Alice in Chains
Don't forget how good this band was...
We Die Young
Again
Would
Rooster
I Stay Away
Them Bones
Down in a Hole
Man in the Box
No Excuses
Heaven Beside You
etc... etc...
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Friday, December 22, 2006
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Happy Holidays to All
I think the KSig house could create a similar tree before Christmas.
More Beermas Trees
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Now this . . .
... is a movie I will see in the Theater !!!
Trailer # 1
http://stage6.divx.com/Movie_Trailers/show_video/1028459
Trailer # 2
http://stage6.divx.com/Movie_Trailers/show_video/1054865
Movie Site:
http://300themovie.warnerbros.com/
a little background to refresh your History lessons:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Thermopylae
or ignore the last link if you want to see the movie fresh
Trailer # 1
http://stage6.divx.com/Movie_Trailers/show_video/1028459
Trailer # 2
http://stage6.divx.com/Movie_Trailers/show_video/1054865
Movie Site:
http://300themovie.warnerbros.com/
a little background to refresh your History lessons:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Thermopylae
or ignore the last link if you want to see the movie fresh
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Movie Night
I watched this again while I was house sitting on a 50" plasma HD set.
If you have never seen this movie, go out and get it....
If you have seen it, go out and get it again...
George Lucas never did better than American Graffiti.
If you have never seen this movie, go out and get it....
If you have seen it, go out and get it again...
George Lucas never did better than American Graffiti.
Ron "Little Ronnie" Leath has Competition
Here is Ron "Little Ronnie" Leath in case you have forgotten:
And just in time for Christmas:
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Saturday, November 11, 2006
The Woodshed - Ouch...
#11 ARKANSAS 31, #13 TENNESSEE 14
From: ESPN.com
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- Darren McFadden ran for 181 yards and two touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass, leading No. 11 Arkansas to a convincing 31-14 victory over No. 13 Tennessee on Saturday night.
The Razorbacks (9-1, 6-0) can clinch a spot in the Southeastern Conference title game with a win next weekend at Mississippi State. They've won nine straight since a season-opening loss to Southern California -- their longest streak since 1988 -- and when this one was over, the crowd began chanting "BCS."
Suddenly, a spot in the national championship game for Arkansas doesn't sound far-fetched.
McFadden, the dynamic sophomore, is being touted by Razorbacks fans as a Heisman Trophy candidate. He played tailback, quarterback and even a little wide receiver against Tennessee, and the Volunteers (7-3, 3-3) were never able to stop him.
Arkansas took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when Casey Dick lofted a pass to the corner of the end zone and Marcus Monk ran under it for a 10-yard touchdown.
McFadden took over from there. The Razorbacks have used their star running back at quarterback lately -- out of the shotgun, he either hands off, keeps the ball himself or even passes. He ran for a 17-yard touchdown out of that formation early in the second quarter, then threw to Monk for a 12-yard score to make it 21-7.
It was the second touchdown pass of the season for McFadden in two attempts. He played some quarterback in high school.
McFadden added a 5-yard scoring run late in the second quarter -- again after taking the snap himself -- and the Razorbacks led 28-7 at halftime.
Redshirt freshman Jonathan Crompton started at quarterback for Tennessee instead of Erik Ainge, who has had ankle problems. Arkansas pressured Crompton throughout, and he finished 16-of-34 for 174 yards. Crompton threw touchdown passes to Robert Meachem and Bret Smith.
Casey Dick went 10-of-15 for 154 yards for Arkansas. Dick replaced freshman Mitch Mustain after one series last week at South Carolina and played well enough to win the starting quarterback job.
Monk had eight catches for 137 yards.
McFadden set a school record by surpassing 180 yards rushing for fifth time in his career. His only big mistake was a fumble around the Tennessee goal line in the third quarter.
Arkansas' most recent eight-game winning streak had been an 8-0 start in 1998. That one was snapped when the Razorbacks wasted an 18-point lead in a loss at Tennessee. The Vols won the national championship that season.
Arkansas had no trouble holding on this time.
Tennessee was knocked out of the SEC title picture last weekend. Hours after the loss to LSU, three Tennessee players were arrested after police were called to break up a disturbance at a club. Two of them -- fullback David Holbert and safety Antonio Wardlow -- were suspended for this week's game. The other -- tailback Arian Foster -- was suspended for the first half.
Foster had one carry against the Razorbacks.
The game drew a stadium-record 76,564.
From: ESPN.com
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (AP) -- Darren McFadden ran for 181 yards and two touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass, leading No. 11 Arkansas to a convincing 31-14 victory over No. 13 Tennessee on Saturday night.
The Razorbacks (9-1, 6-0) can clinch a spot in the Southeastern Conference title game with a win next weekend at Mississippi State. They've won nine straight since a season-opening loss to Southern California -- their longest streak since 1988 -- and when this one was over, the crowd began chanting "BCS."
Suddenly, a spot in the national championship game for Arkansas doesn't sound far-fetched.
McFadden, the dynamic sophomore, is being touted by Razorbacks fans as a Heisman Trophy candidate. He played tailback, quarterback and even a little wide receiver against Tennessee, and the Volunteers (7-3, 3-3) were never able to stop him.
Arkansas took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when Casey Dick lofted a pass to the corner of the end zone and Marcus Monk ran under it for a 10-yard touchdown.
McFadden took over from there. The Razorbacks have used their star running back at quarterback lately -- out of the shotgun, he either hands off, keeps the ball himself or even passes. He ran for a 17-yard touchdown out of that formation early in the second quarter, then threw to Monk for a 12-yard score to make it 21-7.
It was the second touchdown pass of the season for McFadden in two attempts. He played some quarterback in high school.
McFadden added a 5-yard scoring run late in the second quarter -- again after taking the snap himself -- and the Razorbacks led 28-7 at halftime.
Redshirt freshman Jonathan Crompton started at quarterback for Tennessee instead of Erik Ainge, who has had ankle problems. Arkansas pressured Crompton throughout, and he finished 16-of-34 for 174 yards. Crompton threw touchdown passes to Robert Meachem and Bret Smith.
Casey Dick went 10-of-15 for 154 yards for Arkansas. Dick replaced freshman Mitch Mustain after one series last week at South Carolina and played well enough to win the starting quarterback job.
Monk had eight catches for 137 yards.
McFadden set a school record by surpassing 180 yards rushing for fifth time in his career. His only big mistake was a fumble around the Tennessee goal line in the third quarter.
Arkansas' most recent eight-game winning streak had been an 8-0 start in 1998. That one was snapped when the Razorbacks wasted an 18-point lead in a loss at Tennessee. The Vols won the national championship that season.
Arkansas had no trouble holding on this time.
Tennessee was knocked out of the SEC title picture last weekend. Hours after the loss to LSU, three Tennessee players were arrested after police were called to break up a disturbance at a club. Two of them -- fullback David Holbert and safety Antonio Wardlow -- were suspended for this week's game. The other -- tailback Arian Foster -- was suspended for the first half.
Foster had one carry against the Razorbacks.
The game drew a stadium-record 76,564.
Final Salute
An Emotional Story, worth reading on this Veterans Day
They are the troops that nobody wants to see,
carrying a message that no military family ever wants to hear.
It begins with a knock at the door.
For the past year, the Rocky Mountain News has followed Maj. Steve Beck as he takes on the most difficult duty of his career: casualty notification. As Beck and his comrades at Buckley Air Force Base keep constant watch over the caskets of the men they never knew, the Marines also comfort the families of the fallen, and choke back tears of their own.
It's all part of a tradition that started in 1775:
Never leave a Marine behind.
After the knock on the door, the story has only begun.
::: Main Page :::
::: Story :::
::: Audio Slideshow :::
::: Photo Gallery :::
They are the troops that nobody wants to see,
carrying a message that no military family ever wants to hear.
It begins with a knock at the door.
For the past year, the Rocky Mountain News has followed Maj. Steve Beck as he takes on the most difficult duty of his career: casualty notification. As Beck and his comrades at Buckley Air Force Base keep constant watch over the caskets of the men they never knew, the Marines also comfort the families of the fallen, and choke back tears of their own.
It's all part of a tradition that started in 1775:
Never leave a Marine behind.
After the knock on the door, the story has only begun.
::: Main Page :::
::: Story :::
::: Audio Slideshow :::
::: Photo Gallery :::
1. If you owe someone money, always pay them back in a bar. Preferably during happy hour.
2. Always toast before doing a shot.
3. Whoever buys the shot gets the first chance to offer a toast.
4. Change your toast at least once a month.
5. Buying someone a drink is five times better than a handshake.
6. Buying a strange woman a drink is still cool. Buying all her drinks is dumb.
7. Never borrow more than one cigarette from the same person in one night.
8. When the bartender is slammed, resist the powerful urge to order a slightly-dirty, very-dry, in-and-out, super-chilled half-and-half martini with a lemon twist. Limit orders to beer, straight shots and two-part cocktails.
9. Get the bartender's attention with eye contact and a smile.
10. Do not make eye contact with the bartender if you do not want a drink.
11. Unacceptable things to say after doing a shot: Great, now I’m going to get drunk. I hate shots. It’s coming back up.
12. Never, ever tell a bartender he made your drink too strong.
13. If he makes it too weak, order a double next time. He'll get the message.
14. If you offer to buy a woman a drink and she refuses, she does not like you.
15. If you offer to buy a woman a drink and she accepts, she still might not like you.
16. If she buys you a drink, she likes you.
17. If someone offers to buy you a drink, do not upgrade your liquor preference.
18. Always have a corkscrew in your house.
19. If you don't have a corkscrew, push the cork down into the bottle with a pen.
20. Drink one girly drink in public and you will forever be known as the guy who drinks girly drinks.
21. Our parents were better drinkers than we are.
22. Never talk to someone in the restroom unless you're doing the same thing—urinating, waiting in line or washing your hands.
23. Girls hang out, apply make-up, and have long talks in the bathroom. Men do not.
24. After your sixth drink, do not look at yourself in the mirror. It will shake your confidence.
25. It is only permissible to shout 'woo-hoo!' if you are doing a shot with four or more people.
26. If there is a d.j., you can request a song only once per night. If he doesn't play it within half an hour, do not approach him again. If he does play it, do not approach him again.
