DOH-mer Of The Week- Name Calling Again

We all know Lou Holtz. Well, at least most of us do. If you follow college football at all, you know he was one of the great coaching names of his time, now works as an analyst for ESPN, and recently had a statue in his likeness unveiled on the Notre Dame campus. Some people love him, and others hate him. If you’ve heard his opinions on college games, you realize he represents “homerism” to the extreme. The man has a doctorate degree, and has a segment called “Dr. Lou” that airs during halftime of college football games broadcast on ESPN. And though I’ve always admired his coaching skills, I’ve never been a fan of his commentary. To hear him, my belief is that he dips into the cooking sherry before going on air. But last week, he made one of the biggest no-no’s of broadcasting, referencing the infamous German dictator Adolf Hitler in comparison to a college coach.

Is the entire thing overblown? All he said was, “ya know, Hitler was a great leader too”. Some people think something was made out of nothing, but I’m not one of those people. Nothing is going to ruffle feathers more than the use of Hitler in a positive light. Great? He was about as great as the first lemming that leads the others to the cliff, before they all plunge to their death. As I see it, he led his country to be conquered, divided, and controlled by other powers. Leader? If anything…“cowardly”. He sent 12 year old boys to fight his enemies, while he refused to suffer the consequences of his actions, choosing suicide, instead. It reminds me a lot of the huffing and puffing “leader” of Iraq, who ordered his citizens to fight off the invading Americans with their kitchen knives and what-not, only to be found cowering inside a farm hole with candies and small children. There was nothing “great” about Adolph Hitler. Even his artwork was a piece of sh**.

If Dr. Lou is going to use Hitler as a comparison to Michigan’s Rich Rodriguez, who will he choose to be Pete Carroll’s leadership mirror? Is it Charles Manson, leading an entire cult to fulfill his desires. Maybe Jim Tressel can be compared to Jim Jones, who had so much influence over his congregation that he led them out of the country, before leading then to drink cyanide laced Kool-Aid. Maybe Nick Saban has so much success in his short time in Alabama, because like David Koresh, his leadership has his football team believing he’s Jesus Christ.

Overblown? If you’re calling Rich Rodriguez a bad coach and leader, who will eventually lead to the demise of the program, that’s one thing. But the Wolverines look to defeat their opponents, and not to exterminate them based on prejudices. In some countries it’s unlawful to name a child “Adolf Hitler”, and that certainly doesn’t reflect the opinion of “greatness” in his leadership.

Dr. Lou takes this DOH-mer home, and not for just making that asinine mistake, but also for not knowing better. In June, Jamele Hill, also employed by ESPN, was suspended for Hitler comments. I guess Lou doesn’t pay attention to what goes on in the office, while he's refilling his flask.

And in case you haven't seen any of those horrible "Dr. Lou" segments, here's my offering:

Diagnosis: Acute Laurinaitis

Ohio State’s James Laurinaitis was a sure first round pick for the 2008 draft, but the Junior opted to remain in school for a final season. Not only will his senior year give he and his 3rd ranked Buckeyes the opportunity to redeem themselves of championship failures, but he’s also building on the media frenzy that surrounds him. His popularity is without question, and has reached such heights that Athlon Sports has the senior linebacker on Heisman watch.

Laurinaitis is already a candidate for many defensive awards, but placing him as a Heisman candidate is stretching it a bit. Okay, maybe not “a bit”. It’s reaching into space and grasping air. The national media can now be diagnosed with acute Laurinaitis, with symptoms being severe man-love for a highly publicized defensive player on one of America’s best teams. As a defensive player, his name alone will not bring home that hardware. To bring that trophy home, he would have to establish himself as the most dominant defensive force in all of college football. He would have to be the face of Ohio State football, the difference between winning and losing, the pass deflecting, quarterback sacking, run stopping, intercepting Buckeye with a plethora of helmet stickers. Oh, and while doing all of that, it may help to find a way to score some points out of it all. Twice he’s played on college football’s biggest stage, and twice he was shadowed by the likes of Harvey and Dorsey, emerging as the greater defensive stars in championship games.

