Weekend TV Preview (Cont'd)

- Once again, no talking to wife/girlfriend this weekend.

Thursday

Texas A&M at Miami (-2.5) - ESPN - 6:30 pm
I really can't decide on who to take on this one. Miami's defense can be run on a little, they may be a tad overrated. But ATM is so one dimensional that I just can't justify taking them on the road anywhere. You have to be able to complete a pass on the road to win (See: Arkansas last week vs. Alabama). And Miami's offense is at home, and has a few decent RB's. I guess when in doubt with evenly matched teams, go with the home team by less than a FG.


Friday

Oklahoma (-23) at Tulsa - ESPN2 - 7:00 pm
Basically a home game for Oklahoma. Tulsa isn't in the same stratosphere as them. Oklahoma continues their roll tonight. Why wouldn't I take a top 5 team in the nation by 3 TD's two hours from their home?
Pick - Oklahoma -23


Saturday

North Carolina at South Florida (-13.5) - ESPN - 11 am
Butch Davis vs. the upstarts. I'm in on this game just because I love Butch and I enjoy watching South Florida. That team can play, quite possibly the #2 team in the state. Butch will build a winner, you bet your ass he will. But not this year.
Pick - South Florida -13.5

East Carolina at West Virginia (-24.5) - ESPN2 - 11 am
At some point they're going to play good teams and America will see how overrated they are. But for now, they roll ECU at home.
Pick - WV -24.5

Georgia Tech (-3.5) at Virginia - ESPNU - 11 am
Virginia was one of my sleepers this year and I'm getting burned on those bastards. But I have a weird feeling they play well this week. Georgia Tech was exposed last week as frauds, and I expect it to continue.
Pick - Virginia +3.5

Ball State at Nebraksa (-22.5) - PPV - 11:30 am
Nebraska will look night and day on offense this week. They may have a Nevada-like 400 yards rushing. The problem is, that defense can't stop anyone. An athletic QB and a strong running game keeps BSU in it, with Nebraska pulling away and winning by 17.
Pick - Ball State +22.5

Texas Tech (-6) at Oklahoma State - FSNSW - 2:30 pm
Texas Tech hasn't played anyone, hasn't stopped anyone on defense, and no one has stopped them on offense. Oklahoma State has sucked nuts this year and the all-everything QB Bobby Reid is suddenly chopped liver to the coaching staff. But they still have more athletes than Tech. Give me the home team with points and the hope that they finally play a decent game.
Pick - Oklahoma State +6

Penn State (-2.5) at Michigan - ABC - 2:30 pm
How did Michigan get away with 4 straight home games to open the season??? I can see it if they were scheduling Blind and Deaf schools, but how did they get away with Notre Dame, Oregon, and Penn State all at home? And how are they going to lose 3 of those 4??? Because Penn State's defense is that good, and their offense (although mediocre) will look like Warren Moon and the Oilers against that Michigan defense.
Pick - Penn State -2.5

Michigan State (-12.5) at Notre Dame - NBC - 2:30 pm
Michigan State might be the most inconsistent school in the Big 10. The minute you think they've turned the corner and are ready to contend, they lose to Northwestern on you. Screw this team. They've burned me countless times as I've drank their early season kool-aid for the past 5-6 years. Notre Dame and Casey Clausen get their first win.
Pick - Notre Dame +12.5

South Carolina at LSU (-16.5) - CBS - 2:30 pm
The strong 2:30 game trend continues with the best of the bunch right here. Spurrier heads into the Bayou to take on #2 LSU. Spurrier actually has a defense at South Carolina, but his offense is pitiful and may not get to double digits. Although it may be low scoring, should still be a tight, well played game with LSU pulling away at the end and covering.
Pick - LSU -16.5

Northwestern at Ohio State (-22.5) - ESPN - 2:30 pm
Ohio State looked damn good last week on the road. Northwestern lost to Duke. Is there even a question with OSU coming back the Horseshoe? This one gets nasty early.
Pick - Ohio State -22.5

