Saturday Sports Open Thread

Saturday Sports Open Thread

By NB Staff (Bio | Archive)
October 31, 2009 - 09:03 ET

You think when the college football schedule was set up months ago they had any idea both Texas vs. OSU AND USC vs. Oregon would be such big games at the same hour? Anything else you're watching in this schedule?

Maybe more important, who is praying the Phillies beat the Yanks this series?

Anything else on your sports mind today?

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This is the DAWG's day of reckoning

October 31, 2009 - 09:16 ET by R D Helm

If there is any hope left for them to have even a sort-of respectable season, they absolutely, positively must win this afternoon.

GO DAWGS!

I expect the Yellow Britches will run through Vanderbilt like they aren't even there. Heck, even my Dawgs managed to beat 'em, and I think G.T. is a much better team than Georgia this season.

-Dave

Our elected representatives have failed us.

Good luck with THAT!

October 31, 2009 - 09:19 ET by Blonde

That Dawg won't Hunt or Bark!

Richt loses the WAR.

GO GATORS!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope he fails, too.

J,

October 31, 2009 - 10:46 ET by R D Helm

Yeah, I am not holding out much hope today.

Too many things just not going right for Georgia this year.

At least that sorry zebra crew form the Georgia - Tennessee game won't have anything to do with it.

-Dave

Our elected representatives have failed us.

Dave

October 31, 2009 - 10:50 ET by Blonde

Did you see my post below?

Slive has worked tirelessly to turn the SEC into the powerhouse that it is, and Kiffy just keeps flapping his lips.

It will be interesting to see how the officiating goes this week after the last couple of weeks. I hope there are no awful calls at all today in any of the SEC games.

GO GATORS!!!!!

I hope he fails, too.

J,

October 31, 2009 - 11:03 ET by R D Helm

Actually, I just saw it.

Not exactly sure how I feel about the NCAA or the conference commissioners telling coaches what they can and cannot say.

Seems to me at times they are using a rather heavy-handed tactic in an effort to reduce their embarrassment over hiring incompetent zebras, particularly those that affect the ultimate outcome of games.

After all, the SEC 9finally) suspended that hideous crew for their multiple errors, and hopefully they will be back reffing high-school games soon.

I can understand a coaches frustration, particularly at this level.

-Dave

Our elected representatives have failed us.

Well, D.

October 31, 2009 - 11:16 ET by Blonde

They have rules and a chain of command.

The bad calls go both ways, too.

Slive went to all of the AD's and University Presidents and had the rule changed so he can go immediately to suspensions, since apparently he wasn't able to get Kitty's attention. Bet he has it now.

GO GATORS!!!!!!!!!

I hope he fails, too.

J,

October 31, 2009 - 11:41 ET by R D Helm

LOL-Sorry, but I just don't like zebras.

-Dave

Our elected representatives have failed us.

I'm with you. Go Dawgs!

October 31, 2009 - 11:17 ET by Ken Shepherd

I'm with you. Go Dawgs!

Looks like Ken has now weighed in

October 31, 2009 - 11:39 ET by R D Helm

Might just be interesting in the Swamp today. :-)

-Dave

Our elected representatives have failed us.

We shall see!

October 31, 2009 - 12:09 ET by Blonde

Oh how I wish I were in Jacksonville today for the WBOCP.

Oh, any chance your Dogs wear black today? Cause I hear we're wearing orange! Happy Halloween.

Ken's just made about the Old Ball Coach's last victory as a Gator in the Orange Bowl when we pounded his Terps. I was there, I had a really cool boss at the time who bought me Club Seats for Christmas.

<edit> And I don't think it's going to even be close today. Your D ranks what, 94th? Even with a lackluster game we still beat you. If it comes together (finally!!!) be prepared for a repeat of last year.

GO GATORS!!!!

I hope he fails, too.

ok, here goes

October 31, 2009 - 09:19 ET by boomercon

Full disclosure:

As a lifelong Fightin Texas Aggie, there's only 2 teams I root for: The Fightin Texas Aggies; and Whoever's Playing Texas.