Michigan’s Charles Woodson is the only primarily defensive player to ever win the Heisman Trophy. Pittsburgh’s Hugh Green finished second in 1980. LSU’s Glenn Dorsey, college football’s ultimate defensive force in 2007, received votes but not nearly enough to be a finalist. There’s no way Laurinaitis can have the same defensive impact on the game from the linebacking position as Dorsey had as a defensive tackle, so to even list him as a candidate is more about publicity, notoriety, and offseason space filling articles (I prefer the use of cheerleaders) than it is about potential to actually bring the stiff-armer home.

Laurinaitis for Heisman? Nah, it’s not happening.

Davis makes his network debut

Fred Davis has never been a stranger to the spotlight. He’s appeared in two BCS championship games and 3 Rose Bowls. I can’t even say he’s a stranger to NBC, after appearing every other year in South Bend for the annual Notre Dame/USC showdown. But on Sunday he made a first time appearance on network television, in the NFL, and as a Washington Redskin.

The 2008 Hall of Fame game officially kicked off the NFL preseason, giving us the injury-riddled Colts and Redskins. And although Davis’ play was limited and didn’t offer anything spectacular, he did make 3 receptions for 23 yards in Washington’s 30-16 victory. Aside for his sure hands, Davis displayed sound fundamentals and discipline, holding his own in run blocking to create lanes for Redskins backs.

Aloha

Overall, Jim Zorn’s offensive unit looked good, and especially the play of Mater Dei High school’s Colt Brennan. After playing the role of backup to Matt Leinart in High School, then moving on to shatter NCAA passing records in Hawaii, Colt Brennan found himself leading a professional franchise up and down the field with ease. He appeared physically larger than we last saw him, running for dear life against the Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl. And with a line that actually blocks, he flaunted his touch of accuracy, going 9 for 10 on passing attempts, for 123 yards and 2 touchdowns. Brennan was easily the star in a game that had no others.

Running with Hart

Mike Hart was…well, Mike Hart. The Colts rookie looked to be the same player that rumbled up and down the field at the Big House. Though he had only 4 carries in the game, he ripped off chunks of yardage with each to average 13.3 yards and total 53. He also caught 3 passes for 28 yards, receiving more time with Joseph Addai leaving the game early with a head injury.

Football Factories: The 33rd Team of the NFL

I recently viewed the NFL Network’s “top 10 list”, and the subject was “NFL football factories”. And though I had no doubt that the Trojans would top the list, some of the choices or positions in the order were debatable. The list is based on the all time production of programs, when it comes to generating NFL talent. Here’s the list, along with their resumes and my own commentary on each. At first glance, you may see something noticeably missing. This list from the NFL Network doesn’t include a single Big 12 program.

1. Southern California Trojans

With 11 NFL Hall of fame inductees, and 59 Trojans making 201 Pro Bowl appearances, USC is placed above all others in terms of NFL production. If we’re ranking programs based on their talent levels, there’s no greater measure than reaching the NFL’s highest plateaus. Trojan players have made 97 Superbowl appearances, with WR Steve Smith being the most recent to wear a championship ring. In 41 Superbowls, a Trojan has appeared in all but 3, which supports the old adage that if you want to be an NFL champion, you increase the odds with a Trojan on your roster. If Smith’s Giants would have failed in their upset bid, another Trojan, Junior Seau of the Patriots, would have earned his first Superbowl ring.

Aside from spitting out players, this factory also produces coaches. Current NFL coaches from USC include Lane Kiffin (Raiders), Jack Del Rio (Jaguars), Norv Turner (Chargers), Jeff Fisher (Titans), Rod Marinelli (Lions), and Mike Holmgren (Seahawks). Former NFL coaches are Joe Gibbs, Steve Mariucci, John Robinson, John McKay, Wayne Fontes, and of course, Pete Carroll.

