Could you hear the chattering of teeth from out West last week? That reverberating sound was that of USC fans, who were anxiously awaiting if Football coach would “do the deed” and make the jump back to pro football as either coach of the Atlanta Falcons or of the Washington Redskins.

 Hmmm..now let’s see…have players around me that make more than me or rule the college world..well, if Reggie Bush can make more than me while he’s here, then…..

Carroll was “on vacation” last week and met with the media and his team for the first time since USC’s drubbing of Illinois in the Rose Bowl. When asked about the NFL prospects, he merely declined to answer. This happened after ESPN reported last week that Carroll would not be taking the Atlanta job, and everyone at that point felt that he would not be going anywhere. But how often has it happened that we’ve heard coaches decline to comment and basically focus things elsewhere, and then days later be donning a new hat in a new town? Bill Self left for Kansas from Illinois without even having a meeting with his players, whereby the story goes that he told them over the phone. Rich Rodriguez denied that he was leaving West Virginia and threatened to end a press conference if he was asked about it one more time, and 2 days later was announced as the Michigan head coach. Even before that, the media hounded Les Miles about the Michigan job even though he denied it over and over and even backed out of a supposed deal with the Wolverines. I guess we all just “know” Coachspeak and that is what drives the paranoia around these things.

Of course, with Carroll neither confirming or denying things, there’s no direction to really put on this thing, but one thing is for sure–if he leaves USC, he is leaving behind what could be one of the most rewarding careers a coach could ever have at any university. He’s got the college “spirit”, the name behind the school, and the recruiting power. He’s got an area of the country that is overflowing with talent, and with UCLA being down in the dumps, he’s ruled the city the entire 21st century.

The only likely thing I can see him doing is going to the Redskins because it would be taking over a team that is already decent, being a playoff team this year. It’s a storied franchise, and it’s also got an owner (Dan Snyder) that will certainly pay to have coaches in the NFL (see Steve Spurrier).

But why risk the jump again? Carroll coached the Jets previously and was decent overall, but being at the top of the heap in college football every year can’t be a bad thing. In this case, it’s a no brainer to stay at USC, but then again, I have to wonder why June Jones would leave sunny Hawaii and its “cush” schedule for SMU. Sometimes things just don’t make sense, so USC fans, keep on chomping at the bit…..because your self-fulfilling prophecy may take effect in the form of Carroll walking the sidelines of JFK Stadium next year.

I think in order to make things more streamlined and formative, I am going to start doing some frequent posting that encapsulates different items on certain days in order for fluidity to the site. That being said, here is what my schedule will be going forward per conference:

Monday-Big Ten

Tuesday-Pac 10

Wednesday-ACC

Thursday-Big East

Friday-Big 12

Saturday-SEC

Sunday-All others

In these daily capsules, I will have different posts discussing the previous week’s events, news, and future discussions about the teams and conferences themselves (not limiting to specific sports). I will also post on news events as they transpire with my two, or three cents, maybe even a dollar’s worth. For those of you out there that would like to have a discussion on a certain topic, shoot an email my way and I’ll be happy to give it a shot.

Thanks for your support of the site and I look forward to getting started on this!

Tim AKA “The Athletic Supporter”

    And for my next trick…

The good folks over at Rivals.com have made an article discussing that there is a decent chance that the AP may indeed vault USC from #7 to a potential national title after its drubbing of Illinois 49-17 in the Rose Bowl.

I’m sorry…but how does that make sense?

First of all, if you watched the game, the score was not indicative of the final score. Sure, the Trojans had second stringers still piling up yards on the Illini in the fourth quarter, but the demoralization factor was so high then that it didn’t matter. If Illinois’ receiver Justin Willis doesn’t fumble at the goal line and if Joe Mcknight doesn’t dribble the ball on a lateral and then get a lucky bounce, we’re talking a whole different game here.

I know, I know, if its and buts were candy and nuts…but still…#7 to #1? With Oklahoma still left to play? With Georgia making Hawaii look like a high school team, why isn’t anyone talking about the Bulldogs being in the national title hunt? Oh–and how could I forget that THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME HASN’T EVEN BEEN PLAYED YET.

I mean, come on, folks…USC has played like every bowl game in the Rose Bowl, it is essentially a home game, and the matchup was a mismatch at best…but there’s talk of them vaulting to number 1?

Are these guys still drunk from New Year’s??

