In this edition of my Sunday Socal Rants, I want to discuss the hosing of OJ Simpson. Sure he may be guilty of murder, but that doesn't mean he is guilty of armed robbery and kidnapping. OJ was tried, found guilty, and now will go to prison solely because of what he may or may not have done 13 years ago. I am not saying he is innocent of murder, but I do think you should go to jail for the crimes for which you are tried. In this case, OJ is going to jail for a crime in which he was acquitted. In this trial, the judge, the prosecuting attorney, and the jurors all have made a mockery of our judicial system.
How long before Marvin Lewis is fired? I think he is out before Halloween. When the Bengals lose to Dallas today, the Jets next week, then have to face the Steelers, Texans, and Jaguars, the Orange and Black will have a new head coach going into All Hallows Eve. Add to that list, the injuries to Carson Palmer, the signing of Cedric the Incarcerated Benson to the roster, activating Chris Henry, and the antics of Ocho Cinco, Marvin Lewis never had a chance. Cincinnati will be lucky to win 3 games this year. The only thing uglier than those costumes the Bengals call uniforms will be losing 9 straight games and blaming racism on the firing of Marvin.
Speaking of Halloween, is anyone else ready for Al Davis to take off the mask he wears of being an NFL owner? Really, he should stop pretending to be an owner, and put on the hat of being a coach. He wants to call the plays, he wants to draft the players, and he wants to run the team so why not be the coach. Who else will take this team? Davis has single handedly destroyed this once proud franchise. If an owner could be fired, this is the one that needs to go.
It has been a while since I last posted, but I plan on taking a few minutes each Sunday and posting my normal Sunday Socal Rants. This edition will focus on NFL coaches.
Worst Coach in NFL:Herm Edwards! Really what has he done since taking over for the Kansas City Chiefs? He is 13-20 and no signes of improving, but rather the team is worsening. He went from 9-7, to 4-12. Since when do the Chiefs lose 12 games considering they always win at home. If the Chiefs lose to Oakland today, Edwards will find himself out of a job soon. The only trouble is that there will not be another Carl Peterson looking to lure him away. Maybe #### Vermeil wil come out of retirement again to lead this once proud team. No amount of "Hermisms" will save Edwards this year. Wins are all that matter in the NFL and with a career 52 wins and 61 losses, Herm isn't winning anyone over.
Biggest Disappointment: Norv Turner. Norv's Chargers were picked by many to win the Super Bowl this year, but I think they will be lucky to win 8 games. Gates is hurting, LT is always slow out of the gate, and there is no Michael Turner to turn to should LaDanian go down with an injury. LT is already a little battered this weekend and Denver looked impressive. Look for the Chargers to lose to the Broncos today and start off 0-2, but don't expect a rebound like last year. Norv's record is just not that good. He has 69 wins to 88 losses all time with some pretty good teams. In 11 years of coaching, he has 5 winning seasons. His track record is just awful. The Bolts will be lucky to win 8 games this year. Does any other coach look so hapless on the sidelines? Norv is such a loser. Can anyone else lose two weeks in a row like this? Only Norv.
Luckiest Coach: Wade Phillips. He is 62-42 all time and is coaching a team that is loaded with talent. With T.O., Marion Barber, Jason Whitten, Felix Jones, and new additions to defense, Wade could coach with his eyes closed and win 9 games. With Jason Garrett calling the plays they will win 12 games and be in the play offs. On second thought, Wade might not be so lucky when Garrett is promoted to head coach after the Cowboys waltz through the division this year.
Les Miles: Miles is going to Michigan, Miles is staying at LSU, or Miles is acting like Saban? The choice is easy; Miles pulled a Saban. Remember when Nick said he wasn't going to the Dolphins, then later on he said he wasn't going to Alabama. Well he was just waiting for the best offer and Miles is doing the same thing. LSU has reportedly renegotiated his contract so he could stay at LSU, but I will not be suprised if he still moves on to Big Blue because of more Green. Money talks, and whichever team ponies up the most dollars will get Miles. I for one think Miles would be an #### to take the Michigan job and he will stay at LSU. He walked into a program that was winning and had loads of talent. If he leaves he is going to a Big 10 team that is in dire need of rebuilding and is the fourth or fifth best team in the conference behind Ohio State, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Miles can stay at LSU and keep on winning, or move on to the Big 10 and struggle. Hmmm, he has LSU over a barrel, they will pay him a huge addition to his contract, and he keeps on winning.
