As Shaun Alexander's season slowly wastes away on the bench, I am left to wonder if there is any truth to this Madden Jinx?  From an intellectual side, the recognition of such a jinx is really a post hoc fallacy.  I get it.  But, after 8 years of various curses and tragedies falling upon those who grace the cover of Madden, one is left to wonder if there is some validity to the jinx.  There are many websites devoted to this subject and a recent Google search of "Madden Jinx" revelaed over 88,000 hits.  Consider the history:

• Madden 2000: Barry Sanders. Sanders was the first NFL player to be on the cover (he's in the background) and quickly became the first ex-NFL player on the cover. He retired before training camp began and hasn't been seen since.

• Madden 2001: Eddie George. He was the only one to escape the curse as he rushed for 1,509 yards and 16 touchdowns, both career highs.  However, he was on the losing team in one of the most heart-breaking Superbowl losses of all time and anyone that's watched him stumble through his current broadcast career after his playing career went south really quick may wonder if the curse just had a delay on him.

•Madden 2002: Daunte Culpepper. Missed the final five games that season with a knee injury, but the curse kicked in well before the injury. He went from being tied for the league lead with 33 TD passes in 2000 to having almost as many interceptions (13) as touchdown passes (14) in 2001.  He still isn't 100% healthy and he is playing for task master Nick Saban behind one of the worst offensive lines in football.  His curse continues today.

•Madden 2003: Marshall Faulk. He rushed for 1,000 yards in seven of his first eight seasons, but he hasn't surpassed that mark since appearing on the cover of the game. In 2002, he missed two games that season with an injured ankle.  He too got really old, really fast and was replaced by Stephen Jackson.

• Madden 2004: Michael Vick. Suffered a broken right leg during an exhibition game. He missed the first 11 games of the regular season.  Since then he has shown flashes of brilliance and has had bouts of inconsistency.

• Madden 2005: Ray Lewis. The Ravens' linebacker didn't have an interception for the only time in his career. He missed the regular-season finale because of an injured wrist.  Plus that whole murder thing kind of tarnishes your image just a bit.

• Madden 2006: Donovan McNabb. After the Eagles slipped to a 4-5 record, McNabb missed the final seven games because of a sports hernia.  He also had to endure the cancer that is T.O.  Playing a season with T.O. is like having herpes, an annoyance that never goes away.

• Madden 2007: Shaun Alexander. He loses his Left Guard (Steve Hutchinson) in one of the shadiest deals in the history of Pro Football.  He gained 187 yards in the first three games, his worst start since 2002, and now is out with a broken bone in his left foot which is healing very slowly.  Quite mysterious.

Now HERE is the Question?

If we can suspend reality just a bit, let's imagine that we the people have the power to nominate the next Madden cover player.  If we are to believe that the curse is true, who would you most want to see on the cover of Madden?  Is it T.O (no explanation necessary)?  Is it Chad Johnson (too arrogant)?  Is it Tom Brady (too perfect)?  Is it Peyton Manning (too many commercials)?  Is it Sean Salisbury (I know he doesn't play but boy, anything to shut him up would be appreciated)?  Why don't you weigh in and tell us what you think.

"Remember Jeff, there's 11 guys on each side......."

I haven't blogged in a while. I've been busy with work and coaching my youth football team (we went 7-3 this season, were 6-0 in Division play and won our Bowl Game 20-0). Plus, I just haven't felt the passion to bust out a good rant in a while (which is normally what fuels my blogging :)

That is until now.

SI.com is reporting that Jeff Bowden is finally packing up his four play playbook and riding out of town with his golden parachute...a $537,000 payout by the Free Shoes University Booster Club.

Yes, you read that correctly. Jeff Bowden is receiving $537,000 to leave FSU and end his tenure as the worst Offensive Coordinator in the history of football. I wish someone would pay be $537,000 to leave my job but I guess when you are actually competent, folks actually pay you to stay.

This has to be the biggest embarrassment to hit the House that Burt built since he and Ned Beatty were rolling around the woods together in the movie Deliverance, or at least since last week's 30-0 pasting by perennial powerhouse (in Basketball at least), Wake Forest.

Bobby Bowden is a snake and he really doesn't care about FSU.

