Heisman Winner Cam Newton Will Enter NFL Draft

This was a no-brainer. Last night, Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton announced that he will skip his senior season and enter the NFL draft. Newton led Auburn to their first BCS championship this past season while putting up 2854 passing yards and 30 TD's and 1473 with 20 TDs on the ground.

The 6'6, 250 lb junior college transfer does not come without baggage, as he was under well-documented scrutiny by the NCAA for his father Cecil Newton allegedly shopping his son's eligibility to Mississippi St. for about $180,000. I guess Cecil was looking to get an early return on investment for Cam and working on his negotiation skills. With a pop like that, who needs an agent?

Cam began his college career as Tim Tebow's backup at Florida before leaving the school in 2008 after being arrested for possession of a stolen laptop. The charges in the case were subsequently dropped and Newton spent the 2009 football season playing (and rapping) for Blinn Junior College in TX.

While Newton has excellent size and measurables for an NFL quarterback, he will definitely need time to develop his passing skills and ability to read coverages as he played in a spread offense at Auburn. Cam wasn't asked to take many snaps under center and will need to work on his footwork leading up to the draft. He has deceptive speed, a strong arm and is a proven winner, many of the same qualities/deficiencies as Tebow when he entered the draft and so far he has turned out OK for the Broncos.

Right now I would say Newton is a 2nd rounder with a chance to go late in the first round to a team with an established QB that will allow Cam a chance to develop. Of course with quite a few teams needing quaterbacks early in the draft he has a shot to go mid first round.

And if Cecil has anything to do with it, expect to see Cammy Cam Juice on your local super market shelves sooner than later.

-ALR

Video: Diddy's Son Justin Combs Wants To Play Football For Florida State (And He Dougies, Too)

Like father like son, kind of. While Sean Combs (aka Diddy) makes hits in the studio (debatable I know, but I digress), his oldest son Justin Combs has been making hits of his own on the gridiron. Turns out Justin is a solid football prospect for Iona Prep in NY and says he runs a 4.4 40 yard dash (who knew?!?) Here's a link to a  video interview conducted by scFox Sports' Kristen Kenney at the US Army Bowl Combine.

Justin will be graduating high school in 2012. It will be interesting to see if he can parlay his football schools into a productive college and pro football, if he so chooses. Shoutout to fellow #LTSBlog writer @lostherod for digging this up.

And of course, here is video of the Young Combs future mogul hittin' his dougie during leisure time. All the kids are doin' it.



-ALR

Stanford QB Andrew Luck Will Return For Junior Season

Can't say I didn't see this coming. Numorous reports are saying Stanford redshirt sophomore quaterback Andrew Luck will be returning to school for next season. This is quite a bold move for a young man that many mock drafts had pegged as the likely #1 pick in April's NFL Draft. I guess the chances of him landing with the Carolina Panthers wasn't too enticing to him. Sucks for the Panthers, good for the Cardinals.

I was one of the very few who didn't think Carolina should take Luck, as they just spent a 2nd round pick on QB Jimmy Clausen in 2010. I just hope that Luck doesn't suffer a Sam Bradford type injury next season and jeporadize his draft prospects, although that still worked out well for Mr. Bradford and the Rams. Makes you wonder what Jim Harbaugh will do as he has been the hottest name on the open coaching position circuit. Be on the look out for my mock draft coming in the next couple days.

-ALR

Univ. Of Michigan Fires Head Coach Rich Rodriguez

Per this report from Fox 2 in Detroit, Michigan has parted ways with Rich Rodriguez today as their head football coach. This should not come as much of a surprise as Rodriguez led the Wolverines to a disappointing 15-22 record during his seasons at the helm. Michigan is also coming off of a 52-14 bowl game loss to Miss. St., which is the worst in school history. Here some of Fox's story:

Rodriguez was 15-22 during three seasons in Ann Arbor. He lost a school-record nine games in his debut with the Wolverines two years ago, was 5-7 after starting 4-0 last season and turned a 5-0 start into a 7-5 finish this fall.

The Wolverines were also 1-10 against ranked teams and were 0-3 against rivals Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin during Rodriguez's tenure.

Clearly with a record like that Rodriguez didn't the school much of a choice. He was also abrasive with the media and never seemed quite comfortable at such a high profile position after coming off a successful stint with West Virginia. There has been buzz on the rumor front that Michigan is interested in current Stanford HC Jim Harbaugh who's name has been the hottest in relation to open coaching positions in both college and the pros.

