Jayhawks will have to win shootout in Lubbuck

Reeling from two straight losses, Kansas heads to Lubbock to face a Texas Tech team that will likely be starting it’s third quarterback of the season.  Seth Doege will run coach Mike Leach’s spread offense after an injury to Steven Sheffield and a poor performance by Taylor Potts in last week’s surprising Red Raider rout at the hands of Texas A&M.

While the Jayhawks have their own problems to worry about, the past week has been anything but calm in Lubbock.  First, Leach received a lot of publicity for saying his players had apparently been paying more attention to their fat little girlfriends than their coaches over the last week.  Every girl with teased hair and skinny jeans in west Texas cried foul.

Then he announced that the red-shirt freshman Doege would probably start at QB instead of Potts. Prior to his playing time the past three weeks, due to injuries, Doege hadn’t actually played in a game in five years.

The last two weeks it’s appeared Todd Reesing hadn’t played in a while as well.  His critical first half turnovers have put the Jayhawks in the hole early in both of their losses, but Reesing said he’s not inclined to change anything at this point, he just has to do a better job on his end.

Kansas hasn’t exactly had a lot of luck against Tech.  They are just 1-10 in school history, although their only win did come in Lubbock.  After facing Oklahoma’s defense last week, the Jayhawks should have an easier time moving the ball against the Red Raiders, but they still need to find the running game that has disappeared from their offense over the last two weeks.

Tech was embarrassed by their loss to A&M last Saturday and you can bet Mike Leach will have his team up for the game.  It never seems to matter who the quarterback is, Tech can move the ball and the Jayhawks are still trying to find the right combination of players on the defensive side of the ball.

It will be a surprise if these teams don’t score at least 35 points each in this game.  If Kansas wants to stay in the north race they have to find a way to win.

Still waiting for someone to step forward for the Heisman

This week the Heisman list gets revamped a little.  No one has stuck their hand up and claimed the trophy for their own just yet, but if you want a slim leader at the moment, my vote is for Colt McCoy

McCoy put on his best performance of the season in a nationally televised rout against Missouri.  No, the Tigers defense isn’t the same as the Oklahoma defense he faced the week before, but McCoy was at least healthy for this game and that meant hitting his first 11 passes of the game and 26 of 31 for 3 TD’s.  At least he played like a Heisman winner.

Tim Tebow was less than impressive against Mississippi State throwing two interceptions that were returned for scores, but still guided his team to victory by rushing for 88 yards and a score.  He’s not playing like a Hesiman winner, but his team is unbeaten.

Jimmy Clausen’s name is still being tossed around because the Irish are winning this season, but like I said a week ago, Heisman winners find a way to win games in the last minute and he didn’t pull it off in their most important game of the year against USC.  He’s got a long way to go to convince me.  

Mark Ingram didn’t gain any more support with his performance against Tennessee last week.  He had 99 yards rushing but a crucial fumble that almost helped lead the Vols to victory.

Boise State’s Kellen Moore leads the nation in passer rating and TD passes thrown and and had five last week against Hawaii.  The competition isn’t as stiff, but his team is 7-0 and in the top five, so he gets a slap on the helmet this week.

Here’s a Pac 10 bone for you.  Jacquizz Rogers is averaging 115 yards per game and he’s just 5-7 and 185 pounds.  The sophomore running back has also been running the wildcat with great effectiveness and is second in the nation in rushing TD’s.  But his team is 4-3 and just lost to USC despite his 113 yard game.

Bottom line, we’re headed into week eight and still no one has staked any real claim to the Heisman yet.

It sucks to be a Cleveland fan right now

It’s certainly been a bad week for Cleveland sports fans.  First they have to witness the weekly beat down the Browns receive at the hands of any opponent they face.  How’s that Eric Mangini selection going for you right now?  Seriously, you’re not counting that game with the Bills as a win are you?

Next, the Cavaliers go out and open the season by laying an egg against their Eastern Conference rivals Boston in their NBA season opener. The Shaq attack really paid off with just 10 points, two after halftime.  At least LeBron was his regular self and it’s only the first game of the the season,  there’s time.

For those across the country who still remember baseball is being played and tuned into the World Series, it was an entertaining opener with the Phils getting a one game advantage with their 6-1 win.

But it had to be excruciating for Indians fans to watch as two former Cy Young pitchers who were both pitching for Cleveland just a season and a half ago, were facing off as game one starters in baseball’s winter classic.

Cliff Lee and C.C. Sabathia put of quite a performance that was close until the Yankee bullpen broke down.  Lee actually was stellar as he became the first pitcher in series history to have 10 strikeouts, no walks and no earned runs allowed.  