2. Miami Hurricanes

If this list was limited to modern football factories, the U would occupy the top spot. Even sitting in the second position is questionable, with their span of excellence only extending 25 years. But without a doubt, the Canes have more impact on today’s NFL playing fields than any other college program.

Miami has produced Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow Jr., Michael Irvin, Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee, Frank Gore, Jonathan Vilma, Warren Sapp, Ray Lewis, Devin Hester, Sean Taylor, Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar, Vinnie Testeverde, Andre Johnson, and Antrelle Rolle, just to name a few. They produced 19 first round picks in a 4 year span, which stands as a record. In the past 20 years, no school has sent more players to the NFL than the Miami Hurricanes (136).

3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Here come the Irish, but they should have already arrived. Realistically, if you’re not going to punish the Canes for arriving late, how can you punish the Irish for building their factory early? The Irish have 10 members of the Pro Football Hall of fame, compared to Miami’s 4. Notre Dame had 461 players drafted. Miami had 293. Giving a fair assessment, based on “all time factories”, Miami isn’t even in the same ballpark as Notre Dame.

Notre Dame’s production includes Joe Montana, Joe Theisman, Tim Brown, Rocket Ismail, Jerome Bettis, Julius Jones, Bob Golic, Dave Casper, Chris Zorich, Ryan Grant, Justin Tuck, and Reynaldo Wynn. Montana and Theisman combine for 5 Superbowl victories by Irish quarterbacks.

4. Ohio State Buckeyes

If you want to erase the Big 10 and Ohio State “lack of speed” myths, then all it takes is some name dropping. Tedd Ginn Jr., Cris Carter, Joey Galloway, Santonio Holmes, Anthony Gonzalez, and Terry Glenn are all Buckeyes. THE Ohio State has produced 53 NFL pro bowl players. 7 Heisman Trophies have been won by 6 players. Other notable NFL names include Eddie George, Mike Vrabel, A.J. Hawke, Orlando Pace, Chris Spielman, Shawn Springs, Paul Warfield, and Jim Marshall. What’s obviously missing from the list of Buckeyes is a great quarterback. In terms of quarterback production, OSU is nowhere near a factory, but manages to fill all other positions in the sport.

5. Michigan Wolverines

Here’s something we’ve become familiar with over the years, “The wolverines trail the Buckeyes”. The NFL Network’s number four and five teams are actually interchangeable, and you probably wouldn’t get an argument from anyone outside of the states of Michigan and Ohio.

The Wolverines have produced 7 Hall of Famers, and 36 Pro Bowlers. Braylon Edwards, Ty Law, Brian Griese, Dan Dierdoff, Desmond Howard, Anthony Carter, Todd Collins, Steve Hutchinson, Marlin Jackson, Cato June, Amani Toomer, Chris Perry, Jon Runyan, LaMarr Woodley, Charles Woodson, and Mr. Tom Brady are all U of M alum.

6. Alabama Crimson Tide

Montana and Theisman may have given Notre Dame 5 superbowl rings, but the Alabama Crimson tide boasts 3 quarterbacks, Bart Starr, Ken Stabler, and Joe Namath, that have led their NFL teams to championship victory. With 6 Hall of Fame inductess, the Network rated the Tide as the top football factory in the SEC.

7. Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State is the third Big 10 program to make this list, giving the conference the most representatives of all conferences. Credit Joe Paterno for his ability to consistently recruit NFL caliber talent throughout the years. The count is 5 Hall of Famers and 34 pro bowl players for the Nittany Lions.

8. Syracuse Orange

Syracuse? The Orange never struck me as a football factory, despite their production of Jim Brown and Ernie Davis. Marvin Harrison, Daryl Johnston, Donovan McNabb, Art Monk, Larry Csonka, David Tyree, Keith Bullock, Dwight Freeney and John Mackey are also Syracuse products. And in case you’re reading this and scratching your head, consider that the Orange’s 6 Hall of Fame members are more than Texas, OU, and Florida State combined.

