Life of the SportsGuy

Wouldn’t it be nice if the process of building a collegiate sports program in any way resembled that of the video game world?
Fans of the EA Sports video game series NCAA Football will testify that the process of building a team from also-ran to champion can be frustrating, but that, eventually, success can be achieved.
Video game success comes at far less of a price, both in terms of money and patience, than similar success in the real world of college sports.
There are no reset buttons in the real world. There’s no way to cheat the system and get great players. The process of cheating for recruits in the real world requires a web of lies and treachery, not fast digits on a control pad. And when the cheating is discovered in reality, penalties sting a lot more.
Of course the most difficult part of building a program is generating momentum and success.
In the video game world, players recruit and simulate through seasons to avoid having to try to play with their current roster, one that’s not in any way equipped to deal with the foes on the schedule.
Real world coaches face long hours and years of hard work before seeing results.
Fans often times are forced to be happy with incremental improvements.
Meanwhile, to help facilitate success, colleges are required to dole out millions to new coaches and also to put cash behind facility development.
The University of Nebraska men’s basketball program exemplifies the challenges that programs under take when trying to climb from worst to first.
The Huskers have already built a first class training facility and the construction of a brand new arena is well underway.
Coach Tim Miles and staff are part of that process also. Miles recently finalized a seven-year pact with the Huskers, one that Nebraska hopes will erase thoughts that the university is anything but serious with regard to winning games and having success in March.
Miles will make $1.4 million in his first year and that number will escalate to $2.15 million by year seven of the deal. Also included in his package of benefits are two personal cars, a country club membership and a bonus structure that could equate to as much as three quarters of a million dollars.
Miles will have $700,000 to spend on his assistant coaches.
Now, that’s an investment.
Some have balked at the numbers. And rightly so.
It’s hard to see why Nebraska should part with so much money, quite a bit more than the roughly $1 million per year that Doc Sadler pulled down, to pay a coach that has yet to prove his skills on a stage as big as the Big 10.
Fans must understand that the Huskers need to pay fair market price for a coach, and, based on Big 10 coaching contracts, this is far from the top of the list.
Coach Miles will certainly have a very secure financial future thanks to the length and worth of this contract.
Hopefully the Huskers will start to win and the money paid out to Miles will seem to be more of a bargain than what it looks like now.
All fans can do is press play and hope for the best.
With any luck, the university won’t have to press reset here four or five years and start the process all over again.

The NFL Draft begins Thursday night with television coverage by ESPN and continues through Saturday.
Certainly the rookie selection meetings of the NFL easily represent the most popular and most discussed rookie selection process of professional sports.
Mock drafts predicting the entirety of the first and sometimes the entirety of the second round are available months in advance and, for all intent and purpose, we all know who the first two selections are going to be already.
Indianapolis will be taking Andrew Luck, quarterback, Stanford, and the Washington Redskins will pick up Robert Griffin III, quarterback, Baylor.
From there on out, the intrigue will ramp up, at least for the true draft geeks, the ones that are going to watch the whole draft.
Which brings out the curiosity of the NFL Draft.
It’s a big event. It gets big time ratings. And yet nothing really happens.
The whole thing is highlights of college players we’ve all seen a million times before followed by over-discussion of each pick and situation, followed by some league official walking to a podium and making a monotone pronouncement of the next draft pick.
What is the impact?
We don’t know and we won’t for some time.
Andrew Luck could be the next great QB in the league or he could be a bust. And that goes for each and every pick on the board.
Their impact both as individuals and members of whatever organization drafts them is completely unknown and, in many instances, way over blown.
Why do we all watch? Are we that desperate for football in April?
It appears so.

In that spirit, here’s a by-position guide of players that intrigue me and a short reason why.
Enjoy.

QB: Patrick Witt, Yale
The Former Husker signal caller is rated ahead of Northwestern’s Dan Persa on Yahoo Sports draft rankings. Curious to be sure. The rating must have downgraded Persa due to his injury issues.

RB: Bradie Ewing, Wisconsin
I am talking full back here instead of tailback. Why? Cause the tailbacks get all the talk. Ewing figures to be a good selection for whoever gets him since the Wisconsin team ran a lot.

WR: B.J. Cunningham, Michigan State
This guy was definitely the stye in the eye of the Wisconsin Badgers. He seems to be in the right place a lot making big plays, especially against Wisky.

TE: Coby Fleener, Stanford
Fleener’s production increased in each of his four years in Palo Alto, Calif. That could be attributed to Luck’s ability to distribute the ball. However, it should be noted that, since Luck was so proficient, he would have likely targeted WRs to the complete exclusion of the TE had Fleener not been very good.

OL: Riley Reiff, Iowa
The 6’6” and 300 lbs. Reiff is rated in the top three for offensive tackles on the Yahoo Sports draft board and figures to be a solid player.

DL: Jared Crick, Nebraska
Crick is rated No. 3 on the Yahoo Sports draft board at defensive end and, after the way his career ended at Nebraska, it would be nice to see Crick get picked high and to a team that will use him right.

LB: Lavonte David, Nebraska
This guy has an unbelievable motor and drive and will be a great addition to any team. I think he’s the type of linebacker that, with the right development, could have the same relationship to TEs as “lock down corners” have with WRs.

CB: Markelle Martin, Oklahoma State
Defensive talent in this year’s draft looks to be lean and the FS position is key to any pass defense. It would be a good idea to lock up this guy, who is rated as the top FS on the Yahoo Sports draft board.

Specials
Unless you’re drafting the Oakland Raiders, picking high for K or P is generally frowned upon. With that in mind, go Fort Collins, Colo., native Philip Welch out of Wisky for your kicker and Austin McCoy out of Wyoming as your punter. As an aside, my favorite Cowboy QB ever, Danny White, could punt the heck out of the ball. Bet Mr. Luck can’t do that.

