Red Right 88

In Cleveland, hope dies last

Archive for the category “Liverpool”

02 Mar 2011
3 Comments

Brandon Davies should have gone to OSU

On Tuesday, BYU dismissed starting forward Brandon Davies from the team for the rest of the season for a violation of the school’s honor code. Davies reportedly had sex with his girlfriend.

Davies, who started 26 of 29 games for the third-ranked Cougars, averaged 11.1 points and a team-leading 6.2 rebounds. The team felt his loss right away, losing Wednesday night to New Mexico.

The dismissal greatly reduces BYU’s chances of being this year’s Butler in the upcoming NCAA tournament, as Kurt Kragthorpe explains in The Salt Lake Tribune:

This team could not lose afford to lose anybody from the playing rotation, and Davies is one of BYU’s best athletes. The Cougars were not especially deep to begin with, basically using six players for extended minutes and piecing things together from there. … The Honor Code is part of what distinguishes BYU as a private, church-owned school. … There’s obviously no double standard in play for prominent athletes.

No double standard for prominent athletes? What’s that about?

Davies should have gone to Ohio State. Then he would have just been suspended for a game next season against IUPUI.

Clearly BYU needs to get its priorities straightened out.

The only thing we can’t figure out is how Jim McMahon made it through four years at BYU without violating the honor code?

***

Tribe general manager Chris Antonetti reportedly has doubts that center fielder Grady Sizemore will be ready to start the season on the opening day roster.

We’re cool with that. The Indians are not going to contend this season, so we’d rather see Sizemore get healthy and play in the last 140+ games of the season than rush to be ready for the opener and then miss a bigger chunk of the season if he’s not fully healthy.

***

Andy Carroll, the £35 million pound man, is reportedly set to make his Liverpool debut on Sunday against Manchester United.

Time to start earning your money, son.

***

Showing how great minds think alike, Terry Pluto echoes something we touched on briefly yesterday, that the NFL Combine is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to drafting players. Pluto writes that:

When it comes to the NFL draft, let’s hope the Browns do exactly what they did a year ago in the first round — they took the best pure football player, according to their ratings.

They didn’t lose focus with all the smoke from the NFL combine about how Joe Haden’s 40-yard times (about 4.5) showed he couldn’t be a big-time NFL cornerback. In fact, some scouts wondered if Haden could be better suited for safety.

Browns General Manager Tom Heckert did something very surprising for the NFL. He watched game tapes of Haden, over and over. He relied on reports from his scouts, who personally observed Haden in game conditions. They checked his character. They determined he was a guy who could really play, basing that judgment on how he played in games.

Until he shows us otherwise, we’re confident the Browns are in good hands with Heckert and team president Mike Holmgren running the draft board.

***

Staying on the NFL Draft, would the Browns consider selecting Oregon linebacker Casey Matthews?

That would be fine with us – as long as the Browns feel Matthews is a solid pick.

We’d hate for them to pick him, though, solely because they didn’t draft his brother, Clay III, in 2009. That wouldn’t make any sense, but we’re getting the feeling that people seem to be leaning toward that way of thinking.

Hopefully general manager Tom Heckert isn’t one of those people.

Posted in Brandon Davies, Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, Liverpool, misplaced priorities, NFL draft
28 Feb 2011

Jamison’s bad break good for Cavs

The Cavs announced on Monday that leading scorer Antawn Jamison will be out 5-7 weeks with a fractured left little finger that will require surgery on Tuesday.

Jamison hurt his finger during Sunday’s loss to the 76ers. The 5-7 week time frame basically means Jamison and his 18 points per game will join Anderson Varajeo on the sidelines until next season.

While this is bad news for Jamison, it’s actually good news for the Cavs’ long-term future. After losing an NBA-record 26 games in a row, the Cavs appeared to be a lock for the most balls in the draft lottery.

But after going 3-3 over their last six games, the Cavs have let Minnesota creep within 2.5 games of the worst record in the league; with Sacramento just four games back.

