Week 9, 2014

Hey All,

Here's the column that makes Tuesdays fun, Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard. We still miss you,  Jim Murray.

Summaries

Utah 24- USC 21: A bonehead play, a lack of execution at key times, a big blown call, and a worn down defense led to USC dropping a tight one in Salt Lake City.  The loss effectively eliminated the Trojans from Pac 12 title contention.  The bonehead play was USC WR Darreus Rogers dropping, then not going after a backwards pass which DB Davion Orphey returned for the game's opening score.  The lack of execution came on the Trojans last two offensive plays where QB Cody Kessler short-armed an easy pass that would have led to USC being able to run out the clock. Then again on the ensuing play when WR Nelson Agholor didn't mange to stay in bounds with nobody around him on the ensuing fourth down attempt.  The blown call was the officials blowing dead an obvious catch and fumble that was returned for a 100-yard score by USC's Adoree Jackson.  Instead, USC was just given the ball on their own 20 yard line.  The worn down defense was USC's usual fourth quarter collapse, where DC Justin Wilcox gets scared, has the defense sit back and let's the opponent drive down the field unhindered to score the winning points.
Telling Stat: The if game: If Darreus Rogers actually catches the first pass, USC walks out of Utah with a win.

Arizona State 24- Washington 10: The boys from the Valley of the Sun survived a night of cold, wind, and hard rain to come away with a win in Seattle.  This game was also a tale of two QBs.  UW QB Cyler Miles did not play because he did not pass medical protocol this week after being knocked from the prior week's game vs. Oregon with a concussion. ASU got QB Taylor Kelly back after being out four weeks with a foot injury. Kelly had a decent day, completing 14 of 25 passes for 180 yards and two TDs.  As for UW, Miles' replacement Troy Williams did not fare so well completing 18 of 26 passes for 139 yards and two huge interceptions.  The last one, with :52 left was returned 61 yards for the game-clinching TD by ASU DB Armand Perry.  One other big note form this game was that UW LB Shaq Thompson was moved to RB for this game and had 98 yards on 21 carries.  However, the Dawgs offense was pretty inept. UW's only TD came off a 61-yard interception return by LB John Timu late in the third quarter.
Telling Stat: Kelly in the Clutch;  ASU QB Taylor Kelly accounted for 48 of the Sun Devils' 75 yards on their late fourth quarter winning drive.  He ran once for 12 yards and completed all three of his passes for 36 yards, including a seven yard strike for the go-ahead touchdown.

Stanford 38- Oregon State 14: The Cardinal bounced back after their loss to ASU with a beat down of the Beavers on The Farm. The Cardinal defense turned the Beavers into a one dimensional team by holding them to 12 yards rushing.  OSU QB Sean Mannion completed 14 of 30 passes for only 122 yards and no TDs. Mannion took several big hits from the Cardinal defense.  As for Stanford, QB Kevin Hogan had an up and down day.  He threw two early interceptions, but got off the deck and completed 18 of 28 passes for 277 yards and a pair of TDs.  He also ran for a TD too.  It seems everyone got into the act for SU as WR Ty Montgomery returned a punt 50 yards for a score and LB Patrick Skov even got to tote the rock.  He scored on a one-yard plunge in the third quarter.
Telling Stat: Choked out by the Cardinal;  After giving up an early TD, the Stanford defense throttled the Oregon State offense forcing seven punts, holding for downs twice and having the half run out once in the next 10 Beaver possessions.

Arizona 59- Washington State 37: There was a big cat fight up in the Palouse with the Wildcats easily smacking down the Cougars in a game that was not nearly as close as it seemed.  With 8:56 left in the second quarter UofA held a 31-0 lead thanks to an 81-yard punt return for a TD by WR Devonte' Neal, a Casey Skowron 31-yard field goal, and three TD passes for QB Anu Solomon.  Solomon would go on to throw a couple more TD passes as he finished the game by completing 26 of 38 tosses for 294 yards and five TDs.  UofA built up a 52-16 lead through three quarters, then watched Wazzu stack up the points in garbage time.  Wazzu QB Connor Halliday almost threw his arm off again, completing 56 of 79 passes for 489 yards, four TDs and two interceptions.
Telling Stat: A defensive first;  In this game of big numbers, the Arizona defense had the biggest ones. They held Wazzu scoreless on their first five possessions forcing four punts and an interception. That allowed the UofA offense to build up a huge early lead that the Cougars couldn't come back from.

UCLA 40- Colorado 37- 2OT: The bRuins went up to Boulder and looked to pick up an easy win over the Buffaloes.  For a good portion of the game, it look just like that as UCLA built up a 17-0 early lead and parlayed that into a 31-14 lead through three quarters of play. Then, the bRuins just seemed to take their foot off the gas.  The Buffs took advantage of that lull and scored 17 straight points to force a very unexpected overtime. UCLA managed to escape with a win in the second overtime when QB Brett Hundley scampered eight yards to paydirt to end the game.  Hundley finished the day with 200 yards passing, 110 yards rushing and a pair of TDs.  His backfield mate RB Paul Perkins ran the ball 19 times for 180 yards and a pair of scores.  The most impressive of those scores was 92-yard jaunt for the bRuins first score of the day.  As for the Buffs, QB Sefu Liufau threw for 246 yards and two TDs in the losing effort.
Telling Stat: They danced with the girl that brung 'em;  To borrow the old Keith Jackson line, UCLA picked up the win in this game when they turned Brett Hundley loose in the second OT.  He accounted for all 25 yards on the final drive, including the 8-yard TD run to win it.

Oregon 59- California 41: The Ducks took on the Golden Bears at Levis Stadium and toyed for the boys from Berkeley for awhile before turning most of the second half into garbage time in this rout.  UO QB Marcus Mariota had another great night, completing 18 of 30 passes for 326 yards and five TDs.  UO RB Royce Freeman had a great day too. he rushed the ball 22 times for 112 yards and two TDs of his own. Despite being pulled from the game at times, Cal QB Jared Goff completed 32 of 52 passes for 360 yards and two TDs.
Telling Stat: 24-0, 21-0; Just at the moment when most fans thought that Califronia had a shot at upsetting the Ducks, they went on one of their patented quick scoring runs.  UO's 24-0 run in the first half and their 21-0 run in the second half left no doubt as to who the big boys in the Pac 12 North still are.