Nebraska and Penn State have a common jersey issues in some senses.
Fans of the football teams at both schools are often heard talking about the need for a change, an alternate jersey, and something new to shake everything up.
At first, it seems appealing.
Then it seems pointless.
Isn’t it the ultimate cool that teams like Penn State and Nebraska have instant brand association for fans?
Oregon and Boise State can’t say that. Both teams change their look often and go with some outlandish arrangements, all in the name of establishing the name recognition that, despite a lot of recent success, neither enjoys.
Nebraska recently announced that they would dabble in the world of alternate uniforms with a promise attached.
The Huskers won’t be leaving tradition behind and won’t be going for some of the nearly hideous outfits that other schools have tried.
It’s something I can appreciate.
It’s something that Nike appreciates as well.
When the Nike people unveiled the new jerseys for all the NFL teams, it was quickly noted that, outside of a bit of difference with the Seattle jerseys, most of the looks remain, shall we say, classic.
And that’s because all of the teams in the NFL have well established brands. Too much monkey business could end up affecting the overall marketability of the brand.
It’s too risky.
When Nebraska comes up in a conversation, there is an instant brand association.
Let’s keep it that way.

Russell Wilsons don’t grow on trees and no transfer student brings with him a guarantee of success, but there is little doubt that the Wisconsin Badger football team got a major upgrade at the quarterback position by bringing in Danny O'Brien, a transfer signal caller from Maryland, who will begin a two-year career in Madison this fall.
Husker fans are well aware of the Wilson story.
Prior to the 2011 season, Wilson played ball at North Carolina State. After a fall out with the coaches there, he transfered to Wisconsin and helped fill a major void for the Badgers.
Little was known about how Wilson would make the transition, but the former Wolfpack player made an easy adjustment and led the Badgers to the Rose Bowl.
O'Brien could do the same.
He doesn’t have the scrambling ability of Wilson, but O’Brien’s numbers, particularly in 2010, prove that he can be an efficient signal caller.
O'Brien threw for 22 touchdowns and just eight picks in 2010. 
If O’Brien can repeat his 2010 numbers, Wisconsin fans and coaches will be elated.
And, although O’Brien will be a central figure in the offense, he will have plenty of help from a Heisman candidate at the running back spot.
Montee Ball rushed for 1,954 yards a year ago, and we all know that the best friend of a signal caller is a great rush game.
How about those offensive lineman? Badger linemen always impress, so O’Brien can expect to be under minimal distress in the pocket.
And the Wisconsin coaches’ ability to integrate Wilson into their schemes should serve to bolster confidence among Badger fans that O’Brien can be made ready to lead the team by fall.
Will the Badgers make another run to the Rose Bowl? National title?
No one, not even the most ardent Wisconsin fan, can say for sure.
What can be said is that O’Brien’s arrival on campus drastically improves the odds for another great season in Madison.

Peyton Manning’s signing is a win-win for the Denver Broncos, even if it fails.
The Broncos needed to part ways with Tim Tebow and Manning needs a chance to prove that he can still play quarterback in the NFL.
Moreover, Denver just needed a fresh start.
And they convinced Manning to give it to them.
No doubt, Denver’s John Elway was very persuasive in talking to Manning about how he had won Super Bowls late in his career. And Manning undoubtedly noticed the way the Broncos tailored their offense for Tebow’s skills.
The offensive line looks good in Denver. And the defense is improved.
The future is bright.
And it’s brighter, even if Manning fails, because the future doesn’t include Tebow.
This isn’t meant to be a slight against Tebow’s effort or what he was able to accomplish last year. It’s just meant to point to the fact that inaccurate quarterbacks, such as Tebow, fail in the longer term.
Fans love Tebow, so it seemed that the Broncos were going to have to try to develop their young QB, attempt to change his mechanics and hope for the best.
When Manning, one of the best QBs ever to play, became available, well, let’s just say that was a no-brainer.
Elway can now walk away form Tebow, and, even if he doesn’t get much from the possibly injury reduced Manning, the situation will end up working out perfectly because the Broncos can find a quarterback through free agency or through the draft who possesses more passing acumen than Mr. Tebow would have ever possessed.
Again, it’s nothing personal, it’s just reality.
Take it from a Dallas Cowboys fan who watched as journeyman after journeyman filed through Big-D.
The Cowboys eventually got lucky with an undrafted guy out of Eastern Illinois in Tony Romo.
It took a lot of years and a lot of headaches.
Who wants to go through that if you don’t have to?
When you look at the quarterback position and all of the trouble that goes into finding a good signal caller, it’s even easy to see why the Colts let Manning go and set their sights on Luck.
The chance to go from one super quarterback to another is unbelievably, forgive the pun, Lucky.
Now, with Manning in the fold, the Broncos will have a similar chance.
If the former Colt turns into a Denver star, the Broncos will have a couple of years to use a high draft pick on their quarterback of the future.
Denver won’t have to take a pass on the next young star because they were trying desperately to train a young quarterback.
Whether Manning fails or not, Denver is about to succeed.

Ben & Jerry’s invited its customers to “taste the Lin-sanity” by partaking in its latest flavor creation, a vanilla ice cream highlighted by bits of fortune cookie.
Offended?
Some were left cold by the dessert maker’s latest offering.
The above question might be better posed as one aimed at checking the temperature of the public to find out if we are all a bit too quick to take offense.
Is there such a thing as a statement made in poor taste rather than one made with malicious intent to harm or degrade?
And if so, can we disregard those minor infractions that fail to raise up to the critical mass needed for a declaration of bigotry?
In some regard, we must acknowledge that we live in a world ripe with opportunities for offense -- from marketing campaigns to the names of sports teams and society’s tendency to label phenomenon for the purpose of identifying trends.
The very notion  of Lin-Sanity is right in line with a label for the purpose of identifying a trend, which is, in this case, the growing love of a basketball player whose skills have served to breathe life into a fairly lifeless New York Knicks basketball franchise.
ESPN and other sports news organizations jumped on the Lin-Sanity phrase and used it to great effect. The name itself was not meant to demean and was not taken as such.
As often is the case however, when creativity begins to do its work, other phrases come together that might not be as fun and lighthearted.
People start to take offense.
It’s kind of like the story my mother told me about a jam-session of sorts she was having as a young child with her brother in the front yard of her childhood home.
The two began to rhyme words and, when the direction of that rhyming became a bit more dubious in nature, my grandmother was quick to put an end to it.
When you start with luck, buck and stuck, well, let’s just say nothing good can happen after that.
To make the case that the two young children intended to swear, and simply needed an excuse to do so, would be off base.
Afterall, my mother called her brother a pimp because he had pimples on his face.
She said it without knowing that some words have alternate and negative meanings.
Again, my grandmother quickly noted that such words were not appropriate.
Is that what we need to do here?
When someone goes a bit out of bounds, shouldn’t we simply inform the offender that such comments are not welcomed and then move on?
In the end, didn’t Ben and Jerry’s simply aim to rhyme with the times only to go one word too far?
As long as corrective action is taken, shouldn’t we forgive and forget?
All of us suffer from a bit of “foot in mouth disease,” so to speak. We all deserve the chance to reverse course.
So, before you boycott Ben and Jerry’s, consider that their intent might not have been anything approaching the terribleness which the Lin-Sanity ice cream product may have conveyed.
By convicting the ice cream company, people raise the standard for public discourse to an unreasonably high level and lower the bar for offense nearly to the floor.
Most people would find it hard to live with those rules.
Unless one assumes to be perfect in speech, a softer stance seems more reasonable.
Those who fail to be reasonable and insist on offense will almost certainly get their just desserts.

