USC fans get ready to take down some banners.  Pete Carroll you might want to call the Cowboys and see if they are still looking for a coach.  I know they just hired Jason Garrett but they haven't given him the head gig yet, just the offense so far.  That must be nice having Jerry Jones dangle that over him.  It must feel like Jones is saying You may have the job Jason if I can't find anyone better!

According to a Yahoo.com story there are  taped conversations that could confirm Bush took cash and gifts while he was playing football for USC.

Its all about the cash and special "rent" his parents were paying and gifts recieved by the Bush family.  The money is said to be near $280,000.  That is a lot of  cheese for a college student.  That is pro football if you ask me. If they come out and say he was rollin and Benz around campus too, I wouldn't be surprised.  That would just be way to much for me.  I went through all this with the Fab Five and Michigan had to take down banners of achievements, remove all records, and remove scholarships.  Look what it has done to Michigan basketball since.  Although the alternative is Ohio State and all the issues they had with Maurice Clarrett.  Maybe since it is football USC can survive this.

Here is the consequences from the NCAA according to Yahoo.com- If the NCAA rules that Bush received extra benefits during his playing career at USC, he could be ruled retroactively ineligible. Since some of the benefits date to the 2004 season, the Trojans' national championship that season could be rescinded. USC could face further NCAA sanctions and Bush's 2005 Heisman Trophy could be in jeopardy. The Heisman ballot indicates that an athlete must meet NCAA eligibility requirements to be considered for college football's most prestigious award.

It has come down to this weekend in the NFL playoffs.  The Patriots will play at Indianapolis and the Saints play at Chicago.  Last weekend had some great football and these two games this weekend have all the potential to go to right down to the last play or overtime as any.  Last weekend was the first time in a long time I picked a perfect weekend 4-0 because I made my picks a little different.  I picked from my gut instinct for once instead of the overwhelming populus that all pick the same way, using logic.

AFC Championship - Tom Brady will give his team the lead late in the game, less than a minute left.  But they score to soon and Peyton Manning gets over the hump like Steve Young, and gets the Colts to the Super Bowl.  Manning gets the close enough for Adam Viniteri to kick the winning field goal as time expires winning 30-28.  Using logic you would see that the Colts and Patriots defenses have been dominant in the playoffs and both quarterbacks have been unimpresive, so the game will be low scoring and the Patriots win.  But going by my gut the Colts win 30-28.  I can't believe I am picking against Tom Brady, that is gut rule number one (1. Never pick against Tom Brady in the playoffs!)

NFC Championship - daaaa Bears run out of big plays when it all counts and Drew Brees and the Saints carry the city of New Orleans to the Super Bowl.  The Bears won a lot of games they should not have won this year with punt/kick returns, fumble returns for TDs, ints for TDs, and playing the Detroit Lions twice.  The Saints can do so much for the morale of a city in depression from huricane Katrina.  The Owner had talked of moving the team as well.  The Saints may have the mojo and the players that fit well enough to put it all together to get to the Super Bowl.  They had added just about every position they needed and brought in not only all the right players but coachs as well.  Rex Grossman loses this game for Chicago with four turnovers and the Saints win 34-13.  They don't get all the breaks that got them to this point in this game.

Saints vs Colts

    Bush will go #1 to the Texans

 

     This year in the 2006 Nfl draft it appears that there are more safe picks in round 1 than in years past.  Even with the top five to ten players there seems to be more stability with some of these players.  Reggie Bush will go number one and Mario Williams will go number two.  That may be the way it goes down but, we may have someone other than the New Orleans Saints picking at two.  New Orleans hold a key piece to the puzzle of what will happen in the top ten. 

      The Vikings and Rams have both expressed interest in Detroits pick at number nine to move ahead of Arizona and take Jay Cutler from Vanderbilt.  Detroit is interested in Michael Huff and that will factor in what they will do with the no.9 pick.  They also like Ernie Sims the LB from Florida State.  He has had five concussions and that will be a risk factor for which ever team drafts him.  The upside is that he is compared to Derrick Brooks from Tampa Bay.

     The Jets are rumored to like Matt Leinart, but D'Brickshaw Ferguson may be the safest pick in the entire draft.  Besides the Jets just traded for Patrick Ramsey and already have Chad Pennington.  They need someone to block for these guys is what they really need.  Look for the Jets to take D'Brickshaw Ferguson with their first round pick.

     The Bills appear to be willing to trade out of number eight but maybe they should take Cutler.  I havent exactly seen a Buffalo quarterback light up the league since Jim Kelly.


     There are some good picks that are available outside the top 10 as well.  However the good news for NFL fans. This draft class appears that it will make an impact on tomorrows NFL for the better.  The question is who will be this years Andre Ware and who will be this years Tom Brady.