ESPN reported this morning that the long awaited firing of Notre Dame Football Head Coach Charlie Weis finally took place. Now the real chaos begins with coaching hiring and firing season at its earliest stage.
Last week I listed a couple of candidates that were constantly popping up as a replacement for Weis. This week a new name could be added to that list the University of Oklahoma Football Head Coach Bob Stoops.
ESPN has even recently reported that Stoops was already offered the ND job without an interview. Something that is somewhat rare specifically to a strong tradition school such as Notre Dame.
There has also been word closer to the situation that this has been an ongoing deal for the past couple weeks. Stoops could be in South Bend as early as tomorrow to discuss a deal. Why would Stoops leave Oklahoma? That remains to be seen but one can say that the possible departure of QB Sam Bradford has a lot to do with it.
The best thing to do is just sit back and relax and watch the mayhem unfold
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Notre Dame Watch: Time for a Change
Charlie Weis’s days as Notre Dame Football Head Coach are numbered and frankly it’s about time. The Irish coach has accumulated a record of 35-26 (.573) a standard that is far below what we have come to expect from Notre Dame Football.
Weis started out strong at Notre Dame finishing the 2005 season with a 9-3 record after losing the Fiesta bowl to Ohio State and a 10-3 record after losing the Sugar bowl to LSU in the 2006 season. Perhaps the most important fact about these seasons is that Weis had Heisman Candidate Brady Quinn and record breaking WR Jeff Samardjia at his disposal, both players recruited by previous Notre Dame HC Ty Willingham.
Since then Weis has shown his true colors going 16-20 (.444) without Willingham’s leftovers despite three consecutive Top 10 recruiting classes. Which including landing Jimmy Clausen, the most highly anticipated quarterback to come out of high school since John Elway.
Notre Dame has failed to consistently be in National Championship contention since Lou Holtz retired after the 1996 season and can you honestly remember a time since Weis has been HC that they won a game that they were not favored in. In order for Notre Dame to return to the prestigious program they once were, a new coach with a proven background is the only reliable solution. There have been a bunch of names being thrown around and I have picked three that have been intriguing to me.
Urban Meyer (University of Florida, Head Coach)- Many look at this move as pure fantasy but you have to remember that Meyer has referred to the Notre Dame job as his “dream job” numerous times and quite frankly I feel that Notre Dame would be willing to make a record breaking offer to Meyer.
Brian Kelly (University of Cincinnati, Head Coach)- Kelly spent the end of the 2008 season being on a number of school’s short lists for Head coaching jobs. His current undefeated season with Cincinnati has only helped his chance but the word is that Kelly has some skeletons in his closet that are preventing big name programs from pulling the trigger.
Mike Leach (Texas Tech, Head Coach) - Leach’s name has not been mentioned as much as last years coaching carousal and to be honest I am shocked. College Football is entering an era where the spread and the wildcat are slowly but surely taking charge and Leach’s dynamic spread offense has been one of the most successful schemes in the game.
Other possible candidates- Bob Stoops, Jon Gruden, Charlie Strong, Greg Davis
Whatever happened to sportsmanship?
So as you may have heard on every news station this past week... in a girls college soccer game between University of New Mexico and Brigham Young University, player Elizabeth Lambert made headlines for her unusual on-field behavior.
Punching, kicking, tripping and eventually a vicious ponytail grab from behind towards an opponent has put Lambert's name on the tip of everyone's tongue. Her rough actions have caused a national uproar for the way she behaved towards the other team. And the odd part of it is that she only received one yellow card throughout the game. If you watch the video you can clearly see she should have received a red card and been ejected from the game.
Now Lambert has come out with a statement saying that she regrets her actions and she has realized it made her look like a monster. "I definitely feel because I am a female it did bring about a lot more attention than if a male were to do it. It's more expected for men to go out there and be rough," she said.
However, that statement jujst doesnt seem to sit right with me. I feel as if she should be sincerely apologizing to the other team as well as all the fans who support her. The fact that she is implying that if this was an action of a male sports player it would not be dragged on like her situation- seems like a sad excuse on her part. Yes soccer is a physical sport, and males tend to be more aggressive on the field and it goes unnoticed- however pulling someones hair so hard that they fall right to the ground is simply inexcusable and childish. She intentionally acted that way for a reason and should not be trying to blame the media for the way this issue has played out so far.