Observations

...More bang for your buck;  What's the difference between a Stanford game and a Wazzu game? The answer is 58 plays.  Stanford and OSU ran a total of 138 plays last week , while Arizona and Washington State ran 196 total plays.  That total includes all plays from scrimmage, kickoffs and punts.

...Still not the sharpest tools in the shed; USC's football IQ wasn't great to begin with and seems to be dropping with each game.

...Hoopin' it up at TCU;  The Horned Frogs football squad up 82 points on Texas Tech.  The TCU basketball team has scored only 82 points once in the last two seasons.

...One is the loneliest number; SMU is the only FBS team without a victory.  Oh, and things don't look good for the Mustangs getting a win either.  SMU has been shutout twice and they have lost their seven games by an average of 41 points.  Not too early for basketball season in Dallas.

...Enjoy the Citrus Bowl; It has become increasingly clear this year that the Big Ten looks like the conference that won't get a team in the playoff.

...Open roads; After Oregon had turned their game with California into a rout at Levi's Stadium, longtime Cal announcer Joe Starkey quipped, "A lot of folks worried about traffic getting into Santa Clara for the game tonight, but they won't have to worry about traffic on the way home."

...Carolina Blue BS;  The current academic fraud case being investigated by the NCAA at North Carolina is now said to involve over 1,500 athletes in various sports over the past 18 years or so.  You can imagine how disingenuous it looked as former UNC football HCs and now ABC-ESPN employees Mack Brown and Butch Davis proclaimed no knowledge of such improprieties on ESPN2 on Saturday.  Every HC knows where easy classes are in their respective schools.  What a joke.

...That Mora-look;  The look on UCLA HC Jim Mora's face as their game with Colorado went to overtime was priceless. It was a look of, "WTF? we're going to OT with f#%@k&^G Colorado?!"

...At FSU I can see this happening, but Army?;  The United States Military Academy self-reported to the NCAA that they treated recruits to a dinner with female cadets, cheerleaders, alcohol and booster payments.  This story really isn't that big of a deal nowadays, but who reported this story is. It was reported by The Gazette of Colorado Springs.  Hmmmmm.

...#1 meet #1;  After South Carolina's Hail Mary fell short in a 42-35 loss to Auburn, SEC officials say that Aubrun should have been called for a penalty on the play and the Gamecocks should have had another Hail Mary shot.  It seems Auburn had two players wearing #1 on defense for the final play.  DT Montaviuos Adams and WR D'haquille Williams were both wearing #1 on the play.  Williams was inserted into the game as a defender for this one play as the Tigers Hail Mary defense package.  Two players cannot be wearing the same number on the field at the same time for a team.  Auburn should have been penalized five yards and South Carolina given one additional snap.

...Rolling in the perks of the Tide; Alabama HC Nick Saban's 3.1 million dollar home was paid off for him last January by the Crimson Tide Foundation, which is the big booster group at Alabama.  They also pay his property taxes as well. In a related story it has been discovered that most USC fans are willing to take up a collection to send HC Steve Sarkisian and DC Justin Wilcox on a bus out of town.

...Just gotta love a big man with skills;  Arkansas guard, Sebastian Tretola threw a six-yard TD pass in the Hogs whipping of Alabama-Birmingham over the weekend.  The 6'5'' 350 lb. Tretola has lived out the fantasy all lineman young and old have.  I don't know how many times, in my meager athletic career, I told my coach that I can tote and throw the rock.  Oh, and they never let me kick an extra point either.

...They ran out of pyro;  There's one funny consequence of TCU scoring 82 points last weekend.  Ummm they used up their fireworks supply for the rest of the season.  TCU celebrates scores with fireworks. The school ran out of them after TCU scored 75 points.  They have to order more to get through the rest of the year.

...Feeling the Big Green; Dartmouth has the inside tack to the Ivy League crown. If they get by Harvard this week, the should wear the crown at season's end.

Who got the Memo?

Utah asked all their fans to wear black for their "Blackout" game vs. USC. Obviously, one guy didn't get the memo.

The funny thing is that one other guy must have gotten the memo.

Yes folks, that's USC HC Steve Sarkisian in all black. Insert expletive here.

Uniform of the Week-That-Looked-Good-But-Wasn't-Anywhere-Near-Their-Team-Colors: Illinois came out in all-grey "ghost" uniforms v. Minnesota, This intrepid reporter was told that the "ghost" uniforms were in homage of Illinois great Red Grange, the Galloping Ghost.  There's even a 77 on the helmets for Grange's old jersey number.  The thing is Grange wore Orange and Blue and made it famous.  The Orange and Blue was such a big hit in the 1920s that some team named Da Bears adopted the Orange and Blue as their color scheme.

Departments

Close game of the Week: Hillsboro, KS- We look to the NAIA ranks as the McPherson College Bulldogs pulled out a tough, 15-14 road win over the Tabor College Blue Jays. The Bulldogs trailed 14-3 in the fourth quarter when their offense woke up.  RB Kelly Cordova cut the deficit to six points with a 2-yard TD run.  Then on the ensuing possession, Bulldog CB Ashton Spears picked off a pass at the Tabpr 40-yard line with 5:30 to play.  Three minutes later, Cordova hit paydirt again from two yards out and McPherson walked away with the win.

Blowout of the Week:  Coulmbia, KY- Well, it looks like TCU did score the most points in the FBS this week, but an NAIA team scored more. The Lindsey Wilson College Blue Raiders crushed the Bellhaven Blazers, 91-14.  The Blue Raiders intercepted six Blazer passes and forced one fumble in which three of those turnovers were returned for TDs.  QBs Brandon Creasp and Dylan Beasley threw for three TDs a piece in this laugher.

C.W. Post Press: QB Kevin Arduro capped off a 14 play, 65 yard drive with a 1-yard TD plunge with just :29 left to lift the American International College Yellow Jackets to a 27-24 win over the C.W. Post Pioneers.  In the loss, QB Steve Laurino threw for 353 yards and one TD.  That TD looked to be the game-winning tally with 3:51 to play, but AIC had other ideas. UP next for Post is  a trip to New Haven Connecticut to take on Southern Connecticut State.  Commissioner's note here: As in injured player, I stood on the sideline while his Chico State Wildcats whipped SCSU back in 1989.

