Tag: College Football

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College Football

Nick Saban defends "coon-ass" story



I’ve got coon-ass friends!

Yesterday, Nick Saban got in trouble when he told an anecdote by one of the members of the LSU board of trustees. You can listen to the audio here but here’s the transcript:


He was walking down the street yesterday before the Sugar Bowl. He calls me. There was a guy working in the ditch, one of those coon-ass guys that talk funny. I can’t talk like them, but he can. Most people in Louisiana can. He says, ‘Hey you see where coach Saban signed up with Alabama – you know however they talk and the board of trustees guy says, ‘yeah I saw that’ and he says, ‘that son of a bitch, I feel like he’s f’ing my wife.’

And then Nick Saban has a nice chuckle. But now that he’s catching some heat about it, he released this statement:

Those comments need to be placed in the proper context so as to understand the meaning of what was said. The words were used in paraphrasing a story told to me by a friend. I was simply using the same wording used by the person who told me the story.

The term in question is not language that I use or condone, and I can understand how some would take offense. However, I think it must be noted that those comments were made off the record and the words merely reflected an anecdote that was told to me using that language.

For the record, “coon-ass” is a derogatory term for cajuns and Saban’s defense that he was merely relaying a story is weak at best. It is unclear whether Saban then went on to tell a joke, “Say, did you hear the one about the Jew, the Catholic, and the Colored Boy who went to heaven?”

Links:
[Sun Sentinel]: Slur puts Saban in midst of uproar

[Wikipedia]: Coonass

Categories
College Football

Top 10 Dumbest in-game Injuries: #4 Ted Ginn Jr.

[Sportscolumn is running down the ten dumbest in-game injuries in sports.  Here’s #4.]

It could have been the fairy tale ending to Ted Ginn’s career. He returned the opening kickoff for a BCS title game record 93 yard touchdown but proceeded to injure his left foot during the end zone celebration. Ohio State was humiliated for the remainder of the game as the Buckeye’s offense could only muster a pathetic 82 yards while their playmaker watched from the sideline on crutches. Rumor has it that Ted Ginn Sr. more or less ordered Jr. not to return to the game, saying something along the lines of “you’re in the draft after this game” and “it’s not that important.” You can literally see dollar signs in Sr.’s eyes when he looks at his boy.

Here’s the fateful play:

Back to #5 | Forward to #3

Categories
College Football

Jan 2 in Sports History: Bowl history



Tom Orborne’s got the stones

In 1984: The upstart Miami Hurricanes shocked heavily favored and previously undefeated Nebraska in the Orange Bowl to win the national title. The Huskers were an unstoppable force in 1983, piling up record amounts of points and yards behind All-Americans Mike Rozier and Irving Fryar. The Hurricanes (the only team to win a national title with zero All-Americans) jumped out early, however, and led 17-0 at the end of the first quarter. The Cornhuskers came back to tie the score before Miami opened up a 31-17 lead in the fourth quarter. Nebraska, which had scored over 600 points in the regular season, made a stirring comeback. With under a minute remaining, quarterback Turner Gill flipped the ball to Jeff Smith (who had replaced an injured Rozier) on an option to score a touchdown to make it 31-30. Coach Tom Osborne could have gone for the tie and locked away the national championship. But in one of the ballsiest moves ever, he decided to go for two and the outright win. Gill’s pass was deflected away by Miami’s Kelly Calhoun, and instead of Nebraska cementing their legacy as one of the greatest teams ever, Miami’s dynasty had begun.

In 1987: A few years later in the Fiesta Bowl, the tables were turned on the Hurricanes in the 1986 national title game against Penn State. Coming in undefeated and unchallenged (they had whipped no. 2 Oklahoma earlier in the year) Miami had a smothering defense and a dynamic offense led by Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Vinny Testaverde. Penn State relied on a clock-swallowing running game and a physical defense to hold the Hurricanes down 14-10 for the upset. Two untimely Testaverde interceptions (and you wondered where they came from?) ultimately doomed Miami’s chances.

In 2003: Miami’s run of bad luck in the Fiesta Bowl (they have lost all four times they played there) continued, this one in heart-wrenching fashion. The teams battled to a 17-17 tie at the end of regulation, and Miami scored in the first OT to make it 24-17. Ohio State quarterback Craig Krenzel threw a desperation fourth-down pass that fell incomplete, prompting a wild celebration by the Hurricanes and their fans. A very controversial late flag flew (by about 4 seconds) and pass interference was called against the Miami defender. Ohio State was given new life, and they were able to take advantage and tie the game and eventually win it in the second overtime, 31-24. Miami felt they were robbed of their second straight national title and the Buckeyes won their first crown since 1968.