The apology doesn't seem to make up for her conduct on the field... However the New Mexico coach Kit Vela announced that Lambert has been suspended indefinitely from the team prohibiting her from practicing, conditioning, and taking part in any game.
So what do you think of the situation? Do you think she received the correct punishment for her actions or has this story been blown out of proportion?
Punching, kicking, tripping and eventually a vicious ponytail grab from behind towards an opponent has put Lambert's name on the tip of everyone's tongue. Her rough actions have caused a national uproar for the way she behaved towards the other team. And the odd part of it is that she only received one yellow card throughout the game. If you watch the video you can clearly see she should have received a red card and been ejected from the game.
Now Lambert has come out with a statement saying that she regrets her actions and she has realized it made her look like a monster. "I definitely feel because I am a female it did bring about a lot more attention than if a male were to do it. It's more expected for men to go out there and be rough," she said.
However, that statement jujst doesnt seem to sit right with me. I feel as if she should be sincerely apologizing to the other team as well as all the fans who support her. The fact that she is implying that if this was an action of a male sports player it would not be dragged on like her situation- seems like a sad excuse on her part. Yes soccer is a physical sport, and males tend to be more aggressive on the field and it goes unnoticed- however pulling someones hair so hard that they fall right to the ground is simply inexcusable and childish. She intentionally acted that way for a reason and should not be trying to blame the media for the way this issue has played out so far.
The apology doesn't seem to make up for her conduct on the field... However the New Mexico coach Kit Vela announced that Lambert has been suspended indefinitely from the team prohibiting her from practicing, conditioning, and taking part in any game.
So what do you think of the situation? Do you think she received the correct punishment for her actions or has this story been blown out of proportion?
Monday, November 16, 2009
Leave OchoCinco Alone!
We all known Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad OchoCinco. We all know his style. We all know his antics.
Whether its from racing a horse, putting a football with a pylon, grabbing a sign from the stands that says, "Dear NFL, Please don't fine me again!", or simply the fact that he actually changed his name from Chad Johnson to Chad OchoCinco...legally.
The point is, OchoCinco loves having fun and the fans love it too...under one stipulation:
In the 2009 season, he has done just that. But it has not always been that way.
In the 2008 season, OchoCinco was practically non-existent. After being deemed as a "cancer" to the Cincinnati Bengals organization, it seemed as if his team had given up on him. Talks of trade loomed large and it seemed as if OchoCinco would soon be a Bengal no more.
OchoCinco himself even declared he wanted to be traded before the 2008 NFL Draft. It turned out that he was not traded and soon after the Bengals started their season 0-8. OchoCinco ended the 2008 season with just 53 catches and 540 yards, an absolutely terrible season for the star wide receiver. Suddenly, his comedic antics on and off the field didn't seem to amuse the team and the fans anymore.
But that was 2008.
This 2009 season is a complete turn around for OchoCinco and his Cincinnati Bengals.
He has already amassed more yards and touchdowns than in 2008 and is only a few catches behind. Along with his turnaround the Bengals are off to a shocking 7-2 start and a 5-0 record in their division, which also gives them first place in the AFC North. Their highlights of the season so far are two strong wins over the defending Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.
With all this winning the Bengals are doing, it is only fitting for OchoCinco's antics to surface once again. So far this season, he has done such things as:
-paying for a group of Bengals fans to fly to Lambeau Field in Green Bay an sit in the front row so when he scores a touchdown in the game he can perform the "Lambeau Leap" into them.
-sending deodorant to the Baltimore Raven's.
-wanting to send the Pittsburgh Steelers mustard.
-and most recently he jokingly tried to "bribe" an NFL referee $1.00 to call a catch in his favor, which he later was fined $20,000 for.
The point is, when the Bengals are winning and OchoCinco is lighting it up on the field, not only are his antics amusing but they bring a whole new aspect to the NFL: ENTERTAINMENT.
NFL, leave OchoCinco alone, your only making the unwanted nickname of the "No Fun League" more plausible.
Child please.
