Nevermore
Clever eh? No, I didn’t think so either. Too bad the Bucs couldn’t figre anything out about the Ravens. Even during last year’s debacle in Foxoboro the team showed some glimmer of maybe getting into the end zone. But this time… man.
The Ole Woodshed
It must have been the earthquake. I mean seriously, how does an otherwise competent football team perform so horribly in every phase of the game? Even Grads couldn’t make anything happen. We have come to expect the odd breakdown by the offense around here. But what the hell happened on defense? Have the Ravens improved that much on offense? Is AARP member Steve McNair on a comeback? Normally you would put this on the run defense. The Bucs are known to be vulnerable to the bruising up-the-middle type runners that Baltimore employs. But they racked up just 103 yards on the ground. Which given the situation is not that bad. And then the Ravens flew for 168 yards. Still a respectable sum by itself. Together, not so much. Maybe the announcing team was on to something when they mentioned that the starting skill players only had a handful of reps during the preseason. Then again, Caddy played all of what, four plays, last preseason and had eight thousand yards by the third game. So who knows.
Is this a fluke game? Or a trend? Next week in Atlanta will give us a better line on that question.
The Ole Woodshed, Part II
After last week’s near shutout, the defense got it done this time. Southern Miss and UCF are decent mid-tier teams, so the smack downs applied over the last fortnight should bode well for the Gators. However, Tennessee is not a decent mid-tier team. They are a very good top-tier team. They key will be to get to them when the Gators are on offense. We have plenty of looks to throw at them and weapons to use against them. And making their solid defense stumble about trying to fill every gap and cover every route will lead to success.
BMOC
You might have heard that Ohio State trounced Texas. I figured I’d let you know just in case you missed the story on page 12 of your local paper. Ohio State now has the inside track on the Mythical National Championship.
Their partners on the road to the MNC is Notre Dame. Who soundly defeated then 19th ranked Penn State. The Irish have a more brutal schedule than the Buckeyes though. Which gives hope to the rest of the Top 10. However, given the strength of these two teams any team outside the top 10 might have tough sledding if they have aspirations to reach Arizona in January.
Mini Corona’d
Your hometown Finger Bangers were defeated in a close game by the Mini Coronas, 61-57. During the early games I was ahead by a wide margin. But then my nemesis, Brett Favre, decided it was a good time to suffer his first shut-out. The MC’s had Chicago’s defense, who earned 19 points. More than any other player started by either of us. And dammit Antonio Gates. I steal you in the draft, but you open the season with just seven points?!?!?!
Excuse me while I scour the waiver wire.
CBS != HD
The question, once again, came up as to why CBS doesn’t broadcast more of their NFL games in HD. I had thought it was just that they are a piss poor football broadcaster. But the truth is even worse.
” Tony Petitti, CBS Sports’ executive vice president, says the network will not air more games in HD because it focused instead on building a new HD studio for The NFL Today, the network’s pre-game show which will air in high-def.”
That’s right TALB fans,CBS is working on a new set for the pre-game show, so they can’t be bothered to actually broadcast more games in HD. And then… “The network exec says he expects that all CBS games will be in high-def by 2008 or 2009.” So, yes, two or three seasons from now expect that you’ll have all games in HD. Even though all other games (with the exception of just a few during the year on Fox) on the other networks are in HD. If you are a Bucs fan and have HD, you better hope that the Bucs go on a four game winning streak and the Bengals keep winning so that the 10/15 match-up has a chance of being carried in 1080i clarity.
How to contact CBS:
CBS Television Network
51 West 52nd Street
New York, NY 10019
(212) 975-4321
Tampa Bay’s 10 News
11450 Gandy Blvd.
St. Petersburg, FL 33702
(727) 577-1010
It’s not Channel 10’s fault, but if you complain to them, they can gather up the local complaints and ratchet them up to the network.
Running Items
WTF?
Why is TALB so short this week? Because I’m a slacking MF that’s why. I forgot to start the damn thing until Monday. Therefore I didn’t get around to getting the side stories together.
Plus One Bowl
Notre Dame vs. Ohio State
See BMOC above
Super Bowl XLI
Ravens vs. Bears
Why the hell not?
Team TALB
TALB is always looking for fresh insight and additional input. If you want to submit something to be included in TALB, please feel free to contact me and I’ll get it put in the next edition.
King Of Football
As always, feel free to submit your entry for TALB’s King Of Football 2007. It will appear during the off week between the NFL conference championships and the Super Bowl (January 30, I think).
Next Time: The Bucs face more birds, the leader of the (SEC East) pack, and tons tons less.
