Hook 'em Horns

An Arlington upset-special is on the agenda when 9-3 Nebraska clashes with Colt McCoy and the undefeated Texas Longhorns Saturday night. The Huskers hope to squander the third ranked Texas’ national title hopes in tonight’s Big 12 Championship game on the road. The conference has a heartbreaking history of stunning upsets. Eight years ago, the Longhorns’ chances of a title ended with a loss to Colorado. Last season, Texas watched Oklahoma play for the Big 12 championship even though the Longhorns beat the Sooners during the regular season. Nebraska’s anticipated title run in 1996 was halted by an upset loss to Texas. The comparisons between 1996 and 2009 are eerie. In 1996, the Huskers were the nation’s number three team but fell 37-27 to Texas in the conference title game. You can be sure Nebraska is looking to avenge for that loss thirteen seasons ago. Do the 21st ranked Huskers have what it takes to shake up the college football world?
Senior signal caller, McCoy’s Heisman candidacy is on the line along with the Longhorns’ shot at a national title game appearance. McCoy represents everything great about college football and is well deserving of the award. He empowers the offense and is an electric charge at the helm. However, Texas has been untested for the most part this year. Mack Brown’s team will get a dose of SEC-like defense when Nebraska visits Arlington this evening. The Huskers showcase a championship-caliber defense. Ndamukong Suh is the defensive leader at the tackle position. Suh is drawing his own Heisman votes because of his monstrous and effective physical style and oomph. McCoy will have to keep an eye on 300 pound Suh and do his best to keep the ball as far away as possible from the tackle. The Texas quarterback is a talented and gifted guider with the ball. McCoy is a hard worker but the Longhorns have struggled and appeared vulnerable since their Thanksgiving meeting with Texas A&M. The Huskers have four All-Big 12 players in Suh, tackle Jared Crick, safety Larry Asante and cornerback Prince Amukamara. Crick, a sophomore, will challenge the dual-threat McCoy. The Husker defense has merited serious attention and likely won’t let McCoy run through them like he has against opponents all season. Texas has struggled to run consistently and Nebraska’s interior defense should wreck havoc in shutting them down. Jordan Shipley is just a smidgen and smear in McCoy’s receiving corps. Shipley heads Texas’ talented offense with 99 catches. He has six teammates with 25 or more receptions this year. Protecting McCoy is the main concern for the offensive line which has allowed 21 sacks. Suh and Crick have a combined 16.5 for Nebraska. The Texas pass offense must take care of business if McCoy is to have a shot at the title game against either Florida or Alabama. A Texas loss would probably relegate the Longhorns to a coveted at-large candidate, and leave a vacancy for Nebraska in the Fiesta Bowl. Nebraska can pull off the monumental upset if they win the turnover margin by rattling the passer and controlling the line of scrimmage.
It shouldn’t be a problem for Texas to contain the Big 12’s eleventh ranked offense in Nebraska. The Huskers may be the best in the conference, and third best nationally, with 11 points per game on defense, but Nebraska’s offense isn’t scoring points. Junior passer, Zac Lee, has been productive against opponents when his offense protects him. The Huskers are solid in pass protection. Wideout, Niles Paul is a downfield threat. Niles leads the club with 35 receptions. Texas’ secondary has been exposed as of late, but the defense still ranks second highest in interceptions. The Longhorns do have another thing on their side coming into Saturday’s sweltering and significant showdown. Bo Pelini’s team has a running game that plays into the hands of Texas’ defense. Roy Helu is healthy again for Pelini’s backfield and quarterback Lee. Lee has thrown for just under 2,000 yards and Helu has scrambled for 1,111. Rex Burkhead, a true freshmen runner, is a second serious option. Burkhead garnered a 100 yard effort last week against Colorado. Only three teams have managed 100 yards or more against this Longhorns defense, however. They even limited UTEP’s nationally ranked rusher, Donald Buckham, to 46 yards. Texas is first in the nation in run defense. In other words, the Huskers would have more luck running through a brick wall at Cowboys Stadium.

