How Refreshing
Posted October 4, 2009, 9:23 AM ET

Sunday was glorious, knowing I didn't have to torture myself by watching the Carolina Panthers.

After a winless September and endless phone calls and emails on my radio show about the team's liabilities, it was great knowing that I could turn on the tube and watch the NFL in peace.

Plus, with match-ups like New York-New Orleans, Baltimore-New England, San Diego-Pittsburgh and Green Bay-Minnesota, who needs to watch Jake turn it over and Julius loaf for another Sunday of tackle football?

I feel like a Panthers' bye weekend is somewhat of a cleansing of all of those football demons that have been trapped in my body since the playoff disaster to Arizona, back in early January.

But, like everyone else, I'll be fascinated to see what happens next weekend when the equally inept Redskins roll into town to play Carolina. Will the Panthers respond with a decent performance? Will the off-week give them a chance to refocus, or is it more of the same?

There's only one way to find out....

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How are the football fans of North Carolina, Florida State and Clemson feeling these days?

All three of them suffered embarrassing losses over the weekend to fellow conference powerhouses Virginia, BC and Maryland.

Simply pathetic.

UNC's loss was the most surprising, since they were at home and lost to a team that was punked at home by William & Mary. I know UVa has had success against the Heels in the past (winning 10 of the last 12), but it is inexcusable for Butch Davis and Co. to lay an egg to Virginia, and score a whopping 3 points in the process.

Butch is now 0-3 against Al Groh. The Heels are 0-2 in the mighty ACC, and their Top 25 ranking is history, too. The Heels are so below average on offense, that it makes you wonder how they can turn it around in mid-season?

Can you believe they want to add seats to Kenan Stadium, too?

Florida State football is comical, too. What has happened to these guys? After blowing out Top 10 BYU a few weeks ago in Provo, Bobby Bowden's squad has lost at home to South Florida and been whipped at Boston College.

Man, how the mighty have fallen. I love Bowden, and he's been absolutely great for not only FSU, but for college football. But the time has come for the great one to step down and enjoy the rest of his life. Florida State football has disappeared from the national landscape.

Clemson fans know the feeling....just ask them.

Dabo Sweeney last week pleaded to the media that this "isn't the same Clemson team". He was referring to the ones from the Tommy Bowden era which would win enough games against mediocre teams, but fall just short of beating quality opponents.

Losing to Maryland served two points. The Terps aren't a "quality team", and Clemson lost another close one. In the process, the Tigers are 2-3 and by all means appear to be as average as you can get. In the ACC's Atlantic division, that might be the norm, since none of the six teams seems anything but ordinary.

I can assure you that natives in Tigertown aren't happy with what looks to be another season of mediocrity. I like Dabo personally, but I have no idea if the guy can coach on this level. So far, he's 6-6 since taking over the program in mid-season from Tommy Bowden.

That's average.....and Clemson deserves better than that, given the facilities, fan support, tradition and ability to recruit top-flight talent.

Every coach deserves five years to turn around a program.

Butch is in year three....Dabo has just begun....and Bobby, well, he's a living legend.

Right now, there are serious questions and concerns about each coach and program.

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Sweet home Chicago.

What was eliminated faster....the Cubs from the MLB post-season, or Chicago from the IOC 2016 vote in Denmark? They were both "pre-season favorites", and they both fell face-first.

President Obama and Oprah sure did a nice job impressing the delegates of the International Olympic Committee. Chicago was kicked out of the competition before Barack could get back to his seat on Air Force One. It was estimated that it cost US taxpayers over 1 million bucks to fly Barack and Michelle to Copenhagen so they could make their speech and pitch to the IOC. Nice bailout, Barack.

Oprah hadn't even finished her second trip through the buffet line before she was asked to get back to the Windy City for another taping with Dr. Oz...or was it Dr. Phil?

Michael Jordan was criticized for not making the trip to promote Chicago's Olympic bid. MJ knew better....he was dancing the night away in Miami, as part of his preparation for the Charlotte Bobcats' pre-season preparations.

How embarrassing was it, watching the local reaction of the folks ready to celebrate on Rush Street?

They should have called Ditka.

I didn't know if I should laugh or cry.

The good news is that Rio de Janeiro won the Olympic sweepstakes. Can you imagine the images and crowd shots that await us in 2016?

Like I said on the radio show...Oprah, or Univision?

It's an easy call.....plus, look at the good news for the folks in Chicago....they always have Jay Cutler.