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All Other Sports

Odds and Ends: The hottest male athletes


SI, which never saw a slideshow they didn’t like (have you seen their top 20 athletes with herpes series?) released their hottest athletes list and it’s full of dudes… then we realized there’s also a female version. Any way, to balance out all the Women We Love stuff on here, we thought we’d just stick with the hottest male athletes. Apparently the hottest guy in the world is Kelly Slater who, like, surfs. Followed by a bunch of soccer players. The first major sport athlete to make the list? Of course, Tom Brady at #5. Can we use this to our advantage? Is there any way we can send Brady to coax once-very-hot Katie Holmes from the Dark Side?

In other news…

[Macondawg]: Two men banned for attacking UGA mascots

[Valentine’s Views]: Tiki Barber for the Hall of Fame?

[Can’t Stop the Bleeding]: Isiah To Cowardly New Yorkers : Say It To My Face

[The Offside]: Liverpool Players use Official for Target Practice (video)

[The Big Lead]: More on the fight between the son of Wellington Mara and some Eagles fan

Categories
College Football

Desmond Howard earns his paycheck

Desmond Howard on what bowl game he’s most looking forward to:

I’d really like to see the matchup with the Thorpe Award Winner Aaron Ross of Texas vs an up and coming superstar Deshaun Jackson of Cal.

Ummmm… yeah except Cal is playing Texas A&M in the Holiday Bowl and not the Longhorns. Good work Desmond. We can’t wait till he comments on the Lions-Browns Super Bowl this year.

Categories
College Football

A trip down Heisman Memory Lane



Young Vinny Testeverde

In 1939: Nile Kinnick, a halfback from Iowa won the fifth Heisman trophy award given to college football’s most outstanding player. Kinnick never turned pro and instead joined the fight in World War II. He died in 1943 when his fighter plane crashed into the Caribbean Sea.

In 1961: Ernie Davis of Syracuse won the second-closest vote in Heisman history, edging out Ohio State’s Bob Ferguson. Sadly, like Kinnick, Davis died shortly after winning the Heisman. He was the top draft pick of the Cleveland Browns, but was stricken with leukemia just a few games into his rookie season. He was the first African-American player to win the Heisman Trophy.

In 1975: Archie Griffin of Ohio State became the only player in history to win back-to-back Heisman Trophies. Griffin combined power and speed to amass over 5,000 total yards while playing for the Buckeyes. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals, and although he never was the superstar he was in Columbus, he had a solid career.

In 1986: Miami quarterback Vinny Testaverde won the 52nd Heisman, lapping the likes of Paul Palmer, Jim Harbaugh and Gordon Lockbaum (of Holy Cross, who finished 5th) with the fifth-largest margin of victory in the history of the voting. Testaverde still leads all Hurricane passers with 46 career touchdowns. He went from being a monumental first round bust with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to having a decent career with the Browns/Ravens, Jets (teams he led to the playoffs) and Cowboys. He is currently the backup in New England.

(All info and stats coutesy of heisman.com)

Categories
College Football

Nov 29 in Sports History: the first Army-Navy game



They didn’t even have photos!

In 1890: The first Army-Navy game was played at West Point, NY, with Navy winning 24-0. Considered by many as one of the greatest traditions in sports, it is annually played on the last weekend of the college football season and has been played at numerous sites, including the Polo Grounds, Yankee Stadium and even the Rose Bowl (in 1983). The last four (including this year) were played in Philadelphia. The most significant games of the rivalry were the 1944-45 matchups, when they were the top-ranked teams in the country (Army won both games). Navy has won the last four and holds a slight 50-49 edge with seven ties.

In 1992: New York Jets defensive tackle Dennis Byrd was paralyzed when he collided with a teammate attempting to make a tackle in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Byrd’s career was cut short after only four years in the NFL. He has since made a full recovery from the injury.

In 1987: Joe Montana set an NFL record when he completed 22 consecutive passes in a 38-24 victory over the Cleveland Browns at Candlestick Park. Montana, coming off an injury-plagued 1986 season, rebounded to lead the league in touchdown passes and a 102.1 rating in 1987. The completion record was tied this season by the Washington Redskins’ Mark Brunell. (We’ll give Joe Cool the props, however, as he shredded a very good Browns defense while Brunell did it to the Houston Texans, which should carry some type of asterisk.) Donovan McNabb once completed 24 straight passes, but that was over two games.

