Football Coach or Candidate for Office?

This has been making the rounds lately, and I am embarrassed that it’s taken so long for one of us to post it here.  There really is not much to say here other than I spent part of the 5:52 it takes to watch this clip scared, amused, energized, bewildered, and ready to buckle up my chinstrap.  All in all, it seems like a great video to launch us into a big football weekend.

The Butler Did It: Pearl of Wisdom–If Bruce Pearl Seemed too Good to be True, It’s Because He Was

That smell coming out of Knoxville isn’t just the stench of the shower-discipline lacking University of Tennessee football team.

The NCAA is sniffing around the Tennessee basketball program, and if the preemptive actions of the Tennessee administration (self-imposed penalties reportedly include Head Men’s basketball coach Bruce Pearl being docked $2 MILLION for “serious mistakes”) and a public apology by Pearl are any indication, the NCAA not only thinks they smell a rat, but they think they have uncovered it.

If that wasn’t enough, the NCAA has apparently decided that while they’re in town, they’ll check out the football program, too. (Nothing to see, here, I’m sure–I mean, Lane Kiffen was their last coach. He would never sit idly by with a bunch of rule-breaking going on).

Knock me over with a feather–only don’t. Because, if there’s one thing I have learned in my often overly bitter 34 years, it’s that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Pearl definitely fits into that category. He was hired to take over a moribund Tennessee program in in 2005, and instantly brought a buzz to a program that had long been an afterthought–playing fourth fiddle to Tennessee football, Tennessee women’s basketball and Tennessee spring football practice. Almost immediately, he ratcheted up Tennessee recruiting to much hire levels than his predecessors. All the while, Pearl was lauded for being energetic, innovative, and just, well, fun.

But, that hasn’t always been the case. In 1990, while an assistant coach at Iowa, Pearl was in the middle of a recruiting scandal in which he reported recruiting violations by the University of Illinois in the recruitment of Deon Thomas, who later attended Illinois and was a record-setting scorer. (Here is one man’s probably less than unbiased version of events and opinions of Pearl from several years ago….and another to grow on.)

In the aftermath, Pearl was met with less-than-open arms by his coaching brethren.  He has has spoken publicly about the saga before, including when he was featured on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, during which he described his long road back to a shot at redemption in Tennessee.

Now, he faces an even bigger fight. You don’t just admit to “serious mistakes” unless, well, you were caught with your hand in the cookie jar. And you definitely don’t get docked $2 million, without putting up a fight, unless you enjoyed more than a cookie or two. My educated guess is Pearl has some serious ‘Splainin’ to do.

It’s sad, really. I want to like Pearl. I want him to be the real deal. But, based on his apology and the whopping amount of moneyhe was docked (as well as his assistant’s salaries being trimmed) he is anything but the genuine article and he is about to be exposed.

And I’m not one to point fingers, (OK, maybe I am) but this should also be a wake up call to other fly-by-night programs around the country that miraculously rise up out of the ashes. Aside from the hiring of an established “name” coach or an influx of in-state or legacy talent, feel-good, rags-to-riches stories in major college athletics are usually just that–fairy tales.

But, as Pearl and Tennessee are seemingly about to find out, a Hans Christian Andersen yarn can unravel into a frightening, Brothers Grimm tale faster than my almost three-year-old can say “lack of institutional control”.

The NCAA Sanctions Bowl

In a late development, another bowl game has been added to the 2010-2011 schedule.  While it isa break from tradition, the NCAA Sanctions Bowl will be played early in the season rather than at the end of the year.  Georgia and South Carolina have been selected to play in the inaugural game.

Of course, I keeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed.

But given all of the off-the-field distractions this week, it’d be easy to believe such a bowl existed. Earlier in the week we got word on A.J. Green and his ebay error.  The Gamecocks continue to sit TE Wesley Saunders and starting LT Jarriel King thanks to their offseason stays at the Whitney Hotel (swanky digs) and dalliances with player agents.

And now word comes that South Carolina is officially under investigation by the NCAA for wide-ranging violations.  Per NCAA policy, the LOI does not specifically state the nature of the inquiry.  However the widely reported problems in Columbia lead me to believe the dreaded “lack of institutional control” hammer could be in the NCAA’s bag during this inquiry.

NWC Report for 9/10/10

Frankly, I'm shocked he's even bothering to advertise. I think Blanche better put the D.C. house on the market.

John Boozman’s camp apparently took an offhand remark by a University employee to mean that it was OK to film Razorback Stadium and use the Hog logo in a campaign ad. Chancellor Gearhart did not approve. A new commercial began running last night with a generic red helmet instead of the one with the logo.

CNN Money has ranked Fayetteville as the #15 best place to retire.

The Walton Arts Center has narrowed its list of proposed expansion sites to 15. Fayetteville’s proposal made the cut and this new criterion may help Fayetteville’s bid: “political will to complete the project”

The WAC also apparently is interested in buying the AMP.  I didn’t even know it was for sale…

Last year's winner, Jiyai Shin could be a contender to repeat. Grant Hall said today that she has dropped 20 lbs since last year.