Rodriguez might be best served to find another HC position at a smaller school where he won't be as scrutinized and will have the opportunity to build his program, as he did at WV. I'm sure he will walk away from the Wolverines with a nice settlement as he only in his third year of a 6-yr, $15mil contract that was signed back in '07.

Best of luck to both coach Rodriguez & Michigan in their search for a new leader.

-ALR

Florida Head Coach Urban Meyer Resigns

This is interesting... per AOL Fanhouse, University of Florida head football coach Urban Meyer, who just signed a 6-yr, $24 mil contract in 2009, has decided to resign. The Gators are 7-5 this season and scheduled to face Penn St. on the Outback Bowl New Years Day, which Meyer will coach.

If you recall something similar to this happened last December, with Meyer returning to the team a few months later. As ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports Meyer will remain working for Florida so there is still a chance he could return as coach. Who knows. Maybe he just really misses Tim Tebow who was like a son to Meyer.

Urban Meyer has faced criticism due to the fact that over 25 of his players have been arrested in his coaching tenure at Florida. His career record as the Gators head coach is 64-15, including 2 SEC championships and 2 National Championships (2006 & 2008).

-ALR

Inaccuracies Found In Rankings. So Does BCS = BS?

Stop me if you've heard this before, but the BCS is a flawed system. Now it appears that said system may also have errors that can potentially go unchecked. Per this story from CBS's Jerry Palm, a glitch resulted in LSU and Boise St. switched in the rankings, which at the time had LSU 10th and Boise St. 11th when in fact the ranking should be the other way around. Here's more from the report:

Wes Colley's final rankings, as submitted to the BCS, were incorrect. The Appalachian State-Western Illinois FCS playoff game was missing from his data set. I will spare you some of the gory, mathematical details, but the net result of that omission in Colley's rankings is that LSU, which he ranked ninth, and his No. 10, Boise State, should be switched. Alabama and Nebraska, which he had 17th and 18th, would also be swapped.


Palm also goes on to say this regarding the BCS computer data:

This may not seem overly important, especially since neither team qualified for a BCS game either way. It may be important though because the Mountain West, Boise State's new home, is making an effort to become an AQ conference. This week's data -- the final regular season standings -- is part of the basis for making that determination. Every little bit helps, or at least it could.

But the bigger point is that nobody checks the BCS computer data. We should all be grateful to Colley for having a system that is open, accountable and verifiable. The BCS owes us an entire system that is open, accountable and verifiable.

Interesting to know that a system that dictates so much of the current college football bowl schedule and championship race is handled without anyone double checking the data. This may not mean much in the grand scheme of things, but it's does prove to every one's point that the BCS system is indeed flawed.

But at least they got the Championship game match up right this season, with undefeateds Auburn Tigers and the Oregon Ducks set to face off Jan. 10th 2011 at Univerizona of Phoenix Staduim in Glendale, AZ.

-ALR

Details/Video of The Rose Bowl USC/UCLA Tailgate Brawl

Apparently some fans feel the fight for LA college football bragging rights needed to occur in the parking lot before the game than actually played on the field. During Saturday's Rose Bowl meeting between heated Pac-10 rivals UCLA & USC, a violent brawl broke out between tailgaters that led to arrests, on for attempted murder, and even two individuals left with non life-threatening stab wounds.

Per this story on the OC Register, Vimal Patel of pasadena (24) and Josh Dirling from Simi Valley (27) were stabbed by Northridge resident Arturo Cisneros (44). Patel was stabbed multiple times in the back while Dirling was stabbed in the cheek and left with a broken nose and cheekbone. Here is a snippet from the story:

According to reports, the brawl broke out after a group of tailgaters – including Patel – threw a football that accidentally hit a black Mercedes-Benz belonging to another group of fans.



Three men from the other group approached Patel and at some point began stabbing him. Detectives working at the Rose Bowl responded to the scene to break up the fight. One officer suffered a sprained wrist and the other suffered a sprained ankle when they were attacked by two other men.

Here's video found on youtube of some of the action:



All of this during a simple tailgating outing. No football game is worth stab wounds or fighting over. What's worse is that incidents similar to this happen almost every year. Reportedly tailgaters began gathering and drinking around 6:30a, and you can all but guarantee that alcohol was involved in the incident.

