hifigator
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Post by hifigator on Dec 10, 2011 13:30:35 GMT -5
Also, Rick Neuhisel was dismissed by UCLA back aways. The lame duck coached the Bruins in their loss to Oregon in the inaugural Pac 12 championship game, but the only reason UCLA represented the South division is because USC was ineligible. I'm pretty sure UCLA's new coach is to be announced in moments.
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hifigator
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Post by hifigator on Dec 10, 2011 13:27:25 GMT -5
We're getting this one started a bit late this season, but better late than never I guess.
In no order and solely off the top of my head, so I hope I get these right.
Charlie Weis leaves Florida OC position to become head coach at Kansas.
Mike Leach hired to take over at Washington State.
Dennis Erickson out at Az. St. but I haven't heard a replacement.
(From back aways) Bob Davie hired to coach one of the NM schools -- I always get them mixed up, but pretty sure it was whichever school finally got rid of Mike Locksley.
Ron Zook fired from Illinois. After starting 6-0, the fightin' Zookers went winless from there and finished 6-6.
Obviously the "big" news is that Urban Meyer has had a miraculous recovery healthwise, and somehow, in less than a year, he has now fulfilled the "years and years" of spending quality time with his whole family, that he was so emphatically insistent on. Also, he will take Mike Marotti from Florida to be his strength coach. GOOD! We were so friggin' soft under his coaching. Now if Meyer will only come take DJ Dierken too!
The Aggies of Texas A&M will venture into the unchartered waters of the SEC with a new head coach. I forget the guy's name who got fired, but for those who don't follow their team, this year they had a chance to be really good, but in Minnesota Viking like fashion, they mysteriously gave up big leads. And the natives were restless, and then some!
Lastly, there's nothing official to my knowledge, but Mississippi St. head coach and former Florida Gator OC is rumored to be the leading candidate for the Penn State coaching position made available due to the dismissal of Joe Paterno.
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hifigator
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Post by hifigator on Dec 10, 2011 13:12:48 GMT -5
Ditto! Prayers and well wishes from the sunshine state. I honestly really look forward to checking in on this thread and reading the latest good news. Harry is certainly very special and has already gone through more than most of us and in my case, that's "forty-something" years. Also, I hope Harry gets what he really, really wants for Christmas. Vado, has he mentioned anything in particular?
Harry Saxa!
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Post by hifigator on Dec 2, 2011 15:51:33 GMT -5
I am so glad I have a DVR now. Even with the late start time, I was still going to miss much of the game "live." But one thing I'm not happy about, was getting back and finding out that one of my kids had set the DVR to record an episode of "The Office" and the conflict was "resolved" ... and by resolved, I mean skipping the first part of the game. I think the score was 21-16 when my recording started. I'd be really pi$$ed off if Bama had won the game. But since it was an exciting victory for the Hoyas, I'll give her a free pass on this one. BUt it damn sure better not happen again. I have to admit, I was a tad worried when Bama was getting all the calls and then finally hit the free throws to take the lead. Regardless, that home winning streak is no more! What about Sims reverse pivot baseline for the reverse jam! Was that sweet or what? And dammit, he almost added another one that looked like an instant replay several minutes later ... Clark with big play down the stretch and of course, Thompson hitting the huge shot ... damn, I haven't had that much fun watching a basketball game in a long, long time!
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Post by hifigator on Nov 18, 2011 15:24:15 GMT -5
We like Erin Andrews. She's a Gator, you know! RDF, you left off Bob Davie and Bill Curry. The only question is whether they are worse coaches or worse commentators. You'll be reminded very shortly that Bob Davie, as atrocious as he is in the booth, is worse on the sideline. Best of luck, Lobos. Yeah, I thought I remembered reading something about that. I get those two really bad New Mexico programs mixed up. But isn't that the one that was in total disarray under Mike Locksley's direction ... and I use the term loosely. If so, then Davie is coming in to a situation that is so bad, it should be pretty easy for him to show improvement. Hell, they were so messed up, that they stuck with Locksley for another season! Not only was his record last year awful, but he was charged with sexual misconduct/assault on a former University employee as well as battery of a fellow coach. I would have thought that his anemic coaching skills and team "poorformance" would have warranted his dismissal without either of those off the field issues -- much less with both of them.
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hifigator
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Post by hifigator on Nov 17, 2011 15:26:22 GMT -5
We like Erin Andrews. She's a Gator, you know!