Maryland at Wake Forest (-3.5) - ESPNU - 2:30 pm
Maryland isn't a bad team, but they're not good either. Wake didn't look good last week against Army. This isn't exactly must-see TV. Give me the home team.
Pick - Wake Forest -3.5

Colorado State at Houston (-6.5) - CSTV - 3:30 pm
If you want to watch a lot of offense, here you go. Art Briles of Stephenville has built himself a nice little offensive juggernaut. Watch out for RB Anthony Aldridge, the most exciting player in college football you've never heard about.
Pick - Houston -6.5

Kentucky at Arkansas (-7) - ESPN2 - 5:00 pm
Another great SEC matchup to follow SC-LSU. Andre Woodson for Kentucky vs. Darren McFadden and Felix Jones for Arkansas. This could be the best, most exciting game of the weekend. Kentucky continues their Cinderella season, and Arkansas continues to be overrated.
Pick - Kentucky +7

Arizona at Cal (-15.5) - VS - 5:00 pm
A good little PAC 10 matchup that will turn ugly. Stoops still hasn't gotten it together out west and Cal is poised for a good season this year. It's worth turning any Cal game on just to see DeSean Jackson return punts. Blowout.
Pick - Cal -15.5

Rice at Texas (-38.5) - FSNSW - 6:00 pm
Texas is coming apart at the seams. Near losses to Central Florida and Arkansas State, a million arrests, an inability to stop anyone, and an inconsistent offense. They'll win big, but not by 38.5.
Pick - Rice +38.5

Georgia at Alabama (-3.5) - ESPN - 6:45 pm
Ahh yes. The Ron Franklin SEC night game. In the heart of Big Southern Dummy territory. This should be a good one, following up the other classic SEC games of the day. Alabama was one of my sleepers this year, and I expect it to continue. Just keep your eye on the crowd, some of the best looking women in the country go to Bama.
Pick - Alabama -3.5

Washington State at USC (-25) - ABC - 7:00 pm
I just can't see USC blowing anyone out, (outside of Nebraska who may have the worst defense in any major conference, and that's no bullshat). Bare minimum USC will rear its head once again after taking a week off to shove it up Nebraska's ass last Saturday. Give me a USC win, but a WSU cover.
Pick - Washington State +25

SMU at TCU (-21) - CSTV - 7:30 pm
SMU's whole team sucks. TCU's offense sucks. But it still has that defense. At home, too. This should be one of the more underrated co-ed crowd watching games of the day. SMU gets its props for hot girls, but its time TCU gets its proper recognition as well. I've been to Amon Carter a few times, it's a meat market.
Pick - TCU -21

CROWN GAME
Washington at UCLA (-6.5) - FSNSW - 9:15 pm
I couldn't have asked for a better Crown Game. In the Rose Bowl, with my favorite cheerleaders, my favorite stadium, my favorite mountain backdrop, and my favorite time zone. And 2 decent teams. I know UCLA is now on the suck list, but they'll still make some noise in the PAC-10, as will Washington. This should be quite enjoyable as I'm lounging drunk, half asleep on my couch spilling Blanton's Bourbon on my lap.
Pick - Washington +6.5


Sunday

Detroit at Philadelphia (-6) - FOX - 12:00 pm
I'm enjoying my nuts off watching Philly and McNabb suck this year. Don't even get me started on his comments last week. I hate that city, that region, that fan base, that northeast attitude. That city has never won a thing and has the most miserable, pathetic fan base in America. Screw Philly. The downfall continues.
Pick - Detroit +6

Indy (-6) at Houston - CBS - 12:00 pm
Houston is playing really well this year. They've upgraded their Pinto (David Carr) with a nice little sports car (Matt Schaub). Not exactly a Lexus, but a significant upgrade over the POS they used to own. Very close game here with Indy pulling it out.
Pick - Houston +6

