HW's World of Sports

5:53:50 PM EDT


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7:46:40 PM EDT
    This week brought us the end to the Scott Linehan era in St. Louis, and unfortunately, the Lane Kiffin era in Oakland (if for nothing more than comedic relief).  Linehan's firing went without much fanfare, and he will be replaced by Jim Haslett, hardly an improvement judging by his days in New Orleans.  The Raiders, and specifically Al Davis (or as he is becoming known around the Internet, C. Montgomery Burns), turned Kiffin's firing into a personal witch hunt.  Davis held a lengthy press conference where he laid out his grievances against Kiffin, and announced Tom Cable, who looks like a bum out of the stands (at this point, it wouldn't surprise me if they would be the only people willing to coach/play second fiddle to Davis in this franchise) as the new head coach.  And by the end of the day, Davis had succeeded in throwing the following people/organizations under the bus:
a. Lane Kiffin
b. Chris Mortensen
c. Mike Shanahan and the Broncos (seeing the pure joy of Shanahan using a press conference to criticize his former boss this week was gold)
d. Bill Belichick and the Patriots

I thought we were an NFL organization here, not a bunch of teenage girls?  On to this week's action, which is shaping up to be a great weekend of football:


GAME OF THE WEEK: Redskins at Eagles
The calendar may have switched over from September to October, but the NFC East is still going to be the focal point of many of this season's biggest games.  Philadelphia was noticeably crippled without Brian Westbrook in Chicago on Sunday night, and his status is up in the air for this contest.  They can ill afford to fall to 2-3, presumably two games behind Washington and Dallas, and two and half back of the Giants.  Washington, meanwhile, played a perfect game offensively in Dallas.  As much as it pains this Cowboys fan to say that, it is the truth.  I am sure Jim Johnson will have some interesting blitz packages lined up to make it more difficult than Wade Phillips and Brian Stewart's lack of defensive coaching innovation, so Jason Campbell won't have it as easy as he did a week ago.  I'll take the Eagles at home, Westbrook or no Westbrook. 


Other top contests


Titans at Ravens
While the blogosphere was complaining about how "boring" the Baltimore-Pittsburgh game was, that is TRUE football.  Lining up at the line of scrimmage, finding the ball carrier, and knocking the living hell out of them.  Nothing like a hard-hitting defensive showdown if you ask me (even though I share an equal love of offense).  Expect more of the same in this contest.  I was impressed with Joe Flacco on Monday night, and he will be in for another tough contest against the Tennessee defense.  The Titans, meanwhile, are clicking on all cylinders: they can run the ball, throw effectively enough to win, and create turnovers which in turn leads to even more points.  Look for a gift or two from Flacco on Sunday, and a Titans' victory. 

Seahawks at Giants
Seattle is probably really thankful that Plaxico Burress got himself suspended for this game, because that increases their chances of winning.  It won't be easy, considering the talent on the Giants and 3,000-mile trip east.  But this is a team that needs to come out and make a statement after two poor performances and a drubbing of the Rams.  Anybody can pound St. Louis.  Let's see what they do against actual competition.  Matt Hasselbeck should have Deion Branch and Bobby Engram back in the passing game, which would be a huge help after working with every Manny, Moe, and Jack the first three weeks of the season.  But they need to be able to run the ball to alleviate some of the pressure that will be coming from the New York defense. 

Buccaneers at Broncos
Denver's defense very well may be their downfall.  Geez...how do you give up 33 to Kansas City?  They very well may make Brian Griese look like a Hall of Famer this Sunday.  But as long as they have Jay Cutler throwing to Brandon Marshall, Eddie Royal, and Brandon Stokley, the Broncos should be able to keep themselves in games.  Even if the final score is along the lines of 41-38.  Tampa's defense can create turnovers and quarterback pressure (what else is new?), so it would probably be in the Broncos' best interest to toughen up on defense this week.  It is unlikely the offense will be able to move the ball at will. 

Bills at Cardinals
Arizona gave up 56 points to the Bretts a week ago, and while the Bills are not what I'd call a high-octane offense, that has to be music to Dick Jauron's ears.  This is one of the most intriguing games of the weekend, and outside of the Buffalo and Phoenixmarkets, unless you have Sunday Ticket, too bad because CBS doesn't want you to see it.  Which is a shame, because I may be a Cowboys fan, but I'd rather watch this game then what very well may turn into a blowout against Cincinnati (I'm not predicting that per se, but let's face it, the Bengals are terrible). 

Steelers at Jaguars (Sunday night)
Jacksonville won twice at Heinz Field a year ago, so let's see if the Steelers can return the favor in the Sunshine State in this early season clash.  Pittsburgh's offense still had its struggles at times against Baltimore, and Jacksonville won't provide much relief.   With the running back core decimated by injury, Ben Roethlisberger becomes that much more important.   The Jaguars seem to have found footing after their 0-2 start, but you really are not hearing much about them in the national media.  This is one of their few opportunities to show off to a national audience in 2008, so they better take full advantage of it. 


And the rest...


Colts at Texans
Houston finally gets to host a 2008 regular season game, and after a tough loss in Jacksonville, the Texans really need to come out and save the sinking ship that is their season.  Indy, meanwhile, has had a bye week to sort through their difficulties on defense and the offensive line, but with Bob Sanders out yet again, this will probably turn into a shootout. 

Chiefs at Panthers
I think last week's 33-point effort finally got Herm Edwards to give up on the Tyler Thigpen and Brodie Croyle experiments in favor of Damon Huard.  This week, they visit a Carolina team that is 3-1 and likes to run the ball.  Therein lies the problem: the Chiefs have a suspect run defense, and will probably easily lose the time of possession battle. 

Chargers at Dolphins
This week's interesting stat: the last time the Chargers won in Miami was that epic 1982 AFC playoff game, where Dan Fouts led San Diego to a 41-38 overtime victory.   I don't think we'll see that much scoring in this contest, but don't be surprised if both running backs put on a display for the fans.  I never knew Ronnie Brown could throw the football.
 
Bears at Lions
The post-Matt Millen era begins with a divisional game against the Bears at Ford Field.  Will the fansriot out of pure happiness?  Probably not, because the current product on the field is still a mess, especially on defense.  Kyle Orton may not be Peyton Manning, but he can dissect the Lions' secondary.  And Matt Forte should have a field day running the ball. 

Falcons at Packers
It will be interesting to see if the Lambeau faithful have a shorter leash for Aaron Rodgers this Sunday after two consecutive losses where he, nor the team, were very impressive.  At least they are playing Atlanta, but they should not count this as a win just yet.  With the Packers' secondary banged up, Roddy White could have a field day.  Matt Ryan has already taken a liking to the receiver. 

