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Will Muschamp’s Florida Sets Offensive Football Back Several Years

Nov 192013

This was such an unbelievable sequence from last weekend’s Florida vs Vanderbilt game that I just have to share it:

In a morbidly emblematic sequence late in the fourth quarter, Florida had possession at the Commodores’ 41-yard line, trailing 31-17. On third-and-10, Vanderbilt safety Javon Marshall sacked Murphy for a 13-yard loss and officials flagged Murphy for intentional grounding. Going for it on fourth-and-23, Murphy lost 26 yards on a Caleb Azubukie sack and the Gators committed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Vandy took over with a first-and-goal at the Florida 10-yard line.

The mind simply boggles. And yes, a Pitt fan is allowed to marvel at such things because we know what we’re talking about.

Condoleeza Rice on the College Football Playoff Committee

College Football, Football, The Bigger Picture Comments Off

Oct 092013

Secretary_Rice_With_Afghan_President_Hamid_Karzai

There’s been some mild controversy regarding former NSA Advisor Condoleeza Rice’s appointment to the college football playoff selection committee. Some of that is sexist. Some legitimately calls into question her experience and therefore standing to be on the committee. Here’s one I hadn’t considered from SBNation’s weekly Alphabetical column:

Zubaydah. As in Abu Zubaydah, waterboarded 83 times in the month of August 2002 with the consent of the Secretary of State National Security Advisor at the time, Condoleezza Rice.

Here is a non-sexist case to be made against the selection of Condoleezza Rice as a member of the new College Football Playoff committee: she endorsed the use of torture. Note: not “enhanced interrogation techniques,” or “extreme cuddling,” but torture, a practice whose ultimate end is simply more torture.

This is a sport of unpaid labor working under sketchy contracts beneath the auspices of coaches and athletic directors taking an insane chunk of available wages. This is a sport in the throes of denial over a number of health and safety issues, including the idea that your brain might not work properly after even a limited amount of time spent playing it.

But even this filthy marketplace of confidence men and shell non-profits running profitable black market businesses has lines it won’t cross. There are some who will even laugh at you for mentioning the committee candidacy of a rogue’s choice like Barry Switzer, someone who giddily trampled the rules of amateurism during his tenure at Oklahoma. (That feels weak. Switzer ran a monster truck over them, then hit reverse, and then ran them over one more time before pouring gasoline on them while yelling “WORLDSTAAAAARRRRR” and pointing at the camera.)

Those same people will smile and applaud the bold choice of Rice without an ounce of irony, because this sport has so warped their brains that one minute they will side with the rules of the NCAA and the next minute against those of human decency, the Geneva Convention, and every tenet of even the loosest definition of human rights. I hate it when the stink of politics wafts over into college football, but some stenches should follow you wherever you go for the rest of your life, if only to warn others.

In closing: I’d rather have Jackie Sherrill on this committee than Condoleeza Rice. At least Sherrill limited his torture to livestock, and apologized afterwards.

I wasn’t particularly excised about Rice’s inclusion in the CFB playoff committee when I heard about it. I don’t know about her level of knowledge about college football but I’ve always read that she’s bright and I figure she’ll do a diligent job. But if someone objects to her appointment based on the above reasoning, well, I can’t say that I find fault with that.

The Fallacy of East-Coast Bias

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Sep 302013

A quick relatively unformed thought:

The idea of East Coast Bias is so full of shizzles that it befuddles me.

Pitt once had a team, go 9-1, ranked #3 in the country that wasn’t invited to a bowl game.

Pennstate once went 2 1/2 years without a loss. And did not win a national title.

(Incidentally, there’s a hint of irony to the fact that Joe Paterno compiled three undefeated seasons but it was a 1-loss team that was his first “National Title”).

Pitt vs Pennstate at Pitt stadium, 1958

The New & Improved Pittsburgh Football Club

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Sep 232013

A modest and hopefully uncontroversial proposal, if I may, concerning the coaching staffs which make the UPMC Sports Complex their home.

