Week 3 College Football Preview

The college football season has gotten off to a pretty exciting start this season and there looks to be a few interesting games coming up in week 3. Let’s take a look at the matchups in the Top 25 and see what we have:

#1 Florida (2-0) vs. Tennessee (1-1) – The Florida-Tennessee rivalry is one of the most heated in all of college football and this game should be at a fever pitch. But it will not be because Tennessee has a real shot to go down to Florida and win. All eyes will be on this game to see just how badly Florida wants to beat up on the Volunteers. That’s because new Tennessee Coach Lane Kiffin shot his mouth off and made some crazy comments when he was hired. He said that he would end Tennessee’s 4-game losing streak against the Gators and sing “Rocky Top” all night long. More importantly though, he falsely accused Florida Coach Urban Meyer of a recruiting violation and was forced to apologize. The Gators may forgive, but they will not forget. History shows that when Florida and QB Tim Tebow get mad and motivated, they absolutely crush the competition. Things should be no different in this game. Tennessee has nowhere near the talent needed to beat the Gators, especially on the road. The point spread in this game is 30 and I would not be surprised to see Florida cover that easily. This one could be very ugly and embarrassing.

#2 Texas (2-0) vs. Texas Tech (2-0) – This is the rematch of one of the best college football games of last year and probably one of the best of all time. Texas went to Texas Tech ranked #1, but quickly fell down 19-0. Texas QB Colt McCoy was able to rally the Longhorns to a 33-32 lead with 1:29 left to play. Unfortunately for Texas, that was one second too much as Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell found WR Michael Crabtree with a pass and Crabtree broke a tackle to get in the end zone with 0:01 left in the game. This time around however, there is no Harrell and no Crabtree for Tech. Texas Tech lost a great deal of talent through graduation and the NFL Draft and they are not as good as last year. Texas on the other hand has returned most of their team and is the big favorite in this game. Texas always seems to beat up on their Big 12 rivals at home, so I would expect a pretty big win for Texas and a measure of revenge for them in this game.

#3 USC (2-0) vs. Washington (1-1) – USC opens up their Pac 10 schedule with a trip up to Washington as they look for their 8th straight conference title. This would appear to be a huge mismatch. USC has been dominant for years now, while Washington has been the doormat of the conference. They lost 15 games in a row until finally scoring a win over Idaho last week. Washington does have one potential advantage. Their new head coach, Steve Sarkisian, was an assistant coach at USC for each of their 7 consecutive conference titles and is largely credited with building USC into an offensive powerhouse. He also brought along Nick Holt, who was the architect of USC’s dominant defense the past 3 seasons. So Washington could have a chance to develop a game plan that will work against the Trojans. But Washington has not beaten USC since 2001 and there is a sizable talent gap. Unless USC has a total letdown from their huge win over Ohio State last week, they should be able to win this one comfortably. However, don’t be shocked if the game is closer than expected. USC QB Matt Barkley is expected to play despite a bruised shoulder.

#4 Alabama (2-0) vs. North Texas (1-1) – Alabama figures to take a cupcake break this week as North Texas pays them a visit. Alabama looked very good in their opening week win over Virginia Tech, but they lacked some spark last week in a 40-14 win over Florida International. The Crimson Tide let FIU hang around until the 4th quarter before putting the game away. Coach Nick Saban will hope for a better effort this week before Alabama starts SEC play next week. Alabama could be without star WR Julio Jones, but they should have more than enough to handle North Texas. North Texas has lost 13 straight to ranked teams since 1996 and have been outscored 297-23 in 5 games against top 5 teams since 2004. Expect carnage on the field with those types of trends…

#5 Penn State (2-0) vs. Temple (0-1) – Penn State looks to get fatter on some more cupcakes as they look to have another easy game against a weak opponent. Coach Joe Paterno still thinks his team needs to improve and he has a point on the offensive side of the ball. The Nittany Lions have not rolled up the score on Akron and Syracuse, but their defense has been dominant. Penn State has not lost to Temple since 1941 and has outscored them 123-3 in the past three games since the teams signed a 7-year commitment to play each other. Penn State won 45-3 last year and they can expect the same again this year.

#5 Mississippi (1-0) vs. Southeastern Louisiana (2-0) – Mississippi caught a break having a bye week and then an easy game against Southeastern Louisiana. No less than a dozen players came down with flu-like symptoms after the team returned home from a 45-14 win over Memphis in the opening game of the season and the outbreak spread, eventually effecting 30 players on the team. QB Jevan Snead was one of those players, so the Rebels are just trying to get healthy and work on their game before SEC play starts. It appears that the team is back to being healthy at this point, so it should not be a problem. Southeastern Louisiana is a FCS level school and they should pose no threat to Mississippi on the road. They have lost all 10 games that they have played against FBS schools.

#7 BYU (2-0) vs. Florida State (1-1) – At the start of the season, this had the look of potentially being one of the best early season games. But after the performances of the Cougars and the Seminoles, it might not be as good as early hype would indicate. BYU has looked extremely good, knocking off Oklahoma and then avoiding a letdown last week as they crushed Tulane. Florida State, on the other hand, has looked mediocre. They turned in a good effort against Miami on opening weekend but still lost the game. Then last week they mightily struggled to beat FCS school Jacksonville State. The Seminoles needed 2 late scores to win the game 19-9. Their pass defense has been very suspect and now Florida State has to deal with BYU QB Max Hall, who has looked great to open the year and has sneaked into the Heisman conversation. BYU has had a huge home field advantage in recent years and have won 18 straight games at home dating back to 2005 and they pounded the competition by an average of 30 points in home games last year. It seems like BYU will be able to handle Florida State in this one and come out with a victory. The Seminoles just are not clicking and BYU will be up for this game big time.

#8 California (2-0) vs. Minnesota (2-0) – Cal looks to take their dominant home performances on the road, where things have not been too kind to them recently. The Golden Bears have lost 4 straight road games and 8 of their last 9. If they are going to contend for a Pac 10 championship and try to challenge USC, they need to start playing better on the road. RB Jahvid Best has gotten off to a strong start and things are looking good for Cal. They probably will have enough to be able to beat Minnesota. The Golden Gophers needed a 13 point 4th quarter last week to beat Air Force 20-13 and they allowed Syracuse to take them into overtime before winning 23-20. Those are not exactly what you would call impressive wins. Minnesota has lost 10 straight games to ranked teams and Cal has not lost 5 straight road games since 2000-2001. The odds are favoring Cal to break the road losing streak in this one.

#9 LSU (2-0) vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (2-0) – LSU is looking to play a complete 60 minutes of solid football as they host Louisiana-Lafayette. The Tigers have not looked like a really dominant team as they have scratched out a 31-23 win over Washington on opening weekend and a 23-9 win over Vanderbilt last week. LSU needs more consistent quarterback play from Jordan Jefferson and would like to see another solid effort on defense like they had last week. Louisiana-Lafayette will not provide that great of a challenge though. LSU is 21-0 all-time against them and have outscored the Ragin’ Cajuns 957-22 in those games. Louisiana-Lafayette has lost 10 straight to ranked opponents and that will go to 11 after this one.

#10 Boise State (2-0) vs. Fresno State (1-1) – The Friday night primetime game this week features Boise State trying to continue their climb up the rankings. After their huge win over Oregon to start the year and a shutout over Miami (OH), Boise State looks as dominant as they did last year. The Broncos are looking for their 7th WAC title in the past 8 years and a possible bid to a BCS Bowl game. To do it, they will need to go undefeated in the conference. This has not been a problem for Boise State in recent years and they are 54-2 in conference play since 2002. One of those losses came in 2005 to Fresno State and the Bulldogs can sometimes give Boise State trouble. However, Fresno State does not look even close to as good as Boise does. The Broncos won 61-10 last season and Fresno has lost 9 straight to ranked opponents. This should be a good test on the road for Boise State, but I expect them to win fairly easily.

#11 Ohio State (1-1) vs. Toledo (1-1) – Ohio State now has to try and rebound after another disappointing loss in a spotlight game on national TV. The Buckeyes should be able to get the job done against Toledo, but they will have to make sure the defense comes to play. Toledo will bring in a hurry-up, no-huddle offense to try and wear out Ohio State and keep them guessing. The Buckeyes will have superior talent, so I’m not sure how far that will get them. Toledo’s defense has been shaky, so it will be up to QB Terrell Pryor to attack them and put points on the board. He is more effective when he makes plays with his feet, so let’s see if he does that this week. Ohio State should be able to easily take care of business in this one. Oh, and Ohio State has not lost to an intrastate rival in 88 years. Good luck Toledo…

#12 Oklahoma (1-1) vs. Tulsa (2-0) – Oklahoma will look to continue to rebound from the loss of QB Sam Bradford and the stinging opening week loss to BYU. Even though this might look to be an easy game for Oklahoma, especially being at home, it could be closer than some people expect. Question marks still surround QB Landry Jones and Tulsa is a major step up from Idaho State. Tulsa has won 10 and 11 games the past two years and they have led the nation in total offense the past two seasons. They will really be able to give Oklahoma’s defense a good test. Tulsa lost 62-21 at Oklahoma 2 years ago, but by all accounts, this Tulsa team could be better, especially on the defensive side of the ball. With Bradford out and a better Tulsa team coming to give the Sooners their best shot, will the gap close enough from 2 years ago to produce an upset? I would have to say that Oklahoma should be able to win this game. However, another Conference USA team went on the road and beat a Big 12 school when Houston beat Oklahoma State last week. This game could be closer than some people think.