Bengals at Cowboys
If you like egotistical, self-centered wide receivers, this is your game my friend.  Perhaps Ocho Cinco should change his name back because he has not performed well this season.  As for the other sideline, TO has been in the news all week concerning a lack of touches against Washington.  Versus this terrible defense, Tony Romo and Jason Garrett should be able to keep him smiling. 

Patriots at 49ers
Belichick and his staff have had two weeks to come up with a suitable gameplan for the Niners after the poor performance in all phases of the game against Miami.  This isn't the easy win that it would have been for the 2007 Pats.  O'Sullivan and the San Francisco offense have really taken off under Mike Martz. 

Vikings at Saints (Monday night)
Both Minnesota and New Orleans were projected in the preseason to be playoff contenders, and at least for the Vikings, they have been a major disappointment.  Facing the Saints' defense, the passing game should get on track behind Gus Frerotte, but if they are unable to slow down Drew Brees, it is going to be a long, long ride back to the Land of 10000 Lakes at 1-4. 



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7:28:57 PM EDT
   

......Urban Dictionary, a great site for naive, white folk who like myself are from a rural area and currently live in an urban place, defines Thunderdome as "turbulent, utter mayhem; a state of violent confusion or commotion."  After the way Week 5 in college football went down, I think it is fair to say college football is Thunderdome.  USC and Florida lost to lesser opponents.  Georgia got creamed by Bama at home.  Wisconsin blew a 19-0 intermission lead against a Michigan team that could barely gain a positive yard in the first half, let alone even come close to scoring.  On the topic of USC, I had a gut feeling they would lose at Oregon State.  It seems as if some Pac 10 non-contender trips them up each and every season.  I actually enjoyed watching them lose, not so much due to a hate of USC because I think Pete Carroll is a hell of a coach and hell of a guy, but more so because a lot of people were already writing them into the national title game.  But with the utter chaos we are seeing once again this season, the Trojans still have a shot at that game in Miami on January 8, if they don't stumble again.  For the time being, this is turning into a race of survival between the elite of the SEC and Big 12.  Unless Penn State runs the table or Ohio State doesn't lose again, the SEC and Big 12 champions very well could end up having a date in the BCS Championship.  That is if the teams don't beat each other up during conference play, which considering the strength of each league, is probably a good bet.  I think Oklahoma, who leaped to #1 this week, has the clearest road.  Outside of  losses in 2005 and 2006, they've owned Texas under Bob Stoops.  Texas Tech will give them a few nightmares, but nothing a talented OU squad can't overcome.  I wouldn't be surprised if both OU and Mizzou went into the Big 12 title game at 12-0.  Now that I think about it, I am going to stop speculating.  The season isn't even half over.  I'm sure we'll see another Upset Saturday or two along the road to the first weekend in December.  And while the BCS system is an absolute joke, at least there is an endless supply of exciting, unpredictable moments, making college football the best game going today.  Yes, even better than the NFL.  This week's boob tube schedule:

WEDNESDAY 10/1:
Louisiana Tech at Boise State, 8 (ESPN)

THURSDAY 10/2:
Pittsburgh at South Florida, 7:30 (ESPN)
Memphis at UAB, 8 (CBS College)
Oregon State at Utah, 9 (Versus)

FRIDAY 10/3:
Cincinnati at Marshall, 8 (ESPN)

SATURDAY 10/4:
Penn State at Purdue, 12 (ESPN)
Iowa at Michigan State, 12 (ESPN 2)
Duke at Georgia Tech, 12 (ESPN U)
Indiana at Minnesota, 12 (BTN)
Kansas at Iowa State, 12:30 (Versus)
Oklahoma at Baylor, 12:30 (FSN)
Stanford at Notre Dame, 2:30 (NBC)
Kentucky at Alabama, 3:30 (CBS)
Florida State at Miami (FL), 3:30 (ABC/ESPN 2)
Illinois at Michigan, 3:30 (ABC/ESPN 2)
Arizona State at California, 3:30 (ABC)
Texas Tech at Kansas State, 3:30 (ABC)
SMU at UCF, 3:30 (CBS College)
Navy at Air Force, 4 (Versus)
Auburn at Vanderbilt, 6 (ESPN)
Connecticut at North Carolina, 7 (ESPN 2)
Maryland at Virginia, 7 (ESPN U)
Texas at Colorado, 7 (FSN)
Washington at Arizona, 7:30 (Versus)
Ohio State at Wisconsin, 8 (ABC)
Oregon at USC, 8 (ABC)
Rice at Tulsa, 8 (CBS College)
Missouri at Nebraska, 9 (ESPN)


THIS WEEK'S BEST:

Ohio State at Wisconsin
There really isn't much margin of error here for the preseason top two teams in the Big 10, especially with the way Penn State is playing.  Each needs to win this showdown in Madison on Saturday night.  I watched Ohio State this past Saturday, and while they were playing Minnesota, the offense was much more cohesive than they were in previous outings against the likes of Troy and Ohio.  That has to be a good sign.  Wisconsin, on the other hand, has to pick themselves up off the mat after their crushing blow at the Big House and get ready not only for Ohio State, but Penn State next weekend.  Expect this to be the classic low-scoring, three yards and a cloud of dust, defensive Big 10 battle.  I like the Buckeyes to win by a narrow margin, say between 3 and 7 points.  Terrelle Pryor is already a difference maker. 

Oregon at USC
USC's quest to get back on the horse so to speak could not begin in a much more difficult way, as they face arguably the second best team in the league behind themselves.  Oregon has had a bevy of quarterback injuries, but that has not slowed down the offense as of yet.  The defense is vulnerable, and I expect Mark Sanchez and company to exploit that and get backon track after the loss at Oregon State.  Pete Carroll's squad still controls their own destiny, but they cannot have any more slip-ups.  Mike Bellotti's Ducks always give USC a challenging game, but I really expect the Trojans to come out and make a statement.  This game will not be very close if you ask me. 

Auburn at Vanderbilt
Either we've entered an alternate universe or Vanderbilt has finally learned how to be competitive in the SEC.  At 4-0 and with the Tigers coming to town, this is Vandy's biggest game in years, and that is why GameDay is making yet another stop in SEC country, to the chagrin of a lot of people up north (don't worry...I'm sure they'll be heading to Dallas next week).  Everyone is jumping on the Commodore bandwagon, and while I'd love to see them end years of futility, I'm not sold quite yet.  They did beat Ole Miss and South Carolina, but let's see how they hold up against one of the conference heavyweights.  I don't see them winning this game, but with smart playcalling and solid defense against a struggling Auburn offense, they should make it a nailbiter. 

