1-Man’s Opinion-Wednesday-9/23 “Throw a Penalty Flag on Newspaper.swe=

Posted by on September 23rd, 2015  •  0 Comments  • 

Throw a penalty flag on the newspaper in town, the Union-Tribune, for a cheapshot column on San Diego State football coach Rocky Long.
Columnist Kevin Acee, in a scathing critique of the head coach, called for his ouster, saying the program is going nowhere under his leadership.
Citing a putrid road record against quality teams, the UT says the school needs to find a better coach to lead to better days.
The only shred of truth in the column is the fact SDSU is (0-28) against schools from the Big 5-Confernces. Lost in that stat is the fact the Aztecs, overmatched against big time schools, have been in a bunch of those big time road games games, only to lose late, at Notre Dame, at Michigan, at Ohio State amongst others.
Match any of the other schools in the conference, Fresno to Wyoming to New Mexico, to Colorado State, to Air Force,  and tell me anyone who has done well on the road against big boys.

Acee fails to take into account the amazing State win at Boise State a couple of years back, a place no one wins.

Forgotten in the condemnation of Long is the fact SDSU is one ot the top schools in the conference for graduating its players. Where APR violations used to be, are now players with diplomas, about to begin their life’s work.

You don”t see SDSU players involved in crimes off the field. There have been no hint of academic fraud, no drug issues, no DUIs, no rapes, no assaults. Guys who wear the Red and Black are truly student athletes.

Being in the non-recognizable Mountain West Conference is not Rocky Long’s fault.

Having a limited budget, not even comparable to Boise and TCU, is not the coaches fault.

Not being able to turn on the 110,000 or so alums living here,  to come support the team, doesn’t fall to the coach.

It is dissapointing to see a home crowd of under 17,000, or less than 1,000 for the fall ‘Red and Black’ scrimmage.

The inability to recruit a big time quarterback in-state falls at his front door, is his shortcoming.  Failing to close the deals and win the close road games, are on the coach and kids, but nothing beyond that.

But he is (20-10) in four years in conference. He has been to four bowl games in four years.  Better than we had seen in recent decades.
The schedule has been upgraded, and now the challenge, go beat some of them.
The UT must have forgotten what SDSU football was like prior to the arrival of Long, and prior to that Brady Hoke.
Sure you could have made a run at Rick Neuhisel or Dennis Erickson or other hot names. But they  might have been ‘here today-gone tomorrow’ , or here now, with NCAA sanction to follow.
Anybody remember Chuck Long, Tom Kraft, Ted Tollner, all who tried and didn’t quite get it done.
Referencing Don Coryell and Claude Gilbert makes no sense. A different era, no academic standards, and something 40-years ago.  That and then, has no relevance to the hear and now.
I’d like to see a home and home with USC and UCLA. I want BYU on the schedule too. Maybe you schedule them, you draw more, maybe you recruit better, maybe you start to win against their likes also.
The next time they’re looking to cream someone in a column, go after the alumni and fans, who don’t seem to bleed Red & Black.
15-yard penalty on the newspaper for hammering a good man and a good coach.
He’s won with the resources they gave him, the schedule he inherited, and the limited ability to take it to the next level.
Being Boise State or TCU would be nice, but other people in that on campus administration have to do their job, so Rocky Long can do a better job.

1-Man’s Opinion-Tuesday-9/22 “Baseball in San Diego-Drive You Crazy”

Posted by on September 22nd, 2015  •  0 Comments  • 

The Padres have begun their final homestand of the season, a year that was supposed to have the franchise “Play in October”.

 
They won’t be for sure, having fallen out of the wildcard playoff hunt as far back as July, and now staggering to their 12th likely losing season in 17-years.

 
The last time they were in a pennant race was the final day of the 2010 season when they lost to the Giants in the last game on the schedule.

 
The last time they were in the postseason was 2006. And by the way, Matt Holliday of the Colorado Rockies, has yet to touch home plate.

 
The World Series, in the eras of Tony Gwynn and Trevor Hoffman seems like another lifetime ago.

 
I bring this up, because two of baseball’s modern day losers are doing great things in their respective cities.

 
The Pittsburgh Pirates went 20-years between postseason appearances, and here they are positioned to go back into the Wildcard playoffs again.

 
Kansas City, an eve worse run franchise, stockpiled all those high draft picks over the years, and has the elite record in the American League.

 
The Bucs are led by lots of home grown players, anchored by slugging outfielder Andrew McCutchen and 17-game winner Gerrit Cole on the mound.