#13 Virginia Tech (1-1) vs. #19 Nebraska (2-0) – This game is looking to be the marquee matchup of the week. Nebraska has beaten up on two lesser opponents in their first two games and now they will get their first real test as they travel to Virginia Tech. The Cornhuskers will be looking to avenge a 35-30 loss at home last year. Tech has won 31 straight games against non-conference opponents at home, so this seems like it will be a tough task for Nebraska. Virginia Tech stayed focused last week as they did not look past Marshall and crushed them 52-10. Tech rebounded nicely after a pretty poor performance against Alabama in the opening game of the season. Virginia Tech is always a tough place for visitors to play and Nebraska will need to play better on defense if they hope to win. They have looked a little shaky even against weaker competition. This should be a hard fought game and I probably have to give the edge to Virginia Tech on the basis of being at home. But the Big 12 is a better conference overall than the ACC, so this one should be extremely close either way.

#15 TCU (1-0) vs. Texas State (1-0) – This game will turn out to be no contest and should be a huge blowout win for TCU. The Horned Frogs opened their season last week with a dominating defensive performance at Virginia. TCU held the Cavaliers only 7 first downs and 177 yards of total offense in a 30-14 win. Virginia was lucky to get two late “garbage time” touchdowns and they did not even snap the ball inside the TCU 20-yard line. The TCU defense only gave up 10.9 points per game last year and they look just as dominant this year. They are 50-6 at home since 1999 and will have no trouble with FCS level school Texas State. They have lost 16 of their last 17 non-conference road games and they will tack on another loss Saturday.

#16 Oklahoma State (1-1) vs. Rice (0-2) – Oklahoma State will have to now try and rebound from a pretty disappointing performance and loss to Houston last week. It seems like the Sports Illustrated cover jinx bit the Cowboys last week and the loss sent them plummeting down from #5 to #16. The defense that looked dominant against Georgia on opening week totally went away against Houston. Houston’s athletic and high powered aerial game tore the Oklahoma State defense to shreds. They will get a chance to rebound against a Rice team that is not really close to the level of Houston. Rice got spanked 55-10 last week by Texas Tech and they have lost 21 straight games to Big 12 opponents. Oklahoma State is likely to be in a foul mood and they should easily beat Rice in this one.

#17 Cincinnati (2-0) vs. Oregon State (2-0) – Cincinnati has been extremely impressive to start the season and they have quickly rocketed up to #17 in the polls. However, they will get a tough test as they travel out west to face Oregon State, who is on the cusp of entering the Top 25 (are #24 in the USA Today Coaches’ Poll). The Bearcats’ offense has been explosive this season and QB Tony Pike will look to continue his great play. Oregon State has a good recent track record against ranked opponents. They have won 5 of their past 9 games against ranked teams and 15 of 17 at home, including the huge win over #1 ranked USC last year. They have also won 26 straight non-conference games at home, so it will be a tough test for Cincinnati. Going with the trends, I smell an upset in this one. I think Oregon State could pull this one out and it could be one hell of a football game. This is definitely one to watch on Saturday.

#18 Utah (2-0) vs. Oregon (1-1) – The other major college team from Oregon will also look to pull an upset at home as Utah comes to town to visit the Ducks. Utah will be looking to extend the nation’s longest winning streak to 17 games. They barely escaped last week with a 24-14 win over San Jose State and had to play deep into the 4th quarter to get the job done. The outcome of the game will depend on what Oregon team decides to show up. The Ducks have the ability to be one of the most explosive offenses in the country, but they will not have much luck if they play like they did against Boise State to open the season. The trends favor an upset in this one because Oregon is playing at home. They have won 28 of 30 non-conference games at home dating back to 1995 and are 5-0 against ranked teams in that span. Utah has also not defeated the Ducks in Oregon since 1994. However, Utah has won 6 of its last 8 games against Pac 10 teams. Again, this one bears watching on Saturday and it could be a great game and another upset in the making.

#22 Kansas (2-0) vs. Duke (1-1) – Kansas has gotten off to a very solid start this year and they should be able to keep rolling against Duke. The Kansas offense has been very impressive to start the year, averaging about 42 points per game. They should be able to get another win at home over Duke, who has lost 36 straight games to ranked opponents since 1994. The Duke Football program has been abysmal over the years, but they are starting to show signs of life under Coach David Cutcliffe. However, they are still a pretty bad team and likely will not have much of a chance traveling to Kansas.

#23 Georgia (1-1) vs. Arkansas (1-0) – Georgia had to win a shootout at the end of the game with South Carolina last week to avoid starting 0-2 for the first time in 13 years. The Bulldogs continue to struggle on defense and they will get a challenge from SEC rival Arkansas. Even though Arkansas beat up on a weaker opponent in Missouri State, they still threw for 447 yards passing and looked impressive on offense. The Razorbacks are slowly making strides in Coach Bobby Petrino’s second season, so Georgia will need to be ready to play, especially going on the road. Georgia has won the last 5 meetings between the two teams, but they have not played since 2005. Georgia is also 3-0 at Arkansas and the Razorbacks have lost 8 of their last 10 against ranked SEC opponents. Georgia will most likely have enough to comfortably win this game, but their defense will need to show up.

#24 North Carolina (2-0) vs. East Carolina (1-1) – North Carolina barely escaped with a 12-10 win over Connecticut last week and will look to try and have a better performance against East Carolina. The Tar Heels’ problem has been putting points on the board. They did not score until the 4th quarter last week and needed a safety on defense to win. The Carolina defense returned nine starters and the continuity has shown as North Carolina is ranked in the top 15 nationally in pass defense efficiency, rushing defense, and total defense. They are likely to score points this week because East Carolina is not that good on the defensive side of the ball. East Carolina gave up 4 TDs through the air last week and has allowed 59 points and 478 yards passing in their first two games. The Tar Heels have won 9 of 11 games in this series, but they did lose the last meeting in 2007 on a last second field goal. Being at home should help North Carolina in this game and I would expect them to pull out a victory.

#25 Michigan (2-0) vs. Eastern Michigan (0-2) – The Wolverines are flying high after beating Notre Dame last week and sliding back into the Top 25 for the first time since the end of the 2007 season. Michigan went toe to toe with Notre Dame and made the big plays necessary to win the game. Freshman QB Tate Forcier looked like a star out on the field and the Wolverines look like they will overachieve this year and be better than people expected. Eastern Michigan rolls into town to pay them a visit and Michigan should have no problem taking care of business. The only pitfall could be an emotional letdown after last week, but even if that occurs, it would most likely only make the final score less lopsided.

The Game’s Quick Hits

#20 Miami (FL) 33, #14 Georgia Tech 17 – Georgia Tech looked pretty good moving the ball on their first offensive drive and then it was just downhill from there. Miami put in a pretty dominating performance as they pulled the mild upset over the Yellow Jackets last night 33-17. Miami QB Jacory Harris had another outstanding game. He was very efficient throwing the ball and Miami’s wide receivers just looked to be too athletic for Georgia Tech to handle. As I talked about in my preview, the key for Georgia Tech is moving the ball on the ground. After a pretty good first drive, Tech was totally shut down on the ground by a fast and athletic Miami defense. The Yellow Jackets were not able to get any rhythm and because of that, they once against could not get anything going in the passing game and the whole offense broke down. Miami actually outgained Tech on the ground, a far cry from last year when the Yellow Jackets piled up over 300 yards rushing on the Hurricanes. Miami was able to run the ball effectively and that set up easier throws for Harris to complete. He looks like he could be the next great quarterback at Miami if he continues playing like this. After two really good games, the Hurricanes look like they are starting to get that swagger back and could start to develop back into an elite program. They still have some tough games ahead, but they are looking good. Georgia Tech is not buried at this point by any means, but they need to cut down on the mistakes that killed them last night. They will also have to take a look at how they can better establish the running game and I really think they need to try and get QB Josh Nesbitt more involved with the passing game. He needs to work on some short, quick passes and not just try to throw bombs when the running game bogs down. It is a really simple formula for teams to follow to try and beat Tech…shut down the running game.

Preseason: Capitals 4, Sabres 3 OT – The Caps started their campaign with a 4-3 win in overtime against the Sabres. Brian Pothier scored on a two-man advantage 49 seconds into the extra session to seal the win. Washington also got goals from Alexandre Giroux, Mike Knuble and Jay Beagle. The story of the night though seems to be some stellar play from Semyon Varlamov in net. Coach Bruce Boudreau said that Varly was outstanding in the first two periods and prevented the Sabres from grabbing the advantage. Even Sabres coach Lindy Ruff agreed with that assessment and said Varlamov was the story. I know this is only the first preseason game, but that is really good to hear. If Varlamov can carry his momentum from the playoffs into this season and keep playing solid, the Caps can go a long way. It is nice to see Knuble getting a goal right off the bat too.

- With WR Anthony Gonzalez expected to miss up to 8 weeks with sprained ligaments in his knee, the Indianapolis Colts were quick to jump on the Eagles’ release of WR Hank Baskett. The Colts signed Baskett on Thursday to help fill the void while Gonzalez recovers. Sources are saying that Gonzalez will try to come back after Indianapolis’ October 18th bye week. This is probably a very smart move by the Colts. Baskett is not spectacular, but he is a capable wide receiver who now gets to play with the best quarterback in the league. QB Peyton Manning will likely make Baskett into a better receiver and the Colts won’t miss a beat. This goes to show you how far the Colts think free agent WR Marvin Harrison has fallen. Even with the injury to Gonzalez and a need for a receiver, Harrison being re-signed was not even considered. There has been little to no interest around the league in signing him as well. I think that is pretty amazing and it just proves that when teams feel like you have lost your speed and explosiveness, they won’t touch you.