Kentucky at Alabama
Last year, Kentucky's defense couldn't have stopped a middle school team.  This year, with much of the same personnel, they have given up two touchdowns and two field goals in four games.  Sounds impressive, but the only team with a pulse they have played is Louisville.  Like with Vandy, we'll know if they are a contender or pretender after they get done with John Parker Wilson, emerging threat Julio Jones, Glen Coffee, and Mark Ingram.  I have a feeling it won't be pretty, but who knows, Bama could be in for a letdown after the big win in Athens. 

Connecticut at North Carolina
To be clear here, no this is NOT a basketball game.  Midnight Madness isn't even for another couple weeks.  But in all seriousness, both the UConn and UNC football programs are on the rise and looking to steal the spotlight from their hardwood counterparts.  The Huskies lost QB Tyler Lorenzen to a broken foot against Louisville, but if you haven't realized it by now, RB Donald Brown leads the nation in rushing.  And the Tar Heels are an average run defense.  Ultimately, this game will come down to whether Carolina is able to slow down Brown or not, and if both team's backup quarterbacks are able to successfully master the offense while not turning the ball over. 


ALSO KEEP AN EYE ON...

Pittsburgh at South Florida
While the Big East doesn't get much street cred, if USF somehow can make it through league play unscathed, they probably should warrant at least some consideration for the national championship.  But back to what's really important for the time being, and that is a visit from Pitt.  The Panthers are still not firing on all cylinders, as witnessed by the fact they struggled with Syracuse.  Let's see if Wannstedt has them ready to go tomorrow night. 

Oklahoma at Baylor
Don't laugh, folks: be wary Oklahoma.  Be very wary.  While the Bears have been practically bullied by OU for the past 12 years, Baylor has a star in the making at QB in true freshman Robert Griffin.  He almost led this team to a victory over a good UConn team on the road two weeks back.  If Ole Miss can go into the Swamp and win, why not Baylor upsetting Oklahoma?

Illinois at Michigan
Michigan's improbable comeback against Wisconsin very well may have saved a floundering season.  I certainly would love to know what Rich Rod said to those young men at halftime, if anything.  Illinois comes to town this week, and while we know what they can do, this is a team sitting at 2-2 without a truly impressive victory through the first month. 

Florida State at Miami (FL)
This game may not be what it once was on the national scene, but the Seminoles and Hurricanes will still play each other as if this were for the BCS title.  Both teams are showing signs of improvement in 2008, but as proven by FSU's loss to Wake two weeks back and Miami's heartbreaking defeat last week against UNC, there is still a way to go before either can return to the nation's elite. 

Navy at Air Force
Any time two of the service academies get together, it is a special occasion, especially when the two teams are pretty good.  Navy's win against Wake Forest last week was their first over a ranked opponent since 1985, while Air Force nearly upset Utah before a bye week, falling 30-23 in Colorado Springs. 

Texas at Colorado
Like their opponent in next week's Red River Shootout, the Longhorns better not overlook this Big 12 road opener.  Colorado, sluggish performance at Florida State aside, is one of the most improved teams in the country, and will give Texas a fight.  They also beat those Oklahoma Sooners in Boulder a year ago. 

Rice at Tulsa
The Golden Hurricane are averaging nearly 55 points a game, making the Owls' 42 points per game average look pedestrian.  One thing is for sure in this battle between Todd Graham's former team and his current one: this will be a high-scoring affair that could end up deciding the C-USA West Division. 

Missouri at Nebraska
Judging by last week's performance against an average Virginia Tech offense, the Blackshirts still have a ways to go.  Now they have to face an offense worthy of big-time carnage in Missouri.  The Tigers should be wary, however: Nebraska has owned this "rivalry" over the many years these teams have gone up against each other as members of the Big 8/Big 12. 



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8:42:46 PM EDT
Through three weeks of the season, it looks like the balance of power may be shifting for the first time in several years from the AFC to NFC.  While there is still time for the AFC to get on their feet, New England is without Tom Brady, Indy has a Taco Bell defense (meaning they are susceptible to the runs), San Diego and Jacksonville are off to slow starts, and Ben Roethlisberger is already beat up for Pittsburgh.  Over in the NFC, an entire division, the NFC East, could make a claim at being serious Super Bowl contenders, although at least one of them will miss out on January action.  In addition, Green Bay also looks good, even after the loss to Dallas, and Seattle still could get things rolling when their injured wideouts return.  With bye weeks returning (Seattle, the Giants,  Matt Millen-less Detroit, Miami, New England, and Indianapolis are off), there are only 13 games this weekend, most of them not very attractive matchups.  All we need now is the Dolphins to be good again, bell bottoms, and the return of legendary rock and roll music for it to feel like 1972 all over again (the NFL had 26 teams in 1972, thus there were 13 games on every weekend, and not the 16 you and I are used to in 2008). 



GAME OF THE WEEK: Redskins at Cowboys
It seems like all of these early season games of the week have involved NFC teams, but all of the headliners have been coming out of that conference thus far in 2008.  The Cowboys will improve to 4-0 if they can win this contest, and would set themselves up for a potential 7-0 start.  The next three weeks feature a visit from Cincinnati and trips to Arizona and St. Louis, a noticeable step down in difficulty from their September schedule.  Washington's offense has been vastly improved the past two weeks after getting completely shut down by the Giants.  But I don't think the skill of the Cardinals' or Saints' defenses are on the same level as that offered by Dallas.  Jason Campbell had a field day with the Dallas secondary a year ago in the first meeting (the meeting in Washington during Week 17 was a meaningless game for the Cowboys), so he has the confidence needed to go into Texas Stadium and lead his team to an upset.  At the same time, the Redskins couldn't stop the Romo-Owens connection, as they hooked up on all four Dallas touchdowns.  Adding to the difficulty of slowing down the Dallas passing game is the fact Jason Taylor will not play after suffering a leg injury against the Cardinals.  I like Dallas by anywhere between a touchdown and 14 points. 

Other big games:

Packers at Buccaneers
Tampa Bay is being overlooked at 2-1, even though they are a defending division winner.  Let's face it: this isn't a flashy team, and probably not the most talented squad in the NFC South.  But their defense keeps them in every ball game, and a win here would validate them as an NFC playoff contender.  Jon Gruden seems to have settled on Brian Griese as the QB, and at least last week, it paid huge dividends.  The Packers are down Al Harris at one corner position, and should attack that vulnerability just as Dallas did one week ago.  Aaron Rodgers and the offense need to come out and establish themselves and show they have not let last week's subpar performance get them down. 

