Welcome Back NBA

So, the NBA season has begun again, and I'm excited for it.  The NBA is coming off one of the greatest seasons in recent memory, with an abundance of young talent and many interesting story lines to keep our eyes on.

Such as:

• The continuing journey of the Miami Heat "Dream Team", who came up short in the finals last year.
• The Dallas Mavericks are the defending champions, but lost a few key pieces(JJ Barea, Tyson Chandler) from last season
• The "Lob City" tandem of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin for the LA Clippers
• The continuing maturation of the Chicago Bulls and the Oklahoma City Thunder, who both had great seasons a year ago, but failed to make the finals.
• The "Up and Coming" teams like the Indiana Pacers and the Memphis Grizzlies.
• The "Old and Grizzled" veteran teams like the Lakers and the Celtics.  Can they continue to stay competitive in a strike shortened, compressed, 66 game schedule?

I actually used to be a much bigger college basketball fan than I was of the NBA.  But that started to change a few years ago.  Having had numerous discussions with many of friends about this, I thought I'd lay down my case as to why I now prefer the professional game.

1.  The 24 second shot clock.  I know there's a shot clock in the college game, and it works fairly well, but the shorter shot clock in the NBA contributes in a couple of ways.  First, it puts a premium on offensive execution. When you only have 24 seconds per possession to get a shot up, you have to execute your options quickly and adroitly.  Secondly, it puts pressure on the defense.  You've got to be up and ready to play defense immediately, there's no backing off or dropping back into a lazy zone to take some time off.  

2.  The level of play is much higher.  How many times have we seen guys who were just dominant at the college level (Adam Morrison and Michael Beasley come to mind) who struggle to even play in the NBA.  Guys who own the court in college, just can't get their own shot off in the NBA.  You had better be able to defend one on one, and you had better be able to knock down an open jump shot (yes, even post players).

3.  The officiating is much better.  And yes, I know all about the Tim Donaghy scandal, and I know that there are quality officials working NCAA games.  I'm just saying consistently, game after game, night in and night out, the quality of the officiating is much higher in the NBA.  A personal complaint about the college game is that the coaches are the superstars.  Coach K gets upset and starts riding the refs, and Duke starts getting a bunch of calls.  And to be fair, as I'm a Carolina fan, Roy Williams gets away with the same thing.  It's common at the college level.  In the NBA there are very few officials who are swayed by coaches. 

4.  The deeper 3 point line.  It actually helps shooting.  How many times have you seen a big college post drift out and pick up a loose ball and throw up an ugly looking jump shot and knock down a 3 pointer?  In the NBA, the guys that are shooting 3's are the guys that should be shooting 3's.  It's simply better, and the college game should look into moving their line back to NBA range.  You have your better shooters shooting the tougher shot, and it spreads the floor out more leaving more space for posts and penetration.

5.  The Playoffs are better.  It's a much better way to choose your champion.  Anyone can beat anyone on a given night, especially when you are playing at a high level.  When you have to win a 7 game series, the better team is going to win a much higher percentage of the time.  One thing I would change about the NBA is to change the first series of the playoffs back to best of 5 games.  That was more efficient.

So, there are a few thoughts on why I enjoy NBA basketball more than NCAA hoops.  Not that I don't enjoy college hoops mind you, I still do, I just find the professional game more satisfying.

Back to bare(footing)

Took a week or so off, not by choice, but life got in the way.

The last few times I'd ran before my break... I went a one mile in the Altra Instincts and then ran the rest of the way in my regular shoes.

So yesterday, I took advantage of the nice weather outside and took the Altras for the first run outside.  Went 2.5 miles and it went pretty good.  Calves got a bit tired, and ran a bit of the way with more of a heel strike, but it didn't bother me too much.

Today, repeat performance.. but ran it indoors on the treadmill.  2.5 miles

Calves tightened up about 2 miles in... nothing terrible.

Feeling pretty good afterwards, I am supposed to run six miles tomorrow, it will be in my "traditional" running shoes, though.  And it will also depend on how I am feeling in the legs.  If I feel ok, I'll go the full distance, otherwise I may cut back a bit.

Chargers/Ravens Game Diary

OK, just thought I'd try this for fun.  It ended up quite long, so feel free to skim around.

Never done a game diary before, so I really don't know what I'm doing.  I sat down with a notebook and a pen and wrote down what I saw as it happened, and then typed them in after the game.

7:12 pm  Settle in on the couch, I'm ready for the kickoff.

For those that don't know, I'm kind of a die-hard Chargers fan.  So I'll probably be plenty partial as I write this, but so far it's been a good day for the Chargers.  The Denver Tebows lost at home, the Raiders lost at home, and for San Diego to make the playoffs they have to win all 3 of their remaining games.  It's just like Norv planned it!

Anyways, it's been a crazy day in the NFL.  The Packers lost to KC?, the Colts won?, the Giants lost to the Redskins?, the Eagles CRUSH the Jets?, Reggie Bush rushes for 200+ yards?  I mean, Chargers beat the Ravens could fit right in, right?

7:14 pm NBC cuts to Ray Lewis screaming "Play like dictators!" which led to my wife saying, "Who is that?  He sounds like a maniac."  I wonder if Ray ever thinks about his buddy sitting in prison for murder.

Chargers still have some (slight) playoff hopes.  Here is what we needed coming into today.
1.  Broncos have to lose 3 straight.  They lost the first one today.
2. The Raider have to lose 2 of 3, and they lost today, and play San Diego in week 17.
3.  The Chargers have to win all 3 games.  The first, and toughest task, will be Baltimore tonight.

7:19 pm Tony Dungy picks the Ravens to win.  Rodney Harrison picks.... the Chargers?  Something strange is afoot.  He NEVER picks the Chargers.  Particularly if they are playing a "physical, smashmouth" style of team like the Ravens are known for.

7:23 Faith Hill has been waiting all day for Sunday Night.
Chris Collinsworth - the Chargers could make some noise in the playoffs, but they will need help and also need to get by the Ravens tonight.

Sports Doofus - if the Chargers lose tonight Norv Turner is as good as fired.  And, it won't be easy as the as the Ravens are in a battle for the #1 seed in the AFC.

7:30 Michelle Tafoya interviews Norv Turner on the field
Norv Turner - We've been playin good.  Playing a tough team tonight.  Rivers needs to play "within himself".

Thanks for the insight Norv.

Michelle - possible injury to starting Ravens CB Webb.
Thanks Michelle

7:31 pm Nick Novak kicks off to start the game.  Touchback.

First Play - Ray Rice off the left side for 21 yards.  Ouch

On a 2nd and 12, Flacco badly misses a wide open Boldin over the middle.  The Chargers and their fans need Flacco to suck tonight.

