Thursday Night Recap:
Just like last week, my predictions got off to a difficult
start as the Chiefs defeated the Eagles. I enjoyed the outcome, as there is
currently no NFC East team with a winning record, providing hope that my
Redskins can stay in the race as they try to figure out how to win a football
game. What's more impressive is how Kansas City, under new and former Eagle
head coach Andy Reid, has started the season with a 3 - 0 record. They are
showing what you can do by playing tough defense and avoid mistakes. Alex Smith
is pretty impressive in managing a conservative offensive scheme and made a great
throw from his own goal line that eventually ended up being a huge play. I'll
be very interested to see how the Chiefs match up against the Broncos in the
AFC West who they go against twice in three weeks, the first game at Denver on
November 17.
Clemson went into NC State and came out with a win last
night, helped in part by a blown call on what should have been a Wolfpack go
ahead touchdown in the third quarter. College has a review system, but
apparently they only use it for that type of play if it occurs inside the five
yard line. However, it was a play that easily could have been overturned but
instead Clemson got the ball back and went in to score, essentially sealing the
win. The Tigers' QB Tajh Boyd got off to a slow start, but seemed to come alive
after a bench side conversation with coach Dabo Swinney. Carter-Finley stadium
has been a place of nightmares for highly ranked ACC teams in recent years, but
Clemson ended up taking care of business. Now they need to make sure they get
past Wake Forest, Syracuse and Boston College to set up a huge game at home against
Florida State on October 19.
Tiger' Woes:
Now to a different
type of Tiger, this one in the golf world. Tiger Woods alternated between
disinterest and frustration yesterday during a birdieless (if that's even a
word) first round in the Tour Championship. Reports were that his back was
bothering him, keeping him from practicing. He looked like Tiger Woods, he
swung like Tiger Woods, but he sure didn't play like Tiger Woods. I have to
believe that his injured back is a factor. It will be interesting to see if
there's any improvement today. As it stands, he will most likely lose his grasp
on the FedEx Cup points race, one he has held most of the season. Henrik
Stenson was unbelievably accurate with his iron shots and is in the lead at the
moment to collect the $10 million for winning the season-long competition.
However, there are three rounds left and if the wind comes up at the East Lake
course, anything can happen.
MLB Races:
With nine or ten games left, depending on the team, it
appears that with the exception of the NL Central the division races are all
but decided. That division has three teams separated by two games. In all
likelihood, the two teams that don't win the division will become the wild-card
teams, barring a big push by the Nationals. I think the Cardinals will end up
prevailing. In the American League, six teams are within 3 1/2 games in the
wild-card race. Although the Yankees are only 3 1/2 back, they would have to
climb over four other teams to get that second spot. The teams to watch are
Cleveland, which has a very favorable schedule, and Texas, which is fading as
the season ends. My prediction is we'll see Tampa Bay and the Indians in the
one game playoff.
College Football Hot Seats:
Texas' Mack Brown faces a must win against Kansas State
tomorrow. Reports indicate that Texas
boosters were sniffing around the possibility that Nick Saban, following the
national championship game earlier this year, would come to Austin . If the Longhorns start 1 - 3, I have no doubt
that the search will begin in earnest, if it hasn't already. Even though Brown
is under contract until 2020, Texas is one of the few programs with enough
money to buy him out of the duration of his deal. The big question is, if Saban
turns them down, who will they get? Will Muschamp was the coach in waiting
before he went to Florida, but he hasn't exactly wowed anyone with the offense
in Gainesville. Colin Cowherd mentioned Chris Petersen at Boise State or John
Gruden from ESPN would probably be available. I'll add Dabo Swinney from
Clemson or Gary Patterson from TCU. And
what about Les Miles from LSU? Okay, he's pretty quirky and might not fit with
Texas, plus he has some bad press hanging over him from the recent Oklahoma
State series in "Sports Illustrated". But the guy can flat out
recruit and coach. There's no way Texas can bring in a high profile assistant,
but instead need to hire someone with extensive and successful head coaching experience. Now, I predicted
that Brown would find a way to get his team past Kansas State, but the Wildcats
are hardly the toughest team left on his schedule, so I think it's pretty
inevitable that he'll be out after this season.
The other hot seat is the one that USC coach Lane Kiffin finds himself sitting on. I didn't make a prediction on the Trojans' game with Utah St.
this week, but Kiffin can't afford another low scoring effort from his offense,
as the Aggies can put points on the board. They've scored 122 points in their
two victories against no losses to start the season. Granted, 70 of those were
against a toothless FCS member Weber State. But still, this will not be a walk
in the park for the Trojans, who still have Arizona State, Notre Dame, Stanford
and UCLA on the schedule. My prediction is that USC may find a way to survive
this weekend, but Kiffin won't make it to next season as head coach of the
Trojans. Once again, you have to speculate who might be on the short list to
replace him. Can you say Bobby Petrino, late of Arkansas and currently at FCS
Western Kentucky? Petrino successfully recruited in California while at
Louisville and Arkansas. The question is whether AD Pat Haden would be
comfortable with Petrino's past character issues, none of which were the types
of things that result in NCAA infractions. It's a long shot, but if it happens,
remember you heard it here first.
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