The Cowboys won the game 37-27, but it was less than convincing. The officiating was abysmal with virtually every questionable call going against Green Bay. When the game was over Green Bay had been penalized for 142 yards while Dallas was only whistled for 65 yards.
The worst call of the game was a pass interference call in the fourth quarter that was whistled against Green Bay. The receiver's legs got tangled with the Green Bay defender and both players fell down at about the 5 yard line. The official closest to the call signaled it was inadvertent contact but the official out of position across the field called pass interference. It looked to me like the ball was also overthrown and probably wasn't even catchable. It turned out being a 40 yard penalty that gave Dallas a 1st down and goal at the 5. It was a horrible call and Dallas ended up scoring a touchdown to go up by 10 points.
The next worst call in the game was made early in the contest when Terrel Owens caught a ball on the sidelines. The Green Bay defender stripped Owens of the ball and took over possession before going out of bounds. The referee with a clear view of the play signaled a turnover and Green Bay possession at the point where the defender went out of bounds. But, the referee who was out of position had apparently blown his whistle too early and ruled Owens still had possession of the ball when the whistle was blown. The Packers challenged the call but lost because of the referee's early whistle. A horrible call that eventually led to a Dallas score.
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The Packers ran the ball for124 yards on 19 carries and Aaron Rodgers came in for an injured Brett Favre and went 18-26 for 201 yards and a TD. I was surprised by both of those statistics.
The thing that stood out in my mind after watching the game was how wide open the Cowboy receivers were throughout the contest. Jason Witten and Terrel Owens seemed to be open on virtually every passing play.
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After watching the game I still can't tell you which is the better team. Its just a shame that the officiating was so bad. I'm just glad that I am not a Packer fan. I would be pissed this morning if my team had been screwed that bad by the officials.
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I haven't seen an update yet on the severity of the Brett Favre injuries. Brett left the game last night in the 2nd quarter with a separated left shoulder and an injury to his right elbow/forearm. I thought Aaron Rodgers did a decent job as his replacement, though.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Week 12 Power Rankings
1) New England Patriots: Philadelphia was able to prove that the Patriots can be beaten, but the Pats still found a way to win.
2) Dallas Cowboys: Maybe we should ask the Jets if Dallas is any good.
3) Green Bay Packers: Still chugging along. Something tells me Brett may decide to stick around for another year or two.
4) Jacksonville Jaguars: Anybody who doesn't think David Garrard is the real deal hasn't seen him play. I'm already starting to wonder how well Garrard is gonna play in the cold weather up in Foxboro this January.
5) Indianapolis Colts: They are starting to get some of their players back from injury. Next week's game against the Jags will tell us just how healthy they really are. If the Colts lose to the Jags next week I have a feeling "Peyton and Company" will be playing in a Wild-Card game.
6) Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Tomlin's bunch should beat Miami pretty easily on Monday night, but after last week's loss to the Jets I'm starting to wonder if Pittsburgh's record may be the result of a weak schedule.
7) Cleveland Browns: This team could easily be 9-2 right now. That is an amazing statement considering the Browns have absolutely no defense.
8) San Diego Chargers: They are starting to look a little better. I still think they will be an early out in the playoffs, though.
9) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: They may have been outplayed by the Redskins on Sunday, but the Bucs found a way to win. +6 in turnover margin will do it every time.
10) Seattle Seahawks: They have 7 wins but the only playoff team they have beaten this year is Tampa Bay, and that was in Week 1.
2) Dallas Cowboys: Maybe we should ask the Jets if Dallas is any good.
3) Green Bay Packers: Still chugging along. Something tells me Brett may decide to stick around for another year or two.
4) Jacksonville Jaguars: Anybody who doesn't think David Garrard is the real deal hasn't seen him play. I'm already starting to wonder how well Garrard is gonna play in the cold weather up in Foxboro this January.
5) Indianapolis Colts: They are starting to get some of their players back from injury. Next week's game against the Jags will tell us just how healthy they really are. If the Colts lose to the Jags next week I have a feeling "Peyton and Company" will be playing in a Wild-Card game.
6) Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Tomlin's bunch should beat Miami pretty easily on Monday night, but after last week's loss to the Jets I'm starting to wonder if Pittsburgh's record may be the result of a weak schedule.
7) Cleveland Browns: This team could easily be 9-2 right now. That is an amazing statement considering the Browns have absolutely no defense.
8) San Diego Chargers: They are starting to look a little better. I still think they will be an early out in the playoffs, though.
9) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: They may have been outplayed by the Redskins on Sunday, but the Bucs found a way to win. +6 in turnover margin will do it every time.
10) Seattle Seahawks: They have 7 wins but the only playoff team they have beaten this year is Tampa Bay, and that was in Week 1.
Week 12 Observations
1) Eli Manning threw more touchdown passes (3) to Viking players in Sunday's game than Tavaris Jackson has thrown to Viking players (2) in 6 games this season as the Viking quarterback.
2) If I was Jeff Fisher I would be thinking about giving Kerry Collins another shot. The Titans have lost 3 straight games and Vince Young hasn't looked that good. The Titans are now on the outside of the playoffs and they need a shot in the arm. Tennessee put up their highest single game point total this season (38) with Collins at the helm.
3) How good are the Browns? They have only beaten 1 playoff caliber team (Seattle) this season. We may not find out how good they are until the playoffs actually start. Take a look at their remaining schedule, not a playoff team in the bunch.
4) How good would the Giants be if they had kept Phillip Rivers instead of trading him for Eli Manning? I wonder if Tom Coughlin has ever thought about that.
5) Has anyone else noticed the Colts always look unprepared for their opponents' game plans? They eventually make the right adjustments during the game but I'm starting to wonder what the Colts do in practice every week.
6) David Garrard still hasn't thrown an interception this year. The guy has completed 65% of his passes this year and has a passer rating of 104.6. I guess Jack Del Rio knew what he was doing when he let Byron Leftwich go.
7) Is there a quarterback controversy in Philadelphia? Should there be?
8) Why would anyone kick the ball to Devin Hester? He may be the greatest return man I have ever seen.
9) Did Philadelphia expose some of New England's flaws, or did the Patriots just have an off day? I think a bit of both. Luckily for New England, AJ Feeley got greedy and came back down to earth on the Eagles' final drive.
2) If I was Jeff Fisher I would be thinking about giving Kerry Collins another shot. The Titans have lost 3 straight games and Vince Young hasn't looked that good. The Titans are now on the outside of the playoffs and they need a shot in the arm. Tennessee put up their highest single game point total this season (38) with Collins at the helm.
3) How good are the Browns? They have only beaten 1 playoff caliber team (Seattle) this season. We may not find out how good they are until the playoffs actually start. Take a look at their remaining schedule, not a playoff team in the bunch.
4) How good would the Giants be if they had kept Phillip Rivers instead of trading him for Eli Manning? I wonder if Tom Coughlin has ever thought about that.
5) Has anyone else noticed the Colts always look unprepared for their opponents' game plans? They eventually make the right adjustments during the game but I'm starting to wonder what the Colts do in practice every week.
6) David Garrard still hasn't thrown an interception this year. The guy has completed 65% of his passes this year and has a passer rating of 104.6. I guess Jack Del Rio knew what he was doing when he let Byron Leftwich go.
7) Is there a quarterback controversy in Philadelphia? Should there be?
8) Why would anyone kick the ball to Devin Hester? He may be the greatest return man I have ever seen.
9) Did Philadelphia expose some of New England's flaws, or did the Patriots just have an off day? I think a bit of both. Luckily for New England, AJ Feeley got greedy and came back down to earth on the Eagles' final drive.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Leonard Washington
Jerry Tipton of the Lexington Herald-Leader is reporting today that University of Kentucky men's basketball recruit Leonard Washington has decided to put off his college choice until spring. Washington is a 6'6" power forward from Compton, California.
There was a chance that Washington could have possibly been eligible to play for the Wildcats in January if he could have improved his grades at Thurgood Marshall Prep School. I think Washington might have provided a much needed help in the low post for the Wildcats, but I'm just not sure he was worth it.
According to many scouts, Washington has a short temper and a long history of "episodes." In my opinion, which is based solely on the things I have read, this guy sounds like the kind of guy who could destroy a team's chemistry. I'm not sure Kentucky needs a player with his reputation.
There was a chance that Washington could have possibly been eligible to play for the Wildcats in January if he could have improved his grades at Thurgood Marshall Prep School. I think Washington might have provided a much needed help in the low post for the Wildcats, but I'm just not sure he was worth it.