What’s the future for the Nebraska men’s basketball program?
Ask nearly anyone and you’ll get a snipe about Doc Sadler.
The Huskers have not been performing well. There is no doubt of that.
And Sadler being the head coach, he is going to hear plenty of complaints.
But is Sadler the main problem in Lincoln?
It’s tough to know.
For a moment, think of the basketball program without thinking about Coach Sadler.
If the current environment is any indicator, he won’t be here in a few months. And the Huskers will be looking for a new coach.
Who is that going to be? Just how hopeful can Husker basketball fans be about the future?
Everyone heard all about the new basketball facilities in Lincoln and how they rank right up there with college basketball royalty. Just as good or better than places where basketball is sacred, like Kansas, North Carolina, or Duke.
And we know that there is a new arena going up in Lincoln. That is going to be first class.
On a side note, it’s going to be good for the volleyball team, a national power, to get some new toys with a work-over of the Devaney.
Back to basketball.
Can the fans of this Husker program dream of, well, it’s hard to say it or type it.
Final four?
Is that ridiculous?
Certainly most Husker fans, this writer included, trust AD Tom Osborne to go out and find a coach that meshes with the culture in Lincoln and who also gives us the best chance to win.
How much winning?
Should Nebraska fans be satisfied with being competitive in the league, getting an at-large NCAA bid, and falling in the first round?
Should we believe in the team’s ability to get one or two wins in the madness that is March?
Elite eight?
How about a Big 10 Conference title? In this league, those are never going to be easy.
There is much uncertainty around the Husker program right now. At this point, there is also a lot of apathy.
Here is hoping Osborne can find the Bob Devaney of Husker hoops.
We need something to believe in so that we can dream. So that we can type and say the words, Final Four, and not feel like we are kidding ourselves.
Sadler had that ability when he got here. Coach has always had the ability to sound genuine and give the impression that big things are around the corner.
Our complete ineptitude on the court, however, has left fans shaking their heads and plugging their ears to Coach Sadler and his positive talk.
Fans dismiss the Huskers chances before the start of seasons. They point to the university’s status as a football school.
And that’s the ones that even care to think Nebraska basketball at all.
One of two things need to happen soon. Sadler needs to win. Or Osborne needs to find a coach that can sell this program, not just to recruits, or the players on his team, but to the entire state of Nebraska.
Unless that happens soon, this new arena in downtown Lincoln is going to be empty most of the time.

Youthful exuberance and intelligence don’t necessarily go hand in hand.
Football might be the best example of that.
Back in my younger days, those grade school years on through high school, any surface would do when it came to football.
We played games in the middle of the street, and, although we tried to keep those games limited to two-hand touch below the waist, there were times we played tackle football.
Playing tackle football on concrete? Not very smart.
We just wanted to play.
And no matter how long athletes play a sport, the desire to play the game trumps everything.
Even sound reasoning.
Right now, the football world is at quite the crossroads.
There are two camps of thinking on the violence that pervades the sport of football in the modern era.
Football players retired from a career where they experienced numerous concussive blows and those who understand what effect concussive blows have on the future health of athletes are standing on one side.
On the other side, players who will compete, regardless of circumstance, out of love for the game and monetary gain, join members of the NFL hierarchy, which despite its protests, is usually guilty of protecting the football machine rather than looking out for the athlete.
The solution is to introduce actual tackle football principles.
What’s being played these days does not qualify as tackle football.
The modern game could be called impact ball, collision ball, knock out ball or demolition derby.
Tackle football is a term that no longer applies.
Sadly, that state of affairs is not limited to the pro game.
Tackle football doesn’t seem to apply to college, or even high school, football.
Evidence of this condition can be found in many aspects of the game.
Since defenders are supposed to be doing the “tackling,” let’s take a look at that side of the ball.
Offensive players are often seen gaining yards after contact, not because of a broken tackle, but because the defender went for a big hit and came up empty.
Defenders seem to be looking to collide with someone. Tackling doesn’t enter the equasion.
When the big hit works, the offensive player, defensive player, or both, are often times worse for the wear.
When the big hit doesn’t work, a big play usually happens for the offense.
In addition to losing sight of actual tackle football skills, players are also making up for mistakes by using concussive force.
When covering a receiver, if a defender is beaten, instead of giving up the catch and making a tackle, that defender makes up for his mistake by trying to knock the receiver senseless in the hopes that he will drop the ball.
Some call this technique separating the ball from the receiver.
I call it cowardice.
Hitting a receiver whose eyes are focused on the ball is no different than taking out the punter while his leg is still in the air.
The latter is a penalty. Shouldn’t the former be illegal as well?
In addition, there are unnecessary hits or concussive blows delivered with the sole intent of intimidation or injury.
Players are often hit when they are not involved in the play.
Why is it necessary to hit someone who can not impact the final result of the play?
Quarterbacks receive crippling blind side hits.
What is to be gained from blindside blasting the quarterback when the defender could just as easily come under control and make a tackle?
In both instances, the answer is simple.
Those kinds of hits are meant to intimidate and injure.
Get back to the basics of tackle football.
Actually tackle people.
Actually defend receivers.
The NFL can lead the way in this area. They can make demands on players through the rule book.
It’s already happened.
At one time, it was considered a good technique for a defensive lineman to slap the head of an offensive lineman on every play in the hopes that repeated concussive impact would make it easier for the defender to beat his man and get to the ball.
That move is illegal.
Rule 12, section 2, article 1 of the NFL rule book, states that striking or clubbing to the head, neck, or face with the heel, back, or side of the hand, wrist, arm, elbow, or clasped hands is illegal.
We know that rules can be developed which severly punish players who engage in gladiator tactics to win battles on the gridiron.
And these rules must be adopted soon.
We have reached the point where the pads and helmets players use in games are intended to lesson the chance of injury because of what is going to happen.
Pads and helmets should be protecting players from what might happen.
Football is a rugged enough game already without introducing non-football skills and unnecessary concussive impacts to the game.
The equipment even encourages players to use caution by reminding them that helmets and pads can not prevent injuries.
It is up to football coaches, colleges and pro institutions to make sure that, while football will always be dangerous, is must cease to be a blood sport.