Fire Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Ok, so that’s probably not so controversial among Steelers fans. Next, transfer Haley’s play-calling and strategy duties to Pitt head coach, Paul Chryst, a man known for productive offenses and the ability to effectively utilize the talents of existing players rather than trying to shoehorn them into one particular system. Chryst will continue to advise offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph but Rudolph will take on added responsibilities, something that should benefit his career immensely.

Pitt HC & soon-to-be Steelers OC Paul Chryst

Chryst will still remain the head coach at Pitt. However, since he isn’t exactly comfortable in front of the media (though getting better), Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin will take over Chryst’s media duties. (That groan you hear is from Pittsburgh sportswriters being forced to deal with Tomlin on two fronts). Chryst may also need to grow a beard.

Apologies Work

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Sep 192013

… if they’re sincere enough.

Todd Thomas, the junior linebacker for Pitt, threw a hissy fit in training camp after he put on second string for one practice. Thomas quit the team but soon realized he had made a mistake. After a week, Paul Chryst told Thomas he could come back to Pitt football if his teammates accepted him.

After he informed the coaches of his wishes to return, Thomas said he had to talk to his teammates, particularly the seniors, and convince them he would come back as a committed member of the program.

They told Thomas he could come back, but only if he returned with an improved attitude, as well.

“The way I carried myself wasn’t really appropriate,” Thomas said. “So I just came back, did what I had to do, showed them that I could change and now I’m back and I’m thankful for that.

“I’m thankful to all the players, the freshmen on up, to coach Chryst and the staff for letting me come back.”

A sincere apology, eh. I like that.

This is a piece of what I’ve written before that college athletes are kids. Thomas did a stupid thing by quitting. He has always seemed like a good kid and according to reports at the time, even his high school coach was surprised by the abrupt decision. Fortunately, he repented quickly and came back to the team. He put his head down, worked hard and eventually re-earned his spot in the starting lineup.

College Players are Kids

College Football, Football 3 Responses »

Sep 182013

One thing that always strikes me about college players – they’re kids. And more often than not, they look like kids. Tyler Boyd is only 18 years old. And he looks it. When players do fantastic things on the field, we shouldn’t forget that they’re 18-22 years old. When they do stupid things off the field, we shouldn’t forget that they’re 18-22 years old.

That’s what seems to be forgotten by the sanctimonious preachers who lay invective on guys like Johnny Manziel. He’s a kid. He’s a douche but he’s a kid. He’s shouldering the burden of being the most public face of Texas A&M while also seeking to be a college student.

It’s all good and well that college athletes should face real consequences when they break the law, as any of us would. But that doesn’t make them special cases. That doesn’t mean they’re malcontents to whom we’re allowed to condescend, as though non-athletes are above reproach and stupidity and sometimes even, criminality.

Do you remember yourself at 18-22 years old? Yes, you were a stupid kid. But you didn’t have a national spotlight on you.

What if the NCAA Started Punishing Universities for Any Legal Violation

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Sep 172013

Regarding the NCAA’s punishment of PSU, I recently wrote:

In PSU’s case, the NCAA jumped the gun on handing down sanctions and probably should have waited till after the trials are done. The individuals involved get punished. And then so too does the institution for creating an atmosphere that led to those actions.

Others have argued that the PSU scandal is primarily a legal matter and so the NCAA has/had no jurisdiction in the case. They should have stayed clear but they didn’t. Given the severity of the scandal, I don’t think the NCAA, corrupt or not, would have been able to withstand the public pressure to do something, anything.

Let me be clear, I think the PSU administration was corrupt. Criminally so. They covered up for a child molester. But let us separate our revulsion from the act for a minute. It was a criminal matter into which the NCAA stepped. If the NCAA sticks its nose into that criminal matter, however abhorrent, what’s to stop them from doing so in other criminal matters. I’ve made the argument that PSU’s administration did so out of self-preservation and that indicates a lack of institutional control. But I’m starting to see a very slippery slope.