RDF, you left off Bob Davie and Bill Curry. The only question is whether they are worse coaches or worse commentators.
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Post by hifigator on Nov 16, 2011 12:07:01 GMT -5
Yeah, pretty much agree. But then again, maybe the point in the poorly worded comment was that "TCU has not had a good season," simply means that this year is a dropoff from the previous couple and that while you could make a case for TCU being among the Nation's elite during the past couple of years, that isn't the case this year.
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Post by hifigator on Nov 16, 2011 11:47:13 GMT -5
Shhh!
Don't interrupt lic's outrage.
In other words: "not now ... he's on a roll!"
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Post by hifigator on Nov 14, 2011 13:59:34 GMT -5
Yeah ... how much stock can we put in those comparative games? Texas Tech beats Oklahoma but is absolutely shellacked by Okie St. 66-6!!!
Sounds like bedlam in Stillwater is going to be pretty fun for the home team.
Hmmm....
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Post by hifigator on Nov 9, 2011 14:49:49 GMT -5
What do you honestly suppose happens to the janitor or graduate assistant who reports this to the local/university police? Who are you going to believe, some peon or one of the guys who put your school on the map, took you to two national titles, and who has done so much for so many underprivileged children over the years?
I don't deny that the survival instinct could have played in. Maybe McQuerry considered what might happen to him if he came public with this. And maybe no one would believe him over Sandusky. That is a logical suggestion. But it still doesn't make it right. In fact, it only fuels the argument of coverup, whether or not McQuerry was an official "part" of it or not.
But regardless, I don't think that this line of reasoning matters. What do matter, are McQuerry's actions at the time, not hours days or weeks later. Most of us, at least would hope that we would rush to the aid of the endangered child. But even if not, wouldn't running out looking for help, trying to draw the attention of ANYONE be pretty much automatic? Again, most would want to believe that direct, personal intervention would have been our almost instinctual response. But if not, can any of us even comprehend the decision to leave and then, rather peacefully and hours later, discuss the incident with our father ... or anyone, for that matter?
Secondly, I think I might lighten up on Paterno a bit. My initial reaction was shock, but when as the hope for disbelief pretty much eroded away entirely, I had nothing but disgust for Paterno and his actions/inactions. As I think about it and weigh in more and more of what people have to say, maybe I did jump the gun.
Giga wrote:
Do I have to be the one to say it; I would not have called the cops either. Second hand information on a friend of mine for 30 years? Sorry, I wouldn't have. I would have let someone else investigate.
Every blogger and newspaper writer in America would have immediately called the police. Makes sense. I mean what's 30 years of friendship when you have what a grad assistant thought he saw in a locker room last night? Easy choice. Because if I'm wrong I only ruin a man and destroy a freindship. No worries.
And if they investigated and exonerated him? I would have kept pushing implying I think he's a pedophile and there's no way to tell me differently. No, no I wouldn't have.
I would have acted the same way as everyone in that brief, had lived with doubts and hopes it weren't true about my friend, and then probably want to throw myself off a bridge for a bit after I heard the worst was actually fact.
I appreciate your honesty, and it is easy to look at things after the facts and come up with a preferred cause of action. I don't necessarily "agree" with you, but I think you do make some good points. I don't know exactly what was said between McQuerry and Paterno. If he said flat out that he walked into the shower, and Sandusky was holding down a boy who looked to be about 10 years old as he violated him, then I don't think general skepticism is a logical response. But if McQuerry told him that he noticed Sandusky and a boy taking a shower together and that it looked like they were a little too friendly, then I can see how Paterno's response of passing the issue upline to the A.D. could have been a reasonable response. It still doesn't make it right, but within that framework, I do see your point.
Putting this all together, I think there are essentially 4 different levels of reaction.
The first is McQueary's immediate response. I think we all agree that he failed miserably and at the very, very best, could be viewed as a spineless worm.
The second would be McQueary's secondary response. Giving this more thought, I think Giga might have a good point. Maybe a trip to the police wouldn't have been as easy or obvious. (But I distinguish this from any immediate response)
The third response is how Joe Paterno handled it. Again, giving Giga's ideas more thought, I think Joe Pa. might have chosen a fairly understandable path, but again, it gets down to specifically what he learned from McQueary.
The 4th and final response, would be how the Penn St administration handled the issue. On this one, I will have to reserve judgment. If they investigated it, and it ended up being a "he said/she said" issue, then I understand their hesitancy to act swiftly or severely.