 
The Royals are reaping the dividends of the Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustaksas drafts of lost years gone by.

 
The Bucs and KC had many of the problems that currently afflict the Friars. A history of tightwad owners, faulty GMs, bad drafts, and bad luck with injuries. They finally turned the corner with the right hires, Drayton Moore and Neil Huntington, as GMs.

 
We can only hope for the future, cause there is nothing there today to be excited about.
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San Diego, well we have that big payroll, and guys headed to free agency, and some bad contracts. Our best young players are with the Washington Nationals, Joe Ross and Treu Turner.

 
It is just mind-boggling to see all the changes in the Padres organization, from 3-owners, 4-general managers, the multiples of Team Presidents, and see where we are in the standings this morning.

 
Hard to believe, the Padres cannot get it right, while Kansas City and Pittsburgh, sell out, and will be ‘Playing in October’.

 
Maybe someday it will be like that in San Diego. Surely not today, and I fear because of all the changes and mistakes, it may take lots of tomorrow’s to get there.

 

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1-Man’s Opinion–Monday-9/21 “Bolt Beating”

Posted by on September 21st, 2015  •  0 Comments  • 

Out hit, out schemed, out coached.

 
That pretty much sums up a difficult day in the jungle for the Chargers, in the aftermath of their lopsided loss to the Cincinnati Bengals (25-19) yesterday, a game that was not as close as the score indicated.

 
A week ago, the Bolts masterplan was to put a safety over the top, and another defender underenath to slow down and takeaway the Detroit Lions star receiver Calvin Johnson.

 
That never happened yesterday, and Cincinnati torched the solo coverage offered by cornerback Brandon Flowers, who was overwhelmed by star AJ Green, and big tight ends. He gave up all 3-TD passes to Andy Dalton.

 
But the beating was not just on him. Cincinnati kept hammering the ball, and when they were done, they ripped up another 175-yards on the ground to compliment Dalton’s passing stats.

 
San Diego’s defensive front got slammed all over the field.

 
And the offensive line had a bad day, protecting its quarterback, even if the Bolts had a good day running the ball. A superb day of chunk plays from rookie Melvin Gordon and running mate Danny Woodhead was offset by everytime Philip Rivers dropped back to pass..

 
But the front got beat and shoved around. They gave up 4-sacks of Rivers and took on 6-offensive line penalties.

 
Add to that, last week’s star, Keenan Allen, with his 15-catches, dropped a punt, that led to a score, and dropped a sure pass too.

 
Mike McCoy’s staff called lots of blitzes and never got there. Dalton picked them apart, when Giovani Bernard wasn’t running over them.

 
The refs gave San Diego a gift touchdown, when they failed to call two penalties on an offensivbe pass interference facemask call, and then a block to the back on a TD pass.

 
It only counts as a loss, but it might be a sign of bigger issues. San Diego misses its starting guard DJ Fluker. Running mate Orlando Franklin still isn’t playing consistent.

 
They need more from Malcom Floyd to help Allen and the kid tight end Ladarius Green, who has put two good games together.

 
But there’s no help coming in run defense, and the tandem of Flowers and Jason Verrett did not have a good day yesterday.

 
Next up, similar problems, when they go to Minnesota. The weather there will be cloudy, cool and a 100% chance that Adrian Peterson will run the football on them.

 
You knew going to Cincinnati would be tough; Dalton is (24-10-1) at home. San Diego helped him alot by turnovers, penalties.and lack of toughness in both lines.

 

As good as those coaches were in the win over the Lions, they weren’t that good inthe loss to the Bengals.

 
McCoy’s men have alot of work to do.

 

 

 

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1-Man’s Opinion-Monday-9/21 “Bolts Beating”

