Archives for January 2008

Some of us are willing to have Nash’s baby now

cbjlogonew.jpgRick, you made my six-year-old daughter jump up and run around the room screaming & cheering for five minutes.

Yes, it was your high stick that gave the Coyotes the tying power play goal with a minute left. But it was your octuple-inside-outside-deke faking-two-lighter-guys-out-of-their-skates-and-humiliating-the-goalie awesomeness with 25 seconds left that won it:


(Link to the video if you’re reading via RSS.)

That’s just SICK.

There’s no other way to put it.

SICK.

Best goal of your career, and likely the best goal of the NHL season so far. I never thought you would surpass the between-the-legs masterpiece from last October.

Oh, and Nik, your wraparound goal in the 3rd should get some love, too.

Michigan math

RRod

 

+

 

shredder

 

=

 

enrod

Come with me…

Terminated

if you want to live.

Bee Cee Esses

if you want to play in BCS games.

Who needs paper?

… if you need some padding for your eBay auctions.

A Class Act to the very end.

We haven’t been following the recent NFL draft declarations and transfer goings-on (hit up 11W for that) but we definitely feel moved to wish MotSaG’s el Kaiser’s man-crush-4-life, Vernon Gholston, some well deserved love.

First, just read this quote from the Dispatch last week:

“As a son and as a man, it is my duty to serve and support my family to the best of my abilities. My childhood dream was, and still is, to one day be fortunate enough to do just that. I feel that time has come.”

College players come and go, most leaving little or no impression after they’ve gone. Yes, they are all Buckeyes and we love them for that, but, for the most part, they are simply fleeting memories of autumns past. Every once and a while, an athlete comes along and leaves an indelible impact. Unfortunately, the impact isn’t always a positive one. There are players like Reggie Germany and HWSNBN who, through actions off the football field, leave a bitter taste in your mouth and Ohio State with a black eye. They are just kids, which must never be forgotten. But they are agents unto themselves and are perfectly capable of doing the right thing. Sadly, they hardly ever do.

On the other side, through events on and off the field, you get momentary glimpses of true greatness. Vernon Gholston was one of those players, one of the good guys. It’s easy to think everybody is innately good. It’s even easier to think when you witness someone like Vernon.

Put aside the freakish nature of the man’s physique (pshaw, like that’s possible) and read that quote again. Don’t tell me that’s something someone told him to say. I’m not buying that. It is heartfelt and genuine. Anyone who sees an opportunity to better not just his life, but that of those he loves, is one who deserves our respect. He also deserves our gratitude. Through the four years he was a Buckeye, he was a class act. There was never even a whisper of trouble or scandal. Vernon kept his nose clean and did his thing through his play on the field. I can’t remember a single personal foul penalty called on the man. If it’s possible to be proud of someone you’ve never met and have no connection to, I’d like to think Buckeye Nation as a whole was proud of our version of the Incredible Hulk.

So with that, we wish Vernon Gholston the best of luck in the NFL and we throw our considerable weight behind any movement that wants to convince the Cleveland Browns into trading Derek Anderson for a first round draft pick and snatch up #50 before someone dirty like the Steelers or the Raiders get their grubby hands on him. (That’s right, I said Derek Anderson. I’m ready for the Brady Quinn Experiment to start NOW.) Keep Vernon in Ohio!

As for MotSaG’s 2008 man-crush? We’re still taking applications. Right now, the leading Candidate is Curtis Terry. Have you seen that guy’s arms?

That noise you hear is Pete Carroll’s knees knocking…

OSU FootballLittle AnimalOSU’s Little Animal, the 2006 Nagurski and 2007 Butkus Award winner, has decided to return.

“I’m having too much fun at Ohio State… Money can’t give you this experience, especially your senior season with the way this season could go.”

Word is that A.J. Hawk gave the young man some good advice. Click-clack, dude.

Laurinaitis, Freeman, Jenkins, and Wilson – all back, and will be matched with “new” veterans Washington, Chekwa, and Heyward.

OSU’s 2006 defense was surprising. The 2007 squad was dominating. This 2008 squad will make offensive coordinators cry.

Weak, pathetic Colts embarrass themselves; division

FootballThe Colts are finally being exposed as an overrated team that doesn’t deserve to compete for the title. I mean, losing to a team with more losses than you? How pathetic.

Sure, they’ve won a Super Bowl title and competed in multiple AFC championship games over the past few years, but that’s only because they benefited from a weak schedule. Plus, the NFL playoff system is a joke anyway.

In fact, I think we should all agree that the Colts should never be allowed to compete for the title ever again. The fact that they have contended for the big game multiple times in recent years, but only succeeded in winning one title, is proof that the team is an embarrassment to everyone in its division. After all, it doesn’t matter how good you are year-after-year, only how many Super Bowls you have won.

Peyton Manning is a decent caretaker QB, but he’ll never be able to compete against his foes. They’re faster. Besides, his numbers were clearly built up on that soft competition.

Let’s just make the NFC championship game the Super Bowl from now on. The parity in that league is proof of its superiority.

Oh, and you fans of the Colts: You have nothing to be proud of. Your team is slow, and it loses games occasionally. You could save a lot of time if you just listen to the sports dumbdits and think what they tell you to.

Luongo out, LeClaire in

cbjlogonew.jpgleclaire.jpgUPDATE: See Below.