Parting Points: Song of the day- “Ordinary Miracle” by Sarah Mclachlan
Bearcats-Panthers today at noon…
It’s about time the Nets recorded a victory!

Set Still My Soul/Expressing Emotion

Two more poems:

Set Still My Soul

The irrefutable way you toss me the ball
And how your face sparkles like flint
The parsimonious precision of your placement
Is it any wonder that for you I’d fall?

A shared water bottle and shake of the hand
The trivial but well-timed feet touch
And elegant accidental arm brush
Are they the only contacts outside swinging with command?

If you open your heart like you open your stance
You might be happy to find true trust
It’s more than any form of infatuation or lust
Can’t you see that if you’d give me half a chance?

Your anticipation guides you to net
As my short volley falls into your lap
Is it too much to ask those strong arms to wrap
My soul and my spirit along with this set?


Expressing Emotion
I can feel you walking and dancing in my mind
Part of me wants you nearer to my heart
But you’re keeping me at a distance
I don’t want you knocking until you’re sure
So you can circle and spin until you settle
The reason I’m patient is because I know
I’m ready to take you for all you are
I’ve waited so long for you to become
All I tell myself I dream you will be
It’s not enough for me to ask
The more I allow you to express
The better the bitterness will taste tomorrow

Weekly Wrap

I've been in a poetry mood lately. There are plenty of going ons in professional sports, so here's a weekly wrap of wildness in the form of a poem:

This week the sports world witnessed everything from…
Tiger Woods pleading to Adrian Peterson speeding
Ron Artest drinking to New Jersey Nets stinking
Bobby Bowden retiring to the 76ers hiring
Duke quivering to Kansas delivering
Northwestern football folding to Mark Mangino scolding
The BCS standings to Peyton Manning’s landings
Goalie knockouts to NBA scoring routs
Vince Young surging to Hall of Fame voters diverging
NFL disclaimers to Bowl game namers
Hofstra dispersing to John Harbaugh’s sideline cursing
A change in Notre Dame to Derek’s Jeter’s SI fame

