Proposed 10-Second Runoff Rule In College Football Tabled

Photo Courtesy of: Wikimedia  

chensiyuan under CC BY-SA 3.0, CC BY-SA 2.5, CC BY-SA 2.0 and CC BY-SA 1.0 Licenses 

When I first heard about this proposal, I had that proverbial palm of my hand to the face moment.  This new rule is just so stupid and idiotic!

For those of you who may have no idea what I'm talking about, the NCAA Rules Committee recently discussed a new rules proposal in which offenses would have to wait for a 10-second runoff of the play clock before snapping the ball on most plays.  The only exceptions would be in the final two minutes of each half and if the play clock began at 25 seconds.  On most plays the play clock is usually set at 40 seconds.  If offenses were to snap the ball before the end of the 10-second runoff, they would have been assessed with a five yard penalty for delay of game.  

The new proposal would have given defenses a better opportunity to change out its players on certain plays, thereby slowing down part of what makes college football and football in general so great: hurry up offenses. Air Force head coach Troy Calhoun also pointed out that the new rule was being considered in the best interest of player health and safety.   I know there are sports fans who say we need to do all we can to create an even playing field in competition and be proactive in terms of player safety. When it comes to steroid and drug abuse by athletes looking to get an edge over their fellow competitors as well as player health and safety I definitely see your point.  When it comes to potential rule changes that have a seemingly negative impact on the overall strategy of a sport however, give me a break!

Tim Musick
Copyright 2014
All Rights Reserved  

Tim's Two Cents-January 13

Lane Kiffin in as USC Head Coach.  This move was somewhat shocking.  Kiffin's name wasn't even on USC's radar originally.  Kiffin lasted only one year as the head coach of Tennessee.  Given the landscape of college football, I'm not surprised this kind of move happened.

College coaches have made a routine of changing jobs, so why should this be any different.  Even though Tennessee fans are up in arms this morning, they will go out and probably hire another big time coach.  Then he will probably last a few years before either being fired, resigning or accepting another job offer somewhere else.

As for Kiffin and USC, it makes sense.  Kiffin was on Pete Carroll's staff from 2001-2006.  From the numerous media reports, Kiffin has been working to assemble a who's who of coaching staffs that includes Kiffin's father Monty as defensive coordinator, Ed Orgeron as assistant head coach and possibly Norm Chow as offensive coordinator.

Here's something to keep in mind that could spoil the celebration in Los Angeles.  While USC and its fans are probably jumping for joy this morning, let's not forget the NCAA investigation into USC football that could bring more sanctions to USC athletics in a few week's time.

Tim's Two Cents-January 8

Alabama Wins BCS National Championship.  It was the game we've been waiting for the last 32 days and let me tell you, it ended up being worth the hype.  It didn't look like it would be that way at the start however. 

The big story that developed in the beginning was the shoulder injury that Texas's Colt McCoy suffered on their first offensive possession.  Alabama also got off to a shaky start with a failed fake punt play and a fumbled punt recovered by Texas.

Once Alabama was able to calm their nerves, it was clear they were the better team on the field, regardless of whether Colt McCoy was in the game.  I realize that it could have been different if he hadn't suffered an injury.  The bottom line is Alabama had an amazing all around game throughout.  Mark Ingram got into a groove after a slow start.  From what I saw, he is a beast.  He is a hard man to tackle as Texas defenders were struggling to bring Ingram down once he settled into a groove. 

As far as Texas, they deserve some credit in defeat as Freshman quarterback Garrett Gilbert played very well in place of Colt McCoy, granted it took him a little time to find a groove as well.

So congratulations to head coach Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide on the win.  For Saban, it is his second National Championship to go with 2003 at LSU. Nick Saban can finally relax a little and hopefully enjoy the moment.  That looked like a pretty good Gatorade bath.     

Tim's Two Cents-January 4

Let's look back at the biggest stories from the first weekend of 2010.

1. Texas Tech Wins Alamo Bowl Without Mike Leach.  Congratulations to interim head coach Ruffin McNeill and the Red Raiders in their 41 to 31 triumph over Michigan State in the Alamo Bowl on Saturday.  It was their first game without former head coach Mike Leach, who was fired earlier this week amid controversy involving Leach and Texas Tech's Adam James, son of ESPN College Football analyst Craig James.  The victory showed that Texas Tech did an outstanding job blocking out the distractions of the past week. 