As a lifelong Houston Astros fan, there's only 2 teams I root for: The Houston Astros; and whoever's playing the Yankees (buncha overpaid prima donnas).

Don't like the officiating?

October 31, 2009 - 10:23 ET by Blonde

Best to keep it to yourself.

Lane Kiffen, coach of the Tennessee Vols (the team with two "moral victories" so far this year) has been formally reprimanded by the SEC Commissioner, Mike Slive:

Dear Coach Kiffin:

This is with regard to your post-game statements concerning the officiating in the Tennessee at Alabama football game played in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on October 24th, 2009.

The actions and statements constitute public criticism of officials, contrary to the provisions of Bylaw 10.5.4 of the Southeastern Conference Manual, which reads, “coaches, players and support personnel shall refrain from all public criticism of officials.” It is your responsibility as a coach to comply with the policies of the Southeastern Conference and to know the football playing rules.

As a result of your comments, I’m sending you this letter of reprimand. This reprimand will be made public.

Since it is clear from your public comments that you believe this letter “mean(s) nothing”, let me be equally as clear to you. The next time you, or a member of your staff, make public comments of this nature, you will be suspended from all coaching duties for one or more games, and the institution may be subjected to a substantial fine. I also remind you that this is your second public reprimand in your brief tenure as Tennessee’s Head Football Coach and on both occasions you were wrong about the applicable rules.

Sincerely,

Michael Slive

I wonder if this will finally silence the trash-talking loser. Disgraceful behaviour.

GO GATORS!!!!!!

I hope he fails, too.

My Heels sure did handle

October 31, 2009 - 11:18 ET by ricklail

My Heels sure did handle those Hokies. It ought to make the Yellowjackets happy. They led the Coastal divsion of the ACC. Looks like they are the class of the league over the scUM.

FL-GA.I don't hold out much hope for the Dawgs but you never know.

I heard a good one on the radio this AM. This guy calls the local sports talk station and said he was going to dress up like Jake Delhomme and throw the candy over the heads of the trick or treaters at his door.

Semper suprene nitens

OBAMACARE: If it ain't good enough for my Congressman then it ain't good enough for me.

So, you're a Tar Heel, eh?

October 31, 2009 - 11:23 ET by CO2Maker

Where you at?

I'm an alum and a former employee, until my department "right sized" my office and didn't include me in it! (But I hav no hard feeling, btw.)

Go Irish! Beat the

October 31, 2009 - 11:09 ET by wiwf

Go Irish! Beat the Cougs!

And go rams... try to right the sunken ship by beating Air Force. Ugh.

The Rocky Mountain Collegian: Illustrating Idiocy

GO GATORS!

October 31, 2009 - 11:58 ET by BO STINKS

I hope he is impeached, soon.

Thanks, Bo!

October 31, 2009 - 12:10 ET by Blonde

It's us against the boys today, apparently.

GO GATORS!!!!!

I hope he fails, too.

How the once mighty (?) have fallen

October 31, 2009 - 15:21 ET by ricklail

I just went into town to get a few items. I saw former NFL QB Anthony Wright walking down the street with a bunch of gold around his neck. Unless you are a long time fan of the Cowboys, Ravens, Steelers or Giants you are saying Anthony who? He played for all these team during his 10 year career. I don't think he ever started any games for the Steelers or Giants but he did with the Ravens and Cowboys. He was a graduate of South Carolina. What a let down from the glamour of many an NFL city to our one stop light town.

Semper suprene nitens

OBAMACARE: If it ain't good enough for my Congressman then it ain't good enough for me.

Who is praying the Phillies beat the Yanks this series?

October 31, 2009 - 13:14 ET by KC Mulville

Count me in. Oh hell, put me in for two.