The P&G Northwest Arkansas Championship teed off today.  Local weatherman all agree that the easiest time to predict monsoon-like rainfall here is the week of the LPGA tour stop.

The Blue Man Group is currently playing at the WAC. Significant because this is their first ever national tour and because the show has been rehearsing for its first presentation here in Fayetteville as well.

Oops! Wrong Blue Man. I blame Adam.

Point of personal privilege…  I will be leaving momentarily for O’Fallon, MO to broadcast the Bentonville v. Ft. Zumwalt West game. If you’d like to listen in to see if I can identify a draw play v. play action, tune to 100.3 FM in NWA or KURM.net and select the FM signal. The game will also be broadcast tape delayed on varsitystl.com with me and my color man,  John McElroy doing the call.  Enjoy the weekend.  Wish I could come to LR for the Gate.

The Tennessee Vols Stink–Seriously. Just Ask Their Coach.

Shower Discipline? Scume?

This story is a day or two old, but it somehow only wafted to me last night during the AU-MSU game (featuring a couple of quarterbacks who were throwing passes like I throw baggos after a dozen too many brews).

But, it’s too good/bad not to share.  Apparently, in addition to not being a very good football team, the Vols also smell like hot garbage–just ask their new coach.

Recent staph infections among his players prompted a lesson in how to get clean, Dooley told reporters Wednesday. Forget the plays and strategies on the field. We’re talking shower skills. A washcloth, soap and water.

“We had, I told them, the worst shower discipline of any team I’ve ever been around,” Dooley said, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel. “So we talked a little bit about application of soap to the rag and making sure you hit all your body.”

It seems the son of Georgia Bulldogs coaching legend Vince Dooley wanted to make extra sure his players got a refresher on the rub-a-dub-dub basics.

“You know, you can neglect it trying to cut corners, and it shows in how you practice and elsewhere,” Dooley said. “I’m hoping we show some improvement in that.”

Oh yeah… The NFL Started Last Night

If you have not heard, Brett Favre is playing American football again after acting like he would retire all off season.  No need to check your calendars…it’s not 2003.  This annual rite has led to my complete exasperation with those that cover the NFL.  It also led, in large part anyway, my decision to watch Miss St. v. Auburn last night.  I flipped over to see the Saints like any good football junkie/gambling addict would do.  But I just couldn’t get excited because of the Favre coverage.  The only joy I got last night was watching him struggle, just as I expected.  Minnesota is a 9-win team this year and will probably miss the playoffs.  Hopefully that will lead to Favre’s actual retirement.

Anyway, the NFL season does kickoff in earnest this weekend.  A life-long Houston Oilers fan, I adopted the Texans when they opened their doors after the Bastards in Blue left for Tennessee.  It’s make or break for Kubiak and Co this year.  The NFL rewarded them with what has been rated the 2nd most difficult schedule entering the 2010 season.  FML

A great part of the NFL season, though, is the weekly picks column from Bill Simmons.  I also recommend the Tuesday podcast he does where he picks the lines — not the games….he guesses the Vegas lines — with Cousin Sal from “The Jimmy Kimmel Show”.  It’s tremendous, funny, and a staple for any true degenerate gambler.

Unfortunately, Simmons has little love in his heart for former Razorback Darren McFadden.  Looking at the numbers, it’s hard to blame Simmons.  I still hold out hope that D-Mac will break through this season.

Raiders (+6) over TITANS
For the third straight year, I ended up with Darren McFadden on my East Coast and West Coast fantasy teams. The first year, I wanted him. The second year, I talked myself into him. This year, I couldn’t avoid him even though I went into both drafts thinking, “I don’t care what happens, I just don’t want McFadden again.” I’ve written about Fantasy Kryptonite guys before (guys we keep taking every year even though they keep burning us), but he can’t be a Fantasy Kryptonite guy because I’m fully aware that he stinks. Again, I didn’t want to take him. He’s more like my Fantasy Herpes guy. I’m going to need to take some form of medication to get rid of Darren McFadden.

As for my Super Bowl prediction… Last year I picked San Diego and Green Bay.  Both looked good late in the season and made the playoffs, so I’m not horribly embarrassed.  This year, I’m sticking with Green Bay.  They are better than Minnesota and should rise to the top of the NFC.  I like the Packers to beat New Orleans in the NFC Championship Game.

The AFC looks to be more wide open.  The Colts and Bengals have emerged as the most popular picks nationally.  They both look good.  There is always a team that emerges from the shadows and makes the leap (see, New Orleans 2009), and I think Baltimore could be that team.  The offensive additions, development of Joe Flaco, and steady play of Ray Rice make this team complete.  Ray Lewis may be a little long in the tooth, but he is still as strong as anyone at the middle linebacker position in the NFL.

So that’s my pick:  Green Bay v. Baltimore

I suggest a quick trip to Vegas to make that futures bet.