That’s no way to go about maximizing your chances of landing the top pick in the NBA Draft.

***

For what it’s worth, NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock expressed faith in Cleveland’s second-year quarterback Colt McCoy at a press conference Sunday at the NFL Scouting Combine.

“That kid did a heckuva job last year,” Mayock told The Beacon Journal. “The kid’s won at every level. What did I say earlier about quarterbacks? How much do they care about the game? Are they the first one in the building? That’s him. He’s a gym rat.

“So I’m betting on him and I think the Cleveland Browns are, too. His arm is above average. It’s not great and it’s not elite. But the league has been (filled) with those kind of kids forever.

“If you understand where and when to throw the football and get it out quickly, you’re going to be fine.”

***

We’re still not sure how Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney can get off with no punishment for elbowing Wigan’s James McCarthy in the head during Saturday’s FA Cup game, but Liverpool’s Ryan Babel was censured and fined £10,000 for Tweeting a mocked-up photo of ref Howard Webb wearing a Manchester United shirt.

If only we could identify the common thread that unites these two incidents, we might be able to make some sense of this.

Posted in Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Colt McCoy, Liverpool, Wayne Rooney | Leave a comment
23 Feb 2011

Is contraction really the answer?

Should Major League baseball start eliminating under-peforming teams? What about the NBA or the NFL?

Fox Sports Ken Rosenthal is the latest to ask the question, putting fans in Oakland and Tampa on, if not high alert, at least an elevated level, writing that:

Fans of the Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays need not worry. But don’t be surprised if the “C” word — contraction — returns to the baseball lexicon soon.

I’m already hearing rumblings that certain big-market teams want to drop the A’s and Rays, even though the idea stands little chance of actually becoming reality.

Still, a major battle is brewing over revenue sharing, baseball’s method of rich teams helping the poor. Contraction would be an extreme solution, but one that addresses the big-market concern: Why keep struggling clubs afloat?

This comes on the heels of stories last fall that the NBA would consider contracting teams as a way to solve the league’s financial troubles:

“It’s a sensitive subject for me because I’ve spent 27 years in this job working very hard not only to maintain all of our teams, but along the way add a few,” commissioner David Stern said during his preseason conference call.

“But I think that’s a subject that will be on the table with the players as we look to see what’s the optimum way to present our game, and are there cities and teams that cannot make it in the current economic environment. I’m not spending a lot of time on it.”

While we understand the financial realities of pro sports and it makes sense that fewer teams would possibly be better, as Cleveland fans any talk of contraction makes us nervous.

The big unanswered question is: How would teams be selected for elimination?

Certainly the Browns wouldn’t be contracted if the subject ever came up within the NFL, not after everything that went on after the move. And Cleveland couldn’t have supported the Cavs any stronger than they did in the past seven years; same with the Indians from 1995 to 2001.

But teams generally cycle through good times and bad, and fan support cycles with them. Teams that are down now would, in theory, be the ones facing contraction. But is that fair?

If we were having this conversation in the 1970s or ’80s, it would be hard to argue that the Indians should not be eliminated. Year after year of owners with no money fielding bad teams in a crumbling stadium in front of 5,000 fans each night would have left the Tribe as prime candidates for contraction.

Same with the Cavs during Ted Stepien’s reign of errors and the dark years pre-LeBron, when Ricky Davis and Trajan Langdon played before a sea of blue seats on a nightly basis.

Imagine Cleveland as a one-sport town, where we would get 16 Browns games a year and that’s it for pro sports. Not something we like to think about.

We sometimes lose sight of how other fans are impacted by their teams, because nothing anyone else goes through compares to the pain of being a Cleveland fan. But on the issue of contraction, we would feel their pain.

Because this time they might be coming for them. But next time, what if they come for us?

***

Yeah, poor Denver (speaking of not having sympathy for other teams).

Again, don’t remember this being such a problem last July.

