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“College Football–What’s Wrong with this Black-White Picture?”

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The annual blood-letting, the firing of college coaches, did not take place at the high pace it has in recent years.

Auburn, South Carolina, Arizona, Illinois were the marquee schools who axed coaches.  Not like in recent years where there were as many as 15-Division 1-jobs at Power 5-schools open for business.

Auburn hired a coach from Boise State.  Illinois recycled a coach out of the NFL.  Arizona went for a young NFL assistant.  The Gamecocks went young and unproven with a college assistant.

What is the same about all of them?  White.

The biggest issue is schools are in huge financial trouble, and appear unwilling to eat big contracts.  Auburn may be the exception where Gus Malzahn has a 21M-payday ahead of him as part of his buyout.

The second biggest question is why no African American coaches were part of the interview process, and why no Black’s were hired.

The glitzy hiring of Deion Sanders at Jackson State brought attention to the SWAC school, but nothing happened elsewhere.

The NFL has pushed the boulder up the hill, with continued revisement of the Rooney Rule.  Why hasn’t the NCAA adopted further hiring blueprints, call it the Eddie Robinson Rule?

An interesting reading from Yahoo sports, I thought you’d enjoy.

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Is college football going to hire any Black coaches this year?
Dan Wetzel·Columnist
Wed, December 23, 2020, 2:15 PM PST·4 min read

Is college football going to hire any African American coaches this year?

Just wondering, because the trend certainly isn’t headed in that direction. Last season, the 120 FBS schools employed 13 Black head coaches. Three were fired and no African Americans have been hired yet this year (10 open positions have been filled by 10 white men).

And, yes, we know, “college football” isn’t a singular entity. Individually, each hire can be justified (well, unless you read fan message boards). Collectively though, a coincidence that has coincidence-ed for decades just keeps coincidence-ing.

It’s embarrassing.

Or it should be for a sport where the vast majority of administrators, fans and boosters want to be fair-minded and are, at the very least, proponents of a meritocracy that rewards the most qualified, deserving and talented person for a job.

If you agree with the above, yet don’t think there are any problems with the current system of identifying that most qualified, deserving or talented candidate, then you would have to also believe that only 10 African Americans exist who are capable of running a college football program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“College Football in Crisis”

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Ever seen anything like this?
Every morning you wake up and there’s more bad news out there.

What a weekend..and now what a week.

ALABAMA outguns Florida and will be the number one seed in the nation heading to the playoffs.  What firepower, QB-Mac Jones..WR-DaVanta Smith..RB-Najee Harris

CLEMSON..If you can handle the ego of coach Dabo Swinney-you are a better man than I.  The junk that comes out of his mouth.  But his QB-Trevor Lawrence is spectacular.

OHIO STATE…Hoping QB-Justin Fields stays healthy.  He is-they are pretty good

NOTRE DAME…A bit of surprise at how bad the Irish got beat by Clemson in the rematch game.  Team speed was big difference.

ROSE-SUGAR BOWL…Yes, Bill Hancock-who handles the College Football Playoffs is dropping hints the entire slate of New Year’s Day games might be moved back, including the semi finals of the playoffs because of the explosion of the Covid virus.

SOUTH CAROLINA…What a disgrace, a (2-8) Gamecocks team accepting a bid to the Gasparilla Bowl…then waking up Tuesday to find out their entire offensive coaching staff tested positive.  No Bowl game.

ARMY…Equally upsetting that the (9-2) Black Knights had to go begging for a bowl berth, before finally landing in one.

AUBURN..Fires Gus Malzahn as coach, owing him 21M-buyout, despite a (68-35)  record down on the Plains.  It appears they are hiring Bryan Harsin of Boise State.  Somebody must think someone from the Mountain West can win in the SEC.

LSU..Would you want to work for Ed Ogeron.  A year removed from the Joe Burrow-National Championship team, the Bayou Bengals are falling apart.  NCAA investigation, losing season, and the ouster of 3-key assistant coaches.  LSU looks like a house of cards to me.

