by tom weppel
COLLEGE FOOTBALL Right now, Gator fans are quite a happy lot. Their boys are doing pretty good business on the field. The talent seems to be clicking. Urban Meyer is smiling. The only guy who probably isn’t totally enjoying the whole scene is QB Chris Leak, and we know it’s because he’s not getting all the snaps, even though he’s a Senior with great talent, to the extent of being considered for the Heisman.
Yet we are seeing young Timmy Tebow come in, jump up and down a little, make a play or two, and of course all Gators fans have fallen totally in love with the boy. To me, it’s created an awkward situation, kinda like dating two girlfriends. Whatever the case, things are clicking, and now the Gators will head to Auburn to play a Tiger team that got a rocked by the Arkansas Razorbacks last weekend. Obviously, Auburn is gonna be out for blood. Perhaps that is why they are FAVORITES to beat Florida, if you can imagine. This should prove to be a knockdown, drag-out affair, for sure.
Florida State has fallen off the ‘legitimate contender’ radar screen, now with losses to Clemson and N.C. State. There is talk as to what should happen next to the Seminole program. Many are suggesting Bobby Bowden ride off into the sunset. If not, then he should can his son, Offensive Coordinator Jeff. It all has made for tough times in Tallahassee, and the Noles are thankful for a break at Duke this weekend. In the Big Ten, Ohio State should rough up the weary Michigan St. Spartans, while the Wolverines host Penn St. Joe Paterno is in for a tough time. Perhaps he should have laser eye surgery and dump those Coke-bottle glasses.
Finally, Rutgers and Missouri are both undefeated so far this season, which is quite a surprise. They have played decent teams and won their games, and they are both ranked in the Top 25. Yet the Tigers are only a 2-3 point favorite to beat their opponents this weekend, Texas A&M, while Rutgers is an UNDERDOG in their game at Navy. Can you say ‘Rodney Dangerfield’? Go figure.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL If you want to always impress your friends with your wealth of sports knowledge, always remember that in baseball, good pitching will ALWAYS beat good hitting, without question. If you don’t believe me, then watch these playoff games as they as they unfold, and you’ll see why. Right now, the Tigers have a solid starting staff of pitchers. That is they reason they beat the Yankees, and it is the reason why they are doing well against the A’s. Meanwhile, the Mets should have enough pitching depth to handle the Cardinals and get into the World Series.
Both the Mets and Tigers led MLB in team ERA (pitching), and that is why you see them still playing. While you got to have good hitters and fielders to win games, it’s the boys on the mound throwing the ball who will ultimately make the difference.
Anything can happen, and that is why they play the games. But if you keep in mind the pitching credo, you’ll thank me later.
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE Going into this weekend, there are only two teams left that are undefeated (Colts, Bears), while there are FOUR teams that carry a goose-egg in the win column. The Lions, Bucs, Titans, and Raiders all haven’t picked up a ‘W’ yet. Detroit, Tampa, and Tennessee all have had a very good shot at victory, only to go down in flames by making a mistake in the end. Only Oakland has looked very paltry so far this season, and it won’t get any better for them this weekend as they travel to Denver. Detroit will have a shot to win, playing at home against the Bills. However, the Bucs host a strong Bengal squad, while the Titans go to Washington to play an angry bunch of Redskins, and so their chances remain slim.
JAGUARS The Jags are off this week, having destroyed the Jets, 41-0, and are now 3-2. They lost their Defensive QB, though, in LB Mike Peterson. He will be tough to replace, not just for his playmaking abilities, but for his attitude, on and off the field.
I think its fair to say Jacksonville Is established as a legitimate team worthy of playoff consideration again. Yet they will have to continue winning to claim a postseason slot, for sure. With two losses, the Jags might only be able to afford two more at the most. Considering they still have the Eagles, Giants, Colts, Patriots, and Chiefs on their schedule, it might be tough. They better hope there are no more serious injuries to key starters, or else.
NASCAR The boys race in Charlotte this weekend, and it seems as if things are getting nastier on the track as the weeks dwindle down. While in some ways that’s just what fans want, it also makes for bad blood and sot-so-good situations at the end of races, as we saw last week in Talladega. When non-contender Brian Vickers took out Jimmie Johnson on the last lap (who then tapped Dale Earnhardt, Jr.), it set off very heated tempers and attitudes among fans, suggesting that things aren’t right in racing with the current set up for the ‘Chase’. When you have cars that aren’t in the hunt going up against drivers who are, it makes for very hairy situations. Changes simply have to be made for next season, but of course NASCAR will probably not do anything, because it will make too much sense. Be aware, people.
Tom Weppel talks trash on Thursdays from 7-8 p.m. on WIOJ-AM 1010, and on SportsAvengers.com 24/7.
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