Yey! I’m finally out of Baltimore!!

After he lead the UCLA Bruins to a victory in the 1984 Rose Bowl, Rick Neuheisel was destined for a future in football somewhere. Well, the pro career didn’t quite pan out, so Neuheisel went to coach Colorado, where he did a great job in reviving the Buffalo program. He then took a better paying job at Washington, where again he did very good things for the Huskies.

However, as with all things, there usually is a catch. With Neuheisel, it wasn’t recruiting violations, it wasn’t drinking and driving, it wasn’t losing–it was gambling. Not hardcore betting like some referees have been accused of, but betting on NCAA basketball in office pools. While it may seem harmless enough, it still ended up with his resignation from the university ranks. He decided to go to the pros, where for the last couple of years he has been the Baltimore Ravens QB coach.

Rick, time to come home. After that whirlwind tour, he is back in Bruinland, ready to lead his alma mater. The Bruins, who have as of late been a decent football program, hope that he can lead them back to those glory days in which he had the Bruins near the top of the standings.

While some say that he brings this baggage with him and there are still some question marks surrounding things like recruiting with some “black marks” on his sheet, I think UCLA made a fine choice and there’s no one who will go after and be able to market to players like Neuheisel will. He’s done good things at the collegiate level, and he should take some of the press and players away from big bullies USC and Cal.

Just–please–everyone stay away from him come March Madness, ok?

Wow, now that’s a subject line that should get me at LEAST a million hits. WOO HOO!

Anyways…

Is there any real reason to debate the Heisman Trophy at this point? I mean, seriously, should anyone else even waste their time flying to sit in the Downtown Athletic Club other than Tim Tebow? (Well, that would be weird, but for there to be winners there has to be losers–write that down).

Let’s face it. Tebow comes from the defending national champion, has been a media darling since last year, has some pretty gaudy numbers (29 TD passing and 22 TDs rushing), and plays in what is arguably the best conference in the country. When you compare that to the other front-runners (so to speak), it just doesn’t compare. And with this year not having a dominant team coming into the bowl season, there’s no real “knock” on Tebow for having a team with 3 losses, when there is a team with 2 losses (LSU) playing for the title.

Plus–again the irony that struck the BCS standings-Tebow sitting at home and watching games last week actually “helped” his Heisman standing–because with Chase Daniel looking lost against the Oklahoma defense and Pat White’s “non-performance” against Pitt, Tebow solidified his standing without raising a finger.

But we also must remember that past performance does not guarantee future results. For the listing of Heisman winners over the past three decades, of course there’s been some great NFL players, but there also some guys that never even played in the NFL (Remember Charlie Ward–the guy tried to play pro basketball, for cripes sake!) What it comes down to is this–for every Tony Dorsett and Barry Sanders, there’s also a Rashaan Salaam and Eric Crouch.

And, honestly, I don’t think the results of this year will be much different. Tebow may take home the trophy, but my feeling is that in a few years he’ll be doing much of what he did last weekend–watching football. I honestly feel the player that will make the most forward-looking impact is Darren McFadden. He ran for 1700+ yards and 15 TDs while having to shoulder the offensive load and still had huge performances.  This guy simply has the build, the gridiron smarts, has basically played without the tools that Tebow has had, and again has beat up on some of the best defenses in the country.

But–will Mcfadden win the award for the “best player in the country”? Nope.  Now, I look at players like Daniel, , and I am not discounting their talent. There can be arguments made for all of them, but the simple fact is that McFadden should be taking home the famous trophy this year–no ifs, ands, or buts.

The Supporter has spoken……

Hey coach, they are giving me the Heisman..Isn’t that hilarious? Wait…why is that funny again? Coach? Coach? Stop Laughing!

“Quick–Raise your hand if you suck at coaching!”

Like a sweeping ghost from the vapors comes a University of Washington official to discuss under anonymity that Ty Willingham will be retained as coach for the Huskies next year. The problem is….no one REALLY cares.

Seriously, what has Willingham really accomplished? He didn’t do jack at Notre Dame, was pretty ho-hum at Stanford, and his Washington teams have gone 11-25 in his tenure. Plus, after Rick Neuheisel was run out of town on the heels of betting in office pools (OHHHH THE HUMANITY!!!!), Washington football has been reduced to an afterthought in the Pac 10 conference.