According to many scouts, Washington has a short temper and a long history of "episodes." In my opinion, which is based solely on the things I have read, this guy sounds like the kind of guy who could destroy a team's chemistry. I'm not sure Kentucky needs a player with his reputation.
Reds Reach Agreement With Cordero
It is being reported that the Cincinnati Reds have reached a preliminary deal with pitcher Fransisco Cordero. The deal is reported to be for 4 years with a $46 million salary and a club option for a 5th year.
Cordero is 32 years old and has pitched in the Majors for 9 seasons, most recently as the closer for the Milwaukee Brewers. Francisco finished last season with 44 saves for the Brewers, which ranked 2nd in the National League. He has 177 saves on his career and was selected to the All-Star game last season.
It could be argued that with the recent signings of Mariano Riviera (Yankees), Brad Lidge (Phillies), and Scott Linebrink (White Sox), the Reds may have gotten the best reliever left on the market.
I think the Reds might have slightly overpaid for Cordero's services, but I think they had to make a move like this to improve on their below average bullpen. The Reds' bullpen finished last season with a record of 23-31 with the worst ERA in the National League (5.10).
Cordero spent the first half of his career mostly as middle relief, then in 2004 the Rangers made him their closer. He finished with 49 saves that year and posted an ERA of 2.14. He followed that up with 37 saves in '05 with an ERA of 3.39.
2006 was a bit of a rough year for Cordero. His season was split between the Rangers and the Brewers. His combined numbers for the '06 season were 22 saves with a 3.70 ERA in 77 games. He also posted 10 wins and 5 losses in '06, but he had 11 blown saves.
He bounced back in '07 with 44 saves and a 2.98 ERA in 66 games for Milwaukee. You can check out his career stats here.
Cordero is 32 years old and has pitched in the Majors for 9 seasons, most recently as the closer for the Milwaukee Brewers. Francisco finished last season with 44 saves for the Brewers, which ranked 2nd in the National League. He has 177 saves on his career and was selected to the All-Star game last season.
It could be argued that with the recent signings of Mariano Riviera (Yankees), Brad Lidge (Phillies), and Scott Linebrink (White Sox), the Reds may have gotten the best reliever left on the market.
I think the Reds might have slightly overpaid for Cordero's services, but I think they had to make a move like this to improve on their below average bullpen. The Reds' bullpen finished last season with a record of 23-31 with the worst ERA in the National League (5.10).
Cordero spent the first half of his career mostly as middle relief, then in 2004 the Rangers made him their closer. He finished with 49 saves that year and posted an ERA of 2.14. He followed that up with 37 saves in '05 with an ERA of 3.39.
2006 was a bit of a rough year for Cordero. His season was split between the Rangers and the Brewers. His combined numbers for the '06 season were 22 saves with a 3.70 ERA in 77 games. He also posted 10 wins and 5 losses in '06, but he had 11 blown saves.
He bounced back in '07 with 44 saves and a 2.98 ERA in 66 games for Milwaukee. You can check out his career stats here.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Kentucky Blows Out Liberty
The University of Kentucky men's basketball team tonight didn't look like the same team that lost to Gardner-Webb two weeks ago.
The Wildcats got started from the opening buzzer against Liberty and scored 18 of the first 22 points. Kentucky never trailed tonight and led Liberty 36-21 at the half. The Wildcats built their lead in the 2nd half to as much as 32 points before cut slightly into lead. The final score was Kentucky 80 Liberty 54.
Patrick Patterson looked much more comfortable in tonight's game and led all scorers with 23 points on 8-13 shooting. Patterson also ripped down 10 rebounds, had 2 assists, and went 7-8 from the charity stripe.
Joe Crawford added 22 points on 9-18 shooting from the floor. Joe also had 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
Ramel Bradley had 10 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. A.J. Stewart also added 10 points and was 5-7 from the floor.
I thought Alex Legion looked pretty good again. Alex had 4 points on 2-6 shooting, but he also had 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block and 1 steal. The downside was that Alex also had 4 turnovers, but I still think the team looks better with Legion on the floor.
Coach Gillespie went with a 3 guard offense to start the game with Porter, Bradley, and Legion in the backcourt. Patterson and Coury started in the frontcourt.
The Wildcats got started from the opening buzzer against Liberty and scored 18 of the first 22 points. Kentucky never trailed tonight and led Liberty 36-21 at the half. The Wildcats built their lead in the 2nd half to as much as 32 points before cut slightly into lead. The final score was Kentucky 80 Liberty 54.
Patrick Patterson looked much more comfortable in tonight's game and led all scorers with 23 points on 8-13 shooting. Patterson also ripped down 10 rebounds, had 2 assists, and went 7-8 from the charity stripe.
Joe Crawford added 22 points on 9-18 shooting from the floor. Joe also had 7 rebounds and 4 assists.
Ramel Bradley had 10 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. A.J. Stewart also added 10 points and was 5-7 from the floor.
I thought Alex Legion looked pretty good again. Alex had 4 points on 2-6 shooting, but he also had 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block and 1 steal. The downside was that Alex also had 4 turnovers, but I still think the team looks better with Legion on the floor.
Coach Gillespie went with a 3 guard offense to start the game with Porter, Bradley, and Legion in the backcourt. Patterson and Coury started in the frontcourt.
Monday, November 19, 2007
11/19/07: Colts Injury Update
It was reported today on the Colts' official website that starting OT Tony Ugoh and starting WR Anthony Gonzalez may return to the Indy lineup for the Colts' Thursday night game against the Atlanta Falcons. There is also a chance that backup TE Bryan Fletcher will also be ready to go against Atlanta.
Colts coach Tony Dungy also reported that WR Marvin Harrison may be able to return to the lineup for the Colts' December 2nd game against Jacksonville.
OT Ryan Diem, who left Sunday's game against Kansas City with an ankle injury, is expected to be ready for Thursday's game against Atlanta.
WR Aaron Moorehead has been placed on Injured Reserve after suffering a back injury against Kansas City and will miss the remainder of the season.
There was no mention on the website Monday about the status of starting LB Tyjuan Hagler. Hagler has missed multiple games due to injury. UPDATE: Tuesday's updated injury report listed Hagler as practicing on a "limited basis."
Colts coach Tony Dungy also reported that WR Marvin Harrison may be able to return to the lineup for the Colts' December 2nd game against Jacksonville.
OT Ryan Diem, who left Sunday's game against Kansas City with an ankle injury, is expected to be ready for Thursday's game against Atlanta.
WR Aaron Moorehead has been placed on Injured Reserve after suffering a back injury against Kansas City and will miss the remainder of the season.
There was no mention on the website Monday about the status of starting LB Tyjuan Hagler. Hagler has missed multiple games due to injury. UPDATE: Tuesday's updated injury report listed Hagler as practicing on a "limited basis."
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Week 11 Power Rankings
1) New England Patriots: I have no idea why their week 11 matchup with the Bills was picked for the Sunday night game on the flex schedule. Only a Patriot fan would want to see New England beat the Bills by 6 touchdowns. If the Patriots win next week they will clinch the AFC Least.
2) Dallas Cowboys: Their victory over the Redskins wasn't that impressive, but the Redskins always play the Cowboys tough.
3) Green Bay Packers: Chug, Chug, Chug. Brett Favre and the Packers just keep chugging along. Week 13 is the big matchup between the Pack and the Cowboys. I can hardly wait.
4) Jacksonville Jaguars: David Garrard is back and the Jaguars are the team nobody wants to face in the playoffs. I think there is a good chance the Jags will win the AFC South and force the Colts to make the playoffs as a wildcard team.
5) New York Giants: They are a little unpredictable, but they are capable. Eli is going to have to come up big if this team hopes to go anywhere in the playoffs. I just don't see it happening.
6) Pittsburgh Steelers: I should probably rank them lower after losing to the Jets, but I decided to cut them a little slack because they are still 7-3. Pittsburgh can't afford to lose any more games against non-contenders. The Steelers still have tough games remaining on their schedule against Jacksonville and New England. I think the Steelers will finish the season 11-5 at best.
7) Cleveland Browns: This team has a chance to make the playoffs as a wildcard even with the worst defense in the NFL. Heck, if Pittsburgh loses any more games to teams like the Jets the Browns might even have a chance to win the Division. Check out the Browns' remaining schedule.