Horned Frog Headlines:  TCU sent Texas Tech back to Lubbock with a devastating 82-27 defeat.  This game was an Old fashioned butt-kicking as the Frogs beat the Red Raiders every almost every way possible.  TCU QB Trevone Boykin threw for 433 yards and seven TDs on the day.  Everyone saw the field in this one as TCU ran through four QBs along with all the walk-ons seeing time in this one. Up next for the Frogs is a trip to West Virginia for a tilt between two of the top teams in the Big XII.

Razorback Report: The Hogs took a break from being the SEC West doormat and whiped up on the UAB Blazers, 45-17.  The only thing you need to know about this game is that the big man threw a TD pass!  Up next for the Hogs is a trip to #1 Mississippi State.

Tulane Times: The Green Wave had a bye this past weekend and will host Cincinnati this week.

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing

Ebay strikes again.  Picked up the thermos for my old NFL lunchbox last week.

It's amazing the conversations you can get into with people over what width of pen tip they prefer to use.

Modern Family has been really funny this year.

Until next week folks, remember that there is no such thing as a "lateral" in the rule books.  A pass is either forwards or backwards.

-The Commissioner

Week 8, 2014

Hey All,

It's Tuesday and that means another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Alan Malamud.

Summaries

USC 56- Colorado 28: Despite donning ugly not-even-close-to-cardinal chrome helmets, the Trojans and their fans got to relax in the fourth quarter for the first time in nearly a month as the Trojans stomped all over the Pac 12 doormat that is the Colorado Buffaloes.   USC QB Cody Kessler set the all-time Trojan single-game record for TD tosses with seven scoring aerials.  The first four of those TD throws came in the first quarter as the Torjans built up an early 28-0 lead.  USC RB Buck Allen had another good day too rushing for 128 yards on 15 carries and a TD of his own. Kessler finished the game competing 19 of 26 passes for 319 yards and those seven scores.  In the loss. CU QB Sefu Liufau completed 23 of 35 passes for 143 yards and a pair of scores.
Telling Stat: 20 minutes;  Trojan fans enjoyed a long rest in the Coliseum with over 20 minutes of garbage time in this laugher.

Utah 29- Oregon State 23 2OT: Three dull quarters of football led to an exciting finish in Corvalis. It was battle of field goal kickers throughout three quarters as Utah held a 9-6 lead.  Then OSU QB Sean Mannion hit WR Jordan Villamin with a toss and he took it 72 yards to paydirt to put the Beavers up 13-9.  Utah then took the lead back late when RB Devontae Booker scored from a yard out.  The Beavers got the ball back trailing ,16-13. Mannion and his teammates then put together an 11 play drive that was capped off by PK Trevor Romaine's 49-yard field goal to send the game to overtime.  The overtime belonged to Devotae Booker as he scored two TDs.  The second one came from 19 yards out and the Utes escaped Beaverland with a win. Booker finished the game with 229 yards rushing on 32 carries and three TDs.  OSU's Mannion finished with 272 yards passing and a pair of scores.
Telling Stat;  He owned overtime; In overtime, RB Devontae Booker gained 48 of Utah's 50 total yards on six carries with two TDs to lead the Utes to victory.

Oregon 45- Washington 20: The Huskies were hot coming off a 31-7 dismantling of Cal and looked to send a message to the league with a big upset of the Ducks.  Unfortunately for UW fans, the message was "We're not ready yet."  The Ducks turned a 7-6 lead after one quarter of play into a 28-6 lead at the half with a pair of TD runs by RB Royce Freeman and a TD pass by QB Marcus Mariota. Then, as they say, the rout was on. Freeman had big day toting the rock 29 times for 169 yards and four scores.  Mariota had another ho-hum great day completing 24 of 33 passes for 336 yards and two TDs. UW QB Cyler Miles threw for 147 and a TD in the loss.
Teling Stat;  While the fireworks were going on;  While UO's offense lit up the board on UW in the second quarter, the Duck defense held the Dawgs to just 48 total yards. forcing five punts and an interception in the period.   

UCLA 36- California 34: Turnovers were key in this shootout between the big and little brothers of the UC system.  UCLA's three turnovers kept CAL in the game and Cal's one big turnover handed UCLA the win.  Just when it seemed that Cal QB Jeff Goff had conquered his interception woes, the one he threw handed UCLA the game.  With a 1st and 10 at the bRuins 36-yard line, Goff threw for the end zone. The ball ended up being intercepted by UCLA DB Marcus Rios.  The play was controversial as it didn't look like Rios actually made the interception, but it held up under review. That just made all Call fans wonder why he was making that throw anyway as the Golden Bears had just about reached field goal range.  Goff finished the day with 303 yards, 2TDs and that big interception.  UCLA QB Brett Hundley threw for 330 yards and 2TDs and ran for another in the win.
Telling Stat; They didn't need third downs.  Both teams combined to score 70 points when they also combined to just convert on 7 of 27 third downs.

Arizona State 26- Stanford 10: The Cardinal dropped their third game of the season with another lackluster offensive effort at ASU. The ASU defense held the plodding Stanford offense to just 288 total yards and just 6 of 16 on third downs. Meanwhile, after a scoreless first quarter, the Sun Devil offense jumped out to 14-0 lead behind a 1-yard TD run fro RB D.J. Foster and a 3-yard TD pass from QB Mike Bercovici to WR Jalen Strong.  In the second half, the stubborn Stanford defense held ASU to four field goals from PK Zane Gonzalez. However, the Cardinal offense was held in check all night by the Sun Devils. ASU's Bercovici was the offensive star of the game completing 23 of 33 passes for 245 yards and one TD.  Stanford QB Kevin Hogan threw for 212 yards in the losing effort.
Telling Stat: Beaten at their own game; Arizona State out rushed Stanford 114 yards to 76, made nine more first downs and held a nearly 10 minute edge in Time of Possession to slowly throttle the Cardinal.

Florida State 31- Notre Dame 27: So, let me get this straight.  The Notre Dame game came down to a big penalty call and because of it, the Irish didn't win? As Brent Musberger might say, "What an amazing turn of events!"  Does anybody else really care about the stats of this game?  I'll end this summary here.
Telling stat;  Road woes; Funny how everything didn't go ND's way in their first true road game of the season.

Observations

...A truly rough year; It ain't easy being a Maranatha Baptist football player.  The Sabercats just forfeited their second game of the year due to an "unusual amount of injuries."  There are only 34 players on their roster and many of them are hurt.  They are 0-7 on the year including the forfeits.  In the five games they did play, Maranatha has lost them by an average score of 55-12.  The only bright spot for this team all year was a 7-0 win over their alumni in a scrimmage.

