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The reason this is interesting has to do with where Byrd is right now.
Former LSU receiver Demetrius Byrd’s condition was upgraded from critical to good on Friday, and he was moved out of the intensive care unit at a Miami hospital following a car accident Sunday.
“Demetrius Byrd is now listed in good condition,” Jackson Memorial Hospital spokesperson Lorraine Nelson told Gannett Louisiana on Friday. She added he was out of the ICU.
Byrd was injured in a one-car accident in his hometown of Miami on Friday. He played in the 2007 and 2008 seasons at LSU. Before the accident, he was expected to be selected between the fifth and seventh rounds on the second day of the NFL draft on Sunday.
The Chargers took a risk but how much is a seventh round pick really worth? It’s a good one to gamble with.
Get well Demetrius Byrd.
ESPN writes- “Jackson can step in and be a starting 5-technique defensive end from Day 1. He has the size and upper-body strength to stack and shed offensive tackles, making him a perfect fit for the 3-4 scheme. Although he’s never going to be a great pass-rusher and it’s highly unusual for this type of player to so high, he can keep blockers off the outside linebackers, which should give KC’s pass rush a boost.”
No I’m not talking about some middle aged man propelling a ball at some objects at the end of a lane, but the games that climax every college football season. Bowl season officially starts this Saturday, here are the matchups for all the college football fanatics out there.
Dec 20
Eaglebank Bowl- Wake Forest vs Navy
New Mexico Bowl- Colorado State vs Fresno St
MAGICJACK ST. PETERSBURG BOWL- Memphis vs. South Florida
PIONEER LAS VEGAS BOWL- Brigham Young vs Arizona
Dec 21
R+L CARRIERS NEW ORLEANS BOWL- Southern Miss vs. Troy
Dec 23
SAN DIEGO COUNTY CREDIT UNION POINSETTIA BOWL- Boise St vs TCU
Dec 24
SHERATON HAWAII BOWL- Hawaii vs Notre Dame
Dec 26
MOTOR CITY BOWL- Florida Atlantic vs. Central Michigan
Saturday, December 27
MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL- West Virginia vs. North Carolina
Champs Sports Bowl- Wisconsin vs. Florida State
Emerald Bowl- Miami (FL) vs. California
December 28
Independence Bowl- Northern Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech
PAPAJOHNS.COM BOWL- North Carolina State vs. Rutgers
Valero Alamo Bowl- Missouri vs. No. 23 Northwestern
Tuesday, December 30
ROADY’S HUMANITARIAN BOWL- Maryland vs. Nevada
PACIFIC LIFE HOLIDAY BOWL- Oklahoma State vs. No. 17 Oregon
Texas Bowl- Western Michigan vs. Rice
Wednesday, December 31
BELL HELICOPTER ARMED FORCES BOWL- Houston vs. Air Force
Sun Bowl- Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh
GAYLORD HOTELS MUSIC CITY BOWL- Boston College vs. Vanderbilt
Insight Bowl- Kansas vs. Minnesota
CHICK-FIL-A BOWL- LSU vs. Georgia Tech
Thursday, January 1
OUTBACK BOWL- South Carolina vs. Iowa
CAPITAL ONE BOWL- Georgia vs. Michigan State
Gator Bowl- Nebraska vs. Clemson
Rose Bowl- Penn State vs. USC
Fedex Orange Bowl- Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech
Friday, January 2
Cotton Bowl- Mississippi vs. Texas Tech
AUTOZONE LIBERTY BOWL- Kentucky vs. East Carolina
ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL- Utah vs. Alabama
January 3
INTERNATIONAL BOWL- Buffalo vs. Connecticut
January 5
TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL- Ohio State vs. Texas
January 6
GMAC Bowl- Ball State vs. Tulsa*
January 8
FEDEX BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME- Florida vs. Oklahoma
That’s 34 games, 68 schools spread over a period of 20 days for those of you keeping score at home. An ample supply of college football for any fanatics out there.
A few notes
*- There are a few bowl games remaining without corporate names in their title. Gator, Sun, Texas, Independence. Were these games unable to find sponsors?
*- Will Oklahoma St. and Oregon combine for 70 pts or more in the Holiday Bowl? This annually has been of the most high scoring affairs.
*- Oh how has the Orange Bowl dropped. A game that featured early triumphs of Joe Paterno led Penn State, Nebraska and Oklahoma in their glory days, the first major bowl appearance of Florida State, and the all time classic 84 battle between Nebraska and Miami, has Cincinnati and Virginia Tech playing this year. I’m sure they are talented football teams, but how many people are drooling to see them play in a prime-time network slot?
