Time to Hibernate
Posted October 5, 2008, 10:50 AM ET

Before I get started with this week's edition of Ripe Gripe, I need to announce that I have come to terms with CBS Radio on a one-year contract that will continue my services on their radio station through December of 2009. These are interesting times that we're experiencing, and the last six months during this negotiation have been no exception. To say that I'm excited about what the future holds is an understatement. I'm looking forward to my thirteenth year with CBS Radio.

Now, let's get on to our latest batch of Ripe Gripe.....

1908 and counting.

The Chicago Cubs truly suck. Their latest choke has to be one of the best sports collapses that we've seen in recent memory. This is a franchise that has embraced losing and taken it to another stratosphere. The Cubs wouldn't have it any other way...being swept in embarrassing fashion is the Cubs way. They lost three straight to an LA team that had previously won one (1) playoff game in twenty years.

Forget the goat, Bartman, black cats and the latest curse du jour in the Windy City. It has nothing to do with curses; it's all about execution. It's not that tough...hitting, pitching, fielding, you name it and the Cubs screwed it up. The fact that the team had a catholic priest in the dugout before the first pitch of the series sprinkling holy water is every indication that the franchise just doesn't get it. I wonder if "Father" can get a hit?

How pathetic were the Cubs? There are too many examples to highlight other than knowing that they were outscored 20-6 in the series. Every infielder committed an error and the team had a serious case of the "Pucker Factor". The Cubs have now lost nine consecutive post season games.

Simply put: Cubs baseball and losing are synonymous. It wouldn't be right, if these guys actually closed the deal and won the World Series...at least in my lifetime.

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I finally found something in sports that doesn't last as long as the Cubs in the post-season....no, I'm not talking about Clemson football fans preaching about a national title under Tommy Bowden.

I'm talking about Kimbo Slice. The MMA cult figure was back in the octagon on Saturday night. Originally, he was supposed to fight ancient warrior Ken Shamrock. Unfortunately, Slice's opponent had some type of injury that prevented him from participating. Rumor has it he hurt himself while blowing his nose...but that's just a rumor. It was reported he suffered some type of cut prior to the match and was scratched.

No problem; instead of Shamrock, enter the household name of Seth Petruzelli. We've all heard of this guy, right?

Well, get to know the guy, because in the span of 14 seconds he proceeded to knock Kimbo into next week.

That's right; 14 seconds is all it took for some guy to walk in and beat Kimbo Slice like he was a Cub mascot.

I keep giving the MMA a chance, and I know it's an acquired taste. But this match made a mockery of the entire sport....or at least of Kimbo Slice and his cult following.

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The college football weekend was bizarre, despite the lack of major upsets.

Can somebody explain to me what is going on with Vanderbilt?

Bobby Johnson is performing miracles in Nashville. Their stats reveal that they are nearly at the bottom of every category in the SEC, but they are on top of the SEC East. How can a team without an athletic department be leading arguably the toughest division in all of college football. I know it's early, but the Vandy story has been amazing.

The handwritten sign at ESPN's award-winning College Gameday said it all...."The Geeks shall inherit the Turf". Those Vandy kids sure are clever. And their football team continues to shock the South. I don't know how long it will last, but the rabid football fans at South Carolina, Ole Miss and Auburn aren't laughing. Somehow Steve Spurrier, Houston Nutt and Tommy Tuberville are still shaking their heads.

Don't look know, but the Tar Heels are knocking on the Top 25 door. It wouldn't surprise me to see them ranked this week, when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish come to town.

I spoke with Butch Davis last week on the show and you could tell his team is playing with confidence and having fun. I got the exact opposite feeling after talking with Tommy Bowden of Clemson, the week before. It just goes to show you that in college football (and basketball) if you get the right coach, great things can happen.

Right now, the Heels and Tigers are heading in opposite directions. Both of them will have a chance to make a statement in and out of the league this week....Clemson plays for their conference lives against Wake in Switzerland on Thursday, and the Heels host the greatest offensive mind in college football, Charlie Weis, and his Irish in Chapel Hill.

What a difference a week makes. Last weekend, the Ole Miss Rebels rolled into the Swamp and shocked the Florida Gators. This week, they blow a 14-3 lead at home to the Old Ball Coach and lose to the Gamecocks.

It was a huge win for South Carolina. Chris Smelley played well and the Cocks found the end zone and picked up a big win on the road which saved their conference season...for now. Up next for Spurrier: a trip to an improved Kentucky team that pushed Bama to the brink in Tuscaloosa.

