The College Football thread

“No, I just thought it was cute and funny. I was actually doing a image search for "Georgia Bulldogs suck" and this came up too. Couldn't resist.”

“I AM SHOCKED! SHOCKED I AM!

Actually, it was hard to type chuckling over that picture.

Didn't Buddha post that two years ago? CLASSY.


I did find this title when I did a search. Why didn't you post this one?

Why do the Georgia Bulldogs suck so much (just like the Oklahoma Sooners and Michigan)?
last edited: 11/02/08 6:51:07 AM”

“Obviously the Gators wouldn't stand a chance against the Red Raider's passing attack and that tenacious D line.”

“Obviously.”

“Didn't Buddha post that two years ago? CLASSY.

I generally don't read that peckerhead's posts. :)”

“And this year, apparently, YOU WON'T HAVE TO!”

“Word on the streets is he's in a Cuban training camp preparing for civil war and martial law if Obama loses the election. I have heard he is excelling in the flag burning and purse swinging sections of his training.”

“That'll be great practice for the next The Ohio State riot.”

“We would have fun. If I went to the game and didn't take my wife, I'd get major couch time. She's almost as big of a fan as I am. She gets much more animated than I do too.”

“The last couple plays of the UT - Tech game were frustrating for me. First the deflected pass goes right between the hands of a UT defender and then on the last play, both defenders move between the receiver and the ball. That's just poor coverage. When anything short of a TD is a win for the defense - having neither of two defenders position themselves between the receiver and the TD line is a major fu.... err mess up.”

“As for the Rutgers Princeton game, like I said - people can argue about what the defining characteristic of American football that separates it from soccer.

I think there are three legitimate places to draw the line:

1) Players can run while holding the ball.
2) The development of a line of scrimage.
3) A system of limited downs.

The Rutgers Princeton game had none of these three elements. It was played according to European Football rules of the time - so I argue it closer to soccer. It would qualify if the line is drawn at all players being allowed to handle the ball and players allowed to block and tackle each other.

Harvard-McGill and Harvard-Tufts are claimed by some football historians and that works if the line is at #1 people being allowed to run while holding the ball.


If you want to draw the line at hands on the ball and hands on opponents. I can't really rebut it, it just doesn't make sense to me. But if that's your definition of football, you are right in your claim for Rutgers-Princeton.
last edited: 11/02/08 11:47:19 AM”

“Hey, at least KU can beat K-State.
The defense is still pretty porous, but it was a blast of a game. The purple came in talkin' the trash and walked out with their mildcat tails between their legs.
Now, on to bigger and better games....”

“BBC segment on last years Bama/Auburn game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcWfSN9eC7A”

“Seems weird that he would find it all so strange and somewhat silly considering the brits and their soccer. Over there fans join firms (team gangs) and beat the shyt out of each other and riot to the point the Queen threatened to shut the whole system down. And we're strange? LOL!”

“Don't know if I have been scoped yet or not. Here ya go Chili

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3679810”

“BSU-49 new mexico state-000000!!!!

that puts BSU @ #11 IN THE NATION!!!!

what do ya' think of that, a WAC team being #11 in the nation”

“It's always nice to know what you think, pedxing. It's always nice to know what's going on in the pedxing universe.

When the sports almanac, and the entire sports world, thinks one way, and pedxing thinks another, it's always a tough choice to make...for you. I've seen this before.




So, dayhiker, what you're saying is that you don't want to bring your wife around me? Well, I guess I can understand that.”

“Thanks WK, I'd not seen that story yet. But, it's the right move - it's time (it's been time). Now, TN can start to really look forward again.”

“Yep, it's true.

However, I think the players were on strike for their refusals to score, over and over!
Keep the coach and can the players!”

“With the "what have you done for me lately" attitude in sports, it's amazing that Bobby Bowden and JOPA have managed to hang on.

Even though he won a MNC, it's hard to argue that Fulmer shouldn't step down.

Year after year I used to watch the recruiting rankings and be amazed that Tennessee had such fantastic talent. But they had trouble beating Florida after the teams started meeting every year.

You've got to be able to motivate your players, at least, for the big games.

Bear Bryant was able to motivate Alabama despite having no tradition of Heisman winners. A proud tradition that continues today.


I'll miss Phil. Tennessee should be able to attract someone who can actually start beating Florida and Alabama. I'll miss that sure win in October but I'll look forward to a resurgent Tennessee team.