***

If this truly is Liverpool’s away shirt for next season, the only thing we have to say is Blech!

Adidas can’t really think putting the Reds in the color of cross-town rival Everton is a good idea. That would be the same as having the Browns come out for a game in black-and-gold.

Please tell us it ain’t so.

Posted in Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Indians, Liverpool | Leave a comment
17 Feb 2011

Spanning the globe

Oh sure, now the NBA may want to add a franchise tag for players.

According to The Sporting News:

“The franchise tag is something the owners will bring up in the collective bargaining agreement, but now you’re going to have to get that by the players’ association, get them to buy into it,” said NBA TV analyst and former Timberwolves GM Kevin McHale. “It is an interesting concept – there is something to that. It would give the team that drafts a guy, develops a guy, more of an opportunity to hold on to the player. … Having the talent distributed all throughout the NBA is much better for the NBA, and the health of the game depends on having competitive teams in all different types of markets.”

Great. They couldn’t have figured that out before LeBron left town?

***

Too bad Liverpool couldn’t give Kenny Daglish a win in his first match in Europe as Liverpool manager, as the Reds drew 0-0 with Sparta Prague in the Europa League.

“It is special but every time you go into the dugout for this club it is special,” Daglish said in published reports. “It is a club with fantastic tradition and pride and to get a first opportunity to take the club that I served as player and manager before into Europe was fantastic.

“It was an honour for me because of the history this club has in Europe. Tonight was a bit of a milestone for myself because it was the first game in Europe I’d been in charge of the club.

“It was a difficult game for us. We would rather have been more offensive but circumstances dictated the way we played with the players we had available. Nil-nil is not the best result we could have got but it is not the worst either. Next week you can anticipate it being a different game.”

The return leg at Anfield certainly will be a different story as the Reds should advance. And this year’s experience will pay off in the team’s inevitable return to Champions League play.

***

We guess, when it comes to Alabama, it’s true that “stupid is as stupid does.“

***

Finally, a home-schooled Iowa high school wrestler defaulted on his first-round state tournament match rather than face one of the first girls to ever qualify for the event.

Because rolling around on a sweat-stained, germ-infested mat is OK when it’s with another guy, but girls are icky or something.

Posted in Cleveland Cavaliers, King Kenny, Liverpool, NBA, stupid people | Leave a comment
09 Feb 2011
1 Comment

Colt McCoy just had a good day

The Browns released six veterans on Wednesday, most notably defensive lineman Shaun Rogers and right tackle John St. Clair.

The release of St. Clair has to put a smile on the faces of quarterbacks Colt McCoy, Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme, as it means they don’t have to fear the turnstile brand of blocking that St. Clair employed over the past two years as he inexplicably was put in the lineup time and time again by the former coaching staff.

Also released were linebackers Eric Barton and David Bowens, defensive linemen Kenyon Coleman and tight end Robert Royal. The release of Royal and his stone hands made it a daily double for the quarterbacks.

Despite having a ton of talent, Rogers only played when he wanted to, plus he was hurt for much of last year. He finished the season with 17 tackles and just two sacks. While it would seem as if the Browns could use his talent, if he was unable or unwilling to make it on the field on Sundays, what value did he bring to the team?

It’s interesting to note that new defensive coordinator Dick Jauron coached Rogers in Detroit, so he obviously knew what the team had in Rogers. We think if Jauron would have really wanted Rogers to stay on the team the Browns would have figured something out.

Barton, Bowens and Coleman were “Eric Mangini guys” brought in from New York to teach the Mangini way.

With four of the players released coming from the defensive front seven, the Browns may be giving us a sign as to what their draft plans will be come April.

***

The Ravens are reportedly going to look for a backup quarterback in the draft.

Seems to us they could use a veteran quarterback as well; wonder if Jake Delhomme likes crab cakes?

***

Liverpool’s big win over Chelsea on Sunday set viewership records for Fox Soccer Channel.

Slowly but surely America seems to be getting it.