*- Arizona and BYU meet in a bowl 30 years after the former left the WAC conference for the higher profile Pac Eight(Now Ten, Arizona State joined also)
*- Vanderbilt makes a rare bowl appearance. Congratulations to Commodore fans, but this is a sign of how bowls are grown way out of proportion. 6-6 college teams get bids. When I was growing up I could remember Florida State going without a bowl in 1978 even though they finished the season 8-3.
It is my humble opinion that bowl season has gotten out of hand. Someone may say what’s the big deal? If someone wants to start a bowl game and there are two schools willing to play in it, does their records matter. A good football isn’t only a contest between stars at big name schools.
All true, but how much public money is spent on these affairs? Many of the teams are state universities who get funded by taxpayers. Then there is the game itself where police have to be taken from other tasks to work the day or night of the game or paid over-time.
With the economic downturn right now, you have to wonder if there will be less bowls in the near future. That would depend on how long a deal a corporate sponsor signed on for. I wonder how many fans of some schools plan to make a bowl trip. Are there 1,000 or more FAU Owls willing to journey from Florida to Michigan in December to watch the team play? Even if I were a Owl fan and had money, I’d stay home.
Enjoy the games.
The San Diego Chargers selected LSU WR Craig Davis with the 30th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. He joins his backfield mates WR Dwayne Bowe (KC #23) and QB JaMarcus Russell (Raiders #1).
What the Experts Say:
Either the Chargers know something the experts don’t–and that’s a possibility, they’ve drafted well in recent years–this is a heck of a reach.
UPDATE Scouts.inc:
Davis projected as an early second-round pick so this is a bit of a reach but all-and-all a good pick. Though he is a raw route-runner, Davis made great strides at the collegiate level and there’s no questioning his natural ability. He reaches his top speed quickly and he has the second gear to run best defensive backs. A playmaker with the ball in his hands, he can create after the catch and return punts as well. And oh yeah, he fills the Chargers greatest need. While Davis really isn’t a ready made No. 2 receiver, he could be San Diego’s best receiver by the opening game of the season.
The Kansas City Chiefs drafted LSU wide receiver Dwayne Bowe with their first pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.
What the Experts Say:
Scout.com Profile:
Player Evaluation: Productive throughout college, Bowe has the physical makeup and dimensions to be a number two receiver at the next level. Has his game on an upswing and offers starting potential as a rookie.
 STRENGTHS: Hands and Concentration, Size, Strength
AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT: Elusiveness with Catch, Route-Running Skills, Speed
Biography: Three-year starter awarded All-Conference honors as a senior after totaling career-best numbers of 65/990/12. Led the team in receiving as a junior, producing 41/710/9, after 39/597/5 as a sophomore.
Pos: Big, possession wide out who significantly improved his consistency as a senior. Sells routes, settles into the open spot of the defense and always works to become an available target. Uses his frame to shield away opponents and protect the pass. Lays out for the difficult reception or gets vertical to pull the ball from the air. Displays good eye/hand coordination, effectively uses the sidelines and makes the reception in stride. Solid downfield blocker.
Neg: Lacks the deep speed and cannot stretch the defense. Occasionally drops a catchable throw.
UPDATE Scouts.inc:
Wonders never cease. It seems like Kansas City’s top need the past five seasons has been receiver and they haven’t taken one since they drafted Sylvester Morris in 2000. The hope is Bowe pans out and there’s reason to be optimistic. He has outstanding size, he catches the ball well and he makes fluid cuts so he clearly has the potential to develop into a reliable possession receiver. Though he doesn’t have elite speed and he isn’t going to run by defensive backs, he is big and fast enough to make the occasional play downfield so he can stretch defenses vertically. With the Larry Johnson expected back and Bowe taking advantage of TE Tony Gonzalez keeping the safeties occupied, this offense should be even more productive than is was last year despite the likely departure of Trent Green.
The Washington Redskins have taken LSU safety LaRon Landry, widely considered the best defensive player in this draft class, with the 6th overall pick.
What the Experts Say:
Scout.com Profile:
 Player Evaluation: to be used in a variety of defensive systems. An early choice that should quickly break into a starting lineup at the next level.