I like the VOLS, I've always liked the VOLS! Please, great Gator in the sky, forgive me.”

“Bryant prefered to win NC. He had 0 Heismans and 6 NC. UF has 3 Heismans and 2 NC. I prefer our numbers.”

“When all you've got is lemons, make lemonade out of Bear Bryant's corpse.

Bryant won a lot of games and that led to popularity poll rankings.

Did you know that Georgia was ranked #6 and Florida was ranked #8, but the Gators were favored by 7.5 points? Of course you did. It happens all the time.

Winning the AP popularity poll is a hollow victory. It's just sad to watch.”

“Betting line and AP poll have nothing to do with each other.”

“Not a thing. Nope nothing. Neither one says anything about how good one team is against another. I couldn't agree more.”

“Just like on fuego, I'm going to stop feeding the trolls.
last edited: 11/03/08 12:04:02 PM”

“Year after year I used to watch the recruiting rankings and be amazed that Tennessee had such fantastic talent. But they had trouble beating Florida after the teams started meeting every year.

You've got to be able to motivate your players, at least, for the big games

arclite

that's been my beef with Fulmer since about his third season as head coach. He just wasn't able to get his teams to play up to their potential week in and week out. TN has developed a traditin of playing just good enough to barely beat whomever they were playing, most of the time.

With the talent they were able to recruit over the past decade they should have been much closer to several more than their solitary MNC.

So now - wonder who they'll hire? and can they get Coach Cutt back for a round 3?”

“That's probably a really good idea, dayhiker...considering you started this subject long ago.

HOOYAH!




Tennessee should able to hire one of the best, Mike. It's a great program that some great coach should just love to inherit.
last edited: 11/03/08 12:11:54 PM”

“It'll be interesting to see how they approach it. It's been about what 40 years since they had any real true new blood in that program.”

“But yet didn't bring it back up. I'll lay it out like this, you seem to feel the need to win in any encounter. You win. I like to joke and goof off about other teams. I'm not in your league, nor do I want to be. I like to keep things pretty low key and exchange friendly jabs. I don't enjoy swinging nor get swung at with baseball bats. I will exchange barbs and probably quickly bow out the next time you break out the bats. We're just wired different, and that's fine. I have no hard feelings, I just need to not take the bait and bow out more quickly next time.

PS, after all this time I still have a hard time swapping from arclite to the sports arclite.
last edited: 11/03/08 12:21:28 PM”

“I understand, dayhiker. I truly do.

I understand that's it's all fun and games as you demean my team's "tradition."

And I understand that it's all fun and games when you insult my university by saying that you don't believe what they print on their website.

And I understand that when I have fun poking at the way you think, you call me a dick.


There's nothing wrong with that now is there?
last edited: 11/03/08 12:52:59 PM”

“As I said, I can't tell when arclite turns off and the mean spirited football persona kicks in.”

“Please understand this, dayhiker: I am relentless. When someone attacks me I attack, attack, attack. It was probably always a part of my personality. Surely it was the way I was trained. I never quit. I never give up.

But it’s not always about winning. When I am wrong, I admit it. I grew up in an environment where we teased our friends. We teased our friends unmercifully. I think it was probably the way we tried to keep each other humble since our environment had a national reputation for being loud and arrogant. I ignore people I don’t particularly like.

I make every effort, daily, to check my motives and actions. Pride is a killer for my soul. I’ve got to admit mistakes. I am sorry if I pushed you beyond your comfort zone.

When I see prideful behavior, in people who I enjoy being with, I make fun of it. I can do that because I understand it. I live with it and I battle it every day. Excessive pride kills my soul. It kills everyone’s soul.

I’ve sort of giving up attacking pedxing. He’s a nice guy, but I’ve never met him. I’ve had a number of conversations with him where he’s been wrong and I’ve never seen him be able to admit it. I’ve given up on making fun of that. Some people lack the capacity to be honest with themselves and it’s not up to me to judge whether pedxing is one of those folks or not. He seems like a nice guy and I mostly leave him alone because he’s not trying to attack me or the things I love.

But not you, dayhiker. You felt free to attack some things I care deeply about. How many times have I seen you congratulate someone after his team beats yours? I say it happens every single time. You’re a wonderfully good sport. It seems to be a part of your character. But, now, we seem to have uncovered something.

Being a good sport also means, if you’re going to dish it out, you’ve got to take it.