Dallas' Demoralizing Defeat

It’s not often I get to write about the worst team in NBA history. The New Jersey Nets’ futile 0-18 start to 2009 has given me the chance. Before tipoff, there was talk of an historical night at the Izod Center. The Nets are the epitome of professional basketball futility after passing the record for the worst start in NBA history. New Jersey 117-101 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday nipped the record previously held by the 1988-89 Miami Heat and 1999 LA Clippers. Four Mavericks scored in double digits as Dallas pounded Kiki Vandeweghe’s hapless Nets. Former New Jersey assist accumulator, Jason Kidd, had his way with Vandeweghe’s new crew. The old Nets’ captain had 10 assists in his second trip back to New Jersey. The Nets defense may as well have been doing pushups on the sidelines. That’s how effective they were in countering an 80% first half Dallas shooting effort. Kidd finished with 16 points and Dirk Nowitzki terrorized New Jersey by dishing out 24 for Dallas. The Mavs took a 77-50 lead in the East Rutherford locker room at halftime. Dallas dashingly dominated by as much as 31 points in the third quarter. The Nets trimmed the lead to 16 in the losing effort. New Jersey actually out-shot the Mavs in the fourth quarter, but it was too little too late to salvage the record-breaking fate of defeat.
The former Memphis Tiger standout, Chris Douglas-Roberts amassed 24 points in 40 minutes of floor time for the Nets. Stanford product, Brook Lopez, grabbed six rebounds and totaled 16 points, and Wisconsin’s own, Devin Harris, had 17 points. The 26 year old former Badger, who was acquired for Kidd, hit one of five three points. Those numbers weren’t much worse than the team’s 6-of-18 stats from the arc last night. The Nets appeared to stop fighting even before the half. Dallas hit the home team with a 49 point second quarter outburst, hitting their final nine shots and making all ten free throws. The Mavericks built their budding 27 point second quarter lead following a mediocre first in which the Nets tied the game at 28-28. New Jersey hung around and converted six Dallas turnovers into eleven points. Rick Carlisle’s Mavericks were a model of consistency and physicality all night. Jason Terry didn’t miss a shot in the first half. Tim Thomas was for 4-for-4 shooting. The team had 24 second quarter possessions and hit a bucket on all but two. The 77 first half points were the most scored by Dallas all year. The Mavs were routinely great on offense, as no player missed more than one shot before halftime. Dallas sternly steered and shot with skilled surety while stomping and scorching the sorry Nets.
The Nets are a rebuilding project. Vandeweghe was ironically part of the Mark Cuban-managed Mavericks when they were retooling. The Dallas franchise succeeded in turning the team around. Del Harris was a part of the Mavericks organization back then. Today he fosters the same leadership in New Jersey as Vandewegh’s assistant. The outlook is bleak without a legitimate head coach. The Nets are a young team composed of overworked and injured players. New Jersey made a coaching change by firing Lawrence Frank and bringing in Harris. It seems as if the Nets are only going from bad to worse. The defense is slow to react, allowing opponents to slip in uncontested layups. They look flat and slow in defending and rebounding. Wednesday, the Nets allowed the Mavs to shoot unattended jumpers and crowd the basket with dunks. The parade of layups and amount of turnovers proves New Jersey’s perimeter defense is barely adequate and transition defense is nonexistent, respectively. The Nets are staggering when trying to stop the fast break. Players aren’t sure their responsibilities or simply just don’t have the talent to execute them. Boxing out seems an entirely novel concept to these Nets. Passing is also a problem for the Nets. New Jersey’s interior game exhibits nothing but poor rotations and befuddled blocking. The team is consistent in recording turnovers, nothing to gloat about in any game. It’s no wonder the team hasn’t won a game this season. The Nets problems can’t be fixed overnight or with the changing of the guard. In fact, don’t be surprised if New Jersey’s losing streak extends well beyond 18. It’s hard to believe these are professional athletes sometimes. These Nets just can’t find the basket. Sometimes, they’d be lucky to find the ball.

Parting Points: Tonight’s Civil War between the Ducks and Beavers will decide Ohio State’s Rose Bowl opponent. I am pulling for Oregon State but think the Ducks are favored to win.

Second Serves

Falling Forehand

A gliding, sliding riding band
Of a fluorescent yellow Wilson brand
Whirled and swirled with a cement curved rubber line strand
As I scurried and hurried and worried to smack it before it should land


Playing Portrait of Pity

There used to be a place I’d go
When feeling down and low
It’s distinguished cracks and smooth surface
Served a soothing, sheltered purpose
The raised nets and clearly marked boundaries
Listened to my lonely pleas
The way the service box could be my disguise
Was an acceptable answer to my cries
The repetitive bouncing and tossing of which
Turned on my saddened soul’s switch
Meager and humble I overcame denial
Hitting an ace made life again seem worthwhile
Even though I felt you approaching in stride
My drop shot and hidden hurt remained inside
It’s taken me a while to figure you out
But I’m going to do so with clarity and clout
I return to my home on the darkest days
And deliver my serve where this unharmed child still plays