On 3rd and 12, Flacco hits Boldin for a big gain of 34 yards.  At SD 34 yard line already.  (Sigh)

Chargers Hold.  and Raven's K Billy Cundiff misses a 36 yard FG attempt.  Charger Ball.

7:40 pm Chargers first play - Phillip Rivers completes a short pass to Ryan Mathews and he turns it into a 13 yard gain.

Michaels notes that the Chargers have had 11 different starters on their Offensive line this season.  (NOT a good thing against this Ravens defense)

on 3rd and 7 Rivers hits Randy McMichael for a 1st down.

7:42 pm  A little "Trickeration" by Norv!
-A Reverse pass option given to Vincent Jackson... pulled it down and got a 9 yard gain on the run.

Mathews on a nice gain up the middle, but fumbles.  Jared Gaither starting Left Tackle for the Chargers (as of 2 weeks ago) recovers.  Whew!  Mathews needs to get over that fumbling problem.  He's really fun to watch.

7:47 pm Rivers calls a timeout with 2nd and Goal at the 2 yard line.  Nice drive so far, Norv has been mixing up the play calling on this drive.

7:49 pm Bring Mike Tolbert in to carry the ball and he's stuffed.  3rd and Goal from the 2.
-Draw play to Tolbert scores a touchdown.

-First time in 21 games that the Ravens D has given up a score on the opening drive.  Norv is a genius in December!  The "Accessory to Murder" (AtoM, for short) was blocked well by Tyronne Green on the TD run.

7:53 pm On the kick return, #37 from Baltimore played well beyond the whistle and basically tackled a Charger on kickoff coverage.  This leads to a scuffle, pushing, shoving, taunting... from both teams.

NBC come back from commercial and there are no penalties on the previous play?  And NBC doesn't discuss it, either.  Evidently, Baltimore can play beyond the whistle, jump on the pile, and pull off helmets, and this is well within the rules of the game.  Kind of like watching Duke play basketball, if it's Duke it's not a foul, because "that's how they play".

Ravens bring out the "Don't Blow This For Us, Joe" Offense.  This features lots of hand offs to Ray Rice, and short passes to Tight Ends.

8:02 pm End of 1st quarter  San Diego 7 Baltimore 0
-if San Diego can stop the run... I like their chances, Flacco has been off on a couple of throws.

8:05 pm Rice starts the second quarter like the first, with a nice run for a 1st down.  Inside the San Diego 20 yard line, now.  Short Run, then incomplete pass.  3rd and 8 on the 15 yard line.  Flacco threads the needle on a beautiful pass to Tight End Ed Dickson for a TD.  Great Throw, Flacco.  Score is tied:  7-7.

That was a nice drive by the Ravens and what they want to do.  Survived a few errant passes and pounded the ball well.  Although, the drive survived because Flacco was able to scramble for a 12 yard gain on a 3rd and 10.  I swear your local junior high quarterback could scramble for a first down against this version of the Chargers defense.  It happens every game.

8:12 pm  Rivers takes over at the 20 yard line, following the touchback.
-lets see how the Ravens defense reacts to that first drive by the Bolts.

8:14 pm Rivers gets sacked on what I call a "Norv Drive".  (The Norv Drive - short run up the middle, followed by a deep pass out of Shotgun formation.  Repeat. )
Run Mathews - Pass for a first down.
Run Mathews - Sack - BUT, a penalty on Terrell Suggs for slapping McMichael on the side of the head saves the day for the Chargers.  1st down off the penalty.

Norv Drive - continues.
-Run Mathews - Deep Pass to Gates, first down
-Run, pitch to Mathews... big loss.  2nd and long... Deep pass to Vincent Jackson...incomplete.  That was there, Rivers overthrew him.

8:21 pm 45 Yard Field Goal by Nick Novak is good.  10-7 Chargers lead.  7:44 to go in the Half.
(-Feeling good.  got points off a "Norv Drive".  Let's see if the Ravens go back to the "DBTFUJ" Offense, or if they let him wing it since that TD pass was on a rope.

8:26 pm  Joe Flacco is sacked...but penalty flag on the play, false start on the Ravens, back up and do it again.
3rd and 10 - 11 Yard gain.  (If you wrote this stuff, meaning the Chargers play, as fiction, no one would  believe it.... too improbable)

8:30 pm Flacco overthrows a wide open Ray Rice on 3rd and 3.  He would have gained 20 yards.  Flacco is really, really, erratic.  That TD he threw was a laser fired between two defenders, and yet, he's had a couple of BAD misfires.  I mean, just bad.
-Punt is a touchback, so SD will take over on the 20 yard line.

8:33 pm There is 3:11 to go in the half as Rivers approaches the line. (Please don't turn it over.)
-Mathews up the middle for 2
-Pass to Floyd dropped, so it's 3rd and 8.  2:21 to go in the half.

Ravens bring a ton of pressure and Rivers makes them pay.  58 yards down the left sideline to Vincent Jackson.  NBC cuts to a look of Flacco on the Baltimore sideline that is just precious.  (That's how you play QB in this league, Joe)  2 minute warning.

8:37 pm 1st and 10 at the Baltimore 20 yard line.

8:38 pm Rivers hits Malcolm Floyd and it's first and goal at the 1 yard line.  Tolbert up the middle, stuffed by AtoM.

8:40 pm Pitch to Ryan Mathews around the right side.  Touchdown.  :19 until halftime.  17-7 Chargers lead.

8:42 pm Flacco takes the field in the Shotgun from the 20 yard line following the kickoff.  Hits Rice for a nice gain out of the backfield.  Timeout Ravens with 4 seconds left until half time.  (Please no PI to set up a field goal attempt)
8:44 pm Flacco sacked by former Raven Antawn Barnes to end the half.

Norv for President!
-Seriously, the Chargers look great.  The Ravens seem caught off guard, like they expected an easy game.  Norv may or may not be back coaching this team next year.... but they never quit on him.  All that being said, it's only halftime and this Chargers team has found about a thousand different ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory over the past two seasons.

9:00 pm Ravens kickoff - Touchback
Nervous Charger fans are waiting for the sky to fall.
-Michelle Tafoya reports that the Ravens coaches are saying the officials need to call holding on the Chargers offensive line.  However, Norv Turner told her that the Chargers are simply blocking better.

Thanks Michelle, glad you cleared that up.

3rd and 8 and the Ravens Blitz, Rivers beats them deep to Malcom Floyd for 16 yards.

Ravens Blitz again... Rivers beats it again, complete pass to Vincent Brown for 15 yards and the Bolts are across midfield.

9:05 pm Nice Run by Ryan Mathews around the left side for 18 yards.

