Rubbin One Off and Coming Right At You. My Thoughts On The Week In Sports.

What a great weekend of Football action. From Cincinnati's 21 point comeback over Pitt to the Arizona Cardinals upset win over the Vikings this football weekend managed to live up to the hype. I have expressed my thoughts on Brian Kelly to Notre Dame and no need to look any further than Saturdays contest at Pitt to see why. UC simply doesn't control the ball long enough to sustain any success on the defensive side of the football. I realize UC has managed to go through the season undefeated but typically teams that are all Offense with no resistance on D tend to win about 8-9 games on the season which isn't what Notre Dame aiming for. As for the game itself it must be sickening to go from a BCS birth to the Tire Bowl over a missed XP but then again don't allow a 45 spot or blow a 21 point lead. The matchup of the weekend and the game the whole season has played out for, the SEC Championship, was a major disappointment. While watching the game when Florida cut Bamas lead to 13-10 I stated to my wife that this is going to be a heavyweight fight. Bama took over and outscored the Gators 21-3 down the stretch to turn the game into a route. It didn't quite live up to the potential. Alabama's McElroy outplayed the Savior himself and Mark Ingram could have ran himself to the Heisman with 190 total yards and 3 TD's and perhaps the play that tilted the momentum with a huge 70 yard screen pass while the game was still within reach. The Gators had no answer offensively as the Tide shut down the Gators running attack which left it up to the blessed left arm of the chosen one who managed to go 20-35 for 247 and 1 TD and 1 INT. Tiny Tim shed some tears on the field that day but managed to compose himself long enough during the interview to God Bless us everyone, how courageous. In the end the Tide are going for another title, Saban is going for number two, and Urban Meyer's last game with the Gators is a loss. The Golden Dome awaits.

The Game of the Weekend was Nebraska vs. Texas in the Big 12 Title game. What was expected to be a blowout ended up being one of the most memorable defensive performances I have ever seen. Typically when I watch football the majority of the time is spent amazed by offensive events it is very rare that I am entertained when a defense is on the field. Ndamukong Suh the All American DT and likely number one overall pick in this years NFL draft simply dominated the game and it was the most dominating individual defensive performance I have ever seen. Suh was in the backfield at least 85% of the time. Nebraska simply rushed 3-4 defenders and dropped back 7-8 in coverage. Texas couldn't move the football at all. The problem was neither could Nebraska. Zach Lee was as ineffective as a QB could be and the Huskers attempt at a ground control running attack usually netted about 5 yards on 3 carries and a punt. The defense came up with some big plays and a punt return lead to the Huskers with a 12-10 edge with a minute or so to play. Bonehead kick out of bounds and a horse collar penalty after a pass for a 15 yard gain puts Texas in a long field goal situation. In the most bizarre playcalling/execution moment I have seen in quite sometime Texas appears to be content on running down the clock calling their final timeout and kicking the FG. Instead McCoy gets under center with about 8 seconds left snaps the ball and moves the pocket toward the sideline. The intended target isn't open so McCoy casually tosses the ball out of bounds but the game clock expires. After review officials rightfully put 1 second back on the clock and Texas kicks the 45+ yard field goal for the win and the BCS avoids absolute chaos. When asked after the game about the final seconds McCoy acted as if he was aware of the situation. I say BULLSHIT if he was aware of the situation it wouldn't have played out that way. First off they should have never ran the play to begin with. Secondly the ball should have been out of his hands with 6 seconds to play either to 1 WR for about 5 yards or out of bounds. Had he completed a pass of 10 yards or more the clock would have expired. For McCoy it all worked out in the end and he comes out smelling like a rose and he could be awarded the Heisman for it but it could have ended in a very different way. What is your opinion? Please disregard the Hip Hop music and fast forward to the 1:21 mark. This is the only video I could find.


In the pro ranks the Saints avoid defeat with a miraculous win over the Redskins. The Saints score perhaps the most bizarre TD I have ever seen to end the 1st half. Brees throws a INT and the Skins attempt to run it back. Robert Meachem WR for the Saints simply takes it from Landry the DB for the Skins on the Return and scampers 40some yards for the score just before half. In the 4th quarter with less than 5 minutes to play the Skins miss a FG of 21 yards to keep the margin at 7 instead of 10. Saints tie it up and win it in Overtime. The Saints are starting to have that feel to them of something special is going to happen. The Colts also remained undefeated this time with a rather controlling win over the Titans. The Vince Young love fest came to a halt last week will this be a long holdover or will the momentum return next week. I find it hard to buy Vince Young stock. The calender turned to December so that means the Cowboys lose. If the Cowboys should lose to the Eagles this week it could mean another season without the playoffs and the end of the Wade Phillips error excuse me era. The Steelers some how cough it up to the RAIDERS. The Steelers appear to be suffering from the Super Bowl hangover. They have had about two impressive performances all season and anytime you manage to lose to the Raiders and Chiefs in the same season you no things aren't going well. I always feel as though the Steelers are a playoff contender but in the AFC when so many teams are right there at 7-6 nothing is guaranteed.

In news from the Golden Dome the Irish not only are looking for there next coach but both Jimmy Clausen and Golden Tate will not return for their Senior year and will enter the NFL draft. I feel very strongly that both will be impact players in the NFL in years to come but the strangest news to me is the Irish declining a bowl invitation. In understand you have no coach but the replacement should be announced sometime within the week and this would give the new regime 15 practices to evaluate the players that will be returning next year and determine the needs for the reaminder of the recruiting season.

The Heisman finalist have been announced and I am clueless as to who will win it. It will come down to how many voters mailed their votes in prior to the Conference Championship Games. If I was to vote I would have voted for Tobey Garheart. But the winner will be Colt McCoy if a good portion of the votes had already been submitted if not Mark Ingram will become the first Heisman winner for the University of Alabama.