***

Finally, tonight marks the end of one of the best shows on TV, Friday Night Lights.

We read the book, which was very good; saw the movie, which was excellent; and remember being skeptical when we saw that they were making a TV version.

But we were hooked from the first episode and, despite the show completely losing its way in Season 2, stuck with it and were rewarded each week with quality writing and acting.

We’re going to miss the lights, for sure.

For more, check out:

Posted in Cleveland Browns, Friday Night Lights, Liverpool, NFL
08 Feb 2011

Now What Do We Do?

The NFL season ended Sunday … so now what do we do?

The NFL Draft is still a little more than 11 weeks away. If there is no labor-related work stoppage, the Browns won’t play another meaningful game for almost seven months.

And unless the NFL throws realignment into the new CBA, the Browns are still in the same division as Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

So now what do we do?

The Cavs are currently mired in hell, loser’s of an NBA-record 25 consecutive games. Two more losses and they will own the mark for most consecutive losses by any professional team in any sport.

To their credit, the Cavs are trying hard – they’ve held leads in the fourth quarter of the past three games – but with injuries they are just void of any talent after Antawn Jamison.

Nothing against Jamario Moon, but when he is an option to take a game-tying shot at the end of regulation, that pretty much tells us all we need to know about the Cavs season so far.

So now what do we do?

Spring training is just around the corner for the Indians, but the front office is still trying to figure out a way to compete in a sports where the top teams can spent $6 or $7 for every $1 the Tribe spends.

The Phillies spent $120 million guaranteed on Cliff Lee this winter; the Indians big signing was Austin Kearns for $1.8 million.

So now what do we do?

Luckily the Champions League returns next week with the start of the knockout stage and some exciting matchups in Arsenal vs. Barcelona and AC Milan vs. Tottenham Hotspur, among others.

And while we know it probably won’t last, we’re buying into the magic of King Kenny at Liverpool.

And now that Fernando Torres has turned into a bit of a dandy we don’t feel as bad about him leaving Anfield for Chelsea.

And the Cavs are bound to win a game eventually, maybe even this weekend when Washington – currently 0-25 on the road – comes to town.

And maybe the youngsters actually turn out to be pretty good for the Indians this summer.

And the draft isn’t really that far away for the Browns.

So it may get a little dry here for a while, but we’ll find something to do.

***

According to an article in Sports Business Journal Daily, the four major pro leagues in America are missing out on an estimated $370 million annually by not allowing advertising on jerseys the way they do in Europe.

“We don’t necessarily see this happening soon in the U.S.,” said Michael Neuman, Horizon Media’s managing partner for sports, entertainment and events, said in the article, “but until the revenue potential is clear, it certainly won’t go anywhere, and clearly this shows there is significant opportunity at a time when most of the big leagues are looking for new revenue.”

While this is all speculative – “I don’t think we’re anywhere close to that now,” Phoenix Suns President and CEO Rick Welts said in the article – we’re sure if enough teams found a way to make this a viable revenue option, they would be all over it.

Posted in Champions League, Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Indians, Fernando Torres, Liverpool | Leave a comment
07 Feb 2011

Packers truly are NFL royalty

Green Bay brought it home on Sunday in Super Bowl XLV, filling us with a sense of relief and making sure the jerks didn’t win this time.

Along the way to their NFL-record 13th title – more than doubling the take of the self-proclaimed model franchise from Pittsburgh – the Packers exposed the Steelers weaknesses and, for once, Pittsburgh wasn’t able to weasel its way out.

One of the best parts was listening to whiny Steeler fans today on Sirius NFL Radio. The best one may have been the hoople head who called in to say that, since the Steelers turned the ball over three times, the Packers should have put up at least 45 points. Since they didn’t, that means Green Bay really isn’t a very good team.

And Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy showed he’s the dogs bollocks by having the Packers measured for Super Bowl rings the night before the game. Somewhere, over a plate of nachos, Rex Ryan approved.

