13 September 2009
Thanks to Solid Defense, Bruins Start is Now 3-0, and another Mario Solis Update
09/19/09 22:36 Filed in: College
Football
Well, another stupendous game by the defense, a solid
running attack featuring constantly improving
offensive-line play and Johnathan Franklin's first
100-yard game, and the consistent kicking of Kai
Forbath all combined to pull the Bruins through to a
victory without Kevin Prince. I do have to give Kevin
Craft credit for playing a decent game for three
quarters. He was efficient through the first half,
and played a solid forth quarter. The fact hat he did
his best to give the game away in the third quarter
can, for tonight, be overlooked, especially with the
prospect that he may have to play only one more game
until Prince's return.
What was most upsetting, though, was the fact that the team committed EIGHT penalties, seemingly all eight at critical times, and, as you would expect, almost all eight were committed by the offense. Coach Neuheisel, in his post-game comments, said that with the bye week, the next two weeks would be a "training camp" for the team, and this is one of the major areas that needs to be addressed.
The Pac-10 is shaping up to be very interesting this season, with California now the team to beat, a much improved Husky Dawg team at U-Dub, and new life, new enthusiasm, and talent on both sides of the ball, at UCLA.
On his broadcast tonight, in describing the Bruin game and Kansas States' extra-point flub, our boy Mario called it a failed two-point attempt.
What was most upsetting, though, was the fact that the team committed EIGHT penalties, seemingly all eight at critical times, and, as you would expect, almost all eight were committed by the offense. Coach Neuheisel, in his post-game comments, said that with the bye week, the next two weeks would be a "training camp" for the team, and this is one of the major areas that needs to be addressed.
The Pac-10 is shaping up to be very interesting this season, with California now the team to beat, a much improved Husky Dawg team at U-Dub, and new life, new enthusiasm, and talent on both sides of the ball, at UCLA.
On his broadcast tonight, in describing the Bruin game and Kansas States' extra-point flub, our boy Mario called it a failed two-point attempt.
theHoundDawg
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In the Sleeply Little Town of Seattle, and a Mario Solis Update
09/19/09 16:11 Filed in: College
Football
In my last post, I inquired:
"So, which top-five team will lose this weekend?"
Well, in the sleepy little town of Seattle, Wash., the might Husky DAWGS defeated the University of Spoiled Children Brain Surgeons 16-13!!!
All is right in the world of college football.
Oh, and according to Mario Solis, as he reported on his sportscast on the Channel 4 KNBC news last night, later today the UCLA Bruins will be playing Kansas City.
Well, in the sleepy little town of Seattle, Wash., the might Husky DAWGS defeated the University of Spoiled Children Brain Surgeons 16-13!!!
All is right in the world of college football.
Oh, and according to Mario Solis, as he reported on his sportscast on the Channel 4 KNBC news last night, later today the UCLA Bruins will be playing Kansas City.
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theHoundDawg
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Neuheisel Picks QB, Lays Down the Law
09/15/09 21:36 Filed in: College
Football
With the apparent decision that it will be freshman
Richard Brehaut at qb Saturday against Kansas State,
and not last year's walking interception machine
Kevin Craft, it has also been announced that four
players, starting soph db Courtney Viney, and three
freshmen subs, rb Milton Knox, and receivers Morrell
Presley and Randall Carroll, have been suspended for
the game, for undisclosed reasons.
Rick Neuheisel must have had a damn good reason for the suspensions, and hopefully they were an exercise of the same good judgment that led him to choose the talented Brehaut over Craft to fill in at qb. Last February, I said that Brehaut could be the key to a successful 2009 season and beyond. Glad to see him get the chance, and who knows what the future will hold. You can't say enough about Kevin Prince, though, coming back into the game with his jaw broken, to take the final two snaps against Tennessee.
And on the other side of town, petey says his little boy has a boo boo on his shoulder and may not make it to Seattle for the brain surgeon's game against the Huskies and their new coach, former brain surgeon assistant (and flunk-out as an sc student/baseball player) Steve Sarkisian.
Speaking of Sarkisian, it was very interesting the other day hearing Steve Bishoff with Mason and Ireland tell the real story about the petey-Norm Chow rift and the fact that Chow only decided to leave the brain surgeons and move to the NFL AFTER petey told him he was being demoted from offensive coordinator in favor co-coordinators Sarkisian and petey's buddy's baby boy, Lane Kiffin, who we all remember from last Saturday in Tennessee.
So, which top-five team will lose this weekend?
Rick Neuheisel must have had a damn good reason for the suspensions, and hopefully they were an exercise of the same good judgment that led him to choose the talented Brehaut over Craft to fill in at qb. Last February, I said that Brehaut could be the key to a successful 2009 season and beyond. Glad to see him get the chance, and who knows what the future will hold. You can't say enough about Kevin Prince, though, coming back into the game with his jaw broken, to take the final two snaps against Tennessee.