27. Learn how to make a rose out of a bar napkin. You'll be surprised how well it works.
28. If you can't afford to tip, you can't afford to drink in a bar. Go to the liquor store.
29. If you owe someone twenty dollars or less, you may pay them back in beer.
30. Never complain about the quality or brand of a free drink.
31. If you have been roommates with someone more than six months, you may drink all their beer, even if it's hidden, as long as you leave them one.
32. You can have a shot of their hard liquor only if the cap has been cracked and the bottle goes for less than $25.
33. The only thing that tastes better than free liquor is stolen liquor.
34. If you bring Old Milwaukee to a party, you must drink at least two cans before you start drinking the imported beer in the fridge.
35. Learn to appreciate hangovers. If it was all good times every jackass would be doing it.
36. If you ever feel depressed, get out a bartender’s guide and browse through all the drinks you’ve never tried.
37. Try one new drink each week.
38. If you are the bar's sole customer, you are obliged to make small talk with the bartender until he stops acknowledging you. Then you're off the hook. The same goes for him.
39. Never tip with coins that have touched you. If your change is $1.50, you can tell the barmaid to keep the change, but once she has handed it to you, you cannot give it back. To a bartender or cocktail waitress, small change has no value.
40. If you have ever told a bartender, “Hey, it all spends the same,” then you are a cheap ass.
41. Anyone on stage or behind a bar is fifty percent better looking.
42. You can tell how hard a drinker someone is by how close they keep their drink to their mouth.
43. A bar is a college, not a nursery. If you spill a beer, clean it up. If you break a glass, wait for a staff member to clean it up, then blame it on someone else.
44. Being drunk is feeling sophisticated without being able to say it.
45. It's okay to drink alone.
46. After three drinks, you will forget a woman's name two seconds after she tells you. The rest of the night you will call her “baby” or “darling”.
47. Nothing screams 'nancy boy' louder than swirling an oversized brandy snifter.
48. Men don't drink from straws. Unless you're doing a Mind or Face Eraser.
49. If you do a shot, finish it. If you don't plan to finish it, don't accept it.
50. Never brood in a dance bar. Never dance in a dive bar.
51. Never play more than three songs by the same artist in a row.
52. Your songs will come on as you're leaving the bar.
53. Never yell out jukebox selections to someone you don't know.
54. Never lie in a bar. You may, however, grossly exaggerate and lean.
55. If you think you might be slurring a little, then you are slurring a lot. If you think you are slurring a lot, then you are not speaking English.
56. Screaming, “Someone buy me a drink!” has never worked.
57. For every drink, there is a five percent better chance you will get in a fight. There is also a three percent better chance you will lose the fight.
58. Fighting an extremely drunk person when you are sober is hilarious.
59. If you are broke and a friend is “sporting you”, you must laugh at all his jokes and play wingman when he makes his move.
60. If you are broke and a friend is “making sport of you”, you may steal any drink he leaves unattended.
61. Never rest your head on a table or bar top. It is the equivalent of voluntarily putting your head on a chopping block.
62. If you are trading rounds with a friend and he asks if you're ready for another, always say yes. Once you fall out of sync you will end up buying more drinks than him.
63. If you're going to hit on a member of the bar staff, make sure you tip well before and after, regardless of her response.
64. The people with the most money are rarely the best tippers.
65. Before you die, single-handedly make one decent martini.
66. Asking a bartender what beers are on tap when the handles are right in front of you is the equivalent of saying, “I'm an idiot.”
67. Never ask a bartender “what's good tonight?” They do not fly in the scotch fresh from the coast every morning.
68. If there is a line for drinks, get your goddamn drink and step the hell away from the bar.
69. If there is ever any confusion, the fuller beer is yours.
70. The patrons at your local bar are your extended family, your fathers and mothers, your brothers and sisters. Except you get to sleep with these sisters. And if you're really drunk, the mothers.
71. It's acceptable, traditional in fact, to disappear during a night of hard drinking. You will appear mysterious and your friends will understand. If they even notice.
72. Never argue your tab at the end of the night. Remember, you're hammered and they’re sober. It's akin to a precocious five-year-old arguing the super-string theory with a physicist. 99.9% of the time you're wrong and either way you're going to come off as a jackass.
73. If you bring booze to a party, you must drink it or leave it.
74. If you hesitate more than three seconds after the bartender looks at you, you do not deserve a drink.
75. Beer makes you mellow, champagne makes you silly, wine makes you dramatic, tequila makes you felonious.
76. The greatest thing a drunkard can do is buy a round of drinks for a packed bar.
77. Never preface a conversation with a bartender with “I know this is going to be a hassle, but . . .”
78. When you’re in a bar and drunk, your boss is just another guy begging for a fat lip. Unless he’s buying.
79. If you are 86’d, do not return for at least three months. To come back sooner makes it appear no other bar wants you.
80. Anyone with three or more drinks in his hands has the right of way.
81. If you’re going to drink on the job, drink vodka. It’s the no-tell liquor.
82. There’s nothing wrong with drinking before noon. Especially if you’re supposed to be at work.
83. The bar clock moves twice as fast from midnight to last call.
84. A flask engraved with a personal message is one of the best gifts you can ever give. And make sure there’s something in it.
85. On the intimacy scale, sharing a quiet drink is between a handshake and a kiss.
86. You will forget every one of these rules by your fifth drink.
--Frank Rich
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Sunday, November 05, 2006
0 for 3 this weekend
Not a good weekend for me...
UT 24 - LSU 28
Cowboys 19 - Redskins 22 (long week at work for me here in DC)
DC United 0 - New England Revolution 1
Only way to make something of the weekend is
for Peyton & the Colts to win
UT 24 - LSU 28
Cowboys 19 - Redskins 22 (long week at work for me here in DC)
DC United 0 - New England Revolution 1
Only way to make something of the weekend is
for Peyton & the Colts to win
Cowboys 19 - Redskins 22
From: ESPN.com
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) -- With six seconds on the clock, Bill Parcells thought the game would come down to one final field goal by Dallas Cowboys kicker Mike Vanderjagt.
Five seconds later, he watched Washington Redskins kicker Nick Novak hit a 47-yard field goal to defeat his Cowboys, 22-19 and end a wild final few seconds between these NFC East rivals. The game featured three field goal attempts -- two by the Redskins and one by the Cowboys -- in the final 31 seconds.
"It's a tough pill to swallow," Parcells said. "It's one of those games that could go either way."
Vanderjagt's chance to win it -- a 35-yarder with six seconds left -- was blocked by Troy Vincent. The ball bounced around until Sean Taylor picked it up and made a weaving, tackle-busting return into Dallas territory as time expired. Dallas' Kyle Kosier was called for a facemask penalty on the return, tacking on another 15 yards -- and meaning regulation would continue for one more play.
This allowed Joe Gibbs to watch his team go from blowing a chance for a last-minute victory to preventing a last-minute loss to pulling out a win with no time left on the clock.
"Gosh," the Hall of Fame coach said, "I don't know if I've experienced anything like that."
Novak came through by sneaking the ball inside the right upright. With his arms up, Novak ran about 50 yards back downfield, and several of his teammates piled on top of him, led by Vincent.
A five-time Pro Bowl defensive back in his 15th year in the league, Vincent was signed last month after the Buffalo Bills released him from their injured reserve list. He'd never blocked a kick in his career, he said, and wasn't even told until Saturday night that he'd be on field-goal duty.
"A win is a win," Vincent said, "and it's good to get back in the win column."
"It's a short walk from the outhouse to the penthouse," said Novak, who had missed from 49 yards with 31 seconds left. "This is what a kicker dreams about. There are ups and downs, and this was the up."
Parcells wouldn't assess specific blame, saying he'd have to review the game film first.
"Whatever it was," he said, "it was a bad mistake by somebody on our team. It was a tough one, a very unusual end to a game."
The Redskins (3-5) snapped a three-game losing streak and dropped Dallas (4-4) into a second-place tie in the NFC East with idle Philadelphia.
In many ways, the Cowboys could only blame themselves, with all kinds of miscues and, perhaps, errors in judgment: a safety on their first offensive possession; a failed 2-point conversion early in the second quarter ("I go by the chart," Parcells said); and plenty more errors that wasted another fine performance by quarterback Tony Romo in his second NFL start.
"When you've got that much going for you, and you screw it up like that, it's how you end up 4-4," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said.
There was, of course, the flubbed field goal by Vanderjagt, who came in 5-for-5 in the fourth quarter this season. And that key flag on Kosier, one of 11 times Dallas was penalized for 153 yards. Without that penalty, the game would have gone to overtime.
"It's a heartbreaker," Parcells said, "and I really don't have too much to say."
Another flag came on Terrell Owens for excessive celebration: He pretended to take a nap by using the football as a pillow after his 4-yard touchdown catch from Romo put the Cowboys ahead 19-12 in the third quarter.
Later in that quarter, a wide-open Owens dropped a long pass when he was behind the defense and seemed certain to give Dallas a two-touchdown lead.
"I owe this one to the team," Owens said. "I let the team down. Honestly, I think it was a lack of concentration."
So when beleaguered Redskins quarterback Mark Brunell connected with Chris Cooley on an 18-yard score on the third play of the fourth quarter, the game was tied at 19.
The Redskins came off their bye week knowing they needed a victory to make the rest of the season meaningful, and Gibbs vowed to revamp the playbook. There was only one significant personnel change, though: inserting Vincent as a starting safety in place of free-agent disappointment Adam Archuleta.
Still, Romo went 24-for-36 for 284 yards and two touchdowns. He repeatedly bought time by scrambling away from pressure and settled down after a rough start: Dallas gained 4 yards on its first two possessions, then totaled 235 with two TDs and two field goals on its next four drives.
But given these teams are coached by men who've won a total of five Super Bowls, there was an awful lot of sloppy or ineffective play.
The Redskins failed to score on their opening possession, despite starting seven plays inside the 5. Dallas' first possession ended with a safety, when Lemar Marshall dragged down Julius Jones in the end zone.
Washington's first possession of the second half began with a holding penalty, 3-yard run, loss of 9 on DeMarcus Ware's sack, and a gain of 8 on third-and-26. That was enough to draw boos.
