap: Repeating Is Always Hard To Do
Another week of the NFL playoffs are now past us. And what a weekend it was!!
-San Francisco 36, New Orleans 32. A classic game...one we won't surely forget. Not many could pack 5 minutes of excitement like this one. Usually turning the ball over as much the Saints did would have absolutely doomed them. But they hung in there....but was done in by their defense in the end.
-New England 45, Denver 10. Hard to believe this was the Patriots' first playoff win in three years. They made sure there was not a repeat of another Tebow miracle. Tom Brady is flat out $$$$.
-Baltimore 20, Houston 13. Baltimore seemed lucky to get out of this one in one piece. Can the Ravens hang with the Brady Bunch next week??
-NY Giants 37, Green Bay 20. I thought the Giants would scare the Packers...not dominate them. If the MVP counted the post season, Eli Manning could steal the award. Now can the Giants do it again next week??
Wondering if next week will match this weekend's excitement??
jp2012
-San Francisco 36, New Orleans 32. A classic game...one we won't surely forget. Not many could pack 5 minutes of excitement like this one. Usually turning the ball over as much the Saints did would have absolutely doomed them. But they hung in there....but was done in by their defense in the end.
-New England 45, Denver 10. Hard to believe this was the Patriots' first playoff win in three years. They made sure there was not a repeat of another Tebow miracle. Tom Brady is flat out $$$$.
-Baltimore 20, Houston 13. Baltimore seemed lucky to get out of this one in one piece. Can the Ravens hang with the Brady Bunch next week??
-NY Giants 37, Green Bay 20. I thought the Giants would scare the Packers...not dominate them. If the MVP counted the post season, Eli Manning could steal the award. Now can the Giants do it again next week??
Wondering if next week will match this weekend's excitement??
jp2012
This Week's Summary
We have finished yet another interesting week in the sports world, from the BCS championship to a classic NFL playoff game. A lot in between has happened as well.
The week started off with the BCS championship game. While I have already written a summary, I have a couple of closing thoughts on this. It looks as though the powers that be have realized some things about the BCS championship:
-The wait was too long: Alabama waited 44 days in between games; LSU 37. That is WAY too long of a layoff for the teams, players and fans. At least with college basketball, the season doesn't stop. I think people are finally realizing that.
-The BCS is conceding...finally!!...that some sort of playoff is needed. While the thought is for a four team playoff, I still think 8 or 16 will work. They can still use the bowl games. If anything, the bowl system needs to be totally revamped anyway.
-If you have a matchup no one really believes, no one will watch. The television ratings dropped again..and no wonder with a dud of a game. And with no one watching, money cannot be made.
Hopefully a lot of changes will be made and the system will be better.
Elsewhere:
-Joe Paterno finally spoke, via a Sally Jenkins interview via the Washington Post. Here's the link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/joe-paternos-first-interview-since-the-penn-state-sandusky-scandal/2012/01/13/gIQA08e4yP_story.html
Not really much more was added to what we already know/knew. Which means a lot of people still won't believe him...and still will feel he could have done more. As his health seems to worsen, it was probably a good thing-from that standpoint-PSU is moving on. I still don't like how PSU handled everything. But the end may be near for JoePa.....
The week started off with the BCS championship game. While I have already written a summary, I have a couple of closing thoughts on this. It looks as though the powers that be have realized some things about the BCS championship:
-The wait was too long: Alabama waited 44 days in between games; LSU 37. That is WAY too long of a layoff for the teams, players and fans. At least with college basketball, the season doesn't stop. I think people are finally realizing that.
-The BCS is conceding...finally!!...that some sort of playoff is needed. While the thought is for a four team playoff, I still think 8 or 16 will work. They can still use the bowl games. If anything, the bowl system needs to be totally revamped anyway.
-If you have a matchup no one really believes, no one will watch. The television ratings dropped again..and no wonder with a dud of a game. And with no one watching, money cannot be made.
Hopefully a lot of changes will be made and the system will be better.
Elsewhere:
-Joe Paterno finally spoke, via a Sally Jenkins interview via the Washington Post. Here's the link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/joe-paternos-first-interview-since-the-penn-state-sandusky-scandal/2012/01/13/gIQA08e4yP_story.html
Not really much more was added to what we already know/knew. Which means a lot of people still won't believe him...and still will feel he could have done more. As his health seems to worsen, it was probably a good thing-from that standpoint-PSU is moving on. I still don't like how PSU handled everything. But the end may be near for JoePa.....
Saturday, January 14, 2012
NFL Divisional Playoff Preview
Leave it to Tebow mania to perhaps save this year's playoffs. Up until the Pittsburgh-Denver showdown, the wild card round was full of games with second half blow outs. Then Tebow found himself...and yet another miracle. But will his luck run out??
For this weekend, just about every game should be interesting. But all eyes will be on tonight's game. Here is a quick preview and my picks. Speaking of picks, I'm 3-1 so far. I think we know which game I lost.