And on the other side of town, petey says his little boy has a boo boo on his shoulder and may not make it to Seattle for the brain surgeon's game against the Huskies and their new coach, former brain surgeon assistant (and flunk-out as an sc student/baseball player) Steve Sarkisian.
Speaking of Sarkisian, it was very interesting the other day hearing Steve Bishoff with Mason and Ireland tell the real story about the petey-Norm Chow rift and the fact that Chow only decided to leave the brain surgeons and move to the NFL AFTER petey told him he was being demoted from offensive coordinator in favor co-coordinators Sarkisian and petey's buddy's baby boy, Lane Kiffin, who we all remember from last Saturday in Tennessee.
So, which top-five team will lose this weekend?
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theHoundDawg
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Follow-Up to NFL Notes
09/15/09 20:07 Filed in: NFL
Regarding those three "notes" at the end of my list
of NFL picks the other day: The Bears will not be the
surprise team of the season, without Brian Urlacher,
Julian Edelman won't be rookie of the year if he
doesn't get to play, and leading up to my reaction to
number three and last night's SD-Oakland game, the
most impressive rookie I saw over the first weekend
was Raider's receiver Louis Murphy.
As to that game and my prediction that the Raiders would win - THEY DID. The clown-suited referes stole the game from the Raiders: Louis Murphy's catch in the end zone was a touchdown - he came down with the ball and both feet on the ground and that was the end of the play before he fell to the ground, and even then, he still had a grip on the ball as it hit the ground (the same thing in the NE-Buffalo games was ruled a catch). Even with the Raiders hitting rock-bottom, and staying at rock-bottom of the league for years now, the fact established years ago is still just as true as when Pete Rozelle's bitter enemy Al Davis had his Raiders in contention for the Super Bowl every year - every close call in every game that can be called against the Raiders, is.
As to that game and my prediction that the Raiders would win - THEY DID. The clown-suited referes stole the game from the Raiders: Louis Murphy's catch in the end zone was a touchdown - he came down with the ball and both feet on the ground and that was the end of the play before he fell to the ground, and even then, he still had a grip on the ball as it hit the ground (the same thing in the NE-Buffalo games was ruled a catch). Even with the Raiders hitting rock-bottom, and staying at rock-bottom of the league for years now, the fact established years ago is still just as true as when Pete Rozelle's bitter enemy Al Davis had his Raiders in contention for the Super Bowl every year - every close call in every game that can be called against the Raiders, is.
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theHoundDawg
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Almost a GREAT Day
09/13/09 10:14 Filed in: College
Football
The Bruin defense had a stellar performance,
dominating Tennessee. Rahim Moore had two more
interceptions to give him 5 in two games and the rest
of the defensive backfield played just as well, in
particular the Playmaker Alterraun Verner and Tony
Dye, and Courtney Viney did well replacing the
injured Aaron Hester. In the final couple of minutes
the Defensive Line, with Brian Price on the bench
part of the time, stopped the Vols on four plays
after a first down inside the 10, and then kept
pressure on Jonathan Crompton on his last-ditch 0/4
drive from his own territory. The offense sputtered
much of the time against a strong Tennessee defense,
but showed signs of real promise, and next week
against a less talented Kansas State defense, I would
expect to see some real improvement.
Notre Dame's last-second loss to an underrated Michigan team, featuring maybe the best freshman in the country in QB Tate Forcier, was unexpected and appreciated, and for the second time in the two-week-old season, a top-five team lost, as unranked Houston easily beat Oklahoma State.
And, oh, it cold have been a great day, if Ohio State cold have just hung on, played a tougher defensive game in the fourth quarter, and had a better offensive plan. The brain surgeons keyed on Terrelle Pryor, and Jim Tressell should have realized that would be the case, and prepared more options, in both senses of the term. That first-drive interception was the difference in the end.
Following up from the first week, BYU is a top team and their defeat of the Bradford-less Sooners was no fluke. I can see BYU going undefeated. Oklahoma played extremely well against poor competition without Bradford, and like I mentioned, should have only the one loss when they meet Texas, possibly with Bradford back at QB.
Notre Dame's last-second loss to an underrated Michigan team, featuring maybe the best freshman in the country in QB Tate Forcier, was unexpected and appreciated, and for the second time in the two-week-old season, a top-five team lost, as unranked Houston easily beat Oklahoma State.
And, oh, it cold have been a great day, if Ohio State cold have just hung on, played a tougher defensive game in the fourth quarter, and had a better offensive plan. The brain surgeons keyed on Terrelle Pryor, and Jim Tressell should have realized that would be the case, and prepared more options, in both senses of the term. That first-drive interception was the difference in the end.
Following up from the first week, BYU is a top team and their defeat of the Bradford-less Sooners was no fluke. I can see BYU going undefeated. Oklahoma played extremely well against poor competition without Bradford, and like I mentioned, should have only the one loss when they meet Texas, possibly with Bradford back at QB.
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theHoundDawg
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