Brian Kelly: No Integrity

Ever since I have moved to Ohio, my exposure to college football has tripled. I have always been somewhat interested, however I never had a college football team to root for. For the past two college football seasons, I have watched many games in an attempt to find a team to root for. I knew Ohio State would not be an option, neither would Michigan. However, being in Ohio game me a variety of other local teams to watch on a weekly basis. The first team to catch my eye was Cincinnatti. I loved how the Bearcats ran their offense. Tony Pike is an NFL ready QB with a very good arm, and I enjoyed seeing Marty Gilyard returning kicks and torching defenses with the deep ball. As every week progressed I started liking the Bearcats more and more. I was rooting for them to go undefeated, and hopefully reach the National Championship game. Cincinnati did go undefeated, and got selected to play Florida in the Orange Bowl. Certainly a great accomplishment for Cincinnatti and its great coach and recruiter Brian Kelly. Without a doubt this will be the biggest football game the University of Cincinnatti has ever played. The only problem is that the Natti will be without reigning coach of the year Brian Kelly.

When Notre Dame fired Charlie Weis, Brian Kelly's name was the popular choice for his replacement. Kelly was offered the job and accepted. He is now a byproduct of Notre Dame, even though it has only been one week since selection Sunday. As a new college football fan, I was very disapointed. Not because he was goin to ND, I could care less. I just cannot believe he left his players at UC, that made him who he is today, and abandoned them before the biggest game of their careers. Gutless move Brian Kelly. You are known for going to the hood and recruiting all these great athletes, telling their families that you will look out for them and be a father figure, then you just up and leave and announce it at a team banquet. Real classy Brian. Not only did you abandon your team, you lied to Marty Gilyard about it. The same Marty Gilyard that got cut from your team and your university, worked 4 jobs while living in his car, and then walked back onto your team only to become your biggest weapon on offense. Brian Kelly is a scumbag, and I will never root for him or any team he coaches again. It just goes to show you college coaches truly don't care about their players. There are certainly some exceptions(Pete Carrol, Urban Meyer), but the majority of them are just as egotistical as they players.

Witness: What Am I Witnessing?

Ever since I have moved to Ohio into Cavaliers country, I have been completely dumbfounded at how naive and ignorant their fans truly are. Coming to BG, I learned very quickly the Celtics were probably the most hated basketball franchise in Ohio. Rockin Celtics gear always got me some nasty looks, and it still does today. I was prepared for this, because the World Champion Boston Celtics had just knocked out the Cleveland Lebron's the previous season. People here were pissed to say the least. As my time went by here in Ohio, I started to see a bunch of shirts that say "Witness". I found these T-shirts to be the epitome of what Cleveland is like. Witness what? What are we witnessing? The only thing I have Witnessed when it comes to Lebron in the Cavs is choking and disappointment. That's like me wearing a Patriots shirt that says undefeated season. I would never put that shirt on, because we didn't win the Superbowl that year. Witness? Hahahaha, I'd rather have an NBA Finals Championship shirt, oh wait, I do. I still cannot comprehend it. My friends constantly argue with me about how the Cavs are the best team in the NBA, and Lebron is the best player in the world. Neither of these statements are correct. The Lakers were, and still are the best team in the NBA, and Kobe is the best player. That takes a lot for me to say, considering how much I hate the Lakers and how much I enjoyed beating them in 08. Here is a news flash to every Cavs fan out there: The Cavaliers are not the best team in the East, they are not the second best team in the East, they are a mediocre team surrounded by a great superstar. Unfortunately for your city and fans, that will not get it done in today's NBA. There are far too many teams that are stacked for there to be a championship parade held in Cleveland this June. While I am at it, let me hit you with some more knowledge. Lebron is leaving. Sorry, I said it. Lebron is the most egotistical superstar I have seen play in the NBA. This guy can't even sit on the bench for 5 minutes without dancing on the sideline trying to show up his opponents. Did you ever see the other greats do that? I didn't think so. All Lebron cares about is himself, it could not be more painfully obvious by his actions. It kind of reminds me of Manny Ramirez in Boston. He was one of the greatest hitters of all time and we all knew it, so we put up with him acting like an idiot. Unfortunately Manny's act got old, and we got rid of him. How many years will Cleveland go without a championship before Lebron's act gets old? We will probably never be able to answer that question because next season he will most likely be wearing a #6 in a Knicks uniform. I am not not hating on Lebron's talent, because I think he has the best physical ability of any player in NBA history, however his attitude and failure to win the big game has convinced me he is the A-Rod of the NBA. It is unfortunate for Cleveland fans but I will be able to share all my sports hate for Lebron with fellow Cavaliers fans starting next season.

