Football Wrap Week 5: Sponsored by the Letter L

Not a good week for my football teams. I took more L's than Yung Berg and his famous chain and none of them were pretty.

UCLA fell back to Earth after a 3-game winning streak by getting blown out by Cal and their running game. The pistol doesn't need a Golden Prince, we need a QB that can throw as well as run. San Diego lost by 1 to Dayton, further reminding me the good old days with Jim Harbaugh are long gone. And my old team Miami lost their annual matchup to Florida State in a BIG way. The U almost never gets blasted by the Noles and that hurt by default.

Didn't get better on Sunday as I finally got to see the Cowboys in an afternoon game but had to bear them losing to Tennessee on a roller coaster. Down 17-3, Tied 17-17, and then watch the game slip away due to mistakes and stupid penalties. Romo passed for 400 but had 3 picks. Dudes can't even get a TD celebration right. And now we're a miserable 1-3

What more can I say about the Chargers. Bad enough special teams cost us again with nine points on blocked punts. Bad enough we lost on the road again. Bad enough Phil Rivers passed for 400 yards again in a loss. But how do you lose to the Raiders???? How do you lose where Rivers gets hit, fumbles the ball and Oakland runs the other way to score and add extra salt to a nasty wound!!! I'm ready to drink that trouble away.

Wade Phillips and Steve Crosby (Chargers special teams coach) get the gas faces and I'll sign up for any petition against them. Chargers are 2-3 again but im more worried about Dallas and their psyche. UCLA is about to head into the teeth of their schedule and suddenly, beating an overrated Texas team is gonna feel like a life ago. Jacory Harris is watching his Heisman campaign disappear almost as fast as his pro prospects.

And I'm left shaking my head. Let's do some pro and college quick hits 

- Ohio State and Oregon deserve to be 1-2. I'm glad Boise State stayed at No. 3 but I'm shocked Alabama fell to No. 8 and why South Carolina didn't get more than just entry into the Top 10. I thought Bama would stay in the Top 5 but they got bushwhacked so down they fall. 

And oh the BCS comes out next week. Won't that be interesting. 

- Welcome back to relevancy Nebraska, it's been a decade since you had it but that was when Eric Crouch made y'all look good.. They found a new one in Taylor Martinez, who might be one of the most underrated HS stars California has produced in a while. Led Corona Centennial to a state title over De La Salle but got almost no love in state with recruiting.

- At Stanford, Jim Harbaugh is 3-1 against USC, including 2-0 at the Coliseum. Think USC will be happy if he decides to jump to the NFL? Oh yeah, Robert Woods - 224 yards and 3 TD's. Is it too early to say he's among the top freshmen in the country?

- Feel bad for Alex Smith, dude's getting closer to learning how to win and yet his leash is shorter by the week. He's not a bad QB but a victim of inconsistency just like Kordell Stewart was.

- To paraphrase Lewis Carroll, you are old, Father Brett. That arm may be golden but your mind is rusty and frail.

- Saints lost to Arizona despite not giving up a TD on defense. Craziest stat of the year and a sign this season is topsy turvy.

- Your Division Leaders: Chicago, Atlanta, Arizona, Jets, Baltimore, Kansas City, a 4-way tie in the AFC South, and a three way tie in the NFC East. A screwy year or what? Jets quietly have a 4-game win streak but the Bears, Cardinals, Chiefs??

Fantasy Wrap (HAPPY, HAPPY, JOY JOY!!!!!)

We're on a roll over here. Maurice Jones Drew is back to his productive self. The smart free agency picks are paying dividends. Last week was all about setting up for the rest of the way.

ESPN: California Crushers (2-3) - Hakeem Nicks: 40 PTS. Vernon Davis 24 - Beasts!
ESPN: Inglewood Stars (2-3) - Two week winning streak despite falsely starting Brady/Ellis from NE
Yahoo: EvBeez's Army (3-2) - Ray Rice/Willis McGahee combo + Miles Austin and Jets Defense = WIN
Yahoo: Boltin Cowboys (2-3) - Lost this week going against Austin, Matt Forte, Antonio Gates, T.O. and more despite them getting nothing from Arian Foster and Matt Ryan.

It's all good baby baby. Nicks is my Fantasy Win while low twos to Dez Bryant and to Steve Smith/Donald Driver scoring with me on the bench.  Til next week.