9:06 pm Philip Rivers hits Malcolm Floyd deep for a TD.  The extra point is good.
-AtoM looks absolutely pissed on the sideline.  NBC breaks out the "San Diego Super Charger" song from the early 80's as they go to commercial.  24-7 Chargers.  (Really?)

9:08 pm Ravens come out throwing, in the Shotgun.  Possibly a good sign for the Chargers?
-Tommie Harris sacks Joe Flacco... Harris has been a great addition as a mid-season pickup.  He's played well.  2nd and 18.

(As a Chargers fan, I like seeing Flacco back in the 'gun.  Less Ray Rice to worry about)
-Sack by Antawn Barnes.  Wow.
-a late flag comes out, facemask on Barnes during the sack.

9:15 Quinten Jammer drops a sure pick on a tipped ball.
-Next Play - Linebacker Takeo Spikes intercepts Flacco and rumbles to the Baltimore 25.  Replay shows that Flacco threw it right to him.  Although, to be honest, he was wide open on the play.
-Chargers are penalized 15 yards for excessive celebration after the return.  Of course.

6:23 to go in the 3rd quarter.  Rivers takes over at the Baltimore 42 yard line.
-Chargers go to "Norv Drive" mode.  run, pass.  run, pass.  Then...Pass complete to Floyd!  First and goal at the 4 yard line of the Ravens.

9:21 pm Ryan Mathews leaps over the pile (from the 4 yard line?) for a touchdown.  Novak kicks the extra point.  31-7 Chargers lead.  4:05 left in the 3rd quarter.  Norv for President!

9:27 pm Ravens take over
-NBC runs a graphic stating that the Chargers are the first team in history to score on their first five possessions against the Ravens franchise.

9:30 pm Shaun Phillips intercepts Joe Flacco on a tipped pass.  Wow.
-2 incomplete passes and a draw by Tolbert leads to a field goal attempt by Novak.
-Novak hits the right upright from 37 yards out, which leads to a scintillating conversation between Michaels and Collinsworth on how John Madden would have called that a "doink".

9:35 pm Ravens come out in a Shotgun offense, and are running no huddle.  (This does not displease me.)

9:36 pm  End of 3rd quarter.  31-7 Chargers lead the Ravens.

9:38 pm  Start of the 4th quarter.
-Flacco sacked by Barnes.  Again.  I'm not sure I'd consider my team to be a Super Bowl contender with him as my Quarterback.  Nice punt by the Ravens will pin the Chargers on their own 1 yard line.

9:41 pm Rivers gets the Ravens to jump off-sides on first down.  First and 5 at the 6 yard line.
AtoM tackles Jacob Hester by the facemask.  This leads to a penalty flag being thrown, and then picked up?  What the heck was that?  Barnes had half that amount on Flacco earlier.  Officials are probably worried about Ray and his buddies knowing where he lives, or something.

9:45 pm  Tolbert runs a draw play up the middle for 22 yards.
-Ummm... Baltimore?  Norv runs that play all the time.  But thanks, anyway.
-Chargers have now moved to the 44 yard line, all on the ground (and had an obvious facemask penalty picked up off the ground for no reason).

9:47 pm  On a 3rd and 5, Rivers hits Mike Tolbert on a screen pass and he picks up a first down by spinning away from AtoM.  However, in Ray's defense he wasn't able to reach Tolbert's facemask.

9:49 pm Ryan Mathews breaks a big run to the left.
-Chargers are at the 10 yard line of Baltimore.  This drive has taken over 9 minutes, started at the San Diego 1 yard line, and had exactly 1 pass play (a screen pass to Tolbert).  FG by Novak is good.  34-7 with 4:28 left to play in the game.

9:56 pm Flacco takes over and immediately floats one down the left sideline near no one on the field.
-NBC cuts to the Ravens sideline and shows their defensive players, they are pissed.
-Chargers are playing backup Linebackers now, as Bront Bird and Andrew Gachkar are playing for Donald Butler and Spikes.

10:01 pm Flacco is sacked for the 5th time.  Shaun Phillips was in there, and is down.  Hope he's OK.

10:02 pm Flacco throws a 36 yard TD pass to WR Torrey Smith.  1:55 to play.  34-14 Chargers lead.
-Backup safeties Oliver and Stuckey were in the game on that play, ignored by the announcers.

10:06 pm  Onside kick attempt by Baltimore.  Recovered by the Charger's Patrick Crayton.  Flag on the play.  Illegal touching by Baltimore, so it's Chargers ball at the Raven's 44 yard line.

Hester with a carry up the middle and Baltimore calls time out.  1:48 to play and down 20 points, and the Ravens are hitting after the whistle and calling timeouts.  Classy.  Both Suggs and AtoM get in late hits after every whistle.  Rivers lets the clock run down to 57 seconds and calls timeout.  Norv calls for a run on 4th and 2 instead of punting, and Mathews is just short, so the Ravens take over on downs.

10:13 pm  Ravens send out Tyrod Taylor at Quarterback?  Why were you just calling timeouts, Harbaugh?  Taylor sacked by Corey Leiget.
-3rd and 13 with 9 seconds left.  Complete to Anquan Boldin.  Tackled.  Game over.  34-14 Chargers win.

Thoughts:  I guess the Chargers players do want to keep Norv around.  That game was a clinic.  Baltimore, if I were a Ravens fan I'd officially be worried.  You just got pounded by a team that people consider to be "soft".
The Chargers, if they don't make the playoffs (and let's be honest, the odds are against them) they will have no one to blame but themselves.  They gave away 2 divisional games against Kansas City and Denver that they should have won.  You win those and you are a game up in the division.

No excuses are acceptable.  But they showed tonight what they are capable of, and that they can beat "physical, running" football teams.  Great job by the entire team tonight, and yes, great job by the coaching staff.  Norv, you did good.

Blog Update!

Did a little "remodeling" to the blog.  Changed the background, and the colors.

Just needed a new look.

Also changed the photo and quote on the right.

This will hopefully continue to be an ongoing feature, in which I will highlight people that I find to be inspirational both in life and athletics.

The legendary Coach John Wooden replaces running icon Emil Zatopek.

Hopefully the changes are a bit "easier on the eyes" than the old black background, and I've also increased the font size so it's a bit easier to read.

Other than that, I've been taking some time off to finish my semester in Grad School, had a final paper due this week and been busy working on that in my free time.

Paper will be turned in Wednesday, and I should have some time to share my "doofus" thoughts.

Peace.

Altras Day 2

Took the Altras out for another "spin" last night.

Did a 3 mile treadmill run, and did the first half mile wearing the Altras, and running barefoot style.

Definitely noticed a bit of soreness in my calves toward the end of the half mile, and after my run as well.  This is to be expected running two days in a row.