I don’t care if someone tells me they were wrong. I don’t seek apologies. It’s important to be honest with ourselves.

And I honestly like you very much, you dick.
last edited: 11/03/08 1:40:31 PM”

“My son sent me a text message as soon as he got the news. I was in the field today and did not get to see, nor hear, the press conference.

From what I have heard since then, he seemed to blame it on the administration and the fans. That is sad. The fans didn't do him in, he did it himself.

His record with Coach Cutt was over 82%, without Coach Cutt, about 64%.

Having said that, they won't bring in Coach Cutt, nor Steve Spurrier...

...I am guessing Butch Davis is high on the list. Ever who it is, I hope they get them here quick.”

“Blameing it on the fans - in ANY shape, form or fashion is classless on Fulmer's part.

the espn guys mentioned the guy at Boise State along with some others. They likely wont do anythin till the season is over - nobody will let a coach come interview mid season. We'll have to wait.
last edited: 11/03/08 3:32:19 PM”

“word is the AU camp has their feelers out pretty seriously. Alot of noise in the system”

“I heard that phrase used on ESPN.

I'd just say that Auburn is playing badly. And that would be an understatement.

Not everyone was meant to run a spread.”

“¡°Blameing it on the fans - in ANY shape, form or fashion is classless on Fulmer's part.

They likely wont do anythin till the season is over - nobody will let a coach come interview mid season. We'll have to wait.
Mike P

I don't know Mike, there is no doubt the fans were the overwhelming catalyst that removed Fulmer. I believe Hamilton would have given him another year to straighten things out; especially with the new coaches on offense. Personally, I didn't take any offense to his comments given the absolute apathy and dismal support from the fans. Of course, who's to blame em given the overall performance of the Fulmer's team since 2000.

Also, I forsee that Hamilton has been working on this move for sometime. You didn't have to be a coach or even a sports fan to recognize early how sorry UT's offense (114th ranked out of 117) is and how impossible it would be to turn this season around. My guess is that Hamilton sent "feelers" out to 3-5 coaches shortly after the Auburn game. At this level they don't exactly interview and everything is done behind closed doors.”

“Actually, I meant to previously mention that I didn't hear Fulmer reference or blame anyone but himself. The only comment he made along those lines was that given time he could correct the problems. He handled himself with much class and displayed his love for UT.”

“Thanks Arc - I greatly appreciate the friendly condescension.

What's always amazed me about Arclite is how difficult he can be to engage in thought. He also prefers invoking authority, consensus and asserting superiority.

By the way Arc. If you want to avoid thinking about what makes American Football, Football - what are its defining features - something that requires original independent thought, not repetition, you might read some of your sources carefully, many of them are careful not to insist that the Princeton-Rutgers was American Football (as opposed to European Football).

Take for example the New World Encyclopedia:
"Today, Rutgers is popularly recognized as the "Birthplace of College Football." However, English Football Association rules were followed in this Princeton/Rutgers contest; participants were only allowed to kick the ball, not handle it; and each side had 25 men. Thus, some see the Princeton-Rutgers meeting of 1869 as the first intercollegiate game of "soccer" in America, but not American football (Smith 1988)."

"The first modern game

Harvard University and Tufts University played one of the "first" games that would be recognizable to modern fans as American football on June 4, 1875 at Jarvis Field in Cambridge, Mass., won by Tufts 1-0. A report of the outcome of this game appeared in the Boston Daily Globe on June 5, 1875. In the Tufts-Harvard game participants were allowed to pick up the ball and run with it, each side fielded 11 men, the ball carrier was stopped by knocking him down or "tackling" him, and the inflated ball was egg-shaped. A year prior to the Tufts-Harvard game, Harvard faced McGill University of Montreal, Canada on May 14, 1874 in a game under rules similar to the Tufts-Harvard game. To this day, Harvard, McGill, and Tufts continue to field football teams though they no longer play each other."”