All of that being said, as the details continue to come out and this story continues to unfold, I think we all look for where "we" went wrong. We just can't understand this and certainly wish it to never happen again. Something about learning from mistakes or being forced to repeat them comes to mind.
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hifigator
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Post by hifigator on Nov 9, 2011 14:20:24 GMT -5
Ed, the way everyone talks about you around here, I thought he was named after you!
In any case, RIP other Easy Ed.
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hifigator
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Post by hifigator on Nov 8, 2011 16:08:38 GMT -5
Nov. 07, 2011 2:22 p.m. - by Elliott Smith - Documentary on China trip to air “From the Baseline,” a behind-the-scenes look at Georgetown’s 11-day trip to China this summer will premiere on the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) at 7 p.m. ET Tuesday. The film highlights the team’s travel at various historical locations in China as well as coverage of the four games played.
Shouldn't that read: "as well as coverage of the 3 1/2 games played?"
In any case, I have a great reason to take a mid-week trip out to the lake for the evening. I get MASN out there.
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hifigator
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Post by hifigator on Nov 8, 2011 15:58:09 GMT -5
One more music comment: I think RUSH might be the best Super Group. Yeah, I know that isn't the idea behind the term. But purely from a talent perspective, I don't think you get any better than Rush. Neil Peart is one of the best drummers of all time and is on everyone's list of greatest drummers. Geddy Lee is one of the greatest Bass players of all time and is on everyone's list. Singing is too subjective, but at least in my opinion, Lee is also extremely talented. And if Alex Lifeson is your "weak link," then you're pretty friggin' good. I think that he is a top ten guitarist -- certainly top ten rock guitarist of the past 20 or 30 years.
But in the traditional sense of the term, my vote goes to Cream.
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Post by hifigator on Nov 8, 2011 15:47:44 GMT -5
Obviously, virtually everyone of us is thoroughly disgusted with this. And not surprisingly, I haven't heard anyone running to Joe Pa's defense. The closest that I've heard are a couple of shallow "innocent until proven guilty" comments.
But for all the unison I see in response to this, I haven't seen much in the way of shock. Is it just me? Am I naive somehow? If the grand jury findings are accurate -- not trying to jump the gun here, but if they are remotely accurate -- isn't it shocking that something so horrific could happen? I'm not talking about the incidents themselves. There are absolute derelicts all over. But I'm talking about what amounts to a pretty sizable coverup of something so blatantly horrific and in particular, coming under the "watch" of someone whom I had complete respect for prior to this.
Listen, I despise FSU than anyone else possibly can, and have utter disdain for Bobby Bowden. But I would have been shocked to hear these exact same details coming from Tallahassee under his tenure. I never bought into St Bobby's angelic likeness, and in fact know that much of his image was entirely fabricated. But even still, not only would I not want this of him and the FSU program, I would in fact be shocked at these types of revelations. Am I just too distanced from the Penn St. program? Is there any reason at all to even "understand" that such things could have happened, and NOT come away completely shocked?
I honestly, just don't get it.
Someone mentioned seeing a neighbor do this, and I think he made a great point. Regardless of how "close" you are to someone, if you stumbled onto something like this, I can't imagine doing anything but keeping all kids away from this pervert -- even if it was a close "friend."
I am honestly baffled on this one.
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Post by hifigator on Nov 8, 2011 14:24:05 GMT -5
I actually think the Big XII is on their way to being better. I'd rather have WVU and TCU then Missouri and A&M while a good program--isn't worth keeping if they are wanting to leave.
I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. Are you saying that you'd rather have (as a conference member), TCU and WVU than Missouri and Texas A&M? Really? Or did you mean that you'd rather have TCU and WVU than Missouri -- in a two for one? Or did you mean -- and I'm guessing this one -- you'd rather have TCU or WVU than Missouri? If so, I'd disagree in this case. Since the conference is already well represented in the state of Texas, TCU doesn't bring a lot to the table. So the question is which program does: Missouri or WVU? I think the St Louis and Kansas City markets make Missouri more attractive.
In any case, I think that the SEC has done a great job of expansion and has brought in two comparatively top programs that will benefit from their association with the SEC, but in doing so, the SEC has brought many more of those almighty dollar thingies into the coffers.
And in all honesty, if the Big 12/8/10ish end up with TCU and WVU instead of A&M and Missouri, then I don't think they have improved themselves and I would argue they took a step backwards.
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hifigator
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Post by hifigator on Nov 8, 2011 12:53:36 GMT -5
Thank you to the Raiders and Chargers for keeping hope alive in Kansas City.