Saints Sail Smoothly with Solid Superdome Show

Drew Brees continues to solidify the Saints as Superbowl favorites. New Orleans hosted the New England Patriots Monday night in the most intriguing game of week 12 in the NFL. The Saints pursuit of perfection remained in tack following a 38-17 takedown of the AFC East leading Patriots. New Orleans ran their record to 11-0 and by far the best team in their division. Atlanta sits second in the NFC South with a 6-5 record. The Saints have a chance to run the table and are five victories away from matching the 2007 Patriots perfect record. They demolished that same team in Monday night football thanks to another stellar showing by the signal caller. Brees’ impressive season-high 371 yards helped add to his MVP campaign. The 30 year old quarterback outplayed Tom Brady in the Patriots’ first trip to the Superdome since the Superbowl. Brees carved up Bill Belichick’s defense with five touchdown passes, all tossed to different receivers. Brady left Monday night’s contest a loser and threw a pair of interceptions. He did surpass Drew Bledsoe’s mark in the third quarter to become New England’s all-time leading passer. The Patriots fell to 7-4 and still have a sizeable and comfortable lead in their division.
John Carney’s 30 yard field goal in the first quarter put the home team on the scoreboard first in front of the second largest crowd to ever attend a Saints game at the Superdome. Pats’ running back, Laurence Maroney pounded in for seven on a fourth-and-one play to give New England a 7-3 lead. Cornerback, Mike McKenzie, in his 2009 Saints debut, intercepted Brady pass intended for Randy Moss to end the first quarter. The pick in New Orleans territory set up the Saints first touchdown of the night. Pierre Thomas caught a Brees screen spiral and scrambled for the 18 yard touchdown. Thomas lead the Saints in rushing with 11 carries for 64 yards, and is tied with Robert Meachem for the team lead with seven touchdowns. The touchdown department was in full in the second quarter last night. The Saints went on to score two more touchdowns to take a 24-10 lead into the locker room at the half. Brees connected with Devery Henderson a 75 yard hookup. The one-play, nine-second drive was the longest play from scrimmage for New Orleans this year. Henderson finished with a season high three receptions for 116 yards. It was his seventh 100 receiving yard day of the season, and seventh of his career. The Saints deep receiving corps and committee of gifted backs has them playing outstanding football into December.
Brady drove the Patriots all the way to the New Orleans 18 yard line following Henderson’s long grab from Brees. New England settled for a field goal to pull within a touchdown. Special teams star, Courtney Roby returned Stephen Gostkowski’s 72 yard kick 26 yards to the New Orleans 24. Brees drove the Saints into Patriots territory just before the two minute warning. The solid signal caller completed a 25 yard pass to David Thomas for a Saints first down with under a minute in the half. Meachem reeled in a 38 yard score for his fifth touchdown in the last four games.
Maroney’s two yard touchdown run in the third quarter finished the scoring for Monday night on the New England side. It was all Saints from that point on. Darnell Dinkins delivered the Saints fourth touchdown with 9:02 remaining in the third. It was the former Pittsburgh tight end’s lone reception, but it was good for seven New Orleans points. Brees spread the ball around in the one-sided second half, and extended his own franchise record with his 29th 300 yard passing game. After going three-and-out on their first possession of the final quarter, Brady was intercepted again, but not before Brees snagged his fifth touchdown. This time, the MVP candidate launched a 20 yard pass to Marques Colston on a second-and-five. Veteran safety Darren Sharper was the recipient of Brady’s second miscue. Sharper and the Saints kept Brady in check throughout the night. Defensive end, Will Smith, had four tackles and was credited with 1.5 sacks. Smith is one-half sack shy of his career high 10.5 set three years ago. Carney missed a 37 yard field goal in the middle of the fourth quarter. Brian Hoyer relieved Brady after the miss, but the backup quarterback was unable to put anything together. Hoyer was sacked on the final play of the game for an eight yard New England loss and crushing road defeat.

Parting Points: Song to start December- “All Cried Out” by All Saints

Fond farewell exit to Bobby Bowden and RIP to the Yankees’ “Old Reliable”