Let's face it, Bobby should never have hired Jeff. A few years of coaching Wide Receivers at Salem College (thanks to the nepotism of Salem Head Coach and big brother Terry Bowden) and a brief stint as their Offensive Coordinator should not qualify you to come and coach at one of the top programs in the nation. Does anyone find it odd that Jeff Bowden has never gotten a coaching position on his own merit? He has never worked for anyone who didn't have the last name Bowden?

Now you might say "Jeff is incompetent but why does that make Bobby a snake?" and that is simple. Bobby Bowden put the interest of his incompetent son ahead of the interest of Florida State University, it's players, coaches, fans, alums, and students. Not only should he have never hired little Jeffy but to promote him when Richt left for Georgia is unconscionable. Richt commanded one of the highest octane offenses in College Football but with Jeff Bowden at the helm, the offense has been reduced to the power output of a Schwinn ten speed. Whereas a class act like Joe Paterno was able to demote his son's responsibility when the team was suffering, Bowden refused to do the same for FSU, even resorting to calling out his critics. Look, you can keep your son on your staff if you want. Spurrier does it, Paterno does it and Lou Holz did it (although he had the character to demote his son from Offensive Coordinator at SC when he wasn't getting the job done) but did Bobby really need to keep him as the Offensive Coordinator?

Of course Bowden has taken away some of his son's responsibility as Offensive Coordinator putting Mark McHale in charge of the running game. Now doesn't that tell you something? An Offensive Coordinator who isn't in charge of the running game? Jeff Bowden has even been quoted saying "I don't want to deal with the running game...I'm not going to sit here wondering why we're not blocking this guy or that guy." ARE YOU KIDDING ME! Judging by how effective the FSU Offensive Line has played this year it's obvious that Jeff Bowden really isn't concerned with "who's blocking this guy or that guy."

 
Pride and performance obviously could not convince Bobby Bowden to get his son to step down but now we see just what it took. Money, and lots of it. SI.com is reporting that Jeff "retains his present $141,000 salary until his contract expires next August. He then will receive annual payments of $107,500 until August 2012." I guess with all that money he could ride off into the broadcast booth like big brother Terry and fleece some money out of a network looking to attach it's name to the fallen star of the Bowden franchise. Pretty soon the only Bowden left in coaching will be Tommy who won't have key wins against FSU to keep him from being fired (I will go to my grave believing that Bobby "took it easy on Tommy" in a few of those games to help his son keep his job).

Here's an open invitation to FSU fans everywhere. Hit I-10 east to 75 South and stop off in Gainesville if you'd like to see some real football. Of course if you enjoy watching an incompetent coach roam the sidelines, an even more incompetent coach in the booth calling the plays (just not the running ones), an offense that consists of about four plays, then stay in Tallahassee. If your idea of a fun Saturday is watching your beloved Seminoles get blown out by Wake Forest (who didn't even have Tim Duncan in the lineup) or win a nail biter against giant killer Duke, than stay where you are. But if you'd like to see real football coached by a real coach and played by real players than come down to Gainesville and watch the Florida Gators play ball the way the game was meant to be played. IT'S GREAT, TO BE, A FLORIDA GATOR, SAID IT'S GREAT, TO BE, A FLORIDA GATOR...........

"Hey guys, this is a football? What a cool shape! Of course I don't think you should throw it with two hands but......."

Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a few long years
Stole many a fans soul and faith
And I was round when Larry Brown
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Isiah
Washed his hands and sealed his fate

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game

I stuck around in midtown
When I saw it was a time for a change
Killed Van Gundy and his ministers
Season ticket holders screamed in vain
I owned the bank
Cablevision stock sank
When the draft picks raged
And the draft picks stank

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
Ah, what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah

I watched with glee
While Francis and Marbury
Choked for 82 games
For the contracts we gave
I shouted out,
Who killed the championship teams?
When after all
It wasn't you, it was me

Let me please introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
And I drafted Balkman in 2006
another pick that was fueled in haste

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah, get down, baby
 
Just as every league has a laughingstock
And an owner that screams in vain
As heads is tails
Just call me...Jim
cause I'm in need of some restraint

