First-team All-Americans, Heisman award watch
candidates… all rubbish.
Borrrrring. Let’s instead focus
on the elite college football players that are doing their best to flush their
futures right down the toilet. That’s
right football fans, more and more, we keep seeing talented players getting
into the news for all the wrong reasons… so much in fact that one could easily
form up a starting roster that could compete with the team that played on “The
Longest Yard”. Honestly, it’s sad how
often this is happening in college sports today. It really is.
Recently, reports of misconduct in college
football keep pouring in, practically on a daily basis. Heck, the SEC alone can give us a starting
lineup chock-full of college football delinquents.
With that being said, I give you the “SEC
All-Penal Team”…
2008 SEC All-Penal Team
Quarterback
Starter: Ryan Perrilloux – LSU
Offense: Used brother’s ID to get into casino,
plus a federal investigation in which he’s a person of interest in a
counterfeit ring, nevermind his latest undisclosed transgression.
Backup: Stephen Garcia – South Carolina
Offense: Keying a professor’s car, as well as
failing to obey orders of an officer of the law.
3rd Stringer: Jared Foster – Ole Miss
Offense: Transfer quarterback whose previous rap
sheet include alcohol possession by a minor, and contributing to the
delinquency of a minor, while in high school.
Those charges were dropped if he agreed to assist with a steroid
investigation, as well as stay clean.
He was later charged with selling steroids, and has since been kicked
off the team.
Did Roger Clemens deny knowing him too?
Running Back
Starter: Brandon James – Florida
Offense: Possession of a controlled substance
(less than 20 grams of cannibis)
Backup: Arian Foster – Tennessee
Offense: Disorderly conduct and underage alcohol
consumption
Fullback
Starter: Fred Munzenmaier – Georgia
Offense: Underage possession of alcohol and
walking in a roadway
Backup: David Holbert – Tennessee
Offense: Underage consumption of alcohol and
disorderly conduct
Wide Receiver
Starter: Dion Lecorn – South Carolina
Offense: Marijuana possession
Starter: Ahmad Paige – Tennessee
Offense: Misdemeanor for marijuana possession (a
freshman offensive lineman – William Brimfield – and a high school student in
town for a recruiting trip, were both present in the car during the act)
I heard the recruit also gave his verbal to the officer
that night. Apparently, they also have to get their recruits stoned, in order to sign them?!
Backup: Gerald Jones – Tennessee
Offense: Misdemeanor for marijuana possession
Offensive Lineman
Starter: Ronnie Wilson – Florida
Offense: Firing a semi-automatic rifle in the air
during a dispute that began at a nightclub.
Eventually charged with aggravated assault, battery, and display of a
concealed weapon
Starter: Anthony Parker – Tennessee
Offense: The All-SEC first teamer was recently
arrested for disorderly conduct.
Starter: Zhamal Thomas – LSU
Offense: He was kicked off the team due to a
burglary charge.
Defensive Lineman
Starter: Marcus Harrison – Arkansas
Offense: Felony possession of ecstasy.
Starter: Jeremy Elder – Alabama
Offense: Arrested on two counts of first-degree
robbery.
I heard he was also a steal in the recruiting
process…
Defensive End
Starter: Jermaine Cunningham – Florida
Offense: Disorderly conduct, after a dispute over
a bag of potato chips at a restaurant at 2am.
You can never eat just one, can you?!
Starter: Brandon Deaderick – Alabama
Offense: Disorderly conduct, and an altercation outside of a
bar.
Linebacker
Starter: Brandon Fanney – Alabama
Offense: Arrested for disorderly conduct in front
of a bar.
I wonder if he was playing with his “fanney”…
Starter: Derrick Odom – LSU
Offense: Breaking and entering into a residence
Backup: Dustin Lindsey – South Carolina
Offense: DUI
Defensive Back
Starter: Donovan Baldwin – Georgia
Offense: DUI at 3:05am
Starter: Troy Giddens – LSU
Offense: Second-degree battery and one count of
battery (on his teammate, by the way), while his previous rap sheet also
includes identity theft and simple burglary.