Said Renee Breceda, who is the girlfriend of Dirling's twin brother, "He was stabbed in the right cheek – the tip of the knife broke off and lodged itself in his cheekbone". "The plastic surgeon said it would do more harm then good to remove knife fragment so they left it and gave him stitches."

"This experience has ruined my experience with tailgating," Breceda said. "We were innocent bystanders. Tailgating is supposed to be hanging out with your family, friends and loved ones and not to be ruined by people who are just looking for a fight."

Very sad indeed. Best wishes and a speedy recovery go out to the victims. People, please do better.

-ALR

Video: Michigan Woman Chest Passes Way To $123,000

During halftime of Saturday's Cam Newton for Heisman Farwell Tour (also known as the SEC Championship Game) Nikki Boon of Grandville, Mich. won the Dr. Pepper Tuition Throw contest in an unusual manner. Check the video:



Rick Barry would be proud. Nikki displayed excellent fundamentals on executing the chest pass and she took home $123,000 towards her college tuition. According to the Grand Rapid Press, she also credited Minnesota DE Ray Edwards for advisin her to go with the two hand pass rather than the traditional overhand motion, which scored the runner-up $23,000 in tuition for his efforts. But no one remember second place, kiddo.

 Said Boon after winning, "Thank God and Thank Dr. Pepper!" Amen to that. Oh, and Auburn went on to win the game 56-17 and all but officially secure a spot in the Tostitos  Bowl to face Oregon for the BCS Championship.

-ALR

Michael Vick's Game Jersey Heading To Hall Of Fame

Per sources and this story from the Washington Post, Michael Vick's jersey from the Philadelphia Eagles 59-28 victory over the Redskins is being sent to be displayed in Canton.

In the Monday Night Football match up, Vick was 20-28 for 333 yards and 4 touchdowns while also running for an additional 80 yards and 2 scores. Vick was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the second straight week, and is the first QB to receive the honor since Randall Cunningham back in 1998.

This has been quite a comeback story for Vick who was once the highest paid player in the NFL. Vick has looked better than ever and is currently leading the NFL with a 115.3 passer rating. Amazing story considering Vick wasn't the Eagles starting quarterback entering the season. If he can continue on this torrid pace Vick will definitely be a candidate for MVP.

Good job Mike; keep up the good play!

-ALR

Pittsburgh Steelers Rashard Mendenhall A "Dancing Machine"?

Here's a quick post to lighten up your Tuesday morning (or afternoon for you east coasters). A few weeks ago there was a feature on espn about Steelers starting RB Rashard Mendenhall taking dance lessons at the Bella School of Dance in Wexford back when a hit from Ray Lewis ended his rookie season. Mendenhall has said that the dancing has helped his balance and conditioning and he even participated in a large performance in front of 1,000 people.

Imagine seeing a 220+ pound NFL running back dancing on stage to pop music. And he's dead serious. Here's video evidence of Mendenhall's 'moves'...





You can't make this type of stuff up, people.

Maybe this explains Mendenhall's ability to stay on his toes after contact. So far this season Mendenhall is fifth in the AFC in rushing yards so maybe more running backs should look into adding "Dance Dance Revolution" to their off season workouts? Whatever works, right?

-ALR

Who's Your Heisman? Profiling The Candidates

With the 2010 college football nearing bowl season and the annual Heisman Trophy presentation (see here for info on the Heisman) a little over a month away now would be an opportune time to highlight a few of the top candidates for the award this year. You have the consensus favorite (Cameron Newton), some "super sophomores", and your prototypical "pocket" passers. Basically everything except a senior. Here are some of the top:

Cameron Newton, QB, Auburn, Jr - 1890 passing yards, 19 TDs; 1146 rushing 15 TDs

Newton is having a monster first season under center for the Auburn Tigers, though the athletic quarterback does not come with controversy. He was arrested back in 2008 for burglary but was allowed back on the team after charges were dismissed. Newton transferred to a JC last season and has been tearing up the SEC all season. Although there has been recent  news about  his recruitment to Auburn and possible violations, until he's proven guilty he is the clear front runner. Signature performance: 24-17 victory over LSU where Newton ran for 217 yards and 2 TDs.