Tonight's theme: shaky past heroes. Cole Hamels against Andy Pettitte. The key to the game = throwing strikes. Sounds obvious, but it isn't. It's because the Phillies are "team" hitters.

When the Phillies bat, they almost always take the first pitch. After that, they wait to see "their" pitch. When a pitcher starts off with a ball, the batter knows that the next couple of pitches are likely to be in the strike zone, and hittable. The Phillies want to force you to throw a fastball in the strike zone.
They work together as a team. None of them swing at the first pitch. That establishes a team pattern. The pitcher knows what he has to do, but that's because he knows the Phillies act as a team.
When the pitcher consistently starts off with a strike, as AJ Burnett did the other night, it changes the team strategy.
Now the key is, if the pitcher thinks he has a free first pitch, he'll throw a fastball on first strike. The Phillies will lay off it during the first few innings. But if they see the pitcher start everyone off with a fastball down the middle, that's when they go to town - a few innings later.
And in the later innings, starting pitchers habitually lose their location. Breaking balls are harder to get over the plate. It's harder to throw a first strike. Pitchers naturally turn to their fastball to make sure they throw strikes. The Phillies have forced you to throw fastballs in the strike zone.

Hitters love to know what pitch to expect. The Phillies are patient. They stick to the game plan. As a team, they force the pitcher to throw the pitches the Phillies want them to throw. If a pitcher can keep getting ahead in the count through the middle innings, well, he's going to beat you anyway. AJ Burnett threw strikes on the first pitch well into the later innings. OK, he's a star pitcher, that's going to happen.

Can Pettitte? First three innings, sure. But Pettitte gets tired in the middle innings. Look for the Phillies to explode in the middle innings.

KC

October 31, 2009 - 13:24 ET by MrShy

When the Mets choke down the stretch (again) I sort of have to turn to my second NY team. I don't hate them, nor do I hate the Giants as a Jets fan. Yanks also had a lot of ex-Mets on their dynasty squad, so I grew to like them. (I know, I should grow to hate them for that :p....)

Plus, when I was growing up and getting into baseball, the Yanks were the second class citizens to the Mets (the underdog) for that one decade in an otherwise illustrious life of a franchise, the 1980's. So I never really hated them.

Plus #2, the Phillies are the Mets new neighborhood bully, replacing the Braves. (Man, the Mets are a bunch of pansies.)

No problem

October 31, 2009 - 13:38 ET by KC Mulville

You can't begrudge a fellow fan for pulling for his own team. You respect his loyalty.

If you grew up playing sports, you were taught to compete. You did your best to win, you did your best to induce your opponent to lose, and you let your passion loose. However, if you were taught like I was, you always respected the other team. You want to hit them hard, but never hurt them. (I played football.) You attacked within the rules. If one of their guys was injured, you applauded him when they took him out. And when the game was over, you shook hands. It wasn't personal. It was competition.
Sports taught us that. It taught us how to compete with every ounce of passion you could muster, but it taught you how to separate that passion from respect for your opponents.

We now live in a political world where everything is personal. It's like the parties never leaned the difference between competition and hatred. Maybe all these political operatives (the Anita Dunns, Carvilles, and Begalas) never played sports enough to learn the difference.

KC

October 31, 2009 - 14:38 ET by MrShy

Totally true, the correlation made here between good sportsmanship in sports and in politics.

And, well, I see one party being a lot less sportsmanlike than the other.

Baseball? They're still

October 31, 2009 - 15:31 ET by Roger the Shrubber

Baseball? They're still playing baseball?

Yes I know baseball ends

October 31, 2009 - 15:42 ET by ricklail

Yes I know baseball ends for the Pittsburgh area at the end of April. Some teams do play into October.

Semper suprene nitens

OBAMACARE: If it ain't good enough for my Congressman then it ain't good enough for me.

O defense, defense, wherefore art thou defense?

October 31, 2009 - 16:15 ET by R D Helm

My guess it's probably back in Oklahoma, where its was left after the first game of the season.

And what is up with these bone-headed penalties?