9. The Mid-American Conference

This is by far their worst choice, because it’s totally unfair. You can’t pit an entire conference against individual programs. Where would the MAC rank, if matched against other conferences?

The conference produced Randy Moss, Chad Pennington, Ben Roethlisberger, Byron Lefwich, Antonio Gates, Jason Taylor, Jack Lambert, Chester Taylor, and Josh Cribbs. But if you compare rosters to those of other conferences, the MAC would severely slump in numbers. Bad choice.

10. Tennessee Volunteers.

With 37 Pro Bowl players and 2 Hall of Famers, the Vols secured the final spot on the list. Peyton Manning and Reggie White may be the biggest Tennessee headliners, but other names of note are Jason Witten, Bill Bates, Albert Haynesworth, Travis Henry, Carl Pickens, Jamal Lewis, Eric Parker, Peerless Price, Jack “hacksaw” Reynolds, Heath Shuler, Donte’ Stallworth, Al Wilson, and Gibril Wilson.

Fanaticism Gone Too Far

Our televisions capture the foreign images of European soccer hooligans, and the fires and flares of South America. At home, we watch tape of a drunken father and son attacking an MLB first base coach. In the NBA, we see a brawl erupt in Detroit, because a fool decides to toss a cup. But a step down from your professional leagues, we see something growing more large and ugly. It’s fanaticism at the extreme.

In college sports, your home surface represents a point of dominance. Its make up, aura, and student body can allow even the most average hosts to compete with the greater visitors. But more and more, the stories and images of fan hostility are taking precedence over the actual games played. This again stands true, as I recently watched USC mopping up a road victory in Tempe, and in the waning seconds, a full water bottle crashes at the feet of a Trojan player. But even with the danger posed by that incident, and the potential to spark a melee, the action of that one disgruntled fan is minor to the incidents already reported this past year.

The most recent incident to be publicized is that of UCLA’s Freshman Kevin Love. Love is a native Oregonian that snubbed his area to play in the basketball tradition of UCLA. Last month marked his first trip back to Oregon, as his Bruins faced the Ducks. He was greeted with hostilities, for which the University of Oregon made an official apology. But more has surfaced about his Oregon road trip, and it makes you question the mentality of the fans and how they’ve forgotten that it’s just a game. It was reported that Love received death threats, and screaming fans called his grandmother and 13 year old sister “whores”. I am unable to grasp that type of mentality, because though I have a love of team, and love of sport, I can still understand that it’s just a four year decision to play a child’s game elsewhere. Florida quarterback, Tim Tebow, received death threats during the 2007 season, and for no other reason than being “great” at what he does.

The University of Illinois also had to apologize for the hostile reception given to another freshman sensation, Eric Gordon of Indiana, when he made his first appearance in Champaign, after not staying true to a promise to play for the Illini.

Another publicized incident was the occurrence at the end of an amazing contest played between No. 1 Memphis and unranked Alabama Birmingham. The one point, down to the wire, victory by Memphis was quickly forgotten, and fan violence took center stage. As you can see in the following clip, as the officials were checking the monitor to determine if a last second game winning shot should count, the Memphis players are getting pelted by any trash the UAB fans could find.

Death threats aren’t exclusive to players, as a teary eyed Michigan coach alerted the nation last week. Rich Rodgriguez spoke of the threats against his family in West Virginia, and against his young niece, simply because her uncle “took a job”. Before the Mountaineer football team even suffers any ill effects of the Rodriguez departure, some West Virginia fans have taken it upon themselves to make his family suffer in fear. It shouldn’t be surprising or unexpected, considering WVU’s place kicker received death threats after the Pittsburgh game, being blamed for the loss that cost the team a spot in the National Championship game.

In Indiana, security has been increased, following the resignation of basketball coach Kelvin Sampson. The University’s action is a precautionary measure, hoping to prevent a repeat of campus disturbance that followed the school’s firing of Bobby Knight. In that incident, police in riot gear were needed to disburse the angry crowds.