Jason Whitlock: I like Whitlock, and for the most part I agree with much of what he says. The only problem I have with his article is the timing. I understand why he wanted to get out in front of the arrests and blame it as black on black crime. In fact, 3 of the 4 arrested were black, so it appears he was write on that count, but it is appearing more and more like a botched robbery attempt. That does not change the message that Whitlock is espousing. There is a black ####, and drugs are definitely tied to violent crime. Sean Taylor was hanging around a bad element. At least one of the accused was at his house earlier that month for a party. All of the accused have a rap sheet a mile long littered with drug charges and petty theft. So in a very real sense Whitlock was right, but where he went wrong was in his timing. There was no reason to write this story this week. The message could have waited until Sean was buried and in the ground. Whitlock could have waited until Taylor's grieving parents had a chance to bury their son. Whitlock would have then had more evidence for his story and he would not have to recant any of it. I still like Whitlock, but he falls into the same trap as many of us do in blogging, and that is trying to beat everyone to the next story. If your story has merit, it can wait to do it right.
BCS: I hate to see Ohio State slide into the national title game, but it appears that will happen. Who gets to play them and probably beat them? I hope LSU gets to go because I think the winner of the SEC title game should get some extra consideration, but I really don't think it matters. I think Ohio State will be overmatched by either Georgia, LSU, or even Oklahoma. Ohio State has not played a game in several weeks and they will be rusty. For sure the old tune about a national play off is about to be sung by every college football analyst on ESPN and every other network. Never mind that the BCS has gotten it right the last few years and in the end the eventual winner will have a solid case for their title, we want more football games. We want to erase all doubt. Can I just say that even with a college play off, there will be those who argue that someone was left out, a missed call cost the real winner a game, and that had teams been seeded differently we might have a different winner. The only way to have a true champion is to go undefeated and then win in the BCS Championship game. Wait, what about Hawaii? I guess going undefeated doesn't mean much.
Thanksgiving has to be one of my all-time favorite holidays. Not just because I get to eat as much as I want without counting the calories, but because it is a truly American holiday. While it is true that Congress made Thanksgiving an official holiday on the fourth Thursday of the month in 1941, its celebration can be traced all the way back to 1789 with George Washington proclaiming a day of thanksgiving. Lincoln did so as well in 1863. What a great idea to sit around and count our blessings. Too often we forget just how fortunate we are, well everyone except the turkey.
There are so many things to be thankful for, and today is the day set aside to reflect on those things and thank God for them! Yesterday I passed a homeless lady in the street, and it made me think about the many things we have as a family that she does not have. We have a home, cars, food, and most of all each other. Even the homeless in San Diego have something to be thankful for that other beggars do not. In our city, thousands of pounds of food are donated to feed the homeless and shelters all around this county will be feeding the unfortunate. As I have traveled all over this world, I have seen many beggars in other countries, and most of those people do not have the shelters, churches, and many other civic organizations which go out of their way to provide for the homeless like we do in America. Homelessness is awful, but once again even the homeless in this country have something to be thankful for today.
We as Americans have many things to be thankful for, and while our country is by no means perfect, it is the most tolerant in the entire world. Often I hear people complaining about intolerance in our country, but the very ability to complain of intolerance proves what a great country America is. In many other parts of the world the mere whisper of things that are anti-government are squelched decisively. Don’t believe me? Go to Iran and try to practice religious freedom, or try China. In Islamic countries it is fine to go and pray towards Mecca 5 times a day, or is it three, but try to openly worship another God and see what is allowed. Things such as homosexuality, or same sex marriage, and living together are not only illegal, but in many cases punished severely. Not so in America. We not only tolerate all of these things, but we have sitcoms on television which openly celebrate them. If you don’t believe me, just try to get Will and Grace on the Al Jazirah network.
