Let's hope Auburn's offensive line treated the defense to breakfast Sunday because they certainly owe them something. After self-destructing Saturday night against Mississippi State, it looks like Auburn could be facing some of the same offensive woes that plagued the team last season.
As I watched the game, I was struck by the mistakes, the looks of confusion, the complete lack of execution displayed by Auburn's offense. I'll be the first to admit that when it comes to x's and o's, I am not an expert. But I am enough of a fan to see that their interpretation of the spread offense looks more like a group of random guys who decided, "Hey, let's get together and play football tomorrow." And, if no-huddle is meant to make the game go faster, there were times during the game that I'd rather been watching paint dry or water boil. It really seemed like the longest game in NCAA history.
It seemed that whatever Tony Franklin was calling wasn't working. I kept waiting for Tuberville to take the reins. Seriously, if it didn't work the first time, it probably isn't going to work the 40th time. Fortunately Paul Rhoads's defense seems to be strong and able, but I have serious concerns that Auburn either currently doesn't have the personnel to run Franklin's offensive scheme or Franklin's offensive scheme isn't translating well at Auburn. Either way, there's a lot of work to do on the Plains.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Friday, September 12, 2008
Ohio State vs. USC
The match-up of the year is Saturday, if you believe the media-hype, only three weeks into the season when Ohio State travels to USC for the "collision in the Coliseum." Yes, like snowstorms and other weather disasters, this one even has a name. I know you'll be surprised to find out that I just don't get it.
I don't get the love affair with either school, especially the current one with Ohio State. You'd think that no other teams exist, or at least, no other teams could possibly be in contention for a national championship. Since Ohio State doesn't seem to have what it takes to show up for the big games, I'm going to personally give USC the edge in this one. Ohio State looks sluggish and with the recent injury to Beanie Wells, it looks like they'll be short one important player. If USC wins, they will certainly be presented with the National Championship Bowl Game rose, inviting them to compete for the title. Don't be surprised to see the "collision" in the Coliseum become a collapse in the Coliseum, a disappointing end to the over-hyped frenzy building up to the game.
I don't get the love affair with either school, especially the current one with Ohio State. You'd think that no other teams exist, or at least, no other teams could possibly be in contention for a national championship. Since Ohio State doesn't seem to have what it takes to show up for the big games, I'm going to personally give USC the edge in this one. Ohio State looks sluggish and with the recent injury to Beanie Wells, it looks like they'll be short one important player. If USC wins, they will certainly be presented with the National Championship Bowl Game rose, inviting them to compete for the title. Don't be surprised to see the "collision" in the Coliseum become a collapse in the Coliseum, a disappointing end to the over-hyped frenzy building up to the game.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
NCAAF Week 2
If style matters in college football, and apparently it does, then Ohio State deserves a drop in the polls. I mean, come on, if Georgia can drop from its number one perch without a loss shouldn't Ohio State fall for allowing Ohio University 145 rushing yards against its defense? In this season long chase for a make-believe college football championship, a bad day should equal a drop in rankings.
Seriously, my frustration with the BCS has led me to develop a bizarre rooting system of my own. For instance, I always pull for the SEC because I was reared on the SEC, I'm a southern girl, born and bred, and I love it. That being said, because I long for the ineptness of the BCS to be revealed more and more each year, hoping in vain that someone will come to their senses and create a playoff system that matters, I usually pull against ranked teams. Why? Sheepishly, I say, I think the pollsters are a wee bit clueless in many of their rankings and rather enjoy, perhaps too much, watching that be revealed. Unless of course it is a well-deserving ranking for an SEC team. Hey, I never said it made any sense. But, let's take the example of BYU vs. Washington, I didn't really no who to root for. BYU was ranked 8th, but I like the little PAC-10/SEC rivalry that seems to have developed, so I wasn't exactly wanting Washington to win.
The point is, with the current system, it just really doesn't matter except for end-of-season bragging rights, because truth be told, fans are left feeling empty when the national champion is nothing more than a "favorite" who had a good-enough season. Without losing one game or playing a "real" opponent, Georgia lost its number one postion because it never really "had" it to begin with. Pollsters just couldn't justify placing Ohio State number one after 2 BCS Bowl defeats in a row, or a USC who lost to Stanford the previous season. Georgia had been on an end-of-season roll and had handily defeated a highly touted Hawaii team. USC pounded UVA in week one of this season, so finally, a reason to jump Georgia.