Kellen Moore, QB, Boise St., Jr - 2372 passing yards, 21 TDs

Moore is not the dual threat Cam Newton is, but he is deadly and precise in the pocket and can pick a defense apart. Moore is also shorter than the traditional pocket passer which makes his performance even more impressive. Some may point to Boise St.'s soft schedule as a reason for his lofty numbers, but you can't deny that the kid is really good. Signature performance: 30-37, 507 yards & 3 TDs against Hawaii.

LaMichael James, RB, Oregon, So - 1,331 rushing yards, 17 TDs

Despite missing the first game of the season the James leads college football in touchdowns, rushing yards per game and only trails leading rusher Denard Robinson for the rushing yardage crown by only 18 yards. The compact shifty back hardly ever goes down behind the line and has breakaway speed to go along with the power. He is clearly the main offensive weapon for the No. 1 ranked Ducks. Signature performance: season high 257 yards and 3 TDs in a 52-31 victory against no. 6 Stanford.

Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford, So. - 2,213 passing yards, 22  TDs, 370 rushing yards, 3 TDs

Luck is the prototype of a pro quarterback. The red shirt sophomore has ideal height (6'4), can make all the throws and is actually nimble in the pocket. The Stanford QB has played fantastic this season and has completed less than 59% of his passes only twice. Luck has the Cardinals poised to make a major bowl appearance and made most fans forget that this team lost Toby Gerhart to the NFL this summer. Signature performance: against USC, Luck went 20-24 for 285 yards and 3 TDs in a 37-35 road victory at the Coliseum.

So who do you think will be striking that famous pose on December 11th?

-ALR

BREAKING NEWS: Wade Phillips IS Done in Dallas; Garrett Interim Head Coach

UPDATE- Sources are saying wade Phillips is no longer head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. This report over at nbcspots confirmed the move. Offensive Coordinator Jason Garrett is expected to be named interim head coach later today.

Per this report seen over at ESPN, Wade Phillips is not at the Dallas Cowboys facility. Phillips has been on the hot seat all season and after yesterday's 45-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers this may be the end of Phillips' tenure as the Cowboys head coach.

From watching the games it appears as though the Cowboys have lost focus and motivation. You can name a number of things that have gone wrong with Dallas' season so far and Phillips may not be the only problem, but someone has to take the fall and it more often than not is the head coach. The Cowboys have also gone from having one of the best defenses last season to one of the worst this year (Phillips makes all the defensive calls).

Phillips has been at the helm for the Cowboys since the 2007 season and has a record of 34-20 with the team, although Dallas only has a 1-3 playoff record with Phillips as the head coach. The team was expected to contend for a Super Bowl berth this season as the big game will be held at majestic Dallas Stadium.

If this is indeed the end for Phillips, best of luck to him and whoever ends up as the coach of this team in the future as their is always immense pressure leading such a high profile unit.

-ALR

Nate Washington On Randy Moss "I Don't Think We Need Him"

I guess everyone isn't a fan of Randy Moss joining the Tennessee Titans. Per this report on prosportstalk.com, receiver Nate Washington (who was signed to be the Titans resident deep threat) thinks the Titans were fine without Moss. Here's what Washington had to say...

"I don't really think we need him," Washington said. "I'm going to speak up and say that we have so many good young guys. If it so happens he does come to this locker room, we'll find a way to make it work. That's the type of guys we are. We aren't individuals . . . We have a team goal in mind. That's what we're reaching for."

I can't say whether Washington is the minority or majority with this, as his teammate and star running back Chris Johnson appears to be ecstatic about the addition of Moss. Maybe lil' Nate knows he'll get less passes thrown his direction (well, duh...). They have similar stats so far this season, but you also have to figure in that Moss basically quit on both the Patriots & Minnesota. Either way it will be interesting to see how these two respond to each other now that Moss is on board.
 
Pipe down Lil' Nate! Maybe Randy will help you get one on one coverage on the outside and improve on those 21 catches, 351 yards and 4 TD's you've gotten so far.
 
Or not? *Shrugs*
 
-ALR

NFL Trimester Report: NFC East "Contender or Pretender"

The first 6 weeks of the 2010 NFL season has already graced us fans with enough drama to fill a soap opera script, with two Super Bowl favorites both sitting at 1-3 (Cowboys & the Vikings), while a couple of teams many expected to be drafting in the top 5 are currently sitting pretty with only 1 loss each (Kansas City & Tampa Bay??) As we are just about at the 1/3 mark of the season, now would be a good time to evaluate some of the standings and find of who is really a "contender" and who is getting their Ricky Hatton on (#norelapse). I'll kick it off with the loaded NFC East...