My point is not to bash Iran or any other country. That is the culture they have chosen. The point is that in America, we are made up of individuals who came here to seek religious freedom. America is not perfect, but in comparison to most other countries I have visited, we are a tolerant nation and it is one of the many things that make America great. (Even Bush gets a pardon today for his many mistakes) So sit back today and enjoy your turkey and dressing while the Colts beat up on the Falcons. Spend some time with your family and give thanks for the many blessings each of us has including the one true American Holiday, Thanksgiving.
Where do I begin? So much to talk about, and yet so little time to post. That is why I enjoy these weekly rants where I can vent all the frustrations for an entire week, or in my case the past month.
BCS: It looks like no one wants to be number two in the BCS. Certainly Kansas can control their destiny, but I think Missouri will beat them to win the Big 12 North, and then they will have to beat either Texas or Oklahoma to face LSU in the BCS final. Of course, that is assuming LSU wins the SEC Championship which is no easy task. They will have to face a Georgia team that is looking tougher with each passing game.
Kevin Garnett trade: Back when Danny Ainge pulled the trigger on Kevin Garnett, I was one of the few who said it was a brilliant move. People kept saying, "They can't win without a bench!" Well guess who is looking brilliant now? Yep, the Celtics are rolling and Minnesota is struggling. Jefferson is great, but without a supporting cast the Timberwolves are right where the Celts were last year, in last place. You need superstars in this league to win. The Celtics have three and are well on their way to winning the East.
Oden or Durant: Once again, it shows you why you don't sign a big man who only plays one injury ridden year of college. Big guys are prone to injuries, and Oden is no exception. When you are trying to make that number one pick, a big man is always the way to go, if he has proved himself in college. Big men like Shaquille Oneal played for three seasons and proved he could take the pounding. So did Patrick Ewing, Kareem, and Mourning, but not Oden. People made fun of Durant for not benching more than his weight, but Seattle is very happy Portland went big. Durant is strong enough to lift a basketball, shoot it in the air, and sink a 3 pointer when the game is on the line. That is strong enough for me.
Barry Bonds: Well it took the feds 4 years to bring an indictment, and I say it will take another 4 for anything to stick. Perjury is one of the hardest crimes to prosecute someone for. Not only do they have to prove you are lying, but they have to prove intent. Victor Conte has gone on record that Barry was not given steroids, as has his personal trainer Greg Anderson. Unless they have a smoking gun somewhere, and I don't mean that so called positive test, they will have to do a lot better. So far they have only had to try Barry in the court of public opinion, a place he will always lose, but in a real court where witnesses are cross examined it will be a different story. Let's see Kim Bell and a few others stand up and testify and we will see how they like being put on trial. Barry will never see any jail time nor will he be found guilty. The one thing this possibly accomplishes is keeping him from suiting it up next year.
There is an argument to be made that Barry Bonds cheated and his records should have an asterisk next to them. I for one disagree because I think the fact Barry hit so many homeruns during an era when pitchers were juicing just as much as he was makes his HR feat all the more remarkable.
The fact is that people do not always take steroids just to bulk up and hit for power. Pitchers have known for a long time that taking steroids will help them recover quicker and allow them to throw harder. Paul Byrd is the latest pitcher to have his name associated with HGH. Roger Clemens has long been suspected, and once the list is printed from George Mitchell’s report we will all see just how many pitchers have benefited from steroids.
Say what you want about Barry Bonds, but just be fair and call out all the cheaters when the list is printed. If you want an asterisk next to his name in Cooperstown, then you might as well put one next to the Rocket. He didn’t come back without a little help from somewhere. It is pretty scary now that all of these “rejuvenation” clinics are having their records revealed. Who’s next on the list? Pedro, Curt, or Randy Johnson would not surprise me at all.
It has been so long since I have had time to devote to Fox Sports that I almost feel like a stranger. I see new names on the blog site all the time. While I have some great ideas on topics I want to write about, my time is so limited because of my obligations at school that I just can not do it justice and spend the time with my family that I need. That doesn't mean I am not interested in what is going on in here; in fact, I have a few questions I would like answered if anyone has the time.