On Pitt’s 49-27 win, Tyler Boyd and Some Other Thoughts…

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Sep 162013

Loose-leaf observations from a tight-bound (Evernote)book.

Youth Movement

Pitt blooded 11 freshmen against Florida State two weeks ago. Against New Mexico, freshmen accounted for 37 of Pitt’s 49 points. The other 12 were accounted for by first-year starter Isaac Bennett, who as a junior will be around next year as well.

Pos	Player	Year	Points
RB	James Conner	Freshman	12
RB	Isaac Bennett	Junior	12
WR	Tyler Boyd	Freshman	12
TE	Scott Orndorff	Freshman	6
PK	Chris Blewit	Freshman	7

On James Conner, Isaac Bennett and the Running Game

I really like James Conner. Kid is 6’2″, 230 lbs and runs downhill, as the saying goes. As much as the spotlight has fallen on Tyler Boyd (as well it should), I’m almost more excited about Conner. His stats from the FSU game weren’t great but I felt his had a couple good runs anyway. He’s a hard runner and seems to show a nice burst once he gets through initial contact.

Conner rang up 112 yards on 12 carries with two touchdowns. His 38-yard touchdown run was pretty impressive. I’m not necessarily advocating for him to start over Isaac Bennett, who also had a strong game against New Mexico with 101 yards on 14 carries and 2 touchdowns. We all know Chryst’s penchant for creating strong running offenses so there are plenty of carries to go around.

On Tyler Alexander Boyd

Regardless of the level of competition, Tyler Boyd finishing with 195 all-purpose yards (22 return yards, 39 rushing yards, and 134 receiving yards) and two touchdowns is pretty frickin’ good. His touchdown catch at the end of the first half was positively Larry-like.

Talent can only take a kid so far. Boyd has it in abundance. Michael Jordan used to say that performance is based on 10% talent, 90% hard work. With the exception of perhaps Randy Moss, most of the great players work their tails off. Boyd has an immense amount of confidence, which is warranted given his production. But one huge positive I often read is that Boyd works very hard. That’s good to hear. Larry would be proud.

Which is to say, Engram and Chryst told Boyd that if he worked hard, he would play right away. Engram wasn’t worried about Boyd’s work ethic. A superior craftsman of a receiver who finished his NFL career with 650 catches, Engram spotted a kindred spirit in Boyd.

“Over the recruiting process, you get to know these guys pretty well,” Engram said. “I just sensed something special about him. Obviously, he’s a talented player. But the type of young man … he’s grounded, he’s humble, he’s hard-working. When he’s with his boys in the crowd, you can’t tell who he is because he isn’t trying to put himself above anybody.”

Humility

At the end of Pitt games, it’s a tradition that the team will walk over to the student section and join the band and students as they sing the Alma Mater. As Boyd was walking over to the students section, a couple little kids yelled over at him and held their hands out. Boyd diverted from the team, walked over to the kids and shook their hands. It’s a small gesture but I admit I was struck by it. You can tell little kids that sports stars shouldn’t be worshiped but good luck making that one stick. I’m sure Boyd made their day.

Adam Bisnowaty also walked over to the kids after singing the alma mater and gave away his game gloves. And a couple other players high-fived fans as they walked off the field. Nice gestures, all.

Why Nobody Really Agrees with NCAA “Violations” Anymore

Basketball, College Basketball, College Football, Football, The Bigger Picture No Responses »

Sep 132013

When I was writing about the principle of punishing NCAA-member institutions for gross violations, I felt like I was just writing copy. The subject feels tired and although I got a few hits for the article, I kept thinking to myself that folks would just shrug their shoulders over Okie State and if/how much it gets punished for transgressions committed against the NCAA system.