Washington (3-2)
On paper, the Redskins really haven't been anything special on offense and have given up a ton of yards on defense, but they already have 2 victories in their division and just find ways to win. McNabb has been steady at QB so far, but I think their lack of play makers on the perimeter and in the backfield will eventually catch up to them. Pretender

Philly (3-2)
The Eagles are tough to figure out as they have lost both of their home games so far while winning all 3 on the road, and it looks like the offense can move the ball with either Kolb or Vick under center. The defense may give up some runs, but those trademark Philadelphia blitzing schemes are murder for a passing game. Also, here is an interesting fact; both of the eagles losses have come when the starting QB was knocked out of the game. Contender

NYG (3-2)
The Giants have managed to withstand Eli Manning's erratic passing so far this season with a strong running attack and stellar defense. Despite constant criticism Tom Coughlin continues to get the most out of this nice mix of veterans and young players. Hakeem Nicks has emerged as a true #1 receiving option for Manning in the red zone. Contender

Dallas (1-3)
The pre-season favorites to win the division and leading candidate to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl (which will be played in their home stadium), the Cowboys are off to a slow start, to say the least. One thing that should be noted is that Dallas has lost all 3 games but a combined 20 points (less than a touchdown a game). They are right in games but can't seem to quite get over the hump. Costly penalties and mental mistakes give Dallas the look of a team who is not fully focused. Despite having the 3rd best passing attack in the NFL, the running game ranks only 24th and only generating 95 yards a game. I think they still have the talent to turn it around, but it's not looking too bright right now. Pretender

-ALR

NFL Week 4 "Good Idea, Bad Idea"

With another week in the books and the NFL season beginning to take shape, we have a more clear view of who's a real contender and who's "pretending". Some key injuries (most notably Michael Vick) and expiring suspensions (Ben Roethlisberger for the Steelers, Santonio Holmes for the Jets & the "Juice Man", I mean Brian Cushing for the Texans) will bring a few new faces back to the playing field, giving Week 5 a nice set of subplots to watch for. But this is all about the best and worst from Week 4. So shall we get to it?

"Good Idea"
Signing LaDainian Tomlinson

Someone forgot to tell LT that running backs are "supposed" to be on the decline after they hit the big 3-0. So far this season Tomlinson has looked to regain that quickness that made him one of the top running backs in the NFL from '01-'07 (when his numbers started to see a dip). He and Shonn Greene have given the Jets a nice compliment to their big play passing game and has also made fans quickly forget about Thomas Jones (who gained over 1,400 yards last season). True, the Jets have gotten a lot of pub for a team that finished 9-7 in 2009, but what is also true that their front office is looking like geniuses with the additions they have made the last couple of years. Gotta give credit where it's due.

"Bad Idea"
Flipping the bird at officials.

No, that isn't a picture of Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Chuck Cecil, but you have to admit it's pretty funny. Cecil as fined a $40,000 for making the above gesture at officials in Sunday's game against Broncos after a penalty called on the defense. TV cameras caught him in the act and we all know that's a big no-no in the NFL. This isn't the first time Cecil has been fined for his conduct as he also saw his pockets $20k lighter last December for unsportsmanlike conduct. Let's just say that Roger Goodell won't be on Cecil's Christmas card list any time soon.

"Good Idea"
Rams letting Sam Bradford start from day 1.

The St. Louis Rams won all of one game last season. One. The started 3 different quarterbacks in 2009. They all stunk. The Rams haven't had a true franchise caliber QB since they let Kurt Warner walk back in '04 (and looked how that worked out for them). With the first pick in the draft they could have gone with defense as they had done in previous seasons, but they elected to go with Oklahoma and former Heisman Winner Sam Bradford, who missed a huge chunk of his junior season with a shoulder injury. Bradford won the starting gig over A.J. Feeley (that was easy) and has taken every snap so far this season as is playing like a vet. He's calm in the pocket and you can see his confidence throughout the course of the game. Of course with any rookie their will be speed bumps, but as it stands right now Bradford is looking like the real deal and the Rams have already doubled their win total. You can already classify this season as a small success and Rams fans finally have something to be excited about.