1. Who won the Miller Nascar writing competition?
2. Why does Fox have a whole tab dedicated to the NHL and yet not one headline about the start of the season?
3. Why does soccer even have a tab?
4. Why doesn't Marion Jones get the same kind of treatment Barry Bonds does?
5. Why would George fire Torre without a replacement in mind.? Reminds of one A.J. Smith firing a Marty for a Norv.
6. Why don't we see more of the Dallas Cowgirls?
7. Why did the Masters give ESPN two days of coverage for next year?
8. Why do we keep hearing about how great teams are with losses and not enough about teams that are undefeated?
I'll stop with 8 for now, but when I find time I will write some on some of those great topics I have in mind.
The landscape of college football is changing fast as is my new top 5. While some may disagree with my choices, no one can deny that LSU is still undefeated and deserves the number one ranking.
5. USF: The were ranked number 6 going into tonight, and they won. They should move up and until they lose they deserve their ranking.
4. Hawaii: Still undefeated and scoring loads of points. I know I am the only one who thinks they should be ranked this high, but I would love to see them face USF in a big bowl game this year.
3. California: Unfortunately they will lose to USC as USC tries to make a case for why they should still remain in the BCS hunt. I expect USC to dominate from here on out, but its too late.
2. Ohio State: Still undefeated and heading towards a BCS bowl berth. Should they run the table in the Big 10, and it appears they will, the Buckeyes will end up in the national title game again vs an SEC power house. Too bad, because I expect the same results.
1. LSU: What a game tonight against Florida! It is going to be some showdown if Florida ends up as number one in the east in the SEC.
Marion Jones: Everyone who take steroids can find someone to blame, but ultimately the person who ingests, injects, or inhales is responsible. What ever happened to the old public service announcement, "Just say no to drugs." That PBA should apply to steroid use as well. Landis, Ankiel, Jones, are just the latest to admit or be caught using steroids, but su####ion abounds about many more. If they just learned to say NO, this wouldn't be a topic of discussion.
Duke LAX Boys: So now they are suing Nifong, the City, the lab, and anyone else they can to get restitution for their ruined lives. While I hate what happened to them, I am not a fan of lawsuits. The only silver lining is that if Nifong is any representation of the type of attorney that will defend the defendents, the Duke boys should win hands down.
Isiah Thomas: What can anyone say about Thomas? He is an ####. He makes terrible business decisions about players, salaries, coaches, and now his own employees. I don't think Anucha Brown Sanders deserves 11-12 million dollars for being called a "####", but did Thomas really think his flashy smile could sway a jury? If she can get that kind of money for being hit on, I wish a few teachers would hit on me and call me a pimp. Since when did being called a few names warrant so much money? This is just another example of how insane our legal system has become. I don't like Thomas, but the jury award is way out of line.
Tony Romo: Every year in Dancing With The Stars someone stays longer than they should, but eventually the best dancer wins. From Jerry Rice to Wayne Newton, those guys should have been voted off much earlier than they did or will, but the cream always rises to the top. I think Romo is the Wayne Newton of this year's Dancing With The Stars. He can't sustain his level of play for much longer, but he is fun to watch because he appears to love the game. I hope I am wrong on this one, but I keep seeing the image of Romo fumbling a snap during the playoffs, and wonder if he can handle the pressure of stardom.
MLB: Who says the NL isn't interesting? I think the Rockies vs the D'Backs is about as interesting as it gets. If I were the Red Sox or Indians, I would be worried about facing either of those teams. They are both very hot at just the right time. Of course Cleveland is looking like a city of destiny as well. First the Cavaliers make it to the finals, then the Browns win against the Bengals even after giving up 40+ points, and now the Indians are playing to win the AL Championship Series. This should be a great October.
Laugh all you want, but the Florida State Seminoles have a legitimate shot at the BCS Title game. Sure they lost their season opener to a very good Clemson team, but losing the first game is often the best thing if you are going to lose one game all season. Michigan lost late last season ruining any chance at a title shot as did USC when they lost the last game of the season to UCLA. Losing one game is no big deal as long as it is early in the season. You can't get any earlier than game one.