The only thing I have to say about Mike Leach is good riddance and don't let the door hit you on the way out.  I'm sure some other school will come along that is desperate enough to take a chance and hire you, but I would definitely not take that chance after what has happened this week.  We live in a world today where it is unacceptable to mistreat athletes from all fields of sports whether at the college or pro level.  News reporting has also become more advanced at everything in the world is being viewed with more intensity and scrutiny.  Mike Leach is just the latest college coach to be somewhat exposed recently, after Mark Mangino of Kansas and former College Basketball coach and current ESPN analyst Bob Knight.  Their hardnose coaching styles are no longer the acceptable norm in today's society.

2. Ohio State Finally Wins Rose Bowl.  My biggest congratulations also to Jim Tressel and the Buckeyes for finally winning a bowl game.  They started off 2010 with a bang thanks to a 26 to 17 win against the Oregon Ducks in Pasadena last Friday.  The victory continued what has been a surprising successful bowl season for the Big Ten Conference.  I guess this is a good time to be a fan of the Big Ten after some lackluster showings the last few years and good for them.  It gives their fans hope for the future, but who knows how long it will last.  On the flipside, it was a down year for the Pac 10 Conference this year in bowl season.  The Ducks were beaten by Ohio State in the Rose Bowl.  Stanford lost to Oklahoma in the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.  The Golden Bears of California fell to the Utes of Utah in the Poinsettia Bowl.  The Beavers of Oregon State were blown out by BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl.  The only Pac 10 team that had a good showing was USC against Boston College in the Emerald Bowl.  Hopefully next season the Pac 10 will have better luck during the bowl campaign.

3. End of an Era in Gainesville and Tallahassee.  That is the Tim Tebow and Bobby Bowden era.  Tim Tebow capped off an amazing college career with a 51 to 24 romp over the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Sugar Bowl on Friday night.  He would be someone I would definitely want on my team.  The former Heisman Trophy winner had great leadership skills at the college level.  He also seemed to be a great teammate in college.  It remains to be seen where Tebow will be taken in this year's draft in April.  There is also the question of whether he has what it takes to be a star quarterback at the pro level.  The one thing I do know is however Tebow is used, he is sure to have a solid career in the NFL for years to come.  The Sugar Bowl win was also the last game for head coach Urban Meyer for the forseeable future as he will now take an indefinite leave of absence to deal with various health issues.  Here's to hoping he comes back fully healthy and ready to continue his legacy with the Florida Gators sometime soon.

It was also the end of the Bobby Bowden era at Florida State in the Gator Bowl on New Year's Day.  Bowden's storied 34 seasons with the Seminoles came to an end with at 33 to 21 triumph over West Virginia, who is retiring after a remarkable, long career.  On a personal note, each time I see interview footage of Bowden, I can't help but like the guy even more, as I'm sure other fans do as well.  He has that Southern drawl and charm down to a tee.  I wish you luck Coach Bowden in whatever comes your way in retirement.

4. Gilbert Arenas Under Investigation Following Alleged Gun Dispute With Teammate.  Every now and then we see these kinds of stories.  What's amazing to me is that we continue to see them and it seems like some athletes never really grow up and learn.  I can understand why an athlete would feel the need to own a gun for protection because they are often seen in the public spotlight, but why do they feel the need to get involved in any dispute with their teammates?  It is even more astonishing when the alleged dispute is over a gambling debt that one person refuses to pay.  Now I know some teammates don't like each other, but can't they put their differences aside and get along for the sake of the team?  Gilbert Arenas, to his credit, has acknowleged that it was bad judgement on his part to bring a gun to his locker.  Let's hope nothing more happens between Arenas and Javaris Crittendon as events unfold, but I'm not counting on it.  I wouldn't be surprised if Arenas and Crittendon were suspended sometime in the future by NBA commissioner David Stern, depending on what happens with the investigation.

Photos coutesy:
Wikimedia Commons and Wordbuilder under CC-SA 3.0 License
Wikimedia Commons and Erik Thureson under CC-SA 2.0 License
Wikimedia Commons and Jameskpoole under CC-SA 3.0 License
Wikimedia Commons and cholder68 under CC-SA 2.0 License
Wikimedia Commons and Keith Allison under CC-SA 2.0 License                  

Tim's Two Cents-December 28

1. Colts Run at Perfection Ends.  The Colts are no longer the last undefeated team in the NFL this season.  The Jets ended the dream with a 29 to 15 win over Indianapolis.  Peyton Manning was pulled in the second half  to rest up in favor of Curtis Painter. 

