My thoughts on Nash
As much as I know that this was probably necessary, it's really going to be a big disapointment not to have Nash on the court next season. And an even bigger blow not to have gotten anything in return for him.
I don't think Nash was the best PG in the league. He was probably in the top 10, but not the top five. Still, he was a fine player and a thrill to watch.

Discovering he and Dirk and Fin made me interested in the NBA again. It also made me a MFFL. But that may not make me an NBA fan for life. I'm not sure if the sport will be as fun to watch with out my boy Nash on the floor in silver and blue.

Hopefully Marquis and Devin Harris will take us where we need to go... and we brought Grandma (Avery Johnson) back as well, so at least the postgame interviews will be entertaining.
- posted by ~CW~ @ 1:06 PM (0) comments

 
This week's Prognostications
thanks to a little help from Keenan
ASU 21, UNT 20 - Picking with my heart on that one. Pluse I'll be in attendence and the Tribe has won the last three games I've gone to.
Mich. St. 28, Wisconsin 21 - Wisconsin is usually an upset special, but I like Smoker and the Spartans this week.
Miami 42, Syracuse 21 - A slow start for the Canes' new QB this week, but no way Miami drops their third straight to the Orangemen.
Minnesota 35, Iowa 31 - Watch out! Those Gophers got themselves an axe!
Tennessee 21, Miss. St. 0 - Vols roll in the second-most boring game all Saturday, next to...
Oklahoma 80, Baylor 0 - This might be a halftime score.
Florida 26, South Carolina 24 - Ron Zook will find a way to make this close.
TCU 28, Cincinnati 17 - TCU stays alive in BCS creator's nightmares.
NIU 28, Toledo 10 - Okay... I'm just guessing here.
Boise State 56, UTEP 0 - The Broncos reign on the smurf turf in Idaho.
Ohio State 17, Purdue 14 - Buckeyes survive again.
Michigan 42, Northwestern 14 - A win over the Nittany Lions doesn't mean much against the No. 5 Wolverines.
N.C. State 31, Florida State 28 - My big upset this week. Phillip Rivers makes a Heisman statement against the overrated Seminoles. Could be another wide right for Bowden in there as well.
Georgia 24, Auburn 21 - Dogs survive a scare from talented, but unranked Auburn.
Nebraska 21, Kansas State 20 - Nebraska gets the edge on homefield advadvantage only.
Va. Tech 49, Temple 7 - Tech takes it out on Temple for the pain of last week's upset. Kevin Jones rushes for five touchdowns.
Wash. St. 28, Arizona St. 10 - Cougars cruise at home.
Bowling Green 35, Kent St. 14 - Bowling Green takes one step closer to the fight for the top of the MAC.
USC 35, Arizona 3 - USC holds its position in the BCS standings with a solid thrashing of the woeful Wildcats.
Texas 42, Texas Tech 31 - B.J. Symons and the Red Raiders do their thing again, but Vince Young and company are too much to overcome.
Pitt 28, WVU 20 - Larry Fitzgerald makes the difference in the battle of teams that have beaten Va. Tech.
LSU 28, Alabama 21 - Tigers allow 20+ for the first time all season, but still come away with the W.


- posted by ~CW~ @ 1:53 PM (0) comments

 
Mike's Autograph Collection
One of these things is not like the other. In the P's of Mike's collection, we start off with sports greats Arnold Palmer, Walter Payton, Mike Piazza... then look who's next.
That's kind of like seeing a dog-eared copy of "1,001 Booger Jokes" prominently displayed on a bookshelf filled with Hemingway first editions.
- posted by ~CW~ @ 8:33 PM (0) comments

 
Notre Lame
You just know that this site is not the only of it's kind in existence on the wide web. And that makes me smile.
- posted by ~CW~ @ 8:28 PM (0) comments

 
SHOCKING NEWS
Baylor leads the nation in punt yardage.
- posted by ~CW~ @ 8:23 PM (0) comments

 
OL's Heisman Hopefuls
Poppin' Fresh (the risers)...

Okla. QB Jason White - Wrecked the Wrecking Crew for five first half scores.
Miss. QB Eli Manning - Ole Miss is ranked where?!
Pitt. WR Larry Fitzgerald - Made big plays in the biggest win for Pitt.
VTU RB Kevin Jones - Despite two losses, Jones is still most dynamic back in college football.
NCSU QB Phillip Rivers - Don't count Rivs out yet. If he can torch an already burnt FSU "D" this week, he may still make waves. 72.2 completion percentage.

Lead Balloons (the sinkers)...

Texas Tech QB B.J. Symons - Flavor of the month? System sherbet. Quantity doesn't always equal quality.
OSU RB Steven Jackson - Too far West to earn the invite back East. And not enough of a standout in a field of "good" runningbacks.

DARKHORSE OF THE WEEK

TCU QB Brandon Hassell - Why not? He's got 9 TDs to 2 picks in just six games and has come up big for the Frogs in their Cinderella season this year.
- posted by ~CW~ @ 8:21 PM (0) comments

 
Source: Legendary "Strambler" tapped to join OL staff
ARLINGTON, Texas (OL) -- Sources close to the Offensive Lines web log have confirmed that an invitation to join the blog's staff has been extended to the sports commentary regional juggernaut known as "Strambler."
"Strambler has been contacted," the source, who wished to remain anonymous, said. "This would be a huge, huge move for OL. It would be a virtual coup on the eve of the blog's launch if they could get this guy."
CW, the site's administrator, remained tight-lipped on the subject.
"All I'll say is that 'Strambler' is a dear friend and one heck of an amateur sports columnist," CW said. "He's developed quite a following throughout the Mississippi River Valley area."
Strambler could not be reached for comment.
- posted by ~CW~ @ 10:13 PM (0) comments

 
OL's Heisman Hopefuls
Poppin' Fresh (the risers)...

Okla. QB Jason White -starting to outshine even the Sooner "D"

Tx. Tech QB B.J. Symons -first Kingsbury, now Symons... Lubbock starting to reek of "system."

Ore. St. RB Steven Jackson - Plain name... extraordinary game

Pitt. WR Larry Fitzgerald - Five games. 11 scores. 'Nuff said.

Lead Balloons (the sinkers)...

Va. Tech RB Kevin Jones - Hokies may play for Nat'l title but talented backfield buds Jones and Bryan Randall will cancel each other out.

UArk. RB Cedric Cobbs - Pigs had to be in the hunt nationally for this one to happen.

DARKHORSE OF THE WEEK

Syr. RB Walter Reyes - The 5-10, 205-lb soph. has rushed for 745 yards and 11 scores in five games for 'Cuse, averaging a nifty 6.9 ypc along the way. Downside is that the O-men are 3-2 and haven't really played anyone besides the Hokies. VTU held Reyes to 49 on 16 and the only Syracuse score in a 51-7 win.

- posted by ~CW~ @ 9:19 PM (0) comments

 
Truly great to be back... even if no one is reading this
It's been at least two or three years since I last penned an Offensive Lines column.
In truth, I never really penned one. I typed them on ancient MacIntosh computers in the journalism lab. And now I am back. I have no clear agenda, no deadlines, no idea of why I'm doing this now. Just a whim. A simple hunch, a feeling deep down there that just simply says, "It's right. It's time."
I truly have no idea where I'm going next or what I plan to write here. Should be fun. Stay tuned.
- posted by ~CW~ @ 8:55 PM (0) comments