- Houston Texans CB Dunta Robinson was fined $25,000 by the team for wearing shoes that had the words “Pay me Rick” on them during Houston’s 24-7 loss to the Jets on Sunday. The message was directed toward Texans’ GM Rick Smith because Robinson is miffed about not getting a long-term contract from the team even though he signed his franchise tender from the team over a week ago. I really have no tolerance for stunts like this. The “me first” and “pay me” attitude of some of these players is just disgusting. I have no problem with someone getting paid for their talents, but go about it the right way. There is no need to try and throw a spotlight on yourself and take away from the team. In Robinson’s case, he should be happy that he is getting “franchise player” money this season and he should be focused on helping Houston’s defense. The last time I checked, the Texans didn’t have problems on the offensive side of the ball. It has been the defensive side holding them back. And how did Robinson rise to the challenge on Sunday and prove that he is worth a long-term, big money deal? He had 1 tackle…impressive huh? This guy should just stop whining and play ball and then things will be taken care of. Dunta Robinson is not exactly a household name, so stuff the ego away and try to help your team before you help yourself.

- Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas says that he is healthy and ready to have a great season. He has been working with trainer Tim Grover over the summer and is giving Grover credit for saving his career and helping Arenas get his explosiveness back. He also took a shot at the Wizards and put some blame on them for his failed comebacks from injury the past two years. Arenas claims that if you live, eat, sleep, drink, and think basketball like he does, sometimes you need to be saved from yourself. He says that if someone has an injury that is supposed to take 6 months to heal and they are feeling good 4 months in, it should be the team’s responsibility to step in and not let the player push too hard or try to rush back out on the court just to sell tickets. I can agree with Arenas on that point. The Wizards are pretty much built around Arenas and he brings fans to the seats, but you can’t rush an injury. Now I don’t think the Wizards maliciously tried to put Gilbert into harm’s way, but they could have used better judgment and held him back like Arenas is saying. I think a good bit of responsibility should fall onto Arenas as well, but different people do heal at different paces. And if Arenas was telling the team he was feeling good, then why wouldn’t they want to get him back on the court? Apparently though, Arenas made demands that he wanted to rehab his own way and that he would tell the team when he was healthy. So maybe this whole “controversy” he is causing stems from Gilbert being mad at himself because his rehab plan did not work that well. Injuries can be very tricky, but Gilbert seems to think this trainer has the right methods to get him healthy. I hope that is the case because Arenas is one of the most exciting players in the NBA when he is healthy and the Wizards need all the help they can get to try and get back to being a respectable team.

- In other NBA injury news, Boston Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said that Kevin Garnett is making steady progress in his recovery from knee surgery. Ainge said that Garnett is working and training every day, but he is not yet playing full-court basketball. The team is taking it slow and cautious with Garnett, who is anxious to get going but realizes it is a process. This is a nice example of what Gilbert Arenas is talking about. Obviously, the Celtics are a well-run organization and they realize the value of Garnett and are not trying to put him in jeopardy. Garnett sat out the playoffs last year, so you knew his knee had to really be bothering him and it needed to be fixed. KG is starting to get a little older now and it is important that he rehabs correctly and takes it slow or he could be nagged by these injuries like Arenas. A healthy Kevin Garnett will once again put the Celtics in the mix to win the competitive Eastern Conference.

Reaching into the Grab Brag

There is plenty of great stuff happening this time of year, so let’s look at some quick hits today and see what’s going on:

The Game’s Quick Hits

Preview: #14 Georgia Tech (2-0) vs. #20 Miami, FL (1-0) – For the second consecutive week, Georgia Tech gets featured in the Thursday night primetime game. They are taking a trip down to visit Miami, who are coming off a bye week after their impressive opening week win over Florida State. In that game, QB Jacory Harris seemed to grow up and turn into a star right before everyone’s eyes. He looked extremely poised and much better than at any point last season. The Hurricanes are slowly rebuilding and looking more like the dominant teams from the ‘90s. The whole team is built on speed and they look like a dangerous threat. Georgia Tech did not look as good last week as they blew a 24-0 lead against Clemson, but did find a way to pull out a 30-27 victory. The key for Tech is establishing the running game and consistently moving the ball with it all game. When Clemson forced Georgia Tech to pass last week, the Yellow Jackets were miserable. QB Josh Nesbitt was horrible as he only could complete 3 of 14 passes. I am thinking that Miami’s defense is good enough and fast enough to hold Georgia Tech’s running game in check. They also looked explosive on offense against Florida State and I would expect Harris and the rest of the offensive unit to exploit the holes that Clemson found in Georgia Tech’s defense. This is a huge game in the ACC Coastal Division and the winner will get a leg up in the division. The division features 4 ranked teams, so this game is a critical one. I expect Miami to rise to the occasion at home and pull off a win. I think they have slightly better talent than Georgia Tech and they also have had longer to prepare for this game. From what I have seen on the field so far this year, the Hurricanes just look like a better team.

- On Tuesday it was reported that TNA wrestling’s Kurt Angle was found not guilty of violating an ex-girlfriend's order of protection, and charges of possessing human growth hormone and driving with a suspended license were dropped. He still faces an assault charge, however. Angle’s attorney was able to prove in court that he had a legal prescription for the drug Hygetropin and apparently his claim that he was driving around looking for a hotel as opposed to stalking his ex-girlfriend was believed by the judge. Well I am glad to see Angle beat these charges if he did indeed not do anything wrong. We have all read the stories about Angle potentially being addicted to pain pills and how he works himself to the bone and has put himself in danger because of the physical demands of professional wrestling. Some of these stories could be overblown and I would like to think that Angle is taking care of himself and not heading down a dangerous path. Way too many wrestlers have passed away at a young age and many have speculated that Kurt Angle could eventually fall into that category. I sincerely hope that will not be the case. TNA caught a huge break here as it would not look very good on them if their World Champion was found guilty of these charges. I will hold out judgment on the assault charges, but I could find that as being believable. Angle is an extremely intense individual from most accounts, so I think he might be capable of losing his cool out of the ring. But he will have his day in court on those charges and we’ll just have to see what happens.

- The NFL handed down a fairly hefty fine to the New York Jets, general manager Mike Tannenbaum, and former head coach Eric Mangini for failing to report QB Brett Favre’s biceps injury last season. The league hit the Jets organization with a $75,000 fine and Tannenbaum and Mangini with a $25,000 fine each. By doing this, the NFL is sending a clear message that failing to report injuries will not be tolerated. It seems to me that Mangini’s “secrets” are not paying off too well. I have to agree with these fines because you need to keep the competitive balance of the league in order and it is a requirement of every team to report injuries, pure and simple. Favre is walking away unscathed in all this, but I have to say that if he had any hand in trying to tell the Jets not to report his injury, then I think he should reimburse Mangini and Tannenbaum for the fine. That seems like the fair thing to do if he had any part of all this.

- Reports indicate that the rising star linebacker of the New England Patriots, Jerod Mayo, will be out about 6-8 weeks after spraining the MCL in his right knee. There was fear that Mayo’s injury was season ending, but that does not appear to be the case. This is another big injury blow to be added to the list after the 1st week of season. New England’s defense was already struggling to improve and the injury to Mayo does not help. After the departures of Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi, Mayo has been calling more defensive signals and his significance to the defense has only increased. His injury will hurt the team and now it might be that much easier for opponents to put points on the board against the Patriots. New England faces a stiff test this week as they travel to New York to play the Jets. They might catch a break facing a rookie quarterback in Mark Sanchez, but the Patriots could be ripe for an upset if they do not play better than they did against Buffalo.

- In other injury news, Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid said that QB Donovan McNabb is making progress in regards to his injured ribs, but his status for this Sunday against the Saints is still “iffy”. McNabb did not practice yesterday and QB Kevin Kolb worked with the first team. Reid made it clear that Kolb will start and newly acquired QB Jeff Garcia will back him up. If McNabb starts, Kolb will be the backup and Garcia will be the emergency #3 QB. I am not sure how much “progress” McNabb is making, but if he is able to play, the Eagles might need him to win a shootout with the Saints…It was also reported that Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel was looking better in practice and running more briskly. There is still hope that he will play on Sunday against the Raiders, but there has been no official word from the team…

- This just in: Bears QB Jay Cutler was disappointed with his performance against the Packers on Sunday and he vows to do better this week against the Steelers. Wow, really? Well gee Jay, you couldn’t do much worse. Even without Troy Polamalu in the lineup, things will not be any easier for Cutler when the Steelers come to town. Good luck…

- Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is catching flack from all sides for his conservative play calling in the wake of the Buckeyes’ 18-15 loss to USC. It was another failure for Tressel and Ohio State in a high profile game and fans are starting to get irritated and are suggesting that Tressel give up on calling the plays. Tressel’s philosophy is basically built on playing for field position, avoiding turnovers at all cost and relying on defense and special teams to win the game. This was evident in the USC game as he elected to kick a field goal on 4th and goal from the USC 1-yard line early in the 2nd quarter, punted on a 4th and 1 from the USC 45 in the 3rd quarter, and punted again in the 4th quarter instead of trying a long field goal attempt. Immediately, I am having images of Herman Edwards in my head and he’s yelling “HELLO! You play to win the game!” I think that the criticism is warranted because Ohio State definitely was too conservation against USC. Tressel has a dynamic quarterback in Terrell Pryor, yet he doesn’t let Pryor run around as much as he should to try and create plays. Pryor is not a pure pocket passer and he is better when he’s able to scramble and create. Just trying to run, run, run and then punt to protect a slim lead is not that great of a strategy. Without question, Tressel has a long track record of success and should not be in danger of being fired or anything. But at some point, he is going to have to find a way to win these big games because the fans, media, and the school itself will only be able to put up with the disappointments for so long.