This morning... woke up with no pain, or stiffness in my calves... so I'll be going for a 3rd straight day today... short, 2 mile run with the first half mile barefoot style.

Hopefully I'll continue to improve.

America's Game

I can't remember how old I was.


I know for certain I was in 5th, 6th or 7th grade.  Because we moved to that farmhouse the week of Christmas of 4th grade, and moved away the summer before 8th grade.  So I must have been 10-12 years old when I first watched the Army/Navy Football Game.


I remember the living room, the television, the long old couch that my parents kept forever (seriously, they had this couch for my entire life, and then I think they gave it to my brother).  I was doing what I usually did on a Saturday afternoon in the cold, looked for a game to watch on TV.


This was before cable, and we had a grand total of 4 channels, if you include PBS.  My favorite pastime in the winter months was checking out the stations and seeing if there was a game of some sort on.  I watched tons of college basketball, football, shoot I'd even watch Billiards if it was on (Minnesota Fats vs Willie Mosconi).  Anyway this one fine day, I come across the national anthem for a football game, I was excited.  This was my first Army/Navy game.


It was amazing.  I was enthralled, entranced, and immediately hooked.  I could tell the players on these teams were a little smaller than what I saw out of Notre Dame/Ohio State/Nebraska on a normal Saturday.  But there was just something about the way they played the game... passionate and intense but also.... Regal?  Not sure if that's the right word, but the way the players treated each other on the field was noticeable.


I remember watching the game several times over the years, and although I missed some (I'm not going to lie and say I've seen them all since then) whenever I saw it was on, I always watched it.


Many years later, I read John Feinstein's excellent book "A Civil War".  Feinstein spends a year inside each of the programs, follows them through their ups and downs and finishes with the magnificent event of the 1995 game.  


Since reading that book, I haven't missed one.  Navy has been on a bit of a roll of late (winners of the last 6, and a tie the year before that), but I cheer for Army.  Always have and always will.  


This Saturday's game will be the 112th annual game.  It's a tradition that goes back.  It's a game played mostly by young men, who will never play another game (at least for the seniors).  It's a game played by young men who are the best and brightest this country has to offer.  It's a game where no matter who wins or loses, everyone of the field is a winner.  I know that sounds cheesy, but it's actually true in this case.


So, if you've never seen... or it's been a while... do yourself a favor and tune into CBS this Saturday afternoon.  You'll be glad you did.

The Altras have arrived.

My Altra Instincts arrived yesterday, and I took them out for a short spin on the treadmill.


Just did two miles, and did a half mile in the Altras.


Feel much better today, than I did after my previous run. 


Going to take them out again tonight for a 3 mile run, again only a half mile in the Altra's.


We'll keep updating the progress of barefootin here.

My aching calves.

Started my winter running schedule yesterday.


Wanted to embrace the "barefoot" style, so I ran in my racing flats, on the treadmill.


The plan was to run a  mile (or so) using a forefoot/mid foot strike, and then switch to normal running for the rest of my 3 mile run.


As I ran, I kept trying to think of myself basically running barefoot... on the beach.  That was my mindset... barefoot on the beach.  It was working well.  I was light on my feet, and running with a forefoot strike.


Well, I went a mile and felt really good, so i kept going.


After about a mile and a half, I could feel my calves were getting tired, so I thought to myself, "Self, you can run normally now."  But I couldn't do it.  I mean, I really had to concentrate to run with my normal foot strike... maybe it was the racing flats, maybe it was the treadmill, but I really think it was just because I was running without stopping, and I couldn't change my stride while I was running.... so I kept "bare footing" it.


After about two miles, my calves were really sore, and I was finally able to force myself into a more traditional foot strike, and finished the 3 mile run.


Within 20 minutes of finishing my calves were upset with me.  And they stayed pretty stiff all night.


Woke up this morning with extreme pain in my calves.  Had Mrs. Coach massage them for me this morning and put some icy hot on this afternoon.  


This is just a simple case of too much, too soon.  What I need to do, is to do like I did last spring on the treadmill and run actually in socks for a 1/2 mile or so for each run, and then put on shoes (and go outside, depending on the weather) for the rest of my run.


Still planning on running tomorrow morning, but I'm willing to cancel that too... I'm not going to injure myself immediately because I was an idiot on the first run.

My Outdated College Playoff Plan

OK, with all the conference re-alignment crud going on... I want to to emphasize that this is my "old plan", and it probably won't work when everything shakes out in the end.  So, it will need to be "adjusted" once all this conference swapping settles down.

However, I still feel like it's a good starting point, toward the development of a College Football playoff system.

Right now, the following conferences are Automatic Qualifiers for the BCS Bowls.
The ACC, The Big 12, The Big 10, The Big East, The Pac 12, and the SEC.

That's six of the schools right there, to qualify for either:  The Rose Bowl, The Fiesta Bowl, The Orange Bowl, The Sugar Bowl, or the BCS Championship game.  So that's five games.  Five games would need ten teams... 6 of which are decided by conference champions, and 4 basically at large teams.  However, only 2 of these teams will play for the championship... no matter if 3 teams are undefeated, or if there are several one loss teams stacked into the top ten.

I've heard arguments that College Football doesn't need a playoff system, because the regular season is their playoffs, and by adding a playoffs system, you would devalue the regular season.

Now, I have also heard the argument time and time again, that you cannot get rid of the Bowls, because they pay the schools too much money, and school officials do not want to miss the big payout they receive for being a bowl game attendee. 

So my thought is this....  is there a way we can do it all?  Can we have a playoff, have the regular system mean something, and still incorporate the Bowls to mean something?  I think we can.

First of all, as of right now I think the Big East and/or Big 12 should be stripped of their "automatic qualifier" status until they are able to host a championship game.  Only conference champions of 12 member conferences are "automatic qualifiers".  The Big East is down to what...6 Football schools with Pitt and Syracuse's departure?

So let's say the Big 12 gets back up to 12 members... for the heck of it.  And so we have 5 Automatic Qualifiers...  These five get an automatic birth in the 8 team tournament.  The other 3 teams are selected "at large" from the field, an undefeated team from a lower conference (like Houston this year), or a one loss team to a team from a power conference in the same division (like Alabama this year)... whoever.  We will use the rankings, top 3 teams that aren't Conference Champions are in.  I don't even care which ranking system we use.  We can use the current BCS rankings if they want to.

That is a field of 8.  5 Automatic Qualifiers and the top 3 "At Large" teams.

Round One of the playoffs will occur the week after Conference Championship Game week.   This will be seeded 1-8 by their ranking.  Seeds 1-4 will host... seeds 5-8 will play on the road.  Typical seeding would be used 1vs 8, 2 vs 7, 3 vs 6, 4 vs 5.