8) Tennessee Titans: They have an incredible defense and a great coach. I'm just not convinced Vince Young is the best quarterback on their roster. They better hope they don't have any more slip ups like they did against Denver on Monday night because Cleveland just might take their playoff spot.
9) Indianapolis Colts: I almost dropped them out of my Power Rankings after they struggled against the Chiefs, but there just wasn't another team good enough to move into my top ten. The Colts are a playoff team, the only question is whether or not they can hold on long enough to win their Division.
10) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: They show signs every once in awhile. I think the Bucs will win the NFC South pretty easily. Take a look at their remaining schedule. They could conceivably win all their remaining regular season games. I think they will be an early out in the playoffs, though.
Honorable Mention: Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers.
2) Dallas Cowboys: Their victory over the Redskins wasn't that impressive, but the Redskins always play the Cowboys tough.
3) Green Bay Packers: Chug, Chug, Chug. Brett Favre and the Packers just keep chugging along. Week 13 is the big matchup between the Pack and the Cowboys. I can hardly wait.
4) Jacksonville Jaguars: David Garrard is back and the Jaguars are the team nobody wants to face in the playoffs. I think there is a good chance the Jags will win the AFC South and force the Colts to make the playoffs as a wildcard team.
5) New York Giants: They are a little unpredictable, but they are capable. Eli is going to have to come up big if this team hopes to go anywhere in the playoffs. I just don't see it happening.
6) Pittsburgh Steelers: I should probably rank them lower after losing to the Jets, but I decided to cut them a little slack because they are still 7-3. Pittsburgh can't afford to lose any more games against non-contenders. The Steelers still have tough games remaining on their schedule against Jacksonville and New England. I think the Steelers will finish the season 11-5 at best.
7) Cleveland Browns: This team has a chance to make the playoffs as a wildcard even with the worst defense in the NFL. Heck, if Pittsburgh loses any more games to teams like the Jets the Browns might even have a chance to win the Division. Check out the Browns' remaining schedule.
8) Tennessee Titans: They have an incredible defense and a great coach. I'm just not convinced Vince Young is the best quarterback on their roster. They better hope they don't have any more slip ups like they did against Denver on Monday night because Cleveland just might take their playoff spot.
9) Indianapolis Colts: I almost dropped them out of my Power Rankings after they struggled against the Chiefs, but there just wasn't another team good enough to move into my top ten. The Colts are a playoff team, the only question is whether or not they can hold on long enough to win their Division.
10) Tampa Bay Buccaneers: They show signs every once in awhile. I think the Bucs will win the NFC South pretty easily. Take a look at their remaining schedule. They could conceivably win all their remaining regular season games. I think they will be an early out in the playoffs, though.
Honorable Mention: Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers.
Week 11 Observations
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1) The Colts' offense is broken. Charlie Johnson is not capable of pass protecting in the NFL and opposing defenses are starting to figure that out. As a result, Manning doesn't have time to scan the field and find the open guy. On the rare occasions when Manning has time and his receivers manage to get open, the receivers are dropping the ball. I bet they wish they had never released Brandon Stokley.
2) How could both of the zebras under the goal post miss the call on the Phil Dawson field goal? I guess the important thing is that the officiating crew did end up correcting the mistake. I've given Phil Morelli a lot of heat over the years, but it took a lot of guts on his part to make that call.
3) How 'bout those Bengals? Cincinnati had 5 turnovers in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals. The Bengals are now 3-7 on the season. They need to make some major changes in the off-season. I think Marvin Lewis' job is safe for next season but I don't think he can afford to have another year like this one.
4) The Eagles sure looked better on offense after McNabb left the game with a sprained ankle. I'm not just saying that because Donovan is African-American. McNabb was 3-11 for 34 yards with 2 interceptions before he left the game. Feeley replaced him and went 13-19 for 116 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT.
5) Houston beat New Orleans on Sunday improving the Texans' record to 5-5. The Eagles beat Miami and also improved to 5-5. The AFC South and the NFC East are the only 2 Divisions in the NFL where every team has at least a .500 record.
6) Detroit actually played the Giants fairly tough. I have to admit I thought the Giants would blow the Lions off the field. If Kitna doesn't throw 3 interceptions the Lions probably win the game.
7) I bet the Falcons regret trading Matt Schaub.
8) The New York Jets beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. That is the first team outside of the AFC LEAST that the Jets have beaten all season. I don't see how the Steelers can have the #1 defense in the NFL and the #10 offense in the NFL and lose to the Jets.
9) The Dolphins suck, but maybe not as bad as you think. Did you know that 5 of the 10 games Miami has lost this season were each decided by only a field goal? They lost to Washington (16-13), the Jets (31-28), Houston (22-19), the Giants (13-10), and Buffalo (13-10).
10) I am amazed every time I see Vinny Testaverde play. He always looks so old and decrepit, but he still finds a way to put up some impressive numbers. Vinny went 19-37 for 258 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INTs against a very good Packer defense.
1) The Colts' offense is broken. Charlie Johnson is not capable of pass protecting in the NFL and opposing defenses are starting to figure that out. As a result, Manning doesn't have time to scan the field and find the open guy. On the rare occasions when Manning has time and his receivers manage to get open, the receivers are dropping the ball. I bet they wish they had never released Brandon Stokley.
2) How could both of the zebras under the goal post miss the call on the Phil Dawson field goal? I guess the important thing is that the officiating crew did end up correcting the mistake. I've given Phil Morelli a lot of heat over the years, but it took a lot of guts on his part to make that call.
3) How 'bout those Bengals? Cincinnati had 5 turnovers in Sunday's loss to the Cardinals. The Bengals are now 3-7 on the season. They need to make some major changes in the off-season. I think Marvin Lewis' job is safe for next season but I don't think he can afford to have another year like this one.
4) The Eagles sure looked better on offense after McNabb left the game with a sprained ankle. I'm not just saying that because Donovan is African-American. McNabb was 3-11 for 34 yards with 2 interceptions before he left the game. Feeley replaced him and went 13-19 for 116 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT.
5) Houston beat New Orleans on Sunday improving the Texans' record to 5-5. The Eagles beat Miami and also improved to 5-5. The AFC South and the NFC East are the only 2 Divisions in the NFL where every team has at least a .500 record.
6) Detroit actually played the Giants fairly tough. I have to admit I thought the Giants would blow the Lions off the field. If Kitna doesn't throw 3 interceptions the Lions probably win the game.
7) I bet the Falcons regret trading Matt Schaub.
8) The New York Jets beat the Pittsburgh Steelers. That is the first team outside of the AFC LEAST that the Jets have beaten all season. I don't see how the Steelers can have the #1 defense in the NFL and the #10 offense in the NFL and lose to the Jets.
9) The Dolphins suck, but maybe not as bad as you think. Did you know that 5 of the 10 games Miami has lost this season were each decided by only a field goal? They lost to Washington (16-13), the Jets (31-28), Houston (22-19), the Giants (13-10), and Buffalo (13-10).
10) I am amazed every time I see Vinny Testaverde play. He always looks so old and decrepit, but he still finds a way to put up some impressive numbers. Vinny went 19-37 for 258 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INTs against a very good Packer defense.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
11/14/07: Colts Injury Update
There was some good news coming from the Colts today.
Tight end Dallas Clark and defensive tackle Raheem Brock were cleared for practice today. Both players missed last Sunday's game against the Chargers with concussions.
Linebacker Freddie Keiaho and offensive tackle Tony Ugoh also both practiced today. Keiaho has missed the last 3 weeks with an ear injury and Ugoh has been sidelined with a neck injury.
Linebacker Tyjuan Hagler, right tackle Ryan Diem, and tight end Bryan Fletcher were listed as practicing on a limited basis.
The Colts re-signed cornerback/kick returner TJ Rushing who the team had to release last Friday to make room on the roster. The Colts also announced the signing of wide receiver Devin Aromashodu who had been in training camp with the Colts earlier this year. Linebacker Brandon Archer was signed to the Colts practice squad.
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The Colts Wednesday injury report still included S Matt Giordano, WR Anthony Gonzalez, WR Marvin Harrison, CB Dante Hughes, CB Tim Jennings, OT Charlie Johnson, DT Dan Klecko, DE Robert Mathis, S Bob Sanders, and WR Aaron Moorehead. All of these players were listed as not participating in practice. No further information was made available.
Tight end Dallas Clark and defensive tackle Raheem Brock were cleared for practice today. Both players missed last Sunday's game against the Chargers with concussions.