It looks like the French Alfalfa is going to start in goal for the Western Conference All-Star team. Way to go, Pazzy.

LeClaire was a “distant second” in voting, but Luongo has a very pregnant wife to take care of. Therefore, the Columbus netminder will fill the slot. Even though LeClaire did not win first place in the All-Star voting, he is still second in the NHL in GAA with a 1.97, and is tied for first place in the Three Stars standings.

In other Blue Jackets news, some outlets are (prematurely) starting to talk about Columbus’ chances to make the playoffs. Sure, it might happen; the Jackets are in a small group that will compete for those last two or three spots. Chicago is one team that is probably in that group, and they’ve been playing pretty hot and cold, which might help the Jackets’ chances.

My suggestion, though: don’t get your hopes up. The team is perfectly capable of making it, but things can change so quickly in January that it’s a little early to start getting excited about the chances for postseason. Personally, anything that proves the team is headed in the right direction from recent years past should be good enough. It seems that the consensus is that, while competing is good enough for this year, the playoffs would be a “bonus.” Next season, after Hitch has worked the bugs out, would probably be the time to start expecting more from this team.

Oh, and finally, good on ya, Nik. Took the hit earlier this week, played sore tonight, and gave some payback. And wasn’t Vyborny’s long pass setting up Nik for his second goal a thing of beauty?

Thanks to MotSaG reader Matthew for the LeClaire tip.

UPDATE
So… the assumption was that since LeClaire was #2 in voting, he’d get the nod. However, the NHL clearly disagrees, and has decided to snub Pazzy from the game after all.

A league spokesman said the department considers many factors, including fan voting and the desire to represent all 30 teams, though that is no longer a requirement.

Translation: “There weren’t enough Red Wings on the team.” Detroit’s Chris Osgood will take Luongo’s place. Shame.

Be proud, Buckeye fans, and have some perspective, will ya?

OSU FootballFor those of you preparing seppuku, here is some ‘perspective’ — some major highlights of Ohio State’s dynasty the past three seasons. We’ve highlighted a few of these before, but a lot of you still might not be aware of just how good this primarily junior-led team has been:

  • Since 2005, OSU is 33-5.
  • Seventeen of those 33 victories came against ranked teams.
  • As for the five losses? They came against three national champions, one number 3 squad, and one Big 10 team that went to the Rose Bowl.
  • Toss in three consecutive conference titles in a row, a Heisman winner, and a bajillion NFL starters, and that’s a resume that nobody else in college football can match.

As for tonight, there IS a moral victory: Ohio State outgained LSU in most categories, on LSU’s home field, and never gave up until the final whistle. Had the Bucks not been their own worst enemy, there’s no predicting what might have happened.

And it’s important to remember that they did all this a year “early;” OSU was not predicted to compete at this level during a rebuilding year, with such a young team.

For those reasons alone, there’s no question in this writer’s mind that – even with the loss – the Buckeyes have officially redeemed themselves from their 2006 fiasco. It. Is. Over.

As for LSU, I hope the media gives them the props they deserve. None of this “yeah-but-USC” argument. Any team that puts up 31 unanswered points against the best defense in college football is, without question, the best in the country.

The bottom line is this: It really is just a game. We all have lives. Even the players on the field have lives, too. There will be a time to scapegoat Boeckman analyze the loss, but for now let’s just congratulate LSU on a very fine game, and give the Bucks a pat on the back for the success that they’ve earned in recent history, and the entertainment they’ve given us as fans.

Go Bucks!!

BCS Bourbon Bowl Semi-live update

OSU Football

First Quarter

Not getting ahead of ourselves here, just wanted to let everyone know that Beanie is a man among little boys with long hair. Gholston isn’t even on the same plane of existence as these boots.

OSU – 10
LSU – 3

Second Quarter

Our defensive end caught their running back in the backfield. Still waiting for that speed.

Who already has the game on mute? These guys are moronic. Actually, that’s an insult to morons.

LSU is looking good, 17 24 unanswered points. No need There may be a slight reason to fret. LSU looks good so far.

OSU – 10
LSU – 24

Halftime

Two touchdowns are nothing. Ohio State is not out of this by any measure, but they’re pretty fricken far from okay. The defense has to come out and absolutely shut down LSU on this first possession. A turnover would be even better.

Third Quarter

The roughing the kicker call was killer. We are not playing fundamental football. We can’t tackle, we can’t do anything right right now.

Still waiting for the speed, though.

Okay, okay. Malcolm Jenkins is a beautiful man and Beanie and Brian Robiskie breathe life back into OSU’s chances. If nothing else, things are more respectable now. When the defense gets a stop here, things get interesting.

OSU – 17
LSU – 31

Hold on to your potatoes.

Fourth Quarter

Just so you LSU mouth-breathing fans understand, this is my blog and I get to say what I want to say. You get to say what I want you to say. Comprende?

Life imitates art


“ESPN didn’t invent SEC speed!! I invented SEC speed! ESPN is the DEVIL!!!”


…?!?…


“Hey, Little Animal. The SEC is better. It’s faster, and more refreshing, too.”


No!


“Ess ee see SPEEeeeedddd…”


…GRRRR…


“The BIIIgg Ten sucks!! It really really SUCKS.”

 

 

USE IT ON THE FIELD, fellas.