- Floyd “Money” Mayweather made some waves yesterday by claiming his race is a factor in how he is viewed. He lashed out at his perceived unfair treatment from the public and the media by saying, "If you're rich, you're a rich n-----. If you're poor, you're a poor n----. If you're smart, you're a smart n-----. At the end of the day, they still look at me as a n-----." Mayweather also went on to say that if he was white, he would be the biggest athlete in America. Sorry Floyd, but you got this one wrong. It is not your race that is holding you back, it is your attitude and the way you carry yourself. I will simply offer up Tiger Woods as an example. Tiger is one of the biggest sports figures in America and the world and he is black. So does everyone view Tiger Woods as a n-----? No, they don’t. And that is because Tiger Woods carries himself with dignity and respect and he’s not out acting like a fool. Now I know a part of boxing is being a showman to try and sell fights and Pay Per Views. But Mayweather goes beyond that with an arrogance and cockiness that turns people off. He claims that anything negative a guy like Oscar De La Hoya does gets swept under the rug and no one criticizes him. Well maybe that is because De La Hoya is respectful, gracious and doesn’t run his mouth all the time. And maybe that is because people like De La Hoya and Woods don’t have police investigating a shooting outside a skating rink and seizing handguns, ammunition and bulletproof vests from their home and cars, unlike Mr. Mayweather. People perceive you as a “n-----“ Floyd because you tend to act that way. You are free to live your life how you please and have whatever lifestyle you want. But everyone else is also entitled to their opinions about you and they don’t like what they see. If you want respect, you earn respect from your actions and how you carry yourself, it’s that simple.

- As of right now, the long time manager of the Atlanta Braves, Bobby Cox, is not committing to return to the team in 2010 for his 25th season. Cox was supposed to retire at the end of the 2008 season, but that did not happen. The criticism of Cox has increased in recent years as Atlanta stares at not making the playoffs for the 4th consecutive season. This is a far cry from the glory years of the team which included 14 straight National League East titles, five pennants and a World Series title. He says that he still loves the game and the competition and that it would be tough to walk away. Cox is currently 4th on the all-time wins list for managers with 2,403 entering Wednesday’s games. I have to say that at this point, Bobby Cox has earned the right to walk away from the game whenever he chooses. He is one of the greatest managers of all-time and will most likely get into the Hall of Fame. I used to love watching the Atlanta Braves teams of the 1990’s. They were an exciting group to watch and their standard of excellence was only matched by the Yankees during that period. Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz were just beasts on their pitching staff and they had stars in Dave Justice and the “Crime Dog” Fred McGriff who could put runs up on the board. It is amazing they did not win more World Series titles with those teams, but I am glad they got the one. Without that title, history would most likely paint those teams as a failure and the players as choke artists. It is a cruel fate that the early 1990’s Buffalo Bills could not escape. If Atlanta did not win a World Series, the Bills would have company as the greatest “losers” of all-time. I wish Cox well on whatever he decides. He is one of the greatest managers in MLB history and he will have a lasting legacy when he finally calls it quits.

- And finally, Linda McMahon has stepped down as the CEO of the WWE and has announced that she will be running for a U.S. Senate seat. Really? Does anyone really think she has a snowball’s chance in hell of winning? I am sure that Linda is a smart woman and a highly capable person, but as we all know, politics and political campaigning is all about mudslinging and tearing the other person down. What is going to happen when her opponents try to dig into Vince McMahon’s closet and paint Linda as just part of some sideshow with wrestlers? Fair or not, I don’t see he standing much of a chance in all this and I don’t think it is a smart move.

College Football Week 2 Preview

The opening weekend of the college football season was definitely exciting. We had Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford’s injury leading to BYU’s upset over the Sooners…Oregon RB LeGarrette Blount losing his mind after Boise State scored a huge win over the Ducks…Alabama and Oklahoma State looking strong in their huge wins…and a great end to the weekend with a classic between Miami and Florida State. Will week 2 be just as exciting? On paper, it doesn’t seem that way. You would think it was a bakery with all the cupcake games out there. But nevertheless, it should be a good weekend of action and there is one huge game everyone will be watching. Let’s take a look at a preview of the action:

#1 Florida (1-0) vs. Troy (0-1) – Seems as though the Gators will be in another charitable mood on Saturday to dish out a beat down to an overmatched opponent. Florida cruised in their opener, crushing Charleston Southern 62-3. The competition gets a little tougher this week, but not that tough. Troy did go to the New Orleans Bowl last season and could hang around for a quarter, but they do not have anywhere near the personnel necessary to stop Florida on defense or match them on the scoreboard with their own offense. Troy lost 31-14 to Bowling Green last week and has lost 8 straight games to ranked teams, so expect another massacre for Florida by the final gun. We will not get a true measure of how good Florida is this year until they get into SEC play.

#2 Texas (1-0) vs. Wyoming (1-0) – Texas easily started their quest toward a National Championship with a 59-20 win over Louisiana-Monroe. Things should not really get much tougher this week as the Longhorns travel to Wyoming to face an overmatched Cowboys team. Texas now looks in prime position to win the Big 12 with Oklahoma’s early season struggles and they look motivated to get better this week. They were not happy that they gave up 20 points to Louisiana-Monroe, even though 10 of those points came in the 4th quarter when the starters were out of the game. Wyoming was last among FBS teams in scoring last season, but they have installed a no-huddle, spread offense this season and it got them a 29-22 win last week over Weber State. Unfortunately, Texas is not Weber State and the Longhorns should easily beat the Cowboys, who haven’t beaten a ranked team since 2002 and have never beaten a team ranked higher than #11. I would expect a win by at least 4-5 touchdowns.

#3 USC (1-0) vs. #8 Ohio State (1-0) – Without question, this is the marquee matchup of the week and the game everyone will be watching. USC had no trouble last week as they routed San Jose State 56-3. Ohio State struggled at home to beat Navy 31-27. So does that make this game a foregone conclusion? I don’t think you can say that, but there is no doubt that USC looks to have the edge and Ohio State needs to deal with recent demons. Over the past 3 seasons, the Buckeyes have struggled in high profile games and they can’t seem to get a huge win on national TV. This includes an embarrassing 35-3 loss to USC last year. Last week’s struggle will not help their confidence, but they do have home field advantage in this game. USC freshman QB Matt Barkley will get his first real test of his young career and he might be overwhelmed. He does have a powerful running game to back him up though, and Ohio State’s defense did look shaky against Navy. All in all, I do think the edge lies with USC and I would expect them to pull out a victory in this one. Ohio State is more than capable of winning, but I will stick with recent history.

#4 Alabama (1-0) vs. Florida International (0-0) – This is another baker’s special here as Alabama should have no trouble in this game. They are coming off of a huge 34-24 win over Virginia Tech and the talk about another run at the National Championship is well underway. The Crimson Tide defense was stifling against Virginia Tech and they only let up a few big plays in an otherwise dominating performance. The Tide did have a let down last year in their 2nd game, an uninspiring 20-6 win against Tulane, after a big opening week win over Clemson. That should serve as a learning lesson though for this team and Florida International, who are only 6-37 on the road since they started the football program in 2002, will be totally overmatched in this game.

#5 Oklahoma State (1-0) vs. Houston (1-0) – Oklahoma State got off to a huge start last week by beating Georgia 24-10 and vaulting up to #5 in the country. They will now have the challenge of trying to stay motivated and not play down to their competition as they enter a stretch of games against weaker opponents before opening Big 12 play. Houston will provide a decent challenge to the Cowboys. They feature an explosive offense and play a wide open style that can score points. These two teams played last September and Oklahoma State won a 56-37 shootout. This game will be a great test to see if Oklahoma State’s defense is really improved this year. The Cowboys could suffer a letdown and this game could be closer than some people think. Houston has won 2 straight games against ranked opponents and the all-time series between these two is tied at 9-9-1. I expect the Cowboys to prevail in this one, but it could be interesting for a while.

#7 Penn State (1-0) vs. Syracuse (0-1) – This figures to be another lackluster game as Syracuse visits Penn State in a rematch of last year’s 55-13 blowout win for the Nittany Lions. Penn State has won 22 straight games at home against unranked opponents and that streak should continue. Penn State had no trouble beating Akron last week 31-7, although they did play poorly in the 2nd half and will look to correct that this week. Syracuse will be totally overmatched and it does not help that former Duke point guard Greg Paulus is still adjusting back to being on the football field in live games after not playing since high school. This one could be ugly and be over early.