Tim Tebow: Cry Me A River

Last week our class had a presentation about athletes being good or bad role models for children. It is not an athlete's job to be a good role model, it is to be a good athlete. Despite Tim Tebow being the nicest human being to set foot on a field, I cannot stand him. If you are unaware, Tim Tebow(QB at Florida) thinks he is god's child. Every single game he writes a different bible proverb or on his eye black. Tim also spends most of his offseason in third world countries doing bible retreats, preaching his savior, and teaching little kids who have not bathed for three weeks how to read. These kind of actions go to show you that Tim is truly selfless and genuine person, so why on Earth do I always root against him? Well two weeks ago I was reminded when he started sobbing his eyes out because Florida lost the SEC championship to Alabama. Crying Tim? You are a Heisman Trophy winner, a 2-time National Champion, and you stand on the sideline crying because you lost a game? Give me a break. Timmy T, I got news for you buddy, you have accomplished more then any other player has in college football history. No one feels bad for you man. You go around preaching to all these unfortunate starving kids then you act like an immature, spoiled child when you finally lose a game of importance. Child Please. Tim you of all people should know that a stupid football game is nothing to cry over. There are kids in Darfur who haven't eaten since your last National Championship, and you have the ignorance to stand on the sideline next to all your teammates, coaches, and fans and just wimper. Real mental toughness Tim. I'm sure every NFL coach would love to his Quarterback crying like a high school girl who just got dumped after a loss.

The NFL Is No Longer a League of Parody

There is one thing that stands out to me so far in this football season. There are some really awful teams out there. The NFL used to pride themselves on having the most parody of any other professional sport. Any given team can win on any given sunday. Well this season is making that statement look like a thing of the past. The Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams, and Oakland Raiders are all a complete joke this season. They should really be in a league of there own because they truly cannot compete with even mediocre teams in the NFL. Unfortunatly, this has caused me not to have any motivation to watch these teams play, because I already know the outcome. This week my friends asked me if I wanted to attend the Browns vs. Lions game in Detriot. I am a huge fan of the NFL, but I would not want to spend even 20 dollars on a ticket to watch the Browns and Lions both punt the ball 12 times. The leagues setup to help teams in the NFL draft by not using a lottery and having the best talent land on the worst teams, however owners like Al Davis of the Oakland Raiders make the draft a joke by drafting players because of there speed and overall ability. If this continues I believe Goodell might have to step in and help this teams be more successfull.

Fanhood or Fantasy Football: what do you put first?

I have been a long time fantasy football fan, and even a longer time NFL fan. I found myself last week in an interesting conundrum between rooting for my fantasy team, or my New England Patriots. I will always be a diehard Patriots fan, and it pained me to see that I was going against Tom Brady and Randy Moss this week. The Patriots played their most important game so far this season against the Colts, however my fantasy team(in which the winner receives 600 dollars) was in a grueling matchup between the top two teams in my league. How am I supposed to hope Randy Moss and Tom Brady don't succeed when they are my two favorite players in the NFL? Personally, I put my fanhood of the Pats above my love for winning money and decided it was best for the Patriots to win. There is a very thin line between rooting for fantasy teams and actual teams. In a lot of situations you will have a player going against your favorite team, but still hope they have a good game. In my opinion fantasy football can both enchance your experience watching football, but can also make you scratch your head in confusion as to what is right.