So if you meet me
Have some courtesy
Have some sympathy, and some taste
Use all your well-learned politesse
Or I'll lay your team to waste, um yeah

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, um yeah
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, um mean it, get down
Allan HOU-STON...Allan HOU-STON
Oh yeah, get on down

So I know my blog has been pretty silent for the past month and a half.  Once football season ends, I just don't feel I have much to write about.  NASCAR?  No way.  Spring Baseball?  Boring!  The WBC?  Viva Fidel! (just kidding) The NBA?  I'm a Knicks fan so take pity on me.  Hockey?  Is the strike/lockout actually over?  Sidney Crosby may be fun to watch but until they get him a Stills and a Nash for his line, the Penguins will suck.  College Basketball?  There is way too much already written by people a lot more knowledgeable about the game than I am so I don't feel I'd have much to contribute (by the way, if you're only knowledge of Seth Davis is as a CBS studio commentator sharing the stage with that buffoon, Clark Kellogg you really need to read what he has to say.  He is spot on with his college basketball analysis) So the blog stays relatively inactive until right before the NFL Draft.

Until now.

So I'm sitting down with 21 hours to kill until my beloved Gators storm the court to "shock the world" by beating Villanova and marching on to the Final Four so I tune into the Memphis - UCLA game.  I actually looked forward to this match up since it is the only Elite Eight match up pitting a number 1 versus a number 2 seed.  I really thought this had the makings of a classic match up and a game for the ages.

Boy was I wrong.

I will go out on a limb here and contend that this was the worst game ever.  Not just in the NCAA Tournament, not just in college basketball, but the worst athletic contest played since the Christians versus the Lions.

So what exactly makes this the worst game ever?  I'll make three quick points:

1.  The Numbers Don't lie - After mustering up the courage to actually check out the box score, the numbers I saw were worse than the numbers on an Enron audit.  Straight up terrible.  The teams shot a combined 31 of 94 from the field, 32.9 % field goal percentage.  Folks, when the combined shooting percentage of two teams playing for a shot to go to the Final Four is lower than the freezing point temperature, you have problems.  The teams combined to shoot 29 of 54 from the free throw line (not so "free" in this game eh?)  I know junior high school players that would shoot better than 53% from the line.  Heck, even Shaq is about a 50% free throw shooter!  The teams combined to shoot 4 of 25 from three-point range.  Memphis alone was 2 of 17 from three.  Lastly, the teams combined for 35 turnovers (with about 10 of those coming in the final five minutes, but more on that in point #3).

2.  The Stars Never Stepped Up - In big games, the superstars have to step up.  Teams feed off of the energy supplied when their superstars play even beyond what most thought they were capable of.  Jordan Farmar and Rodney Carney were supposed to have the game of their lives but both turned in arguably the worst performances of the season.  Here are the stat lines for the "go-to guys" from Memphis and UCLA:

Jordan Farmar (UCLA): 1-9 FG,  2-4 FT,  0-2 3Pt.,  0 offensive rebounds,  3 defensive rebounds,  3 assists,  1 steal,  5 turnovers,  0 blocks,  0 fouls,  4 points

Rodney Carney (Memphis): 2-12 FG,  0-0 FT, 1-5 3 Pt.,  1 offensive rebound,  2 defensive rebounds,  0 assists,  1 steal,  0 turnovers,  0 blocks,  4 fouls,  5 points

So to put this in perspective the "stars" were a combined 3 of 21 from the field, 1 of 7 from three, had one offensive rebound and two steals?  At least Farmar will have a chance to redeem himself but for Carney, there is going to be a lot of nightmares about this game.

3.  The Ending was Terrible - So even though I knew I was watching something historic, ineptitude that I may never witness again, I figured as long as the game is close with five minutes to play the game can be redeemed.  I mean, I saw some great endings this week.  Watching Shane drop a grenade on Lem in The Shield season finale (for those of you that have never seen The Shield, it is the best thing on television since Crockett and Tubbs roamed the streets of Miami) was a real shocker.  Watching Kevin get booted ahead of Bucky on American Idol this week was a bit unexpected.  I was beginning to believe that I would be able to witness the third great ending in a week and boy was I wrong.  The turnovers continued, the missed shots continued and the frustrated fouls continued.  Unless you are a UCLA fan, you can not be happy with the last five minutes of that game.

