Sports Agenda for Monday (10/28/13)
Top Stories:
Yikes, a nearly disastrous game for UM on Saturday; the Dolphins stink it up in New England; the Heat make their final roster cuts; Missouri is not quite up to the challenge and the SEC East is wide open. Now the Fins are on a short week, the Panthers are…well, the Panthers, and the Heat start the regular season this week. Oh and Mike Pouncey was slapped with a subpoena. Other than that, not much is going on…ha!
Quote of the Day:
"Playoffs? Don't talk about playoffs. Are you kidding me? Playoffs? I'm just hoping we can win a game." – Jim Mora, Sr. (Video Goodness: http://youtu.be/Qwq7BYOnDrM)
Quote of the Day II:
"They are what we thought they were, and we let them off the hook." – Dennis Green (Video Goodness: http://youtu.be/SWmQbk5h86w)
Dolphins: (next game, Thursday vs. Bengals)
Well, that was certainly an ugly way to lose a game.
I made this comment on Twitter (@timkephart33) during the third quarter…the difference between the Dolphins and Patriots is Miami hopes to win, New England Expects to win.
It's the truth because in a game where neither team could pass the ball for anything, New England's defense kept shutting down what's left of Miami's offense.
I say what's left because Lamar Miller can't block, but he's a fast runner and between him and Daniel Thomas, they averaged 5 yards a carry on Sunday.
Not too bad.
Then there's Ryan Tannehill.
Yknow, I really have wanted to give him a chance, but my patience is running thin.
I know he's been running for his life at times, but he's not showing he's capable of taking over a game like elite quarterbacks do.
It doesn't help when his pass protection gives up another 6 SACKS!!!
C'mon man, this poor kid is going to get smashed and not get up one day soon.
He was 22/42 for 192 yards, 2 TD's, 2 interceptions.
But when you lose 47 yards on six sacks and the team commits 7 penalties for 61 yards…that ain't good.
Three turnovers are just the icing on the cake to show how bad things have gotten.
See, the Fins are learning something that I would have hoped they would have learned several years ago.
The difference between good teams and great teams is along the offensive and defensive line.
Miami's had a decent defense for several years and the line has been a decent force from time to time.
Miami's offensive line has been a huge cluster ever since Bill Parcells came to the team in 2008.
The Fins have drafted 8 offensive linemen since 2008 and of those eight, three are starting and the rest are either gone or bench warmers.
The three that are starting are Pouncey, Martin, and Jerry.
Out of those, only Pouncey would likely start for any other team in the NFL.
Here's something to think about too…name one big play a Fins player made in the second half?
I'll hum some jeopardy while we consider it.
And let's not forget the kicking game shall we….Mr. UF Caleb Sturgis.
He had a cannon for a leg and teased with great kicks in the preseason and first few games of the season.
Where's that Sturgis gone?
He was 1-3 yesterday and is just 7-11 on the year, but at least he's made his extra points.
The Fins' former kicker, Dan Carpenter? Yeah, he's 16-18 on field goals and 16-16 on extra points this year.
Let's face it, the Fins need a new general manager capable of finding and evaluating talent well.
But Stephen Ross seems to be enamored with Ireland so much that the Fins are stuck with him for the next two years.
So get ready Fins fans, this could be a long slog through next December.
Miami Hurricanes: (next game, Saturday @ FSU)
Well, Miami survived a big scare from Wake Forest in what I correctly called a trap game on CBSMiami.com.
Here's my closing line in Friday's preview story….
"If Miami tries to look ahead at the primetime matchup next Saturday with the Seminoles, Wake Forest is more than ready to try to spring the upset in a trap game."
Miami can thank Duke Johnson because without him, they lose that game easily.
So congrats on escaping Wake Forest on Saturday Hurricanes fans.
Now get ready to witness the full power of this battle station…sorry, channeling my inner Star Wars there as FSU looks like a Death Star and UM looks like the planet Alderan.
FSU is ranked third in the BCS, is the third highest scoring team in the country, has the fourth best total offensive numbers at 584.9 yards per game…and on defense you ask?
The Noles are ranked fourth in scoring defense, allowing just 13 points per game, number one in passing defense, and eighth overall in yards per game allowed at 289.4.
Umm…yeah, can you say mismatch?
Look, anything is possible in a rivalry game.
But, I can tell you this right now….
If the FSU that played against Maryland, Clemson, and NC State shows up this Saturday to play Miami….whatever the point spread is…take FSU and the points.
Seriously.
I know Miami is talented, but FSU is a steamroller right now and if Jameis Winston isn't your Heisman leader, I don't know what games your watching!
SEC East:
If you heard some profanities, shouting, more profanities, and then some crying on Saturday night coming from Miami-Dade County…it was just me watching Missouri's perfect season go up in flames.
All due to a kicker.
A KICKER!?!?!?!?
Okay, it was more than just the kicker, but he's the scapegoat.
Funny thing was, as I was watching the first three quarters of Missouri vs. South Carolina I told my wife…I think Spurrier is playing possum.
I hate when I'm right.
I hate losing to Steve Spurrier…though being an SEC fan, I should be used to it.
But here's how crazy the SEC East is right now.
Missouri controls its own destiny…win out and you go play Alabama in the SEC Championship game.
If Missouri loses again, things get interesting, depending on who they lose to. If they beat Kentucky and Tennessee, they are in better shape than losing to either.
But a second loss turns attention towards South Carolina.
The Gamecocks can leapfrog Missouri by beating Florida in a few weeks and hoping Missouri loses a second game.
Georgia plays Florida and can get back in if they beat Florida, and Missouri loses at least one more game, and I think they need Florida to beat South Carolina as well.
And then there are some insane tiebreakers that makes things really crazy….er, crazier!
Ah, college football, how I love thee, let me count the ways!!
Texas Update:
Holy Mack Brown people, don't look now but Texas is undefeated in Big XII play this year.
Yes. Texas.
The same Texas team that got beat like a government mule by BYU and lost to Ole Miss.
Here's the even more interesting part…they have two winnable games in the next two weeks and then things become interesting.
OSU and Texas Tech come to town and Texas should be favored in both, though Texas Tech may be a pick 'em game.
Then the real action begins on December 7.
All Texas fans should circle that date and watch the Longhorns go to Baylor.
If I'm a Texas fan, I'm watching Baylor like a hawk and demanding at the end of the year that UT staff go to Baylor and not come back until they bring Art Briles back to Austin.
You don't build a team averaging 63 points and more than 700 yards of offense per game and not know what you're doing.
Let me put it this way, if you give Art Briles the talent that Texas can dial up….he might average 80 points a game with his wide open offense.
It would definitely light up the GINORMOUS scoreboard Texas has if nothing else!
Or they could always call Al Golden, though I don't think he'd leave for anywhere but Penn State.
So much to get to, I didn't get to it all! We'll get to the Heat tomorrow!