#9 BYU (1-0) vs. Tulane (0-1) – BYU is coming off one of the biggest wins in school history and the challenge against Tulane will be not to have a letdown. Florida State visits BYU next week, so this could be labeled as the classic “trap” game. BYU can afford no letdowns if they want a shot at a BCS Bowl game this year. However, Tulane struggled at home last week in a 37-13 loss against Tulsa, so they probably will not offer much resistance against the Cougars. BYU’s defense looked extremely solid against Oklahoma and Tulane’s offense was pretty bad last season, only scoring 16.7 points per game. BYU should score early and often and have no trouble putting this one away as they prepare for a huge game next week against the Seminoles.

#10 California (1-0) vs. Eastern Washington (1-0) – After beating up on Maryland last week, Cal should have no trouble at all doing the same to Eastern Washington. Heisman Trophy candidate RB Jahvid Best ran wild over the Terps and did the same to unranked competition last year. The Golden Bears should have no trouble blowing out an overmatched Eastern Washington team. Things will get much tougher when they hit Pac 10 conference play, so they had better enjoy the cupcakes now.

#11 LSU (1-0) vs. Vanderbilt (1-0) – SEC play begins for both these teams as Vanderbilt travels to LSU. LSU is trying to bounce back from last year’s disappointing 3-5 record in SEC games, the first season below .500 for the Tigers since 1999. LSU has won the past 5 meetings with Vanderbilt, but the teams have not played since 2005. LSU got off to a good start last week, surviving the longest road trip in program history and beating Washington 31-23. Coming back home should be welcomed for the Tigers and they should be able to win this game fairly easily. Vanderbilt was ranked as high as #13 last year, but they have slowly slipped off and are in the middle of the pack as far as SEC teams go. LSU can not afford a slip up, especially at home against an unranked opponent, if they have hopes of a big time Bowl game this year. So I would expect them to be focused and take care of business in this one.

#12 Boise State (1-0) vs. Miami, OH (0-1) – Boise State is coming off of a huge win against Oregon, which now gives them an inside track at going undefeated and getting a BCS Bowl game berth. Even though some may say Boise State could suffer a letdown this week, it seems highly unlikely. Miami (OH) has not beaten a ranked team since 2003 and they finished 2-10 last season. They also suffered the second worst season-opening loss in school history last week, a 42-0 drubbing at the hands of Kentucky. Expect Boise State to roll in this one.

#13 Oklahoma (0-1) vs. Idaho State (0-1) – Oklahoma will try to move forward after the 14-13 loss to BYU and the loss of QB Sam Bradford for up to a month and TE Jermaine Gresham for the entire year. It will be a struggle for Oklahoma to hang in there now, but they should not struggle this week. Even without Bradford, Oklahoma should beat up on Idaho State. Oklahoma has won 24 straight games at home and Idaho State has lost 16 straight on the road and has not beaten an FBS school since 2000. Idaho State also managed a MASSIVE 37 yards of offense last week against Arizona State. You do the math on this one…

#14 Virginia Tech (0-1) vs. Marshall (1-0) – Virginia Tech will try to rebound from a disappointing loss to Alabama in their opener last week. Tech had hopes of potentially making a run at the BCS Title game, but now they have to try and work back for a shot at any BCS Bowl game. The defense was pretty shaky and needs to improve and Tech’s offense needs to get more consistency. They only hung in against Alabama because of a few big plays. Virginia Tech should have an easy time with Marshall, who has not beaten a ranked team since 2003 and have lost their last eight attempts at it. Tech has also not lost a home opener since 1995, so the odds are on their side. I would expect a better defensive effort and Marshall’s defense will not be strong enough to hold Tech off the scoreboard.

#16 TCU (0-0) vs. Virginia (0-1) – TCU begins their season this week as they visit Virginia, who was embarrassed last week in losing to William & Mary at home 26-14. William & Mary is not even an FBS school and Virginia struggled mightily on offense. That does not bode well for the Cavaliers as they go up against one of the best defenses in the county. TCU only gave up 18 touchdowns last year and led the nation in yards from scrimmage allowed per game. There is always a chance TCU could be flat in their first game, but this game should not be that close. The Horned Frogs have high expectations and are coming off their highest final poll finish since 1959. Expect a big win for the Mountain West favorites in this one.

#17 Utah (1-0) vs. San Jose State (0-1) – Utah will look to extend the nation’s longest winning streak to 16 games as they take on a San Jose State team that was spanked by USC 56-3 last week. Utah has won 10 straight non-conference games, as well as their last 8 road games, and they should be able to continue the streak this week. San Jose State looked totally overmatched against USC, giving up 620 yards and only gaining 121. Utah is no USC, but they are certainly way too much for San Jose State to handle.

#18 Notre Dame (1-0) vs. Michigan (1-0) – This game has now turned into a big one and will be the 2nd marquee matchup in the Top 25 of the week. Notre Dame and Michigan are trying to build their programs back up and recapture past glory. It seems as though Notre Dame has the better prospects of the two and they enter this game favored to win. QB Jimmy Clausen was nearly flawless last week against Nevada in Notre Dame’s 35-0 victory. If he can duplicate that performance and the offensive line and defense continue to improve, Notre Dame will be tough to beat. Michigan rallied around Coach Rich Rodriguez and beat back allegations of NCAA rules violations to beat Western Michigan 31-7. They have shutout Notre Dame in two of the past three games at home and lead the series 11-7 at Ann Arbor. It will take a big effort though for Michigan to win because Notre Dame looks like they might meet some of the hype this year. I don’t think Michigan is that far along as a team and Notre Dame should win this game.

#19 North Carolina (1-0) vs. Connecticut (1-0) – This has the potential to be a pretty good football game in my estimation. It might not turn out that way however, if North Carolina repeats the defensive performance they had last week against The Citadel. The Tar Heels forced 4 turnovers and only allowed 30 yards rushing. Connecticut lost star RB Donald Brown to the NFL, so they will not be as dynamic this year. They put in a good rushing performance last week against Ohio and they need even more if they hope to pull the upset. It will also require better QB play from Zach Frazer. North Carolina pulled an upset of Connecticut last year 38-12 at home. Can the reverse happen this time around? I think it is possible, but the loss of Donald Brown might be too much to overcome and I expect a Tar Heels victory.

#21 Georgia (0-1) vs. South Carolina (1-0) – This game could turn out to be downright ugly and a real defensive struggle. Since Steve Spurrier became South Carolina’s coach, neither team has scored more than 18 points in a game. You also have two teams that struggled mightily on the offensive side of the ball last week and it is the SEC opener for both squads, which tend to be played close to the vest. Georgia obviously has to be deflated after losing to Oklahoma State and Spurrier has had 2 extra days to prepare for this one, so it could be good. I have to believe that Georgia will be desperate to avoid a 0-2 start and they will find a way to win this one. A loss would be an absolute disaster for them and the dreams of a BCS Bowl game will be a distant memory.

#22 Nebraska (1-0) vs. Arkansas State (1-0) – Nebraska got off to a good start last week by beating Florida Atlantic 49-3, but the defense was described as “soft” by head coach Bo Pelini. The Cornhuskers gave up 358 yards to Florida Atlantic and were not as physical as they could have been. They can probably get away with that again this week, since Arkansas State is only a slight step up in competition. Nebraska needs to be careful though because Arkansas State does have some talented athletes and the Cornhuskers have a huge game against Virginia Tech next week, so this could be another so-called “trap” game. However, I would still expect a pretty big victory for Nebraska here.

#23 Cincinnati (1-0) vs. Southeast Missouri State (1-0) – All the talk about Rutgers winning the Big East this year has gone away after Cincinnati pounded the Scarlet Knights 47-15. The win set the Bearcats up as the favorite to win the Big East once again and propelled Cincinnati into the Top 25. They look to be a more dangerous team than people expected and they should destroy Southeast Missouri State, who has been outscored 174-13 in their last three games against FBS schools.

#24 Kansas (1-0) vs. UTEP (0-1) – Kansas will be looking to win a non-conference road game for the first time since 2003 and the return of star WR Dezmon Briscoe could help that. Briscoe was suspended for the first game of the season for a violation of team rules during the spring. His return could strength an already talented team, who should be able to handle UTEP. The Miners lost to Buffalo last week 23-17 and Kansas is certainly much more talented. UTEP has lost 9 straight times to ranked opponents dating back to 1997 and they are 3-44 all-time against ranked teams. Even with the odds in their favor, Kansas is not planning to overlook UTEP and that should lead to a big win.

#25 Missouri (1-0) vs. Bowling Green (1-0) – Missouri had an impressive opening win last week against Illinois and the performance has sparked hope that the team can have a good year even after graduating one of the most successful classes in school history and losing Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin. If they can get solid play from sophomore QB Blaine Gabbert, it could be a better than expected year for the young Tigers. Bowling Green will provide a good test, but they are a notch below Illinois. Bowling Green did defeat Missouri back in 2001 and 2002, teams that were also coached by Gary Pinkel. They also sport an 11-8 record against major conference teams since those seasons, so Missouri will have to come prepared to get a victory.