A week ago, the Maryland Terrapins rallied from a double-digit halftime deficit and upset Clemson in Death Valley. The win pushed Fridge (Ralph Friedgen) back to the forefront of the ACC's Atlantic Division and in the process turned up the heat on Tommy Bowden's regime in Tigertown.

This week, they played at Virginia in an effort to put some more dirt on another coach's grave...Al Groh and his Hoos have been a disaster. The Cavaliers were fresh off a monumental effort of their own, a 31-3 loss to Duke which snapped the Blue Devils' 25-game conference losing streak.

Final score: 31-0....Virginia. How do you explain this nonsense?

I know this much: Clemson fans saw that final score and the heat was turned up another notch on Bowden...and he didn't even play this weekend.

Ohio State beat Wisconsin. This game once again confirmed what we all know....that the Buckeyes are a beast in the Big Ten. No disrespect to Penn State, since the Nittany lions have yet to defeat the Bucks in Columbus since they've joined the conference in the 90's, but nobody can touch the dominance and consistency established by Jim Tressel. Ohio State has an incredible program.

The Buckeyes own the Big Ten.....the problem is that nobody outside that geographical footprint cares or acknowledges their supremacy. After SEC and Southern Cal meltdowns, the rest of the country can only chuckle.

Speaking of, what is up with the Wisconsin Marching Band? They were put on double-secret probation for allegedly participating in hazing, alcohol abuse and sexual misconduct. The Marching Badgers (or whatever they're called) were not allowed to perform during the Ohio State game. I think the penalty is a bit harsh...think about it. If you had to live in Wisconsin, what else would you be doing?

I had to laugh last week, when I read that Nebraska coach Bo Pelini claimed that his team's goal was to shut out Missouri's high-octane offense when they visited Lincoln.

Keep in mind that Missouri had not won against the mighty Huskers in Lincoln since 1978. Also keep in mind that Nebraska had just allowed the Virginia Tech Hokies to post 36 points on the Big Red scoreboard a week earlier. Anybody that has seen the Hokies play this year realizes that Virginia Tech isn't exactly an offensive juggernaut.

Well, Bo Pelini's dream of a shutout of the Mizzou Tigers lasted all of 59 seconds. It took Missouri less than a minute to visit to Cornhuskers' end zone. Final score: Missouri 52, Nebraska 17. It was the Huskers' worst home loss in 53 years.

Somebody needs to remind Bo Pelini that he doesn't have the defensive talent he left behind at LSU.

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In the Carolinas, there is the NFL trifecta of the Carolina Panthers, Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys. They represent the three most popular franchises....and that is no disrespect to the Giants, Steelers and Browns fans that are always vocal when they play in Charlotte.

I know it's still relatively early into the 2008 season, but the Carolinas' NFL trifecta are off to terrific starts. The Panthers, Skins and Cowboys are all 4-1 and have their respective fans thinking big...and rightfully so.

The Panthers have jumped off to a great start and John Fox and Marty Hurney deserve a lot of credit for their off-season moves, aggressive NFL Draft maneuvers and a commitment to going back to a power running game philosophy.

With all the pressure on these front office guys, they deserve some props for getting off to a great start. There is no question that the next two weeks will provide a true indication of the Panthers' season. A road game at Tampa Bay followed up by a home visit from the New Orleans Saints. If the Panthers sweep those two games...watch out. A 6-1 start could give this team and staff all it needs to take control of the NFC South.

The Redskins have been amazing. Their 4-1 start is the most surprising of the NFL Trifecta teams. After watching them get destroyed in an August exhibition game in Charlotte, they opened the season by being smacked around by the defending world champs in the Meadowlands.

New coach Jim Zorn looked like the latest in a long line of Daniel Snyder coaching projects. But since week one, the Skins have been tremendous. Four straight wins, including victories in Dallas and Philly, have the Skins' faithful talking big things in D.C.

When you consider that the Skins have finished playing all of their NFC East rivals on the road by early October, you understand the fantastic start and accomplishment. I've got to hand it to the Redskins; they looked like the NFC East doormat this time last month, and now they might be the odds-on favorite to win the division, given their key road wins.

As for the Cowboys, they seem to be on cruise control. While there are still questions about the defense, there is no doubt that they can score a ton of points on anybody at any time. The biggest question surrounding this team and franchise all revolves around playoff football.

Everybody knows about the streak....if not, you can scroll down to the bottom of the blog and get an update. The Cowboys will be a playoff factor. The biggest question is...for how long?