UCLA…Chip Kelly had great success at Oregon, was a disaster in the NFL with the Eagles, and now sits there with a (10-21) record with  the Bruins.

USC…The hate continues to pile up infront of Trojan Hall.  Clay Helton, losing to a substandard Oregon team, is now just (18-15) the last 3-years there.

NEBRASKA…Scott Frost had lots to say when they shutdown the Big 10-season this summer, let us play, let us change conferences, let us be an independent.  And when they finally started the season, same old junk.  Frost is (12-20) with the Cornhuskers.  This was a Tom Osborn pick.

MICHIGAN…Jim Harbaugh has likely one more year left on his coaching life.  All those losses against Ohio State.  All those losses to Michigan State.  All those losses to top 25-teams.  A (2-4) record this year and now a coaching staff shakeup.  A guy I thought would become a Bo Schembechler lifer in Ann Arbor, may have 1-year left on his coaching life there.

IOWA..Ugly season with all the issues involving racial problems with the Hawkeyes.  Wonder if good coach Kirk Ferentz survives all this.

CINCINNATI…Am surprised no one has scooped up Luke Fickell, who guided the Bearcats to an unbeaten season and the 6th spot in the rankings this year year.  Maybe next coach in waiting at Michigan, Penn State or somewhere else in the Big 10.

LIBERTY-COASTAL CAROLINA…Surprising how good they got so fast.

SYRACUSE…Gave a vote of confidence to Dino Babers after a disastrous (1-10) Orange season.

RUTGERS…Best head coach in the worst tradition situation, Greg Schiano.  Watch him flip the Knights next season.

KANSAS…On the floor, down for the count, former LSU coach Les Miles has been unable to turn the Jayhawks program.  This year’s winless season was the worst.

SAN JOSE STATE…Unbeaten season with a transfer QB from Texas AM and a street tough defensive front.  Best season since 1939 for the Spartans.  Wonder how long they can hang onto Bryan Brennan as head coach.

HAWAII…Big trouble on the Islands.  The City of Honolulu has condemned once beautiful Aloha Stadium.  It’s falling down.  Where are the rainbows going to play.

MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE….Are they going to take a hit?  Boise State is talking to the American Athletic Conference about membership.  If Boise goes, then BYU might wind up going too.  The MWC cannot afford to let this happen.

THE RATINGS…What a season.  Who would have thought we’d see people like Marshall, Appalachian State, Louisiana-Lafayette and Coastal Carolina in the top 25-of the rankings during the season.

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“Lakers-Clippers–What to Watch”

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It’s here, opening night of the NBA, Tuesday night.

It seems like we just finished the NBA finals in a bubble in Orlando-actually we did about 8-weeks ago.

They hope to play a 72-game schedule this year, a year that will include positive covid tests, cancelled games and rearranged schedules.

The Lakers play the Clippers in the NBA opener, a year after the teams opened against each other with so many new faces.

Anthony Davis joined the Lakers and LeBron James, driving the team to the NBA championship celebration.

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George came on board with the Clippers only to see a promising championship season burn to the ground with selfishness and stupidity by the time the teams got to the bubble and then the postseason.

The Lakers, despite getting the ring, made 7-roster changes, and got better.  The Clippers, playing the blame game, got rid of their coach and a host of backup players off the bench.

Anthony Davis was everything LA has not had in a big man since the Shaquille O’Neal days.

Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were not what the Clippers hoped they would be.  They earned big money contracts, but were not good teammates, and the off season stories about attitude, culture clashes, and lack of leadership, have hurt their respective reputations.

But it’s a new season, and 2nd year coach Frank Vogel welcomes gritty center Montrzl Harrell, center Marc Gasol and guard Dennis Schroeder.  How good are the new arrivals?  Harrell and Schroeder have won the NBA’s 6th man Awards the last two years, and Gasol will be more reliable than the departed Dwight Howard.  Add in defensive specialist Wes Matthews and the Lakers will be more reliable and probably grittier than last year’s ‘Ring the Thing’ team.

Doc Rivers is gone from the Clippers bench.  He let his star players run roughshod over his coaching style.  Tyronne Lue takes over and takes on a big challenge of dealing with his stars, but Lue did have success in Cleveland where LeBron was the man.