Round 2 of the Playoffs would be the Semifinals and Bowl Week.  Depending on the winners of the first round... You could have Orange and Fiesta be the semi-finals one year, and Rose and Sugar the next year... or however you want to do it... say a Big 10 and Pac 12 team are matched up for the Semi's that would be the Rose Bowl.  Each of the Bowls would still get a quality (think top 8 in the country) team to play in their game, and two of the games would be semi-finals for the national championship game.

Round 3 would include the two winners of the Semifinals, and would be played one week following the bowl games, for a true National Championship Game.  It would be played during the same week

In one stroke of genius, you've included everything, a true playoff system, the bowl games, and the regular season still counts.

For those people who cry out about "extending the season" or other such nonsense... For 8 teams, you would extend the season by ONE GAME.  And two teams would play two extra games.  That's it.

It could work.  It doesn't cheapen the bowls.  Are the bowls cheapened now?  In fact, with two of the Bowls being National Semifinals, it actually increases the importance of the Bowls.  Currently none of the teams playing in the Orange, Rose, Sugar, or Fiesta Bowl are contenders for the national championship.  This would change that.

I'm not saying it's perfect.  Maybe you want to hold the Round One two weeks after the Conference Championships so things are a bit more spread out.  Whatever, that's fine.  And I know, people will say.. .but, but, but what about the 9th best team, etc...  It's not basketball.  We're not going to be able to have a field of 64 or 68, the line has to be drawn somewhere.  In my opinion, this does the best job of covering all the bases needed.

The Wussification of the Vampire.

I have something I need to get off my chest.  I hate the “new” vampires.  All of them: The Twilight saga (movies/books), the Vampire Diaries (TV show), Angel, every stinking one of them.  And you know why, because Vampires are supposed to be evil, not romantic.

When I was a kid, vampires were freaking scary.  They were NOT something that you hoped to meet.  They were something you feared when you went outside after dark.  They were evil, undead, creatures who would kill you, by biting you and drinking your blood.  Have you read the book “Dracula”?  He’s not a nice guy.  Go watch the movie “Salem’s Lot” and tell me how ‘romantic’ the vampire is in that movie?  The point is, they have taken something that was actually scary, and wussified it down to something that can/could be scary, but has decided to be nice.

I got the following information from wikipedia " the term vampire was not popularized until the early 18th century, after an influx of vampire superstition into Western Europe from areas where vampire legends were frequent".  I found it interesting, that originally vampires weren't thought to be attractive "Vampires were usually reported as bloated in appearance, and ruddy, purplish, or dark in colour; these characteristics were often attributed to the recent drinking of blood. Indeed, blood was often seen seeping from the mouth and nose when one was seen in its shroud or coffin and its left eye was often open". 

You see, they really started off as evil , as is shown in this quote "... in ancient times, the term vampire did not exist; blood drinking and similar activities were attributed to demons or spirits who would eat flesh and drink blood; even the Devil was considered synonymous with the vampire".  Synonymous with the Devil?  Hmmm, doesn't sound to me like someone romantic.  Let's read some more... " the returned spirits of evil-doers or those who died insane, also bear vampiric attributes", so they are often evil and insane.  Let's see if we can find any more... how about this one, "These vampires were corpses, who went out of their graves at night to suck the blood of the living, either at their throats or stomachs, after which they returned to their cemeteries".

So, to sum up.... evil spirits who drink blood, synonymous with the devil, returned evildoers and insane people who tear out the throats of the living at night, and then go back to their graves.  Sounds like a hot date for a Friday night, right?

People like me, who grew up and saw Salem's Lot at a young age, did not foresee vampires becoming the objects of attraction and affection that we are seeing now (although that trailer does look a bit cheesy, now).  They were something to be feared, and to be honest, they scared the crap out of me.

One of the biggest problems I have with Twilight/True Blood/Vampire Diaries is the fact that it’s perfectly OK for the Vampire to have sexual intercourse with humans.  Let’s discuss this (sort of) intelligently.  Now the reason humans have sex is for propagation of the species, because humans are, you know, alive.  Vampires, being dead, would have no reason to desire this.  They can’t have children, because they aren’t alive.  They would not have ovum, or sperm, or anything needed to make this desire possible (don’t get me started on the “twilight baby”).  They are dead.  They are cold.  They don’t produce stuff.  They have no need for progeny, because they are ‘eternal’.  So the idea that these modern “writers” (and I am using that term loosely) have given them an entirely human trait is ridiculous on that side of things.

In addition to why would a vampire want to have sex (because they wouldn’t), why would a human want to have sex with a vampire?  They are cold.  Their skin is cold.  Go down to a morgue or a funeral home and see if you can touch a dead body… now imagine trying to have intimate relations with it.  Doesn’t sound very tempting, does it?  Also, supposedly… Vampire’s breathe smell like, well,death.  Because you know, they subsist on blood.  Not someone you would want to kiss and make out with.

Personally, I blame the “Blade” and “Underworld” movies.  Some people would go back to “The Lost Boys” but I disagree.  Although “The Lost Boys” was a “cool and hip” vampire movie, the vampires were still evil.  They didn’t go out in the daytime.  They killed people, not animals.  They were actual evil creatures.

Blade and Underworld are essentially action/adventure movies masquerading as vampire movies.  Each of them is loaded with gratuitous violence.  Heroes and Heroines fighting against the odds that are stacked significantly against them.  Both of them feature “nice” Vampires, who fought against the "evil" ones. Blade was a “day walker”.   It was the beginning of the end, we just didn't know it yet.

I'm not sure if Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a step in this direction, or not.  Most vampires were certainly evil, but then again, some of them were not.  To be honest, I never really got into Buffy the TV series.  I did see the movie though, the one with Kristy Swanson as Buffy, and in the movie the vampires were evil.

Then, all of a sudden, Vampires became "romantic".  I watched "Bram Stoker's Dracula" and was amazed that this was a love story, all this time I thought Dracula had been evil.  I'm beginning to wonder if Francis Ford Coppola even read the actual book.  Because, he combines two characters into one (the two lead female characters), and makes up some hokey story about Dracula falling in love with one of them.  Listen closely here, I read the book, Dracula wasn't in love with these women, he wanted to kill them.  In fact, he does kill one of them.  He wasn't nice, he wasn't trying to be nice, he moved to London and its "swarms" of people so he could eat as many people as he wanted without people knowing why. There was nothing romantic about it.

Anne Rice didn't help matters a whole lot with her "The Vampire Chronicles".  Because she made them living characters who cared for people and whatnot.  I will give her credit for sticking to her guns about traditional vampire stuff, they didn't go out in the daylight (or they'd burn), they didn't make love to humans (although they wanted to).  So although she sort of stayed with the thought of them being "evil beings", she did romanticize them.  And what is with making Lestat into a famous heavy metal rock singer? 