By game's end, there was nothing but cheers.
As Novak walked off the field, his helmet aloft in his hand, he was smiling, the kick he'd missed moments earlier a distant memory.
LANDOVER, Md. (AP) -- With six seconds on the clock, Bill Parcells thought the game would come down to one final field goal by Dallas Cowboys kicker Mike Vanderjagt.
Five seconds later, he watched Washington Redskins kicker Nick Novak hit a 47-yard field goal to defeat his Cowboys, 22-19 and end a wild final few seconds between these NFC East rivals. The game featured three field goal attempts -- two by the Redskins and one by the Cowboys -- in the final 31 seconds.
"It's a tough pill to swallow," Parcells said. "It's one of those games that could go either way."
Vanderjagt's chance to win it -- a 35-yarder with six seconds left -- was blocked by Troy Vincent. The ball bounced around until Sean Taylor picked it up and made a weaving, tackle-busting return into Dallas territory as time expired. Dallas' Kyle Kosier was called for a facemask penalty on the return, tacking on another 15 yards -- and meaning regulation would continue for one more play.
This allowed Joe Gibbs to watch his team go from blowing a chance for a last-minute victory to preventing a last-minute loss to pulling out a win with no time left on the clock.
"Gosh," the Hall of Fame coach said, "I don't know if I've experienced anything like that."
Novak came through by sneaking the ball inside the right upright. With his arms up, Novak ran about 50 yards back downfield, and several of his teammates piled on top of him, led by Vincent.
A five-time Pro Bowl defensive back in his 15th year in the league, Vincent was signed last month after the Buffalo Bills released him from their injured reserve list. He'd never blocked a kick in his career, he said, and wasn't even told until Saturday night that he'd be on field-goal duty.
"A win is a win," Vincent said, "and it's good to get back in the win column."
"It's a short walk from the outhouse to the penthouse," said Novak, who had missed from 49 yards with 31 seconds left. "This is what a kicker dreams about. There are ups and downs, and this was the up."
Parcells wouldn't assess specific blame, saying he'd have to review the game film first.
"Whatever it was," he said, "it was a bad mistake by somebody on our team. It was a tough one, a very unusual end to a game."
The Redskins (3-5) snapped a three-game losing streak and dropped Dallas (4-4) into a second-place tie in the NFC East with idle Philadelphia.
In many ways, the Cowboys could only blame themselves, with all kinds of miscues and, perhaps, errors in judgment: a safety on their first offensive possession; a failed 2-point conversion early in the second quarter ("I go by the chart," Parcells said); and plenty more errors that wasted another fine performance by quarterback Tony Romo in his second NFL start.
"When you've got that much going for you, and you screw it up like that, it's how you end up 4-4," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said.
There was, of course, the flubbed field goal by Vanderjagt, who came in 5-for-5 in the fourth quarter this season. And that key flag on Kosier, one of 11 times Dallas was penalized for 153 yards. Without that penalty, the game would have gone to overtime.
"It's a heartbreaker," Parcells said, "and I really don't have too much to say."
Another flag came on Terrell Owens for excessive celebration: He pretended to take a nap by using the football as a pillow after his 4-yard touchdown catch from Romo put the Cowboys ahead 19-12 in the third quarter.
Later in that quarter, a wide-open Owens dropped a long pass when he was behind the defense and seemed certain to give Dallas a two-touchdown lead.
"I owe this one to the team," Owens said. "I let the team down. Honestly, I think it was a lack of concentration."
So when beleaguered Redskins quarterback Mark Brunell connected with Chris Cooley on an 18-yard score on the third play of the fourth quarter, the game was tied at 19.
The Redskins came off their bye week knowing they needed a victory to make the rest of the season meaningful, and Gibbs vowed to revamp the playbook. There was only one significant personnel change, though: inserting Vincent as a starting safety in place of free-agent disappointment Adam Archuleta.
Still, Romo went 24-for-36 for 284 yards and two touchdowns. He repeatedly bought time by scrambling away from pressure and settled down after a rough start: Dallas gained 4 yards on its first two possessions, then totaled 235 with two TDs and two field goals on its next four drives.
But given these teams are coached by men who've won a total of five Super Bowls, there was an awful lot of sloppy or ineffective play.
The Redskins failed to score on their opening possession, despite starting seven plays inside the 5. Dallas' first possession ended with a safety, when Lemar Marshall dragged down Julius Jones in the end zone.
Washington's first possession of the second half began with a holding penalty, 3-yard run, loss of 9 on DeMarcus Ware's sack, and a gain of 8 on third-and-26. That was enough to draw boos.
By game's end, there was nothing but cheers.
As Novak walked off the field, his helmet aloft in his hand, he was smiling, the kick he'd missed moments earlier a distant memory.
LSU 28 - UT 24
From: ESPN.com
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- LSU can forget last year's disappointment against No. 8 Tennessee. The No. 13 Tigers have their own comeback to celebrate.
JaMarcus Russell hit Early Doucet with a 4-yard touchdown pass with 9 seconds left to give LSU a 28-24 win over the Volunteers on Saturday, and end the Volunteers' chances of winning the Southeastern Conference title.
Russell's third touchdown pass of the game gave the Tigers (7-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) their first road win of the season and revenge for last year's Volunteers' victory at Tiger Stadium.
"Our guys will remember this one," LSU coach Les Miles said. "If you wanna define who we are, if you wanna write who we are, that's who were are right there."
Last year in Baton Rouge, La., in LSU's first home game after hurricane Katrina and Rita, the Vols overcame a 21-point deficit to win 30-27 in overtime.
On Saturday, No. 8 Tennessee (7-2, 3-2) almost got another comeback. The Vols went ahead 24-21 after redshirt freshman Jonathan Crompton, playing for injured starter Erik Ainge, completed a 54-yard touchdown pass to Robert Meachem with 7:29 remaining.
The Tigers got the ball back with plenty of time, and Russell methodically led them down the field, milking the clock all the way.
Russell appeared to score on a run from the Tennessee 7 when he flipped into the end zone, but officials ruled he was out of bounds at the 4. On the next play, Doucet caught Russell's pass in the end zone, a throw intended for Dwayne Bowe.
LSU's sideline erupted and spilled onto the field. Order was restored for the kickoff, but Tennessee only had 5 seconds to score. Not enough.
Russell finished 24-for-36 for 247 yards. He also ran for 71 yards.
The LSU players and coaches stayed afterward to celebrate with their fans. It was the Tigers' second win in Neyland Stadium, and they had to overcome four turnovers to earn it.
"I was still in the game. I knew I just had to go out and fight and sacrifice my body and myself and be willing to do whatever it takes to help my team," said Russell, who had three passes intercepted.
LSU's top-rated defense made it tough for Crompton and the Vols' offense.
The Vols were held to 248 total yards and had the ball for less than 19 minutes. LSU rolled up 478 yards.
"It will hurt tonight and we can allow it to maybe hurt tomorrow, and then come Monday we have to get ready to go to Arkansas and play and win that game," Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said. "This team still has a lot to look forward to."
The loss ended Tennessee's chances of chasing down Florida in the East division race. The Gators' victory over Vanderbilt combined with the Vols' loss gives Florida a spot in the league championship game.
Ainge started the game and played the first quarter but was limping and couldn't get much going. He sprained his right ankle last week against South Carolina.
Fulmer said he took Ainge out after got hurt again early in the game.
After LSU went ahead 21-17 at the end of the third quarter, the game turned wild with turnovers on three straight possessions in the fourth quarter.
The final giveaway, Bowe's fumble recovered by Ryan Karl set up the Vols at the LSU 46.
On the next play, Crompton saw Meachem streaking for the end zone and threw it between two defenders. Meachem caught it and stretched his arm across the goal line.
Coming into the game, Crompton had played in four games this season.
"I honestly thought we could win that game and it honestly hurt when we didn't," said Crompton, who was 11-for-24 for 183 yards.
Keiland Williams' 7-yard touchdown run put LSU ahead 21-17 at the end of the third quarter.
The Tigers had cut the lead to 17-14 with 9:38 left in the third quarter on Bowe's 5-yard touchdown catch, the school-record 22nd of his career.
Tennessee went ahead 17-7 two plays into the second half when Russell overthrew a receiver, and Tennessee's Demetrice Morley caught it and ran 31 yards for the score.
Russell was shaken up on LSU's first possession when Tennessee's Xavier Mitchell grabbed his right leg and tried to pull him down.
Backup Matt Flynn took over the Tigers' next series, but Russell returned for the next possession and led an 80-yard drive at the start of the second quarter. He completed a 23-yard touchdown pass to Buster Davis to go up 7-0.
"Their quarterback is a major-league player in every since of the word, physically, and he did a great job I thought mentally," Fulmer said.
Tennessee tied it with Crompton's 37-yard pass to Meachem, and Wilhoit added a 24-yard field goal to go up 10-7 at halftime.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- LSU can forget last year's disappointment against No. 8 Tennessee. The No. 13 Tigers have their own comeback to celebrate.
JaMarcus Russell hit Early Doucet with a 4-yard touchdown pass with 9 seconds left to give LSU a 28-24 win over the Volunteers on Saturday, and end the Volunteers' chances of winning the Southeastern Conference title.
Russell's third touchdown pass of the game gave the Tigers (7-2, 3-2 Southeastern Conference) their first road win of the season and revenge for last year's Volunteers' victory at Tiger Stadium.
"Our guys will remember this one," LSU coach Les Miles said. "If you wanna define who we are, if you wanna write who we are, that's who were are right there."
Last year in Baton Rouge, La., in LSU's first home game after hurricane Katrina and Rita, the Vols overcame a 21-point deficit to win 30-27 in overtime.
On Saturday, No. 8 Tennessee (7-2, 3-2) almost got another comeback. The Vols went ahead 24-21 after redshirt freshman Jonathan Crompton, playing for injured starter Erik Ainge, completed a 54-yard touchdown pass to Robert Meachem with 7:29 remaining.
The Tigers got the ball back with plenty of time, and Russell methodically led them down the field, milking the clock all the way.