“Or Arc, check this out:

"It is claimed that Rutgers University and Princeton University played the first game of college football on Nov. 6, 1869 in New Brunswick, New Jersey, won by Rutgers 6-4. However, the viewpoint that this particular game marks the beginning of American football is contested. The English Football (i.e., Soccer) Association rules were followed in the Princeton/Rutgers contest;[7] participants were only allowed to kick the ball; and each side had twenty five men. Some see the Princeton/Rutgers meeting of 1869 as the first intercollegiate game of "soccer" in America, but not American football [8]. Regardless, the 1869 game between Rutgers and Princeton is important in that it is the beginning of intercollegiate competition in any sport of football. In 1870, Rutgers invited Columbia for a game, and the popularity of intercollegiate competition in football would spread throughout the country.
Dartmouth College students played a football-like game now known as "Old Division Football," to which they published rules in 1871.
The "first" game of American football between two American teams is claimed to be the contest played between Tufts University and Harvard University on June 4, 1875 at Jarvis Field in Cambridge, Mass., won by Tufts 1-0 [8]. Jarvis Field was at the time located off Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, between Everett, Jarvis and Oxford Sts. which bordered the northern point of the Harvard campus."


If you want to just make this about dueling authorities, that's incredibly boring. I won't dig up any more. You can win the battle of who can cite bigger and better authorities. If you want to make this about thinking about what makes American Football unique and the critical line in the development of the sport is, that's more fun and I'll play.

Ever since we had the argument about syllogisms and Ayn Rand, I've found it challenging to try to get you think and reason instead of just cite authorities. I've usually failed. Perhaps I am wrong to do so, I'm not ready to admit defeat on that - yet.”

“trailhound, i didn't hear the conf, i was just reacting to chili's post about the fans comment.

The fans ARE a reason for making the move - without a doubt - the fans are also the ones paying the bills and buying the tickets. That being said, he's been the one making the coaching decisions and that's been unable to convert his recruited talent into a world class team.

The product on the field had been declinging for several years - the planets aligned last year to get into the championship game after a dismal start and then Hamilton overreacted and gave Phil the big extension. That was a mistake, to my mind at least.

Fulmer's been a great coach but for whatever reason has lost his touch at UT. Sometimes, it's time for a change.”

“Absolutely, Mike. The regular fans and the boosters. Those sneaky boosters always manage to have a say.

It's difficult for me to pinpoint a problem like that. Bowden and FSU have had a run at mediocrity. Penn. State had a nice run. But this year JOPA has turned it around.

Even though those two say they haven't, some coaches lose their enthusiasm. Maybe with those two it's the all-time record that keeps them going.

Spurrier lost his enthusiasm after his MNC. It was the steady grind of maintaining a high level of excellence that got to him.

Not many coaches have the fortitude to stick around for years and maintain a high level of excellence. Bryant certainly comes to mind, but I think it's much harder now in these days of parity. The coaches have to work extra hard to win games, go meet with boosters, keep the press happy, and spend a lot of time in the highly competitive area of recruiting.

Assistant coaches move like jumping beans and the good ones really make a difference in attitude, consistency, and intelligence.

People are impatient nowadays. They want things to happen immediately. Loyalty has diminished in many areas of society. It's almost a reflection of the workers who can't look forward to long-term job security with the same company like they used to.

But, you're right, the product has been declining. With the talent Tennessee has always managed to get, it's hard not to put the blame on how well Fulmer motivates his players.

It's tough even when you think it's the right call. Also, it's going to take at least until year two to install a new system. I was devastated when Spurrier left. Then I was elated when Meyer came on board.

I'm thinking that the all-time Florida/Tennessee rivalry will be 20-19 next year. And that's change we can all believe in.”

“arc - I'm just going to agree to disagree as I usually have to do with you. I can take the heat and disagree with what you said to the contrayr. You make things personal. In the last week you've made very rude comments to ped, Mike, and myself. I'll say more in reply to your email.”

“Goodbye to Phil Fulmer. The national championship was great. Hope nobody forgets the achievements.
Hey, Dayhiker, does that Number One ranking make you a little nervous?”

“Who's Phil Fulmer?”

“poor Phil get 6 MILLION dollars for being a sucky coach and retiring...awww I feel REAL bad for him...”

“I'm sure Houston Nutt will throw his hat in the ring.”

“Dayhiker, I guess we can all share that perspective since rude and insulting comments have been directed at me.

TRUCE!

I thought we were having fun. A number of folks seemed to be enjoying our comical give-and-take.

Don't make rude and insulting comments about my university lying, or having no tradition, and I won't make rude and insulting remarks about that thinking.




Man, Nigal has got to be busting at the seems. But...but...wait for it.
last edited: 11/04/08 7:57:02 AM”

“In the spirit of introspection, I think I'm letting personal and work issues make my skin way, way too thin. I won't make as much fun of UF as normal but reserve the right to refer to you as Richard ;)
last edited: 11/04/08 8:04:28 AM”