NY Giants at Washington (-3.5) - FOX - 3:00 pm
I'm not sure how I could be more disinterested in a game. I may go to Market Hall for a gun show around this time just so I don't get trapped watching this game.
Pick - Washington -3.5

Dallas at Chicago (-3) - NBC - 7:15 pm
Should be the game of the day. Chicago's defense vs. Tony Romo/TO Owens. Devin Hester vs. Matt McBriar. Rex Grossman vs. himself. I'm legitimately excited for this one, if you can believe that. For once, I'm excited for an NFL game and it doesn't have anything to do with fantasy sports. Expect Jason Witten to have a field day with Mike Brown out, and to get payback for his ho-hum game last Sunday.
Pick - Dallas +3





- Cowlishaw is with me on praising the College game over the NFL. I've said it many times. The NFL is just too bland, too same, too sterile, too communist, too rigid, too by the book, too controlling for me to enjoy. I hate the parity, free agency, salary caps. I want to see dominance, I want to see dynasties, I want to see the clock stop at first downs so teams can have legit comeback hopes. I don't want to see by-the-book 3 hour games that the NFL mandates so they can usher in the next wave of 3 PM games.

I watch the NFL because of fantasy sports. If it's not the Cowboys, there better be a lot of offense, a star player that makes me stop down and watch, or I better be in a bitter battle that week in fantasy sports.

I briefly considered buying both DirecTV packages for the NFL and NCAA. But the NFL would go to waste as I could care less about 90% of the games each week. And there's so many games televised each Saturday that if it's a big game, or an intriguing matchup, more than likely some TV station is covering it.

I'm still perplexed as to why the NFL has so much stronger a backing than college. Give me pageantry, history, co-eds, traditions, the ability to watch games from 11 am to 1 am, and the ability to drink all day without worrying about work on Monday. Who likes to drink on Sundays? College is my bag any day of the week.

Nothing beats football – on Saturday

Not that the NFL isn't great, but the college game's tops in my book

10:21 AM CDT on Friday, September 21, 2007

I can't tell you the time or date that the transformation took place. I can only tell you that it has.

College football Saturdays have surpassed pro football Sundays as the greatest day in sports.

I didn't feel that way 20 years ago and I didn't feel that way five years ago. As a Cowboys beat writer or as a columnist following the big stories, you're going to pay a lot more attention to the NFL than to the good college teams that play 200 miles north and south of town.

But I'm not talking about covering games or being a sportswriter.

I'm talking about watching the college game and flipping around the dial all day and night Saturday being a more exhilarating and rewarding thrill ride than doing likewise with the pro games Sunday.

It has at least something to do with the downside of fantasy football. The same thing that elevates the ratings of the pro game also robs a little of the passion and breeds an extra level of cynicism.

"Randy Moss scored two touchdowns again? Why didn't he ever do that for me?"

Also, there are no true upsets in the NFL. The first week of the season there wasn't even a 7-point favorite.

Something magical happens somewhere in the college game each week.

If it isn't always on the level of Appalachian State taking down Michigan, then it's Arkansas' incredible comeback in Alabama followed by Alabama's improbable comeback against Arkansas.

I hadn't planned on watching much of that game Saturday night. I wanted to watch USC just to make sure the Trojans aren't really better than LSU and confirm that they should be ranked No. 2 behind the Tigers.

Answers: They aren't and they should be. The Sagarin ratings don't lie. LSU is four points better than USC.

At least.

But after Arkansas cut what had been a 21-point, late third quarter lead to 31-17, I stayed with it. The Razorbacks reeled off 28 points in less than 12 minutes, only to let Alabama rally for 10 in the final 4:20 for a 41-38 win.

That's a football game.

And, by the way, I am not going to let the college season be spoiled by all of the doomsayers.