Russell appeared to score on a run from the Tennessee 7 when he flipped into the end zone, but officials ruled he was out of bounds at the 4. On the next play, Doucet caught Russell's pass in the end zone, a throw intended for Dwayne Bowe.
LSU's sideline erupted and spilled onto the field. Order was restored for the kickoff, but Tennessee only had 5 seconds to score. Not enough.
Russell finished 24-for-36 for 247 yards. He also ran for 71 yards.
The LSU players and coaches stayed afterward to celebrate with their fans. It was the Tigers' second win in Neyland Stadium, and they had to overcome four turnovers to earn it.
"I was still in the game. I knew I just had to go out and fight and sacrifice my body and myself and be willing to do whatever it takes to help my team," said Russell, who had three passes intercepted.
LSU's top-rated defense made it tough for Crompton and the Vols' offense.
The Vols were held to 248 total yards and had the ball for less than 19 minutes. LSU rolled up 478 yards.
"It will hurt tonight and we can allow it to maybe hurt tomorrow, and then come Monday we have to get ready to go to Arkansas and play and win that game," Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said. "This team still has a lot to look forward to."
The loss ended Tennessee's chances of chasing down Florida in the East division race. The Gators' victory over Vanderbilt combined with the Vols' loss gives Florida a spot in the league championship game.
Ainge started the game and played the first quarter but was limping and couldn't get much going. He sprained his right ankle last week against South Carolina.
Fulmer said he took Ainge out after got hurt again early in the game.
After LSU went ahead 21-17 at the end of the third quarter, the game turned wild with turnovers on three straight possessions in the fourth quarter.
The final giveaway, Bowe's fumble recovered by Ryan Karl set up the Vols at the LSU 46.
On the next play, Crompton saw Meachem streaking for the end zone and threw it between two defenders. Meachem caught it and stretched his arm across the goal line.
Coming into the game, Crompton had played in four games this season.
"I honestly thought we could win that game and it honestly hurt when we didn't," said Crompton, who was 11-for-24 for 183 yards.
Keiland Williams' 7-yard touchdown run put LSU ahead 21-17 at the end of the third quarter.
The Tigers had cut the lead to 17-14 with 9:38 left in the third quarter on Bowe's 5-yard touchdown catch, the school-record 22nd of his career.
Tennessee went ahead 17-7 two plays into the second half when Russell overthrew a receiver, and Tennessee's Demetrice Morley caught it and ran 31 yards for the score.
Russell was shaken up on LSU's first possession when Tennessee's Xavier Mitchell grabbed his right leg and tried to pull him down.
Backup Matt Flynn took over the Tigers' next series, but Russell returned for the next possession and led an 80-yard drive at the start of the second quarter. He completed a 23-yard touchdown pass to Buster Davis to go up 7-0.
"Their quarterback is a major-league player in every since of the word, physically, and he did a great job I thought mentally," Fulmer said.
Tennessee tied it with Crompton's 37-yard pass to Meachem, and Wilhoit added a 24-yard field goal to go up 10-7 at halftime.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Friday, November 03, 2006
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Monday, October 30, 2006
Sunday, October 29, 2006
The Boys Bounce Back
Dallas 35 - Carolina 14
From: ESPN.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Tony Romo found a way to put a smile back on Dallas coach Bill Parcells' face.
Romo rallied the Cowboys from a 14-point first-quarter deficit, throwing for 270 yards and a touchdown, and Julius Jones ran for 94 yards and a score to help the Cowboys beat the Carolina Panthers 35-14 Sunday night. The Cowboys set a team record with 25 fourth-quarter points.
"He's a guy who's been miserable all week," said receiver Terrell Owens, Romo's top target with nine catches for 107 yards. "I asked him coming off the field on Friday, I asked him how it was going and he said he doesn't like to get his butt kicked. As a team, we're tired of losing, we know we have a decent team. We just have to go out and play like it."
Romo, starting in place of the benched Drew Bledsoe, showed poise in slowly leading the Cowboys (4-3) back, using a variety of short passes to different receivers.
Early in the fourth quarter, facing a third-and-12 from the Carolina 21, Romo sidestepped pressure and fired a 16-yard pass to Jason Witten. But the drive stalled when Romo misfired to Witten in the end zone on third down, and Mike Vanderjagt kicked a 24-yard field goal to cut the Panthers' lead to 14-13.
On the ensuing kickoff, Sam Hurd ripped the ball from Brad Hoover and recovered the fumble at the Carolina 14. On the next play, Jones ran untouched up the middle for the touchdown. The Cowboys added the 2-point conversion when Romo faked a draw and threw a pass to Owens to make it 21-14.
"It's been tough, you never know, the change that we made at quarterback," Romo said. "You never know what you're going to get ... with a new starter who is untested. I was anxious just like Bill was to see what we were going to do out their tonight."
Owens was impressed by Romo's poise.
"Tony gives us a different change of pace," Owens said. "He gets the ball out quick and he gave us some chances. Everybody came up with some big plays today. Jason Witten played tremendous over the middle."
Dallas sealed the win when Roy Williams intercepted Jake Delhomme's throw on Carolina's possession after Jones' touchdown. Delhomme lost another fumble with under 2 minutes to go, Carolina's third turnover in the fourth quarter.
"This is about as poor of a performance in the fourth quarter that I have been associated with," coach John Fox said. "I apologize for all the people who paid for tickets."
Marion Barber had touchdown runs of 3 and 14 yards late as Parcells won a game after trailing by 14 points in the first quarter for only the second time in his career. The victory justified his decision to sit Bledsoe and end his streak of 70 consecutive starts. Bledsoe paced the sideline for most of the game, wearing a visor and occasionally glancing down at the play chart on his wrist, while applauding Romo's performance.
"Drew actually came up to me before the game [and] said he was rooting for me," Romo said. "Drew's a really, really class act. He's a very pleasant guy, and I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Drew."
Romo completed 24 of 36 passes and had one interception, which led to Steve Smith's 24-yard touchdown run that made it 14-0 in the second quarter.
But the Panthers (4-4) were plagued by mistakes as they lost their second straight, blowing double-digit leads in both. Instead of Romo struggling in his first NFL start, it was Delhomme, making his 62nd straight start, who had problems. He was 17-of-31 for 149 yards and an interception.
Smith, Michael Gaines, DeShaun Foster and Keyshawn Johnson all dropped passes. Johnson's might have been a touchdown in the third quarter, spoiling his first game against Dallas since he was released in a salary cap move so the Cowboys could sign Owens.
"It's a team game. We all didn't get it done. We need to get better," Delhomme said.
Smith was angered when asked about his two drops, and his fumble of a punt return as the Panthers' once promising season has taken a turn for the worse.
"Just keep keeping your stats," Smith said. The Panthers were even plagued by a coaching miscue. Fox called a timeout late in the first half that wiped out Richard Marshall's blocked field goal. Given a second chance, Vanderjagt kicked a 38-yarder to make it 14-10 at halftime.
"Hopefully with the bye coming that will give us a chance to get healthy and maybe find some guys who can finish games," Fox said.
Foster rushed for 50 yards and a touchdown for Carolina, which lost starting cornerback Ken Lucas to a groin injury in the first quarter, forcing rookie Richard Marshall to alternate coverage on Owens and Terry Glenn.
In a season filled with controversy, Parcells left the field with a grin.
"We haven't been having a lot of fun around here. They're having fun right now," Parcells said. "That's the thing that I enjoy the most. When I see the faces of those players."
From: ESPN.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Tony Romo found a way to put a smile back on Dallas coach Bill Parcells' face.
Romo rallied the Cowboys from a 14-point first-quarter deficit, throwing for 270 yards and a touchdown, and Julius Jones ran for 94 yards and a score to help the Cowboys beat the Carolina Panthers 35-14 Sunday night. The Cowboys set a team record with 25 fourth-quarter points.
"He's a guy who's been miserable all week," said receiver Terrell Owens, Romo's top target with nine catches for 107 yards. "I asked him coming off the field on Friday, I asked him how it was going and he said he doesn't like to get his butt kicked. As a team, we're tired of losing, we know we have a decent team. We just have to go out and play like it."
Romo, starting in place of the benched Drew Bledsoe, showed poise in slowly leading the Cowboys (4-3) back, using a variety of short passes to different receivers.
Early in the fourth quarter, facing a third-and-12 from the Carolina 21, Romo sidestepped pressure and fired a 16-yard pass to Jason Witten. But the drive stalled when Romo misfired to Witten in the end zone on third down, and Mike Vanderjagt kicked a 24-yard field goal to cut the Panthers' lead to 14-13.
On the ensuing kickoff, Sam Hurd ripped the ball from Brad Hoover and recovered the fumble at the Carolina 14. On the next play, Jones ran untouched up the middle for the touchdown. The Cowboys added the 2-point conversion when Romo faked a draw and threw a pass to Owens to make it 21-14.
"It's been tough, you never know, the change that we made at quarterback," Romo said. "You never know what you're going to get ... with a new starter who is untested. I was anxious just like Bill was to see what we were going to do out their tonight."
Owens was impressed by Romo's poise.
"Tony gives us a different change of pace," Owens said. "He gets the ball out quick and he gave us some chances. Everybody came up with some big plays today. Jason Witten played tremendous over the middle."
Dallas sealed the win when Roy Williams intercepted Jake Delhomme's throw on Carolina's possession after Jones' touchdown. Delhomme lost another fumble with under 2 minutes to go, Carolina's third turnover in the fourth quarter.
"This is about as poor of a performance in the fourth quarter that I have been associated with," coach John Fox said. "I apologize for all the people who paid for tickets."
Marion Barber had touchdown runs of 3 and 14 yards late as Parcells won a game after trailing by 14 points in the first quarter for only the second time in his career. The victory justified his decision to sit Bledsoe and end his streak of 70 consecutive starts. Bledsoe paced the sideline for most of the game, wearing a visor and occasionally glancing down at the play chart on his wrist, while applauding Romo's performance.
"Drew actually came up to me before the game [and] said he was rooting for me," Romo said. "Drew's a really, really class act. He's a very pleasant guy, and I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for Drew."
Romo completed 24 of 36 passes and had one interception, which led to Steve Smith's 24-yard touchdown run that made it 14-0 in the second quarter.