Safety
Starter: Antonio Wardlow – Tennessee
Offense: Disorderly conduct, underage
consumption, and public intoxication
I think we should call Phillip Fulmer “The Warden”
from now on…
Backup: Jamarca Sanford – Ole Miss
Offense: Disorderly conduct at 1:40am
Kicker / Punter
Starter: Britton Colquitt – Tennessee
Offense: Numerous alcohol related arrests,
including the latest in which he drove into a parked car (while intoxicated).
I sense some irony here, considering all the alcohol
drunk by a “booter”… if you catch my drift.
Backup: Kyle Keown – Vanderbilt
Offense: Domestic violence and aggravated assault on his ex-girlfriend
There you have it, the 2008 SEC All-Penal team. Something tells me that high school-kid-turned-Tennessee-recruit may be headlining the 2009 squad. All in all, this list is quite alarming.
It was another wild weekend of football, from the exciting games throughout College Football on Saturday, to the high scoring, last minute victories in the NFL on Sunday. Here is my recap of the games that jumped out at me most throughout the weekend, as I provide my own personal spin to each, in my first ever edition of “Foot Notes”…
The Nine
The Penn State offense to me was like a full blown dry heave, there was some kind of effort (more like a convulsion), but nothing ever came out of it.
Michigan 14, #10 Penn State 9 To the media that said Mike Hart dominated Penn State’s defense because he ran for 150+ yards, go back to school. That was over 44 carries, and after running all those plays, I thought for sure that the Penn State defense would break, but they didn’t. Instead, it was only one steady drive of Mike Hart and another short drive due to an Anthony Morelli blunder. The Penn State defense is for real. What also is for real is that the Nittany Lions flat out can’t beat Michigan, as the losing streak was extended to nine over the weekend.
Would an indifferent fan (or Michigan fan) PLEASE admit that the Wolverines not only got a break on the third and goal pass interference call, but also the Mike Hart run into the endzone that to me looked like he never came close to crossing the goal line, let alone breathing on it.
Questionable calls aside, it was Penn State that shot themselves in the foot on Saturday. The offense was abysmal, from Austin Scott, who lost a key fumble inside the Wolverines ten, to the offensive line, to Anthony Morelli, whose fumble (at the PSU ten) led to Michigan’s first touchdown. Penn State’s offensive playcalling was an aberration. Why not include the speedy QB Daryll Clark into the playcalling mix, attempting to run a spread-like offense that Oregon used to dominate Michigan? It didn’t happen, and neither did any other plays utilizing the abilities of Derek Williams. And with that, Penn State’s golden opportunity to defeat a vulnerable Michigan team disappeared into thin air.
Footnote: If Michigan faces no more spread offenses with mobile QB’s, they could win out. As for Penn State, their toughest remaining opponents (Wisconsin and Ohio State) both travel to Beaver Stadium, so they’re still in the mix.
Sign of the Times
This week’s effort by Notre Dame compares to Lindsay Lohan drawing a blood alcohol level of 0.08. All in all, there’s improvement, but the overall result is still quite bad.
Michigan State 31, Notre Dame 14 Look on the bright side Irish fans, the Notre Dame offense got into the endzone not once, but twice. In fact, not only did Notre Dame have positive rushing yards during this game, but also got a 100-yard game from James Aldridge. Try not to focus on the 0-4 record (for the first time ever), or the realistic possibility that the Irish will be 0-8 about a month from now. The schedule doesn’t get any easier with Purdue, UCLA, Boston College, and USC coming up. Focus on the positives, and who knows, maybe Charlie Weis can begin to turn this thing around. Wow, I actually said that with a straight face.