"Bad Idea"
Watching yourself run on the video screen and losing a fumble on the 1-yard line.

I'll refrain from putting Ahmad Bradshaw in the "he's gonna cry in the car" file since he did finish Sunday's game against a tough Chicago defense with 129 yards and the G-Men got the win, but nonetheless he should be embarrassed by this fumble. A cardinal sin for a running back in fumbling the football and to add salt to the wound he coughed the ball up during what was on the way to being a sure touchdown. Why the hell are you watching the screen anyway when you're on the field?! I can't be too tough on him since he snatched Brandon Jacobs spot and is having a nice season so far, but Ahmad Bradshaw, please do better.

"The Ugly (Bonus)"
Dwayne Jarrett.

Not only has Dwayne Jarrett been a bust in his NFL career (35 receptions, 428 yards in four seasons so far), he has always been labeled as lazy and also recently lost his starting spot to a rookie. Looks like that wasn't disappointment enough as he was arrested for a second DWI in less than 3 years early Tuesday morning. Jarrett had a lot of promise after a nice college career at USC but it hasn't translated to the pros. Now Jarrett will possibly be facing a suspension from the NFL, not to mention his freedom may be in jeopardy. It's difficult to have sympathy for someone who brought all this upon themselves. Dwayne Jarrett, you sir, have a problem. Get help.

-ALR

Los Those Picks: College FB Games Of The Week

There are a few nice match ups to look out for this week 4 of the college football season. Here are my top picks of must-see action:

#1 Alabama (-7) @ #10 Arkansas

The defending champ Tide have possible college football's most talented running back duo with reigning Heisman winner Mark Ingram & sophomore heir apparent Trent Richardson, while the Razorbacks feature future pro QB Ryan Mallett and co. Don;t sleep on ALA QB Greg McElroy and WR Julio Jones. Ton of talent on display here, but I give the edge to 'Bama. 

ALA 34 - ARK 24

#24 Oregon St. (+18.5)  @ #3 Boise St.
Jaquizz Rodgers is a beast at running back for the Beavers, but Boise St. should dominate and pull away on the Blue Turf.
BSU 45 - Ore. St. 21

#12 South Carolina (+3) @ #17 Auburn
Cassic early matchup of two SEC unbeatens. South Carolina has looked impressive early on and grinded out a big win against Georgia (who was missing WR A.J. Green). After squeaking out a win over underrated Missippissi St. in week 2, Auburn was able to outlast Clemson in overtime last week. Auburn looks more battle tested at this time so I give them a slight edge in another close game.
AUB 17 - SC 13

UPSET ALERT

Kentucky (+14) @ #9 Florida

No matter how bad they have looked at times, the Gators are going to remain ranked until they actually suffer a defeat. Not saying that the Wildcats have enough firepower or defense to score the upset, but you may be able to secure a nice payout by playing the spread.

FLA 23 - UK 17

Good luck!

-ALR

Los NCAAF Picks

Here are some afternoon/evening game picks for ish and giggles...

1 Albama to beat Duke
3 Boise State to beat Wyoming
4 TCU to beat Baylor
6 Texas to lose to Texas Tech (Upset Alert)
7 Oklahoma to beat Air Force (should be a good game)
8 Nebraska to lose to Washington (Out on a limb pick)
9 Iowa to lose to 24 Arizona
10 Florida to beat Tennessee
25 Oregon St to beat Louisville
Michigan St to beat Notre Dame

Next week I will base my picks on spreads, I just didn't feel like looking everything up this morning...

- @lostherod

Reggie Bush Gives Up Heisman

Say it ain't so Reggie! Per this report seen on espn.com, former USC and current New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush has decided to give up the prestigious Heisman trophy he won for his on field performance back in 2005. This coming after the NCAA hit USC with sanctions for improper benefits Bush received as a student athlete during his time at the university.

After reading his statement that was released by the Saints organization, I can say that Bush handled the situation with as much class as can be expected. But let that be me in the same situation, and there is no way I am conceding an award that I earned with hard work and my exploits on the football field week in and week out. And if runner-up Vince Young puts on a publicity-laden campaign for the trophy I will lose what little respect I have left for the BCS/Heisman joke of committees.

USC athletics has had a tough last couple of months...

-ALR

Los That Links 9-6-10

Happy Labor Day! America, (F--- Yeah)!