But the Panthers (4-4) were plagued by mistakes as they lost their second straight, blowing double-digit leads in both. Instead of Romo struggling in his first NFL start, it was Delhomme, making his 62nd straight start, who had problems. He was 17-of-31 for 149 yards and an interception.
Smith, Michael Gaines, DeShaun Foster and Keyshawn Johnson all dropped passes. Johnson's might have been a touchdown in the third quarter, spoiling his first game against Dallas since he was released in a salary cap move so the Cowboys could sign Owens.
"It's a team game. We all didn't get it done. We need to get better," Delhomme said.
Smith was angered when asked about his two drops, and his fumble of a punt return as the Panthers' once promising season has taken a turn for the worse.
"Just keep keeping your stats," Smith said. The Panthers were even plagued by a coaching miscue. Fox called a timeout late in the first half that wiped out Richard Marshall's blocked field goal. Given a second chance, Vanderjagt kicked a 38-yarder to make it 14-10 at halftime.
"Hopefully with the bye coming that will give us a chance to get healthy and maybe find some guys who can finish games," Fox said.
Foster rushed for 50 yards and a touchdown for Carolina, which lost starting cornerback Ken Lucas to a groin injury in the first quarter, forcing rookie Richard Marshall to alternate coverage on Owens and Terry Glenn.
In a season filled with controversy, Parcells left the field with a grin.
"We haven't been having a lot of fun around here. They're having fun right now," Parcells said. "That's the thing that I enjoy the most. When I see the faces of those players."
DC United Win - Move On
From: ESPN.com
Gomez's late goal eases United past Red Bulls
WASHINGTON -- The scoreboard should have read Christian Gomez 2, New York Red Bulls 1.
As for the rest of D.C. United? The team played so poorly that it could very well not be the favorite at home in next week's Eastern Conference final.
Gomez bailed out his team with a goal in the 86th minute Sunday to give United a 1-1 tie with the Red Bulls. Combined with last week's 1-0 victory at Giants Stadium, the score was enough to clinch the home-and-home, total-goals series and secure a date at RFK Stadium with the New England Revolution in the one-game conference final next Sunday.
''We did not play well. I think that was one of the worst games we've played since I've been a part of D.C. United,'' forward Freddy Adu said. ''We've played better losing than we did today. We got in the locker room and we were talking about, 'It was horrendous.' We might have gotten away with it this time, but we just can't keep doing this.''
The Red Bulls played like a team with nothing to lose, pressing forward from the opening whistle and winning most of the 50-50 balls in midfield. New York outshot United 5-1 in the opening half and 13-6 for the game.
''Maybe it's the good thing to go into the conference final as an underdog,'' coach Peter Nowak said. ''We didn't play like we wanted to play.''
Does he really think the club with the league's best regular-season record will be the underdog?
''After tonight's game? Yes,'' Nowak replied.
After Jozy Altidore's goal in the 70th minute put New York up 1-0 and tied the series goal total, it was left to Gomez to score United's only goal for the second straight week to avoid overtime and possible penalty kicks.
Gomez, a leading candidate to earn league MVP honors, gathered a long cross from Josh Gros and put a left-footed 10-yard shot inside the near post. Gros' pass nearly hit United defender Bobby Boswell, who appeared to slip but instead provided a great decoy to give Gomez space to make the shot.
''He didn't play your typical Christian Gomez game, but he finds ways to be in the right spots at the right time to score goals,'' Adu said. ''Once again, Christian to the rescue.''
Altidore, who turns 17 next month, became the youngest player to score in an MLS playoff game, placing an 11-yard header just inside the left post off of Amado Guevara's free kick. Altidore also hit the left post in the 61st minute.
The Red Bulls played without forward Youri Djorkaeff, who strained his Achilles tendon during practice Thursday. Midfielder Markus Schopp left the game in the 43rd minute with a strained muscle in his lower abdomen.
The game ends the season for Red Bulls coach Bruce Arena, who took over late in the season after leading the U.S. national team at the World Cup. New York played relatively well for Arena, considering how little time he had to put his stamp on the team.
''We made progress. I tell you, the last six weeks have been a blast,'' Arena said. ''I've enjoyed working with the guys. They've shown a lot of improvement.''
Saturday, October 28, 2006
UT 31 - SC 24
From: ESPN.com
Vols hold strong against Gamecocks,
stay in BCS title hunt
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Tennessee didn't give Steve Spurrier anything to joke about Saturday night.
Erik Ainge threw two touchdown passes to Bret Smith and the eighth-ranked Vols ended a year of ugly memories from last year's loss to South Carolina with a 31-24 victory.
Spurrier has largely had his way with Tennessee (7-1, 3-1) through the years. The coach won at Neyland Stadium with Duke in 1988, then took eight of 12 games from the Vols as Gators coach from 1990-2001. And when Rocky Top supporters gleefully planned for revenge after the ball coach took over at South Carolina, he led the Gamecocks to their first win in Knoxville last fall.
That last defeat was particularly embarrassing to the Big Orange. The Vols had retired the jersey of star quarterback Peyton Manning, then outplayed South Carolina throughout, falling on Josh Brown's improbable 49-yard field goal -- a victory even Spurrier described as a "miracle."
It looked like Spurrier's hex was in effect again at Williams-Brice Stadium after South Carolina (5-3, 3-3) overcame a two-touchdown deficit to lead 17-14 after three quarters.
But Ainge found Smith on a 12-yard TD pass to put the Vols (7-1, 3-1) ahead for good with 13:10 left. After forcing South Carolina to punt on its next possession, Jonathan Hefney had a 65-yard punt return to South Carolina's 5 and Arian Foster had a touchdown run on the next play.
The Gamecocks closed to 31-24 on Syvelle Newton's 1-yard TD run with 2:24 to go. Tennessee was forced to punt -- Ainge was out with a bad ankle on the series -- and South Carolina had one final chance. However, Newton's desperation heave was intercepted by Demetrice Morley as time ran out.
Spurrier's always loved picking at Tennessee. He once quipped, "You can't spell Citrus without U-T," and this week couldn't keep himself from again having a little fun at the Vols expense.
He was explaining how since the winners are usually the ones who tell such jokes and how Tennessee didn't win too many of its matchups with Spurrier's Gators, "maybe they weren't telling too many up" in Knoxville.
Now, it's the Vols and coach Phillip Fulmer who can laugh it up -- at least for this year. The victory pushed Fulmer one ahead of the ball coach in SEC wins after the two came in tied at 134 each.
The Vols road to the SEC championship game doesn't get much easier the next two weeks. They take on No. 14 LSU and No. 13 Arkansas before closing the SEC against Vanderbilt and Kentucky. Even if Tennessee wins out, it would need help from an SEC team to knock off Florida -- perhaps Spurrier's Gamecocks who go to Gainesville on Nov. 11? -- to represent the Eastern Division.
Tennessee looked like it would make quick work of the Gamecocks.
Marvin Mitchell picked off Newton's pass on the second play of the game and returned it 17 yards for a touchdown.
Then after the Vols ended a long drive by South Carolina with Jonathan Wade's interception in the end zone, Ainge took them 80 yards for a touchdown of their own.
Ainge found Smith with a 5-yard scoring pass that caromed off South Carolina defenders Emanuel Cook and Stoney Woodson before Smith grabbed it for the TD and a 14-0 lead.
South Carolina rallied on Ryan Succop's 50-yard field goal -- his third of at least 49 yards or longer this year -- and an 18-yard touchdown pass from Newton to Mike West.
R.I.P. - Red Auerbach
From: ESPN.com
WASHINGTON -- Red Auerbach, the Hall of Fame coach who led the Boston Celtics to nine NBA championships in the 1950s and 1960s, died Saturday. He was 89.
Auerbach won 938 games with the Celtics and was the winningest coach in NBA history until Lenny Wilkens overtook him in the 1994-95 season. As general manager, the straight-talking Auerbach, who celebrated victories with a postgame cigar, was also the architect of Celtics teams that won seven more titles in the 1970s and 1980s.
He died of a heart attack near his home in Washington, according to an NBA official, who didn't want to be identified. His last public appearance was on Wednesday, when he received the U.S. Navy's Lone Sailor Award in front of family and friends in ceremonies in Washington.
"Red was a guy who always introduced new things," Steve Pagliuca, a Celtics managing partner, told The Associated Press in an interview this month. "He had some of the first black players in the league and some people didn't like that, but you've got to do what's right for the fans. So I think we tried to do things thoughtfully. We didn't come in here and change everything overnight."
Auerbach's death was announced by the Celtics, for whom he still served as team president. The team said the upcoming season would be dedicated in his honor.
"I never thought he'd die," said author John Feinstein, who last year collaborated on a book with Auerbach on the coach's reflections of more than 70 years in basketball. "He was a unique personality, a combination of toughness and great, great caring about people. He cared about people much more than it showed in his public face, and that's why people cared about him."
Born Arnold Auerbach in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Sept. 20, 1917, Auerbach was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1968.
With the Celtics, he made deals that brought Bill Russell, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale to Boston. He drafted Larry Bird a year early when the Indiana State star was a junior to make sure Bird would come to Boston. The jersey No. 2 was retired in Auerbach's honor during the 1984-85 season.
He coached championship teams that featured players such as Russell, Bob Cousy, Tom Heinsohn, Bill Sharman, K.C. Jones and Sam Jones, all inducted into the Hall of Fame.
After stepping down as general manager in 1984, Auerbach served as president of the Celtics and occasionally attended team practices into the mid-1990s, although his role in the draft and personnel decisions had diminished.
When Rick Pitino became coach in 1997, he also took the president's title and Auerbach became vice chairman of the board. After Pitino resigned on Jan. 8, 2001, Auerbach regained the title of president and remained vice chairman.
The team was sold on Dec. 31, 2002, to a group headed by Wyc Grousbeck and Auerbach stayed on as president.
Through all those titles, Auerbach didn't lose his direct manner of speaking, such as when he discussed the parquet floor of the Boston Garden shortly before the Celtics' longtime home closed in September 1995.
"The whole thing was a myth," Auerbach said. "People thought not only that there were dead spots, but that we knew where every one was and we could play accordingly.