What does it mean to be a recruiting champion?
National championships don’t necessarily follow directly after such achievements. Sometimes national championships lead to recruiting championships. Sometimes recruiting champs end up as national champs or top five final rating poll finishers at some point.
And sometimes there is no correlation at all, leaving fans scratching their heads.
Let’s look at some Rivals recruiting numbers for the past 10 years and compare them to top five final ratings polls.
Texas had a top five finish in the final ratings poll in 2004 and won a national championship back in 2005 off the strength of just one top-five recruiting class, with that achievement coming in 2002.
Since then, the Longhorns have reeled off top five recruiting classes in 2006, 07, 09, 10, 11, and 12. But they’ve only finished in the top five of the final ratings poll in two seasons, those being 2008 and 2009.
Florida State has finished in the top five in recruiting five times and has not a single top five final ratings poll finish to show for it.
Alabama has been in the top five of recruiting in each of the last five cycles, and the Crimson Tide have two national titles.
Ohio State has only finished in the top five recruiting wise in four seasons, but the Buckeyes have seven top five finishes in the final ratings poll.
There always will be anomalies.
Utah, Penn State, West Virginia, Boise State, Missouri, TCU, Oregon, Stanford, Oklahoma State and Arkansas have all finished in the top five of the final ratings without having finished in the top five of recruiting.
None of those teams has done it more than twice, however. And none of those teams have claimed a national title either.
Oregon came closest in losing to Auburn in the BCS title game.
Aside from Florida State, a few other schools finished in the top five of recruiting ratings without making a top five in the final ratings poll for any season.
Tennessee was a top five finisher in 2002, 05 and 07. Michigan had a top five position in 2004 and stands in the top five this year.
Notre Dame was in the top five on 2008 and Nebraska had a top five finish in 2005.
Those non-top-five finishers in terms of the final ratings poll can be discounted since they enjoyed great recruiting in few seasons.
Right?
Obviously the numbers above are flawed to a degree.
A school might be in the top five of the recruiting rankings for two out of 10 seasons, but be in the top 15 in the other eight years.
That would definitely affect the outcome on the field versus a team that was in the top five of the recruiting ratings in three of 10 years, but no where near the top 20 in any other year.
Other considerations have to go into this too.
Some teams use offensive or defensive schemes that require athletes thought to be less elite than others by recruiting analysts.
Some schools develop their talent well or vault their way up the final ratings by going nearly unbeaten against weaker opponents.
Some schools bolster their recruiting numbers by going the junior college route, while others try to develop high school kids.
And the discussion hasn’t even reached the boom versus bust issue that every athlete has to confront.
After all, these athletes, even ones from bigger metropolitan school districts, must make a significant leap to playing on the national stage.
Consider the bust rate in the NFL, where scouts have years of tape of more mature athletes playing at a national level, then compare that to the challenge of finding good players off of high school tapes where crazy performances against weaker foes could cloud the judgement of the observer.
How about the fact that a lot of these national recruits will travel across the country, possibly hundreds of miles from home, for the first time, only to face unreal expectations by fans, scouts, coaches, and boosters?
The list goes on.
Player prospects are further clouded by team needs which could have athletes buried on a depth chart or having to make a position shift.
Back to the original question.
What does it mean to be a recruiting champion?
It could mean a lot. It could mean nothing.
In the final analysis, it appears that solid recruiting over a number of years, plus good management of a program, leads to success.
And that makes it tough to decide on the first day of February just which team will be hoisting major hardware next January.
But it’s fun to talk about it.
So let’s just do that.
And hope for the best.

Top Five Rivals Ratings
Texas—02, 06, 07, 09, 10, 11, 12
Tennessee—02, 05, 07
Georgia—02, 06, 11
Florida State—02, 04, 05, 06, 11
Ohio State—02, 08, 09, 12
LSU—03, 04, 07, 09
Florida—03, 06, 07, 08, 10, 12
USC—03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09, 10, 11
Oklahoma—03, 05
Miami—03, 04, 08
Michigan—04, 12
Nebraska—05
Alabama—08, 09, 10, 11, 12
Notre Dame—08
Auburn—10

Top Five Final AP
Ohio State—02, 03, 05, 06, 07, 09, 10
Miami—02, 03
Georgia—02, 07
USC—02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08
Oklahoma—02, 03, 04, 08
LSU—03, 06, 07, 11
Auburn—04, 10
Utah—04, 08
Texas—04, 05, 08, 09
Penn State—05
West Virginia—05
Florida—06, 08, 09
Boise State—06, 09
Missouri—07
Alabama—09, 11
TCU—10
Oregon—10, 11
Stanford—10
Oklahoma State—11
Arkansas—11

BOLD teams are exclusive to that list.