Vikings at Titans
This is an interesting clash of titans, so to say.  Tennessee's defense has given up 29 points in three games, and absolutely smothers the opposition.  They aren't undefeated because of Kerry Collins, although he has performed adequately thus far.  Minnesota features Adrian Peterson, who did not let a hamstring injury hamper him too much against the Panthers.  It will be a strength on strength battle that bears watching on Sunday.  The Titans are 3-0, and appear to be an early frontrunner in a weakened AFC.  Meanwhile, the Vikings found the win column a week ago, but they cannot afford to fall to 1-3 with a trip to New Orleans on the horizon next week. 

Ravens at Steelers (Monday night)
I am sure three weeks ago everyone looked as this as a bitter division rivalry, and not much else.  Baltimore actually leads the AFC North over Pittsburgh (surprise), although they can thank facing the Browns and Bengals at home for that.  Still, the defense gives them an opportunity to at least remain competitive against good teams, such as the Steelers.  They are relying heavily on the run game as Joe Flacco gets used to playing up to the speed of the pro game, but against the Pittsburgh front seven, that is going to be difficult on Monday night.  Flacco will have to make plays if the Ravens want to have any chance of going into Pittsburgh and cementing themselves as a surprise team going forward.  Another ugly throwback alert: the Steelers are breaking out the yellow helmets, and black unis with yellow numbering this week.  Ugh. 

And the rest of this week's games:

Broncos at Chiefs
KC's defense gave up 38 points to an Atlanta offense being led by a rookie quarterback and that doesn't throw a whole lot.  Imagine what the Denver juggernaut is going to do to them.  Herm Edwards is turning back to Damon Huard this week, and apparently realizes he gives them the best chances of actually winning a game.  The Broncos are the more talented team, but road divisional games against a hated rival are never a cakewalk. 

Browns at Bengals
It must really stink to be an Ohio sports fan these days: Ohio State folds in big games, the Indians and Reds will miss the playoffs (for Cincy, that is 12 straight Octobers at home), talk of LeBron leaving Cleveland lead the headlines, and these two are a combined 0-6.  At least somebody will celebrate a win in this one. 

Texans at Jaguars
The September from Hell continues for Houston: road games against the defenses of Pittsburgh, Tennessee, and Jacksonville, a hurricane that damaged their stadium, and having their most winnable game postponed.  Jacksonville, on the other hand, is flying high after a last second win in Indy, where they finally found a running game. 

Falcons at Panthers
Matt Ryan has played well against the two bad defenses he faced, but Tampa Bay made him look like the rookie that he is.  It will be interesting to see how much he has progressed and learned in the two weeks since that game as he goes up against a good Panthers D. 

49ers at Saints
I am going to go out on a limb here and say the winner of this game will put up more than 30 points.  We all know what Drew Brees is capable of, and J.T. O'Sullivan has been impressive thus far for the Niners.  Neither defense is anything special, so the points should come in bunches on Sunday. 

Cardinals at Jets
I am warning you now: the Jets are pulling out those fugly NY Titans throwbacks on Sunday (if you are going to wear a throwback, it should at least be in your team's current color scheme).  Arizona may have an advantage after staying on the east coast following their game in Washington.  The Jets, meanwhile, played in San Diego Monday night and thus were forced into a very short week. 

Bills at Rams
Scott Linehan has turned back the clock by benching Marc Bulger in favor of Trent Green.  They could probably put Peyton Manning under center and he'd get killed behind that offensive line.  Good luck, Trent.  Meanwhile, the Bills' Trent, Edwards that is, continues to improve for a 3-0 team leading the AFC East. 

Chargers at Raiders
The Raiders drama took another turn this week when team exec/Al Davis right hand man John Herrera and a reporter got into a little shouting match during a press conference.  At this point, I'll believe anything I see or hear about this "team."  Let's hope everyone can put aside their differences for three hours on Sunday and not kill each other haha. 

Eagles at Bears (Sunday night)
Seriously, NBC and the NFL?  You know it is a weak slate of games when a mediocre Bears team that has already been on SNF in 2008 is featured at home against an Eagles team that should win fairly easily.  Oh well, I guess when all else fails, broadcast a game with teams from two of the biggest media markets.  



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8:38:19 PM EDT
This has been a week of controversy in college football.  Let's review:

-Starting off with my favorite whipping boys, Notre Dame and Charlie Weis.  During last week's game at Michigan State, an intern apparently took a laptop into the coaches box, a big no-no according to the NCAA (for obvious reasons).  Oh the irony.  Where's Belichick when you need him?  Weis claims this was simply a misunderstanding on the part of the student intern, and I agree with that sentiment.  While his connections to the master of illegal technology Bill Belichick run deep, it's not like you are going to get away with using a laptop in a restricted location for too long.  And Notre Dame lost 23-7 anyways. 

-Moving on to Moscow (Idaho, that is) and the bowels of the WAC, Idaho is making headlines for the first time in, well, history, this week thanks to risque cheerleader uniforms.  This comes just a couple weeks after the school logo was removed from the buttocks area of the football team's pants.  Frankly, I don't see what the big deal is when it comes to these uniforms.  Maybe people in Idaho are just that far behind the times.  I'd be more offended by some of the girls wearing the uniforms that anything else (specifically the bottom one...finding beautiful women must be a problem in the potato state).

-Georgia has decided to wear their alternate black uniforms for Saturday night's showdown against Alabama, and for some reason, everyone is making a big deal out of it.  Nick Saban seemed a little peeved when asked about it earlier this week, and I don't really blame him.  Black jerseys, red jerseys, my God no jerseys at all, this is going to be a hell of a football game. 

-And apparently, counting to 11 is not part of the Pac 10 officiating curriculum.  At least this call did not affect the outcome of the game, but isn't it ironic that the Pac 10 coordinator of officials, Dave Cutaia, was the referee during the Oklahoma-Oregon fiasco two years back? 