Already on talk shows and in chat rooms, Oklahoma fans are lamenting the Sooners' No. 4 ranking and fearing that they will go undefeated and NOT get to the national championship game in the Superdome.

As good as LSU and USC and Oklahoma are, it's ridiculous to be talking in the middle of September about what's going to happen if all three go undefeated.

USC has stumbling blocks on its schedule, with games at Oregon and Cal. And who saw Southern Cal lose to Oregon State last year?

For LSU to go unbeaten, the Tigers have to win in Alabama – we just saw that's not as easy as it used to be – and they might have to beat Florida twice.

Because of the depths the Big 12 has sunk to, it's hard to look at anything on the Sooners' schedule and say it's a potential loss. But I don't think this Sooners team is any better than the undefeated, No. 1-ranked team that lost the Big 12 championship to Kansas State by 28 points four years ago.

So stop complaining. Enjoy the ride.

The situation that Auburn found itself in three years ago – unbeaten from an elite conference with no national title to play for – happens about once in 10 years.

If that.

No need to get bogged down with those "what if" scenarios when there are so many amazing things to ponder, such as how the Big East lost Miami, Boston College and Virginia Tech and became an elite conference, whereas the ACC added those three teams and didn't.

Or how UCLA, ranked 11th, could get killed, 44-6, by Utah, a team that got whipped, 24-7, by Oregon State, a team that got spanked, 34-3, by unbeaten Cincinnati.

And Cincinnati stays unranked.

Those storylines, and the fact that college players don't stick around campus long enough for us to create fantasy leagues, makes the game the best thing going in the fall.

And although you can, you don't even have to buy a DirecTV package to overdose on it every Saturday.





- Poor, poor Aggie. I'm not sure where they go from here. Like I've said all along, Fran just wouldn't motivate me as a player, assistant coach, fan, administrative person, or booster. He's so non-descript and un-intimidating it's ridiculous. I've always called him the anti-Stoops. Why would anyone be afraid of his teams? They take on the persona of their coach. Just looks like anyone in football could push him around.

I want bull nuts cut off before the Texas game, I want bitter words in the press leading up to rivalry games, I want intimidation, I want the Wrecking Crew. I'm not an Aggie fan, but that's what I'd be screaming if I was.

And has Javorski Lane become the biggest waste of talent to come through that school? I swear if he was used like he should, they would have won at least 2 more games last year. I know for a fact they would have beaten Nebraska at home. Fran saved Callahan in that game last year by refusing to run him.


Miami meltdown: A&M falls, 34-17


01:45 AM CDT on Friday, September 21, 2007
By BRIAN DAVIS / The Dallas Morning News
brdavis@dallasnews.com

MIAMI – The Miami game was supposed to be a true barometer of Texas A&M's overall talent. If that was indeed the case, the Aggies showed Thursday night they are a slow, predictable, one-dimensional, overrated football team.

Those were the overriding themes from a 34-17 disaster in the Orange Bowl in what was far and away the biggest nonconference game in coach Dennis Franchione's five seasons.

The Aggies came into the game ranked in the top 20 in both major polls. That was after they beat Montana State, Fresno State and Louisiana-Monroe, though. When matched up against one of college football's big boys, A&M (3-1) got embarrassed.

"We wanted to come in and make a statement," A&M safety Devin Gregg said, "but things didn't go the way we wanted."

A&M opens Big 12 play next weekend against Baylor. When asked if this game was a true indication of where the Aggies are, Franchione said, "I probably need some time to evaluate that.

"Things are never quite as bad as they seem or as good as they seem. We didn't play our best tonight."

A&M's 17 points are misleading. The Aggies didn't get on the scoreboard until the fourth quarter, after the Hurricanes had built a 31-0 lead.

Through the first three quarters, A&M had 115 total yards, five fumbles, three turnovers and went 2-for-10 on third-down conversions. Stephen McGee was 7-for-16 passing for 46 yards during that span, too.