Linebacker Freddie Keiaho and offensive tackle Tony Ugoh also both practiced today. Keiaho has missed the last 3 weeks with an ear injury and Ugoh has been sidelined with a neck injury.
Linebacker Tyjuan Hagler, right tackle Ryan Diem, and tight end Bryan Fletcher were listed as practicing on a limited basis.
The Colts re-signed cornerback/kick returner TJ Rushing who the team had to release last Friday to make room on the roster. The Colts also announced the signing of wide receiver Devin Aromashodu who had been in training camp with the Colts earlier this year. Linebacker Brandon Archer was signed to the Colts practice squad.
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The Colts Wednesday injury report still included S Matt Giordano, WR Anthony Gonzalez, WR Marvin Harrison, CB Dante Hughes, CB Tim Jennings, OT Charlie Johnson, DT Dan Klecko, DE Robert Mathis, S Bob Sanders, and WR Aaron Moorehead. All of these players were listed as not participating in practice. No further information was made available.
Kentucky Loses To Florida State
It has just been announced that 6'8" power forward Chris Singleton plans to attend Florida State University.
Singleton is listed as a 4 star recruit by Scout.com.
Chris chose Florida State over Kentucky.
All is not lost, however. 4 star recruit Darius Miller and 5 star recruit DeAndre Liggins still make UK's '08 recruiting class one of the best in the country. Darius Miller signed his Letter Of Intent this morning and Liggins is reportedly going to sign this afternoon. The Big Blue has verbal commitments from class of '09 3 star PG GJ Vilarino, and the '10 class has verbals from 3 star PG KC Ross-Miller and 4 star PF Dakotah Euton.
It would have been nice to have seen Singleton join Patterson on the Kentucky front line next year, but I have faith in Billy Gillespie's recruiting prowess. I am sure Billy Clyde will find another quality big man.
Singleton is listed as a 4 star recruit by Scout.com.
Chris chose Florida State over Kentucky.
All is not lost, however. 4 star recruit Darius Miller and 5 star recruit DeAndre Liggins still make UK's '08 recruiting class one of the best in the country. Darius Miller signed his Letter Of Intent this morning and Liggins is reportedly going to sign this afternoon. The Big Blue has verbal commitments from class of '09 3 star PG GJ Vilarino, and the '10 class has verbals from 3 star PG KC Ross-Miller and 4 star PF Dakotah Euton.
It would have been nice to have seen Singleton join Patterson on the Kentucky front line next year, but I have faith in Billy Gillespie's recruiting prowess. I am sure Billy Clyde will find another quality big man.
Freeney Placed On Injured Reserve
It is now official. Colts Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney does have a Lisfranc injury. The Colts just announced that Freeney will be placed on Injured Reserve and is done for the season.
This is a huge blow for the Colts defense. Indianapolis' cover 2 scheme is dependent on being able to pressure a quarterback without blitzing.
I'm sure there are a few left tackles and quarterbacks in the NFL right now gasping a big sigh of relief.
This is a huge blow for the Colts defense. Indianapolis' cover 2 scheme is dependent on being able to pressure a quarterback without blitzing.
I'm sure there are a few left tackles and quarterbacks in the NFL right now gasping a big sigh of relief.
11/14/07: More UK Basketball News
It is being reported that Jodie Meeks has a stress fracture in his groin area. The extent of the injury is unknown, but it is thought that Jodie will be lost to the team for 4 weeks to 6 weeks. UK Officials have neither confirmed nor denied the story. UPDATE: Jodie's father was contacted by the Herald-Leader and has confirmed the report.
Truzenzuzex is reporting over at A Sea of Blue that Ramel Bradley may have some kind of foot injury. I have been unable to verify this report, but it is something that is worth watching.
High School basketball prospect Garrett Stutz announced that he will be attending Wichita State University. UK coach Billy Gillespie had shown interest in Stutz but had not offered the big man a scholarship.
Truzenzuzex is reporting over at A Sea of Blue that Ramel Bradley may have some kind of foot injury. I have been unable to verify this report, but it is something that is worth watching.
High School basketball prospect Garrett Stutz announced that he will be attending Wichita State University. UK coach Billy Gillespie had shown interest in Stutz but had not offered the big man a scholarship.
Chris Singleton To Announce Today
It hasn't happened yet. But it has been announced that UK basketball recruit Chris Singleton will announce his choice of schools today. It is being reported that Chris has narrowed his choices down to Florida State or Kentucky.
Singleton's close friend and high school teammate, Pierre Jordan, signed with Florida State on Sunday. I don't know if that is an indicator of where Singleton is planning on signing, but it doesn't make me too optimistic about Singleton signing with UK.
I have read that Singleton really enjoyed his visit to UK though, so who knows.
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I have read several different sources today that list different times for Chris Singleton's press conference. I have found sources that say it is scheduled for 2:30 PM, 2:45 PM, and 3:00 PM. So I have no idea when his announcement will be made.
I did find an interesting post that said Billy Gillespie has a press conference scheduled for 3:oo PM today. I have been unable to verify if this is true. If Singleton were planning on attending UK I doubt very much that Gillespie would schedule a press conference at the same time as Singleton's. But, if Singleton's press conference were to start at 2:30 PM or 2:45 PM, then a 3:00 PM scheduled press conference by Gillespie could be a good thing.
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Regardless of what Chris Singleton announces today, I can't remember being this interested in Kentucky basketball recruiting in a long time.
Singleton's close friend and high school teammate, Pierre Jordan, signed with Florida State on Sunday. I don't know if that is an indicator of where Singleton is planning on signing, but it doesn't make me too optimistic about Singleton signing with UK.
I have read that Singleton really enjoyed his visit to UK though, so who knows.
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I have read several different sources today that list different times for Chris Singleton's press conference. I have found sources that say it is scheduled for 2:30 PM, 2:45 PM, and 3:00 PM. So I have no idea when his announcement will be made.
I did find an interesting post that said Billy Gillespie has a press conference scheduled for 3:oo PM today. I have been unable to verify if this is true. If Singleton were planning on attending UK I doubt very much that Gillespie would schedule a press conference at the same time as Singleton's. But, if Singleton's press conference were to start at 2:30 PM or 2:45 PM, then a 3:00 PM scheduled press conference by Gillespie could be a good thing.
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Regardless of what Chris Singleton announces today, I can't remember being this interested in Kentucky basketball recruiting in a long time.
George Gipp Wasn't The Father
It was reported on Saturday that DNA tests performed on the remains of George Gipp have proven that he was not the father of Eva Bright's baby.
If you have been following the story you know that Eva Bright was a South Bend woman that had dated Gipp for approximately one year around the time of the football star's death. Apparently, Miss Bright gave birth to a child shortly after Gipp's death. There had been at least a suspicion that George may have been the baby's father. So, a DNA test was performed.
You can read the ESPN story here.
If you have been following the story you know that Eva Bright was a South Bend woman that had dated Gipp for approximately one year around the time of the football star's death. Apparently, Miss Bright gave birth to a child shortly after Gipp's death. There had been at least a suspicion that George may have been the baby's father. So, a DNA test was performed.
You can read the ESPN story here.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Colts Aquire Simeon Rice
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The Colts announced today that they have signed 3 time Pro Bowl defensive end Simeon Rice. Rice was released by the Denver Broncos on Friday.
The move was made because it looks like the injury sustained to Dwight Freeney's left foot in Sunday's loss to San Diego might be serious. Indianapolis GM Bill Polian stated during his Monday radio show that it looks like Freeney might miss a significant amount of time due to his injury.
The Colts entered Sunday's game against San Diego already missing 6 starters due to injury. That's not including starting DT Anthony McFarland and starting LB Rob Morris who were already lost for the season and placed on IR due to injuries. 3 more Indy starters (LT Charlie Johnson, RT Ryan Diem, and DE Dwight Freeney) left Sunday's game with injuries. That means that Indy has now lost a total of 11 starters due to injury.
There has been no update yet on the status of the injured Colts players for next week's game. It is believed that injured WR Marvin Harrison may have been able to play in the San Diego game but the Colts' coaching staff didn't want to risk his health.
The Colts announced today that they have signed 3 time Pro Bowl defensive end Simeon Rice. Rice was released by the Denver Broncos on Friday.
The move was made because it looks like the injury sustained to Dwight Freeney's left foot in Sunday's loss to San Diego might be serious. Indianapolis GM Bill Polian stated during his Monday radio show that it looks like Freeney might miss a significant amount of time due to his injury.