So that means the 1972 Miami Dolphins are still the only team to go undefeated through an entire season, including the playoffs.  Coach Don Shula, Mercury Morris and the other members can now rest easy once again.  Go ahead and pop open a nice bottle of champagne to celebrate.  The record stands at 37 years and counting.  I don't think it will ever be broken.  In the Colts case, they already had everything wrapped in the AFC as far as the best record, a first round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

2. Urban Meyer to Take Leave of Absence After Sugar Bowl.  In what was a surprising story this weekend, head coach Urban Meyer of the Florida Gators has decided to take an indefinite leave of absence to deal with stress related health issues.  When the story first broke, word was that Meyer was going to resign, but on Sunday he changed his mind, allowing Gator fans to breathe a sigh of relief. 

It is understandable how coaching a powerhouse football program like Florida can be stressful and affect an individual's health.  Earlier this year, Meyer checked himself into a hospital a day after Florida lost to Alabama in the SEC Championship game with dehydration and chest pains.  He also apparently has had an ongoing heart valve problem the last few years.  This is a good move by Meyer and Florida.  It would be a shame to lose one of the greatest coaches in college football in the prime of his career due to health concerns.  I hope Meyer gets better and back on the sideline sometime in the near future.

Photo courtesy:
Wikimedia Commons and Harrison Diamond under CC-BY-SA 3.0 License   

Tim's Two Cents December 17-Bonus Edition

With Christmas nearly upon us, tis the season of giving and give I shall.  In this special bonus edition of Tim's Two Cents, I discuss a couple stories from college sports in Division I as well as more on Tiger Woods.

1. The Big Ten Conference Adding Another Football Team?  Word is that the Big Ten, which currently has 11 teams, is exploring the possibility of adding another team.  First, explain to me how a conference with 11 teams is still called the Big Ten?  Second, the discussion of further expansion shows that the conference is only interested in one thing: making money.  Rumor is Rutgers is the early favorite to join.  This is not the only issue college football has.  Need I remind you about the joke that is the BCS system.  Overall, this is not a good idea for a conference that already has enough exposure right now.

2. NCAA March Madness Expanding?  The NCAA could also be looking into expanding March Madness from 65 teams to 96.  The proposed plan would give the top 32 teams a bye and add an additional weekend to the event.  March Madness is a great event which involves many teams from across the country.  It is the true definition of a playoff system in college sports.  So NCAA, please don't fix what isn't broken.  There are already enough schools involved to begin with.  In addition, most of those new schools who would get in would probably lose in the first round anyway.  Leave the tournament as it is.

3. Tiger Woods Update.  The Tiger Woods story continues to unravel.  In the midst of being named AP Athlete of the Decade, we continue to learn more about Tiger Woods personal life.  Woods has now reportedly been connected with Canadian doctor Anthony Galea, who specializes in sports medicine.  Galea, who treated many high profile patients, including Woods, was formally charged yesterday over unapproved drug sales, including human growth hormone and conspiring to export and smuggle them out of the country.  Sources also are now saying that Tiger's wife, Elin Nordegren is going to file for a divorce.  As the saga unfolds, the one thing I keep thinking about is how far Tiger has fallen in the past few weeks.  

Daily Sports Report-December 13, 2009

Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

Michael Sandoval under CC-BY license

Starting today, I will keep you updated on what's going on in sports like I did with my sports show at La Verne, as well as other things. So, in sports news today: The Lakers 11 game winning streak has been snapped tonight with a 102-94 loss against the Utah Jazz. It was the first game in a 5 game road trip for the... Lakers after playing 17 of their first 21 games in the friendly confines of Staples Center.  Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Ron Artest each had 16 points to lead the Lakers in scoring.  With the loss, they are now 18-4 on the young season.  Their next stop on the road will be the windy city to take on the Bulls Tuesday.

In college football, Alabama running back Mark Ingram won the 2009 Heisman Trophy.  In one of the closest votes in the award's 75 year history, Ingram received 227 first place votes, 5 more than runner up Toby Gerhart of Stanford.  With the Heisman victory, Ingram also becomes the first Alabama football player to win the award.  He will now have plenty of time to get ready for his next matchup as the Crimson Tide will be playing in the BCS National Championship game against Colt McCoy and the Texas Longhorns in Pasadena on January 7.

In the NFL today, the 12-0 New Orleans Saints face the Atlanta Falcons and the 12-0 Indianapolis Colts face the Denver Broncos. In a couple other noteworthy games San Diego faces Dallas and Philadelphia takes on the NY Giants.

Lastly in golf, Tiger Woods has taken an indefinite leave from competition to deal with his recent personal issues. That's the sports report for Sunday, December 13.  Check in tomorrow for all the latest scores and breaking news.
-Tim