No matter what anybody tells you, pro sports is a coach's league. Players dominate it and make things go but teams usually thrive based on how their coach runs the ship. Case in point - this is what I noticed this week.
My Dallas Cowboys are 1-7 and looked like dog crap since Tony Romo went down and I wrote my eulogy. That's Wade Phillips' fault as players have stopped playing for him and just quit. Finally Jerry Jones put this dog out of its misery and clipped him. Next up - Jason Garrett, the failed Boy Wonder to Wade's Batman. Super Bowl faves to disappointment.
Minnesota's the worst organization in the NFL and why? Brad Childress over-reacting to Randy Moss, jawing with Percy Harvin, coddling Brett Favre. Tell me why he deserves to keep his job? The owner wants to fire him and had they not won Sunday, he'd be gone like Wade.
Buffalo's still winless but playing hard. Give their coach some credit for inspiring the troops because they're still fighting hard despite their record.
Washington's troubles are coming from Mike Shanahan overmanaging that team. He and his son did everything but call Donovan McNabb a waste of talent - out of shape, lazy, can't run a 2-minute drill. Hmmmm where I have heard his before? How about every old stereotype of a Black QB not able to cut it.
I mean what's worse than subbing him for the luckiest QB to reach the Super Bowl since Trent Dilfer. Rex Grossman? It's disrespect of the highest for a team that's still a Top 15 squad and a QB who got you there.
Coaching kills. Coaching wins. The winning teams this year? Jets, Ravens, Giants, Steelers, Packers - all excellent coaches along with great players and playcalling. That's why they're winning and why my teams are struggling.
Speaking of which, the Chargers finally won on the road this year. Two game winning streak means one thing - Houston may finally make the playoffs but Virgo's Teams are 2-0 against the Texans. Go head and chew on that.
Quick football hits.
- I don't care what Cam Newton allegedly did. I care about what he has actually done, which is nothing that he's been accused of. Auburn's checked him out and that's good enough for me. Guilty until proven innocent huh? Not in my book
Cam hasn't done anything wrong at Auburn. This is just smoke with no fire. I'm glad he went out and played well last week. They can't take that Heisman/redemption story away from you. I hope that these stories of youthful discretion are just another reminder of how you've grown since then.
- Illinois coach Ron Zook had a 4th and 1 with 6 minutes left. Up 7 on the road, he elected to punt to Michigan despite picking apart that terrible defense. Tate Forcier led the game-tying drive and set up the stage for that triple OT thriller they won. But Ron Zook made it all happen. Man Up! You on the road, you go for the kill! Die trying not settling.
- UCLA beating Oregon State may have sucked for Boise State and TCU (more on them later), but it's a great win that we needed. This team has no quit in it and the young players are showing why the future's in good hands. Jordan Zumwalt's (above) showing why he was the steal of the HS recruiting season last year.
- When's the last time a blocked PAT was the play of the game? USC-ASU made it all happen. The Trojans snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.
- Anybody catch the Lions' new placekicker? That Ndamukong Suh guy has plenty of potential. First time I saw a brotha kick something since the World Cup.
- Peyton Hillis???? Peyton Hillis???? I haven't seen a white tailback have a pro day like that. 184 yards and 2 TD's on the Patriots??? Rub my eyes and let that settle. For the Record, the best rushing days for a White RB: John David Crow (203 yards - 1960), Norm Bulaich (198 yards - 1961)
- Terrell Owens is quietly having a resurgent year with the Bengals. For all that ruckus about him doing damage to the team, his stats (55 catches, 770 yards, 7 TD's) say that he's making it work.
- If Boise State can't crash the BCS title game, here's hoping TCU does after they destroyed Utah. I don't see Oregon or Auburn losing (although I'd bet more on Auburn losing to Alabama) but I want to see the best teams play in the final, not just the best teams from a power conference. The game is better when mid-majors play the big boys.
Bad Fantasy Week for me going 1-3. And my only win was by a score of 50-41. Ah well, next week will be better.
T.O.! Extremely impressive.
ReplyDeleteAgreed about it being a coach's league.
I'd defend Trent Dilfer as being more than luck, but he's a Republican so he's on his own.
GREAT point on McNabb and the Shanahan BS in general.
Dare I say, TO's playing like an All-Pro? Trent Dilfer got yall a ring in Ravens Country but that dude's lucky he had Ray Ray, Goose, Jamal Lewis and Priest helping him out.
ReplyDeleteTrent had other cats doing the dirty work. But he was sorely missed when they brought in the interception machine Elvis Grbac the next season. I was against Grbac from the jump. Rather have a conservative guy like Dilfer.
ReplyDeleteWait- not that kind of conservative- football conservative.
Haha true that. Trent had that crazy winning streak for a while - i just still think of him as the NFL 98 QB Challenge game code for zero passing accuracy.
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