It’s that time again.
Football fans will soon be plunged into abject darkness.
No games on the schedule. Not even a schedule in some cases.
Nebraska is still looking for one more foe to round out their 2012 regular season schedule.
For those who are trying to get adjusted to the thought of no football, there will be a one-week warning. No football is scheduled this week, unless the Pro Bowl counts as a football game.
In my book, it doesn’t.
A week from Sunday is the Super Bowl.
Then, darkness.
Looking forward to the draft is bogus since it’s a non-sporting event that only serves as a reminder that real football games are still months away. And the draft is months away.
To quote Homer Simpson, “Doh!”
And it’s an election year—one where the presidency is up for grabs.
Call me crazy, but I would rather see Aaron Rodgers discount double check commercial about 75 more times than watch most political ads.
There will be no shortage of political ads.
How does one cope with this seemingly untenable situation?
Here is my plan.
Each and every week, this sports writer is going to try to do his best to find some event, sport or not, to look forward to on Saturday or Sunday.
This seems like a really good plan.
This weekend, I plan on going to the movies.
The week after the Super Bowl, well, I still need to think on that.
Face it, there are going to be many of these weeks. I will need many distractions.
Ideas?
If you can think of one, don’t be afraid to mention it.
I will update my weekly plan on Facebook, or at least try to update my plan.
Alright, I probably won’t.
Oh well.
Weekly plan or not, every football fan should know this, all of us are struggling in the same way. We all want football. If we stick together, we can get through this.
Oh, and if you do have an idea, send me a message or an e-mail.
Because I am feeling desperate already.

The New Orleans Saints should not renew the contract of quarterback Drew Brees.
Yes, you read that correctly.
Before reacting to this comment, take some time to think about it.
Brees celebrated his 33rd birthday on Jan. 15. He has accomplished almost everything a quarterback can accomplish.
He has won a Super Bowl and set numerous records.
To be realistic, there isn’t much left for Brees to accomplish.
Sure, he can try to run down another Super Bowl and he might have an opportunity to do that next year.
At the same time, however, we’ve seen a lot of older quarterbacks hang on for year after year of chasing that Super Bowl dream, only to end up leaving without winning another.
And at what cost?
Make no mistake, the NFL is a young man’s game.
The collisions we see on a weekly basis are a reminder of that.
As the years go by, there is more and more of a chance an older player will take a hit and be unable to recover from the injury that hit causes.
So Brees could get hurt and leave the Saints to trust their back up, something no NFL team wants to do.
In addition to injury, the reality of NFL business should be considered while thinking of Brees and his pending contract situation.
Depth, youth and talent are the ultimate weapons in the NFL arms race.
If the Saints decide to meet the rightfully high demands of Brees and his agent, the team might have to deal with less of all three.
As a result of the Brees deal, the Saints might have to cut valuable role players, those guys who go unnoticed by fans, but who represent the backbone of any title contender.
The draft could be tricky, even with the lesser rookie salaries in the new NFL collective bargaining agreement.
So without the youth from the draft to fill in for the role players cut by salary trimming efforts, New Orleans might not have as much talent on hand for Brees to make another run at the Super Bowl.
And the contract ramifications of the Brees deal could reverberate for years, making it difficult for the Saints to remain competitive.
If the Saints let Brees go in free agency, or, even better, worked a sign and trade deal for picks and players, the team could replenish its roster.
The Saints would have all kinds of loot to chase more role players, the kind that win championships. They would have plentiful youth from the draft and hope for the future.
This is not meant to understate the value of a signal caller.
Quarterbacks are a precious commodity.
But it takes a whole team to win titles.
Green Bay and New Orleans have great quarterbacks with great stats.
And both teams are sitting at home for the conference championships because neither have a very good defense.
It takes a whole team.
Add  the recent success of rookie QBs like Andy Dalton, Bengals, and Cam Newton, Panthers, and it’s harder to believe that a move to replace a veteran quarterback is impossible.
The Saints are at a crossroads. No doubt the accomplishments and talents of Brees make for comfort even when that comes with a high price tag.
Then again, comfort can be a bit overrated.
As famed author Denis Waitley said “A dream is your creative vision for your life in the future. You must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and the unknown.”

With college bowl games all wrapped up, football fans will turn their attention to the two-week playoff run to the Super Bowl now.
Four teams will play divisional round games with Baltimore playing Houston and Denver taking on New England on the AFC side. The NFC has the N.Y. Giants taking on Green Bay and the New Orleans Saints playing San Francisco.
So, what would be the best of the potential match ups in the Super Bowl? Here are my thoughts.

1. Green Bay vs. New England
This is the Super Bowl that most fans would like to see. Neither team plays much defense, but both quarterbacks are exceptional players and the game would be a sure fire ratings winner. Aaron Rodgers has a golden touch this year. And anyone who wants to doubt Tom Brady, well, here’s the scrap heap of history, jump on board.

2. New Orleans vs. New England.
Again, this would be an exceptional game because of the quarterback match up. Brees has one of Marino’s records and could get a Super Bowl in the same year. That would be a fun story line.

3. N.Y. Giants vs. New England
The Giants got into the playoffs this season in about the same way they did a few years ago when they spoiled a perfect season by the Pats. New England would love to get some revenge for that, so motivation would be running high. And, although Eli might not be as hyped as his brother, he still has the ability to rip the heart out of any defense in the fourth quarter.

4. Denver vs. Green Bay
The Denver Broncos derailed Brett Favre’s run to a second straight Super Bowl back in the late 90s. John Elway, who orchestrated that upset in one of the great Super Bowls of all time, is back in the fold in the front office in Denver. The Broncos would be about as big of a long shot to beat the Aaron Rodgers led Packers this year as Green Bay goes for two in a row.

5. Denver vs. New Orleans
Not as much fun as the Denver-Green Bay rematch. Still, Tebow is involved, so that makes for interest. And Drew Brees is in there too. Like the No. 4 match up, the down side would be a potential blow out in favor of the NFC.

6. Denver vs. San Fransisco or NY Giants
Remember the Super Bowls from the 1980s? Most Denver fans would like to forget because both the Niners and Giants blasted the Broncos. Revenge is mine sayeth the Tebow. Also up for consideration, a match up of two Urban Meyer pupils in Alex Smith and Tim Tebow would be interesting, especially considering the fact that Tebow has slighted Smith’s ability in the past.

