Blogs With Balls Radio, Episode 29

Another abbreviated show this week, but a topical one as HuggingHaroldReynolds.com's College Football guru Wes the Cynic chats with NCAA football Hall of Famer, and thus far the first and only 2-time Heisman Trophy winner, Archie Griffin.

Blogs with Balls Show - Episode 29 by Blogs with Balls

While in town for tomorrow's ceremony at the Downtown Athletic Club, Griffin is also doing his part to promote the Wendy’s High School Heisman which celebrates high school seniors across the country who excel in academics, athletics and community leadership. Since the program’s start in 1994, more than 305,000 students have been recognized by the program for their outstanding achievements both on and off the field.

Wes presses him on whether or not their would be another multi-time winner, whether he voted for himself in 1975, his thoughts on Nebraska joining the Big 10, how character should be weighed in Heisman voting in light of Reggie Bush and Cam Newton controversy, and has Griffin make an Oregon-Auburn prediction.

For more information about the High School Heisman program and the nomination process, visit http://www.wendysheisman.com or contact your local high school principal, guidance counselor or athletic director. “Like” Wendy’s High School Heisman on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/wendyshighschoolheisman for program updates and to connect with alumni.

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The Cynic’s Guide to College Football, Week Four

Another relatively slow week in college football world, as the fat get fatter on a steady diet of creampuffs. Aside from Tebow’s concussion, there really wasn’t much newsworthy about last week. About all we learned is that either Virginia Tech is pretty good or that Miami was overhyped. And that Cal is, once again, not ready for primetime. But now, with October upon us, things start to get interesting. So, with one eye on the upcoming weeks, here’s my quick review of Week 4 in college football.

Mmmm. Chick-Fil-A Bowl.

Jevan Snead, Humanitarian

If you tuned in ESPN last Thursday, you got to see Ole Miss’ Jevan Snead really stinking it up. 7-21, 107 yards, 1 TD. A whole bunch of really ugly-looking passes. But it’s not all bad news for the Rebels. In the postgame interview Jevan Snead said he was “relieved” that Ole Miss was no longer a top-five team and could get back to “just playing football.” I bet his teammates and coaches are sure glad that Jevan finally decide to unveil his elaborate plan to let them play football. I mean I’m sure that potential SEC and *gasp* national title talk was just oh-so-strenuous and was really taking all the fun out of playing. Yep, I’m sure they’ll all be so glad to be free of that top-5 ranking and the headaches that come with going to the BCS. Boy, that Jevan Snead sure is a giver. Way to take one for the team.

This Week in Clock Management Failure

Notre Dame down 21-17 to Purdue. Second and goal with less than a minute left. No time outs. The Irish call for a run, which gets stuffed at the 2. 36 seconds left, the clock running and a disorganized Notre Dame team trying to line up and spike the ball, setting up a fourth down for the game. If you’re a Purdue player, you’re probably thinking, “OK, they have one more play. Let’s stuff them here and then take half the co-eds on campus back home with us to celebrate.” But if you’re Purdue head coach Danny Hope, apparently you’re thinking . . . well, I’m not sure what you would be thinking, because he decided to bail Notre Dame out by calling timeout, letting the Irish set up two plays instead of one. And sure enough, on the second play, which never would have occurred without the timeout, Irish quarterback Jimmy Clausen hit TE Kyle Rudolph for the game-winning touchdown.

Political strategist James Carville used to say, “If your opponent is drowning, throw the son of a bitch an anvil.” Apparently, Coach Hope wasn’t a political science major.

Don’t know about his politics, but he’d make a hell of an offensive coordinator.

Quack is the New Black?

In this modern age, it seems that no one—not even The Cynic—is immune from making snap judgments that may or may not have any basis in reality. After their week one loss on the blue turf, I declared Chip Kelly’s first game the worst. coaching. debut. ever. But after watching the Ducks POUND THE LIVING BEJEEZUS out of Cal, it appears I may have been a little bit hasty. The Ducks are playing like I expected the Ducks to be playing, and the future looks bright. In their last three games, the Ducks have put up an average of 37 points a game. Now, they get to play three unranked teams (Washington, UCLA and Washington State) before a Halloween matchup with USC that may well decide the Pac-10 title.

I can certainly admit when I’m wrong—I just don’t know which time. Was I wrong when I was ready to write Oregon off after the Boise State debacle? Or was I wrong in the preseason when I picked them to win the Pac-10? Ask me in another month or so.

Win or lose, we still love the Ducks.

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The Cynic's Guide to College Football: Week One

First off, I’d like to apologize to my faithful readers for getting our Week One wrap-up posted late. Wish I had a good excuse that involved Jack Bauer, a case of Jack Daniels, some Cuban expats and buffalo wings (hey, it’s my dream, get your own), but I don’t. So to my loyal followers (hi, mom) and first time readers( might I add, you seem particularly good looking and intelligent today), I give you a belated welcome to college football 2009.

