| Current Poll |
Who do you think should manage Ferriday water?
View Results
|
|
Story Archives: Tide takes center stage
- 2013 - 300 articles
- 2012 - 856 articles
- 2011 - 635 articles
- 2010 - 1276 articles
- 2009 - 1591 articles
- 2008 - 1763 articles
|
Tide takes center stage
Hard to believe it's been a year since we were eagerly awaiting the LSU-Oregon kickoff. Seems like a couple of years.
If LSU had made a sweep of Alabama, it would have seemed like a couple of months.
There has not been much intrigue surrounding the LSU-North Texas game except what affect Isaac will have.
Alabama opens its season where LSU and Oregon played last year — Jerry Jones' playhouse in Dallas.
The defending national champions face Michigan in a very appealing game for fans.
Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson grabbed some headlines when he said he thought he could be Olympic champion Usain Bolt in a 40-yard dash.
"I've watched him run, and I'm pretty sure I can beat him in a 40-yard dash," Robinson said. "I'd get a better start, and I could take him."
Robinson better be more worried about outrunning Alabama's Xzavier Dickson and Adrian Hubbard, two of the most athletic playmakers on the Tide defense. And they hit a lot harder than Bolt.
There was a story that Robinson was being interviewed and someone said that Nick Saban had been spending a lot of time developing a scheme to stop Robinson and the Michigan quarterback had a brief look that must have resembled the coyote after being foiled by the Road Runner.
The main focus might be on Michigan and whether or not it's ready for primetime, but this is a statement game for the Tide, too.
Trent Richardson is gone on offense and some studs no longer roam the field on defense.
But Bama is still the pick to reach the BCS game once again.
In the same way LSU losing to Oregon would not have been devastating, the Crimson Tide could lose this game, roll through conference play, and end up getting into the BCS championship.
But the SEC-haters (that club gets bigger and bigger) would be out in full force and who wants to listen to that for a week or more.
Alabama hasn't lost an opener since 2001.
Michigan's hopes rest on Robinson. But I think he would have more luck outrunning Bolt after giving the Olympian a 5-yard head start.
Meanwhile, I must admit I have felt in the past that college football players should be paid something for all the money they bring to the NCAA and their universities.
But after the latest story of a college football player being suspended, I have to change my mind.
Notre Dame suspended starting tailback Cierre Wood two games for violating team rules, leaving the Fighting Irish without their 1,000-yard rusher against Navy and Purdue.
Wood led the Irish in rushing last year with 1,102 yards and scored nine rushing touchdowns while averaging 5.1 yards per carry.
Irish coach Brian Kelly said that junior defensive end Justin Utupo was suspended for the games against Navy in Dublin, Ireland on Sept. 1 and the home opener against Purdue.
Last week, Tennessee star receiver Da'Rick Rogers was suspended indefinitely by Derek Dooley for an undisclosed "violation of team rules."
And, of course, there's the "Honey Badger."
More and more All-Americans seem to think they are above the law. Paying them for being All-Americans would make them seem even more invincible. And may have colleges thinking twice about suspending them.
It's not right how much money the NCAA makes off these college student-athletes. But it's also not right how more and more of these athletes think they are still in high school.
I always hated the "punish everyone for the faults of a few." But those few are turning into too many and ruining America's Game for a lot of Americans. Right now the less temptation the better. |
|
| Frank Morris Murder Series |
|
|
E-mail Story
Print Story