The Packers put to rest the lie that the Steelers are some kind of NFL royalty; the truth is they are just another franchise.

After winning four Super Bowls in the pre-free agency, steroid-fueled 1970s, the Steelers have picked up just two additional titles in the past 32 years. In that same time period, the 49ers have won five, the Cowboys, Redskins, Giants and Patriots three each, the Raiders, Broncos and Packers two each.

The Steelers are just another team, nothing more.

In fact, since the Browns grew tired in the late ’50s of monopolizing title game appearances, the Packers have won more titles – seven – in the past 50 years than any NFL team. If any team deserves to be treated as NFL royalty, it’s the Packers.

And there is good news for Browns fans in the win, as the Packers proved a West Coast offense can win a title (for those who still doubted). And while we’re not delusional enough to think Colt McCoy is anywhere near Aaron Rogers, it’s not like Jordy Nelson and James Jones – who combined for 14 of Rogers’ 24 completions – are exactly All Pros at the wide receiver position.

Now it’s up to Mike Holmgren and Tom Heckert to give coach Pat Shurmur the pieces so the Browns can continue their seemingly never-ending rebuilding process.

***

We know we shouldn’t, but after Liverpool’s 1-0 win Sunday against Chelsea, we’re starting to believe in the magic of King Kenny.

***

Honestly, we don’t know what all the fuss is over Christina Aguilera have a minor slip while singing the national anthem.

To read some of the comments or listen to the hoople heads on talk radio, you’d think she had burned the flag at midfield.

Don’t we have more important things to worry about right now?

Posted in Cleveland Browns, dogs bollocks, Green Bay, Liverpool, Super Bowl | Leave a comment
02 Feb 2011

Will the Tribe go young in 2011?

Good news as the Indians prepare for the opening of spring training later this month, as the Tribe may continue to let their numerous prospects get on the field this year.

According to The Plain Dealer, there’s a good chance that first baseman Matt LaPorta, outfielder Michael Brantley and infielder Jason Donald will be in the starting lineup. Justin Masterson and Carlos Carrasco are expected to be in the starting rotation and Lou Marson should be the backup catcher.

“This is a big year for a number of those players to take a step forward in a significant way,” GM Chris Antonetti told the paper.

Those six players, along with pitchers Rob Bryson, Jason Knapp, Nick Hagadone and Bryan Price, were all acquired in the trades that sent CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee and Victor Martinez out of town in the past few years.

Seeing them on the opening day roster will be a plus for fans, as hopefully this means the Indians have realized bringing in the David DeLuccis of the world isn’t worth it. If the team is going to struggle, at least let us watch the young guys who may actually have a future with the team develop.

In the absence of wins, at least give us hope.

For the Indians, the players have so little service time in the majors that the team doesn’t have to worry about free agency for a number of years.

We’re so glad to see the Tribe going young that we’re not bothered that they are pursuing pitcher Jeremy Bonderman, who spent the past eight seasons with the Tigers.

Bonderman was 8-10 with a 5.53 ERA last year in Detroit after missing most of 2008 and 2009 after having surgery for a blood clot in his pitching shoulder.

The economic reality is this is the kind of pitcher the Indians have to go after. And they are probably not going to ask Bonderman to be a top-of-the-rotation pitcher.

Obviously they are hoping for another Kevin Millwood, who made 30 starts and led the AL in ERA in 2005, rather than another Jason Johnson, who went 3-8 with a 5.96 ERA in 2006.

More than likely, Bonderman will fall somewhere in the middle. And, for now, we’re OK with that.

***

St. Louis quarterback Sam Bradford had some nice things to say about Browns coach Pat Shurmur, who was the Rams offensive coordinator last year.

“… for Pat, I think it’s a great opportunity. I’m excited for him,” Bradford told stltoday.com. “I hope hope he has all the success in the world except for when we play him.”

Bradford credits Shurmur with teaching the rookie quarterback the West Coast offense.