Moving on to this week's schedule, which is a little light.  Things should begin picking up next week as the Big 12 kicks off conference action:
 
THURSDAY 9/25:
SMU at Tulane, 8 (CBS College)
USC at Oregon State, 9 (ESPN)

FRIDAY 9/26:
Connecticut at Louisville, 8 (ESPN 2)

SATURDAY 9/27:
Michigan State at Indiana, 12 (ESPN)
North Carolina at Miami (FL), 12 (ESPN 2)
Virginia at Duke, 12 (ESPN U)
Northwestern at Iowa, 12 (ESPN Classic)
Minnesota at Ohio State, 12 (BTN)
Army at Texas A&M, 12:30 (Versus)
Wisconsin at Michigan, 3:30 (ABC/ESPN)
Colorado vs. Florida State in Jacksonville, 3:30 (ABC/ESPN)
Fresno State at UCLA, 3:30 (ABC)
Arkansas at Texas, 3:30 (ABC)
Tennessee at Auburn, 3:30 (CBS)
Purdue at Notre Dame, 3:30 (NBC)
Houston at East Carolina, 3:30 (CBS College)
Navy at Wake Forest, 3:45 (ESPN U)
TCU at Oklahoma, 7 (FSN)
Mississippi State at LSU, 7:30 (ESPN 2)
South Florida at North Carolina State, 7:30 (ESPN U)
Alabama at Georgia, 7:45 (ESPN)
Illinois at Penn State, 8 (ABC)
Virginia Tech at Nebraska, 8 (ABC)
UCF at UTEP, 8 (CBS College)



GAMES OF THE WEEK

Alabama at Georgia
I don't think too many people expected Alabama to be in the top 10 at this juncture in the season, but aided by the big win over Clemson, the Tide have climbed the polls rapidly.  While I believe Nick Saban has a very good football team, I am not ready to put them on the level of SEC elite just yet.  Let's see how they handle Matt Stafford, Knowshaun Moreno, the Dawgs defense, and the UGA faithful participating in a "blackout."  After being criticized for not beating South Carolina convincingly, Georgia responded nicely at Arizona State last week.  They can take another step in getting back in the good graces of pundits by handling Alabama.  If you are going to watch anything specific in this game, keep an eye on the play of the two star true freshman receivers who will be featured.  A.J. Green of Georgia and Julio Jones of Bama are already major parts of their team's offenses.  I'll take Georgia by a touchdown. 

Illinois at Penn State
Penn State is 4-0, and already many people are pegging them as the favorites to knock Ohio State off their perch in the Big 10.  While the offense has strayed from their traditional, conservative ways this season with enormous success, none of their opponents were on the level of Illinois.  Regardless, I think JoePa woke up and smelled the coffee: in order to win in the Big 10, it was necessary to adapt some kind of spread offense to keep defenses guessing.  Illinois' spread attack is impressive as well, and Juice Williams creates all kinds of problems for the opposition.   What this game will come down to is defense, and while the Penn State offense has a new look, their defense is no different than it has been for the better part of four decades: full of potential playmakers.  In front of a charged crowd at Beaver Stadium, the Illini don't really stand much of a chance.  

Virginia Tech at Nebraska
When this game was initially scheduled, I am sure both institutions had visions of a top 10 matchup.  Here we are several years later, and Nebraska fans are trying to find Doc Brown to transfer them back to 1995 and Tom Osborne, while the Hokies are suffering from a slow start.  The Bo Pelini era has gotten off on the right foot in Lincoln, but if you were wondering why you hadn't heard from the Huskers yet in 2008, it is because they have played Western Michigan, San Jose State, and New Mexico State.  Both the offense and defense have played well, but we should probably hold off all judgment on how much progress the team has made until after this game.  The defense probably won't be challenged by an inconsistent Hokie offense, but it will be intriguing to see how the unit holds up against the scoring machines of OU, Kansas, and Mizzou once they get into conference play against the Tigers next Saturday. 

North Carolina at Miami (FL)
Butch Davis restored a sense of responsibility, dignity, and respect to an out-of-control program in his time at Miami, only to see it destroyed by his successor, Larry Coker.  For the first time as head coach at UNC, he returns to the institution that put him on the map in the first place.  Davis is already having a positive influence on the Tar Heel program, although I am sure he still has a bitter taste in his mouth after blowing a 17-3 lead against Virginia Tech at home last week.  That very well could have swung the ACC Coastal in their favor.  Now, they have to recover from that loss with a visit to another division contender, minus QB T.J. Yates to boot.   In a twist of irony,  Mike Paulus, younger brother of Duke basketball star Greg Paulus, takes over under center.   I think the Canes use this as a statement game.  They are 2-1, but those two wins were against Charleston Southern and Texas A&M.  Keeping it close against Florida was a positive to build on, but they didn't get a W. 

TCU at Oklahoma
Move over BYU and Utah: the Mountain West has a third team inside the top 25 with the Horned Frogs of Texas Christian.  They probably won't be there after Saturday night, but here is a great opportunity for the league to get some attention, as if the efforts of the Utah schools weren't doing enough.  But then again, TCU has won the last two times they have gone to Norman, Oklahoma, so never say never.  If the Horned Frogs want to take home the upset, they must find a way to slow down Sam Bradford and the OU offense.  A good place to start would be ball control and that shouldn't be a problem, considering TCU has racked up 26, 67, 31, and 48 points in their four games.  This will be the Sooners' biggest challenge to date, but they rise to the occasion and enter Big 12 play with an unblemished mark. 


Other games to keep an eye on:

USC at Oregon State
If I had a dollar for every time I have heard from an expert to go ahead and lock up USC's spot in the national title game, I could retire tomorrow.  Yes, the Pac 10 is down.  Yes, USC is insanely talented.  But there are still ten games left, and anything can happen in college football.  Plus, some of the teams they visit in 2008 have caused them problems in recent seasons, led by the Beavers.  Corvallis is a tough place to play. 

Connecticut at Louisville
This is a rematch of that infamous game last season where the UConn punt returner appeared to have called a fair catch, Louisville players stopped, the officials didn't recognize the fair catch, and the punt was returned for the deciding touchdown.  The winner here gets sole possession of first place in the Big East.   After all, this is the first conference game of the year. 

Minnesota at Ohio State
Ohio State hasn't had an impressive performance yet, unless you want to count a 43-0 win over Jim Tressel's former FCS employer Youngstown State.  At least Beanie Wells is on track to return for this game, and Terrelle Pryor has provided a spark under center.  What happened to Todd Boeckman?  Ten weeks into 2007, he was a Heisman contender.  Since then, the guy seems to have lost his confidence, and his play deteriorated to the point of being benched.  As for 4-0 Minnesota, the honeymoon's over: it's time to play someone their own size after a cupcake non-conference slate. 

Wisconsin at Michigan
Considering the struggles of Ohio State, the Big 10 race looks to be wide open, and Wisconsin figures to play an instrumental part in who wins the crown.  They host Ohio State and Penn State the next two weeks, but they cannot overlook the business at hand in Ann Arbor.  Big Blue may be struggling, but now that conference play has commenced, they can roll the clock back to zero and start over essentially.  Whatever happens, Wolverine fans will likely be an ecstatic bunch on Saturday considering the fact Matt Millen finally got fired by the Lions. 