The Game’s Quick Hits

Recap: Steelers 13, Titans 10 OT – The NFL season got off to a great start last night, even if it wasn’t very pretty. Pittsburgh was able to make enough clutch plays to escape with a 13-10 overtime win over the Titans. The first half of the game was a total defensive struggle and neither team looked particularly good on offense. The Steelers looked worse though as they could not run the ball and only got going in the final two minutes of the half. The defense held them in the game, even though All-Pro safety Troy Polamalu left the game due to injury. A Titans player fell on his left knee after a blocked FG and it was reported after the game that Polamalu sprained his MCL and could be out 3-6 weeks. They are fortunate that the injury is not any worse and their defense is strong enough to survive for a few weeks without him. The Steelers finally were able to move the ball in the second half by relying on the arm of QB Ben Roethlisberger. After Tennessee grabbed a 10-7 lead late in the game, Roethlisberger got the Steelers going for a tying field goal and then was driving the Steelers down for the winning score in regulation, but WR Hines Ward fumbled on the Titans’ 5-yard line. However, Pittsburgh won the coin toss and Roethlisberger drove them right down the field for a game winning 33-yard field goal by K Jeff Reed. Once again, the Steelers used the formula of strong defense and clutch play from Roethlisberger, who was 33-for-43 for 363 yards with 1 TD and 2 INTs, to win. They really need to get the running game in order though, considering Tennessee held them to only 36 yards rushing. Pittsburgh also needs to improve on converting short yardage plays. They stunk it up in that area last night and that could cost them sometime this year if they are not careful. This loss will by no means hurt the Titans in the long run. They played a tough game and the defense looks fierce. I think they will be fine and can be a force when it comes to playoff time. Both teams made a statement that they will be contenders this year.

Recap: #15 Georgia Tech 30, Clemson 27 – In what was a game of back and forth momentum, Georgia Tech barely escaped with a 3 point win after squandering a 24-0 lead. Early on it seemed like this game would be a blowout. Clemson came out extremely flat and blew great field position by making costly mistakes and turning the ball over. This allowed Georgia Tech to build a 24-0 lead on the strength of a long TD run, a punt return TD, and a fake FG which resulted in a TD pass from kicker Scott Blair. From that point on however, Clemson’s defense stepped up and Georgia Tech could do absolutely nothing offensively. The Tigers stuffed the running game and Georgia Tech’s passing game was dreadful. Clemson scored 27 straight points to take the lead, but then they fell apart. Georgia Tech finally put together two late drives for field goals and escaped with a 3 point win. From what I saw, if a team is able to contain the Yellow Jackets’ spread option run game, they can be beat. QB Josh Nesbitt looked extremely shaky throwing the ball and he only completed 3 of 14 passes and threw 2 interceptions. That is not the way to get it done. I think Virginia Tech’s defense could easily stuff Georgia Tech and I am not sure if Georgia Tech will be able to hang in there for a major Bowl game this year. Clemson has enough offensive weapons to stay in games and they will always be a tough opponent for anyone in the ACC this year.

- Well it seems as though Minnesota Vikings QB Brett Favre just can not stay out of the news these days. Favre told the media on Wednesday that the New York Jets knew about his torn biceps tendon last season, but they did not list him on any injury reports. Favre also said that he was receptive to sitting out and would have done so, but he was encouraged to keep playing even though he felt he was starting to hurt the team. Teams in the past have been fined anywhere from $10,000 to $25,000 (no draft picks have ever been taken though) for not being forthright on injury reports and the NFL is now looking into Favre’s statements. New York Jets’ GM Mike Tannenbaum stated that he will take responsibility and cooperate in a league investigation for not listing Favre, and said that he should have been listed as “probable” during the final 5 games last year. If you ask me, this comes as absolutely no surprise. The Jets were trying to fight for a division title last year, so surely they did not want to let teams know that Favre had an injury. They probably did not want the media circus and distraction that would have come along with reporting it either. Like it or not, an injury is a target, so everyone kept quiet about it. I don’t agree with the practice of doing this because the rules about reporting injuries should be followed for competitive fairness. Who knows if the NFL will end up fining the Jets, but at least it seems Favre will be levelheaded this year and sit down if he is hurt and not jeopardize team success.

- No doubt that it is a new world out there as the Shawne Merriman/Tila Tequila saga is playing out on Twitter. The two are exchanging charges and countercharges on their feeds. Tequila is planning to meet with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office on Friday as the investigation will continue to determine whether or not Merriman will be charged. Merriman is sticking to his position that he was only trying to help Tequila because she was drunk and he intends to clear his name and get to focusing on football. Tequila counters by saying Merriman is lying and she will not be a victim in all this, especially when someone lays their hands on her. This seems like it will just turn into a bizarre situation, but as I stated before, I don’t think Tequila is on a witch hunt here. She most likely is well off financially and Merriman has more to lose here, so of course he will deny any wrongdoing. I guess we will have to see what charges, if any, get levied against Merriman to determine how serious this could have been.

- Other NFL News and Notes: Recently traded defensive lineman Richard Seymour continues to not report to the Oakland Raiders and the Raiders have responded by sending him the dreaded “5 day letter”, which means he has 5 days to report to the team or be suspended. He is listed on the Raiders’ 53 man roster, so if nothing were to happen before Monday night’s game against the Chargers, he would still collect a paycheck for the game. Now I understand Seymour’s displeasure with the sudden trade and having to leave a championship caliber team, but I do not condone highly paid athletes getting money for nothing. I am pleased to see Oakland giving him an ultimatum because he does not deserve any money or special treatment here. Seymour is starting to now look childish and unprofessional in all this. At this point, I say suck it up and go play.

The Vikings have released WR Bobby Wade just days before the season opener. This seems to be a puzzling move considering that Wade has led the Vikings in receptions the past 2 seasons. The addition of Percy Harvin obviously means fewer balls to go around, but you never know when injuries will pop up and I would think Minnesota would want to have as many weapons as possible. Harvin battled some injuries at Florida and WR Bernard Berrian has been slowed by a hamstring injury already. I don’t think this is that smart of a move and Minnesota better hope they stay healthy.

It was announced Thursday that NFL fans’ whose local teams’ games are blacked out will be able to watch them for free online, though not until after midnight. Commissioner Goodell said that the league understands that the economy is making it harder to buy tickets, so I suppose this is a compromise and better than nothing. Many have said the league should be sensitive to the economic times and waive the blackouts for this season so fans can watch their local teams’ games. On the other hand, giving away the product for free would not encourage people to try and go buy tickets. The NFL has a product it is trying to protect and I understand the business part of it. I certainly do not want things to get to a point where I would have to buy games on Pay Per View or something of that sort. But due to how bad things are in this economy, I think it is a unique time and they should allow the blackouts to be waived for this season only. They can revert back to the usual rules next season when things will hopefully be better in economic terms.

John Madden is back in the NFL and will be an unpaid “special adviser” to Commissioner Roger Goodell and mostly have influence on the NFL competition committee. This is a really cool move in my opinion. Without question, Madden is one of the most knowledgeable people out there when it comes to the game of football and I am glad that he will be offering his opinions and advice to try and improve the game. Madden has a love and passion for the NFL and I am sure he will be able to help in some capacity.

- BMW Championship Update: The second to last FedEx Cup Playoff event got underway yesterday and Rory Sabbatini and Steve Marino were able to jump out to a 1-stroke lead after firing 5-under rounds of 66. Bo Van Pelt and Marc Leishman each shot 4-under rounds of 67 and Tiger Woods is in a pack of players who shot 3-under rounds of 68. This is pretty much an all-star tournament with the top players in the world, so getting off to a good start is desirable. Without question, this is the best round that Tiger has shot to open a tournament in the past few weeks and he seems to have figured some things out. These last two events will determine the FedEx Cup Champion, so it is the perfect time for Tiger to rise to the occasion. I give him a great shot to win this week. FedEx Cup point leader Steve Stricker did not get off to such a great start. He suffered a three putt bogey on his last hole as he shot a 1-over par 72 for the day. Now he will be in the position to have to chase Woods, unlike last week when Stricker was hunting Tiger.

- Miami Heat all-star guard Dwayne Wade says that the contract extension talks are now over and he will be focusing on the upcoming season. As expected, Wade is not signing any extension with the Heat right now and is looking at testing free agency next summer. Obviously, this is not surprising and I do not blame the guy. That is how it works in sports with free agency and players have every right to go out and try to get as much money as they can. I certainly would do the same if I had the opportunity. Next summer might be crazy as LeBron James, Wade, Chris Bosh, and Amare Stoudemire could all hit free agency. Teams are trying to clear cap room now and we could see a huge power shift in the NBA. It will be fun to see what goes down and I bet Wade will probably have a monster season again this year, carrying the Heat on his back to the playoffs.

-U.S. Open Update: Things are starting to wind down at the U.S. Open and the only single’s action today was the last two men’s quarterfinals. In the first one, #6 seed Juan Martin del Potro rallied after losing the first set to beat #16 seed Marin Cilic 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1. We still do not know who his opponent will be because the night match between #3 seed Rafael Nadal and #11 seed Fernando Gonzalez was postponed due to rain with Nadal leading 7-6, 6-6.

NFL Week 1 Preview

NFL football is back folks. The excitement around here is at a fever pitch as the season opens tonight with the Steelers taking on the Titans. Even though it is only Thursday, it is never too early to take a look at all the week 1 games, so let’s have a preview.