Speaking of "labor", its a tad bit ironic that the Labor Day Weekend coincides with the NFL Layoff Weekend. While America is celebrating the working man, the NFL is sending men to look for work elsewhere.

Every year, football fans sit back and watch the "Notable Cuts" list scroll across the bottom of their TV screen, and read the list of all-pro/high-priced veterans, former first-round draft picks who've underwhelmed, and college standouts who were looking to catch on with a team, who've all had their plans put on hold in the name of fiscal responsibility.

This year wasn't any different. The all-pro/high-priced veteran (TJ Houshmandzadeh cut by Seattle), the first-round pick who underwhelmed (Matt Leinart cut by Arizona) and the college standout looking to catch on (Colt Brennan, Pat White, Ian Johnson, and another Heisman winner, Troy Smith, were all let go by their teams).

Its all a part of the game. Some of the guys cut sign to new teams quicker than you can say "Houshmandzadeh" (Leinart was signed to a one-year deal with the Houston Texans, and TJ signed for the vets minimum to play in Baltimore). Some will try the same song and dance with a new team next year. Some will go to Canada, the UFL, the Arena League, or if they have no other options, will be playing in a flag football league near you.

We tend to hate on the guys who flamed out, but really, we should wish them the best. What makes a better story, Leinart never starting another NFL game, or him relocating his USC-swag enough to challenge Matt Schaub for a starting position (because we all know, by Week 5, Schaub is going down with an injury)? We love redemption stories in this country, the land of opportunity. This is still America, dammit!

(F--- yeah!)

Los That Links

- In other NFL labor news, Darrelle Revis agreed to terms with the NY Jets just in time for the "Hard Knocks" season finale. Coincidence? I have my doubts.

- Albert Hayensworth may never escape Mike Shanahan's dog house.

- The USA Men's basketball team is back to showing third world countries that despite our economic problems, we can still oppress them on the basketball court.

- 50 Cent is still trying to make a living off of dissing. This time his target is Lebron James. Rushing to James' defense... Perez Hilton?

- Don't look now, but the NL West leading San Diego Padres have dropped 10 straight (opening the door for my beloved Giants).

- College football came back into our lives this weekend. What better way to start off a season than with:

A Hail Mary TD pass to a 6'8" freshman?

How about a road win by an FCS team against an SEC team coming off back-to-back Sugar Bowl wins?

Or, what about a kid returning to play after a bout with cancer?

Even better, Michigan and Notre Dame looking like real football programs, and not washed-up shadows of their formerly dominant selves?

God still loves a sloppy Florida without a Tebow to be found?

Quick Hitters NCAAF

It's that time of year sports fans... NCAA Football... The time for Mascots, bands, age old rivalries with region specific names (my favorite being the Biggest Cocktail Party in the South) and the exciting shoot out brand of football only the NCAA can bring in hopes of hoisting the BCS Championship.

This season is poised to bring plenty of excitement within the BCS schools because there is no clear cut favorite to turn in an undefeated season and get to that championship game outright. This season maybe one of the factors in voting for a playoff system within college football. I can see plenty of scenarios taking place similar to how Oklahoma beats Texas, but Texas beats Texas Tech who beat Oklahoma so Texas can get in the Big 12 title game. Tantalizing to say the least. So here are a few things to watch as this season goes...

Starting with a few schools in the top 10 from the Top 25 Poll as posted on espn.go.com.

- Will super-athlete Terrell Pryor lead THE Ohio State Buckeyes to the promised land? They have been picked as an early favorite to win it all.

- Will Alabama repeat as National Champs? My feeling is no, but QB Greg McElroy has a 0 in the win/loss column in his career that says otherwise.

- Will Boise State crash the National Championship game this year? They better not with that cupcake schedule. Ok ok, games against 2 ranked teams aren't bad, but their conference stinks.

- The new QB era begins for Florida, Oklahoma, and Texas... Replacing 2 time Heisman winner Jesus, this year's #1 pick in the NFL and the winningest QB in FBS history at those respective schools is a tall order for anyone.

- Lastly, will teams like Virgina Tech, Miami and Nebraska make a case for themselves when it is all said and done?

It will be an interesting season, I will be watching with my drink in one hand and some form of good saturday food in other. I will also post some predictions for those who like to make gentleman wagers with their buddies... Stay tuned

- @lostherod