Then we come to the modern day, where Vampires are thought of as something "desirable" and young pre-teens run around in shirts with "bite me" written on them with a little vampire fang pictured as well.  They go out in the daylight, because they don't burn in the sun, they "sparkle".  They are nice, and subsist on other animals instead of humans.  They live forever, and love you, and will love you for eternity.    They will make love to you, and you can even (Really, Stephanie Meyer?) have a child with them.

Listen, I understand the attraction for young preteen/barely teen girls.  It's the whole forbidden love thing.  Meaning that although he may be dangerous and evil (sort of) that his love for them will overcome this and turn him into a good person.  (So what if I learned most of this from Mr. Van Driessen on Beavis and Butthead?)  It's similar to why girls like "bad boys", they think they can be the one to change him.... only this is even more romantic because vampires live forever, and they will love them forever, and blah, blah, blah forever.

Here's a thought, why not just make them a superhero, or a God of some sort?  I mean, because honestly, what they are now really aren't vampires.  Creatures who walk in the daylight, fall in love, are capable of copulation, and don't feed on people aren't vampires.  Also, these vampires are always handsome and attractive.  Really?  If they have lived for like 100 or 200 years or so... go back with me.  I'm not sure people had the best dental work back in the 1800's.  Certainly their hygiene was very poor.  Wouldn't a person that died a couple hundred years ago still retain the traits that they had when they died?  I'd think they would.  I propose we create a "new" characterization for this new breed of 'day-walking, love-making, nice-guy' vamps..  Call them "cramps" "wamps" something... can we just come up with a new term, because there already are vampires, and they're supposed to be evil.


Dear Hollywood producers (assuming you ever read the sports doofus),  here is your next big money making horror film:  Make an actual vampire movie.  That's actually scary.  Where people are frightened for their lives.  Make the vampire evil, scary, and in no way cuddly. Get Stephen King, Clive Barker, and Neil Gaiman to write the script, have some young director who has grown up worshipping classic scary movies to direct it.  Have no stars whatsoever involved in it.  You know what you've got there, you've got a winner.


Thanks, I feel better now.

College Football Openings

A list of openings for good jobs next year.

With the hiring of Urban Meyer, Ohio State has jump started this year's coaching carousel.  This was a good hire for a couple of reasons.  One is that he is the biggest name out there, and the second is that he is an Ohio native who has coached at the school in the past.  Win/Win

Should be very fun and interesting having Meyer at OSU and Brady Hoke at Michigan for the next several years.  What's good for rivalries is good for football.

A look at some other openings, or soon to be openings.

Penn State University - Wow.  This job went from a "will JoePa ever retire?" to "what will they do now"?  I know Penn State is a traditional place, and before the scandal broke I would have expected someone from the Paterno coaching tree to end up with this job.  However, now I'm not so sure.  Penn State hasn't had to look for a new coach since 1966.  So we have no idea what they will do.  It could be a great job for the right guy, but boy would you have to be the right guy.  Tough to fill those shoes.

University of North Carolina -  The only thing surprising about Butch Davis's dismissal as the Head Coach at UNC was the timing of it.  That is an institution that prides itself on playing by the rules.  So it was surprising that Butch made it all the way through last season, and then all the way through the off-season, to be removed right before this season started.  All I know is this is a pretty choice job.  If I was an "up and coming" college football head coach, this would be the spot I'd pick.  The ACC is a good conference, and they just picked up Pittsburgh, so:  Miami, Va Tech, Pitt, Fla State, Clemson, and Georgia Tech... some traditional football powers in there.  But not as tough as the SEC.  You still get to see Duke, Boston College, NC State and Wake Forest on a regular basis.  This is a school with money, motivated alumni, and a great campus.  (Plus UNC basketball in the off season, what a great recruiting tool). 

UCLA - For the right coach, this could be a good job.  Rick Neuheisal wasn't that guy.  However, the thing everyone at UCLA is going to have to understand is that you are going to have to build this slowly.  You aren't going to topple USC immediately, it just don't work like that.  Kiffen and crew have a huge head start on the recruiting trail, and have amassed a ton of talent the last couple years.  Find a Good, Young, Passionate coach, and give him sometime to grow.  The Neuheisal hiring reeked of desperation, the guy has never been a great head football coach.  He's OK, but that's not enough when you share the same city with USC.  You need someone that can go head to head with Lane and win.

Arizona State - What a shock, Dennis Erickson is out.  This is a guy who has made an entire career out of winning with other people's players.  His best Miami team was the one right after Jimmy Johnson left.  His best Oregon State team was all recruited by Mike Riley.  And now Arizona State... his best season?  His first one, of course!  The Sun Devils won 10 games in his first season, and now after five years, his record is 31-30 at the school.  This is going to be tough for ASU.  You have USC, Oregon, Stanford in your conference.  I think Arizona State might need to do something like Minnesota did last year, who hired Jerry Kill from Northern Illinois.  Go find a head coach at a smaller school, who has a record of building a program, that is the step you need to take.  No hotshot assistant is going to do this.  I don't think this should be a young guy, either.

Kansas - surprised that Turner Gill was fired after only two seasons.  I thought KU would give him  more time than that.  Kansas has never been a football power,  and to be honest Mark Mangino went 2-10 in his first season, and 4-7 in his 3rd.   Not sure who Kansas is looking at hiring, or why they think they can do better than Turner Gill.  Coach Gill revived a basically dead program at Buffalo, and I think he should have been given more time.  Good Luck, Jayhawks. 

Illinois - So, the Ron Zook era comes to a close.  Not too surprising, considering the way they finished the season.  They had a nice start this year, and I really thought they may be able to make some noise, but they didn't.  Illinois will probably look to raid the staff from another school.  Maybe someone like Houston Nutt from Ole Miss.  Maybe Butch Davis from North Carolina?  I can totally see Illinois grabbing someone with experience, and experience in a big conference.

Ole Miss - Houston Nutt is out after 4 years since they stole him from SEC Rival Arkansas.  It will be interesting to see what Ole Miss does.  They are an SEC school, so they carry that panache, but they are also among the "lower class" schools of the SEC... this isn't Florida, Alabama or LSU. 
I can see Ole Miss going after a coordinator at another big school.  Maybe even an SEC school?  Also, being in the SEC, they've seen Urban Meyer run to two national titles, and Auburn another running their spread option attacks.  I wouldn't be astounded to see Ole Miss hire someone with spread experience to help them make some gains against the LSU's and Alabama's of the world.  Just my thought.

It will be interesting to watch this year's version of the coaching carousel turn, and turn, and turn some more. 

The NFL is only a few weeks away from starting their own.

Top 5 NFL Team Uniforms

For the 5 Worst Uniforms, click the link.