But the Clippers have been weakened.  Harrell goes across the hallway to the Lakers, taking with him 16-points, 8-boards and alot of grit.  Serge Ibaka-Nick Batum and Luke Kennard are new to the team, but it’s doubtful they will be as productive as what got away.

Clippers chemistry will be a big part of keeping score this coming season and the reality they traded away a ton of draft picks, so adding for the future will be a monster challenge.

The Lakers push the ball up the floor mentality should grow with what they added, and their toughness will be better.  The Clippers want to run elements of the triangle offense and need to find a way for Leonard and George to co-exist with just 1-basketball on the floor.

Lots of new faces in new places around the league too, led by Doc Rivers emerging as the 76ers coach..Billy Donovan in Chicago…and tough guy Tom Thibodeau taking over the Knicks.  There is no Mike D’Antoni in Houston.

We also wait to see what happens in Houston with James Harden… the emergence of Rockets teammate John Wall…Russell Westbrook’s arrival in Washington…and whether Zion Williamson stays healthy and changes all things in New Orleans.  Golden State is a year older..Brooklyn is healthier..Miami got deeper.

Let the games begin, but it appears everyone will be chasing the ones who got their rings on opening night, the Lakers.

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“Bowl Picks–A Bad Year”

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The College Football Playoffs are set.  The rich get richer, the little guy gets nothing, and college football staggers to the finish line.

As expected, the elite of college football got into the 4-team playoffs, known as the Alabama Invitation.  The Crimson Tide will face Notre Dame in one semi final.  Clemson will meet Ohio State in the other semi final matchup.

You had a good season Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina, BYU, here are some crumbs for your team, but you won’t get the big pay day.

Tough choices to find teams, even sub-500 teams, who got bowl bids, when so many teams, USC-Washington and others opted out, deciding not to play an extra game, in an empty stadium, with a roster charred by Covid problems.

Here’s a look at the bowl matchups so far:

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College Football Playoff National Championship
College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
Jan. 11: 8 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

College Football Playoff Semifinal at The Rose Bowl Game Presented by Capital One
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Notre Dame
AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
Jan. 1: 4 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl
No. 2 Clemson vs. No. 3 Ohio State
Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans)
Jan. 1: 8 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Bowl schedule
Dec. 21

Myrtle Beach Bowl
Appalachian State vs. North Texas
Brooks Stadium (Conway, South Carolina)
2:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Dec. 22

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Tulane vs. Nevada
Albertsons Stadium (Boise, Idaho)
3:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

RoofClaim.com Boca Raton Bowl
UCF vs. BYU
FAU Stadium (Boca Raton, Florida)
7 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Dec. 23
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
Louisiana Tech vs. Georgia Southern
Mercedes-Benz Superdome (New Orleans)
3 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Montgomery Bowl
Memphis vs. Florida Atlantic
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
7 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2 and the ESPN App

Dec. 24

New Mexico Bowl
Hawai’i vs. Houston
Toyota Stadium (Frisco, Texas)
3:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Dec. 25

Camellia Bowl
Marshall vs. Buffalo
Cramton Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama)
2:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Dec. 26

Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl
South Carolina vs. UAB
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
Noon on ABC and the ESPN App

Cure Bowl
Liberty vs. Coastal Carolina
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
Noon on ESPN and the ESPN App

SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
Louisiana vs. UTSA
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (Dallas)
3:30 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN App

LendingTree Bowl
Western Kentucky vs. Georgia State
Ladd-Peebles Stadium (Mobile, Alabama)
3:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl
Independence Stadium (Shreveport, Louisiana)
7 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Dec. 28

Military Bowl Presented by Perspecta
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (Annapolis, Maryland)
2:30 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Dec. 29

Cheez-It Bowl
Oklahoma State vs. Miami
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
5:30pm ET on ESPN and the ESPN app

Valero Alamo Bowl
Texas vs. Colorado
Alamodome (San Antonio)
9 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Dec. 30