The fact is that the NCAA reeks so much that the public doesn’t necessarily get outraged over these recruiting violations and pay-for-play scandals anymore. From Tarheel Blog:

Beyond the reporting aspect, there is a clear and palatable fatigue with the NCAA over the pursuit of these types of violations. When UNC’s scandal cropped up three years ago it, along with Ohio State shortly thereafter and USC just prior constituted the first major programs to really get serious NCAA looks in quite some time. Maybe there was some thirst for blood and despite everyone knowing the NCAA system was broken, seeing major programs run through the ringer was worth good sport and nice material. Then the Miami investigation began to play out. Initially there was public disapproval of Miami’s behavior but that opinion eventually turned when it was discovered the NCAA had engaged in below the belt tactics. Suddenly no one cared what Miami did since NCAA corruption, long simmering just beneath the surface, finally boiled over. Overnight the NCAA truly became the villain losing whatever meager credibility it had left on the enforcement front.

I think the recent Miami scandal was really the turning point. We all knew the NCAA was corrupt beforehand but the ridiculous and underhanded tactics employed really brought it home. The NCAA succeeded in making Miami look sympathetic. The Miami Hurricanes, a program that was once so corrupt that SI ran an article calling for them to drop football. So corrupt at various times that even SEC teams looked clean in comparison. How unbelievable is that. I doubt that Miami didn’t commit those violations but if the investigating body can’t do its job cleanly, how are we trust its findings. Even the appearance of misconduct is enough to derail investigations.

Can you imagine SI running this cover article nowadays?

Oklahoma State Allegations, Pennstate and the NCAA

College Football, Football, The Bigger Picture 2 Responses »

Sep 122013

A friend of mine recently emailed me about the Oklahoma State scandals that are breaking. With his permission, I’m publishing his missive and then my response.

So what are your thoughts on this whole Ok State issue? So far I haven’t read anywhere that the NCAA is even looking into it, which is laughable in my opinion (if these allegations are true). That being said the NCAA’s outdated and draconian practices for meting out punishments is absurd at best. I’m sorry but punishing the current athletes and students for things that people that aren’t even with the university anymore did is just wrong on so many levels. There has to be a better system in place or at the very least, a way to punish those responsible. I just see what has happened at PSU as a wakeup call because the people who were responsible for the horrific actions that took place are either in jail or about to have their day in court, so why then, are the current players and coaches being penalized for things that happened when they weren’t even at the university. I guess what I’m getting at is the currently players/ coaches at Ok State should not have to deal with the possibility of the death penalty when they weren’t even there for when the alleged pay for play was happening. Just curious to hear your thoughts on this.

Here’s my response:

To your question, it may not seem fair that current players at PSU or Okie State would seem to be punished for things they didn’t do. If Okie State is punished in any tangible way, its players should be allowed to transfer immediately without sitting out just as PSU’s players were allowed to do.

However, justice cannot be tempered because of collateral effects. It does matter at the institutional level. We don’t fail to prosecute rule-breaking institutions in the ‘real world’ because of downstream effects. Enron shouldn’t have escaped punishment because its lower level employees and/or its employees’ families, who had no knowledge of its illegal activities, would’ve been adversely affected. Okie State football, as an institution, fostered an environment that led to these transgressions.

Texas vs. Oklahoma State at Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Yes, they can try to punish the individuals responsible (primarily Les Miles, I guess). But the idea here is also to punish the institution so that it doesn’t get lax about controls in the future. If Okie State (or SMU back in the 1980’s) isn’t punished because it would negatively affect current players and administration, it sends the message that they can do almost anything they want. If Miles was still at Okie State, they could just fire him and disassociate from some boosters and keep on making payments to players. The lesson would be just don’t get caught! I would be ok with punishing Les Miles (via suspension or a show-cause penalty), but that hurts LSU football, which as an institution hasn’t done anything wrong that we know of, and its current players who are even further removed from the Okie State scandal. The Okie State football institution still has to learn a lesson.

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