The Colts entered Sunday's game against San Diego already missing 6 starters due to injury. That's not including starting DT Anthony McFarland and starting LB Rob Morris who were already lost for the season and placed on IR due to injuries. 3 more Indy starters (LT Charlie Johnson, RT Ryan Diem, and DE Dwight Freeney) left Sunday's game with injuries. That means that Indy has now lost a total of 11 starters due to injury.
There has been no update yet on the status of the injured Colts players for next week's game. It is believed that injured WR Marvin Harrison may have been able to play in the San Diego game but the Colts' coaching staff didn't want to risk his health.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Week 10 Power Rankings
1) New England Patriots: Even God needed a day of rest. The Patriots enjoyed the bye in week 10.
2) Dallas Cowboys: The offense just keeps looking better. The defense will need to improve if the Cowboys hope to compete with New England in the Super Bowl.
3) Green Bay Packers: It looks like Green Bay may have found a running back. We'll find out who is the best team in the NFC in week 13 when the Packers travel to Dallas.
4) Pittsburgh Steelers: I still think Pittsburgh is a good team, but it just doesn't look like they are getting better like Dallas and Green Bay.
5) Jacksonville Jaguars: They went in to Tennessee and beat the Titans this week. They are definitely the best team in the AFC South right now.
6) New York Giants: Eli looked shaky again, but the Giants have all the other pieces in place.
7) Tennessee Titans: Vince Young might cost the Titans more games than he wins for them. Luckily, the Titan defense is good enough to make up for most of Vince's mistakes.
8) Cleveland Browns: If they had a defense, they could play with anybody. Unfortunately, their defense is horrible.
9) Indianapolis Colts: Too many injuries and not enough depth. They're playing guys who were on their practice squad just a few weeks ago. Poor play, an inadvertent whistle, and a mysterious movement of the chains didn't do anything to help the Colts, either. It looks like the Colts have lost their mojo.
10) San Diego Chargers: The Chargers are like a box of chocolates, "you never know what you're gonna get." I thought about ranking them higher but they barely beat Indy with Peyton Manning throwing 6 interceptions, an inadvertent whistle, the refs mishandling the chains on a crucial 3rd down play, and Adam Vinatieri missing a chip shot game winning field goal.
2) Dallas Cowboys: The offense just keeps looking better. The defense will need to improve if the Cowboys hope to compete with New England in the Super Bowl.
3) Green Bay Packers: It looks like Green Bay may have found a running back. We'll find out who is the best team in the NFC in week 13 when the Packers travel to Dallas.
4) Pittsburgh Steelers: I still think Pittsburgh is a good team, but it just doesn't look like they are getting better like Dallas and Green Bay.
5) Jacksonville Jaguars: They went in to Tennessee and beat the Titans this week. They are definitely the best team in the AFC South right now.
6) New York Giants: Eli looked shaky again, but the Giants have all the other pieces in place.
7) Tennessee Titans: Vince Young might cost the Titans more games than he wins for them. Luckily, the Titan defense is good enough to make up for most of Vince's mistakes.
8) Cleveland Browns: If they had a defense, they could play with anybody. Unfortunately, their defense is horrible.
9) Indianapolis Colts: Too many injuries and not enough depth. They're playing guys who were on their practice squad just a few weeks ago. Poor play, an inadvertent whistle, and a mysterious movement of the chains didn't do anything to help the Colts, either. It looks like the Colts have lost their mojo.
10) San Diego Chargers: The Chargers are like a box of chocolates, "you never know what you're gonna get." I thought about ranking them higher but they barely beat Indy with Peyton Manning throwing 6 interceptions, an inadvertent whistle, the refs mishandling the chains on a crucial 3rd down play, and Adam Vinatieri missing a chip shot game winning field goal.
Week 10 Observations
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1) The St. Louis Rams won a game. That leaves Miami as the only winless team left in the NFL. Too bad the Dolphins can't draft a head coach with the #1 pick.
2) The Packers seem to have found a running back in Ryan Grant. Is it just me, or does Ryan look a lot faster than he did at Notre Dame.
3) I bet the Vikings are breathing a huge sigh of relief now that they know Adrian Peterson's knee injury isn't season ending. The Vikes have nothing without Peterson.
4) Cleveland's loss to Pittsburgh probably cost the Browns any chance they had to win the AFC North. But, they still have a decent chance to make the playoffs. Take a look at their remaining schedule. The Browns' offense is good enough to win all of those remaining games.
5) The Colts better hope they start getting healthy really fast. Their AFC South lead is shrinking and they look absolutely pathetic right now.
6) I wonder if the Browns will trade one of their quarterbacks this off-season to try and get some help for their defense. Something tells me if they do, they will probably trade the wrong guy.
7) The Tampa bay Buccaneers are the only team with a winning record (5-4) that the Detroit Lions have beaten this season. The Lions still have to play the Giants (6-3), the Cowboys (8-1), the Chargers (5-4), and the Packers twice (8-1). I think the Lions will be lucky to finish above .500. I do not think the Lions will make the playoffs.
8) The Monday night game this week is the 49ers vs. Seahawks. Yawn.
1) The St. Louis Rams won a game. That leaves Miami as the only winless team left in the NFL. Too bad the Dolphins can't draft a head coach with the #1 pick.
2) The Packers seem to have found a running back in Ryan Grant. Is it just me, or does Ryan look a lot faster than he did at Notre Dame.
3) I bet the Vikings are breathing a huge sigh of relief now that they know Adrian Peterson's knee injury isn't season ending. The Vikes have nothing without Peterson.
4) Cleveland's loss to Pittsburgh probably cost the Browns any chance they had to win the AFC North. But, they still have a decent chance to make the playoffs. Take a look at their remaining schedule. The Browns' offense is good enough to win all of those remaining games.
5) The Colts better hope they start getting healthy really fast. Their AFC South lead is shrinking and they look absolutely pathetic right now.
6) I wonder if the Browns will trade one of their quarterbacks this off-season to try and get some help for their defense. Something tells me if they do, they will probably trade the wrong guy.
7) The Tampa bay Buccaneers are the only team with a winning record (5-4) that the Detroit Lions have beaten this season. The Lions still have to play the Giants (6-3), the Cowboys (8-1), the Chargers (5-4), and the Packers twice (8-1). I think the Lions will be lucky to finish above .500. I do not think the Lions will make the playoffs.
8) The Monday night game this week is the 49ers vs. Seahawks. Yawn.
Friday, November 9, 2007
Gone A Few Days
There won't be any posts for a couple of days. I will be out of town on a fishing trip. I hope everybody has a good weekend. I should be back Monday.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
11/08/07: OUCH!!!
Well, the University of Kentucky men's basketball team started out slow again last night. This time, however, they were unable to recover.
Gardner-Webb went into Rupp Arena last night and beat Kentucky 84-68 in Billy Gillespie's second game as head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats. Kentucky didn't look too good, but you have to give Gardner-Webb some credit. The Bulldogs came into Rupp and played a heck of a game.
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Here are some of my thoughts on the game:
1) This is the second game in a row now that I thought Kentucky's offense looked broken. The Wildcats pass and move without the ball OK, but nobody seems to want to try and attack the opposing defense with dribbling penetration. The ball just moves around the perimeter until somebody throws a bad pass or settles for a jumpshot.
2) Kentucky needs to work on making sure somebody gets back on defense after they take a long shot on offense. There were several times last night that Gardner Webb beat Kentucky back down the floor for an easy bucket.
3) I was super impressed with Alex Legion again. Alex went 3-4 from behind the arc and scored a total of 13 pounts in 17 minutes of play. Alex also had 3 steals in the game. More than that though, I thought the Wildcats looked better with Alex on the floor. I think Billy may have to find a way to get this kid some more PT.
4) Joe Crawford had an off night. Joe only shot 2-10 from the field and had only 4 points in the game. One of my buddies says that Joe will be the key to the Wildcats success this year. He always says, "As Joe goes, so go the Wildcats." I haven't seen anything yet to convince me that my buddy is wrong about that.
5) I think Kentucky needs to give Patterson more opportunities with the ball. Patrick looked pretty good in the low post last night (12 points, 12 rebounds), they just didn't get him the ball enough.
6) Jodie Meeks had another off night too. Jodie ended up with 9 points, but he only shot 4-15 from the field. It doesn't look like Kentucky can afford to have Crawford and Meeks both have bad nights in the same game.