Once again,

This is looking at the whole uniform: pants, jersey, and helmet in concert. How does everything look together?

Here’s what I used for criteria: my opinion. While I know that is lacking on specifics and details, it is the truth, and it's good enough for me... hey, it's my blog.

5.  Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals uniforms are sweet.  Especially when you compare them to what they used to wear.  Here's how you know you have had a good idea.  Imitation by several teams, like the Vikings and Falcons quickly changed to uniforms that if not exactly copy...mimic what the Cardinals did with theirs.

A few things to mention.  I do NOT like the Cardinals alternate black uniforms.  They don't look right.  The reason these uniforms look sharp is because of the bright Red.  You take that away and replace it with Black, and it just looks blah.

A quick suggestion for the Cardinals... for your "alternate" uniforms.  Red Helmets.  You may think a Red Cardinal on a Red Helmet would looks weird, but it really doesn't.   So, get rid of the Black Jerseys... and strap on Red Helmets.

4.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Probably the greatest uniform transformation of all time.  There is not one thing, not one single thing, about the old Tampa uniforms that was better than the new version.
The color scheme:  From the old Orange, Red, and White to Red, Pewter, and Black.

The logo:  From the Gay Pirate to Skull and Crossed Swords hanging on a flag, hung on a sword.

The helmet:  From This  to  This.

Do you remember the Buccaneers before the change in 1995?  They went from a joke, a farce, and someone that no one feared into a legitimate contender.  Almost immediately.  Never has the fate of a franchise changed more drastically.  The Buccaneers changed the image and the perception of their team in one fell swoop.  (Hiring Tony Dungy didn't hurt, either.)  This is why uniforms are important.  Players play feel better about themselves when they look good.  They feel better, they play better.

3.  New York Giants

Simple.  Clean.  Elegant.

To be honest, I never thought there was anything wrong with the Giants Uniform in the Bill Parcells era.  Those were pretty good looking.  They weren't Top 5 in the league, but they looked good.

Here is where just a slight, subtle adjustment, can make a huge difference.  The helmet has changed both in color and logo.  The "new" helmets are brighter and more colorful than the old ones.  Technically, they are both blue with a red stripe, but the change is definitely for the better.

The logo went from GIANTS to NY.  Again, the difference is slight, but I like it.  Two Color scheme on the logo from one.  And something about the lowercase lettering looks cooler too.  I just like what they did here.  More colorful.  More modern.  And still, simple and easy.

And I love the Gray pants.  How many teams do that?  One.  The Giants.  It sets them apart.  It makes them different.  These would have been my second favorite except for a major uniform overhaul in the past off season by the....

2.  Buffalo Bills

I'm going to be honest here, I've been waiting for this change.  The past few years whenever I saw the Bills on television I would text my brother and say something along these lines, "I really wish the Bills would go back to their throwback uniforms, they look better than these things."

The Bills uniforms were awful.  The Red helmets look like something from the 80's.  They weren't terrible, but mixed in with all the color in the uniform...  There's no contrast.  They're all Blue and Red, it hurt the eyes.  Another thing I didn't like about them is the weird shoulder square thing.  It's more notable on the white uniforms, but it's even there on the blue ones?  What the heck?  And if you have a Blue shoulder thing on the white uniforms, shouldn't you have a White shoulder thing on the Blue ones?  

Buffalo General Manger Buddy Nix, used to be the Assistant GM to the San Diego Chargers.  He took a page out of his old team's book.  He changed the uniforms so that it looked like the throwback uniforms, but had their own charm.  They pay homage to the bills of old, without exactly copying it and looking like they belong in a museum like like the Jets did.  Straight out of the Chargers playbook.  Going back to the white helmets?  Check.  Going back to an old color scheme?  check.  Well done, Bills, well done.  

1.  San Diego Chargers -The Hands Down best looking uniforms in the league.

"Home"

I'm fully prepared for the cries of "Homer!" and "That's your favorite team, of course you like them the best!"    Listen, it's not my fault that my favorite team also has the best looking uniforms in the league.  It's just the way it is.  If I were a Packers fan, I would not be claiming we had the best looking uniforms in the league.  Because they don't.  If I were a Bears fan, I would not think the Bears had the best uniforms either, because even though they are fine, traditional, and classic... they aren't cool.  The Chargers uniforms are cool.

"Away"

This is why I have included photos of each of the three styles, Home, Away, and Alternate.  Look closely at each of these photos.  And then think back to the five worst uniforms, as recorded yesterday.  Do the Chargers uniforms do anything like those teams?  

Are they:

Trying too hard to be audacious, like the Broncos uniforms?

Relics of the past like the Jets uniforms?

Racially and culturally inappropriate, as well as poorly colored, like the Redskins?

Plain, bland, boring and ugly like the Browns uniforms?

Wimpy, new age colored, and adorned with a silly looking mascot?

"Alternate"

Let me answer each of those questions with one answer, "NO".  Here is how nice looking the Charger uniforms are, first of all imagine a little kid... 6, 7, 8 years old... and put him in a room full of NFL jerseys and let him pick the one he likes the most  (we have to imagine he knows nothing about football, and has no favorite team or anything.... just picking on which jersey he likes the best).  More than likely he's coming out of there with the one that has Lightning Bolts on it.  What would you pick.... one with a bird on it?

I was watching a pre-season game of the Chargers this summer, and my wife looked up from the computer and says, "When you picked them as your favorite team, did you do it because their uniforms look so cool"?  Honestly, it played a role.  I was 10 years old.  This was basically pre-espn, and I'd never heard of them.  (Remember the NFL didn't dominate the culture of the nation in those days, as it does now.)  I saw this cool looking team, throwing the ball all over the field, putting up tons of points.  (Dan Fouts and the Air Coryell era Chargers)

Listen, as a Chargers fan, they've never won the Super Bowl.  They may never win the Super Bowl (Particularly the way the current version of the team is playing).  Can't you just admit that their uniforms look good?  It's not like saying they're the best team.  Just the best dressed.  Is there anything wrong with that?  Not in my opinion.  Of course, Chiefs, Broncos, and Raiders fans are excused from giving the Chargers any credit whatsoever, and that's alright because it's obvious by your choice of team that you have made worse decisions in the past.  (tee-hee)

I was texting back and forth with a friend (Steelers fan) this summer, and we were busting on each others teams a little, and he said something like "The Steelers would beat the Chargers" and I replied back with, "I don't doubt it, but the Chargers still have the best looking uniforms."  To which he replied, "True.  Even I won't argue that point."

So there you go.  My completely unscientific, and completely biased opinion on who looks the best.

5 Worst NFL Uniforms

5 Worst NFL Team Uniforms

This is looking at the whole uniform:  pants, jersey, and helmet in concert.  How does everything look together?

