1. Before I get into the bits and pieces, I want to start by highlighting last night's Texas A&M/Missouri game. As I watched Missouri battle back and hang on for a 28-21 win (clinching the SEC East in the process), I was taken aback by their defense. I wasn't shocked by the amount of yards or points they surrendered...or the amount of three and outs...or their third-down conversion percentage. Whenever the Tigers made a tackle, there were regularly three or four Mizzou defenders surrounding the football. I know there are many things to admire about defensive football, but there's something absolutely scintillating about teams that relentlessly pursue the football. Big hits are great but when offensive players are constantly getting "gang tackled," it grinds them down that much more. A player can recover from one or two big hits. Taking hits from three or four defenders eveyr single time you touch the ball gets old fast. It's almost demoralizing to an offense. Defenses that swarm the football play with tremendous energy. They want to hit. They want to make big plays. They want to give the ball back to their offense as quickly as possible. Simply, they enjoy playing the game of football. In this era of unprecedented offense, it's refreshing to watch teams that want to play defense. I read an article a few years back in American Football Monthly discussing the three daily drills Missouri incorporates into their defensive practices. Pursuing the football is an organizational philosophy. It's something that has to be preached through every portion of the squad. It's a mindset that puts team above individual. And when it's done right, it's glorious to behold.
2. Another note about the A&M/Mizzou game: It's strange to think that in a span of just 20 years, this game went from a battle of Southwest Conference vs. The Big 8 to a Big XII Conference game to an SEC showdown. Gotta love that NCAA conference chaos.
3. I'm not sure there's anything left to say or write about the wild finish to the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn. The last-second missed-FG TD return is a play that will live on forever in Iron Bowl lore. You have to give Gus Malzahn and his Auburn Tigers credit. This is a squad that went 0-8 in SEC play last season. There's also a lot of grumbling about Alabama head coach Nick Saban making a few poor decisions. I would agree that there were a few questionable decisions (mostly involving the kicking game), but any talk about Saban falling down a few rungs on the ladder is absolutely ridiculous. Alabama is still a premier program, still the 2-time defending BCS National Champion, and Saban is still the best coach in college football...period.
4. Speaking of college football coaches, it appears that Ed Orgeron has no chance at losing the "interim" tag at USC. Many names have been floated throughout the last week or so. Among them have been current Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin and current Boise State coach Chris Petersen. Petersen's name comes up whenever there is a high-profile coaching vacancy. Boise State is 92-12 with five conference titles in Petersen's eight years as head coach. His .885 winning percentage is tops among all active head coaches with at least 100 games under their belt. I know Petersen is a SoCal native and has plenty of experience recruiting the Los Angeles area but I still have a hard time believing he'll ever leave Boise. They just invested millions into a new state-of-the-art football facility and the Mountain West now has equal access (just like the power conferences) to the upcoming College Football Playoff. What is his motivation to leave? As for Franklin, this one is interesting. What he has done at Vanderbilt is nothing short of a miracle. He followed up a 9-4 campaign last year with an 8-4 finish this year. Vandy will be bowling once again and has gone 9-7 in SEC play over the last two seasons. Did you ever think that could happen in Nashville?? I'm not sure if Vandy's stock can rise any higher playing against all those big state universities/football factories that populate the SEC so the idea of Franklin jumping ship is plausible. With scholarship sanctions being lifted and recruiting season fast approaching, USC will be looking to act quickly so let's keep a close eye on this one.
5. Another college football miracle presents itself in the form of the Duke Blue Devils. Duke will take on Florida State in the ACC Championship Game after winning the Coastal Division for the first time in school history. The Blue Devils have won 10 games in a season for the first time in school history. Duke achieved another first as they will be making back-to-back bowl appearances for the first time ever. Duke is ranked in the AP poll for the first time since 1994. They scored two wins versus ranked opponents for the first time since 1989. They've won eight straight games for the first time since 1941. If Duke pulls off the near-impossible and defeats Florida State, it would be Duke's first ACC Title since 1989, two years before Florida State joined the league.
6. How about the pulsating finish by Syracuse on Saturday, defeating Boston College in the final seconds at the Carrier Dome to ensure a .500 season (6-6) and bowl eligibility. Terrel Hunt hit tight end Josh Parris for an 8-yard TD pass with just six seconds remaining. The 'Cuse should be going bowling for the third time in four seasons, something that hasn't happened since '98-'01 (something I also highlighted in a previous post). Kudos to first-year head coach Scott Shafer for keeping it together in the Orange's inaugural ACC season. I'm pretty sure if you asked anyone at the beginning of the year if they thought Syracuse could win six games, including four in ACC play, most people would've said "no chance." At 6-6 (4-4 in the ACC), the 'Cuse should be going to one of the ACC's lower-tier bowl tie-ins. But a bowl game is a bowl game and will help recruiting tremendously.
7. It's college basketball season!!! And my alma mater is off to a strong start, winning the Maui Invitational with a 74-67 defeat of #18 Baylor. Senior C.J. Fair looks to lead the Orange to big things in their inaugural ACC season. Business picks up again for the Orange on Tuesday as Indiana comes to the Carrier Dome in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
8. I just want to take a moment to continue my driving of the Jaromir Jagr bandwagon. The 41-year-old Jagr has been an ageless wonder, leading the team in scoring with 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) and averaging 18:35 in ice time while skating in all 27 contests thus far for Jersey's Team. I can also tell you that I have gone absolutely insane after each of his goals. I am soaking in every moment of having an NHL icon playing for my team. After a very rough start, the Devils are starting to right the ship. The goaltending tandem of Martin Brodeur and Cory Schneider has been strong as both have a GAA under 2.20. A big home-and-home with Montreal highlights an interesting week for the Devils as Detroit also visits Newark on Friday night.
9. I've spent parts of several posts discussing Daniel Alfredsson and his controversial departure from Ottawa after 17 seasons (14 as captain). "Alfie" made his long-awaited return to Ottawa today as the Detroit Red Wings took on the Senators in an Atlantic Division matchup. Thinking about our franchise cornerstones (Brodeur, Elias, Daneyko, Stevens, Niedermayer) and having been fortunate enough myself to chant "Alfie" in Ottawa during the playoffs, I can understand the emotion those fans were feeling at the Canadian Tire Center earlier today. Ottawa put together a very classy video tribute. Here's the link if you're interested, courtesy of YouTube user xXxCrosby87Xx and the NHL on TSN: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpCYKdW0vIA
10. Random wrestling thought of the post: What ever happened to Taka Michinoku? He was an established wrestler in the WWE in the mid-to-late '90s, reigning as WWE Light Heavyweight Champion and the leader of Kaientai. Maybe his career went downhill after Kaientai's ill-fated feud with Val Venis.
That'll do it for now. Until next time.
-Meech
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