So there you have it.  A historic moment in the world of sports broadcasting.  I sure hope LSU settles in for a long weekend in Peyton's town next weekend.

Superbowl XL will not go down as a classic Superbowl to anyone outside of the city of Pittsburgh.  With all the "storylines" going into the game (Roethlisberger's promise, Bettis' last game in his hometown, Holmgren trying to become the first coach to win the Superbowl with two different teams), the game just did not live up to the hype.  Lots of folks will write about the game today but most of my musings will be, at best, tangential to the game:

* Ben Roethlisberger goes 9 for 21, 123 yards, 0 TD's, 2 really bad INT's and a passer rating below 23 (that's not very good).  Even with the marginal game and the fact that he did not get onto the podium after the game, Leigh Steinberg will be fighting off the endorsement deals.  Hey folks, the new face of the NFL resides in Pittsburgh and it's not Jerome Bettis.

* Jerome Bettis should be able to write his own ticket into any analyst chair next season.  Producers will be lining up to get the Bus to sign on the dotted line.

* Joey Porter had three tackles and was gobbled up by Walter Jones all game long.  Be happy that your teammates were there to cash the check that your mouth wrote Joey.  I guess Porter spent all of his energy sparring with Jeramy Stevens this past week.

* I really hope you work on those hands Jeramy Stevens.  Tight Ends that shrink under pressure and can't make a catch over the middle don't have a long shelf life in the NFL.

* I think Darrell Jackson went into witness protection after the first quarter.  5 catches in the first 15 minutes and zero catches in the next 45?  Come on.

* What exactly does Trey Wingo do during the off season?  What will we all do without Trey Wingo?

* I wonder just how much antacid is consumed on Superbowl Sunday?

* ABC is claiming that they had to correct the Rolling Stones "Lyric Malfunction."  You just can't make this stuff up folks.

* By the way, did anyone tell Mick, Keith and the boys that you are supposed to warm up before you come out to do the halftime show?  The Stones sounded like a bar band going through soundcheck.

*  Al Michaels noted during the game that referee Bill Leavey once officiated a high school game in which one of the assistant coaches was Mike Holmgren.  Boy, Holmgren must have said or done something in that game 25 years ago to piss off Bill Leavey.

* In case you missed it, the Colorado Crush beat the Georgia Force 61-59 in a high powered Arena Football match up.  This is what we have to look forward to for the next six months folks.

* I tried to watch an Arena football game a couple of years back between the Philadelphia Soul and Colorado Force.  I turned the game off before the end of the first half when I got sick of watching cut aways to Jon Bon Jovi and John Elway.

* Even the commercials sucked for the most part.

* Just 82 days until the NFL draft........just 82 days until the NFL draft........just 82 days until the NFL draft......... Oh yeah, remember folks, the NFL Draft  will be on April 29- April 30.  I best you can't wait either.

* Two days of work a year.  Ah, to have your job Mel Kiper.

* One of the biggest things that I miss during the NFL offseason is not having Peter King's column to read on Monday mornings.  If you haven't read Peter King, check this out and then wait until next year.

* I'm sure you've all heard the story about Matt Hasselbeck calling his college coach a clown.  (Hasselbeck had told reporters shortly after being benched that Hasselbeck told reporters that Henning "should wear big red clown shoes and a big red clown nose because he's a clown.")  Some time around 11:00 last night I bet Dan Henning was standing in front of his television screaming "who's the clown now bi-otch!"

* I guess that Ameriquest: Hospital commercial wasn't too bad.  Boy do I miss Terry Tate, the greatest office linebacker of all time.

* Terry Tate would have had more than three tackles in that game Joey.

* I'm so happy I will never have to hear the Superbowl referred to as "Superbowl Extra Large" again.

* You can watch all of the Superbowl ads online and vote for your favorite.  I'd be so happy if you would go and vote for the Ameriquest commercial.

* One final thought.  Since 1991, there have been 205 quarterbacks drafted into the NFL.  Only five (Brett Favre, Tom Brady, Brad Johnson, Trent Dilfer, and now, Ben Roethlisberger) have have won a superbowl in that time.  You're in pretty good company now Ben.