UM's Kyle Wright threw two touchdown passes, and Graig Cooper and Javarris James each ran for a score. For the first time this season, the Hurricanes (3-1) resembled "The U."

"We knew we had this in us," said Wright, who completed 21 of 26 passes for 275 yards with no interceptions.

Many fans among the crowd of 44,622 were already in the parking lot by the time McGee scored on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter. Backup Jerrod Johnson also threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Martellus Bennett in mop-up duty.

"Definitely the whole team's frustrated," McGee said. "We've just got to look at this and move on and get better, because the games from now on count."

A&M averaged almost 300 rushing yards in the first three games. But against a team with phenomenal speed, the Aggies mustered only 98 yards rushing. McGee had 39 yards and Mike Goodson had only 28. The 'Canes never bit on McGee's option fakes and simply hammered anyone with the ball.

"You make one guy miss and another guy would hit you," Goodson said. "Whatever scheme they put together really worked."

And from the truly odd department, Jorvorskie Lane did not have a carry in the first half. He didn't touch the ball until there was about eight minutes left in the third quarter. He had only two carries the entire night for 2 yards.

Hundreds of Aggies flew to South Florida hoping to see something magical. They wanted to see some proof that last year's 12-7 upset over No. 11 Texas was no one-game fluke. They wanted to see why Franchione was so confident during the preseason.

Instead, they watched A&M go three-and-out on its first possession. Then the Hurricanes put together a methodical 18-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that sapped 8:51 off the clock. UM receiver Darnell Jenkins caught three critical passes on third down, and Cooper raced in from 7 yards out to give UM the early lead.

That drive was only the start of a long, frustrating night for the Aggies.




- Jean Jacques.......

Aggies trip on big stage again

Latest debacle in big game calls for closer look at Franchione


10:13 AM CDT on Friday, September 21, 2007

MIAMI – Every college football fan watching Texas A&M's nationally televised game against Miami on Thursday night discovered what many unbiased observers have known for years: The Aggies are wannabes.

They wanna be an elite program.

They wanna be like Texas and Oklahoma, teams that have recently won championships.

They wanna be relevant.

Based on A&M's raggedy performance against the Hurricanes, that's not happening anytime soon.

Miami 34, Texas A&M 17.

Trust me, the game wasn't nearly that close. It's hard to believe this is the same Miami team that OU thumped 51-13 just a couple of weeks ago.

It kind of makes you wonder whether the Aggies, ranked No. 20 by the Associated Press poll until the next poll is released, are due for another 77-0 shellacking when they play the Sooners in a few weeks.

Don't laugh.

To his credit, a somber coach Dennis Franchione offered no excuses after the debacle in the Orange Bowl.

"We didn't play our best tonight, taking nothing away from Miami," Franchione said.

Once again, Coach Fran failed to have his team perform to a high standard in a high-profile game that could've generated some excitement for A&M, which has become a second-tier Big 12 program during the past decade.

We really shouldn't be surprised.

Aside from what now appears to be a fluke win over UT last November, what have Coach Fran's teams accomplished in his five seasons? Not much. He is 1-9 against Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska, the best teams in the Big 12.

The Aggie faithful are tired of reading Coach Fran's record against the Big 12's big boys. Too bad.

It is what it is.

The perception surrounding A&M's program is never going to change until the Aggies start beating good teams. Sorry, but wins over Montana State and Louisiana-Monroe simply don't impress.

Perhaps, if the Aggies' fan base stopped being so obsessed with every facet of UT's program and focused all of their energy and attention on improving their own program, they'd have better results.

Or, maybe, they just need to fire Coach Fran. Or Les Koenning Jr. Or whoever put together a game plan that resulted in Jorvorskie Lane not carrying the ball in the first half.

Ridiculous.

The Aggies can't pass – no matter what they accomplished against ULM last week – so their only chance to beat Miami was to dominate the line of scrimmage, wear the Hurricanes down and win a close game in the fourth quarter.