...Lost in the shuffle;  Forgotten in Utah's double OT win over Oregon State will be a really, really good TD catch on 4th and Goal in the first overtime by OSU WR Jordan Villamin.

...It has to be over;  Glad to see the pollsters love affair with Texas A&M is finally over.  Their third blowout loss was finally proof that they aren't a top 25 team.

...Loving the Buffs at Expo and Fig.; In the last couple of USC-Colorado tilts, Trojan QBs have lit up the record books.

...Whining Irish;  No Notre Dame fan should ever complain about officiating.  Never, ever, ever, EVER!!!!  That is all.

...This just in; The new USC helmets stink.  On TV and pictures they looked halfway decent, however in the stadium, they looked like bad Christmas ornaments.  Just ugly.

...That S on the helmet ain't for Super;  Stanford's aura of invincibility is gone and HC David Shaw's look of confidence on the sidelines has given way to one of bewilderment.

...SECSPN;  ESPN just needs to change their name and just openly tell us that they are going to do everything possible to make sure that multiple SEC teams make it into the playoff. Now, the argument from the SEC-bought-and-paid-for-network is that any two-loss SEC team is better than any other conference's one-loss team.  Puhleeeze.

...Unexpected leadership;  Nobody expected Duke to be atop the ACC Coastal Division right now.

...How far they have sunk;  Just how low are the standards at the L.A. Times sports page?  They can't even get a caption right nowadays...

...And then there was one; It's pretty early in the year to be down to just one, but SMU is the only winless team left in the FBS.

...Cool memory; Saw a "Meet me at Julie's" t-shirt at the SC game. Julie's Trojan Barrel is still missed by many an old SC fan.

...Truly Mean Stat of the Season; Washington LB Shaq Thompson has scored five TDs this year. As a team, SMU has scored only four.

...For the big ref in the desert;  Lehigh was the only Patriot League team to win this week as the league played four games against Ivy League foes. Lehigh beat Cornell, 31-14.

...Note to Colorado; Don't de disappointed, you weren't brought into the Pac 12 to win.  The league just wanted a 12th team so they could have a championship game.  How you beat out Hawaii for the 12th spot, I'll never know.

...Meeting the man who made the hit; One of the perks of sitting in my section at the Coliseum is seeing USC greats. This past weekend, I got to meet Charlie Weaver.  He was a member of USC's original "Wild Bunch" that terrorized the old Pac 8 in 1969.  Weaver also laid one of the best hits ever laid on any bRuin when leveled UCLA QB Dennis Dummit.

...Pretty refreshing;  It's nice to know that Clemson has been irrelevant for most of the season.

...No reason to be mad; FSU HC Jimbo Fisher got angry and cut short a media interview when he was asked if his own reputation had taken a hit because of his star QB's off the field problems and bad reputation. It looks like old Jimbo forgot the old southern proverb, "If you lay down with dogs, you're bound to get some fleas."

Ugly Uniform of the Week: This week's winners are the Indiana Hoosiers. If you're going to go with an ugly alternate helmet that looks like a candy cane,  you should at least makes sure the stripes don't come off during game action.

Now, a bit of uniform praise for... Oregon?  Yes, Oregon.  The Ducks throwback uniforms last Saturday were done right.  They were pretty darn close to their official colors of Emerald Green and Lemon Yellow with the classic interlocking UO helmets.

Departments

Close Game of the Week: Bloomington, IL- QB Sam Frasco scampered 11 yards for a first quarter TD and that proved to be enough in the Augustana Vikings 7-2 over the Illinois Wesleyan Titans. The Augustana defense kept the Titans off the scoreboard all day, but the game wasn't truly decided until the Titans 4th down pass on the Vikings 23-yard line fell incomplete with just over a minute to play.

Blowout of the Week: University Heights, OH- The John Carroll University Blue Streaks crushed the Marrieta College Pioneers, 80-0 at Don Shula Stadium.  On a day when everybody got their letter, Blue Streaks QB Mark Meyers connected on 15 of 18 tosses for 185 yards and three TDs. The JCU defense held the Pioneers to two first downs and 34 total yards for the game.

C.W. Post Press: Brookville, NY- Fifth year Sr. QB Steve Laurino is having a great season.  This past weekend that great season continued as he accounted for all seven Pioneer TDs in Post's 49-21 win over St. Anselm. Laurino completed 31 of 51 passes for 346 yards and four TDs.  He also ran the ball 16 times for 81 yards and three more TDs. The Pioneers are tied for first place in the Northeast 10 conference and will host American International College this week in a battle of the top two teams in the league.

Tulane Times: The Green Wave hit the road to University of Central Florida and dropped a 20-13 decision to the Golden Knights.  Green Wave QB Nick Montana threw for 147 yards and two big interceptions in the loss. Up next for the Green Wave is a much needed bye week.

Horned Frog Headlines: TCU bounced back strong after their heart-breaking loss to Baylor by crushing the Oklahoma State Cowboys, 42-9.  The Frogs outgained the Pokes, 676 yards to 258. TCU QB Trevone Boykin completed 26 of 39 passing for 410 yards and 3 TDs, while RB B.J. Catalon rushed for 102 yards and two TDs lead the Frogs offensive attack.  The Frogs defense held the Okie State offense in check all day. Up next for TCU is home date with Texas Tech.

Razorback Report: The stats don't tell the story in this game as the Razorbacks outgained the Bulldogs, held the ball longer and had fewer penalties, yet lost 45-32 in a game that wasn't nearly that close.  The Bulldogs turned the whole second half of the game into a glorified scrimmage thanks to a second quarter here the Bulldogs owned the second quarter, blanking the Hogs, 31-0.  That left the Dawgs up 38-7 at the break and the game essentially over.  Arkansas QB Brandon Allen threw for 296 yards and three TDs in the loss. Up next for Arkansas is a home date with Alabama- Birmingham.

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing

Any morning now the heater will kick on to let me know that Indian Summer is over down here at the beach.

October is the prettiest month in California.

I still have my NFL lunch box from when I was seven years old. It's really cool.

Until next week folks, remember that the receiver actually has to look like he's running a pass play on a rub route.

-The Commissioner

Week 7, 2014

Hey All,

It must be Tuesday because here's another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you Alan Malamud.