“He really just broke it down for me,” Bradford said. “He taught me how to stay within myself. Taught me how to go through my progressions. Really everything about an offense in the NFL, how it’s supposed to be run.”

Hey, what’s not to like about that?

***

Say what you will about the Dolans, but at least they are smarter than the Wilpon family that owns the Mets.

***

Who needs Fernando Torres when you have Luis Suarez? We know, it’s only one game.

But the Reds have climbed to seventh in the table, and have a chance to close the gap on fourth-place Chelsea this weekend.

Posted in Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Indians, Liverpool, stupid owners | Leave a comment
01 Feb 2011
2 Comments

So … about those Browns coaches

Slowly but surely the Browns are filling out their coaching staff under new coach Pat Shurmur.

On Monday the team added Dwaine Board to coach the defensive line, Bill Davis to coach the linebackers, Mike Wilson to coach the wide receivers (he’s going to earn his money with this group) and Mark Whipple as quarterbacks coach.

Missing from that group is an offensive coordinator, a position that NFL teams traditionally find kind of important – the Cardinals had two last season, for example. Technically the Browns do have someone to coordinate the offense as Shurmur plans to call the plays himself.

We didn’t really like that idea when Shurmur mentioned it during his introductory press conference and we’re still a little uneasy about how this is all going to play out. Kansas City showed this season how having two experienced coordinators – Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel – can help a young coach. That’s the model we expected the Browns to follow.

Head coaches have so much to worry about on Sundays – injuries, clock management, etc. – that adding play-calling duties to the list would seem to be a bit overwhelming – especially for a first-time coach.

But who knows? Eric Mangini had Brian Daboll by his side the past two seasons and he still struggled with clock management and other issues on game day. Maybe going against the norm is just what the Browns need to do.

Because what they’ve been doing since 1999 sure hasn’t been working.

For more, visit Waiting for Next Year: Browns could go without offensive coordinator

And Two One Six Sports is less than enamored by the situation.

***

We’re still struggling with Fernando Torres no longer being at Liverpool. We loved watching him play and really thought the new ownership group was going to find a way to keep him at Anfield and it’s going to be painful to see him in blue this Sunday.

Lots on this at:

And it just get worse because Andy Carroll, the club’s big signing in the wake of Torres’ departure, is still weeks away from his debut with Liverpool because of an injury.

Who knew we could carry Cleveland’s bad karma to a team thousands of miles away?

Oh well, this will make us feel a little bit better.

***

Finally, why is Hines Ward dressed like one of the Village People?

Posted in Cleveland Browns, Fernando Torres, Liverpool, NFL, Pat Shurmur
31 Jan 2011
5 Comments

Reading is Fundamental – NFL edition

With the end of the NFL season just around the corner, we thought we’d pass along some book recommendations for anyone needing a football fix.

Here are some NFL and college football related books that are worth checking out (we’ll do Browns-specific books later in the week). Some may no longer be in print, but if you can find a copy it will be well worth your time:*