He was the first lefty to beat the Yankees in a series opener in Yankee Stadium since Sandy Koufax.  He also could still be pitching in Cleveland, but when the team went south, they didn’t think they could afford to keep him.  

Sabathia wasn’t terrible last night, he made just two bad pitches, both for solo homers by Chase Utley.

Living in Kansas City, I have a first hand perspective in watching great young players for your team end up elsewhere on championship clubs.  Johnny Damon with the Red Sox, Jermaine Dye with the White Sox.  Heck, they even chose not to resign Raul Ibanez to a three year deal because of age concerns.  Since then he’s averaged over 100 RBI’s a season for five years and the Royals chose to throw their money at Jose Guillen, but I digress.

This is about you Cleveland.  It’s your day in the sunshine.  It’s your time to celebrate your to Cy Young winners battling it out for World Series Glory.  Hey at least you’ve got Manny Acta to lead your new team to greatness.

Time to wave goodbye to Larry Johnson

The Chiefs have a much needed bye week after a forgettable performance against the San Diego Chargers.  You would expect it would be an opportunity for coaches and players to re-evaluate what they’ve done and what progress they’ve made while recharging the batteries for the stretch run in what could prove to be a long season mentally.

Well, if you’re Larry Johnson why waste your time with those mundane thoughts.  Instead why not take time after the game to express your feelings about your coach on Twitter and while you’re at it, get in a little gay bashing at someone who tweets you back? 

I said last summer that LJ was just a cherry bomb waiting to explode in the the boys bathroom at the high school.  Despite his off season good boy performance for Todd Haley and Scott Pioli, Larry would not be able to stay quiet long.  

As the season has progressed, Johnson has become more and more quotable and has become a de-facto vocal leader for the the club, whether the organization has wanted him to or not.  Seriously, other than the fact the media loves him because you never know what will spill out of his mouth, would you want him as your spokesman?

After questioning Haley’s coaching credentials in his tweet, LJ made matters worse by issuing a couple of homophobic slurs at someone who chose to respond to his comments.  The Twitter page was made private, but not before screen grabs of his comments were made available for those who’d missed it.  http://bit.ly/2Qufxi

Despite the worthless attempts by his agent to downplay the comments, the damage has been done.  I’m not sure if LJ is trying to get himself released in hopes of finding work elsewhere or he’s just that stupid.  I'm beginning to think the latter.

If I’m the Chiefs I’d put him on the inactive list and let him stew.  Don’t give him the satisfaction of getting loose of this mess until the season’s over.  He has no trade value anyway.

He’s not a part of the team’s future and everyone knows it.  In two weeks when the Chiefs return to action, they can try out Kolby Smith and Jamaal Charles and see if they can be a tandem.  It’s unlikely to produce a running attack any worse than they’ve got right now.

The Chiefs new regime tried to give Johnson a clean slate to produce from.  He’s blown his chance.  It’s time to move on.   

Chiefs drown before the rain even hits 37-7

Kansas City’s hopes for a second straight win disappeared early in a 37-7 loss to the Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium.

The defense gave up another big day to an opposing wide receiver.  Vincent Jackson had five catches for 142 yards and a TD, all in the first half.

LaDainian Tomlinson broke loose for a 36 yard run, his longest of the year and Darren Sproles returned to his hometown and had a big touchdown as well.

KC was unable to move the ball at all in the first quarter and a half of play and didn’t have a first down until nearly eight minutes left in the half.  The offensive line was unable to protect Matt Cassel much of the game. Tackle Brandon Albert wasn’t active today and center Rudy Niswanger went out with a leg injury.  Cassel threw his first interception in 152 attempts and was later picked off twice more as the rain began to fall in the second half.

Some fans will question a first quarter decision to go on four and one from KC’s own 41 that failed and set up the second score by the Chargers, but Todd Haley was just trying anything to get the offense some momentum.

It was a 20-0 lead at the half for San Diego.

After dropping an easy pass for what might have been a TD in the 3rd quarter, Dwayne Bowe made a spectacular catch along the side of the end zone for KC’s lone touchdown and it was 20-7.

But Sproles burnt a KC blitz for a 58 yard touchdown scamper on a pass from Philip Rivers, who had 3 TD passes on the day..  The former K-Stater left a fellow Wildcat alum Jon McGraw in his wake, 27-7. 

Even the special teams broke down in this one as Jacob Hester blocked a Dustin Colquitt punt and recovered for a Charger TD.

Cassel was just 10 of 25 for 97 yards and the offense was outgained 403 to 203 by the Chargers.  The third down conversion fairy failed to show up again as KC was 3 of 15 for the game.

By winning, they Chargers at least keep the Broncos in sight in the division race.  The Chiefs fall to 1-6 and I’d expect more changes during the bye week before they get to take on Jacksonville on the road.