Freddie Barnes

You may not be aware of it but BGSU has the top Wide Receiver in the nation statistically. Senior Freddie Barnes is leading the nation in both receiving yards(1285) and receptons(117) and is leading by a landslide. This leads me to believe Mr. Barnes will likely be drafted when April rolls along. Originally, Freddie came to BG as a quarterback but switched to wide receiver once Tyler Sheehan began taking all the snaps under center. My question is how can you value Freddie's draft stock since he plays in the MAC? At 6 feet tall 210 lbs Freddie is certainly considered a little undersized, however his ability to run routes and get open is underrated. Unfortunatly for Freddie, he may be overlooked by some teams because of the conference he plays in. Still, Barnes has been turning heads this season and has been interviewed on ESPN's morning show First Take. He has also received recognition from NFL draft guru Todd McShay after BG's win over Buffalo last Thursday saying." Barnes draft stock is going up every week". All in all, the NFL combine will determine where Barnes will place in the draft. If Barnes' 40 time and strength impress NFL executives, I can see him going as early as the 4th round this coming April.

Genius is Often Misunderstood

Before I began my rant, let me start off by saying Bill Belichick is a Hall of Fame coach, and will forever be in my heart for winning 3 Superbowls in 4 years.

I am guessing you were watching the game Sunday night between the Colts and Patriots. I sat down with my buddies, broke out the chips and salsa and watched Tom Brady and the rest of the Patriots do work against the Colts, leading by 17 at one point in the 4th quarter. I was estatic because I have waited for this game all season long, and it couldn't have gone any better then I imagined...until Bill Belchick made one of the worst coaching moves in recent history.

The Pats are up 6, with the ball on there own 29 yard line, and 3 minutes remaining in the game. One first down and the game is over, the Patriots can run out the clock, I can dance around Founders celebrating how much better my team is then everyone elses, life would be grand. Well, it didn't work that way because of one man, and one decision to go for it on 4th and 2. I realize this is supposed to be a "gutzy" move and would just add to Bill's legacy if converted, but sometimes in football you have to check your ego at the door and play by the numbers. Giving Peyton Manning a 30 yard field to score a touchdown is like letting Michael Jackson babysit your kid...you just wouldn't do it. You MUST punt the ball in that situation and let your defense win the game for you, just like they have always done in the past. Rodney Harrison and Tedy Bruschi, whom both played under Belichick last season, went on air and ripped their former head coach publicly, and in my opinion deservingly so. So why go for it? Was Bill that cocky where he thought there was no way Brady would ever be stopped? Or does he have zero faith in his defense? It is probably a combination of both, but on Sunday night that combination resulted in a losing formula.

2009 MLB Playoff Predictions

ALDS: The Boston Red Sox vs. Los Angelos Angels of Anaheim

There are few things I know in this world, but one of them is the Red Sox have the Angels number in the playoffs. Not only are the Angels 0-5 versus the Red Sox in postseason history, but they have lost to the Red Sox in the ALDS in the past two seasons.
This season, both teams have over 90 wins and it truly could go either way. Both teams have very efficent offenses. The Angels rely on small ball from Chone Figgans and Erik Aybar, but can also take you deep with sluggers Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter. The Red Sox have a deep lineup 1-7 stuffed with power hitters Victor Martinez, Jason Bay, and David Ortiz. Both teams have good starting pitching, but I would have to give the edge to the Red Sox. I also give the Red Sox the edge in their bullpen because of the depth they have with guys like Papelbon, Bard, Okajima, and Ramirez. Red Sox in 4.

ALDS: The New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins

The Twins maybe riding momentum from there terrific one game playoff win against the Tigers, but the Yankees will win this series in 4 games or less. The Twins have almost no shot in game 1. They are hungover and were still playing the tigers less than 24 hours ago in Minnesota. Not to mention they have to face 19 game winner C.C. Sabathia. The Yankees lineup does not have a weakness. Joe Mauer and Jason Kubel must have great games in order for the Twins to have a chance.