The college football season also featured outrageous acts, when Rutgers fans welcomed Navy to the field with chants of “Navy Sucks”. Entering the field for the second half only allowed an encore performance of the chant, and the Scarlet Knights’ fans weren’t done. As an injured Midshipman limped from the field, the crowd chanted “You got f*cked up! You got f*cked up!” And in the direction of the uniformed section of Navy fans in attendance, the chant was “F*ck you, Navy! F*ck you, Navy!" In the aftermath, Rutgers’ President made a formal apology to the Naval Academy, but again I’m confused about what would not only bring a person to begin such chants, but for others to also tag along. The boys from the Naval Academy are not only serving as Saturday opponents, but are also serving their country. Following graduation, some will find themselves on battlefields, defending our right to chant. I think that alone deserves respect, regardless the depth of your fanaticism.

Chants are a thing of old, as I can remember former St. Joe’s basketball player, Delonte West, who has a birth mark on his face receiving chants of “Herpes! Herpes!” I also remember Duke’s J.J Reddick being so hated by ACC foes that their chant of choice was “F*ck U Reddick!”. There is no enforcement, so it continues. A fan can be removed from the building for tossing items on the court, and the home team can be penalized, giving the visitor technical free throws, but how do you enforce the harsh chanting and profanity that potentially comes with it? For the NCAA to clean up the language, they will have to penalize students by suspending home games, forcing their teams to play only on the road. For severe offenses, they can wipe out the home games for an entire season. That would be the simple plan, but it’s more difficult when you look at the financial loss. How many school presidents, who already can’t control their student bodies, are going to agree to a punishment that hits them in the wallet?

As a player, it only took one road game for me to realize how hateful some fans can be towards a program. It’s more apparent in basketball, when venues shrink in size, and the gap between yourself and the fans decrease. As a player, you stand on the hardwood, and you know that a handful of officers could never hold back an entire student section and any intentions to cause harm to their visitors. The road can be a scary place, but it’s only because of a few enticing idiots, and greedy NCAA executives that allow it to be.

Fanaticism has already gone too far, and year after year, the bomb continues to tick. When, and if, there is that great explosion, we will see the “powers that be” addressing the media of the seriousness, as if they never saw it coming. I see it now. Don’t you?

Spring Cleaning Comes Early In Ann Arbor

I'm not sure what the expectations are for the Michigan Fanbase and boosters that wanted Lloyd Carr out, and celebrated when Rich Rodriguez came in, but Kickoff 2008 isn't painting a pretty picture, and we're only in January. Spring cleaning has come early, and there won't be many recognizable names and faces on the Wolverine spring roster.

With Carr stepping down, which is a nicer way of saying "forced out", it didn't take long for the incoming coach to fire the rest of the Michigan staff and replace them with a more qualified group (friends of Rodriguez). This comes as Senior stars Jake Long, Mike Hart, and Chad Henne are saying goodbye to the Wolverines and hello to the NFL. Any hopes of salvaging the remainder of the team was flushed on Wednsday, when Juniors Mario Manningham and Adrian Arrington announced their declaration for the NFL draft, and Freshman Ryan Mallett announced his transfer.

In a matter of months, Michigan has gone from a team that bounced back from an opening day loss to Appalachian State and finished the season with an impressive bowl win over Florida, to a team that is questionable to beat Utah in the 2008 kickoff. If you look at the losses on the roster, you have a Michigan team that dropped just 3 games, and a had a top 25 finish in 2007, that may be battling next season to just be bowl eligible.

With Mallet's transfer, it's obvious the Wolverines won't be undergoing a transitional change in offense, slowly moving from pro style to the spread, as Belotti did in Oregon. It's a sudden impact switch, with 2 months to recruit players to run it, after spending many years of handing out scholarships to players that can't. The recent departures may have freed up some needed scholarships for an incoming spread class, but what about all those pro style scholarships that are locked in for more years?