Here’s what I used for criteria:  my opinion.  While I know that is lacking on specifics and details, it is the truth, and it's good enough for me... hey, it's my blog.

Here we go, starting with:

5.  Denver Broncos

Despite what many who know me may think, this has nothing to do with them being a division rival of my favorite team (the Chargers).  The Raiders and Chiefs aren’t on this list.  So that’s not it.  It’s not the color scheme because the Virginia Cavaliers make the dark blue and orange thing work. 

First of all, I hate the design.  The little point thing on the helmet stripe?  It starts out wide on the back of the helmet and then shrinks down to a little point at the front.  That looks stupid.  Also, on the jerseys and pants… their stripes come to a point… at the top of the jersey (point on the chest) and then down the side, and finishes with another point on the bottom of the pants.

Then, we come to the ‘bronco’ on the helmet.  It’s too… tooo... it’s just too much.  First of all it’s enormous!  And secondly, it’s too “fierce” looking.  This horse is trying too hard.  Maybe the actual logo wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t so large.  But when you put the “fierce horse face” in combination with the size of the thing, it just looks like it’s overcompensating for something.

4.  New York Jets

When Bill Parcells took over the Jets in the late 90’s, he changed the uniforms and logos from the ones they had been using, to the look the team sported during the Joe Namath era.  Most likely hoping it would “recapture the glory years” of the franchise (they did win a Super Bowl).

Too be honest, at first I was on board with this change.  At that time the “throwback” uniforms were popular, and the Jets uniforms at that time did leave something to be desired.  Now though, they look like something from the 1960’s, which is exactly what they are.   It’s not that they are ugly like the Broncos, they just look like something out of a museum. 

The Jets need an update.  I’m not sure how, and I’m not sure what, but they need a change.  You live in New York!  The media capital of the world!  You have one of the most vocal fan bases in the league!  You can do better!  Get some PR people working on this issue.  You have how many advertising and marketing firms based in New York?  There is no reason for you to keep trotting out a team that looks like they are playing in the same clothes that their Grandpa did.  Get with the 2000’s Jets. 

3.  Washington Redskins

I’m not sure where to begin with the Redskins.

1.       The racially inappropriate mascot. (Redskins?  really?)

2.       The completely inappropriate helmet logo.  (a caricature of Native American?)

3.       The horrendous color scheme. (Red and Yellow, no wait Burgundy and Gold)

First of all, it is beyond my understanding how any team could exist in 2011 and have a mascot be named the Redskins.  How is this possible?  It’s the most ridiculous thing I can imagine a team being called.  What if San Antonio got a team and started calling it the “Wetbacks”?  How about the San Jose Slant Eyes?  Would that be good?  What if Miami’s team was called the “Refugees” instead of the Dolphins, and had a picture of a floating Cuban refugee on the side of the helmet? 

You can talk all you want about tradition and history, and blah, blah, blah.  It makes no difference.  It’s wrong.  It needs to go.  When you also factor in that this team also represents our nation’s capital, it makes it worse.

So, Washington fans you need a new mascot, which also means a new logo, why not go for wholesale changes while you are at it?  I don’t think the next team should be that burgundy and gold color scheme.  You can't have a "new identity" with the same colors.  It could be close, but different.  


How about maroon and gold like the University of Minnesota?  That would be close, but a change, and a change is needed.  Think of it this way, when you’re going out, and you want to look good… who puts on Burgundy and Gold together?  How about Red and Yellow, for that matter?  It’s not a good color scheme to begin with, so you may as well change that.

Personally, I’d be in favor of naming the team the Washington Senators like the old baseball team.  But that is all beyond the point, which is that this uniform, logo, and mascot NEED TO GO.   Do the right thing, Dan Snyder.  Just do it.

2.  Cleveland Browns

The ugliest uniforms in professional football, hands down.  Possibly the ugliest uniforms in all of professional sports.  The Browns aren’t going to win any beauty contests.  From the plain white jerseys with the orange pants, or the brown jerseys with the white pants, these things look terrible.

First off, this was a fine look back in the way back… you know, before teams adorned their helmets with logos and graphics.  But teams have been doing that for a while.  The Browns stubbornly refuse to change.  OK, so you like a simple helmet.  You do notice that your helmet is colored Orange?  The team is named the Browns, but you wear Orange helmets?

I know the team is named the Browns after the legendary coach Paul Brown.  I get that.  I even think it’s cool.  But couldn’t you incorporate something about that?  You’re just plain.  These are the most boring and plain looking things you can imagine.  And you know what, it would not be hard to change to something better.  A quick internet search of Cleveland Browns Uniforms, found me these "fan made uniforms'.  Those look pretty sweet, right?  Much better than what they actually wear.

In fact, the only thing that prevents them from being the #1 worst uniform in the League is this… they are so ugly that Browns fans are proud of this.  They relish the fact that they are “the Browns” and that they are plain, and their fans are “the dogpound”.  This fact prevents them from being the worst, however they are still ugly. 

But there is one worse...

1.  Miami Dolphins

Where oh where, do we begin with the Dolphins?  Should we start with the mascot?  Who is intimidated by a Dolphin?  How about the color scheme?  Aqua and Coral sound more like stripper names than a football team’s colors.  And let’s call them what they are:  Teal and Orange.  Let’s move on to the logo on the Helmet.  A cartoon dolphin, wearing a football helmet (with an orange M on it) jumping in front of a silhouette of the sun.  Wow.

Does anyone find it ironic, that the Dolphin on the helmet is actually wearing a cooler looking helmet, than the helmet it is appearing on?  Seriously, look closely at that helmet… a plain and simple orange M looks better than what they have on there.

Miami, it’s time to wake up.  You are happening, you have South Beach, you have beautiful ladies, beautiful weather and tremendous football history.  You can do better than this.  Allow me to make a few suggestions:

Did you know that one of the Dolphins official colors is Navy?  It’s absolutely true.  What are you doing dressing in teal and orange (OK fine, have it your way, Aqua and Coral)?  You need to incorporate some Navy into those uniforms.  How about the pants?  They could be Navy with a two color coral and aqua stripe up the side (similar to what you have now).  I understand wanting to wear white down there in the heat…but instead of teal, um, aqua numbers on the jerseys go with Navy and outline the trim in coral and aqua.

You should keep the Dolphins are your mascot.  But change the logo.  Almost anything is better than what you have.  Change the helmet while you’re at it.  It doesn’t need to be an M, it could be anything, shoot a scripted “Dolphins” looks better than what you have now.

So there you have it, change you helmets, change your logo, and God’s sake incorporate some Navy into your uniforms.  It’s one of your colors, use it.


My next post will be on the Top 5, and you know that you want to know.