STRENGTHS: Body Control, Coverage Awareness, Size
AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT: Hands
Effective defending the run or covering the pass, Landry possesses the athletic skills and football intelligence
 Biography: Four-year starter awarded varying degrees of All-American and All-Conference honors since his freshman campaign. Led the team in tackles as a senior, posting 74/3/4 after 69/3/8 as a junior. Freshman and sophomore tackling totals were 80 and 92 respectively.
Pos: Productive safety with a complete game. Instinctive, plays heads-up football and remains disciplined with assignments. Efficient, takes good angles to the action and goes for the knockout blow. Patrols centerfield, displays top sideline-to-sideline range and has a terrific break to the action. Displays speed in a straight-line or laterally. Wraps-up tackling.
Neg: Lacks hands for the pick and drops too many catchable interceptions.
The Minnesota Vikings are on the clock.
UPDATE Scouts.inc:
It’s impossible to say whether or not this is the perfect move for Washington at this point because the Redskins have so few picks and no one knows exactly what transpired in terms of trade offers leading up to the pick. If they weren’t offered quality value for the pick, then taking Landry is an excellent move. Though the Redskins have more pressing needs than safety, it is a need and there’s nothing Landry can’t do. He is a tough run defender who takes the shortest path to the path and delivers big hits. He times hits well and punishes receivers that go over the middle. He can cover the deep half of the field and can match up with slot receivers.
One area of concern is his ability to play the ball when it’s in the air but he has adequate ball skills and he should benefit from lining up next to Sean Taylor. Taylor’s excellent range and ability to play a centerfielder type role will help protect Landry. Finally, having such talented safeties gives the Redskins more freedom in terms of mixing as well as hiding coverages and helps the pass rush out by forcing quarterbacks to hold on to the ball longer.
 New NFL commissioner Roger Goddell officially launched the 2007 NFL Draft minutes ago. The Oakland Raiders, who have the first overall pick for the first time since 1962 (when they were part of the fledgling AFL) are on the clock.
They’re widely expected to take LSU quarterback DeMarcus Russell but are reportedly entertaining trade offers. They have 15 minutes to make a call…
They didn’t need all of it. JaMarcus Russell is indeed their man.
What the Experts Say:
Scout.com Profile:
 STRENGTHS: Arm Strength
AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT: Technique
Analysis: A physical presence behind center, Russell possesses all the skills to lead a franchise at the next level. Showed consistent improvement over the past two seasons and offers a tremendous amount of upside. An early draft selection who favorably compares to former All-Pro Daunte Culpepper.
 Biography: Two-year starter who also saw limited action with the first team as a redshirt freshman. All-Conference selection the past two seasons, throwing for 67.8%/3,129/28/8 as a junior after 2,443 passing yards and 15 touchdowns as a sophomore.
Pos: Big, powerful pocket passer with tremendous arm strength. Patient, buys time for receivers and does an outstanding job directing the offense. Stands strong in the pocket, taking a big hit or getting the throw off with defenders draped on him. Zips the outs with a flick of the wrist, easily drives the deep throw and loses nothing passing on the move. Senses pressure, makes good decisions under the rush and runs with the ball as a last resort. Identifies the open wide out on the field, leads receivers over the middle and powers the ball through the tight spots. Looks off the safety, goes through receiver progressions and takes the underneath outlet if nothing else is available.
Neg: Must improve his throwing fundamentals and pass placement, as targets are constantly adjusting to make the reception. More often than not he is high of the mark.
The Detroit Lions are on the clock…
UPDATE Scouts.inc:
Russell is the obvious pick for the Raiders because he fills a pressing need and has the most value at the position. Although he needs to continue to improve his decision making and work on his footwork, he has rare size and arm strength. He is accurate enough to hit receivers anywhere on the field and lead them when throwing underneath. He isn’t a great scrambler, but he can pick up yardage with his feet when nothing is available downfield.
Now the question is can he succeed at Oakland? There is no question the offensive line has underachieved so he is going to take some hits but he is big enough to absorb that kind of punishment and quick enough to buy him some time. An even greater concern may be surrounding him with quality character players. That could prove difficult considering the problems they had with their talented receivers last year and the fact that Lane Kiffin is a young, first-year head coach. If Kiffin can get Russell to buy into his system, the sky is the limit for Russell and the Raiders.
Gosselin, writing yesterday, called this choice a “no-brainer.”
When a franchise quarterback is on the draft board, you take him. That’s Football 101. He gives your team hope for the future – and a chance to be competitive in the present.