Titans at Steelers (Thurs.) – Pittsburgh will be looking to come out strong as they begin defense of their championship. The Titans will be looking to make a statement as well and we will all get a look at the game many predicted would be the AFC Championship Game last season. With all the emotions running high, I would have to give the edge to the Steelers in this one. They would not want to lay an egg in their home opener and the team has talked about staying hungry and focused. It should be a defensive struggle between two of the top units in the league, but I think Pittsburgh has more diversity to get the job done. I am not sure that QB Kerry Collins will be able to do a whole lot in the air and the Steelers should be able to hold RB Chris Johnson and RB LenDale White in check. Expect QB Ben Roethlisberger, WR Hines Ward, and RB Willie Parker to put enough points on the board to secure a victory. Prediction: Steelers

Dolphins at Falcons – This has the potential to be a very good game to open the season and we will get a look at how both teams start 2009 after their surprising 2008 campaigns. If I had to predict which team would come back to earth this year, I would have to go with Miami. I believe they snuck up on people last year and that will not be the case this season. Atlanta has tons of weapons now with QB Matt Ryan, RB Michael Turner, WR Roddy White, and newly acquired TE Tony Gonzalez. They will be on the fast turf of the Georgia Dome and I don’t think Miami will be able to keep pace. The Dolphins rely on ball control and some trick plays, but I don’t expect them to have enough in this one. Prediction: Falcons

Broncos at Bengals – Both of these teams will come into 2009 with higher expectations than they probably should have. It has really been an offseason of turmoil for the Broncos. QB Jay Cutler demanded a trade that was granted and WR Brandon Marshall did his best to try and follow suit and be a disruption to the team. The Bengals are trying to get back on track with a healthy QB Carson Palmer and new dedication from WRs Chad Ochocinco and Chris Henry. Denver’s defense has gotten progressively worse in recent years, so the Bengals should be able to score points. Cincinnati’s defense is not much better though, but it remains to be seen how well new QB Kyle Orton plays, especially with his injured finger, and how much Denver gets in the running game. This is close to a toss up in my opinion and on opening week I think you have to give the edge to the home team. Prediction: Bengals

Vikings at Browns – The main focus on both these teams in the offseason was on the quarterback position. The Vikings were able to lure QB Brett Favre out of retirement once again while the Browns took the entire preseason before deciding to go with QB Brady Quinn as their starter…or is it QB Derek Anderson? Coach Eric Mangini refuses to tell the public (although it has leaked that it is in fact Quinn starting) because he thinks it will give them an edge. Clearly though, the Vikings have a much better team than the Browns, regardless of who is at QB. Favre will come in and stabilize the offense, running it efficiently and letting RB Adrian Peterson be the driving force. Combine that with a stout defense and Minnesota should be contenders this year. They have more than enough to pick up a win on the road in week 1. Prediction: Vikings

Jaguars at Colts – It was an offseason of change for the Colts as Coach Tony Dungy retired and WR Marvin Harrison was let go. QB Peyton Manning remains constant though and that is always a good thing for the Colts. The window on another trip to the Super Bowl is quickly closing and this might be the last shot for the Colts. The Jaguars strike me as a pretty mediocre team and I don’t expect them to make much noise this year. Both the offense and defense are good enough to keep them in games, but the playoffs will not be in reach. Even through all the changes, expect the Colts to have enough to handle the Jaguars at home in game 1. Prediction: Colts

Lions at Saints – The Detroit Lions ride that huge cold streak into New Orleans, having lost 17 straight regular season games. Is this finally the week they get a win? Don’t count on it. QB Drew Brees and the Saints’ high powered offense should be able to light up the scoreboard against a Lions team that still has a long way to go before even being respectable. I believe it was a poor decision by the Lions to start QB Matthew Stafford in week 1. I said all along that QB Daunte Culpepper was motivated to do well and gave the Lions the best chance to get a win and get the losing monkey off their back. Expect Stafford to have a good moment or two, but certainly not do enough to get a win. Prediction: Saints

Cowboys at Buccaneers – The Cowboys are trying to steady the ship and get back to the playoffs after releasing WR Terrell Owens and getting some team chemistry going. The jury is still out on how things will go, but Dallas should have enough to go into Tampa and get a win. The Buccaneers looked pretty terrible in the preseason, especially on offense, and that was punctuated by the firing of offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski. The Cowboys have a pretty good defense, so I do not expect Tampa Bay to score much at all in this one. QB Tony Romo and the ‘Boys should roll fairly comfortably. Prediction: Cowboys

Eagles at Panthers – This is a great matchup of potential contenders in the NFC. The Eagles are getting a great deal of Super Bowl love and I agree that they have a great shot. QB Michael Vick will not be available for this game and that might be a good thing if Philly is able to get some rhythm on offense. Both of these teams sport a good defense and you would think that a 12-4 Panthers team at home would be a good pick in week 1. I disagree however. I don’t know exactly what it is, but I believe Carolina will not be as good this year. I watched them during week 3 of the preseason and they didn’t look too good in the “dress rehearsal” game against the Ravens. It might not be that much of an upset, but I am taking the Eagles to get a big road win to start the year. Prediction: Eagles

Chiefs at Ravens – I really do not need to go into great detail about this one, especially for those who have read my preseason thoughts about the Ravens. Baltimore has looked great in the preseason and the Chiefs are just in turmoil. The Ravens defense looks primed and ready to go while the Chiefs offense looks ready to spiral down the toilet. I expect a huge home opening win for the Ravens and more good things to come. Prediction: Ravens

Jets at Texans – This game will mark the regular season debut of Jets rookie QB Mark Sanchez. All accounts say that Sanchez looks ready for the job and he has handled himself fairly well in the preseason with some solid play. But how will he react when the games actually count? The Jets will try to support Sanchez with a solid running game and some good play on defense. Many are saying that the Texans could be primed for a playoff run this year. They certainly have enough weapons on offense, but the defense is still lacking enough playmakers. The Texans did not look that great against the Vikings and Brett Favre in the preseason, but I am not sure the Jets and Sanchez will bring a great deal more. It seems tough to pinpoint an upset this week, but considering the hype around the Jets and Sanchez, it might be one to take the Texans and with them being at home, that’s what I will do. Prediction: Texans

Redskins at Giants – The Giants will look to get back on track toward another shot at the Super Bowl while the Redskins would be happy to just make it into the playoffs. There was some unrest in the offseason for the Redskins as it was reported the team tried to trade for QB Jay Cutler. This obviously did not sit well with QB Jason Campbell, so the Redskins will have to try and get the job done with him. Campbell has slowly improved, but he is not an elite level player and can only do so much. The defense will still take some time to gel I believe and the Redskins are only about a .500 team in my opinion. The Giants have more talent across the board and QB Eli Manning should be motivated to prove he is worth the huge contract extension he received in the offseason. Although I am not sure who will be catching passes for him, the Giants run game and defense should be enough to carry them at home in the opener. Prediction: Giants

49ers at Cardinals – The surprising Cardinals will be out to try and prove that last season’s trip to the Super Bowl was no fluke. QB Kurt Warner returned to the team and WR Anquan Boldin will once again have to play despite not receiving any big money. The loser of the Super Bowl in previous years has had trouble even making the playoffs, so there is a chance the Cardinals will crash and burn. I don’t foresee that happening in week 1 though. The 49ers and Coach Mike Singletary are slowly building the team back up, but they have more to do. The offense is still lacking firepower and Singletary is going with the steady hand of Shaun Hill at QB. WR Michael Crabtree continues to be an idiot and not sign with the team, so maybe that is an omen of things to come. The Cards should have enough at home to get a win. Prediction: Cardinals

Rams at Seahawks – Both of these teams need to do some serious rebuilding after poor seasons last year. The Seahawks are in a much better position to do that with the return of QB Matt Hasselbeck from injury and the addition of WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh. The Rams don’t have much outside of RB Steven Jackson and it will probably be another long season for them. Both of these teams should not be factors in the NFC playoff picture and I have to go with the Seahawks at home for the week 1 win. Prediction: Seahawks

Bears at Packers – Outside of the Steelers/Titans opening night matchup, this has the potential to be the game of the week. Bears QB Jay Cutler will try to take Chicago into Lambeau Field and get a win over the Packers. Without question, Cutler is a huge upgrade at QB and the Bears might finally be able to score some points through the air and provide some balance to the running game spearheaded by RB Matt Forte. QB Aaron Rodgers continues to grow into a star player, but he will have a challenge on his hands going up against the Bears defense. This game is a real toss up considering that both defenses may have the edge over the other. In a tight game like this, especially on opening day, I have to give the edge to the home team. Prediction: Packers

Bills at Patriots – The early game on Monday Night Football features the regular season debut of WR Terrell Owens for the Bills as they travel to New England. Patriots QB Tom Brady is good to go after a shoulder “scare” in the preseason and the Patriots look ready to pick back up where they left off before Brady got hurt. The Bills have shown nothing on offense in the preseason and fired their offensive coordinator because of it. The Patriots should have an easy time picking up the win. Prediction: Patriots

Chargers at Raiders – The final game of week 1 features QB Philip Rivers and RB LaDainian Tomlinson taking the Chargers into Oakland. Once again, the Raiders look like they are in disarray and are no closer to being a better team. The Chargers have been notorious in recent years for getting off to slow starts, but I do not anticipate that happening this year, at least in this game. Unfortunately, the final game of opening week could turn into a snoozer and a Chargers blowout. Prediction: Chargers

The Game’s Quick Hits

Preview: #15 Georgia Tech (1-0) vs. Clemson (1-0) – In addition to opening night in the NFL, we will also be treated to this game as Clemson travels to Georgia Tech to open ACC play for both schools. Georgia Tech has hopes of winning the ACC Coastal Division over Virginia Tech and trying to get to a BCS Bowl game, but they did not look like a team ready for that against Jacksonville State. They performed poorly at times and had 5 fumbles, looking mentally out of it. They can not afford a similar performance against Clemson, even being at home. Clemson features dynamic RB C.J. Spiller and have the ability to put points on the board. This should be a great ACC contest and I would expect a close game. Clemson is more than capable of pulling an upset, but if Georgia Tech limits their mistakes and plays good football, their overall better level of talent should allow them to win this game.