Footnote: I’m officially campaigning for someone to go and replace the sign near the team locker room until they can prove the country otherwise. I suggest the following sign be placed there instead, and until further notice. Orange Crushed
Put together a charity football game, with one team featuring a core of receivers including Larry King, Rosie O’Donnell, and Star Jones, and I bet that offense could still score on Louisville’s defense.
Syracuse 38, #18 Louisville 35 The announcer of this game stated that this could be the biggest upset of the year, even bigger than Appalachian State taking out Michigan. First off, this guy is crazy and shouldn’t be on TV. Sure, you’re entitled to an opinion, but how about a smart one. Louisville doesn’t have the program credentials that Michigan has. Yes, Syracuse has performed poorly in recent memory, but they’re not a 1-AA team. Add to the fact that the Cardinals gave up 42 points to Middle Tennessee State and another 40 in a loss last week to Kentucky. There is no comparison between those two games!
Footnote: I see Louisville losing a few more games, but this Cardinals squad could also upset one of the big guns of the Big East, as Brian Brohm and the Louisville offense is as good as the team’s defense is bad.
Here to Stay
Kentucky’s offense struck faster than Pacman Jones could make it rain dollar bills in a Vegas gentleman’s club. #21 Kentucky 42, Arkansas 29 I saw a bounceback victory for Arkansas here, mainly because Kentucky’s rush defense has been terrible, and the Razorbacks had star Darren McFadden. McFadden did rush for 173 yards, but still… I think it’s safe to say that the Wildcats are for real after their fourth quarter comeback over Arkansas. In one of the more entertaining games of the weekend, Kentucky was taken down for a safety, and immediately following, gave up a kickoff return for a TD to fall behind 29-21 in the 4th quarter. Yet, the Wildcats, led by Andre Woodson (21/39, 265 yds., 2 TD), who likely would have packed it in during previous seasons, came right back to rattle off three quick touchdowns, improving to 4-0 on the season.
Footnote: In a few weeks, these ‘Cats will be on National TV again, with two of America’s best teams invading Kentucky (LSU on 10/13 and Florida on 10/20).
Meltdown Club Membership
Dennis Green and Jim Mora, co-creators of the Meltdown Club, have since sent out a first class invitation to Mike Gundy. OK, you got me… I made that up.
Oklahoma State 49, Texas Tech 45 The game between the Cowboys and Red Raiders was one of the more exciting games of the weekend, as it seemed every fives minutes, one team was further lighting up the scoreboard. However, this game, which wasn’t decided until the final minute, was not the story in Oklahoma. Instead, the exploding tirade by Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy against a reporter, who posted an article about the team’s backup QB. If you ask me, Gundy has vaulted himself up near the top of the list of better rants in sports history. If you haven’t seen the tirade (or want to see it again), I have included the video below (per YouTube).
Footnote: Gundy didn’t want this story on one of his kids to be in the paper. Yet, now his off-the-wall tirade has officially vaulted it from an Oklahoma paper to a national topic. Bravo, Mike!
Say Cheese
For those of you in San Diego that are wondering, the website “firenorvturner.com” still hasn’t been claimed yet. I’m surprised no Redskins fans out there had it from a few years ago.
Packers 31, Chargers 24 Green Bay is still undefeated after knocking off the Chargers, and dating back to last season, the Packers have won seven in a row. For those of you calling for Brett Favre to retire, he is back and playing better than ever. However, one must keep in mind that there is only so far the Pack can go with absolutely no running game. Even still, the 3-0 start for Green Bay is impressive.
As for the Chargers, well… I must admit I was surprised to see all the people ranking them so high in the power polls of the NFL. Plain and simple, a new system (especially run by Norv Turner) drops them down a number of spots in my eyes. I do think the Chargers will get on track soon, as they simply have too much talent on their roster. Still, Don’t expect this to be a “Super Season” in San Diego.
Footnote: Somewhere, Marty Schottenheimer is on a beach, sipping on a pina colada, sporting a giant ear-to-ear grin.