Pounding Lane could've accomplished that.

Instead, Lane became a 268-pound decoy, while Stephen McGee and Michael Goodson carried the ball on the option time after time. McGee and Goodson combined for 21 yards on 14 carries in the first half as Miami grabbed a 24-0 lead.

Lane didn't carry the ball until the Aggies' seventh possession.

The flaw with that strategy is that Miami had way too much speed for the Aggies to consistently get outside and gain yards on the perimeter. An intelligent approach would've used Lane to attack the middle, sucking in Miami's defense, and then attack the perimeter.

It shouldn't be that complicated.

And that's why Bill Byrne, A&M's athletic director, must consider making a change if this team fails to significantly improve over the next two months. Coach Fran is signed through 2012, and word is Byrne won't consider a change until 2008 at the earliest.

But road games against Texas Tech, OU, Nebraska and Missouri loom. Right now, you wouldn't expect the Aggies to be favored in any of those games. A four- or five-loss season is a distinct possibility.

Considering the optimism Coach Fran had after last season's 9-4 record and the verbal jabs he willingly took at UT and OU in the off-season, that would represent failure.

This is Coach Fran's fifth season. These are his recruits.

This is his fault.

No acceptable excuse exists.

It's time for Byrne to contemplate Coach Fran's future unless the Aggies are satisfied being wannabes.

Weekend TV Preview

- Once again, no talking to wife/girlfriend this weekend.

Thursday

Texas A&M at Miami (-2.5) - ESPN - 6:30 pm
I really can't decide on who to take on this one. Miami's defense can be run on a little, they may be a tad overrated. But ATM is so one dimensional that I just can't justify taking them on the road anywhere. You have to be able to complete a pass on the road to win (See: Arkansas last week vs. Alabama). And Miami's offense is at home, and has a few decent RB's. I guess when in doubt with evenly matched teams, go with the home team by less than a FG.



- Memo to Texas and Mack Brown. Vince Young isn't on the team. You can't have a dance club atmosphere anymore and get away with it and play well. Remember when it was "cool" b/c VY would be clubbin' before the game, Mack Brown was so laid back and listened to 50 Cent? The country club atmosphere only works if you have a horse you can ride that saves your ass every game. Down in flames when they get into conference. Mark it down.


- And another version......



- Some photo shop experts with too much free time on their hands.....




- The rest of the weekend to follow either tonight or tomorrow. Too busy right now.

Pennant Race Time

- Where have you gone Eric Gagne? The more he blows up in Boston, the more likely he is to sign with either LA or Texas, 2 lower key, lower pressure places. This is tough to watch, but if it means he'll sign in Texas and Boston will lose its lead to NY, then I can accept it. NYY only 2.5 games back! Screw Boston.



Red Sox's East lead down to 2½ after Gagne's collapse

A CLOSER LOOK
• Summary: Eric Gagne blew a 2-1 lead in the eighth inning and the Red Sox fell to the Blue Jays 4-3.

• Figure this: Gagne gave up two hits, three walks and three earned runs after retiring the first two batters of the inning.

• Quotable: "I don't know how to put it into words. It's just very frustrating." -- Gagne

• Hero: Russ Adams drove in the go-ahead run with a two-run double.

• Hunt for October: Boston has lost three straight and had its lead in the AL East cut to 2½ games over New York after the Yankees' 12-0 victory over the Orioles.



- LA continues to tank, losing 2 yesterday in a doubleheader in Colorado. It looks like it's going to be Arizona and San Diego battling it out for the NL West. And the West loser battling it out with Philly for the Wild Card. I hate the city, but I love the team. Openly going for the Phillies, who win in 14 innings last night. And a Rod Barajas sighting!



A CLOSER LOOK
• Summary: Pinch-hitter Rod Barajas singled home the tiebreaking run with two outs in the 14th inning and Jayson Werth added a two-run triple to help Philadelphia win its sixth straight and maintain its surge toward the postseason.