Summaries

USC 28- Arizona 26:  Well, another SC game came down to the final play and this time Trojans prevailed, upsetting the #10 Wildcats in the process.  The game started with the Trojan defense withstanding an offensive barrage in which the Wildcats ran 31 plays, gained 133 yards, but only scored six points.  While the USC defense then shutout UofA for the rest of the half, the USC offense, behind a pair of Buck Allen TDs runs built up a 14-6 halftime lead. The Trojans would score two more TDs in the third quarter to take a 28-13 lead into the final period.  That's when Arizona mounted a comeback against a gassed USC defense. A 41-yard pass from UoA QB Anu Solomon to RB Jared Baker and a 1-yard run from Baker with 1:07 left allowed the Wildcats to draw within two points of the Trojans. UofA did go for the two-point conversion to tie the game after Baker's last TD, but the play was stuffed by the Trojan defense.  However the Red and Blue got one last chance to win the game after recovering the ensuing onside kick.  In six quick plays, UofA stood poised for the win as PK Casey Skowron lined up for a game-winning 36-yard field goal.  USC called time out just before the ball was snapped and Skowron's good kick was for not.  On the second attempt after the time out, Skowron's kick sailed wide and USC had the victory.  The star of the game for the Trojans was RB Buck Allen who lugged the leather 26 times for 205 yards and three TDs. UofA QB Anu Solomon threw for 395 yards and a TD in the loss.
Telling Stat: Double the ice; USC called two time outs to ice UofA PK Casey Skowron at the end of the first half and at the end of the game.  Both ensuing field goal attempts failed. Skowron had one kick blocked and missed the other after being iced.

Stanford 34- Washington State 17: It was a Friday night showdown in Palo Alto between one of the Pac 12's most explosive offensive teams in Wazzu and the top defense in the league in Stanford.  The top defense won the battle and the game.  The Cardinal did allow Cougar QB Connor Halliday to compete 42 of 69 passes, but for only a total of 292 yards and two TDs on the night. The Cardinal were able to concentrate on stopping the Wazzu passing attack because they have no running game to speak of.  In fact, thanks to several sacks of Halliday the Cougars finished with -26 yards rushing.  As for the Stanford offense, QB Kevin Hogan was efficient as usual, completing 23 of 35 passes for 284 yards and three TDs. Couple that effort with 98 yards rushing just 14 carries with a TD by Cardinal RB Remound Wright and Stanford had all it needed to claim victory.
Teling Stat:  They bent just a little;  The Stanford defense held Wazzu QB Connor Halliday to 144 yards and 2 passing TDs less than his per game average which resulted in a major shutdown of the Cougar offense.

Washington 31- California 7: The Husky defense went into Strawberry Canyon and put on a clinic on how to stop Cal's Bear Raid offense.  They hit Cal QB Jared Goff early and often sacking him four times and forcing him to fumble three times.  The biggest of these turnovers was with 8:41 left to go in the first period when Goff tried to sneak the ball over the UW goal line only to have it knocked from his hands and then returned by LB Shaq Thompson 100 yards for a Husky TD. The Golden Bears never really recovered from this setback and the Dawgs dominated the rest of the half,  building up a 28-0 lead heading into the intermission.  The second half turned into a glorified scrimmage with the Huskies in total control.  As for the Washington offense, QB Cyler Miles competed 22 of 29 passes for 273 yards and 3 TDs which included a 97-yard strike to WR John Ross.  Goff finished with 304 yards passing, no TDs and those big three fumbles in the loss.
Telling Stat; First half shutdown; outside of the long drive that led to the 100-yard fumble return,  Washington held Cal's powerful offense to just 50 yards for the rest of the fist half.

Oregon 42- UCLA 30:  In a battle of two teams looking to rebound from a stunning home losses, the Ducks easily outclassed the bRuins in a game that was not nearly as close as the final score indicated.  The Quack Attack was in control of this game from the start, holding a 21-3 lead before UCLA QB Brett Hundley crossed the double stripe from 16 yards out just three seconds before the half.  The bRuin offense wouldn't be heard from again until garbage time.  The Duck defense came out in the third quarter and shutdown UCLA, while UO QB Marcus Mariota led his squad on three TD drives to put the Ducks up 42-10 to start the fourth quarter.  UCLA did put up a bit of a rally in the final period, scoring 20 points in the final 9:46, but it was a case of too little too late as UO had this game firmly in the win column.  Mariota finished with 210 yards passing and 2 TDs, while is RB Royce Freeman rushed for 121 yards on 18 carries and two TDs of his own.  In the loss, Hundley threw for 216 yards and a pair of scores, while RB Paul Perkins ran for 187 yards on 21 carries.
Telling Stat: Achieving separation;  In the first 16 minutes of the second half, Oregon outscored UCLA, 21-0 and out gained the bRuins, 233 yards to 76 while forcing two turnovers in the process. 

Notre Dame 50- North Carolina 43: The Fighting Irish got caught looking ahead a bit to their game this week with Florida State and barely survived a shootout with the Tar Heels.  In fact, the Irish found themselves behind 36-35 to start the fourth quarter.  The Irish went on to own the fourth period.  They sandwiched two 81-yard TD drives around a big interception by the defense to come out of this shootout with a win. RB Tarean Folston scored both of those TDs.  The first one came on a nine yard pass from QB Everett Golson and the second one was a six yard run.   Folston finished the day with 98 yards rushing and 71 receiving and three TDs.  Golson completed 21 of 38 passes for 300 yards and three TDs on the day.  As for the Tarheels. QB Marquise Williams accounted for 435 of UNC's 510 total yards by throwing for 303 and running 132.  He also threw for 2 TDs and ran for another.
Telling Stat: Just call him Cool Hand Luke;  Notre Dame CB Cole Luke saved the day when he picked off UNC QB Marquise Williams to put the control of this game firmly in ND's hands midway through the fourth quarter. 

Observations

...Westside woes; Note to UCLA, don't make those travel plans yet.  You at least have to be in the AP Top 25 to be considered for the first college football playoff.

...From the numbers don't lie department; Temple, Rutgers, and Kentucky are a combined 14-3 while, Texas, Florida, and Michigan are a combined 8-10 this season.

...Speaking of the Hail Mary;  Only 5 of 92 attempted Hail Mary plays succeeded in the power five conferences over the last three seasons. This year, teams have hit on 4 out of 12 of them.