The Chiefs totally SUCK out loud. Why, oh why, did I take them in out elimination league this week? Why, oh why, did I drink the koolaid? I saw them lose at home on opening day something like 41-7 ... they were a team I was supposed to pick AGAINST. Grrrr....
Asia and the Firm were "dream teams" too.
The Firm was actually very good. Asia was "successful," but I always thought they were way, way too poppish. "Only Time Will Tell," "Heat of the Moment" and that horrible ballad that was/sounded exactly like "The Smile has Left your Eyes." Yuck.
The Firm had some really, really god music though.
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Post by hifigator on Nov 7, 2011 15:51:10 GMT -5
RDF, I hope you're sitting down, because I agree with almost everything you said. As for whether there "should" be a rematch, I just don't think that should even be a question. The goal of the BCS is to pair up the best two teams at year's end. Whether or not it accomplishes that is another question, but the point is that whether the game would be a rematch should really have no bearing. Personally, I think that too much is typically placed on the more recent games. A loss in the last week or two of the season, will normally eliminate you from contention, even though your complete body of work, might not. If everything else were to happen exactly the same, but team A beat team B in the first week of the season, as opposed to the last week of the season, team B's ranking would likely be 4 or even more spots lower. I understand recognizing improvement in a team over the year, but there's a lot more to it than that. Also, most voters tend to sort of follow the previous rankings -- or at least use them as a starting point -- and I don't think they should. Sometimes teams need to move down in the rankings even after a win. For that matter, sometimes teams should go up, even after a loss.
Also, rooter and Austin, as RDF pointed out, the SEC DOES get to puff out its chest! We ARE the best conference. We have been for quite a while and will continue to be for quite some time.
As for Bama and LSU, after we lost to LSU the week after we lost to Bama, I made the point on the air that I thought that they were the best and most complete two teams I had seen since the Gator team that won the 2008 BCS title. My only reservation was that LSU faces us without our starting quarterback. I know injuries are part of the game and I'm not making excuses, but my point is that maybe my view of just how good LSU was, was inflated a bit by our ineffectiveness on offense. But now my views have been confirmed. From everything I have seen, we saw the best two teams this season play each other Saturday night. The caliber of player and the quality of play was very, very good. Sure, Bama lost because it was unable to score. They ventured inside the LSU 30 yard line 7 times and scored 6 points. Sure, you give LSU credit for good defense. And Bama was certainly lacking in the kicking game, but overall, the play was very good. It featured great players making great plays. The best part was that the big names did step up -- Richardson and Matthieu did have their own sportscenter highlights -- but more importantly, we saw elite play from some of the lesser known players. I'm no fan of Bama or LSU, but that was a classic game between two really, really good football teams.
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hifigator
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Post by hifigator on Nov 2, 2011 12:21:15 GMT -5
RDF wrote:
Ending of MSU-Wisconsin is why CFB is amazing and what makes sports great.
Bt then to follow it up the next week with Wisconsin-Ohio St. was amazing. I rag the Big 10 and often call their teams/games "boring," but that certainly wasn't the case for the Badgers the past couple of weekends.
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Post by hifigator on Nov 2, 2011 12:14:22 GMT -5
As long as we get more and better coverage, I really treat it as a plus, even though it pains me at times.
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Post by hifigator on Nov 2, 2011 12:11:56 GMT -5
For anyone wondering it seems that the radio deal this year pretty much continues as it has been. Broadcasts on ESPN 980 AM and SportsTalk570 and of course every hooker in the lane and trip to the sin stripe will be called by Rich Chvotkin in his 38th season. My personal favorite is when he tells us that the ball is being brought up the court either right or left "across your radio dial". www.guhoyas.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/110111aac.html' For what it's worth, I have enjoyed listening to the Hoya feed when the games aren't televised down here. I have noticed that the Hoya radio broadcasts are vastly superior to the Gator homer that does UF games. Mick Hubert is just not very good. But the ball is being brought up the court either right or left "across your radio dial is one of his catch phrases as well. The worst though, is his overuse of "Oh My," that he stole from Dick Enberg I thik. But Mick will say it with enthusiasm probably 30 or 40 times a game. In any case, Hoya radio is actually enjoyable. But I hadn't really thought of syncing the radio to the TV when the games are televised. Our guys are so bad, there was never any motivation to do so. But I'm definitely going to give it a shot with Gtown games.
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