Saturday's Games
New Orleans vs. San Francisco. Given how well the Saints have played lately, you'd think they were the higher seeded team. They're not...and the 49ers probably think they've been disrespected. No, we haven't forgotten the huge turnaround the 49ers have made. They have become relevant again....but doing it in the playoffs will really validate what they've done this year. The 49ers do have defense capable of stopping New Orleans. But the Saints have been so unstoppable as of late, I doubt the 49ers can hold them back. Nice try San Francisco, but New Orleans will be marching on. My pick: New Orleans.
New England vs. Denver. It wasn't too long ago these two met. When that happened, Denver was at the height of Tebow mania: 7 wins out of 8 games. But after a slow start, New England punished Denver, sending the Broncos on a near season ending slump. I didn't think the Broncos could knock off Pittsburgh. But New England's offense is much more explosive. If their defense can step it up just a little bit, this game won't be close. But we all know better, right?? My pick: New England
For this weekend, just about every game should be interesting. But all eyes will be on tonight's game. Here is a quick preview and my picks. Speaking of picks, I'm 3-1 so far. I think we know which game I lost.
Saturday's Games
New Orleans vs. San Francisco. Given how well the Saints have played lately, you'd think they were the higher seeded team. They're not...and the 49ers probably think they've been disrespected. No, we haven't forgotten the huge turnaround the 49ers have made. They have become relevant again....but doing it in the playoffs will really validate what they've done this year. The 49ers do have defense capable of stopping New Orleans. But the Saints have been so unstoppable as of late, I doubt the 49ers can hold them back. Nice try San Francisco, but New Orleans will be marching on. My pick: New Orleans.
New England vs. Denver. It wasn't too long ago these two met. When that happened, Denver was at the height of Tebow mania: 7 wins out of 8 games. But after a slow start, New England punished Denver, sending the Broncos on a near season ending slump. I didn't think the Broncos could knock off Pittsburgh. But New England's offense is much more explosive. If their defense can step it up just a little bit, this game won't be close. But we all know better, right?? My pick: New England
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
BCS Title Game: More Questions Than Answers??
In somewhat of a shocker-maybe not in who won, but how. Alabama won the BCS version of college football's national title, thoroughly dominating Alabama 21-0. Given how many times Alabama attempted field goals, it could and should have been much worse. Also give that LSU only gained 92 yards and crossed midfield once all night wonders how much this taints their entire season. Let's not take what Alabama did to LSU-it was a truly great performance.
But now this opens up a big can of worms. The coaches poll is obligated to vote for the BCS winner-Alabama. Since the Associated Press is not affiliated with the BCS, there's a good chance we could see a split national champion. LSU and Alabama split their games. LSU has the better overall resume. But LSU lost in the "national championship" game. Could Oklahoma State benefit from this? I say no, since I feel they were/are inferior to both LSU and Alabama (when you lose to Iowa State, that just doesn't match who the other two lost to). So don't be surprised to see LSU ranked #1. But does Alabama's dominance Monday change that? It's going to be interesting...
Quick note: I'm wrong.....Alabama was overwhelmingly picked #1 in the AP poll....so much for that debate.
But the last question for the season: does the BCS system still work? Regular readers know how I already feel. Here's a final thought: The BCS is really no different than the bowl system pre BCS, it's no different than the Bowl Alliance. Since the human element is the common denominator, we will always have the have's in the top positions in the poll. As long as that's the case, the big time schools will always win. And that needs to change.
My final Top Ten:
But now this opens up a big can of worms. The coaches poll is obligated to vote for the BCS winner-Alabama. Since the Associated Press is not affiliated with the BCS, there's a good chance we could see a split national champion. LSU and Alabama split their games. LSU has the better overall resume. But LSU lost in the "national championship" game. Could Oklahoma State benefit from this? I say no, since I feel they were/are inferior to both LSU and Alabama (when you lose to Iowa State, that just doesn't match who the other two lost to). So don't be surprised to see LSU ranked #1. But does Alabama's dominance Monday change that? It's going to be interesting...
Quick note: I'm wrong.....Alabama was overwhelmingly picked #1 in the AP poll....so much for that debate.
But the last question for the season: does the BCS system still work? Regular readers know how I already feel. Here's a final thought: The BCS is really no different than the bowl system pre BCS, it's no different than the Bowl Alliance. Since the human element is the common denominator, we will always have the have's in the top positions in the poll. As long as that's the case, the big time schools will always win. And that needs to change.
My final Top Ten:
Sunday, January 8, 2012
NFL Playoff Update #2 (Better than using Tebow in the Header)
Well...what can I say? Just when you think this Tebow thing finally is going away...today happened. The Broncos played a hell of a game against the #1 defense in the NFL...and Tim Tebow mania is once again going to go wild. Lost in the shuffle was that the Pittsburgh-Denver game was the first game with the new overtime rules...of course that got blown up by the first play that resulted in the Tebow touchdown pass. Denver now goes on to New England, in a rematch of a game from just a few short weeks ago.
The Giants blew out the Falcons in the first game 24-2. They get their rematch with the Packers.
Picks update: 3-1.....preview for the Divisional Round later this week
BCS title game tomorrow night...
jp2012
The Giants blew out the Falcons in the first game 24-2. They get their rematch with the Packers.
Picks update: 3-1.....preview for the Divisional Round later this week
BCS title game tomorrow night...
jp2012
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