NLDS: The St. Louis Cardinals vs. The Los Angelos Dodgers

Even though the Cardinals do not have homefield advantage, they are considered to be the favorites to many in this series. They are the favorites because of their great one-two punch in the lineup and in the rotation. Albert Pujols, the best hitter in the league, and newly aquired Matt Holliday have been tearing the cover off the ball since July. Cards pitchers Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright are both in the Cy Young award talks after each had a steller regular season. I believe the Cardinals rotation is too strong for the Dodgers and the slumping Manny Ramirez. Cardinals in 3.

NLDS: The Philadephia Phillies vs. The Colorado Rockies

This is my upset special. The Phillies won the World Series last year but I believe they will have a letdown this post season, much like they did in 2007 against the Rockies. Cliff Lee has struggled of late and the Rockies for some reason do magical things towards the end of the season and in postseason.

2009 MLB Playoff Predictions

Lab Employees use Ted Williams Frozen Head as a Baseball

Ted Williams, Red Sox Hall of Famer and known as one of the greatest baseball players of all time, past away in 2002. When the Splendid Splinter kicked the bucket, his two children had a debate on whether or not their fathers body should be chrogenically preserved in a lab. Seven years after Williams has been frozen it has been revealed that Ted Williams head was used as a baseball and being hit around with baseball bats. http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/10/02/book-ted-williams-frozen-head-used-for-batting-practice/

This is one of the most disturbing sports stories I have heard since the OJ Smpson murder. Where the hell do they get these lab workers from? I mean to take a humans head, and use it as a ball has not been done since the Native Americans roamed this land. Not just any human either, the Splendid Splinter, Teddy Ballgame, The Kid. This is like if Jim Brown died, was frozen, then decapated seven years later so the lab workers could play pickup football on there smoke break. These people should be convicted of something, there has to be some sort of law.

Ethical Decision Making: Should the NFL be less strick on roughing the passer calls?

Only one month into the NFL season there have been complaints by coaches, players, and fans about the new rule on roughing the passer in the NFL. The new rule states that you are not allowed to hit the quarterback below the knees. The truth is, this rule was implimented because Tom Brady was inactive the entire 2008 season because of a torn ACL and MCL suffered in the first game of last season. This week the rule came to a head when the Ravens and Patriots played last Sunday. Terelle Suggs was called for a phantom roughing the passer call on Tom Terrific that lead to a Patriot touchdown. The call pretty much cost the Ravens the game. Having said that, I am a huge fan of the Patriots so I cannot complain. However I do think NFL commissioner Rodger Goodell should realize that football is a physical sport and that grown men can take getting tackled. The problem is, the NFL is a business, so of course they are trying to protect some of there biggest assets, superstar quarterbacks. Unfortunatly for us fans the integrity of the game will continue to be compromised everytime a soft roughing the passer call is called.

Introduction

Hey, my name is Sean Hendricks. I am a sophomore at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. There I study Sports Management with a minor in Enterprise. I come from a small town in Massachusetts outside of Boston called Seekonk. There I played baseball and tennis for 4 years, earning captains honors in each my senior season. Unfortunatly my senior year was cut short athletetically because of a torn ACL injury in a pickup basketball game in gym class. However my team won state legion this season which was the first championship I have won in baseball. The coolest thing I ever did back home was having the oppurtunity to work with the Providence Bruins AHL organization, who are the affiliates of the Boston Bruins. I worked on the equipment staff inside the locker room for 8 seasons. There I gained an education no University could ever teach me. It's actually what led me to Bowling Green State University. Another one of my favorite childhood memories is going to Fenway park and watching the Red Sox play live. Lucky for me my dad has Red Sox season tickets, so I have gotten to experience two world series won.

Sadly to say this might be the first class I have ever taken and genuinly been interested in the topic. Not that I do not care about other subjects other than sports, there is just a huge jump in what grabs my attention between the two. Therefore I should be about to suceed.