Duke’s Mayo Bowl
Wake Forest vs. Wisconsin
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, North Carolina)
Noon on ESPN and the ESPN App

TransPerfect Music City Bowl
Iowa vs. Missouri
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
4 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic
Oklahoma vs. Florida
AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
8 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Dec. 31
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
Tulsa vs. Mississippi State
Amon G. Carter Stadium (Fort Worth, Texas)
Noon on ESPN and the ESPN App

Arizona Bowl
Ball State vs. San Jose State
Arizona Stadium (Tucson, Arizona)
2 p.m. on CBSSN

AutoZone Liberty Bowl
West Virginia vs. Tennessee
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (Memphis, Tennessee)
4 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Mercari Texas Bowl
Arkansas vs. TCU
NRG Stadium (Houston)
8 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Jan. 1
Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

Cincinnati vs. Georgia
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Noon on ESPN and the ESPN App

Vrbo Citrus Bowl
Auburn vs. Northwestern
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
1 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN App

Jan. 2

TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
NC State vs Kentucky
TIAA Bank Field (Jacksonville, Florida)
Noon on ESPN and the ESPN App

Outback Bowl
Ole Miss vs. Indiana
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
12:30 p.m. on ABC and the ESPN App

PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
Oregon vs. Iowa State
State Farm Stadium (Glendale, Arizona)
4 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

Capital One Orange Bowl
Texas A&M vs. North Carolina
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)

8 p.m. on ESPN and the ESPN App

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“Chargers-Raiders–Exciting-Excruciating”

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They had it won…made terrible play calls…and almost lost the game.  Both teams did.

The emotional mood swings in the fourth quarter were equal to being in an insane asylum.  It made you ask, why would you run that play?

In the end the Chargers beat the Raiders in overtime, though both tried to hand the game to the other team.

It was as good as you could see an offense play (Bolts).  It was as bad as you could see a defense play (Raiders).  It was atrocious special teams again.

Justin Herbert played and was the reason the Chargers won the game.  Derek Carr got hurt early and it hurt the Raiders in the loss.

Michael Badgley missed two makeable field goals, giving him 11-missed kicks on the season and can not be trusted via long distance.  .

Marcus Mariota’s (314Y) all purpose game off the bench was something for the Raiders to feel good about.

The Raiders horrid pass defense gave up 17-plays of 10-yards or more, and took some terrible pass interference penalties, and that was the reason they lost.

Herbert became the hero with his riverboat gambling deep passes down the field and then his grit on the goal-line on the final plays of the night..

Mariota flashed talent from the long ago past, running for 88-yards on option plays and nearly pulled the game off.

The Raiders garbage secondary killed them time and time again, either big plays or penalties.

But it was a nitemare for play callers.

The Raiders had a 19-play drive for a TD and seemed to have the game by the throat.

The Chargers tried read-option and wildcat runs that blew up in their face costing them key yards.

The Raiders, sand-blasting their way with the running game, pushing to a likely late game field goal, decided to throw a pass to a 3rd string wideout, that was picked off and nearly returned for a touchdown.

The Chargers, on their way to a likely game winning field goal, and running the ball, tried a rollout pass and took a brutal sack, forcing them beyond a solid field goal attempt.

Herbert was under pressure the entire 2nd half..taking the bad sack..9-hits..and 5-pressures.

But there he was at the end with two quarterback sneaks, and getting in with second effort on the second one for the game clinching TD.

The Raiders playoff hopes look done.  They need a total makeover on defense, from coordinator to a bunch of players in the secondary.

The Chargers get their second win in a row, and with lowly Denver coming in next week, a likely victory there, could mean Anthony Lynn gets to coach another season with the Bolts.

It was wild game, an ugly game, a game between two really troubled teams.

For all the greatness Jon Gruden is supposed to have, he can’t get this rag-tag team to win.  Greatness is not (7-7) and missing the playoffs again.  For all the struggles Anthony Lynn has as a head coach, he’s lucky he has Justin Herbert, otherwise he’d be (0-14)

Exciting-Excruciating.  Bolts win.  Raiders loss.

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