• Champs fading: The Cardinals have lost 12 of their last 13 games to fall a season-worst 10 games below .500.

• Hunt for October: The Phillies moved within 1½ games of the Mets in the NL East and remained 1½ behind the Padres in the wild-card race.

• Figure this: Ryan Howard went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts and two walks, going hitless for the first time in 15 career games against the Cardinals.

• Quotable: "It's huge because you never want to play 5 hours and come up on the losing end, use up a whole bullpen and use up pretty much everybody on the bench. To come away with a win, I hope it lifts us up even higher." -- Phillies' Clay Condrey, who earned the save



- And the Cubs and Brewers continue to trade 1st place back and forth, while the Cardinals fade back in oblivion, having lost 10 of 12 to eliminate themselves. Cubs lose, Brewers win. Milf back in 1st for at least a day.



Harang beats Zambrano again as Reds drop Cubs

A CLOSER LOOK
• Summary: Aaron Harang improved to 3-0 against Carlos Zambrano this season and the Reds beat the Cubs to drop Chicago into a first-place tie with Milwaukee.

• Hero: Harang held the Cubs hitless for the first 3 2/3 to improve to 16-4 on the season.

• Unsung hero: Edwin Encarnacion homered and had three hits in the win.

• Goat: Zambrano also has 16 wins, but he's got 13 losses to go with them.

• Quotable: "If Milwaukee wins every game the rest of the way, they're going to win, plain and simple. We said we need to win series and that's what we need to do." -- Cubs manager Lou Piniella



- Brewers roll back into tie for first but lose Sheets to injury



A CLOSER LOOK
• Summary: Brewers ace Ben Sheets departed after just one inning with a left leg injury, but Milwaukee still beat Houston 9-1 to move back into a tie for first in the NL Central.

• Injury update: Sheets left with tightness in his left hamstring after giving up a run in the first. Team officials said Sheets would be evaluated on Wednesday.

• Hero: Claudio Vargas pitched four shutout innings in relief of Sheets.

• Unsung heroes: Johnny Estrada hit a grand slam while Ryan Braun, Geoff Jenkins and Rickie Weeks also homered for Milwaukee.

• Hunt for October: The Brewers are once again tied atop the Central standings with the Cubs after Chicago lost to Cincinnati 5-2.



- Nebraska News/Notes





- Players/coaches defend D-Coordinator Kevin Cosgrove.



Husker players, coaches stand by Cosgrove
By BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON / Lincoln Journal Star
Wednesday, Sep 19, 2007 - 12:24:31 am CDT

You know they’re angry when they call him Cosgrove.

It’s like when your mother called you by your first and middle names.

When it’s good, it’s Coz.

When it’s bad, it’s Cosgrove.

Right now, they call him Cosgrove.

Kevin Cosgrove has thick skin. That’s what his nose tackle Ndamukong Suh says.

Coz is a fighter. That’s what almost anyone who knows him says.

Coz is not listening to the criticism. That’s what he says.

“You know what? I can’t look at that,” he said after Tuesday’s practice. “I just got to try to do the best job I can possibly do. If I read what was out there — and believe me guys, I haven’t — or got on the chat lines or anything like that, it would drive me crazy. I have to stay focused at the task at hand.”

Cosgrove has been coaching football for 27 years. You don’t coach 27 years without hearing someone say you stink once or twice.

They’ve said that more than once or twice about him this week.

It sounds like a pretty fun gig being Nebraska’s defensive coordinator. Then you run into a Saturday like the past one.

Southern Cal made Nebraska’s defense look silly in a 49-31 loss. One thing Nebraskans can’t stand is having their football team look silly.

It wasn’t so much that the No. 1 team beat Nebraska. That was kind of expected. It was the way the Trojans ran over, through and around the Huskers for 313 yards with a national TV audience watching.