A quick primer on what I do: As the title implies, I’m HHR’s resident cynic. I’m the pessimist of our group, the one who knows that every silver lining has a dark cloud. If you’re looking for another fluff piece on Tim Tebow or just want your SportsCenter-friendly six-second soundbites on the Top 25, you’ve got the wrong place. But if you’re interested in going deeper, seeing the seamy underbelly of the college football world, then follow me down the rabbit hole.

Self portrait of The Cynic. Well, at least I’ve got the hair right.

A PAINFUL START

Last Thursday’s South Carolina/North Carolina State game may have been the worst game I’ve ever seen. Look, I love defense and a 7-3 slugfest between two dominant defenses would thrill me. But a 7-3 game that’s the result of two completely inept offenses is a very different story. The two teams combined for just 389 yards, 12 punts and 5 turnovers on downs. Out of 22 drives, only 3 went for more than 50 yards and 13 went for 5 or less plays. But on the bright side, my ophthalmologist says the ice pick didn’t do any permanent damage to my eyes.

Oh, Fun ‘n Gun, why have you forsaken me?!

WORST. DEBUT. EVER.

When Sports Illustrated decided to do four different covers for its college football preview edition, you just knew that one of them was going to get smacked down in Week One. Unfortunately for Oregon, SI decided to dole out a quadruple dose of cover jinx hurt on the Ducks. There were plenty of people, myself included, who thought Oregon had a real shot to dethrone USC in the PAC 10 this year. And then the season kicked off. Lost in the over-coverage of RB LeGarrette Blount’s postgame punch was the fact that Oregon coach Chip Kelly had one of the worst first games in recent memory. The game wasn’t as close as the 19-8 score would indicate. Boise State completely controlled the game (outgaining Oregon 361 to 152) against a Duck team that clearly was not ready for primetime. Kelly now faces the unenviable task of getting his team refocused after embarrassing themselves on national TV and losing their best offensive player in the process. You know things have officially gone south when you end up on Texts From Last Night:

(541): Its like we are women, and boise state is a gangster rap song. This game is degrading

Wonder how much Phil Knight would pay to never be on the cover again?

NCAA FLAG FOOTBALL

To paraphrase Alfred, Lord Tennyson: Tis better to have played and lost than never to have played at all. This is a lesson that Division II St. Paul’s College (VA) learned the hard way this week when they had to forfeit their season opener against West Virginia Wesleyan. The reason? No helmets or pads. St. Paul’s claimed that they’ve just been practicing in shorts and t-shirts and had ordered new equipment, but it wouldn’t be ready before the game. To add insult to injury, St. Paul’s is now on the hook for a cancellation penalty in their contract, and West Virginia Wesleyan say they will go after St. Paul’s to reimburse them for 40 hotel rooms for which they had to pay.

100 years of helmets. You’d think that’d be something on the “to do before the season starts” list.

BLOCK ME ONCE, SHAME ON YOU. BLOCK ME TWICE . . .

Has there ever been a crazier seven-second roller coaster ride than the one to which I-AA Northern Iowa was subjected last week? The Panthers were one field goal kick away from knocking off #22 Iowa (high). Then Iowa blocked the field goal (low). But Northern Iowa recovered the ball with one second left, giving them another shot (super high). But Iowa blocks the kick . . . again (boot to the groin low). All within seven seconds. Let’s hope UNI coach Mark Farley spent a little more time than that working on special teams this week.

For all my new readers, one final disclaimer: I always try to close my posts on a brighter note. A little under-the-radar story that brings hope to the college football world. So here goes. . .

A RAY OF ORANGE SUNSHINE

While Boise State and BYU both did their best to prove my preseason “no undefeated non-BCS teams” prediction wrong, nobody had a bigger week than the Oklahoma State Cowboys. How big was the Oklahoma State/Georgia game? A week ago Sunday (as in six days before the game), I drove through Stillwater, OK (with the obligatory stop at Eskimo Joe’s) and saw a guy on the corner by the stadium holding up an “I Need Tickets” sign. When the scalpers are already out working a week ahead of time, you know it’s a big deal. For the last year, Big 12 fans have heard how the Big 12 couldn’t compete with a real SEC defense. So it had to do Cowboy fans good to see their team, which struggled on defense (to say the least) last year, step up and out-defense Georgia. Georgia took the opening drive 80 yards for TD, and people started thinking “here we go again.” But that and a third quarter field goal represented the only two times UGA crossed midfield. On a day when OSU’s potent offense was clearly not clicking on all cylinders, the Cowboy defense held Georgia to just 257 total yards, all in the cozy confines of T. Boone Pickens’ new $300 million stadium. Granted, Georgia clearly missed Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno. But OSU proved to be more than able to handle this year’s Dawgs. If their defense can continue to play at this level, you now have to include Oklahoma State as a legitimate title contender.

Not sure it was a $300 million win, but it was a very good one.

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