7. Baltimore vs. New Orleans or Green Bay
Baltimore plays good defense, but would the Ravens have enough defensive firepower to stop Brees or Rodgers? It might be kind of fun to find out. On the down side, it could be a blow out in favor of the NFC, or it could be a field goal fest if Baltimore’s defense steps up.

8. Baltimore vs. New York
We’ve seen this Super Bowl before. And Baltimore won it thanks to the always great Trent Dilfer. So, after reading that, it’s easy to see why this rematch would have to be better than the first one. Right?

9. Houston vs. Anybody
The Houston Oilers and Warren Moon couldn’t make it to the Super Bowl and I am certain that the fan base there is hungry for some Super attention. As hard as they have tried over the years, the Houston teams are always second fiddle to Dallas. This would help them make big strides in the Texas popularity contest. At the same time, however, the Houston team is down to its third string at QB.

10. San Fransisco vs. New England
New England and San Fransisco would be a battle of NFL royalty, at least in terms of franchise history. If Joe Montana were still the QB in Niner land, we would all be salivating over this match up. Alas, the shoe commercial was inaccurate, Joe is not making a comeback. Dang it!

11. San Francisco vs. Baltimore
Warm up the kicker. This one could get ugly in a BCS Championship kind of way. Both teams play defense to the exclusion of offense and the QB match up would less than sexy with Joe Flacco taking on Alex Smith. This is the one match up that would have most fans on the edge of their seat, counting the seconds until Madonna’s half time show that is.

Rex Burkhead’s greatest biographical notation for the 2011-12 football campaign might be his grade in school.
Burkhead led the Huskers in rushing, 1357 yards, and touchdowns, 15.
More importantly, the leadership, focus, determination and vestrality that Burkhead showed this season will also be featured on next year’s squad.
Burkhead, a junior, has one more year to play in Lincoln.
And all of Husker Nation should be ecstatic about that.
With a boat load of backs capable of outside running and speed, Burkhead offers a contrast that the Huskers will find invaluable in the fall of 2012.
He runs between the tackles with a physical style that is, unquestionably, the glue that holds this team together.
And while Burkhead possesses all the intangibles on the field, this Husker seems to be a great person as well.
His connection to and support of a young cancer patient this year was heart warming.
Turns out Burkhead’s supporters in Plano, Texas, were right.
Burkhead is one special player. And, even though he has a season left to play for Nebraska, most of us are missing this guy already.
When he goes on to the NFL, we as Husker fans will probably echo what Plano coaches said about Burkhead when he headed up to Lincoln to join our football team.
“It’s been an honor to watch him. It’s been fun. It’s been exciting,” said Plano Head Football Coach Jaydon McCullough. “We are really looking forward to the next chapter in his book. It’s going to be good. I promise you that.”

Tim Tebow’s religious leanings and his on-field success have a relationship.
It’s just not the one everyone thinks.
From the moment that Tebow left the sidelines to replace starter Kyle Orton, his religion has been one of the centerpieces of a discussion about whether or not he “deserves” the opportunity to be the Denver Broncos’ starting quarterback.
The notion that any player in the NFL “deserves” what he is getting is preposterous on its face, but we won’t take much time to debate that here. Let’s face it, who among us “deserves” to get paid millions of dollars to play a game that, outside of professionals, is largely only participated in by kids aged 18 or below?
So the discussion turns to the merits of Tebow’s game.
And the pundits give great ink and air time to the lack of a polished passing motion for the Heisman Trophy and collegiate National Champion quarterback who, in four years, threw for a 66.4 percent completion average, 9,285 yards, 88 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.
Compare that to National Champion quarterback Bernie Kosar, who earned his collegiate title at the University of Miami before taking his sometimes awkward looking release to the NFL where he enjoyed a lengthy career with the Cleveland Browns.
Kosar passed for a 62.3 percent rating, 5,971 yards, 40 touchdowns and 29 interceptions in two years as a Miami Hurricane.
And the comparisons don’t end there.
It’s that religion thing too.
In a tribute to Kosar’s career, a clergyman made the following observation about Kosar.
“He’s a deeply spiritual person. I know you see a medal around his neck, a crucifix that his mother gave him, that he has worn every game he has ever played on the football field. And he is deeply religious. I can tell you that, quite honestly, you know it’s not uncommon for him to be in prayer before a game, during a game, or even after a game.”
So the concept of a quarterback with an odd passing motion being both successful and spiritual is hardly breaking new ground here.
Maybe it is all about the results.
We all have seen Tebow struggle to get his offense moving, sometimes well into the fourth quarter before catching some breaks and winning with far less than eye-catching statistics.
Enter Tebow’s boss, John Elway.
The five-time Super Bowl qualifier and two-time Super Bowl champion had a pretty stellar collegiate quarterbacking career in his own right by throwing for a 62.1 percent average, 9,349 yards, 77 touchdowns and 39 interceptions in four years as the starter for the Stanford Cardinal.
In his first 11 NFL games back in 1983, Elway passed for a 47.5 percent average, 1,663 yards, seven touchdowns and 14 interceptions. This year, in 11 games, Tebow has thrown for a 48.5 percent average, 1,290 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions.
Elway attempted 259 passes during his 11 games. Tebow has attempted 198.
Those numbers aren’t all that much different.
And, keep in mind, Tebow has played 11 games this season after an off-season which didn’t feature organized team activities, mini camps or a normal preseason camp. And he entered as something far less than the presumptive future of the organization, a tag that Elway enjoyed from the moment of his selection in the draft.
That label brings with it a certain confidence.
Tebow was drafted and criticized in the same moment. He was decried as a player that would have no chance to succeed before he took a snap at a Denver practice.
Rookies endure awkward moments and Tebow was certainly guaranteed his share.
During Elway’s rookie year, he once lined up under the guard instead of the center. It doesn’t get much more awkward than that.
Peyton Manning, one of the greatest ever to play the game, threw 28 interceptions and 26 touchdowns as a rookie for the Colts.
Another rookie playing this year, Christian Ponder, a player that many agree has a bright future for the Minnesota Vikings, has 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in seven starts.
Some future stars don’t even get to play early in their careers.
Aaron Rodgers didn’t start a game until the fourth season of his career and only after the tumult that marked the end of the Brett Favre era in Green Bay.
Tony Romo didn’t start a game until his fourth season in the league. He was tapped to play after the Dallas Cowboys’ starting quarterback, Drew Bledsoe, was pulled in the middle of the season and in the middle of a game, a nationally televised game against the New York Giants.
Romo came into the contest and promptly threw an interception. Not exactly the type of start the inspires confidence for player, coach or fan.
Tom Brady, who like Romo didn’t start a game as a rookie, was also called into abrupt service in the middle of the season when Bledsoe went down with an injury. He didn’t succeed right away, but he has done plenty in the games since.
The tribulations of the quarterback position don’t magically end once a player is deemed the permanent starter and franchise quarterback either.
Troubles continue well into the veteran years of every signal caller.
As every fan and football follower knows, the quarterback gets more credit than he may deserve after wins and more blame than he may be due after the team loses.
It takes special qualities to be able to deal with the stress of quarterbacking and to present oneself as a leader to the team, the coaches, the ownership and the fans.
Quarterbacks may have great starts to their careers or feats of greatness within their years in the league, but every career contains runs of disappointment.
Tebow is no different than any other quarterback.
America watched Tebow lead the Florida Gators to great success and he was lauded for his superior competitive spirit.
Fans also watched as he broke down emotionally during a Gator loss against Alabama.
The game has ups and downs that Tebow is uniquely qualified for because of his religious leanings.
Through his youth, Tebow was told he would not be a quarterback in high school, certainly not in college, and definitely not in the pros.
He’s done it all.
When critics bash Tebow, he responds remarkably well. He doesn’t lose his temper at times when many of us would.
The leadership and tenacity he shows are attributable to his faith.
Wins, by association, are also related to that faith.
Because without it, Tebow would fail so miserably as to not be in any game let alone win any game.
The religion association regarding Tebow right now is incorrect. The Broncos don’t win because God wants the Broncos to win.
The Broncos have a chance to win because Tebow believes in God.
That is the story.
As for the story of the Broncos in 2011, none of us know how it will end.
Romo’s first year as a full-time starter ended on a botched snap in a playoff loss at Seattle. Brady’s ended with the Patriots winning the Super Bowl.
What will be the last scene of this surreal Broncos’ season?
Hard to tell.
But either way, it’s going to be entertaining.
You don’t need much faith to believe that.

