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The
One-and-Done Club Welcome, Buffalo Bills. Congrats on the first win of the season over the mighty Detroit Lions....with that victory, you join the Carolina Panthers with sparkling 1-8 records and the race for the first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. You figured it would have to happen sooner or later; the Bills have actually played half-decent football, but they didn't have a win to show for it....until now. When you look at the last seven weeks of the regular season, you gotta like the chances of the Carolina Panthers to secure the top pick of the 2011 NFL Draft. The team has huge injury issues, offensive problems and a lame duck coaching staff on top of that. Plus the schedule is littered with Baltimore, Pittsburgh and a pair of games with the red-hot Atlanta Falcons. It spells an ugly holiday season for the Panthers and it gives a pissed off fan-base even more reason to be boiling mad about Jerry Richardson. I sure hope the Bobcats beat the Minnesota T-puppies on Monday night. The Bobcats are still winless at home this season (come on guys, even the pitiful Panthers have accomplished that feat) and they have to start taking care of business in the comfort of the TWC Arena. The choke job against Utah over the weekend was tough to take and it stopped a little momentum that was created with road wins at Toronto and Washington. This team must close the deal on 19-point leads at home....and I don't care if they are playing Utah, the Lakers or the Clippers. You can already begin to see the line between the haves and the have-nots in the NBA's Eastern Conference. We all know that Boston, Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago and Miami are locks for the playoffs. That leaves three spots open for the rest of the mediocrity in the East. This is why the Bobcats have to stay within reach of the leaders and position themselves for a return visit to the post-season. Throw in the fact that the city is waiting for anybody to start winning, and you can sense that a golden opportunity is slipping through Michael Jordan's team. I didn't expect the Bobcats to be 3-7 and winless at home after the first ten games of the year...Minnesota is a game the team needs to win. Of course, the T-puppies are a ragged 3-7 too, and they probably feel the same way watching tape of the Bobcats. I've visited just about every college football stadium in the South through our journeys on the Southern Fried Football™ Tour. I am convinced that the tightest seat in the South exists at Kenan Stadium. I'm 6'3", and there's no way I can sit in a seat at Kenan without my knees being crammed into the back of the guy in front of me. The only person who can comfortably sit in Kenan Stadium is Jeff Gordon or a horse jockey. Thank goodness I had a couple of kids sitting beside me on Saturday...while they stood on the bleacher seats, I was looking for some extra leg room. I know the expansion of the stadium is still taking place...and it's going to look great when the school finishes up construction....maybe next year, I can squeeze into the adult seating area. There were some tough starts to the college hoop season in Charlotte and Winston-Salem. Alan Major had to put up with a couple of player suspensions and a loss to Gardner-Webb. That won't go over too well at Halton Arena, where Niner fans have been screaming for a change with the basketball program for years. You've got to give Major some time to figure out his staff, recruiting, the league and his players. It's never an easy transition when you become the head coach for the first time. I know he's not happy about the opener, but fans need to be patient with him. In Winston-Salem, Wake fans have been upset since the announcement of Jeff Bzdelik as the man to replace Dino Gaudio. Things didn't get any better after the Deacs were blown out at home by Stetson. I've got to be honest with you, I didn't know that Stetson had a basketball program....and based on the opening game, some folks are asking the same thing about Wake Forest. Bzdelik's hiring was not well accepted by the WF faithful and I can only imagine how upset the Deacs are after just one game. When you throw in a disastrous football season, you wonder if Wake Forest can maintain their "Swiss status".
We had a great time at UNC on the Southern Fried Football™ Tour....but there was one problem with the trip....and it was a big one. Yours truly accidentally deleted all the video and pics of the "scenery" in Chapel Hill. I could kick myself for clicking the wrong button....all that work gathering video of the Old Well Walk...action from Kenan...and more importantly of the sweethearts of UNC....all disappeared with the click of a button. I hate it for all the followers of Southern Fried Football™. There was some good stuff.....but we'll be back to UNC next year and hopefully the weather and the talent will be just as splendid. I'm putting myself on Southern Fried Football™ Probation for that one. As for the game, it was a tale of two halves...but in the end, the Hokies did what they do best. They win in November. If anyone is keeping track, Virginia Tech is now 20-2 in ACC games during the Turkey month since joining the league. The win also puts them on the verge of locking up a spot in the ACC title game in Charlotte on December 4th. Congrats to the South Carolina Gamecocks and their legions of fans for winning the SEC East. Steve Spurrier had to love clinching USC's first SEC East title on the very ground that he made famous down in the Swamp. The Cocks' performance was the polar opposite of a week ago when they stunk it up at home to Arkansas. This week, they turned the Swamp into their own fun land by blowing out the Gators. By midway thru the fourth quarter, the Swamp looked like Aluminum Jungle (sorry, UNC). By virtue of winning the East, the Gamecocks get a rematch with the Auburn Tigers in the SEC Championship game. Auburn rallied past Georgia and the ESPN rumor mill to solidify their spot and punch their ticket to Atlanta. The first game between the two was a good one, and I suspect that unless something crazy happens, the rematch will be entertaining, too. But congrats to Steve Spurrier and the Gamecocks....it's been a good year for USC, with a national title in baseball and the football program reaching new heights, too. Speaking of Auburn, I'm still waiting on all the evidence to come forth against Cam Newton. Given all the time and effort spent by the World Wide Leader on this topic, it amazes me that somebody in Bristol hasn't been able to unveil the "smoking gun" against Newton, his father or the program.
I've stated many times before, ESPN is the best in the business when it comes to college football...nobody does it better. But their handling and sensationalizing of the Newton story has been embarrassing. The time on this subject would have been justified if....and only if....there was an actual shred of evidence supporting any wrong-doing. But as of this moment, it has yet to appear. Until that day happens, it's time to move on....and I plan to follow suit. I wasn't surprised to see Appalachian State knock off Wofford in the big showdown at Kidd Brewer. The Mountaineers were upset a week ago by Georgia Southern and you figured that Jerry Moore would have his guys ready to go against the Terriers. The win gives ASU a share of the Southern Conference championship, and they can win it outright next week if Wofford falls to UT-Chattanooga. App State has now won six straight SoCon football titles, which ties a record. I had the chance to see both teams play in person this season, and Jerry Moore's team has more speed than anybody else in the league. But I have really been impressed with the job by Mike Ayers and his staff.....his Terriers have been consistently good all season long. Next up for ASU....a trip to the Swamp to take on the wounded Florida Gators. Can you say, "Michigan"? While Gator Nation will be feeling sorry for itself after being blown out by Steve Spurrier....the Gators better not be looking ahead to Florida State. For the record, Florida will enter the game on a three-game home losing streak for the first time since 1989. |
Packman
on Sports Commentary
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