The Tennessee Titans were the youngest team in the NFL in 2006. They took Vince Young with the third overall pick of the draft and doubled their win total in the span of a season, improving from 4-12 without Young in 2005 to 8-8 with him. Young gives the Titans hope for a bright future. Just as Russell would give the Raiders hope. Quarterback is the one position that can transform a team into a Super Bowl contender.
Rich Gannon was the NFL MVP in 2002 when the Raiders won the AFC championship and appeared in their last Super Bowl. But a shoulder injury ended his 2003 season then a neck injury ended his career in 2004. The Raiders have started six quarterbacks since that Super Bowl and have won 15 of 64 games. Until Davis can stabilize his quarterback position, he cannot stabilize his franchise.
That’s why Davis must resist the temptation to draft Calvin Johnson and select Russell.
LSU women’s basketball coach Pokey Chatman has resigned from her role prior to the NCAA Tournament citing she would be a distracting to the team from this point on.
A day after she announced she would resign after the NCAA tournament, Chatman said Thursday she was leaving the team immediately.
“There’s been 20 to 25 things that are just floating out there, and I think she thought if she just stepped away from it she could eliminate that from even multiplying,” Starkey said. “She has her reasons, and hopefully, soon she’ll address that herself.”
The Times-Picayune of New Orleans reported on its Web site Thursday that the resignation was prompted by the school’s discovery of alleged inappropriate conduct between the 37-year-old Chatman and one or more players. Later, ESPN.com reported LSU had found out about an alleged improper sexual relationship between Chatman and a former player.
Dan Patrick made an interesting point about the issue that if it had been a male coach and a men’s team would this be a bigger story. It would have been a bigger deal on a men’s team with a men’s coach. The stereotype especially of female softball and basketball players is that they are all lesbians anyways; as a result many people just stereotypically expect it in women’s sports. So when something like this happens the common response becomes “Well who didn’t see THAT coming.” With men’s sports one is far more apt to apply the stereotype that they are manly men and homosexual behavior between coach and player just isn’t supposed to happen because of it.
There should be more outrage over this, but not because it involves alleged homosexual activity. It should be because she is a coach and by default a mentor to these players, as a result many of these players look up to her, and she should not be developing a sexual relationships with any players. Regardless if it is any combination of player and coach sex, the coach is in the wrong and there should be outrage over the abuse of their position. She should be punished severely and never allowed to coach again.
Nick Saban has added Rice offensive coordinator Major Applewhite to his staff at Alabama, according to numerous published reports. The Houston Chronicle says he will be the Tide’s quarterbacks coach but other sources, including the Thomas Murphy of the Mobile Register, say he is in line to be the offensive coordinator. (Update: An updated Chronicle report says, “Major Applewhite, will join the Alabama staff in the near future, serving as offensive coordinator or co-coordinator/quarterbacks coach.”)
Interestingly, LSU reportedly is interested in him for the coordinator job and there are even reports that he might be, at the age of 27, a leading candidate for the head coaching job at Rice with Todd Graham’s departure for Tulsa.
Murphy explains why Applewhite is such a hot prospect:
Rice offensive coordinator Applewhite, 28, helped lead the Owls to their first bowl berth in 45 years this season with an explosive offense. Rice averaged 27 points and 345 yards per game and produced a 1,000-yard quarterback, running back and receiver this season.
Applewhite was also 22-8 as the starting quarterback at Texas, and is the Longhorns’ all-time leader in passing yards (8,353), passing touchdowns (60), passing attempts (1,065) and total offense (8,059).
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AP sportswriter Ben Walker penned this lede to his piece on last night’s BCS Championship game in which the Florida Gators whooped the Ohio State Buckeyes:
Turns out Florida was too good to be on the same field as Ohio State, and that Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith and the Buckeyes were the ones who weren’t worthy after all.
Coach Urban Meyer’s once-beaten Gators dominated the undefeated No. 1 Buckeyes and streaked to college football’s national championship, 41-14 on Monday night.
“Honestly, we’ve played a lot better teams than them,” Florida defensive end Jarvis Moss said. “I could name four or five teams in the SEC that could probably compete with them and play the same type of game we did against them.”
Honestly, I think that’s right. That’s why the simple counting of wins and losses is a silly way to pick national title contenders in Division I. The idea that Boise State, which played a schedule filled with teams that probably couldn’t beat Florida’s high school championship team, is better than teams with even three or four losses in the SEC or ACC, is a joke. LSU, Auburn, Georgia, Arkansas, and Tennessee probably all could have beaten Ohio State last night.
Of course, that’s why we need a playoff system rather than a beauty contest.
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