Tuesday Afternoon Linebacker

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were robbed Sunday. After a valiant effort and a great second half, the game was stolen out from under the lads.
Replay?
So, we’ll make sure that we get a replay review to see if a guy did or did not step in the end zone prior to touching a punt return. But when damn near the most important play of the game might warrant a review, we do nothing. It wasn’t as if one of the most respected cornerbacks in all of football today was flailing his arms and waving to any official he could see or anything. I guess the guys in the replay booth were packed up already. Must have had a hot date or something. I could also go on about the blatant holding that was committed on the same play. But you don’t want me to get started on Offensive Holding. We’d be here for days. Anyway, the coaches need a challenge in overtime. No doubt about it now. (Updated, Pagers broken. Likely story.)

If you believe in moral victories, this was one for the Bucs. They scored four touchdowns in less than a quarter to take one of the top teams in the league to overtime. And it was done the right way. No gimmickry. No fancy crap. Just good old running and passing. This game was something to be proud of for the team and the fans. To me, the Bucs are not 3-11, they are 4-10. Not much solace there. But it’s something. Even if the “catch” is over-turned, and the Bears punt (it would have been 4th and 8 from our 48), maybe we still don’t win the game. The resulting punt would have likely been a touch back, and maybe we can drive fifty or sixty yards and set up our own game winning, Matt Bryant field goal. Matt Bryant Day, Part 2 anyone?

Ohio State vs. Florida, Part I
Saturday, the (#5) Gators and (#3) Buckeyes will clash at the O-Dome in Gainesville. This basketball game being the opening salvo in a rivalry that probably will have a total lifespan of around a month (from the moment when the BCS pairings were announced until the final gun at the Championship game). And some sports commentators think we’ll be doing this dance one more time come April.

Vickville Falling Apart
“But you can’t argue some things, like having the highest winning percentage in the NFC South, a trip to the NFC Championship Game, the things Mike Vick has accomplished in the offense this year. Those are facts. Hopefully, those stand for something this year and stand for something down the line. That’s all I can hope for.” Those are the words of Atlanta Falcons head coach Jim Mora. Sounds like a guy who knows that he’s out if he doesn’t make something happen over the next few weeks. The man is quite likely to be “Dungied”. He’s surrounded by talented players and has management backing him up. But he hasn’t lead the team to a championship. Top that off with the failed joke about the University of Washington job, and this guy is probably done.

Grated Cheese
Now that Brett Favre has (possibly) played his (maybe) final game at Lambeau, let the fellating begin!

Better Players, Better Pizza. Papa Johns
Don’t forget to tune in to ESPN2, the Deuce, on Saturday at 1 PM to catch the USF Bulls against the East Carolina Pirates in the Papajohns.com Bowl. For those with the gear, the game will also be presented in glorious high definition on ESPN2 HD, the HDeuce.

In other bowl news, so far the margin of victory is steady at 30 points. TCU routed Northern Illinois 37-7 Tuesday in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl*. While on Thursday BYU stomped Oregon 38-8 to claim the Pioneer PureVision Las Vegas Bowl title. Tonight, Rice takes on Troy for the R + L Carriers New Orleans Bowl bragging rights.

Boo Fricking Hoo
Six hundred year old football scribe, Dr. Z, wrote this little missive about life in NFL. I read it, and I kept waiting for the part where he’d shift gears and talk about how great it is to earn ridiculous money to play a game. But instead, it was just three pages of woe is me crap. This composite offensive lineman sure has it rough doesn’t he? He thinks he doesn’t make enough money, management treats him like crap, and he hates the office politics. Sounds like pretty much every job in America. Of course, the rest of us have to deal with that crap 12 months out of the year. Poor O. Lineman just has to tough it out for six months. But for his trouble, he “earns” seven figures each “year”.

What about the media scrutiny? That’s the trade-off my friend for working in entertainment. And don’t get it twisted, professional sports are entertainment. If our friend here still wants to play professional football, but with fewer cameras in his face he can always head over to the Arena League or NFL Europe.

NFL players with long careers (like Z’s composite creation) will earn more money in a decade than most regular people will see in their lifetimes. And he will never want for anything until the day he shuffles off this mortal coil. And his children and grandchildren will likewise never have anything denied to them.

The injury thing really got to me too. He starts off talking about being hit “dirty” and ending up being labeled as injury prone. But later on he nearly beams with pride as he talks about rolling some guy and causing him to be “through for the day”. Disgusting. So what he was yapping it up. If he got by you for a sack and then caused an interception, he has a right to talk. He’s playing well, and you’re not. Should have cost you more than twenty grand. Probably should have got a suspension out of the deal.

If only Dr Z. lived in the real world instead of the fantasy-land of pro football he might understand just how disgusting this piece looks.

College Football Offensive Coordinator, NR, NIB. LQQK!!!!!!!
I don’t know how I missed this one from nearly a month ago. But Saint Bobby Bowden blamed eBay for the troubles that led to the firing of his only begotten coordinator Jeff. Have at it. I will leave the jokes up to you, my loyal readers.

Next Week: The Brown Note