"Now, did you ever watch a ballplayer go up and down the court at that speed and pick out a dead spot?" he asked. "If our players worried about that, thinking that's going to help them win, they're out of their cotton-picking mind. But if the other team thought that: Hey, good for us."
Friday, October 27, 2006
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
The Dash sprints through the one-loss teams
By Pat Forde
ESPN.com
One-Loss Wonders
Comeback Saturday did very little to clear the massive logjam that runs from the top five to the tail end of the Top 25. After Texas, California, Notre Dame and Tennessee all survived being pushed to the brink of defeat, we're still left with a surplus of one-loss teams still in the national title chase -- and we have no solid idea how to rank them.
Enter the ever-helpful Dash, here to provide a pecking order and predict how it might all sort out:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Florida Gators (4)
Record: 6-1.
BCS rank: sixth (ninth in Harris Poll, eighth in USA Today Poll, fourth with the computers).
Loss: 27-17 at Auburn.
Excuses: Key call on a Chris Leak fumble and subsequent review weirdly went against the Gators. Game was closer than the score, which was inflated by a fluke Auburn touchdown on the last play. Florida players saw all the orange and blue in the stands and thought they were playing in front of a home crowd; subsequent boos threw them off their game.
Case for: No other one-loss team has two better victories than the Gators' wins over Tennessee (in Knoxville) and LSU.
Case against: Florida has been good in every game and dazzling in none. Gators haven't scored more than 28 points in an SEC game since Nov. 5, 2005.
Big games ahead: Traditional late-season games against Georgia and Florida State are big, but won't pack the usual strength-of-schedule wallop with both the Bulldogs and Seminoles tanking. And there is the small matter of taking care of Steve Spurrier in The Swamp Nov. 11. That will be a pressure game for Urban Meyer.
The Dash Predicts: 11-1 heading into the SEC championship game, and very much in the fight for a BCS title berth.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Auburn Tigers (5)
Record: 7-1.
BCS rank: fifth (seventh in both polls, sixth with the computers).
Loss: 27-10 to Arkansas.
Excuse: Got caught looking ahead to Florida in a league that gouges your eyes out for looking ahead. And, uh, that's about it. There are no good excuses for losing at home by 17 to what was then an unranked team when you're in the top five.
Case for: Second-half shutouts of LSU and Florida show how strong the Tigers are on defense. The season-opening thumping of Washington State looks more impressive with each passing week.
Cast against: Hard to minimize a 17-point home loss as a solid favorite, especially when Auburn was outrushed by more than 200 yards. Questions remain about whether this team has championship-level offensive talent.
Big games ahead: The Tigers close by hosting Georgia Nov. 11 and visiting Alabama Nov. 18. On paper, neither should be nail-biters. In reality, both rivalry games probably will be.
The Dash Predicts: 11-1 and pointed toward a rematch with Florida in the SEC title game.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tennessee Volunteers (6)
Record: 6-1.
BCS rank: 11th (eighth in Harris Poll, ninth in USA Today Poll, 11th with the computers).
Loss: 21-20 at home to Florida.
Excuses: Tennessee hadn't yet tapped into the potential of freshman running back LaMarcus Coker (zero carries for zero yards vs. Florida, 360 rushing yards since then); if Tim Tebow doesn't muscle out a fourth-and-1 run in the fourth quarter, Vols are still unbeaten. Smokey the blue-tick hound got hold of some bad Kal Kan the night before.
Case for: A single loss by a single point to a high-powered opponent. Vols absolutely owned California in the opener, and the Bears are unbeaten since. The Vols have won their two road games by a combined 52 points.
Case against: Beat Air Force by a point when Fisher DeBerry went for two at the end of regulation instead of going for the tie and playing overtime. Trailed almost all game against Alabama. Were statistically dominated by Florida. Beating Georgia doesn't mean as much when Vanderbilt does it, too.
Big games ahead: Three in a row, at South Carolina Saturday (and we all know how Phil Fulmer has fared against Steve Spurrier over the years); home against LSU Nov. 4; and at Arkansas Nov. 11.
The Dash Predicts: There is another loss out there with Tennessee's name on it. The Volunteers will land outside of the BCS bowls but can take 10-2 as a pretty fair bounce-back from 5-6 in 2005.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Texas Longhorns (7)
Record: 7-1.
BCS rank: seventh (fifth in both polls, 13th with the computers).
Loss: 24-7 at home to Ohio State.
Excuses: The Longhorns' lone loss was to the best team in the country, and nobody else has come any closer; Colt McCoy was a baby then and has grown up since; if Billy Pittman doesn't fumble near the Ohio State goal line in the first half, the game could have turned out much differently. Matthew McConaughey's histrionics behind the Texas bench did more harm than good.
Case for: With an authoritative neutral-field victory over one ranked team (Oklahoma) and a victory over another ranked team in a true road setting (no matter how touch-and-go it was at Nebraska Saturday), the Horns have re-established themselves as the dominant team in the Big 12.
Case against: You want to play the iffin' game with Pittman's fumble against Ohio State? How about the fumble by Nebraska's Terrence Nunn that turned a certain Cornhuskers victory into one last chance for the Longhorns? If Nunn holds on to the ball, Texas is out of this discussion.
Big games ahead: Not many. Texas Tech (Saturday) doesn't look like a threat. Looks like the last hurdle before the Big 12 title game is Texas A&M in Austin Nov. 24.
The Dash Predicts: Texas will be 11-1 and in the BCS title-game argument going to Kansas City on Dec. 2.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
California Golden Bears(8)
Record: 7-1.
BCS rank: 10th (11th in Harris Poll, 12th in USA Today Poll, fifth with the computers).
Loss: 35-18 at Tennessee.
Excuses: Quarterback Nate Longshore was making his second career start after sitting out almost all of 2005, and it showed. Starting cornerback Tim Mixon suffered a season-ending injury shortly before the Tennessee game, and his replacement couldn't tackle or cover Vols wideout Robert Meachem (five catches, 182 yards, two touchdowns). Incessant renditions of "Rocky Top" from the Tennessee band fried Cal's composure.
Case for: Dropped 42 points on then-No. 19 Arizona State and 45 on then-No. 11 Oregon. Hadn't even been threatened for six weeks until the Washington scare Saturday. Has won two Pac-10 road games by a combined 46 points.
Case against: Cal trailed Tennessee 35-3 before the Vols let up. Bears easily could have lost to the Huskies. Haven't beaten anyone still considered a BCS contender.
Big games ahead: Cal hosts UCLA Nov. 4 and plays at USC Nov. 18. Beating the Trojans could vault the Bears to the top of the one-loss class.
The Dash Predicts: Playing nine league games certainly helps the strength of schedule -- if you can win them all. The Dash sees a loss for the Bears in L.A. Coliseum.
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9)
Record: 6-1.
BCS rank: ninth (10th in both polls, eighth with the computers).
Loss: 47-21 to Michigan.
Excuses: The pass that went through tight end John Carlson's hands and was returned for six on the opening series inflated Michigan's confidence. Last Wolverines touchdown -- another defensive TD -- was a fluke that made the score look worse than it was. Leprechaun didn't bring his A game.
Case for: Nobody else on this list has played a schedule exclusively against opponents from the Big Six conferences to date. Nobody else has two comeback wins as dramatic as Notre Dame's. Irish's first five opponents all were undefeated at kickoff. Losing to Michigan is clearly not a sin.
Case against: Losing at home by 26 -- even to Michigan -- is at least a venial sin. Needing minor miracles to beat Michigan State and UCLA is borderline sinful.
Big games ahead: The Irish play USC in Los Angeles Nov. 25. Maybe you've heard about it. Prior to that, trips to play Navy in Baltimore and Air Force in Colorado Springs at least have the potential to be interesting.
The Dash Predicts: Still simmering from last year, Notre Dame turns USC game into a crusade and wins on a last-second Brady Quinn sneak, with a push from Darius Walker. Irish go 11-1 and throw the BCS Standings into complete chaos.
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Clemson Tigers (10)
Record: 7-1.
BCS rank: 12th (12th in Harris Poll, 11th in USA Today Poll, 15th with the computers).
Loss: 34-33 in two overtimes at Boston College.
Excuses: Clemson dominated from scrimmage and let it get away in the kicking game. Fans' New England accents completely threw the Southern boys off their game.
Case for: How much can you penalize a team for losing on a blocked PAT on the road against what is now a Top 25 opponent? Average margin of victory in seven wins is 34 points. Nobody's come within single digits of the Tigers since Sept. 16.
Case against: "Quality win" over Florida State not looking so high-quality right now. Blowing out Florida Atlantic, North Carolina, Temple and Louisiana Tech impresses no one. It took a 66-yard, fourth-quarter fumble return touchdown by defensive end Gaines Adams to turn around Clemson's game against Wake Forest.
Big games ahead: At Virginia Tech Thursday and home against South Carolina Nov. 25 might be the last serious tests -- and neither of those is like climbing Everest. This year, the ACC is a succession of mole hills.
The Dash Predicts: Look for Clemson to be 11-1 heading into the ACC championship game -- either for a rematch with Georgia Tech or a matchup with Miami.
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Boston College Eagles (11)
Record: 6-1.
BCS rank: 17th (17th in both polls, tied for 16th with the computers).
Loss: 17-15 at NC State.
Excuses: Kicker error and a fluke 34-yard touchdown pass with five seconds left are to blame. And who among us can figure out the Wolfpack?
Case for: Victories over Clemson, Virginia Tech and Florida State officially stamp the Eagles as a success story in their second ACC season. All five wins over I-A opponents came against teams that currently own winning records.
Case against: Akron beat NC State. Southern Mississippi beat NC State -- by 20. Maryland beat NC State. How did BC lose to NC State?
Big games ahead: Remaining road games against Wake Forest (Nov. 4) and Miami (Nov. 23) will be tricky.
The Dash Predicts: The Eagles will lose one of those two games to wind up 10-2 and just miss a berth in the ACC title game. But at least they won't have to go bowling in Boise again this season.
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Wisconsin Badgers (12)
Record: 7-1.
BCS rank: 18th (18th in both polls, tied for 16th with the computers).
Loss: 27-13 at Michigan.