It’s time to open up the gyms in Nebraska City.
Everyone knows we have plenty of gym space now.
There’s a gym at Northside, another at Hayward, one at the middle school and two at the high school.
That’s five gyms.
And, once the weather turns nasty, nowhere for a kid to shoot hoops.
Without coughing up the money for a membership to a health club, what’s a young basketball player to do?
And now there is likely to be one less option for kids in regard to basketball.
Increasing pressure on Recreation Leagues, caused mainly by the continued growth of club, select or traveling leagues, will likely mean that, eventually, there will be no local chance for kids in grades 3rd through 6th to play basketball.
This can’t be allowed to stand. Something must be done now.
Open gym might be the answer.
Instead of signing up for a team, kids could sign up to come to open gym.
The format could be semi-organized with adults watching over mini games, pick up games and shoot around time.
How about 3-on-3 games to 10 by ones and twos? A little bit of knock out might be fun. How about a cone drill against time or some other mini game?
Some of the games could be replicas of what kids might eventually see in junior high and high school practices.
These ideas might sound a bit odd.
We are all used to the notion of having people sign up for X-number of teams and then pairing the teams off in games against one another each weekend.
And while this idea runs contrary to that, it might end up being better in the end.
Kids’ playing time in this system would be 100 percent. The experience would be different every week.
And the program would accomplish what the main goal would be for any basketball program—to get a basketball in the hands of every kid and increase their interest and love of the game.
Plus, the open gym format would have the ultimate in terms of flexible schedule and would not replicate, or compete in any way with, traveling teams.
Obviously the open gym format noted in this article is a loose concept open to interpretation and modification.
The way to find out, however, would be to organize discussions and have those discussions lead to answers in days, not weeks or months.
Winter is here already and these kids need to have somewhere they can go to play basketball and be active.
Another winter of being shut out can not be tolerated. These buildings belong to the public and the public needs to have access to them now more than ever.

Can somebody beat Green Bay?
Anybody?
This writer is starting to wonder, and it should be noted that it takes a lot to get this writer to consider such topics.
Green Bay is buzzing along at an unbelievable rate, dispatching teams left and right.
Usually, my stance would be that, as sports observers, we can’t be completely subject to the current trends.
Certainly, this is the NFL. A lot could change and it could change quickly.
At the same time, it’s hard to see change happening at all in this instance.
Maybe that’s because the quarterback play is so dominant. Add the defense. Mason Crosby is the kicker.
And with that, it’s back to the question.
Which team will do it?
Certainly the New York Giants have a history of ending a perfect season. The Giants served up a dish of defeat to unbeaten New England in the Super Bowl.
Then again, did anybody get a chance to watch that New Orleans versus Giants game of earlier this week?
New York didn’t look up to upsetting anyone.
Green Bay is better than New Orleans. The Packers are more complete.
Upcoming teams are Oakland, Kansas City, Chicago and Detroit.
And its easy to see how the Packers would easily cruise past all four of those squads.
So, go off the radar. Which team in the NFL could beat Green Bay if given the chance?
New England could do it, but the Pats have defensive issues. Houston has a great run game, but they have quarterback issues.
Neither the Ravens or Steelers appear to have the offense to stick with Aaron Rodgers.
Oakland leads the AFC and doesn’t look like a good candidate.
Turning to the NFC, the 49ers have a good record, but seem to be a bit of mirage. They would have to almost completely limit the Green Bay offense to have a chance.
New Orleans already played the Packers in the opener and gave up 42 points. That’s a hard clip for any team to keep up with, even a team led by Drew Brees. The Cowboys, another division leader, don’t appear to have a consistent enough defense.
Looks like a repeat title run for the Packers.
Unless somebody can pull off a miracle.
And make no mistake, it’s going to take a miracle.

