Tuesday Afternoon Linebacker

Upon reaching the third straight week of actually writing this thing I have found that it is really tough. I don’t know how these other guys do it. Oh yeah, they get paid. Anyway, The Bucs were up against the Rams, the Gators against Middle Tennessee, and USF against Army. What should have been a 3-0 weekend here a TALB HQ wasn’t, yet only one of those teams was horrible (I’m looking at you Bulls).

Are You Ready For Some 1-5?
Great game. Too bad we lost. Of all the games that the Bucs have lost this season this one was the least disappointing. Almost all of the others have been frustrating to watch as either the offense of defense stumbled about incompetently until the other team finally broke through. It turns out that the Gruden offense runs much better with a mobile quarterback. We love ya Brad, but it’s time to move on buddy. Yeah, Pittman’s fumble basically sealed the win for the Sheep. But it wasn’t like he just fumbled for no reason. He was being pulled down and Archuletta had to put in some effort to get it loose. Maybe Tim Brown should have hung onto the ball better though.

Midseason Preseason
Thank you Frances. A nice drubbing after the Gators’ less than great first half of the season is just what we needed. Too bad it was on PPV and I didn’t get a chance to watch it. And I forgot about Breakfast With The Gators on Sunshine the next morning. So I can’t really say much more than that.

Maybe They Should Have Played In Fallujah
Maybe the Iraqi Republican Guard was actually masquerading as the USF Bulls football team this past Saturday. I mean given the way that the Army flattened them it was kind of reminiscent. All that was missing was Information Minister Jim Leavitt telling us that in fact the Bulls were winning by 50.
But seriously, this team is in desperate need of a QB who can throw. Heck he doesn’t even need to be all that great. Just able to complete more than 50% of his passes on a consistent basis.

What’s The Dillon-yo?
All morning Sunday I hunted high and low to see if Corey Dillon would be playing. Nothing. All I could find were articles about how he stayed out of practice all week and that he was likely to miss the game. Though he stated he would play. Well, I pulled the trigger and subbed in Pittman for Dillon. Man was I wrong. Dillon only managed 17 points this week. Though for a while with Pittman scoring a TD and my opponent’s only remaining player (Wilkins) getting a tape job I thought it was in the bag. But the fumble, TD and extra point became the difference in what was a 2 point fantasy game.

Rock You Like A Hurricane
That Miami-Louisville game is, I think, a perfect example of why the BCS is broken. It has nothing to do with the computers or the ranking algorithm. It’s about how a team like the ‘Canes can be behind for most of a game at home to a lesser ranked team and still win. Then in six or seven weeks when the final BCS poll comes out no one will remember that Miami had to come from behind and squeak out a win against a team they should have handled easily. A playoff would expose a team like Miami that has had a couple of games like this already this year, yet are highly ranked. I’ve had a ranking system floating around my head for a couple years now that, among other things, accounts for just such an occurrence.

Running Items
WTF?
At the end of the first half of the Bucs-Rams collision the clock by my TV read 11:00. Two hours to play a half of football? Then at the end of the third quarter, 11:56. Another 56 minutes to complete another quarter? This is really something that the NFL needs to address and right now. There is no reason that an MNF game featuring two teams from the Eastern and Central time zones cannot start at 8 PM. None, of course, aside from ABC wanting to make sure that the west coast can be settled in to watch the game. Even though in a game like last night’s the primary fan interest will be from those where the game didn’t start until after their kids were in bed.

Breath Of A Salesman
I made a mental note about a funny spot, but now I forgot it. Sorry.
The Mim th Light ads are still funny though.

Worst. Call. Ever.
The worst call made this week was the one NOT made. Brad Johnson deserves to be traded to some place like Baltimore. Though from what I understand the big issue now is that the cap hit from doing the trade would be disastrous for the Bucs. It was great knowing you Brad but with your lack of mobility and the obvious results when a mobile quarterback runs this offense it is time for you to move on, again. I guess there will probably be some kind of contract re-negotiation to lessen the hit before the apparent off-season trade.

Grated Cheese
I’m moving my derogatory comment about the Packers to the Running Items section, since it is a running item after all.
The Packers actually won a game they shouldn’t have at Detroit. Grumble, grumble, grumble.

Super Bowl XXXIX
Patriots vs. Vikings
Minnesota, right now, looks amazing. But we all know they are in for a slump. But the Hawks aren’t looking as hot as they were two weeks ago.

Step Right Up and Win A Kewpie Doll
I’m going to start a weekly contest. The prize will be essentially worthless. The opportunity to post a story of your choosing to the site within the next week. So you too can reach the half-dozens that read the site on a weekly basis with your brand of Internet spewage. The rules of the contest are simple, I am the judge and my ruling is final. The winner will be announced as part of the following week’s post. In lieu of posting a story, you can have a Gmail account. Not that most of you reading this don’t already have one. But maybe you need another.

This week the contest is to create a reality show staring NFL personalities (players, coaches, owners, GM’s, broadcasters, etc). The cast must be at least six and no more than ten players. We all know that reality TV has certain stereotypes that almost invariably show up. Also, describe the setting and format of the show.

Submit entries to talbfb@gmail.com