Whether its from racing a horse, putting a football with a pylon, grabbing a sign from the stands that says, "Dear NFL, Please don't fine me again!", or simply the fact that he actually changed his name from Chad Johnson to Chad OchoCinco...legally.
The point is, OchoCinco loves having fun and the fans love it too...under one stipulation:
He lights it up on the gridiron.
In the 2009 season, he has done just that. But it has not always been that way.
In the 2008 season, OchoCinco was practically non-existent. After being deemed as a "cancer" to the Cincinnati Bengals organization, it seemed as if his team had given up on him. Talks of trade loomed large and it seemed as if OchoCinco would soon be a Bengal no more.
OchoCinco himself even declared he wanted to be traded before the 2008 NFL Draft. It turned out that he was not traded and soon after the Bengals started their season 0-8. OchoCinco ended the 2008 season with just 53 catches and 540 yards, an absolutely terrible season for the star wide receiver. Suddenly, his comedic antics on and off the field didn't seem to amuse the team and the fans anymore.
But that was 2008.
This 2009 season is a complete turn around for OchoCinco and his Cincinnati Bengals.
He has already amassed more yards and touchdowns than in 2008 and is only a few catches behind. Along with his turnaround the Bengals are off to a shocking 7-2 start and a 5-0 record in their division, which also gives them first place in the AFC North. Their highlights of the season so far are two strong wins over the defending Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.
With all this winning the Bengals are doing, it is only fitting for OchoCinco's antics to surface once again. So far this season, he has done such things as:
-paying for a group of Bengals fans to fly to Lambeau Field in Green Bay an sit in the front row so when he scores a touchdown in the game he can perform the "Lambeau Leap" into them.
-sending deodorant to the Baltimore Raven's.
-wanting to send the Pittsburgh Steelers mustard.
-and most recently he jokingly tried to "bribe" an NFL referee $1.00 to call a catch in his favor, which he later was fined $20,000 for.
The point is, when the Bengals are winning and OchoCinco is lighting it up on the field, not only are his antics amusing but they bring a whole new aspect to the NFL: ENTERTAINMENT.
NFL, leave OchoCinco alone, your only making the unwanted nickname of the "No Fun League" more plausible.
Child please.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Brady vs. Manning...Who's the better QB?
Over the past decade, the week leading up to the annual Patriots- Colts showdown has become less about the teams, and more about the quarterbacks.
The similarities between Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are astonishing. Their career quarterback ratings are almost mirror images. Brady’s 93.4 rating is just under Manning’s 95.3. There is no debating who the better player is. His post season resume is what puts Brady’s 14-3 record head and shoulders above Manning’s 7-8. A lot of what goes on with postseason record depends on what kind of team you have. Peyton clearly has choked in a lot of big games like back in 2005 when he threw the four interceptions against the Patriots in the playoffs. I do think his record could be something like 9-6 if some of his team circumstances were different. But winning the Super Bowl trophy is all that matters in the NFL. I can guarantee Peyton would trade his three MVP awards for Tom’s three Super Bowl rings.
The teams built around these two future Hall of Famers have a direct impact on whether or not championships are won. Indianapolis and New England have both fielded dominant teams with almost identical records since the start of the 2001 season. However, come playoff time Brady has drastically outplayed Manning. Great players win MVP’s, but legends win Super Bowl MVP’s.
This is coming from a die-hard Jets fan:
ADVANTAGE BRADY
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Welcome to The Oven
A little bit about who we are...
'The Oven' provides you with a full serving of what's going on in the sports world each week through posts from all of our team members. We are four college students at Rider University, all with a love for sports and communication. The Oven will dish out our opinions on the hottest, the most unusual, and the greatest sports stories of the week-- straight to your plate. So we welcome you to our video blog and can't wait for you to see what's cookin.
Don't forget to come back for seconds.
Leigh, Dave, Tim, & Andrew
'The Oven' provides you with a full serving of what's going on in the sports world each week through posts from all of our team members. We are four college students at Rider University, all with a love for sports and communication. The Oven will dish out our opinions on the hottest, the most unusual, and the greatest sports stories of the week-- straight to your plate. So we welcome you to our video blog and can't wait for you to see what's cookin.
Don't forget to come back for seconds.
Leigh, Dave, Tim, & Andrew
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