Sure, they may have gotten a name when they hired him, but Willingham is really nothing more than Norv Turner is to Pro Football–a vagabond who must be a smooth operator during interviews (I liken these guys to those big pearly-toothed used car salesmen going “What will it take to get you in THIS car?”), and while he may be a decent recruiter, his coaching is and has been suspect for a while.

My gut is the only reason that U Dub is keeping Willingham is his firing fee-to the tune of 3 Million dollars. I know I would certainly be happy to be packing up my desk if I knew I was getting that kind of severance. Whomever negotiated that on Willingham’s part is a genius with his history.

Perhaps the official was ashamed more than anything to say he’s coming back. I know I would.

You know those times when you hear a joke, or you are watching a show where the funny bone is literally twinging as you laugh until your ribs hurt? One of my weaknesses is the scene where Jeff Daniels is….well, you know…ok, let’s be blunt–he has explosive diarrhea that would blow your Aunt Connie’s socks off.

Anyways, that USED to be one of my favorite things–and now it’s been one-upped. The Bowl Selection show that was on this evening for ESPN was pure comedy genius–Can you believe that Ohio State is number one in the country?? And what was even funnier was that the chuckleheads on there were actually defending that a team who hasn’t even donned a uniform over the past two weeks is now the best team after all these other teams have fought it out on the gridiron. AND–what’s even better–is that a team that was ranked #4 in the BCS last week DIDN’T move up in the standings but a team that was ranked below them and played–and won–now leapfrogged them and is playing for the national championship.

I don’t honestly harbor any type of animosity towards these two teams–they obviously didn’t have control over this–but there’s something to be said about what Georgia coach Mark Richt noted during the show that there’s no rule saying that teams NOT playing for a conference championship shouldn’t get a chance for a national championship, yet the media basically had disqualified the Bulldogs even before they had a chance.

This may sound like I am bitter because I am a Georgia fan–well, I’m not either. It just is really a travesty, and the domino effect has some pretty questionable matchups as well because of this–Illinois versus USC in the Rose Bowl? If the opening line favoring USC is in single digits, my kid’s college money is going on the line. Virginia Tech and Kansas?? Orange Bowl officials actually passed on Missouri? Seriously?? Michigan-Florida–Lloyd Carr will be remembering the butt-kicking that Urban Meyer gives him for a very long time. Perhaps the best matchup is Oklahoma-West Virginia, with the Sooners going strong and the Mountaineers trying to gain some respect.  But other than that, this holiday season is just a joke for the bowls.

While everyone prognosticates about the fervor that the BCS is bringing, all of the matchups that could be a possibility, there is one thing that remains with the teams that are near the top of the standings, and that is the fact that they all lost games at the right time.

It doesn’t make it right–I’ve already gone on record about it–but it is what it is. With this in mind, I am thinking about what I’d like to cozy up to the night of the national championship game with my beer in one hand and remote in the other. First of all, if the experts have their due, it will be Ohio St and West Virginia. If that is indeed the case, my remote hand will certainly be getting more work than my beer hand, which is NOT a good thing (well, perhaps for my liver).

Why? Because that would be the single most BORING game that could possibly happen. No flash, no panache (that’s peh-nawsh for those of you without class), I mean–the Mountaineers are a working man’s team, a grind-it-out tough-it-out team that lulls other teams to sleep with execution, much like how Pete Sampras used to play tennis–precise, but utterly hard to watch without falling asleep.

So–if there is a team I am rooting for this Saturday, it’s going to be Missouri–and it’s for purely selfish reasons–because I believe they will bring the excitement that the BCS needs to recoup those that will 1) continue to remark about teams backsliding into the big game and 2)Because they are just fun to watch. Sure, their defense sometimes looks like the special olympics, but the offense is something to take in–call it “Hawaii without the feeling of getting motion sickness from watching guys run routes like their hair was on fire.”

They’ve got star power in Chase Daniel and a deep running and receiving crew. And they are really the underdog for even being in the national title game–despite being number 1, because people feel that the Oklahoma Sooner defense is going to dismantle this offense, despite giving up 31 points to Mizzou in their win–at home.

Ohio St. being in the national title game is really kind of a joke to me. The Buckeyes didn’t play an entirely strong schedule, the Big 10 was for the most part not strong at all despite Illinois’ resurgence, and they really haven’t dominated anyone. They literally have benefited from the losses of other teams and have not fought their way to the top.