If you like pandemonium, you’ll feel right at home for the last two weeks of the college football season.
That’s because the possibilities for crazy BCS nonsense are higher than ever before.
The mildest version, or most boring, depending on your perspective, involves Alabama beating Auburn and LSU beating both Arkansas then Georgia in the SEC title game, thus setting up a rematch of the field goal fireworks that marked the original LSU-Alabama game earlier this season.
How about something like this instead?
No. 1 LSU beats No. 3 Arkansas, then loses to No. 13 Georgia in the SEC title game in a game that gets crazy out of hand, like Nebraska-Colorado from 2001. No. 2 Alabama loses to No. 24 Auburn. No. 4 Oklahoma State falls to No. 9 Oklahoma. No. 5 Virginia Tech gets upset in the ACC title game. No. 6 Stanford loses to No. 22 Notre Dame. No. 7 Boise State and No. 8 Houston both win out.
No. 10 Oregon wins the Civil War against Oregon State, but is stunned in the Pac-12 title game. No. 11 Kansas State loses to Iowa State, which began the whole series of BCS chaos by defeating Oklahoma State last week.
No. 17 Clemson beats No. 12 South Carolina.
Michigan State, No. 14, loses to Northwestern, then bounces back by beating No. 16 Wisconsin in the Big 10 title game. No. 15 Michigan falls to Ohio State.
No 18 Baylor loses one its final two. The Bears play Texas and Texas Tech.
Penn State, No. 19, would also have a late season loss thanks to Wisconsin winning the division eliminator game between the two schools.
No. 20 TCU falls to UNLV.
Nebraska, No. 21, wins against Iowa. Nebraska could lose, but the Huskers aren’t going to lose in a scenario developed by this writer.
No. 22 Georgia Tech beats Georgia.
And, finally, No. 25 Texas loses to Texas A&M.
If all this happened, the BCS system will have suffered a complete collapse.
The BCS picture would be so messed up, it would be nearly impossible to avoid a firestorm of controversy in picking two teams to play for the championship.
Granted, all these occurrences, taken together, seem like an impossibility. Taken case by case, however, it’s hard to say any of it could not happen.
That’s because the season has been hard to figure at almost every turn. And it’s not like we haven’t seen large chunks of the rankings re-arranged by crazy late season circumstances. How else did Nebraska end up in the BCS title game after losing to Colorado in 2001. A large segment of teams lost to put the Huskers in the title game.
It could happen again.
Maybe it will play out with the vast majority of the ranked teams playing up to their rank. Then again, they might not.
Pandemonium might ensue. And all  the bowl match ups, not just the BCS, would be rearranged.
Considering how the season has gone for the Huskers, that might be the only saving grace for this campaign.
Let the madness begin.

It sure is hard to feel sorry for Wisconsin right now.
And it should be easy.
Look at the decisions in each of the last two weeks. The Badgers lost two games due to late game heroics by the opposition. Hail Mary heroics.
And so a team with national title aspirations and, it would seem, a very small window for success, loses out and will be lucky to play for the Big 10 title at this point.
The Badgers need help from others to get to the conference championship.
Quarterback Russell Wilson, a senior transfer from North Carolina State, has one year to play one year.
Next year, he’ll be gone, and the Badgers will be led by a true freshman or a quarterback who missed this entire season with injury.
Never mind that this year’s injured quarterback inspired such confidence that Wisconsin felt compelled to bring in a one-year eligibility player in Russell.
Monte Ball, who is clearly the best running back at Wisconsin, at least in my mind, is a junior.
And, without a quarterback, he could easily decide to test the draft. Even if he doesn’t, the Badger back will have a larger target on him with an inexperienced or ineffective quarterback triggering the offense.
Face it Badger nation, this was your year.
Not that good things are not possible now. The Badgers could still make it to the Big 10 title game and could still win the Rose Bowl.
But they played in the Rose Bowl last year.
This was supposed to be the year that Wisconsin competed for a national title.
That hope is long gone now.
It would seem that a Badger team fresh off back-to-back servings of humble pie, would not have much to say.
But they do. And that is why it’s hard to feel sorry for Wisconsin.
The Badgers are saying that they were beaten by two lucky plays.
And they could not be more wrong.
Most assuredly, the lucky plays in question are the Hail Mary tosses at the end of the Michigan State and Ohio State games.
Even if we agree that the Buckeyes and Spartans were lucky to get their touchdowns late to win both games, there’s still a problem with the Badgers’ argument.
Why were these teams close enough to win on such desperation heaves?
Were blocked Badger punts, which led directly to points in both games, the product of luck?
Intentional grounding penalties on the Badger quarterback against both the Buckeyes and Spartans must have been the product of chance as well. One of those resulted in a safety against Michigan State.
And the Badgers failed to stop a Spartans’ two-point attempt.
There were the few plays before the big Hail Mary throw by the Spartans.
Michigan State faced a 2nd-and-21 at their own 23-yard line before hitting on pass plays for 12, 11, and nine yards.
Had the Badger defense stiffened earlier in the drive, Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins would not have been able to throw the ball all the way to the end zone.
No Hail Mary means no touchdown and no win for Michigan State.
What of the three Buckeye touchdowns, one of them being a highlight-reel-worthy 44-yard run by Braxton Miller? Were those luck too?
Wait, weren’t the Badgers behind 26-14 with 5:28 left to go in the fourth quarter against Ohio State?
Had the Badgers won, the result would have qualified as a come-from-ahead loss by the Buckeyes.
Wisconsin is fortunate to have been in position to force a late Hail Mary pass by Ohio State.
And Ohio State would likely not have gotten its Hail Mary chance had the Badgers stopped the Buckeyes from reeling off a 41-yard kick off return after scoring to take a 29-26 lead with 1:54 left to go in the game.
At the end of the day, Wisconsin has to admit that they were simply not good enough to beat Ohio State or Michigan State.
Claiming bad luck makes it hard to feel sorry for the Badgers.
And, more importantly, the claim is false.