  • Badasses: The Legend of Snake, Foo, Dr. Death and John Madden’s Oakland Raiders, by Peter Richmond. The Oakland Raiders of the 1970s were some of the most outrageous, beloved and violent football teams every to play the game. Peter Richmond tells the story of Oakland’s wrecking crew of castoffs, psychos, oddballs and geniuses who won six division titles and a Super Bowl championship under the brilliant leadership of coach John Madden and eccentric owner Al Davis.
  • Johnny U: The Life & Times of John Unitas by Tom Callahan. Johnny U is the first authoritative biography of Unitas, based on hundreds of hours of interviews with teammates and opponents, coaches, family and friends. The depth of Tom Callahan’s research allows him to present something more than a biography, something approaching an oral history of a bygone sporting era.
  • Saturday Rules: A Season with Trojans and Domers (and Gators and Buckeyes and Wolverines) by Austin Murphy. No two programs are more storied than Notre Dame and USC. With the inside scoop on these top-ranked teams, Murphy closely follows their arcs through the 2006 season, up to their late-November showdown in the L.A. Coliseum. Murphy puts you in the field, in the meeting room and in the huddle as both teams fight to keep alive their national title ambitions.
  • Boys will be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty by Jeff Pearlman. In Boys will be Boys, award-winning writer Jeff Pearlman chronicles the outrageous antics and dazzling talent of a team fueled by ego, sex, drugs – and unrivaled greatness. Rising from the ashes of a 1-15 season in 1989 to capture three Super Bowl trophies in four years, the Dallas Cowboys were guided by a swashbuckling, skirt-chasing, power-hungry owner, Jerry Jones, and his two eccentric, hard-living coaches, Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer. Together the three built a juggernaut that America loved and loathed.
  • Going Long: The Wild 10-year Saga of the Renegade American Football League in the Words of Those who Lived It by Jeff Miller. From its inauspicious beginnings through its improbable Super Bowl victories and its ultimate demise, the American Football League had a colorful and sometimes bizarre 10-year history. Going Long takes you back to that thrilling decade with the men who made the AFL – and who made it great.
  • Take Your Eye off the Ball: How to Watch Football by Knowing Where to Look by Pat Kirwan. This is not a beginner’s introduction to football, nor is it a technical manual for only the most studious of fans. Instead, it clearly and simply explains the intricacies and nuances that affect the outcomes of every NFL game. Take Your Eye Off the Ball explains the pros and cons of different personnel groups, tells you what to look for when projecting a college quarterback’s success in the NFL and gives fans a simple, easy-to-remember checklist to help them understand the action on the field. Baseball claims to be America’s national pastime, but football is its passion. Take Your Eye Off the Ball will make fans feel like they’ve got their own personal head coach by their side each and every Sunday, enhancing the fan experience by making football more accessible, colorful, and compelling than ever before.
  • The Last Coach: A Life of Paul “Bear” Bryant by Allen Barra. The Last Coach traces Paul Bryant’s rise from a family of truck farmers to recognition as the most successful and influential coach in the game’s history. At the height of the Depression, football took Bryant to the Rose Bowl with Alabama’s 1934 national champions and on to a career as an assistant and, finally, a head football coach, where he matched wit and grit with the greatest coaches of two generations, men like Tennessee’s General Robert Neyland, Oklahoma’s Bud Wilkinson, Notre Dame’s Ara Parseghian, Ohio State’s Woody Hayes and Penn State’s Joe Paterno. Through it all, Bryant’s influence has not only endured but prevailed as his former players and assistants continue to define the best in not only college but professional football.
  • Perfect Rivals: Notre Dame, Miami and the Battle for the Soul of College Football by Jeff Carroll. College football is a sport of rivalries – and no two teams were ever more perfectly matched than the Miami Hurricanes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. In Perfect Rivals, award-winning sportswriter Jeff Carroll takes us inside the locker rooms and onto the gridiron, as two storied programs with very different cultures battle for national supremacy, school pride and the soul of the game itself.

If you do decide to check one of these out, you won’t be disappointed. And remember to shop at your local bookstore. If you don’t have one in your area and are in the Hudson area, it’s worth a stop at The Learned Owl.

If you missed it, our basketball book recommendations are here and our baseball books are here.

*Summaries are all taken from the individual book jackets.

***

Thanks to Scott at WFNY, who found this column by Clay Travis at Fanhouse.

After writing about how the Terrible Towel is Terribly Stupid, Travis posted a column with the response of Steeler fans.

We especially like the one hoople head who was considerate enough to leave their phone number in the death threat they sent to Travis.

***

Speaking of Terrible Towels, we’re pretty sure this constitutes child abuse.

***

Fox Sports Florida is the latest to pile on the Cavs.

***

If we had known Liverpool were going to turn into the Cleveland Indians …

***

Alex Mack thinks touchdowns, not field goals.

Posted in hoople heads, Liverpool, NFL, reading

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