Excuses: Average Wolverines scoring drive went all of 31 yards. Ask Penn State and Iowa how much easier it is playing Michigan without Mario Manningham than with him.
Case for: Badgers have won four straight Big Ten games by an average of 31 points, and have only allowed more than 17 points to the Wolverines. At age 36, rookie head coach Bret Bielema has done his job like a veteran. Running back P.J. Hill isn't just the best freshman in the country, the Wisconsin Winnebago also has the best nickname of any player.
Case against: Badgers haven't beaten anyone currently in the Sagarin top 40. And that band is nothing but trouble.
Big games ahead: Not many, with Ohio State off the schedule. Consecutive games against Penn State and Iowa look like the last hurdles.
The Dash Predicts: Wisconsin splits games against the Nittany Lions and Hawkeyes to finish 10-2. Unfortunately for Bucky, they do it in the same year when the Ohio State-Michigan loser looks like a lock for the Rose Bowl.
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Texas A&M Aggies (13)
Record: 7-1.
BCS rank: 21st (23rd in Harris Poll, 22nd in USA Today Poll, tied for 21st with the computers).
Loss: 31-27 to Texas Tech.
Excuses: Brainlock blitz call gave Red Raiders a gift-wrapped shot at a game-winning bomb in the final minute. Aggies had taken over the game prior to that. Mike Leach sold his soul to the devil for the chance to own this rivalry.
Case for: Aggies are 30 seconds short of undefeated.
Case against: Aggies have played a stay-puft schedule -- and are closer to two or three losses than they are to undefeated. They have four victories by six points or less, including slipping past the uninspiring likes of Army, Kansas and Oklahoma State by a combined eight points.
Big games ahead: A&M closes with Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas. Time to hunker down.
The Dash Predicts: Texas A&M would be fortunate to split its last four. Three losses seems more likely, for an 8-4 record.
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Missouri Tigers (14)
Record: 7-1.
BCS rank: 20th (21st in Harris Poll, 23rd in USA Today Poll, 19th with the computers).
Loss: 25-19 at Texas A&M.
Excuses: Three first-half Missouri fumbles -- including one into the A&M end zone on the first possession -- gave the Aggies the game. Being stopped on the Aggies' 6-yard line in the fourth didn't help. If you woke up in College Station on game day, you'd be uninspired, too.
Case for: Quarterback Chase Daniel might be the No. 1 revelation in college football. All seven Missouri wins have been by double digits.
Case against: None of those seven wins has come against a ranked opponent. Missouri lost star defensive end Brian Smith for the season with a broken hip against Kansas State. That will severely inhibit the Tigers' productive pass rush.
Big games ahead: The Tigers haven't beaten Oklahoma and Nebraska in the same season since 1969. They have that opportunity over the next two Saturdays.
The Dash Predicts: Without Smith, look for a split in those two games and a scare from rival Kansas. But Mizzou will gladly take 10-2, even if it means losing the Big 12 North at Nebraska Nov. 4.
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Wake Forest Demon Deacons (15)
Record: 6-1.
BCS rank: Not in the BCS top 25.
Loss: 27-17 to Clemson.
Excuses: Two fumbles -- one on the first possession inside the Clemson 5, the other in the fourth quarter at the Clemson 34 -- turned a sure victory into an agonizing defeat. Wake simply had no idea how to act when it found itself 5-0 and up two touchdowns in the fourth.
Case for: Aside from the fact that Jim Grobe is the national coach of the year at this stage, cracking the AP Top 25 despite major injuries, there is no logical or compelling argument to make for Wake ahead of the other schools on this list.
Case against: Every Wake Forest victory has come against a team having a disappointing season: Syracuse, Duke, Connecticut, Liberty, Mississippi and North Carolina State.
Big games ahead: Boston College, Florida State and Virginia Tech on successive November Saturdays.
The Dash Predicts: Three more losses. But, hey, the Demon Deacons will take 8-4 and smile broadly.
Arkansas Razorbacks (3)
Record: 6-1.
BCS rank: 13th. (14th in the Harris and USA Today Coaches' polls, 10 with the computers). Until the Razorbacks lose again, they're underrated in comparison to their SEC brethren.
Loss: 50-14 to USC.
Excuses: The Razorbacks hadn't yet turned the offense over to freshman quarterback Mitch Mustain. Star tailback Darren McFadden was not 100 percent recovered from a dislocated toe. Since when is losing to USC an indictment? Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn thought this was the Arkansas high school state finals.
Case for: Arkansas handed the only loss so far to Auburn, which handed the only loss so far to Florida, which handed the only loss so far to Tennessee. Ergo ipso facto, the Hogs (4-0 in SEC play) have proven the most so far in the nation's toughest conference.
Case against: A 36-point home loss cannot be shrugged off, no matter the opposition and no matter who started at quarterback for Arkansas. Razorbacks needed kicking-game gag jobs to beat Alabama by a point and Vanderbilt by two.
Big games ahead: at South Carolina Nov. 4, home against Tennessee Nov. 11, home against LSU Nov. 24. The Hogs' strength of schedule should rise in the final month of the regular season.
The Dash Predicts: Two more losses are in store for Houston Nutt's team, effectively dropping it from national title and SEC West title contention. Arkansas has built its resume almost solely on walloping Auburn. The rest of the body of work isn't that impressive.
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ESPN.com
One-Loss Wonders
Comeback Saturday did very little to clear the massive logjam that runs from the top five to the tail end of the Top 25. After Texas, California, Notre Dame and Tennessee all survived being pushed to the brink of defeat, we're still left with a surplus of one-loss teams still in the national title chase -- and we have no solid idea how to rank them.
Enter the ever-helpful Dash, here to provide a pecking order and predict how it might all sort out:
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Florida Gators (4)
Record: 6-1.
BCS rank: sixth (ninth in Harris Poll, eighth in USA Today Poll, fourth with the computers).
Loss: 27-17 at Auburn.
Excuses: Key call on a Chris Leak fumble and subsequent review weirdly went against the Gators. Game was closer than the score, which was inflated by a fluke Auburn touchdown on the last play. Florida players saw all the orange and blue in the stands and thought they were playing in front of a home crowd; subsequent boos threw them off their game.
Case for: No other one-loss team has two better victories than the Gators' wins over Tennessee (in Knoxville) and LSU.
Case against: Florida has been good in every game and dazzling in none. Gators haven't scored more than 28 points in an SEC game since Nov. 5, 2005.
Big games ahead: Traditional late-season games against Georgia and Florida State are big, but won't pack the usual strength-of-schedule wallop with both the Bulldogs and Seminoles tanking. And there is the small matter of taking care of Steve Spurrier in The Swamp Nov. 11. That will be a pressure game for Urban Meyer.
The Dash Predicts: 11-1 heading into the SEC championship game, and very much in the fight for a BCS title berth.
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Auburn Tigers (5)
Record: 7-1.
BCS rank: fifth (seventh in both polls, sixth with the computers).
Loss: 27-10 to Arkansas.
Excuse: Got caught looking ahead to Florida in a league that gouges your eyes out for looking ahead. And, uh, that's about it. There are no good excuses for losing at home by 17 to what was then an unranked team when you're in the top five.
Case for: Second-half shutouts of LSU and Florida show how strong the Tigers are on defense. The season-opening thumping of Washington State looks more impressive with each passing week.
Cast against: Hard to minimize a 17-point home loss as a solid favorite, especially when Auburn was outrushed by more than 200 yards. Questions remain about whether this team has championship-level offensive talent.
Big games ahead: The Tigers close by hosting Georgia Nov. 11 and visiting Alabama Nov. 18. On paper, neither should be nail-biters. In reality, both rivalry games probably will be.
The Dash Predicts: 11-1 and pointed toward a rematch with Florida in the SEC title game.
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Tennessee Volunteers (6)
Record: 6-1.
BCS rank: 11th (eighth in Harris Poll, ninth in USA Today Poll, 11th with the computers).
Loss: 21-20 at home to Florida.
Excuses: Tennessee hadn't yet tapped into the potential of freshman running back LaMarcus Coker (zero carries for zero yards vs. Florida, 360 rushing yards since then); if Tim Tebow doesn't muscle out a fourth-and-1 run in the fourth quarter, Vols are still unbeaten. Smokey the blue-tick hound got hold of some bad Kal Kan the night before.
Case for: A single loss by a single point to a high-powered opponent. Vols absolutely owned California in the opener, and the Bears are unbeaten since. The Vols have won their two road games by a combined 52 points.
Case against: Beat Air Force by a point when Fisher DeBerry went for two at the end of regulation instead of going for the tie and playing overtime. Trailed almost all game against Alabama. Were statistically dominated by Florida. Beating Georgia doesn't mean as much when Vanderbilt does it, too.
Big games ahead: Three in a row, at South Carolina Saturday (and we all know how Phil Fulmer has fared against Steve Spurrier over the years); home against LSU Nov. 4; and at Arkansas Nov. 11.
The Dash Predicts: There is another loss out there with Tennessee's name on it. The Volunteers will land outside of the BCS bowls but can take 10-2 as a pretty fair bounce-back from 5-6 in 2005.
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Texas Longhorns (7)
Record: 7-1.
BCS rank: seventh (fifth in both polls, 13th with the computers).
Loss: 24-7 at home to Ohio State.
Excuses: The Longhorns' lone loss was to the best team in the country, and nobody else has come any closer; Colt McCoy was a baby then and has grown up since; if Billy Pittman doesn't fumble near the Ohio State goal line in the first half, the game could have turned out much differently. Matthew McConaughey's histrionics behind the Texas bench did more harm than good.
Case for: With an authoritative neutral-field victory over one ranked team (Oklahoma) and a victory over another ranked team in a true road setting (no matter how touch-and-go it was at Nebraska Saturday), the Horns have re-established themselves as the dominant team in the Big 12.
Case against: You want to play the iffin' game with Pittman's fumble against Ohio State? How about the fumble by Nebraska's Terrence Nunn that turned a certain Cornhuskers victory into one last chance for the Longhorns? If Nunn holds on to the ball, Texas is out of this discussion.
Big games ahead: Not many. Texas Tech (Saturday) doesn't look like a threat. Looks like the last hurdle before the Big 12 title game is Texas A&M in Austin Nov. 24.
