News Bot
News Bot
The Sunday Blog may get a little wordy this morning because it’s early and I can’t sleep and I’m on my third Diet Coke and this is the last one of the season and I’m still ticked off at the ending of “The Hunger Games” sequel that my daughter made me go see and, well, you get the idea.
1. OK, my Heisman ballot went in at 5:35 a.m. Sunday. I won’t reveal it for fear that the Heisman police will hit me with a taser but I will tell you this much — I struggled with it. I actually typed in my name at one point just to see what it would look like. Again, I can’t tell you my vote before ESPN gives you an hour of worthless programming leading up to Jameis Winston’s coronation but I will tell you that I considered everything and that includes Winston’s off the field issues. I felt manipulated by Willie Meggs and his department and everyone who had anything to do with the just-in-the-nick-of-time announcement Thursday. I was repulsed by the celebrations of the moronic FSU fans on the scene and, yes, I understand that the actions of a few don’t represent the many. Last year, I came close to not voting for Johnny Manziel because Texas A&M didn’t allow him to speak to the media all season (in hindsight, it was brilliant), but in the end there was no other choice. It was a similar situation this year. The alternatives just didn’t get it done when the lights were the brightest. And, yes, I’m talking to you Braxton Miller.
2. Holy hot garbage, the Twitter hate for the SEC was stunning during the SEC Championship Game on Saturday. Everybody wanted to pile on because of the lack of defense in the title game. Uh, people, it has been this way all season. The SEC has EVOLVED which is why for the eighth year in a row it has a team in the BCS National Championship Game. The conference lost a lot of defensive talent to the NFL and offenses took over this year. It’s not like Missouri (53rd) or Auburn (75th) came into the game with a high national ranking defensively. These teams got to Atlanta because of their offenses. “Oh, look at the great SEC defenses. What happened?” Get a grip, as Will Muschamp would say. Eight of the nation’s top 36 offenses statistically were in the SEC this year. Auburn (15th before Saturday) and Missouri (17th) were two of them. And if anyone doesn’t believe that game was fun to watch, you are a Fidiot (football idiot).
3. I know, I’ve written shorter columns than this blog. I’m in a mood. Gator fans were probably celebrating (for the first time this year) Urban Meyer’s demise Saturday night for a number of reasons. 1. It meant the SEC would play for another national title; 2. It was Urban Meyer; 3. Florida has this weird rivalry with Ohio State; 4. It was Urban Meyer; 5. It would have been really wrong to have two teams who played soft schedules in Pasadena; 6. Did I mention it was Urban Meyer? I’ve never quite understood the vitriol displayed by the Gator Nation towards a guy who won two national titles for the fan base (“No, it was Timmy Tebow. Meyer was just along for the ride.” Yeah, right.) We all know he didn’t handle things the right way when he left and that the situation at quarterback probably hastened his departure (um, you didn’t know that?) I’ve said it before but you have to get over it. I know that when Meyer talked about his pass defense after the loss and said, “We have to get this fixed,” you thought back to that night in Doak Campbell when he said the same thing about his football team and then bolted a few days later and you got angry all over again. Let it go.
4. Michael Rosenberg nailed it on SI.com with his column on the end of the BCS era. “You can thank Michigan State for knocking off undefeated Ohio State. That sums up the BCS era, doesn’t it? Two teams that won’t play in the title game decided who will. They did it, naturally, in a domed stadium built for an NFL team, in a conference championship game that is only possible because of expansion that happened for money.” Just think if the Big 10ish had not expanded and Ohio State waltzed into Pasadena with a weak resume and been thrashed by FSU. At least Auburn has a chance. In fact, of all the other teams in college football, I think Auburn has the best chance to beat the juggernaut in Tallahassee although we may be in for another shootout. And here is some bad news for the SEC — Auburn had no seniors starting on offense.
Source: GatorSports.com - Dooley's Desk