Colorado vs. Florida State
CU and FSU come into this intriguing non-conference showdown at opposite ends of the spectrum.  The Buffaloes are riding high at 3-0 after a home win on national TV against West Virginia.  The Seminoles, meanwhile, are still wondering what the hell happened against Wake Forest in a key ACC Atlantic game.  Frankly, the offense was about effective as teaching monkeys fractions.  It may be time to turn back to Drew Weatherford at QB. 

Tennessee at Auburn
Phil Fulmer is quickly becoming unpopular in Knoxville, as the once elite Tennessee program has slipped to mediocrity by their standards.  Not even putting up a fight against Florida at home is unacceptable, and it won't get any easier from this point forward, starting with a trip to Auburn.  In all likelihood the Vols will drop to 1-3 after this one, with that single victory against C-USA doormat UAB. 

Fresno State at UCLA
This may seem shocking in the aftermath of Fresno State's loss to Wisconsin, but if they win it out, an at-large BCS berth is an outside possibility (assuming both BYU and Utah falter along the way, and at least one of them is guaranteed to do so since they play on November 22).  Of course, to help their chances, they should be rooting for the Badgers to run the table and win the Big 10. 

South Florida at NC State
The Bulls better be weary, considering the fact the Pack knocked off ECU at home last Saturday.  They are certainly more than talented enough to win this game easily against a program still trying to get back on its feet under Tom O'Brien. 




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7:40:22 PM EDT
    I am going to be blunt up front: I am no Michael Waltrip fan.  Like his older brother, I see him as nothing more than a shameless self-promoter who would rather have his face on TV than contend for victories.  Additionally, I don't believe Mikey is all that talented (although Clint Bowyer's assessment of at Bristol might be going too far), as witnessed by the fact he has won just four times in a Sprint Cup career that stretches back to 1985.  You could say his ability to sell things has kept him around a lot longer than anyone else with similar statistics.  When the Owensboro, Kentucky native started a three-car team last season, I told myself it was not going to work.  Waltrip and Dale Jarrett were past their prime, and while David Reutimann is a solid driver, he's not going to set the world on fire with multiple victories and championships.   Plus, Michael would have to wear the owner/driver hat at the same time, and we all know how well that has worked in the past decade or so (a lesson Mikey probably should have learned from DW).  But a year and a half later, Waltrip, Reutimann, and the entire Michael Waltrip Racing team are proving me wrong. 

    After a disastrous flagship campaign that saw the NAPA team get busted for a major rules violation at Daytona, Michael missing over half the races, and Reutimann missing ten himself, it looked like my assessment was on target.  Waltrip's team wasn't helped at all by the fact that 49 teams were showing up every week and it was a struggle getting the necessary horsepower out of the Toyota power plant.  Fast forward to 2008, and thanks to a few less full-time teams, all three MWR outfits have qualified for each race and for the most part stayed in the top 35.  But the performance was still not at the level it needed to be, especially considering the fact that the team's sponsorship situation for 2009 and beyond is in limbo. 

    Now, let's flash back to Michigan in late August, where it seems as if someone flipped on a switch and woke up the 44 team.  David Reutimann has finished 9th twice, 14th, 15th, 17th, and 25th in the past six weeks.  And these were not flukes either, as the team ran in the top 10 or 15 for the duration of the event.  At the same time, the effect of Reutimann's improved performance has rubbed off on Waltrip and Michael McDowell.  Waltrip had a rare top 10 at Dover on Sunday, and even the green McDowell hasn't been a rolling chicane the past few weeks.  The sudden performance surge coincides with the introduction of a new chassis at Michael Waltrip Racing, and the dividends are beginning to show.  Combined with a better understanding of the COT, improved horsepower and duration from the Toyota motors, and a year and a half to get on their feet, this team is showing signs of taking the step from top 35 team to top 25 team and beyond in the near future.   And more power for Michael for proving me, and many others, wrong. 

    Currently, the team's most notable obstacle is sponsorship, as is the case for many mid-pack teams in a tough economic environment.  Of the team's three cars, two are currently funded by NAPA and UPS, respectively, while the third has featured limited backing from Aarons and Champion Mortgage throughout 2008.  UPS will leave Reutimann's car for David Ragan and Roush-Fenway Racing in 2009, while NAPA has only signed on for one more year with Waltrip.  Aarons will sponsor Reutimann in half the races next season, with several companies, apparently led by Dow Chemical, lining up to round out that car's sponsorship lineup.  And according to executive VP Cal Wells, the youthful, sponsor-savvy McDowell has potential suitors as well to keep the Phoenix native in a full-time role for a second consecutive season.  An undocumented rumor from Jayski today also suggests Marcos Ambrose may take the Little Debbie sponsorship to MWR in 2009 instead of JTG Racing as originally planned in order to give Waltrip that coveted fourth car. 

    This begs the question: is MWR's sudden upturn a result of desperation?  Without any new sponsor dollars coming in for 2009, this team would have been hanging by a thread, and Michael Waltrip's dream of owning a successful NASCAR team on its way to being squashed like a bug.  While I would still like to see the 00 and 55 cars run as well as the 44 team before lauding this as an up-and-coming "super team", I am going to dispute that claim.  Yes, the team is in a potentially dire situation financially, and desperate times tend to bring the best out of people.  But sooner or later, the resources assembled were going to come together and turn this program around.  The three-driver lineup of Waltrip, Reutimann, and McDowell may not be the most talented in the garage, but they give the team a diverse selection of wheelmen from different racing backgrounds with varying levels of experience.  Waltrip has Wells, a former owner in CART and Sprint Cup, to lean on for support as well.  The operation is partially bankrolled by billionaire investor Robert Kauffman.  Crew chiefs Peter Sospenzo, Bobby Kennedy, and Ryan Pemberton are all experienced and proven at the top levels of the sport.  Ty Norris is one of the top young executives in the series, serving as this team's general manager.  And how can we forget the deep pockets and technical support of Toyota?  If Waltrip needs to do anything besides securing backing, it would have to be improve his driver roster.  Reutimann can stay, but it may be time for Mikey to hang it up and focus on his administrative duties.  McDowell has yet to prove himself at the Cup level, but let's not give up on him just yet.  So where will he turn?  He can obviously pay big money for a top driver, but before that happens, Waltrip has to prove this team is capable of running up front.  Driver development is another option, and at the current juncture, it appears as if Michael is putting a lot of stock in Josh Wise having a successful future in one of his cars. 

    Time will tell if Michael Waltrip Racing is able to find victory lane and contend for championships, but for now, the fledging operation is finally on its way to respectability. 