Categories
NFL General

Nov 28 in Sports History: Ernie Nevers scores 40 points


In 1929: In a feat that would be almost impossible to accomplish today, Ernie Nevers of the Chicago Cardinals scored all 40 of his teams points in a 40-6 victory over the Chicago Bears. Nevers, a 6’4” 200 pound fullback, scored six touchdowns and kicked four extra points (he missed two). A current player would have to score seven touchdowns in a game, and nobody has scored six in a game since Gale Sayers did it for the Bears as a rookie in 1965. Dare we say it will Nevers be done again? (sorry…)

In 1981: Paul “Bear” Bryant’s Alabama Crimson Tide defeated rival Auburn for his 315th career victory, then an all-time record for college football. Bryant, wearing his signature checkered hat, passed Amos Alonzo Stagg. Bryant (1913-1983) coached Division I football for 37 years at Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M and Alabama (where he played) and led the Tide to six national championships. He finished with 323 victories and died in 1983. He was eventually passed on the all-time list by Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden. (bryantmuseum.ua.edu)

In 1982: If mom and dad wouldn’t be proud enough if one of their sons made it to a professional league, how about six of their seven sons playing in the NHL at the same time? When Ron Sutter played his first NHL game as a member of the Philadelphia Flyers, he helped the family set an all-time record with five brothers in the league (his twin brother Rich signed with Pittsburgh the following season to make it an even half dozen). Although the Hockey Sutter’s played for many teams, at that time Ron was with the Flyers, Brian played for the Blues, Darryl played for the Blackhawks, and Duane and Brett played for the Islanders. Gary Sutter was the only brother to never make it to the NHL. (The Northern Iowan)

Categories
College Football

Sports History: Thanksgiving Leftovers edition

Thanksgiving weekend is one of the best and most extended sports weekends of the year. Four full days of food, football, family, more football and more food, sprinkled with plenty of basketball (college and pro) and a dash of hockey make for a grand feast of sports gluttony not matched until the middle of March (some say Bowl Season, but we here at Sportscolumn blog are against whatever Shit Bag bowl 6-6 Pitt is going to be invited to, so no). Since we were so busy over the weekend ingesting all of this, and the Monday after is always one of the slowest days, not much happens (unless you count the dominance that is Hunters vs. Bears). So we offer you a healthy cornucopia (I love that word and this is the only time of year I can use it, so shoo) of sports history leftovers. Enjoy!

On November 23, 1984: In one of the most remarkable college football plays ever, Doug Flutie hit receiver Gerard Phelan with a “Hail Mary” pass with no time on the clock to help Boston College upset defending national champion Miami at the Orange Bowl, 47-45. After the Hurricanes took the lead 45-41 on a Melvin Bratton touchdown with 28 seconds remaining, the Eagles got the ball to the Miami 48 with six seconds left. On the last play, Flutie scrambled right and heaved the ball towards a cluster of players near the goal line. The ball miraculously eluded the outstretched hands of Hurricane defenders and found Phelan, who cradled it “like a newborn baby” as he fell into the end zone with zeroes on the clock. Flutie’s miracle pass capped off an amazing Heisman Trophy campaign for the diminutive QB from Natick, MA. He ended up with 472 yards passing that day, using the Hail Mary to edge Bernie Kosar’s 445 yards in the air.  (espn.com)

On Nov. 24, 1960: Here’s an amazing feat in NBA history that will never be duplicated: Wilt Chamberlain pulled down 55 rebounds in a game (Feel free to insert your joke here about the 20,000 women being a better record). Which undersized wusshole did Chamberlain dominate to set a record which still stands today? It was only his chief rival and nemesis, hall of famer Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics. The game was a microcosm of the two center’s careers, as Chamberlain dominated on the stat sheet (he added 34 points and four assists), while Russell and the Celtics won the game, 132-129. We also know that Chamberlain’s 100 points in a game seems unattainable, but we’re pretty sure Kobe will huck up 150 shots one of these days to challenge it. (www.hoophall.com)

On Nov. 26, 1990: The Houston Oilers defeated the Buffalo Bills 27-24 in a Monday Night matchup. The Bills’ loss capped off a weekend in which all six first-place teams lost in the same week, the latest ever occurrence in a season. The Bengals fell into a tie for first with Pittsburgh and Houston in the AFC Central after being upset by the Colts 34-20, the Chiefs inched to within a game in the AFC West by beating the Raiders 27-24, the Giants lost to Philadelphia 31-13 in the NFC East, the Bears were clobbered by Minnesota 41-13 in the Central, and in the NFC West, the 49ers were shocked by the Rams at home, 28-17.  Each team held on to win their division, however. Also, the losses by the Giants and 49ers took a little luster off a showdown against each other the following week in which both teams would’ve been undefeated had they not lost. (The 2006 ESPN Pro Football Encyclopedia)

Categories
College Basketball

Legendary Michigan coach Bo Schembechler dies


Bo Schembechler was on the WXYZ studio set before a taping of the “Big Ten Ticket” television show when he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital and died.

Last month, Schembechler had a pacemaker inserted to help regulate his heartbeat. He had previously had two heart attacks and two quadruple heart bypass operations.

We can’t help but think whether this will have a Wellington Mara effect on the Wolverines as they go into Columbus tomorrow for the showdown with Ohio State.

Links:
[WXYZ]: Breaking News: Bo Schembechler has Died