Yes, I realize that in the grand scheme of things college football matters....not at all. It is thousands of kids doing what they love for adults who, let's face it, should really get a more productive hobby. But wouldn't it be nice to give those kids, all those teams that really deserve it, a real shot at a real National Championship?
Seriously, my frustration with the BCS has led me to develop a bizarre rooting system of my own. For instance, I always pull for the SEC because I was reared on the SEC, I'm a southern girl, born and bred, and I love it. That being said, because I long for the ineptness of the BCS to be revealed more and more each year, hoping in vain that someone will come to their senses and create a playoff system that matters, I usually pull against ranked teams. Why? Sheepishly, I say, I think the pollsters are a wee bit clueless in many of their rankings and rather enjoy, perhaps too much, watching that be revealed. Unless of course it is a well-deserving ranking for an SEC team. Hey, I never said it made any sense. But, let's take the example of BYU vs. Washington, I didn't really no who to root for. BYU was ranked 8th, but I like the little PAC-10/SEC rivalry that seems to have developed, so I wasn't exactly wanting Washington to win.
The point is, with the current system, it just really doesn't matter except for end-of-season bragging rights, because truth be told, fans are left feeling empty when the national champion is nothing more than a "favorite" who had a good-enough season. Without losing one game or playing a "real" opponent, Georgia lost its number one postion because it never really "had" it to begin with. Pollsters just couldn't justify placing Ohio State number one after 2 BCS Bowl defeats in a row, or a USC who lost to Stanford the previous season. Georgia had been on an end-of-season roll and had handily defeated a highly touted Hawaii team. USC pounded UVA in week one of this season, so finally, a reason to jump Georgia.
Yes, I realize that in the grand scheme of things college football matters....not at all. It is thousands of kids doing what they love for adults who, let's face it, should really get a more productive hobby. But wouldn't it be nice to give those kids, all those teams that really deserve it, a real shot at a real National Championship?
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
NCAAF Week 1- As I See It
It seems that after a summer-long love affair with the SEC, the thrill is already gone. After last night's Tennessee loss to a PAC-10 team for the second year in-a-row, I'm sure the thrill is now probably dead. The SEC enjoyed a brief stint as media darling with 4 teams in the top 10, including Georgia's ranking of number 1, and while the rankings haven't changed much, there seems to have been a shift in the national media's attitude.
While listening to FSN radio, ESPN radio, and watching most games on various national television stations, I could hear it in the voices of the announcers as they crowned, after just 1 week of play, USC and Ohio State the most talented teams in the nation. Georgia, it seems, is headed for a fall, and over and over I heard their number 1 ranking questioned. First of all, who ranked Georgia number 1? Hmmmm.... and second, the week prior, Florida, LSU, and Georgia had all been wearing the most-talented crown. What happened in one short week? When push came to shove, was it just too difficult to truly admit that the SEC could really be the best? Florida pummeled a Hawaii team, that just the year before was in a BCS bowl. Alabama scored 34 points on the ninth ranked Clemson Tigers. Was Ohio State's 43 points over Youngstown State (aren't they a junior college) that much more impressive?
Brent Musberger, on ABC's Saturday night telecast, was saying that until proven otherwise, yes the SEC is the best conference, but he seemed to like the Big 12 to rise to the top. As he was saying this, his co-worker for the evening, Kirk Herbstreit broke the news that Arkansas State had just defeated Texas A&M. Yes, I laughed.
Look, I clearly see that Ohio State and USC are talented, clearly. But, after one week of play, why are we already ready to crown them National Champions? Have you seen Ohio State's schedule, outside of a tough match-up against USC? USC is in a PAC-10 with some talented, dangerous teams, some. UCLA showed last night that they're a team to be reckoned with. Granted, Tennessee made a few hundred foolish mistakes, but a W is a W and UCLA looked good in the second-half. I just wish we could take a more patient wait-and-see attitude with declaring teams best in the nation. Who knows when injuries can decimate a team? We've already had some scares at both Georgia and Ohio State. And based on what I saw Saturday, just on what I saw Saturday, shouldn't Florida and Alabama be in the running? It seems "until proven otherwise" the media's crush on USC and Ohio State is back on.