...Dawgs with bite;  Yes, Washington hasn't really hit the meat of their schedule, but they are 5-1 with their only loss coming by seven points to Stanford. The Dawgs are a dangerous team.

...Heisman-worthy character?; So far in his Florida State Career, QB Jameis Winston has faced rape accusations, been nabbed for stealing crab legs, harassed a female student in full view of an entire dining hall, and is now being investigated for accepting cash for autographing memorabilia.  Maybe FSU should send his Heisman back.

...His tide has ebbed; The player who created one of the most embarrassing and memorable moments in college football history has passed on.  Tommy Lewis, the Alabama player who came off the bench to tackle Rice's Dicky Maegle in the 1954 Cotton Bowl died at age 83.  Maegle was on his way to a 95-yard TD run when Lewis flew off the Alabama bench to tackle him near midfield.  Maegle was awarded the TD and Rice went on to beat Alabama that day, 28-6. Oh, and the Alabama player on the field who missed the tackle that led to Lewis' moment was some guy named Bart Starr.

...He has the monetary advantage; In 2015, former ND and Kansas HC Charlie Weis will earn nearly 4.6 million dollars in severance packages from those two schools, making him just about the highest paid college football coach in the land.  Hmmmm

...Ducked in Pasadena;  UCLA DC Jeff Ulbrich got in a shouting match wit his HC Jim Mora during the first half of the bRuins loss to Oregon.  He even handed Mora his play card and told him to "call the f@&$*#g defense." Mora, handed him the card back and I don't blame him.  I wouldn't want to call defenses against the Ducks either.

...Thanks to Captain Comeback;  Roger Staubach is credited with the coining the term "Hail Mary" in football.  After he hit Drew Pearson with a game-winning pass from midfield to beat the Minnesota Vikings back in 1975, told reporters that after the ball left his hands, "I closed my eyes and said a Hail Mary." The media ran with it and a term was born.

...It ain't soccer;  UofA PK Casey Skowron's whining and histrionics after blowing the game-winning field goal v. USC were FIFA worthy.

...I find it amazing that when teams knock each other off in the SEC, the league is praised for being a conference with "great depth", while when it happens in the Pac 12 the conference is suddenly "overrated."

...Quietly making noise in Hoosier-land;  Indiana's Tevin Coleman is the leading rusher in the FBS with 1,060 yards on 120 carries and 11 TDs. That's a nifty 8.83 yards per carry average for the non-math majors out there.

...A road block in Palo Alto;  In this crazy, high-scoring, Pac 12 conference, Stanford is the FBS leader in scoring defense.  The Cardinal are allowing only 10 points per game.

Ugly Uniform of the Week: This week's honorees are the Iowa State Cyclones. This all athletic gold look is just horrible.

Special Section: Number Crunching with Penalties

So, after watching another weekend of poor Pac 12 officiating, I decided to check out some penalty stats.  What I was looking for was how the power five conferences stacked up in regards to the number of penalties called per conference. I also looked at the number of plays run by each conference so far.  What's here is  the power five conference averages for number of plays run and average number of penalties per team in each conference.

Pac 12:   447.8/ 45.9
ACC:     447.2 / 41.5
Big XII: 444.6/ 40.5
SEC:      437.7/ 35.3
Big 10:   435.6/ 33.0

The Pac 12 stands head and shoulders above the rest for average penalties called per team. I find it very interesting that the ACC and Big XII can run almost as many plays per team with fewer penalties called per team on average.  These stats also reveal that the Big 10 and SEC don't call much at all and just let the kids play.

Departments

Low Score Game of the Week: San Antonio, TX- QB Ryan Patrick threw for a pair of TDs in the first quarter to provide all the scoring the Chicago Maroons would need for a 14-7 win at Trinity University.  Patrick's two scores went to WR's Tom O'Neill and Nat Massey. Hey folks, if you want to win a bar bet, here's some trivia for you.  The University of Chicago is the only school to ever win the  National Championship, then drop football.  The Maroons won the 1902 National Title, only to drop football in 1939.  The Maroons pulled out of the Big Ten Conference in 1946 and didn't reinstate football until 1973.  Since 1973 they have played on the Division III level.

Blowout of the Week: Conway, AR- Well, the Bears of Central Arkansas were dropped from this column a little while ago, but they have made a reappearance with a 70-0 win over the Houston Baptist Huskies. The Bears defense intercepted five passes to set up the offense with short fields.  The offense took advantage of those fields to build up a 56-0 halftime lead.  RB Dominique Thomas led all rushers with 89 yards on just five carries and two TDs.

Rivalry Game of the Week: Eagle Rock, CA-  The Occidental Tigers snapped a two-game losing streak to their bitter rivals, the Whittier poets, with a 23-17 win.  The star for Oxy was RB Kwame Do, who rushed the ball 32 times for 185 yards and two TDs.  The win means that Oxy now takes back possession of "The Shoes", which is the rivalry trophy that features a pair of bronzed cleats.  The Commissioner is very happy to see "The Shoes" are back in their rightful place.

Razorback Report:  The Hogs blocked PAT trumped getting a pair of turnovers from Alabama and the Razorbacks lost their 15th straight SEC game.  The Alabama defense stymied the Hogs offense in the second half, allowing just five yards rushing on 13 carries in the second half which allowed their sputtering offense to score the game winning TD early in the fourth quarter.  Up next for the Hogs is a home date with Georgia.

Horned Frog Headlines: All looked great for the Frogs, up 58-37 over the Baylor Bears with just 11:38 to play.  However the Bears managed to cross the Brazos and score the final 24 points of the game to pull off an amazing come-from-behind victory, 61-58.  TCU QB Trevone Boykin threw for 287 yards and a TD in the loss. Up next for the Frogs is a home game with the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Tulane Times:  The Green Wave picked up their first American Athletic Conference win with a 12-3 tough win over the Connecticut Huskies.  QB Nick Montana, with his father Joe watching, led the offensive attack for Tulane. He completed 19 of 26 passes for 135 yards and the game's only TD.  The Green Wave defense rolled all over the Huskies, holding them to just 217 total yards and forcing three turnovers. They also recorded a safety.  Up next for Tulane is a trip to Central Florida.

C.W. Post Press: Brookville, NY- The Pioneers trailed Stonehill College, 25-21 with 2:43 to play.  They had just given up the go-ahead score and things looked bleak.  Then, Sr. QB Steve Laurino saved the day.  Laurino led Post on a 10 play, 65 yard drive that ended with Laurino hitting WR Shane Hubbard with a two-yard TD pass to hand Post a 28-25 win.  Laurino handled the ball on every snap, completing all four of hiss pass on the drive and also rushing for on the other five plays. Up next for the Pioneers is their homecoming game with Saint Anselm College.