7) I thought Ramel Bradley played pretty well. He finished with 24 points on 4-11 shooting from the field. But, Ramel went 14-14 from the free throw line. He seems to be the only Wildcat that is getting fouled.
8) Kentucky only had 3 players get to the free throw line last night. Bradley went 14-14 from the line, Patterson went 2-2, and Legion went 2-4. I think that statistic tells you something about how the Wildcat offense is performing. They are not attacking the opposing defense.
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Kentucky fans need to relax and not freak out too much over this loss. Gardner-Webb is a tough opponent for a young team trying to learn a new system to have to play this early in the year. The Wildcats will get better as the players start feeling more comfortable in Gillespie's system. I think you will also see a drastic improvement on offense once Gillespie gets a better handle on his player rotations. And don't forget, Harris and Jasper will make a difference when they come back from their injuries.
I'm not saying Kentucky is going to be a great team this year. I'm just saying that we should be patient and give the team some time to gel. I think we all know the Wildcats will have their work cut out for them if they want to make the NCAA tournament this year. I mean lets face it, Tubby didn't exactly leave the cupboards fully stocked.
Gardner-Webb went into Rupp Arena last night and beat Kentucky 84-68 in Billy Gillespie's second game as head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats. Kentucky didn't look too good, but you have to give Gardner-Webb some credit. The Bulldogs came into Rupp and played a heck of a game.
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Here are some of my thoughts on the game:
1) This is the second game in a row now that I thought Kentucky's offense looked broken. The Wildcats pass and move without the ball OK, but nobody seems to want to try and attack the opposing defense with dribbling penetration. The ball just moves around the perimeter until somebody throws a bad pass or settles for a jumpshot.
2) Kentucky needs to work on making sure somebody gets back on defense after they take a long shot on offense. There were several times last night that Gardner Webb beat Kentucky back down the floor for an easy bucket.
3) I was super impressed with Alex Legion again. Alex went 3-4 from behind the arc and scored a total of 13 pounts in 17 minutes of play. Alex also had 3 steals in the game. More than that though, I thought the Wildcats looked better with Alex on the floor. I think Billy may have to find a way to get this kid some more PT.
4) Joe Crawford had an off night. Joe only shot 2-10 from the field and had only 4 points in the game. One of my buddies says that Joe will be the key to the Wildcats success this year. He always says, "As Joe goes, so go the Wildcats." I haven't seen anything yet to convince me that my buddy is wrong about that.
5) I think Kentucky needs to give Patterson more opportunities with the ball. Patrick looked pretty good in the low post last night (12 points, 12 rebounds), they just didn't get him the ball enough.
6) Jodie Meeks had another off night too. Jodie ended up with 9 points, but he only shot 4-15 from the field. It doesn't look like Kentucky can afford to have Crawford and Meeks both have bad nights in the same game.
7) I thought Ramel Bradley played pretty well. He finished with 24 points on 4-11 shooting from the field. But, Ramel went 14-14 from the free throw line. He seems to be the only Wildcat that is getting fouled.
8) Kentucky only had 3 players get to the free throw line last night. Bradley went 14-14 from the line, Patterson went 2-2, and Legion went 2-4. I think that statistic tells you something about how the Wildcat offense is performing. They are not attacking the opposing defense.
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Kentucky fans need to relax and not freak out too much over this loss. Gardner-Webb is a tough opponent for a young team trying to learn a new system to have to play this early in the year. The Wildcats will get better as the players start feeling more comfortable in Gillespie's system. I think you will also see a drastic improvement on offense once Gillespie gets a better handle on his player rotations. And don't forget, Harris and Jasper will make a difference when they come back from their injuries.
I'm not saying Kentucky is going to be a great team this year. I'm just saying that we should be patient and give the team some time to gel. I think we all know the Wildcats will have their work cut out for them if they want to make the NCAA tournament this year. I mean lets face it, Tubby didn't exactly leave the cupboards fully stocked.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Gillespie Wins His First!!!
The Kentucky Wildcats started their season on the right foot tonight with a 67-40 victory over Central Arkansas in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.
Joe Crawford led all scorers with 20 points in only 18 minutes of playing time. Joe didn't start the game, but he sure made a difference when he got on the floor. Mark Coury played out of his mind. Coury finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds in 36 minutes. Coury contributed a lot more than just numbers, though. He was the Wildcats low post presence for most of the first half with Patterson on the bench with foul trouble. Ramel Bradley was the 3rd leading scorer for the Cats with 10 points in 30 minutes.
The Wildcats looked out of sync when the game started. Mark Coury basically carried Kentucky in the beginning by scoring 10 of the Wildcats first 12 points. Patrick Patterson got 2 early fouls and went to the bench before he ever really got a chance to get a feel for the game. When Crawford finally got on the floor everything started to come together and the Wildcats started to pull away.
I was surprised to see Jared Carter on the floor for the Wildcats because I had heard that he was still having problems with his shoulder. Carter only played 2 minutes, though.
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Overall I was pretty pleased with what I saw. I don't think we should expect Kentucky to contend for the SEC title this year, but I saw some good things.
The Wildcats had 10 players who saw more than 10 minutes of action in the game. I was worried that the bench might be a little short with Harris and Jasper out with injuries, but that didn't seem to be the case. I thought Gillespie did a nice job of rotating players and sticking with the hot hands.
I was really impressed with what I saw from Alex Legion. Alex only played 13 minutes and scored 6 points but I swear I saw flashes of Derek Anderson in his game. That is a good thing as far as I'm concerned.
Mark Coury also impressed the hell out of me. Mark hustled all over the floor. Speaking of reminding me of somebody, I saw a little Gimel Martinez in Coury's game tonight. Good things will happen for UK if we can get that kind of hustle from Coury all year.
Patrick Patterson never seemed to really get a feel for the game tonight but he did show flashes in the 2nd half. I'm sure he will improve greatly as the season goes on.
Jodie Meeks had an off night only scoring 5 points, all from the free throw line. I'm not worried about Jodie, we all know what he can do.
Michael Porter played 24 minutes and didn't score any points. He passed up quite a few shots for some reason. He didn't score, but he put some good defensive pressure on the ball.
Mike Williams played 19 solid minutes. Williams only scored 4 points and had 5 rebounds but he gave Kentucky a solid presence in the lane. I was pleased with his performance.
Ramel Bradley turned in a solid performance as well. He only had 10 points in 30 minutes but he played hard on offense and defense.
Perry Stevenson played 11 minutes and gave UK a spark off the bench with a real nice dunk for his only basket of the game.
Freshman Kerry Benson played 14 minutes and hit a nice 3 pointer. I thought Kerry played well.
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Kentucky will face Gardner-Webb tomorrow night at 9:00 pm Eastern. The game is scheduled to air on ESPNU.
Joe Crawford led all scorers with 20 points in only 18 minutes of playing time. Joe didn't start the game, but he sure made a difference when he got on the floor. Mark Coury played out of his mind. Coury finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds in 36 minutes. Coury contributed a lot more than just numbers, though. He was the Wildcats low post presence for most of the first half with Patterson on the bench with foul trouble. Ramel Bradley was the 3rd leading scorer for the Cats with 10 points in 30 minutes.
The Wildcats looked out of sync when the game started. Mark Coury basically carried Kentucky in the beginning by scoring 10 of the Wildcats first 12 points. Patrick Patterson got 2 early fouls and went to the bench before he ever really got a chance to get a feel for the game. When Crawford finally got on the floor everything started to come together and the Wildcats started to pull away.
I was surprised to see Jared Carter on the floor for the Wildcats because I had heard that he was still having problems with his shoulder. Carter only played 2 minutes, though.
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Overall I was pretty pleased with what I saw. I don't think we should expect Kentucky to contend for the SEC title this year, but I saw some good things.
The Wildcats had 10 players who saw more than 10 minutes of action in the game. I was worried that the bench might be a little short with Harris and Jasper out with injuries, but that didn't seem to be the case. I thought Gillespie did a nice job of rotating players and sticking with the hot hands.
I was really impressed with what I saw from Alex Legion. Alex only played 13 minutes and scored 6 points but I swear I saw flashes of Derek Anderson in his game. That is a good thing as far as I'm concerned.
Mark Coury also impressed the hell out of me. Mark hustled all over the floor. Speaking of reminding me of somebody, I saw a little Gimel Martinez in Coury's game tonight. Good things will happen for UK if we can get that kind of hustle from Coury all year.