By the way, Auburn has some serious work to do on its offense, Again!
While listening to FSN radio, ESPN radio, and watching most games on various national television stations, I could hear it in the voices of the announcers as they crowned, after just 1 week of play, USC and Ohio State the most talented teams in the nation. Georgia, it seems, is headed for a fall, and over and over I heard their number 1 ranking questioned. First of all, who ranked Georgia number 1? Hmmmm.... and second, the week prior, Florida, LSU, and Georgia had all been wearing the most-talented crown. What happened in one short week? When push came to shove, was it just too difficult to truly admit that the SEC could really be the best? Florida pummeled a Hawaii team, that just the year before was in a BCS bowl. Alabama scored 34 points on the ninth ranked Clemson Tigers. Was Ohio State's 43 points over Youngstown State (aren't they a junior college) that much more impressive?
Brent Musberger, on ABC's Saturday night telecast, was saying that until proven otherwise, yes the SEC is the best conference, but he seemed to like the Big 12 to rise to the top. As he was saying this, his co-worker for the evening, Kirk Herbstreit broke the news that Arkansas State had just defeated Texas A&M. Yes, I laughed.
Look, I clearly see that Ohio State and USC are talented, clearly. But, after one week of play, why are we already ready to crown them National Champions? Have you seen Ohio State's schedule, outside of a tough match-up against USC? USC is in a PAC-10 with some talented, dangerous teams, some. UCLA showed last night that they're a team to be reckoned with. Granted, Tennessee made a few hundred foolish mistakes, but a W is a W and UCLA looked good in the second-half. I just wish we could take a more patient wait-and-see attitude with declaring teams best in the nation. Who knows when injuries can decimate a team? We've already had some scares at both Georgia and Ohio State. And based on what I saw Saturday, just on what I saw Saturday, shouldn't Florida and Alabama be in the running? It seems "until proven otherwise" the media's crush on USC and Ohio State is back on.
By the way, Auburn has some serious work to do on its offense, Again!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Miss Independent
"Good morning, sweetheart. Let mommy take off your jammies and change your diaper."
"No mommy; A do it."
"Let me comb your hair."
"No mommy; A do it."
I stand back and watch A do it the exact opposite of how Mommy would do it. Her hair is now sticking straight up from being combed backwards, and she is still wearing her pajamas and wet diaper. We get to the stairs, and my daughter lifts her arms. "Hold you mommy." It seems the only things A doesn't want to do are walk and use the big girl potty. We've not even made it to the breakfast table, and I've heard her sweet voice say, "A do it" about ten times.
When my little girl was an infant, describing her with the word needy would be an understatment. I could barely leave her side for seconds without her exploding into a powerful cry. Any babysitting offers normally lasted about five minutes before I was called by a panicky voice telling me that A could not be consoled. I remember longing for the day that she would become just a little more independent.
That day came too fast. Just last week, our little girl joyously received her big girl bed, and I wistfully wondered where my baby had gone. Her daily chorus of "A do it" reminds me of just how quickly she is growing into the big girl she so longs to become. (Apparently in her mind, though, big girls wear diapers.) Her independent will and lack of mastery in many of those do-it-yourself skills lead to daily battles. She's demanding to do it on her terms, while I still want to do it on mine. And truth be told, maybe I'm not quite ready to let go of some of those tasks that I find so endearing, like picking out her outfit for the day, brushing her hair, and putting on her little socks. Plus, it goes much more smoothly and quickly when "Mommy do it." But just like it's A 's job to grow up; it is my job to allow her to do just that.
Dorothy Fisher wisely said, "A mother is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary." I'm not sure who Ms. Fisher is, but she beautifully summed up the purpose of parenting in one succinct sentence. How hard, though, is it not to encourage our children to lean, when we as mothers are born nurturers. I struggle to allow A to try things on her own and learn more about her world on her terms; it means that she needs me less and less. Yet, I understand the importance of my job as the one who makes leaning unnecessary, and just as hairbrushing and shoe tying are important roles, so is being the one who teaches A how to do it successfully on her own. That only comes by allowing her to no matter how inconvenient it may be at times.