This Week's Three Notes About Nothing

I didn't know that Hee-Haw was on the air for almost 30 years and ran for over 300 episodes.

Fall is here, heard the fog horns blaring last night.

I miss my old Atari 2600.

Until next week folks, remember that 7s are better than 3s.

-The Commisisoner

Week 6, 2014

Hey All,

It must be Tuesday and that means another edition of Notes on a Pac 12 Scorecard.  We still miss you, Alan Malamud.

Summaries

Arizona State 38- USC 34: Well where do I begin to describe this epic collapse at the Coliseum?  Well, I could start off with the good things. Good things like the fact that USC RB Buck Allen rushed for 143 yards and two TDs or that the USC defense held ASU to 31 yards rushing for the game or that USC PK Andre Heidari has become money in the FG department easily nailing two more three pointers this week or I could just describe the epic collapse and get it over with.  Let's get it over with.  With 3:02 to play USC held a 34-25 lead over the Sun Devils and just needed one defensive stop to really seal the win.  Instead USC CB Kevon Seymour decided to jump an out route instead of just making the tackle.  73 yards later WR Cameron Smith had cut the Trojan lead to 34-32.  Then after, not being able to run out the clock and a horrifically shanked punt by QB Cody Kessler (Why again was this guy punting?) ASU had one last chance from the USC 45-yard line. At this point mass confusion hit the Trojan coaching staff.  Two separate defenses were called.  Half the defense heard one call, the other half heard the other call. Despite this though, they were eight Trojans back defending the Hail Mary throw by ASU QB Mike Bercovici.  However, all of them looked like they were ready to make a fair catch or ready to play a game of Three Flies Up.  While the defenders stood around, ASU WR Jalen Strong actually jumped for the ball, hauled it in and waltzed into the end zone.  Yes, the Trojans had pulled defeat from the jaws of victory.  In the process, Bercovici became an ASU football God throwing for 510 yards and five TDs on the night. Meanwhile, USC was left with a stunning loss, but some really good artificial enthusiasm from USC HC Steve Sarkisian's towel-waving sideline walk-on dancers.  
Telling Stat: 20/243;  In the final six minutes, the USC defense gave up 20 points and 243 yards to lose a very winnable game.

California 60- Washington State 59: With 19 seconds left on the clock, Wazzu QB Connor Halliday had played the game of his life. He completed 49 of 70 passes for 734 yards and six TDs.  He had engineered one final drive and had his team poised to score with a 3rd-and-goal on the Cal two-yard line.  He wouldn't get another chance to throw. Wazzu HC Mike Leach sent out the field goal unit.  PK Quentin Breshears came on for a 19-yard field goal attempt.  Breshears' kick sailed wide right and Cal escaped with the win.  Halliday's 734 yards passing set a new NCAA all-division record for yardage surpassing the 716 yards thrown for by Houston's David Klingler in 1990.  As for the winning squad, Cal QB Jered Goff completed 37of  53 tosses for 527 yards and five TDs.
Telling Stat; The one down he didn't use;  With it only being third down on the two-yard line and 19 seconds left, Wazzu HC Mike Leach decided on the field goal instead of letting QB Connor Halliday have one last shot at the end zone.

Oregon State 36- Colorado 31: It was a three-legged monster that led the Beavers to a win in Boulder.  The first two legs belonged to RB Teron Ward who carried the ball 12 times for 102 yards a pair of TDs to lead the Beaver rushing attack. The third leg belonged to PK Trevor Romaine who aided the cause by connecting on field goals of 33, 38, and 47 yards.  The Buffaloes were led once again by QB Sefo Liufau who completed 32 of 49 aerials for 308 yards and two TDs.  The OSU defense sealed the victory holding for downs at their own 40-yard line with under two minutes to play.
Telling Stat: Two early punches;  Oregon State came out and took a 14-0 lead midway through the first quarter and held on from there to pick up the win at Colorado.

Arizona 31- Oregon 24: For the second straight year the Wildcats had a good Duck hunt. This time they shot the Ducks down in Eugene.  UofA did what they did last year when they beat Oregon.  They hit UO QB Marcus Mariota early and often.  It didn't help that UO had three O-line starters out due to injury.  While dodging a ton of lookout blocks, Mariota managed to still throw for 276 yards and a pair of scores in the loss.  Meanwhile, Arizona's running game led the way for their offense with RBs Terri Jones-Grigsby and Nick Wilson combining to tote the rock 40 times for 207 yards and three TDs.  Wilson also caught a pass for a TD too.
Telling Stat; Sack+Strip+Recovery= Upset;  UofA LB Scooby Wright sealed the upset for Arizona when he sacked Oregon QB Marcus Mariota, stripped the ball from him and then recovered it. 

Utah 30- UCLA 28: By the time UCLA took the field Saturday night, almost half the top 25 had been beaten and a win by the bRuins would vault them into the AP top five.  So, in typical bRuin fashion, they choked.  UCLA was sluggish from the start, trailing all game long to the inspired Utes. Then with just 4:50 to play, bRuin QB Brett Hundley connected with WR Eldrige Massington for a 40-yard TD pass to go ahead 28-27. After the ensuing kickoff, Utah calmly drove 63 yards in 10 plays and took the lead back on a 29-yard field goal by PK Andy Phillips. However, the UCLA wasn't done.  The bRuins drove down the field far enough for a long field goal attempt from Kai'Imi Fairbairn.  He missed the 55- yard attempt, but drew a running into the kicker penalty with a great flop.  That gave UCLA one more shot at the field goal with no time left on the clock.  Fairbairn missed again and the Utes came away with the win.   For the victorious Utes, RB Devonte Booker was the star, rushing for 156 yards on 33 carries and one TD.  As for UCLA, Hundley threw for 2269 yards in the losing effort.
Telling Stat: They had to win it twice;  Thanks to the Pac 12 refs horrible call, Utah had to wait out two missed field goals to claim victory over UCLA.