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8:00:34 PM EDT
With Week 3 on the horizon, everyone is still talking about referee Ed Hochuli's inadvertent whistle on a fumble that eventually cost the Chargers a victory in Week 2 at Denver.  This was truly an unfortunate situation, and proves that not anybody, even one of the best at his respective profession, is perfect.  Everyone makes mistakes, it just stinks that it had to happen in a game-changing situation while the entire nation watched (the Patriots-Jets game had concluded, and at least in this region we were switched to the conclusion of Chargers-Broncos).  From what I've read about Hochuli in the past, the guy is a perfectionist on the field, and is probably taking the call really hard.  At the end of the day, it is just a game, and unfortunately a lot of people forget that.  Including those who sent nasty emails to Hochuli when a San Diego newspaper posted his work email and address.  Yes, he messed up.  But I think the bigger story here is the fact that some people take the game of football so seriously that they would stoop to the level of questioning the man's integrity, or even worse.  Grow up and get a life.  The world doesn't revolve around football, regardless of how much we all adore its presence every fall and winter.  


GAME OF THE WEEK: Steelers at Eagles
The battle for Pennsylvania bragging rights headlines the games scheduled for Week 3.  Philadelphia will have have to regroup in a hurry after Monday night's heartbreaking loss in Dallas to face a formidable foe at home.  The Steelers' defense has been very impressive in the first two weeks against Houston and Cleveland teams that are expected to move the ball and score points, but this is a challenge on a whole other level.  Donovan McNabb appears that he has rediscovered the magic that eluded him one year ago.  Look for Pittsburgh to come out and try to establish the run as usual, although Willie Parker may have a tough time finding running lanes.  At that point, Ben Roethlisberger will have to become game changer instead of game manager if the Steelers hope to win.  Philadelphia will must be creative in their playcalling to keep the Dick LeBeau-led Steeler defense guessing all afternoon long.  I can see this game going either way, but I'll go ahead and pencil in the Steelers as my pick. 


Other top games:


Panthers at Vikings
Brad Childress officially gave up on Tarvaris Jackson in favor of the ageless Gus Frerotte, who should be an improvement in the passing game assuming he doesn't head-butt any concrete walls while in the process of celebrating touchdowns.  Adrian Peterson is still the main man in their offense, but news broke today that his status is up in the air for Sunday with a hamstring injury.  That could spell doom for a team in desperate need of a victory.  0-3 squads don't come back to make the tournament very often.  Carolina hasn't won pretty in either of their first two games, but at 2-0, have to be happy with their start to the new season.  The offense has been effective without Steve Smith, and should be even better when he is in the lineup this week. 

Saints at Broncos
I would tell the scoreboard operator in Denver to get ready to be busy during Sunday's game, but then I remembered the Broncos beat the Chargers 39-38 last week.  While both of these teams appear to have an abundance of offense and no defense whatsoever, I don't expect this game to get that out of hand.  New Orleans will be trying to recover from a difficult loss in Washington, where the Skins outgained them nearly two to one.  Washington amassed 455 total yards as well.  The Broncos need to just keep doing what they have done to put up 80 points in two games and I think they should win this intriguing contest.  Jay Cutler looks to be a breakout star in 2008, at least through two weeks. 

Jaguars at Colts
Jacksonville's injury-ridden offensive line seems to be destroying this team's chances at a great season, although it is still early enough to right the ship.  The running game cannot get going whatsoever, putting too much pressure on David Garrard to be the main source of offense.  They've scored 26 points in two games, and if not for Jack Del Rio having the manliness to go for it on fourth down on two separate scoring drives against Buffalo, the Bills likely would have blown them out of the stadium.  This is a must win game for them, and unfortunately, after falling behind 15-0 against the Vikings, the Colts seemed to rediscover their offensive groove and came back for the victory.   If the Jaguars want a crucial road win, the defense will have to carry them by forcing turnovers, getting pressure on Peyton, and stuffing Addai. 

Cowboys at Packers (Sunday night)
As a Cowboys fan, my heart is still in my throat over the exciting game on Monday night against the Eagles.  By the time I calm down, the intensity will probably kick back up a notch again seeing how we can likely expect another shootout on Sunday night.  Dallas and Green Bay got into one last year at Texas Stadium, and I don't see why that couldn't happen again, unless the Cowboys secondary shows a stronger ability to stop the pass.  Terrence Newman has had another week to get fully healthy, so that will be a huge assistance.  The Packers were wrote off by a lot of people when Aaron Rodgers took over for Brett Favre, and thus far he has been magnificent.  If they want to quell the doubters and prove they are an NFC contender, a win in this game would be an immense help. 

Jets at Chargers (Monday night)
The overwhelming theme of this week's big games has to be "0-2 teams who were expected to be contenders but instead find themselves in a must-win situation."  First the Vikings and Jags, and now the Chargers.  Granted, San Diego would have won if not for Ed Hochuli's inadvertent whistle in Denver, but they have to put that in the past and move forward.  Most people still consider them the favorite in the AFC West.  The Jets, meanwhile, were not overly impressive against New England at home last week.  I know they want to be a run-first, grind it out team, but they are not going to make a playoff run unless they let Brett Favre do what he does best: gunslinging.  Get your mute buttons ready: Tony Kornheiser couldn't shut up about Favre during the Vikings-Packers game in Week 1.  Now that Favre will actually be playing while he calls the game, it can only get worse.  Oy vey. 

And the rest of the slate:

Bengals at Giants
For the past few seasons, the defense has been the problem in Cincinnati.  Now all of a sudden, the offense is struggling, and there won't be any relief to be found in the Meadowlands. 

Raiders at Bills
Buffalo has not been 3-0 since 1992 (a Super Bowl year), and considering the soap opera unfolding in Oakland and how well the Bills have played thus far, this game should put them there.  5-0 is a possibility with St. Louis and Arizona trips to follow. 

Texans at Titans
Following Hurricane Ike and an impromptu bye week, Houston has to travel to face the 2-0 Titans.  Considering all the distractions, lack of game action for two weeks, and Tennessee's defense, it will be uphill battle. 

Chiefs at Falcons
Tyler Thigpen will be making his first career start at QB for KC, while Matt Ryan came back down to earth against Tampa Bay.  I wouldn't put it past this game having more turnovers than points scored. 

Dolphins at Patriots
The teacher-disciple rivalry between Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick will be renewed this Sunday.  Miami seems to be in just as bad of shape as they were last year, while Matt Cassel managed the game effectively last week for the Pats. 

Cardinals at Redskins
Kurt Warner and the Cards offense looked almost unstoppable against the Dolphins, but traveling to visit a Redskins team that found themselves last week will be a true early season test. 