If I had my choice, right now I would pit Georgia versus USC in the national title game. These two teams are at the top of their games and have been playing wonderful opponents. USC came back from an embarrassing loss to basically kick the crap out of a good Arizona St. team. And Georgia has been on an offensive roll, winning six in a row, and their biggest win in the last month was a 25 point drubbing of Auburn.

But–alas–I don’t have any say. BUT I DO HAVE A BLOG!!! MUHAHAHAHAHA! (whoops…obviously my beer hand has been working overtime…)

Back in the day, USC walked into a stadium and teams would literally run for cover. No, not from the most ugly uniforms on earth (Can someone PLEASE get a fashion consultant there STAT), but from the sheer talent overflowing like the Salmon of Capistrano. Arizona St. hasn’t had a decent run at college football since Cuba Gooding Jr. played a fictitious wide receiver in “Jerry Maguire”. Reaching back into reality, it was probably when Jake “The Snake” Plummer took the helm for the Sun Devils. Yes–it’s been a while.

Yet, even though USC has kind of fallen off the wagon in terms of being the country’s big bully, they are still a good team. Yes, they were favored by 41 over Stanford and choked under the pressure. But they still have posted quality wins and deserve a legitimate shot at a BCS bowl. Still, ASU has the higher ranking and the bigger momentum. So, is it really poetic to call the match a David vs. Goliath matchup? Probably not, because even though many would still pick ASU as the upstart David, you can make a case for each.

Oregon’s defeat left the door open for USC to make a run at another conference championship. If the Trojans win out against Arizona State and UCLA, they can secure a Rose Bowl bid if Oregon loses one of its final two games. But the Sun Devils control the race heading into this game. If they close the season with wins against USC and Arizona, they’ll clinch the conference title and at least a trip to the Rose Bowl. They’d also have an outside shot at playing in the Bowl Championship Series title game.

So–to say this game is huge is an understatement. Who will win? The fact that it is being played at home should give the edge to the Sun Devils, but USC is not fazed by away crowds, and Pete Carroll’s tenure as coach has shown that he can dominate in the most feared of environments. Plus, there are still some big question marks at QB, where USC’s John David Booty (I just love the name…) has been so-so with a cracked finger (that reaaaaaaaaaaaaaally sounds painful) the past three games, and ASU’s Rudy Carpenter hurt his thumb at the beginning of November and has been slowed.

So, what it comes down to is defense, and USC has the edge. I will again go against the grain and take the Trojans in a squeaker.

So, I post about the Ducks’ greatness and then–poof–like a sickening magic trick, Oregon falls to unheralded Arizona. Now, let’s give the Ducks credit that they had to play with virtually unstoppable Dennis Dixon, who went down with a knee injury in the first half. But the shocking thing is that while Dixon is a valuable player not only to his team but to college football, the Ducks proved that the depth they have is basically flimsy at best.

First of all, the defense just basically gave up. The will seemed to go out of their hearts, missing tackles, and Arizona could smell blood. The Wildcats are not known offensively, so when they rolled off 24 straight to take a 31-14 lead at half, Oregon faithful could do nothing but stand by like a loving parent at a relative’s deathbed, just counting time and hoping a miracle would occur.

Beep…beep..beep….Flatline.

And with it goes, unfortunately, Oregon’s national title hopes. One thing that I can say about LSU being at the top is that they have had to deal with some pretty decent setbacks and injuries (Glenn Dorsey has not been at full speed for a while now and that little incident with Ryan Perrilloux in that little bar fight), but they have still perservered. Not only is this a blow that is huge for the university, but also the Pac 10. They lost their big name in USC on a fluke 4th and 10 by Stanford earlier, and now another middle tier team knocks off what is supposed to be one of the nation’s best. While Ohio St. got beat by a surging Illinois team that is probably going to be 9-3, the Ducks got beat by a team that is still under .500. Sorry Oregon fans, but in order to be a top 5 or even top 10 team, you’ve got to have more than one dimension, and be able to roll with any punches the injury gods throw at you. I just think they were shocked that a player like Dixon wasn’t in the lineup and folded under the pressure. Another feel-good story of a team that gets brought back to reality with a smack in the face.

Say it ain’t so, Joe…say it ain’t so.

After South Florida started the whirlwind of teams at #2 that continue to get beat, nobody seems to want it–again, parity is one thing, but this is ridiculous.