When people came screaming for Lloyd Carr's head, were they also accepting of the program's decline before rising again? Unless Rich Rodriguez is a miracle worker, that seems to be the direction they're heading in. I feel every coach deserves ample time to turn a program around, but unlike some of the others, Michigan wasn't exactly dead in the water. Michigan wants victories over Ohio State, BCS bowl appearances, and a shot at the national title. With the cupboards now bare, I wouldn't be expecting any of those achievements to be reached very soon.

Carr leaves Michigan with the bar set at 1 national championship and 5 Big 10 titles. His teams appeared in 5 BCS bowl games, and had 5 top 10 AP finishes in his 12 years as head coach. The sooner Rodriguez can beat Tressel, the sooner Ann Arbor can stop the groaning. But whatever happens next year, If Rodriguez loses to Notre Dame in that third game next season, the headlines will either read "Notre Dame is Back" or "Michigan Stinks". I would choose the latter.

2008 Michigan Football Schedule

Aug. 30 Utah
Sept. 6 Miami (OH.)
Sept. 13 at Notre Dame
Sept. 27 Wisconsin*
Oct. 4 Illinois*
Oct. 11 Toledo
Oct. 18 at Penn State* (HC)
Oct. 25 Michigan State
Nov. 1 at Purdue*
Nov. 8 at Minnesota*
Nov. 15 Northwestern*
Nov. 22 at Ohio State*

This Carr Had One Last Lap

Of all the storylines, there couldn't have been a more fitting ending for the Capital One Bowl. It wasn't so much that the game featured the defending champion Florida Gators and their Heisman trophy winner, but the focus on a Michigan coaching staff and their last hoorah. If you listened to the everyday opinions, the Big 10 doesn't have the speed to match the SEC, and the Wolverines have been embarrassed by the spread offense twice already this year. Many gave Florida the victory, including myself, before Michigan even stepped on the field. But it didn't work out that way, and the Wolverines made fools of us all.

Never have I seen a team so well prepared for a game, and it seems like ages since I've witnessed a Michigan offense run with such precision. Henne and Hart toyed with the gators, executing play after play with little defense. Despite the 4 turnovers that kept Florida from suffering a blowout embarrassment, not once did the Wolverines lose their poise or confidence. The defense remained on the prowl, giving a full 60 minutes on the field, without let up. And when the last tick expired, Lloyd Carr had been vindicated, and Michigan could look to a scoreboard that showed them as the 41-35 winner over the speedy SEC and defending National Champions.

There's in no better ending for the coaching rollercoaster we've come to know as "Lloyd Carr". He dedicated years to the program, and completed the job, when he could have easily walked away. Despite being forced out, he showed his loyalty to the players, fans, and administration he loves. He gave them an early National Championship, and a late victory they can be proud of. Farewell to you Lloyd. And thank you for the consistent show of class, no matter how murky the waters became.

Ann Arbor is Greater Than Morgantown

The Wolverines pulled a new coach from that old place, Morgantown West Virginia. If everything goes as scheduled, Rich Rodriguez will be coaching Blue in 2008. Of course, I still have my doubts, and who can blame me, after the stunt he pulled with Bama last year. I'll give it a few days, to see if a Mountaineer angel comes to him in his sleep, convincing him to stay at WVU.

The hire gives Michigan 2 snags in just 8 months, with John Beilein agreeing to leave West Virginia last April to be the new Wolverines head basketball coach. Two men built separate programs in Morgantown, placing them in the national spotlight, and two men departed from those programs to wear the maize and gold of Michigan.

If this is a solid hiring, the first order of business is obvious, Rod will have to hit the recruiting trail to find the necessary pieces for that spread offense. Luckily for QB Chad Henne, he's on the way out. But unfortunate for Ryan Mallett, he has another 3 years committed to a team that is obviously about to stray from the pro-style offense. And what becomes of Super Mario Manningham? Will he stick around for the breaking in of a new system or pack his bags and head to the NFL?

It's a great hire for Michigan. My choice was for them to go after Appalachian State's Jerry Moore and his spread package. They did me one better, and landed Rich Rodriguez.