Good grief.

-Dave

Our elected representatives have failed us.

Oops!

October 31, 2009 - 16:33 ET by Blonde

Personal foul much?

I loved Tebow's little walk into the end zone.

GO GATORS!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope he fails, too.

His smile

October 31, 2009 - 16:57 ET by ricklail

His smile said it all. He had just broken Herschel Walker's record against the Dawgs.

I am like Dave. Where is the old junkyard D?

Pretty good game in Winston Salem. Wake holding their own against the scUM.

FSU pulled one out. The old geezer lives to coach another day.

Semper suprene nitens

OBAMACARE: If it ain't good enough for my Congressman then it ain't good enough for me.

Congrats on the Gators win, J.

October 31, 2009 - 17:51 ET by R D Helm

Cox sux as a QB, and our defensive un-coordinator Martinez needs to be banished to Pop Warner where he belongs.

Bet he gets clobbered there, too.

Nothing to say now but GO TECH! WRECK VANDY!

-Dave

Our elected representatives have failed us.

Gracias, Dave

October 31, 2009 - 18:10 ET by Blonde

As much as I'm loving Tim and the boys on O....that D just rocks!

Here's a lovely little article re: Mr. Heisman Part Deux! Have your hankies ready before you read it though.

GO GATORS!!!!!!

I hope he fails, too.

OMO, Dave....Trick or Treat!

October 31, 2009 - 18:20 ET by Blonde

The kids are out of control!

We just had a whole bunch....and a little bitty Gator Cheerleader.

LOL, she took two of the big candy bars! B. said "only one sweetie"....and I said NONSENSE, SHE'S A GATOR!

I hope he fails, too.

Gawd what ugly uniforms

October 31, 2009 - 19:03 ET by ricklail

I know now that Lame Kitten has a taste for crap. The black does not go with that color of orange.

Semper suprene nitens

OBAMACARE: If it ain't good enough for my Congressman then it ain't good enough for me.

Pumpkin vomit people over the chickens 14-0. Possible upset?

October 31, 2009 - 19:28 ET by R D Helm

-Dave

Our elected representatives have failed us.

I don't think that Lame

October 31, 2009 - 19:52 ET by ricklail

I don't think that Lame Kitten is all that great. I think the brains behind the pumpkin vomit people as you so aptly put it is his daddy, the tomcat.

Those uniforms are making me sick-really. Going to have to watch TX-OSU.

Semper suprene nitens

OBAMACARE: If it ain't good enough for my Congressman then it ain't good enough for me.

rick, Good thing GT's offense is so offensive...

October 31, 2009 - 20:09 ET by R D Helm

...'cause their D positively sux.

And yeah, chocolate and orange don't mix, in any context. :-(

-Dave

Our elected representatives have failed us.

Gentlemen,

October 31, 2009 - 21:08 ET by Blonde

I hate to break it to you, but the guy who came up with the "pumpkin vomit" was a Bammer, LOL! It's on YouTube.

GO GATORS!!!!

I hope he fails, too.

Georgia Tech: 56 Vanderbilt: 31

November 1, 2009 - 09:48 ET by R D Helm

Sheesh, the last thing I remember was they were all tied up, and then it was morning.

Guess I missed all the fun.

-Dave

Our elected representatives have failed us.

Ha ha, Dave

November 1, 2009 - 09:58 ET by Blonde

Glad you had a nce surprise this a.m.

Bad surprise for me, there is a problem with Sunshine's Breakfast with the Gators, on (satellite freezes once a minute)....I just spent 45 minutes determining it's not my equipment.

I really wanted to see that second half again, too.

I have to say, that game was great except I wasn't pleased with all of the late hits and Spikes trying to gouge that guy's eye after Tebow got his eye gouged. There's no need for dirty plays like what happened yesterday. Really poor coaching to have allowed that to continue all game. I bet Urby makes Spikes run the stairs until he pukes today.

I hope he fails, too.