FSU beat Colorado who beat Oklahoma and they will have to beat Boston College, Maryland, Miami, and Florida to run the tables. All of those are currently ranked teams and very tough opponents. Should USC lose to Cal or UCLA the door may open up for FSU. FLorida has already lost one game and may lose to LSU and then of course FSU. Boston College is unbeaten and a top 10 team so if FSU beats them it just adds to their strength of schedule argument.
Bobby Bowden may still have one more title shot left and I for one hope he gets it. A lot of cards will have to fall his way, but it is possible.
In this edition of my Sunday Socal Rants, I want to discuss the hosing of OJ Simpson. Sure he may be guilty of murder, but that doesn't mean he is guilty of armed robbery and kidnapping. OJ was tried, found guilty, and now will go to prison solely because of what he may or may not have done 13 years ago. I am not saying he is innocent of murder, but I do think you should go to jail for the crimes for which you are tried. In this case, OJ is going to jail for a crime in which he was acquitted. In this trial, the judge, the prosecuting attorney, and the jurors all have made a mockery of our judicial system. 
How long before Marvin Lewis is fired? I think he is out before Halloween. When the Bengals lose to Dallas today, the Jets next week, then have to face the Steelers, Texans, and Jaguars, the Orange and Black will have a new head coach going into All Hallows Eve. Add to that list, the injuries to Carson Palmer, the signing of Cedric the Incarcerated Benson to the roster, activating Chris Henry, and the antics of Ocho Cinco, Marvin Lewis never had a chance. Cincinnati will be lucky to win 3 games this year. The only thing uglier than those costumes the Bengals call uniforms will be losing 9 straight games and blaming racism on the firing of Marvin. 
Herm Edwards! Really what has he done since taking over for the Kansas City Chiefs? He is 13-20 and no signes of improving, but rather the team is worsening. He went from 9-7, to 4-12. Since when do the Chiefs lose 12 games considering they always win at home. If the Chiefs lose to Oakland today, Edwards will find himself out of a job soon. The only trouble is that there will not be another Carl Peterson looking to lure him away. Maybe 
Biggest Disappointment: Norv Turner. Norv's Chargers were picked by many to win the Super Bowl this year, but I think they will be lucky to win 8 games. Gates is hurting, LT is always slow out of the gate, and there is no Michael Turner to turn to should LaDanian go down with an injury. LT is already a little battered this weekend and Denver looked impressive. Look for the Chargers to lose to the Broncos today and start off 0-2, but don't expect a rebound like last year. Norv's record is just not that good. He has 
Luckiest Coach: Wade Phillips. He is 62-42 all time and is coaching a team that is loaded with talent. With T.O., Marion Barber, Jason Whitten, Felix Jones, and new additions to defense, Wade could coach with his eyes closed and win 9 games. With Jason Garrett calling the plays they will win 12 games and be in the play offs. On second thought, Wade might not be so lucky when Garrett is promoted to head coach after the Cowboys waltz through the division this year. 
Thanksgiving has to be one of my all-time favorite holidays. Not just because I get to eat as much as I want without counting the calories, but because it is a truly American holiday. While it is true that 
There are so many things to be thankful for, and today is the day set aside to reflect on those things and thank God for them! Yesterday I passed a homeless lady in the street, and it made me think about the many things we have as a family that she does not have. We have a home, cars, food, and most of all each other. Even the homeless in San Diego have something to be thankful for that other beggars do not. In our city, thousands of pounds of food are donated to feed the homeless and shelters all around this county will be feeding the unfortunate. As I have traveled all over this world, I have seen many beggars in other countries, and most of those people do not have the shelters, churches, and many other civic organizations which go out of their way to provide for the homeless like we do in America. Homelessness is awful, but once again even the homeless in this country have something to be thankful for today. 
My point is not to bash Iran or any other country. That is the culture they have chosen. The point is that in America, we are made up of individuals who came here to seek religious freedom. America is not perfect, but in comparison to most other countries I have visited, we are a tolerant nation and it is one of the many things that make America great. (Even Bush gets a pardon today for his many mistakes) So sit back today and enjoy your turkey and dressing while the Colts beat up on the Falcons. Spend some time with your family and give thanks for the many blessings each of us has including the one true American Holiday, Thanksgiving.