Patrick Patterson never seemed to really get a feel for the game tonight but he did show flashes in the 2nd half. I'm sure he will improve greatly as the season goes on.
Jodie Meeks had an off night only scoring 5 points, all from the free throw line. I'm not worried about Jodie, we all know what he can do.
Michael Porter played 24 minutes and didn't score any points. He passed up quite a few shots for some reason. He didn't score, but he put some good defensive pressure on the ball.
Mike Williams played 19 solid minutes. Williams only scored 4 points and had 5 rebounds but he gave Kentucky a solid presence in the lane. I was pleased with his performance.
Ramel Bradley turned in a solid performance as well. He only had 10 points in 30 minutes but he played hard on offense and defense.
Perry Stevenson played 11 minutes and gave UK a spark off the bench with a real nice dunk for his only basket of the game.
Freshman Kerry Benson played 14 minutes and hit a nice 3 pointer. I thought Kerry played well.
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Kentucky will face Gardner-Webb tomorrow night at 9:00 pm Eastern. The game is scheduled to air on ESPNU.
Monday, November 5, 2007
11/05/07: Kentucky Basketball Update
6'7" forward Ramon Harris suffered a stress fracture to his left foot in Saturday's exhibition win over Seattle. An exact timetable for Harris' return has not been determined but it looks like Harris will probably miss at least the first half of the season. This is a setback for a Kentucky team that was already thin in the frontline. Harris had started the first 2 preseason games for Kentucky and was a projected starter for the regular season opener.
There hasn't been a lot discussion on the progress of injured players Derrik Jasper and Jared Carter, but the rumors are that neither of them will be playing anytime soon. In a recent interview with the Herald-Leader Coach Gillespie didn't sound too optimistic about either player returning to the lineup in the near future.
UK seniors Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford were voted by the league coaches to the pre-season All Southeastern Conference squad.
The Kentucky men's basketball team will start the season ranked #20 in the AP poll.
Kentucky's season opener tomorrow night against Central Arkansas is scheduled to be shown live on ESPNU at 7:00 pm Eastern.
It is being reported that former UK recruit Tyler Zeller has verbally committed to North Carolina.
There hasn't been a lot discussion on the progress of injured players Derrik Jasper and Jared Carter, but the rumors are that neither of them will be playing anytime soon. In a recent interview with the Herald-Leader Coach Gillespie didn't sound too optimistic about either player returning to the lineup in the near future.
UK seniors Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford were voted by the league coaches to the pre-season All Southeastern Conference squad.
The Kentucky men's basketball team will start the season ranked #20 in the AP poll.
Kentucky's season opener tomorrow night against Central Arkansas is scheduled to be shown live on ESPNU at 7:00 pm Eastern.
It is being reported that former UK recruit Tyler Zeller has verbally committed to North Carolina.
Colts vs. Patriots Recap
I guess I'm in the minority because I just didn't see the game that everybody else apparently saw yesterday. You would think from listening to radio guys like Colin Cow(shit for brains)herd that the Patriots manhandled the Colts up and down the field. All these so-called football experts are already handing the Lombardi Trophy to Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft. I'm sorry, but I just don't think the Patriots are that much better than the Colts.
If there is one thing I learned from watching Sunday's match-up it was that we can expect a totally different game in January when these teams meet again in the AFC Championship game.
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Here are 5 reasons why I don't think we will see the same type of game in the January rematch:
1) The Weather: Massachusetts in January is nothing like the climate controlled RCA Dome. But remember, the weather affects both teams. History has shown us over the years that the deep ball isn't as easy to throw and catch when you are trying to do it outside in the wind and the cold. I suspect that both teams' passing attacks will look quite different in round 2. Lets not forget that the Patriots had trouble moving the ball against the Colts in yesterday's game until Tom Brady discovered he could beat the Colts' DBs deep. It won't be as easy to go deep in January. I expect the 2nd game to be much more of a defensive slugfest. I am going to have to give the Patriots the edge on this one in the 2nd game because I think their defense is better equipped to play in bad weather.
2) Officiating: Even a true blue Colts fan knows the Patriots were the victims of some pretty bad pass interference calls in yesterday's game. And Colts fans know what bad officiating in a Colts/Patriots game looks like, believe me. Seriously though, the officiating crew will not be as bad in January. You can't tell me that the officials didn't cost the Pats some points yesterday. I don't think either team will gain an advantage from good officiating. Let's call this one even.
3) Injuries: The Colts played the game yesterday without 4 key starters. Marvin Harrison, Tony Ugoh, Tyjuan Hagler, and Freddie Keiaho were all out. Colts slot receiver Anthony Gonzalez also dislocated his thumb on the Colts first offensive play and was unable to finish the game. You might remember that Gonzalez is the guy who dropped the touchdown pass. It turns out he was playing with a dislocated thumb, so I guess I probably owe him an apology. If you don't think those key injuries affected how the Colts played then you are as dumb as Colin Cowheard. How do you think the Pats would have done if they had to play without Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Matt Light, Mike Vrabel, and Tedy Bruschi? You get my point. If the Colts enter the rematch with all of their key players healthy then I think I would have to give them a slight edge in this department.
4) Coaching: I guarantee you that Bill Belichick will have a better game plan for attacking the Colts defense next time. I actually think the Patriots were caught off guard this time with how well the Colts defense played. I guarantee you that Belichick won't make the same mistake again. In fact, I'm pretty sure the Pats coaching staff figured out the Colts defensive weakness with somewhere around 9:00 minutes left to play in yesterday's game. I just don't think the Colts' coaching staff is in the same league as the Patriots' staff. So I am fairly confidant the Colts will be totally surprised by whatever game plan the Pats come up with for the rematch. The Pats will probably be up by 2 touchdowns before Tony Dungy knows what hit him. I give this category emphatically to the Pats.
5) Conditioning: Both teams looked tired and slow at times in yesterday's game. But, the Colts defense looked absolutely drained in the 4th quarter. I don't think Tony Dungy will let that happen again. Unfortunately for the Colts, I think the cold weather in Foxborough will affect their conditioning much more than it will affect the Patriots. I give the edge here to the Patriots because of their depth. The Colts just don't have the same quality of back-ups as the Patriots do.
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OK. So, if you take a close look at my 5 key points that I listed above I think you will see that I think the Pats will probably win the rematch in January. But, the wildcard will be injuries. If the Colts enter the game with everybody healthy then I think the rematch could be really interesting. I definitely think that the Colts need a healthy Tony Ugoh and Marvin Harrison to have any chance. Unfortunately, Ugoh and Harrison are both suffering from the kind of injuries that tend to linger for a long time.
My prediction for the January rematch if the Colts aren't healthy: Patriots 21 Colts 10
My prediction for the January rematch if the Colts are healthy: Colts 20 Patriots 17
If there is one thing I learned from watching Sunday's match-up it was that we can expect a totally different game in January when these teams meet again in the AFC Championship game.
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Here are 5 reasons why I don't think we will see the same type of game in the January rematch:
1) The Weather: Massachusetts in January is nothing like the climate controlled RCA Dome. But remember, the weather affects both teams. History has shown us over the years that the deep ball isn't as easy to throw and catch when you are trying to do it outside in the wind and the cold. I suspect that both teams' passing attacks will look quite different in round 2. Lets not forget that the Patriots had trouble moving the ball against the Colts in yesterday's game until Tom Brady discovered he could beat the Colts' DBs deep. It won't be as easy to go deep in January. I expect the 2nd game to be much more of a defensive slugfest. I am going to have to give the Patriots the edge on this one in the 2nd game because I think their defense is better equipped to play in bad weather.
2) Officiating: Even a true blue Colts fan knows the Patriots were the victims of some pretty bad pass interference calls in yesterday's game. And Colts fans know what bad officiating in a Colts/Patriots game looks like, believe me. Seriously though, the officiating crew will not be as bad in January. You can't tell me that the officials didn't cost the Pats some points yesterday. I don't think either team will gain an advantage from good officiating. Let's call this one even.
3) Injuries: The Colts played the game yesterday without 4 key starters. Marvin Harrison, Tony Ugoh, Tyjuan Hagler, and Freddie Keiaho were all out. Colts slot receiver Anthony Gonzalez also dislocated his thumb on the Colts first offensive play and was unable to finish the game. You might remember that Gonzalez is the guy who dropped the touchdown pass. It turns out he was playing with a dislocated thumb, so I guess I probably owe him an apology. If you don't think those key injuries affected how the Colts played then you are as dumb as Colin Cowheard. How do you think the Pats would have done if they had to play without Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Matt Light, Mike Vrabel, and Tedy Bruschi? You get my point. If the Colts enter the rematch with all of their key players healthy then I think I would have to give them a slight edge in this department.