Notre Dame 17- Stanford 13: The Stanford formula of winning tight games with a strong running game and a good defense has seemed to fall apart a bit this season.  Saturday was another example of this fact.  Despite being held to just 205 total yards by the Irish, the Cardinal held a 14-10 lead with just 3:01 to play.  ND's final drive was aided with a timely pass interference call on Stanford, but the Cardinal did have ND backed into a 4th and 11 from the Stanford 23-yard line.  Then, the vaunted Stanford defense fell apart again.  ND TE Ben Koyack was left all alone in the end zone where QB Everett Golson found him for the winning TD pass.  Golson finished the day completing 20 of 43 aerials for 241 yards and both Irish TDs.  As for the Cardinal QB Kevin Hogan threw for 158 yards and ran for a score.
Telling Stat: Flags just don't fall on the Irish;  In this even game, two of Notre Dame's three scoring drives were aided by 15-yard penalties on Stanford. As for the game as a whole, Stanford was flagged nine times, ND just once.  Hmmmmm

Observations

...Sooner or later;  With the changes to the college game over the years to increase competitive balance in the all the conferences, a weekend full of upsets like this past one was bound to happen.

...Ordinary Ducks;  Funny how bad the Oregon defense looked when they had to really play a full four quarters.

...4-1 and irrelevant;  How's that decision to go independent working out for ya, BYU?

...Scooby drinks free;  For the rest of his life, UofA LB Scoobey Wright will never have to pay for a drink in Tucson.

...The inside track;  Well, the Commander-In-Chief''s trophy is all but decided after Air Force beat Navy over the weekend.

...A note to USC HC Steve Sarkisian; KNOCK IT DOWN!!!

...Golden Barely getting it done;  California is 2-0 in their last two games despite giving up 115 points and 1442 yards of offense.

...He's still not there;  former ND and Kansas HC Charie Weis is still fired.

...Plenty of laundry out there;  In the five Pac 12 conference games this week there was an average of 12 penalties called per game.  That's way too much yellow on the green.  Oh, and the only reason the average wasn't higher is that there were only seven flags thrown in the UCLA-Utah game.  All the others were double digit flags.

...It only took five games, but the Lane Kiffin effect has hit Alabama.

...Just a thought;  I think Oregon would trade some of their ugly uniforms for a good offensive line. I know Marcus Mariota would.

....A tip from The Commissioner; With almost every Pac 12 game coming down to the wire lately, better add that 30 minute extension to all your recordings.

...A note USC DC Justin Wilcox; KNOCK IT DOWN!!!

...And then there were five; There are five winless teams left in the FBS.  They are Idaho, Kent State, Massachusetts, SMU, and Troy.

...Stop pretending ESPN;  Just tell us all for the rest of the year that College Gameday will be at an SEC school each week.

...A Boulder feeling;  The Pac 12 Network should be called the Colorado Football Channel.

...Hail to the what?; Forget all about the other stats, here's the only one that matters. Michigan is dead last in the Big Ten with a 2-4 overall record and 0-2 record in conference play.  Yes folks, mighty Michigan is in the cellar of the Big Ten East behind the likes of Rutgers, Maryland and Indiana.

...Getting jacked for the Bears and Frogs;  Looking forward to this week's Baylor-TCU game.  Maybe it's just the old Southwest Conference fan in me.

...They are lying to you;  Anybody who tells you they expected this week's Northwestern-Minnesota matchup to be for sole possession of first place in the Big Ten West is lying through their teeth.

...7,100 feet;  That's roughly the drop in elevation the Wyoming Cowboys will deal with as they travel to Hawaii this week.

...Quietly making noise; The Georgia Southern Eagles, you know the team that beat Florida at The Swamp last season, is having a really good first year in the FBS.  They are 4-2 overall and 3-0 in  Sun Belt Conference play.  The Eagles two losses were by a combined five points to NC State and Georgia Tech.

...Not the sharpest tools in the shed; This USC team has to be one of the lowest registering teams in terms of football IQ I've seen in a long time.  To paraphrase Cheech Marin's Character of Romeo in Tin Cup, "You know, the mental game, en la cabesa, they don't got it."

...Brian Dowling alert;  Haravrd and Yale are both 3-0.  Shades of 1968 abound.

...Just not the same;  It's about this time of year that I miss Keith Jackson, Chris Schenkel, and Bill Fleming.

Ugly Uniform of the Week: When you have no real tradition and your selling point is infinite ugly uniform combinations, after a loss all you're left with is the ugly uniform and no tradition.  Nice job, Fighting Pink Ducks of Oregon.

Departments

Blowout of the Week: Columbus, OH- Perennial Division III power Mount Union destroyed Capitol College, 75-0. The Purple Raiders ran up 730 yards of offense with 10 of their TDs and 491 of those yards coming on the  ground.  Mount Union's top four RBs all average over 10 yards per carry.  Meanwhile the Purple Raider defense held Capitol to 60 total yards and just eight first downs.

Close Game of the Week: Middlebury, VT- Just 25 seconds into the third period, Amherst RB Nick Kelly broke through the Middlebury line and scampered 59 yards to paydirt.  Kelly's TD would be all that Amherst would get in a 7-0 win over the Middlebury Panthers.  Amherst dominated every phase of the game in this one, but the Middlebury defense played 'em tough.

Tulane Times: The Green Wave was off last week and will host Connecticut this coming Saturday.

Horned Frog Headlines: Well, for anyone that didn't hear, TCU pulled off the the home upset of #4 Oklahoma, 37-33.  The Frogs never trailed in this one, racing out to an early 14-0 lead and never looking back.  TCU QB Trevone Boykin threw for 318 yards and a pair of scores to lead the offense. Up next for TCU is a trip to Waco to take on the Baylor Bears.

Razorback Report: The Hogs were off last week and will host Alabama this Saturday.

C.W. Post Press: Pleasantville, NY- The Pioneers raced out to a 44-21 lead, then hung at the end to defeat the Pace Setters, 44-36.  It was an all around effort that led to victory as the Pioneers scored on offense and defense and had a strong kicking game.  QB Steve Laurino only threw the ball 14 times but competed eight of those tosses for 136 yards a pair of TDs.  Laurino also carried the ball 11 times for 62 yards and another score.  Up next for Post is a home date with Stonehill College.


This Week's Three Notes About Nothing

There hasn't been one movie this year that I've really wanted to see.

I miss football cards being 10 cents a pack.

A mix up with my new wife's new email address has led to meeting more cousins in the family that we never knew existed.

Until next week folks, remember to KNOCK THE BALL DOWN!

-The Commissioner