Dixon’s Dreary Defense Defeated

“Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.”
Dennis Dixon tried to be the difference-maker he once was for the Oregon Ducks. The third-string quarterback filled in for injured Ben Roethlisberger in Sunday night’s Steelers game in Baltimore. Pittsburgh also played without star safety, Troy Polamalu in the game at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens needed an overtime 29 yard field goal by Billy Cundiff to outlast and defeat the Steelers 20-17.
Second round pick, Paul Kruger, changed the game for Baltimore by intercepting a Dixon pass in the extra session. Kruger’s first career pick with under seven minutes left set up the game-winning kick. The Ravens ended a three game losing streak in topping their AFC North rivals. The teams entertain matching records as they head into December football. Baltimore kept their playoffs hopes alive thanks to the overtime rally and a flurry of unseasoned stars stepping up.
The Ravens scored their first first-half touchdown since October 4th last night. Baltimore signal caller, Joe Flacco, completed 23 of 35 passes for 289 yards and one touchdown. Flacco drove the Ravens 73 yards in nine plays on their first possession by completing all five of his tosses. The promising passer smartly spread the ball around. He hit Mark Clayton twice and hooked up with Kelley Washington during the opening drive. Willis McGahee lead a successful Ravens ground game. He provided the 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a two yard run after Ray Rice broke a 19 yard run. McGahee, the former Miami and Fiesta Bowl running back, had 88 of the team’s 132 rushing yards.
The Steelers opened up their offense in the second quarter. Santonio Holmes put Pittsburgh on the board with a 33 yard touchdown pass from Dixon. Holmes finished with 74 yards on six receptions and scored for the first time since week one. Sunday’s touchdown reception also marked the six straight time Holmes has scored against the Ravens. Baltimore answered with seven of their own on their final possession of the first half. Flacco found wideout, Derrrick Mason, in the end zone following a 54 yard toss to Clayton. Mason beat Ike Taylor in the left side of the end zone to lift the Ravens to a 14-7 halftime advantage.
Steelers kicker, Jeff Reed, trimmed the Baltimore lead to 14-10 with a third quarter boot from 44 yards. Rashard Mendenhall turned a short Dixon pass into a 20 yard gain before Reed’s field goal. The Steelers back was five shot of a 100 yard rushing night. Mendenhall carried the ball 24 times for Pittsburgh, as the Steelers tried to drive the ball home on the ground. Quarterback accuracy wasn’t a problem for Dixon. It was the receiving that became a problem late. Rookie receiver, Mike Wallace, missed tying the game when he dropped a pass in the end zone. The Steelers settled for three. Dixon finished with 145 yards and went 12 for 26.
Flacco was stripped of the ball for Baltimore’s second turnover of the half and the number one defense in the AFC sacked him on three plays. It was the third sack that sent the Ravens back eight yards as Flacco fumbled. Lawrence Timmons knocked the ball out of Flacco’s hands and Brett Keisel recovered for the visitors. Following a pair of penalties by each team, Mendenhall scrambled up the middle for 24 yards. Dixon put the Steelers ahead for the first time with a bootleg touchdown run on the next play. The novice quarterback went untouched into the end zone for the fourth-longest run allowed by the stingy Ravens this season.
Baltimore converted a fourth-and-five from their own 46 yard line and settled for a tying field goal from Cundiff to send the game into overtime. Dixon’s pass intended for Holmes resulted in his lone interception. Kruger snagged Dixon’s pass and returned it for 26 yards the other way. Cundiff hammered home the winning three points to hand the defending Superbowl champs their fifth loss of 2009. The game was an important rebound one for Flacco and the Ravens. The intense rivalry game was a step in the right direction for Baltimore. Flacco hasn’t played well against the Steelers in his last three starts. The Pittsburgh defense hounded the passer with ferocity. The current Steelers defense has allowed a fourth quarter lead to slip away in four of their five losses. Dixon gave his team a chance to win, but the defense did not hold the lead. Willie Parker and Mendenhall helped Dixon heat up and the quarterback appeared authoritative through the air. The Steelers secondary was whipped by Flacco’s receivers. Dick LeBeau’s defense should have been able to capitalize on Dixon attacking the Ravens for 17 points. Ray Rice ran through the big defenders with ease. Rice beat tackle after tackle to set up the field goal in the final quarter and erase the only Pittsburgh lead of the game. The Steelers picked off Flacco five times in their previous two meetings. They were a more unified defense then. Last night, the same club looked troubled from the ends to the insides to the corners. They allowed the Ravens receivers to pull down passes for huge gains. In doing so, the Steelers gained didn’t gain anything of their own, except another loss.

Parting Points: Poem for the day- Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven”.

Did anyone not deem Charlie Weis was accountable for Notre Dame’s dismal 2009? He didn’t come close to a championship level in South Bend.
Happy Cyber Monday!