Buccaneers at Bears
After seeing the old SNL sketches featuring Chris Farley as one of the Bears' Superfans for the first time this summer, that is all I can think about when I think of "Da Bears."  Devin Hester has a rib injury that may limit him in this game, and considering the combination of Chicago's mediocre offense and Tampa Bay's good defense, that could be the deciding factor.

Rams at Seahawks
No one has gotten pushed around as much as the Rams in the first two games, and now they are rewarded with a trip to Qwest Field.  If they do have hope, it lies in the fact the 49ers actually were able to win there last week and Seattle has resorted to Koren Robinson and Keary Colbert at WR. 

Lions at 49ers
It's the Mike Martz Bowl!  I don't know about you, but I think I'd rather be hit repeatedly with a bag of oranges than watch these two impressive squads square off. 

Browns at Ravens
Baltimore fans and players are probably a little tiffed about having their bye week rescheduled for Week 2, but that's life I guess.  But it's back to business against a desperate Cleveland team at home. 


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8:35:57 PM EDT
Itwouldn't be the third Saturday in September without the Vols and Gators squaring off, although this rivalry isn't quite as intense as it was back in the Spurrier days, seeing how the Ol' Ball Coach and Philip Fulmer didn't exactly see eye-to-eye.  But this game is still huge in the SEC East landscape each and every season.  Adding fuel on the fire this year is a former Gators player who claimed the Vols gave up late in last year's 59-20 Florida win at The Swamp.  If that doesn't motivate Tennessee, I am sure the fact that they were upset at UCLA and weren't overly impressive against UAB will.  They need to come out and play inspired football on Saturday at Neyland, and after reading about their lack of desire late in last year's contest, I am sure they will be pissed off.  But if they want to upset Florida, they need to neutralize Tim Tebow, a healthy Percy Harvin, and Florida's other big playmakers.  It won't be easy.  However, I expect UT to stick around and make this an interesting game behind the rabid fan base in Knoxville. 

At the beginning of the season, everyone was saying it was now or never for Mike Stoops in Tucson.  Losing to New Mexico, who lost to Texas A&M, who lost to Arkansas State, won't help matters.  But now the "real" season begins as they visit Westwood to kick off Pac 10 play.  Everyone jumped on the Bruin bandwagon after their upset of Tennessee, but quickly jumped off after the 59-0 clubbing at the hands of BYU. 



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7:15:57 PM EDT
    The heralded 18-year old Joey Logano finally got to make his Sprint Cup debut on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and while the 32nd place finish doesn't pale in comparison to the 2nd garnered by Rusty Wallace in his first start back in 1980, I am sure the lessons he learned will go a long way in helping his drive to become an elite driver at the top level of the sport.  As a young man barely old enough to be in college, don't expect miracles overnight, but before long, this kid will be a regular visitor to victory lane. 

    As we all know by now, Logano will replace Tony Stewart in the #20 Home Depot Toyota beginning in 2009, and at least temporarily rehashes memories of Smoke bursting on the scene in that car nearly a decade ago.  Obviously, considering the talent of Stewart and Logano, the #20 has been used by two of the sport's greatest young stars in their rise to fame.  Unfortunately, that could have been three. 

    In the few years prior to Stewart's rookie campaign in 1999, the #20 was seldomly  used on the Cup tour.  Outside of a few races run by Harry Ranier's team in 1997, the last owner to utilize the number was Dick Moroso, father of Rob Moroso.  The 17-year old Rob, a resident of Connecticut like young Joey, burst onto the scene during the 1986 Busch Series campaign, and by 1989, narrowly defeated Tommy Ellis, Tommy Houston, and L.D. Ottinger for the series crown with his father there every step of the way.   Dad and son decided to make the jump the Winston Cup in time for the 1990 season, and like any rookie in the pre-driver development program era, it was a struggle.  Moroso's #20 Crown Petroleum Oldsmobile failed to finish many races due to mechanical failures and crashes, with the highlight being a 9th place run at the Pepsi 400.  It all came to an abrupt end after a 21st place run at North Wilkesboro on September 30, with just four races remaining in Rob Moroso's inaugural Cup campaign.  After consuming too many alcoholic beverages, Moroso got behind the wheel, and it ended all too tragically.  Making the story worse, he collided with a car in the other lane, killing that vehicle's female driver.  Two families left to pick up the pieces (an aside: Dick Moroso would continue to field a part-time team for a few seasons after his son's passing, before dying in 1998 of braincancer).  A sport left without a potential star.  All because of the perils associated with alcohol consumption.  It's unfortunate someone was not there that night to take the keys from Rob Moroso before he made an inexcusable, stupid mistake, ending his life just two days after his 22nd birthday.  Two lives could have been saved. 

    Now Moroso is no saint.  I have no pity for anyone who drives intoxicated.  But I often find myself reflecting on past events (especially in the world of sports) and wondering, "what if?"  The fact that we are two weeks shy of what would have been Moroso's 40th birthday, a couple of days after a race at what would have been his hometown track, and just witnessed the first potential star to come out of New England since Moroso make his Sprint Cup debut compelled me to write this entry.  Moroso was posthumously awarded the rookie of the year award in New York that December, but since, has largely been forgotten.  That can largely be contributed to the arrival of Jeff Gordon in the Busch Series the following year, and as everyone tried to block Moroso's self-inflicted passing from memory, Gordon quickly proved he had what it took to be a great stock car driver.  1993 rolls around, Gordon is tapped to drive for Hendrick Motorsports in Winston Cup, and the rest, as they say, is history.  Today, Gordon is viewed as the father of the driver development era, as he showed the NASCAR world that it a youthful, inexperienced driver could hop behind the wheel of great equipment and almost immediately succeed.  No longer would a young driver have to toil in second-rate equipment hoping to get noticed by a big money owner by the time they hit 30.  Moroso, on the other hand, was the beginning of the end to that "old school" era.  He was driving for his father's team, which did not have the resources as the Rick Hendricks and Junior Johnsons of the world at the time.  All Moroso was trying to do was perform well enough to get noticed, and secure a top ride after a couple or three years in the series.  But we never found out if he was capable of doing so or not, unfortunately.  Talk to many people, and they will tell you Rob Moroso was destined to be the next big thing in the Cup series.   Some will even say he could have been better than Gordon himself.   Here we are nearly two decades later with no answers to those questions, and a heralded young man from Connecticut barely old enough to shave is trying to make a name for himself in the top echelon of stock car racing the world has to offer.  This time, let's hope and pray Joey Logano fulfills his immense promise behind the wheel of the number 20 car.  And I have no doubt that he will.   When he does, I know I will think of Rob Moroso and what could have been. 



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