T, A, and I are watching the Olympics and eating chocolate chip cookies, when A gets up from her spot and walks over to her daddy. She takes his empty plate, says "A do it," and walks into the kitchen. She then comes back and gets my plate to do the same.
"Thank you!" I exclaim proudly. I hope this part of the "A do it" phase lasts long into the teenage years.
"You welcome," she says triumphantly, obviously pleased with the results of her efforts.
I watch A return to her place in the floor, her eyes riveted on the competing athletes. Perhaps she is dreaming of her own Olympic debut, and like Michael Phelps, whose mother allowed to swim in the deep end on his own, and Shawn Johnson, whose mother allowed to swing unreserved from the uneven parallel bars, I realize that allowing A to cautiously do things on her own may not be such a bad thing, after all. Sure, it makes mommy sad to see her little girl growing so quickly, but at the same time it thrills me to know she is so eager to try and to learn. I love watching her eyes flash when she recognizes her letters, or watching her little chin lift with pride when she kicks the ball in a straight line. After all, isn't this what God has called us as parents to do?
"No mommy; A do it."
"Let me comb your hair."
"No mommy; A do it."
I stand back and watch A do it the exact opposite of how Mommy would do it. Her hair is now sticking straight up from being combed backwards, and she is still wearing her pajamas and wet diaper. We get to the stairs, and my daughter lifts her arms. "Hold you mommy." It seems the only things A doesn't want to do are walk and use the big girl potty. We've not even made it to the breakfast table, and I've heard her sweet voice say, "A do it" about ten times.
When my little girl was an infant, describing her with the word needy would be an understatment. I could barely leave her side for seconds without her exploding into a powerful cry. Any babysitting offers normally lasted about five minutes before I was called by a panicky voice telling me that A could not be consoled. I remember longing for the day that she would become just a little more independent.
That day came too fast. Just last week, our little girl joyously received her big girl bed, and I wistfully wondered where my baby had gone. Her daily chorus of "A do it" reminds me of just how quickly she is growing into the big girl she so longs to become. (Apparently in her mind, though, big girls wear diapers.) Her independent will and lack of mastery in many of those do-it-yourself skills lead to daily battles. She's demanding to do it on her terms, while I still want to do it on mine. And truth be told, maybe I'm not quite ready to let go of some of those tasks that I find so endearing, like picking out her outfit for the day, brushing her hair, and putting on her little socks. Plus, it goes much more smoothly and quickly when "Mommy do it." But just like it's A 's job to grow up; it is my job to allow her to do just that.
Dorothy Fisher wisely said, "A mother is not a person to lean on, but a person to make leaning unnecessary." I'm not sure who Ms. Fisher is, but she beautifully summed up the purpose of parenting in one succinct sentence. How hard, though, is it not to encourage our children to lean, when we as mothers are born nurturers. I struggle to allow A to try things on her own and learn more about her world on her terms; it means that she needs me less and less. Yet, I understand the importance of my job as the one who makes leaning unnecessary, and just as hairbrushing and shoe tying are important roles, so is being the one who teaches A how to do it successfully on her own. That only comes by allowing her to no matter how inconvenient it may be at times.
T, A, and I are watching the Olympics and eating chocolate chip cookies, when A gets up from her spot and walks over to her daddy. She takes his empty plate, says "A do it," and walks into the kitchen. She then comes back and gets my plate to do the same.
"Thank you!" I exclaim proudly. I hope this part of the "A do it" phase lasts long into the teenage years.
"You welcome," she says triumphantly, obviously pleased with the results of her efforts.
I watch A return to her place in the floor, her eyes riveted on the competing athletes. Perhaps she is dreaming of her own Olympic debut, and like Michael Phelps, whose mother allowed to swim in the deep end on his own, and Shawn Johnson, whose mother allowed to swing unreserved from the uneven parallel bars, I realize that allowing A to cautiously do things on her own may not be such a bad thing, after all. Sure, it makes mommy sad to see her little girl growing so quickly, but at the same time it thrills me to know she is so eager to try and to learn. I love watching her eyes flash when she recognizes her letters, or watching her little chin lift with pride when she kicks the ball in a straight line. After all, isn't this what God has called us as parents to do?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)