Weapons of Mass Distraction
I’m not sure how to describe those Philly throwback jerseys (see below), though I would imagine that while Ricky Williams is involved in his favorite “pastime”, he may see that mess on TV when he is instead watching a UCLA game.
Eagles 56, Lions 21 Everyone is entitled to their own opinion as to why the Eagles finally woke up in Week 3. I’m going to say that those hideous throwback jerseys helped more than people are willing to admit. If you had a hard time looking at them on the television, imagine being a Lions player on the field. Personally, they burned my retinas, and I imagine the Detroit players had problems concentrating with those things blanketing the field.
In all seriousness, part of me wonders if McNabb or the Philadelphia media helped blow that race related interview out of proportion to get everyone’s minds off the poor play of the Eagles. With focus elsewhere, the Eagles and McNabb come out firing on all cylinders, absolutely dismantling the previously undefeated Lions.
Footnote: Those jerseys. My lord, those jerseys. My eyes… MY EYES!
A Tale of Two Halves
In a matter of minutes (from the first half to the second half), the Redskins went from being the blockbuster Matt Damon movie, over to the Ben Affleck “what were you thinking” movie.
Giants 24, Redskins 17 Campbell and the Redskins played well in the first half, heading into the locker room up 17-3 on the hapless Giants. However, New York woke up, played solid defense, and held the Redskins to only a handful of yards through most of the second half, while also sustaining a few time consuming drives that led to a 24-17 lead with minutes to go. Washington charged down the field in a last minute attempt to tie the game and force overtime. With no timeouts remaining, the ‘Skins had first and goal from around the 2 yard line. After a spike and an incomplete pass, Washington was faced with two chances to get into the endzone. Third down was a running play to Ladell Betts, which was stopped at the 1. With thirty seconds to go, the ‘Skins rushed their fourth down play (when they didn’t need to), choosing to stick with a similar rushing play. Once again, it was Betts, who tripped over his own player and was stopped by the Giants shortly thereafter, resulting in a turnover on downs, and a New York victory. All in all, if I’m the Redskins, I don’t call back-to-back runs there. I get the reasoning (to catch the opponent off guard and eat clock), but the necessity to rush the play is what I feel caused the sloppy and ineffective result.
Footnote: Starting with the ‘Skins, Gibbs and Co. were that close to being undefeated going into their bye week. Instead, the Giants may have saved their season, by adding some positive momentum on both sides of the ball, and inside the clubhouse.
Vin-sanity
Was anyone else thinking of the “John Madden Curse” when Vince Young was clutching his arm and walking into the locker room before halftime? Titans 31, Saints 14 This game was two different stories all meshed into one. First, there are the Titans, a team seeking an identity. This was Tennessee’s coming out party, proving to a national audience that they are much more than Vince Young. If you ask me, Jeff Fisher is the most underrated coach in all of football.
On the other side, there are the Saints. As mentioned during the Monday night broadcast, only five teams have made the playoffs after starting 0-3, and Buffalo was the last team to accomplish this (in 1998). This was an NFC Championship representative last season. What can go wrong so quickly? I can say this much, don’t blame it all on Drew Brees. The offensive line was not protecting him at all throughout the entire game. One has to wonder if last year was a fluke, and instead all the energy of the city being rebuilt from its disaster, all coming together to find a passion and distraction in this team, resulting in a storybook season. Yesterday, the wounds of Hurricane Katrina were still very fresh. Today, there are all new wounds, involving the Saints, which has over a week to regroup, and try to save their season.
Footnote: Somewhere off in the distance you can hear scissors feverishly cutting away at paper bags, making holes in the appropriate spots for a pair of eyes to peak out during Saints games.
interview out of proportion to get everyone’s minds off the poor play of the Eagles. With focus elsewhere, the Eagles and McNabb come out firing on all cylinders, absolutely dismantling the previously undefeated Lions.