Posted by on September 21st, 2015  •  0 Comments  • 

Out hit, out schemed, out coached.
That pretty much sums up a difficult day in the jungle for the Chargers, in the aftermath of their lopsided loss to the Cincinnati Bengals (25-19) yesterday, a game that was not as close as the score indicated.
A week ago, the Bolts masterplan was to put a safety over the top, and another defender underenath to slow down and takeaway the Detroit Lions star receiver Calvin Johnson.
That never happened yesterday, and Cincinnati torched the solo coverage offered by cornerback Brandon Flowers, who was overwhelmed by star AJ Green, and big tight ends. He gave up all 3-TD passes to Andy Dalton.
But the beating was not just on him. Cincinnati kept hammering the ball, and when they were done, they ripped up another 175-yards on the ground to compliment Dalton’s passing stats.
San Diego’s defensive front got slammed all over the field.
And the offensive line had a bad day, protecting its quarterback, even if the Bolts had a good day running the ball. A superb day of chunk plays from rookie Melvin Gordon and running mate Danny Woodhead was offset by everytime Philip Rivers dropped back to pass..
But the front got beat and shoved around. They gave up 4-sacks of Rivers and took on 6-offensive line penalties.
Add to that, last week’s star, Keenan Allen, with his 15-catches, dropped a punt, that led to a score, and dropped a sure pass too.
Mike McCoy’s staff called lots of blitzes and never got there. Dalton picked them apart, when Giovani Bernard wasn’t running over them.
The refs gave San Diego a gift touchdown, when they failed to call two penalties on an offensive pass interference facemask call, and then a block to the back on a TD pass.
It only counts as a loss, but it might be a sign of bigger issues. San Diego misses its starting guard DJ Fluker. Running mate Orlando Franklin still isn’t playing consistent.
They need more from Malcom Floyd to help Allen and the kid tight end Ladarius Green, who has put two good games together.
But there’s no help coming in run defense, and the tandem of Flowers and Jason Verrett did not have a good day yesterday.
Next up, similar problems, when they go to Minnesota. The weather there will be cloudy, cool and a 100% chance that Adrian Peterson will run the football on them.
You knew going to Cincinnati would be tough; Dalton is (24-10-1) at home. San Diego helped him alot by turnovers, penalties.and lack of toughness in both lines.
As good as the coaching staff was creating things in the Detroit win, they were equally bad in not handling matchups in Cincinnati.  McCoy’s men have alot of work to do.

 

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1-Man’s Opinion–Friday–9/18 “Square Pegs-Round Holes-Blockhead Coach”

Posted by on September 18th, 2015  •  0 Comments  • 

That was a great Thursday night football game, thanks to the hero, no thanks to the near goat. Peyton Manning did it for Denver, after his coach Gary Kubiak nearly did the Denver Broncos season in. Denver needed every bit of Manning’s juice to climb back into the game, and then a last second fumble recovery for a touchdown to beat Kansas City (31-24).

Gary Kubiak, replacing John Fox, is trying to replace all the things that made the Broncos so scary. Sorry, he’s not the smartest man in the room, 18-Peyton Manning is. Coach, go look at the video, at what you almost did to the franchise, and then watch the video as Peyton returns to his form, in his formation, driving his team to touchdowns, and a win.

Kubiak came from Houston, where they ran the ball, threw some, and played defense. He’s tried to install that same package in Denver, invoke his will, and take the electricity out of all the things that made the Broncos dangerous, and made Manning great.

The shotgun attack will put Manning in the Hall of Fame. Coming into the season, 69,000-plus yards throwing the ball, all those TD passes, a Super Bowl ring, and lots of playoff appearances.

Enter Kubiak, with the blessing of team President John Elway. Make Manning take snaps under center. Make them run the ball. Install zone blocking. Let’s hope it works, hope we don’t lose.

They almost did opening day to Baltimore, and were losing 14-0 early to the Chiefs too. You’d thought Manning was in his final hours of an NFL-quarterback’s life. Wobbly passes, big hits, sacks, and a running game that got very little done.

Somewhere in the second quarter, someone made a decision, maybe Elway, maybe his coach, more likely the quarterback, go back to what makes us great. Here came the shotgun, here came the first downs, then drives, then touchdowns, a comeback and a win.

When Manning was done, he threw for 256 and 3-scores. His wide receivers starters putting up numbers and catches, equal to what we saw last year when both had over 100-receptions in the season.

Kubiak’s run game? In two outings, 47-carries for 105-yards, an anemic number that will get you beat, and probably get you fired.

Yes Wade Phillips defense went wild with 4-sacks of Alex Smith, 5-takeaways, 3-fumble recoveries and 2-picks. But it would all have been lost had this thing resulted in a Broncos setback rather than a come-from-behind win.

The Broncos organizations chart reads Elway’s-GM, Kubiak-Coach, Manning superstar.

On this Thursday night, Manning was the smartest man in the room and on the field. Kubiak’s insistence on dumping the shotgun package, to send the superstar under center, seems absurd, and counterproductive to the greatness number 18-has shown for all these years..

Play to the quarterback’s strength, not the coach’s wishes. Run the shotgun. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot. Round pegs don’t go into square holes. A blockhead coach should realize that.