4) Coaching: I guarantee you that Bill Belichick will have a better game plan for attacking the Colts defense next time. I actually think the Patriots were caught off guard this time with how well the Colts defense played. I guarantee you that Belichick won't make the same mistake again. In fact, I'm pretty sure the Pats coaching staff figured out the Colts defensive weakness with somewhere around 9:00 minutes left to play in yesterday's game. I just don't think the Colts' coaching staff is in the same league as the Patriots' staff. So I am fairly confidant the Colts will be totally surprised by whatever game plan the Pats come up with for the rematch. The Pats will probably be up by 2 touchdowns before Tony Dungy knows what hit him. I give this category emphatically to the Pats.
5) Conditioning: Both teams looked tired and slow at times in yesterday's game. But, the Colts defense looked absolutely drained in the 4th quarter. I don't think Tony Dungy will let that happen again. Unfortunately for the Colts, I think the cold weather in Foxborough will affect their conditioning much more than it will affect the Patriots. I give the edge here to the Patriots because of their depth. The Colts just don't have the same quality of back-ups as the Patriots do.
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OK. So, if you take a close look at my 5 key points that I listed above I think you will see that I think the Pats will probably win the rematch in January. But, the wildcard will be injuries. If the Colts enter the game with everybody healthy then I think the rematch could be really interesting. I definitely think that the Colts need a healthy Tony Ugoh and Marvin Harrison to have any chance. Unfortunately, Ugoh and Harrison are both suffering from the kind of injuries that tend to linger for a long time.
My prediction for the January rematch if the Colts aren't healthy: Patriots 21 Colts 10
My prediction for the January rematch if the Colts are healthy: Colts 20 Patriots 17
Week 9 Power Rankings
1) New England Patriots: It took them 3 quarters but they finally figured out where the Colts weaknesses were in the 4th quarter.
2) Indianapolis Colts: The good news is that they played well enough to beat the Patriots even with 4 starters missing because of injuries. The bad news is they lost a game that they should have won and will now probably have to travel to Foxborough in January.
3) Pittsburgh Steelers: They have a tough Division game tonight against the Ravens, but they should win easily. I just don't think they are in the same class as the Patriots and Colts.
4) Dallas Cowboys: I still think they are the team to beat in the NFC.
5) Tennessee Titans: I have Pittsburgh ranked ahead of them only because I think the Steelers have a better quarterback. I'm just not sold on Vince Young.
6) Green Bay Packers: They still have Brett Favre and an underrated defense. I can't wait to see them play the Cowboys and the Lions.
7) New York Giants: Eli is playing better this year and their defense is fun to watch. I wouldn't count them out just yet.
8) Detroit Lions: They can't be ignored anymore. I'm still not convinced they are a true contender, but they are 6-2 and deserve some credit.
9) Cleveland Browns: If they only had a defense. I wonder when the last time was that anybody had Cleveland ranked in their top ten power rankings?
10) Jacksonville Jaguars: I know they got their butt kicked yesterday by the Saints, but I still think they are a playoff team. They'll be much better once David Garrard returns from injury.
2) Indianapolis Colts: The good news is that they played well enough to beat the Patriots even with 4 starters missing because of injuries. The bad news is they lost a game that they should have won and will now probably have to travel to Foxborough in January.
3) Pittsburgh Steelers: They have a tough Division game tonight against the Ravens, but they should win easily. I just don't think they are in the same class as the Patriots and Colts.
4) Dallas Cowboys: I still think they are the team to beat in the NFC.
5) Tennessee Titans: I have Pittsburgh ranked ahead of them only because I think the Steelers have a better quarterback. I'm just not sold on Vince Young.
6) Green Bay Packers: They still have Brett Favre and an underrated defense. I can't wait to see them play the Cowboys and the Lions.
7) New York Giants: Eli is playing better this year and their defense is fun to watch. I wouldn't count them out just yet.
8) Detroit Lions: They can't be ignored anymore. I'm still not convinced they are a true contender, but they are 6-2 and deserve some credit.
9) Cleveland Browns: If they only had a defense. I wonder when the last time was that anybody had Cleveland ranked in their top ten power rankings?
10) Jacksonville Jaguars: I know they got their butt kicked yesterday by the Saints, but I still think they are a playoff team. They'll be much better once David Garrard returns from injury.
Week 9 Observations
1) Congratulations to the Patriots. They went in to Indy and won the only tough game on their schedule this year. But I wouldn't get too excited if I were a New England fan. The Colts outplayed New England for 3 quarters and had the Pats down by 10 points in the 4th quarter. The Colts were able to do that without 4 key starters, the biggest of which was Marvin Harrison. If Aaron Moorehead makes a few catches or if Charlie Johnson makes a block the Colts probably win that game.
2) I think the Patriots just clinched home field throughout the playoffs. I wonder how their deep passing game will work in Foxborough in January?
3) The Browns beat Seattle and improve to 5-3. This isn't the same Browns team that lost to Pittsburgh 34-7 in week 1. We'll find out how much they have improved next week when they face the Steelers again, this time in Pittsburgh.
4) The Titans beat Carolina and improved to 6-2. Vince Young passed for 110 yards and threw 2 interceptions. I'm sorry, but Vince doesn't seem to be getting any better. The Titans are 6-2 so I can't be too negative here, but I wonder what their record would be if Kerry Collins were starting.
5) 296 yards rushing in one game for Adrian Peterson!! That guy is impressive. The most special thing about what he is doing is that he is doing it without a passing game. Imagine what kind of numbers Peterson could put up if defenses actually had any respect for the Vikings' passing game.
6) Does anybody else wonder what Norv Turner will be doing for a living this time next year?
7) Buffalo beats Cincinnati. The Bills are still the only team from the AFC LEAST besides New England to beat a team outside of their own Division.
8) OK. I hate to do it but I am going to give Detroit some credit. They beat Denver 44-7 yesterday. I honestly thought Denver would win that game. Detroit is now 6-2 and looks like they might be the 3rd best team in the NFC.
9) Green Bay is still chugging along under the radar. They play Detroit in week 12 and Dallas in week 13. We'll know a lot more about Green Bay's defense after those 2 games.
10) The Saints absolutely hammered the Jaguars yesterday. I'm not sure the Jags would have won that game even if Garrard had played. Quinn Gray threw 3 interceptions, but where was the Jaguar defense? The Jags defense gave up 538 total yards to the Saints. I don't care who your quarterback is, its tough to win when your defense is that porous.
2) I think the Patriots just clinched home field throughout the playoffs. I wonder how their deep passing game will work in Foxborough in January?
3) The Browns beat Seattle and improve to 5-3. This isn't the same Browns team that lost to Pittsburgh 34-7 in week 1. We'll find out how much they have improved next week when they face the Steelers again, this time in Pittsburgh.
4) The Titans beat Carolina and improved to 6-2. Vince Young passed for 110 yards and threw 2 interceptions. I'm sorry, but Vince doesn't seem to be getting any better. The Titans are 6-2 so I can't be too negative here, but I wonder what their record would be if Kerry Collins were starting.
5) 296 yards rushing in one game for Adrian Peterson!! That guy is impressive. The most special thing about what he is doing is that he is doing it without a passing game. Imagine what kind of numbers Peterson could put up if defenses actually had any respect for the Vikings' passing game.
6) Does anybody else wonder what Norv Turner will be doing for a living this time next year?
7) Buffalo beats Cincinnati. The Bills are still the only team from the AFC LEAST besides New England to beat a team outside of their own Division.
8) OK. I hate to do it but I am going to give Detroit some credit. They beat Denver 44-7 yesterday. I honestly thought Denver would win that game. Detroit is now 6-2 and looks like they might be the 3rd best team in the NFC.
9) Green Bay is still chugging along under the radar. They play Detroit in week 12 and Dallas in week 13. We'll know a lot more about Green Bay's defense after those 2 games.
10) The Saints absolutely hammered the Jaguars yesterday. I'm not sure the Jags would have won that game even if Garrard had played. Quinn Gray threw 3 interceptions, but where was the Jaguar defense? The Jags defense gave up 538 total yards to the Saints. I don't care who your quarterback is, its tough to win when your defense is that porous.
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