- The NFL’s all-time leading rusher and future Hall of Famer, Emmitt Smith, took a shot at Cowboys’ QB Tony Romo and Coach Wade Phillips by questioning whether they have the leadership ability to make Dallas successful. Smith said that Romo does not do enough to demand excellence from his teammates and he needs to be more vocal as to what is expected to be a great team. He also said that Phillips has the responsibility to bring the team together and that he should not just act tough, but actually be tough and instill discipline from day 1. This approach has worked for coaches like Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin and the Cowboys need it. Hey, I wholeheartedly agree with what Emmitt Smith is saying here. Romo and Phillips both strike me as people who have too much of a laid back attitude and not enough of a killer instinct. To win in the NFL, you have to be driven and have the intensity to go out there and be the absolute best you can and also drag the best out of your teammates. I don’t see strong leadership from either one, and that is one of the reasons why I think it will be a struggle for Dallas to make the playoffs this year. There seems to be no sense of urgency from the Cowboys and their team is less talented than it has been. I give credit to Emmitt for telling it like it is and Romo and Phillips would be wise to listen.

- Sources are now saying that the Denver Broncos and problem child WR Brandon Marshall are now talking about a possible contract extension. Part of Marshall’s problems with the Broncos has been the fact that he has not been able to get a long-term deal, so the fact that the two sides are now talking is encouraging. Here is a prime example of why the NFL is strictly business sometimes and how money talks. I bet if Brandon Marshall gets his money, he will shut the hell up, play well, and be a good teammate. I can’t say that I blame Denver for finally trying to lock this guy up. He is extremely talented and when on the field, he’s very productive. They can not just get a player of his caliber out of thin air, and it is hard to find a comparable player out of college or elsewhere because he has proven what he can bring to the table already in the NFL. I do not agree with seemingly rewarding the guy with a big money deal after the way he has acted, but business is business and a happy Brandon Marshall can help the Denver Broncos win football games.

- It now seems that the Shawne Merriman/Tila Tequila situation will be a full blown he said, she said drama and the District Attorney’s Office is now reviewing whether or not Merriman will be charged. Tequila’s attorney, Alan S. Gutman, has released a statement saying that Merriman’s explanation of the events, claiming that he was only trying to help and protect Tequila because she was drunk, is just “spin” and will be totally discredited. Gutman claimed that Merriman’s actions were illegal and indefensible and that society will not tolerate a physical assault on a 93 pound woman by a 270 pound football player. Well he is right about that, but who knows which side of the story is true. That is why we have our legal system in this country and the truth probably falls somewhere in the middle. I know nothing about Shawne Merriman as a person obviously, but I can believe that he sometimes could bring his intensity from the football field into other situations of his life where he shouldn’t be doing that. I doubt that Tequila is specifically out to ruin his life, so he is probably guilty of something, even if it is only bad judgment. When will these athletes learn that you can’t be out drinking and partying at 4 am in the morning and putting themselves in stupid situations? I can only hope the truth does come out in this case and that Merriman gets disciplined by the NFL if it is warranted.

- In more off-the-field legal drama, the woman accusing Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger of sexually assaulting her has said she will drop the civil suit if he acknowledges the rape and apologizes to her. She also would want Roethlisberger to donate $100,000 to the Committee to Aid Abused Women, a Reno, NV non-profit group, and her attorney claims that she is only seeking “to regain the dignity that was taken from her.” Excuse me a moment while I have a good laugh! Now as you all may know, being a Ravens fan makes me have no love for the Steelers. But even I can feel for a guy from Pittsburgh when he is trying to get railroaded. This lawsuit against him is an absolute farce and she is only trying to do a money grab on Big Ben. There is already plenty of evidence being leaked that shows her joking about a relationship with Roethlisberger and there is the very big fact that she did not bother to report anything or seem distraught to others after this so-called “rape” occurred. I am glad Roethlisberger and his attorneys flatly rejected this request and will continue to fight on. I’m pretty sure that Ben is a stand up guy and he would not do something like this. The woman is heading down a really dangerous path though and maybe she is just in too deep now or is getting bad advice from a sleazy lawyer who thinks he can win the case. As they say, more money more problems, and even though I dislike the Steelers with a passion, I hope Roethlisberger beats down this woman in court.

-Other NFL News and Notes: Vikings QB Brett Favre said he will not let his consecutive games played streak hurt the team this year. Favre will make his 270th straight start this weekend against the Browns, tying what the NFL considers to be the longest streak held by former Vikings defensive lineman Jim Marshall. He said that he will “absolutely” sit if he is not healthy enough and he may not make it through all 16 games. Well I am glad to see that Favre is taking the smart approach to this. Everyone knows he is a warrior, but he is at a point in his career where a less than 100% Favre might not be better than a 100% healthy Tarvaris Jackson. As I stated, if Favre can manage the game for the Vikings and not make mistakes, things will be good for Minnesota.

Coach Eric Mangini finally made up his mind and informed QB Brady Quinn and QB Derek Anderson as to who would be the starter. Mangini did not inform the public, but as you would expect, word has leaked out and Brady Quinn will be the starter. Even though I believe Mangini looks like a fool with this whole “secret” nonsense, I think he made the right move going with Quinn. Quinn looked a little better in the preseason games and I think he has the chance to develop into a solid quarterback. I have heard people say that Quinn has been given every chance to take the job and hasn’t done it, but I fail to see any solid confidence being shown to him. Hopefully now he will get a chance to shine and show his skills because the Browns desperately need as much help as they can get.

The Terrell Owens “blow up” watch is now officially on. When asked about his thoughts on Buffalo’s no-huddle offense, Owens said that he’s not a big fan of it and he will “deal with it.” He also said that the offense is tiring him out after missing four weeks with an injured toe. This just has disaster written all over it, doesn’t it? The Bills will not be a good team this year. I have to think defenses will be all over Owens and QB Trent Edwards is not good enough to compensate for that. The pot is slowly heating up and will be coming to a boil, just wait for it.

Kansas City Chiefs QB Matt Cassel participated in practice for the 2nd day this week, but he was not able to go through a full and normal workout. He wore a brace on his left knee and will officially be listed as questionable for this Sunday against the Ravens. I keep trying to tell them…just sit him down. The Ravens defense will destroy him, especially on a gimpy knee.

Denver Broncos QB Kyle Orton is still optimistic he will be able to play against the Packers this Sunday despite his dislocated right index finger. Orton has been wearing a glove in practice but does not particularly like it. This does not seem like a good idea for him. All it will take is one hit or one shot on a helmet and he could worsen the injury. I have heard he can’t make long, down-the-field throws, so this just seems foolish to me. QB Chris Simms is the backup and he is not a great option either, but at least he doesn’t have an issue with his throwing hand.

Looking for a surprise on Twitter this Sunday? Watch out for Chad Ochocinco then. He claims that he will have a surprise for everyone and that he has found loopholes in the NFL policy which bans the use of social networking sites immediately before and during games. I really think he should be more worried about preparing for the game against the Broncos than what he will be doing on Twitter, don’t you? Prove that you are not washed up yet Chad, then you can run your mouth and “entertain”.

- Allen Iverson broke the story on his own twitter feed Wednesday morning by saying “God chose Memphis as the place that I will continue my career.” So apparently Iverson will be taking the 1-year, $3.5 million contract that he was offered by Memphis. As I stated a few days ago, this was Iverson’s only option left. At least with the Grizzles he will probably get substantial playing time and he is making more money than any other team was willing to give him. At this point, both sides are saying the right things and Iverson says he wants to help Memphis win and that he will “shine” and lead by example. It remains to be seen what might happen if the minutes on the court start to dwindle though. Hopefully he can ease into being a role player and accept the fact that he is entering the twilight of his career. If he wants to try and win a ring though, he will still have to play well this season and then seriously consider going to a contender and accepting that he will have to come off the bench. I’m not sure he can let himself do that though, but it will either be that or retirement for A.I.

- U.S. Open Update: The amazing run of 17-year old American Melanie Oudin has finally come to an end as she lost to #9 seed Caroline Wozniacki in straight sets 6-2, 6-2. Oudin looked like she ran out of steam and was fatigued. She made way too many unforced errors and let Wozniacki dictate the action. Oudin’s future does look very bright though. Wozniacki will now play Yanina Wickmayer in one of the women’s semifinals. Wickmayer defeated Kateryna Bondarenko 7-5, 6-4. On the men’s side of the draw, #1 seed Roger Federer continues to roll along. He defeated #12 seed Robin Soderling in 4 sets, 6-0, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6. I will give Soderling credit for coming back after the 1st set and making Roger work for it, but he just did not have enough. Federer will now face #4 seed Novak Djokovic in one semifinal after he defeated #10 seed Fernando Verdasco in 4 sets. Djokovic has the ability to beat Federer, but will he come to play and bring his best? Sometimes Djokovic is brilliant and other times he looks terrible. He will need to be closer to brilliant to beat Roger. And in other important U.S. Open news, a man was arrested after running on the court to kiss Rafael Nadal following his victory Tuesday night. Well Nadal is certainly a strapping young man…feel the man love. LOL