The Dash Predicts: Texas will be 11-1 and in the BCS title-game argument going to Kansas City on Dec. 2.
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California Golden Bears(8)
Record: 7-1.
BCS rank: 10th (11th in Harris Poll, 12th in USA Today Poll, fifth with the computers).
Loss: 35-18 at Tennessee.
Excuses: Quarterback Nate Longshore was making his second career start after sitting out almost all of 2005, and it showed. Starting cornerback Tim Mixon suffered a season-ending injury shortly before the Tennessee game, and his replacement couldn't tackle or cover Vols wideout Robert Meachem (five catches, 182 yards, two touchdowns). Incessant renditions of "Rocky Top" from the Tennessee band fried Cal's composure.
Case for: Dropped 42 points on then-No. 19 Arizona State and 45 on then-No. 11 Oregon. Hadn't even been threatened for six weeks until the Washington scare Saturday. Has won two Pac-10 road games by a combined 46 points.
Case against: Cal trailed Tennessee 35-3 before the Vols let up. Bears easily could have lost to the Huskies. Haven't beaten anyone still considered a BCS contender.
Big games ahead: Cal hosts UCLA Nov. 4 and plays at USC Nov. 18. Beating the Trojans could vault the Bears to the top of the one-loss class.
The Dash Predicts: Playing nine league games certainly helps the strength of schedule -- if you can win them all. The Dash sees a loss for the Bears in L.A. Coliseum.
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9)
Record: 6-1.
BCS rank: ninth (10th in both polls, eighth with the computers).
Loss: 47-21 to Michigan.
Excuses: The pass that went through tight end John Carlson's hands and was returned for six on the opening series inflated Michigan's confidence. Last Wolverines touchdown -- another defensive TD -- was a fluke that made the score look worse than it was. Leprechaun didn't bring his A game.
Case for: Nobody else on this list has played a schedule exclusively against opponents from the Big Six conferences to date. Nobody else has two comeback wins as dramatic as Notre Dame's. Irish's first five opponents all were undefeated at kickoff. Losing to Michigan is clearly not a sin.
Case against: Losing at home by 26 -- even to Michigan -- is at least a venial sin. Needing minor miracles to beat Michigan State and UCLA is borderline sinful.
Big games ahead: The Irish play USC in Los Angeles Nov. 25. Maybe you've heard about it. Prior to that, trips to play Navy in Baltimore and Air Force in Colorado Springs at least have the potential to be interesting.
The Dash Predicts: Still simmering from last year, Notre Dame turns USC game into a crusade and wins on a last-second Brady Quinn sneak, with a push from Darius Walker. Irish go 11-1 and throw the BCS Standings into complete chaos.
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Clemson Tigers (10)
Record: 7-1.
BCS rank: 12th (12th in Harris Poll, 11th in USA Today Poll, 15th with the computers).
Loss: 34-33 in two overtimes at Boston College.
Excuses: Clemson dominated from scrimmage and let it get away in the kicking game. Fans' New England accents completely threw the Southern boys off their game.
Case for: How much can you penalize a team for losing on a blocked PAT on the road against what is now a Top 25 opponent? Average margin of victory in seven wins is 34 points. Nobody's come within single digits of the Tigers since Sept. 16.
Case against: "Quality win" over Florida State not looking so high-quality right now. Blowing out Florida Atlantic, North Carolina, Temple and Louisiana Tech impresses no one. It took a 66-yard, fourth-quarter fumble return touchdown by defensive end Gaines Adams to turn around Clemson's game against Wake Forest.
Big games ahead: At Virginia Tech Thursday and home against South Carolina Nov. 25 might be the last serious tests -- and neither of those is like climbing Everest. This year, the ACC is a succession of mole hills.
The Dash Predicts: Look for Clemson to be 11-1 heading into the ACC championship game -- either for a rematch with Georgia Tech or a matchup with Miami.
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Boston College Eagles (11)
Record: 6-1.
BCS rank: 17th (17th in both polls, tied for 16th with the computers).
Loss: 17-15 at NC State.
Excuses: Kicker error and a fluke 34-yard touchdown pass with five seconds left are to blame. And who among us can figure out the Wolfpack?
Case for: Victories over Clemson, Virginia Tech and Florida State officially stamp the Eagles as a success story in their second ACC season. All five wins over I-A opponents came against teams that currently own winning records.
Case against: Akron beat NC State. Southern Mississippi beat NC State -- by 20. Maryland beat NC State. How did BC lose to NC State?
Big games ahead: Remaining road games against Wake Forest (Nov. 4) and Miami (Nov. 23) will be tricky.
The Dash Predicts: The Eagles will lose one of those two games to wind up 10-2 and just miss a berth in the ACC title game. But at least they won't have to go bowling in Boise again this season.
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Wisconsin Badgers (12)
Record: 7-1.
BCS rank: 18th (18th in both polls, tied for 16th with the computers).
Loss: 27-13 at Michigan.
Excuses: Average Wolverines scoring drive went all of 31 yards. Ask Penn State and Iowa how much easier it is playing Michigan without Mario Manningham than with him.
Case for: Badgers have won four straight Big Ten games by an average of 31 points, and have only allowed more than 17 points to the Wolverines. At age 36, rookie head coach Bret Bielema has done his job like a veteran. Running back P.J. Hill isn't just the best freshman in the country, the Wisconsin Winnebago also has the best nickname of any player.
Case against: Badgers haven't beaten anyone currently in the Sagarin top 40. And that band is nothing but trouble.
Big games ahead: Not many, with Ohio State off the schedule. Consecutive games against Penn State and Iowa look like the last hurdles.
The Dash Predicts: Wisconsin splits games against the Nittany Lions and Hawkeyes to finish 10-2. Unfortunately for Bucky, they do it in the same year when the Ohio State-Michigan loser looks like a lock for the Rose Bowl.
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Texas A&M Aggies (13)
Record: 7-1.
BCS rank: 21st (23rd in Harris Poll, 22nd in USA Today Poll, tied for 21st with the computers).
Loss: 31-27 to Texas Tech.
Excuses: Brainlock blitz call gave Red Raiders a gift-wrapped shot at a game-winning bomb in the final minute. Aggies had taken over the game prior to that. Mike Leach sold his soul to the devil for the chance to own this rivalry.
Case for: Aggies are 30 seconds short of undefeated.
Case against: Aggies have played a stay-puft schedule -- and are closer to two or three losses than they are to undefeated. They have four victories by six points or less, including slipping past the uninspiring likes of Army, Kansas and Oklahoma State by a combined eight points.
Big games ahead: A&M closes with Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas. Time to hunker down.
The Dash Predicts: Texas A&M would be fortunate to split its last four. Three losses seems more likely, for an 8-4 record.
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Missouri Tigers (14)
Record: 7-1.
BCS rank: 20th (21st in Harris Poll, 23rd in USA Today Poll, 19th with the computers).
Loss: 25-19 at Texas A&M.
Excuses: Three first-half Missouri fumbles -- including one into the A&M end zone on the first possession -- gave the Aggies the game. Being stopped on the Aggies' 6-yard line in the fourth didn't help. If you woke up in College Station on game day, you'd be uninspired, too.
Case for: Quarterback Chase Daniel might be the No. 1 revelation in college football. All seven Missouri wins have been by double digits.
Case against: None of those seven wins has come against a ranked opponent. Missouri lost star defensive end Brian Smith for the season with a broken hip against Kansas State. That will severely inhibit the Tigers' productive pass rush.
Big games ahead: The Tigers haven't beaten Oklahoma and Nebraska in the same season since 1969. They have that opportunity over the next two Saturdays.
The Dash Predicts: Without Smith, look for a split in those two games and a scare from rival Kansas. But Mizzou will gladly take 10-2, even if it means losing the Big 12 North at Nebraska Nov. 4.
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Wake Forest Demon Deacons (15)
Record: 6-1.
BCS rank: Not in the BCS top 25.
Loss: 27-17 to Clemson.
Excuses: Two fumbles -- one on the first possession inside the Clemson 5, the other in the fourth quarter at the Clemson 34 -- turned a sure victory into an agonizing defeat. Wake simply had no idea how to act when it found itself 5-0 and up two touchdowns in the fourth.
Case for: Aside from the fact that Jim Grobe is the national coach of the year at this stage, cracking the AP Top 25 despite major injuries, there is no logical or compelling argument to make for Wake ahead of the other schools on this list.
Case against: Every Wake Forest victory has come against a team having a disappointing season: Syracuse, Duke, Connecticut, Liberty, Mississippi and North Carolina State.
Big games ahead: Boston College, Florida State and Virginia Tech on successive November Saturdays.
The Dash Predicts: Three more losses. But, hey, the Demon Deacons will take 8-4 and smile broadly.
Arkansas Razorbacks (3)
Record: 6-1.
BCS rank: 13th. (14th in the Harris and USA Today Coaches' polls, 10 with the computers). Until the Razorbacks lose again, they're underrated in comparison to their SEC brethren.
Loss: 50-14 to USC.
Excuses: The Razorbacks hadn't yet turned the offense over to freshman quarterback Mitch Mustain. Star tailback Darren McFadden was not 100 percent recovered from a dislocated toe. Since when is losing to USC an indictment? Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn thought this was the Arkansas high school state finals.
Case for: Arkansas handed the only loss so far to Auburn, which handed the only loss so far to Florida, which handed the only loss so far to Tennessee. Ergo ipso facto, the Hogs (4-0 in SEC play) have proven the most so far in the nation's toughest conference.
Case against: A 36-point home loss cannot be shrugged off, no matter the opposition and no matter who started at quarterback for Arkansas. Razorbacks needed kicking-game gag jobs to beat Alabama by a point and Vanderbilt by two.
Big games ahead: at South Carolina Nov. 4, home against Tennessee Nov. 11, home against LSU Nov. 24. The Hogs' strength of schedule should rise in the final month of the regular season.
The Dash Predicts: Two more losses are in store for Houston Nutt's team, effectively dropping it from national title and SEC West title contention. Arkansas has built its resume almost solely on walloping Auburn. The rest of the body of work isn't that impressive.
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