The Trojans averaged 8.2 yards per carry. No Husker defense before had allowed such a statistic.

Before you could say Pete Carroll, there was a firecosgrove.com Web site on the Internet.

There were Fire Cosgrove e-mails, blogs, dinner table rants.

Shawn from St. Louis titled his e-mail to the Journal Star “Blackh(o)le Defense!!!!”

Went the e-mail: “The Blackshirt designation should be stripped and reserved for only bygone days of dominating headcrushing bloodthirsty speed demons who pounded 1st quarter hopelessness into their victims. Blackshirt D???? Are you kidding me??? More like Blackhole D, you run into the middle of it and shoot out the other side at the speed of light! Damn Cosgrove and his milk toast tactics!!!!”

Fans still compare Cosgrove to Bo Pelini, who, in his one year here in 2003, had Nebraska ranked No. 11 nationally in total defense.

Cosgrove’s defenses since taking over in 2004 have ranked 56th, 26th and 56th in that category. His current unit ranks 45th in total defense.

His defenses in his last five years as defensive coordinator at Wisconsin, from 1999 to 2003, ranked 15th, 79th, 58th, 63rd and 43rd.

Spout all the numbers you want. Cortney Grixby doesn’t care. He’ll tell you Coz can coach. The blame is going to the wrong place, the senior cornerback said.

“Somebody has to put the blame on somebody. I guess this week it was Coach Coz,” Grixby said. “(But) for anybody to be putting it on the coaches, it’s dead wrong. Because they don’t coach us that, and that’s not the kind of coaches we have.”

Support from players is nice. Support from Husker head coach Bill Callahan is better.

Callahan coached with Cosgrove at Wisconsin and hand-picked him to be his defensive coordinator when he took the Nebraska job.

They’re more than just fellow coaches. They’re friends.

What’s a friend say after a bad day?

“He’s hurt. He’s down,” Callahan said. “I tell him to keep his head up. He’s got my full support. He’ll do a great job this week as he hits the practice field … It just hurts. When you have a performance you didn’t expect — that you never even think could happen — it hurts.”

How do you try to make football hurt go away?

You go full pads on Tuesday for the first time since fall camp.

You pit the No. 1s against the No. 1s and have them knock each other around.

You let everyone know that the possibility of personnel changes exists.

You put the entire team together in the film room — something you rarely do — and don’t turn the horror flick off until you’ve honestly assessed every play.

The film session started at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Usually the Huskers segregate into position units to watch game film. Not this time.

As Husker junior receiver Todd Peterson said: “Usually when we watch it together, it’s not a good sign.”

Peterson remembered the last time the Huskers watched game film as a team. It was two years ago, after that 40-15 loss at Kansas.

“We watch every play,” Peterson said. “Coach will be like, ‘Coz, what was the call? What was this guy’s responsibility?’ Or ‘Wats (offensive coordinator Shawn Watson), What was the play call?’ Just go through and point out the mistakes.”

Peterson said it did not end until 5:30 or 6. Probably the toughest film he’s had to watch since he’s been at Nebraska.

Cosgrove said he’s watched the film three times. He doesn’t even want to give you a number on how many tackles were missed. “There were enough of them” is a good enough answer.

The coaches and players simply explained the performance as lacking execution, fundamentals.

“There was concern going into film study,” Callahan said. “But after the film study, I came away encouraged that it’s correctable. There were a lot of areas where we’re a player off or a technique off.

“I’m not trying to deflect any criticism or blame to the players. I want to be very clear about that. I accept full responsibility in that regard. It still falls on my shoulders. I do accept that. We have some things to clean up.”

Husker sophomore safety Larry Asante said the intensity was soaring at Tuesday’s practice. “Had to be a 10,” he rated the effort.

Three days removed, Asante was still emotional as he spoke about Saturday’s game.

“I felt sick to my gut, sick to my gut after that game,” he said. “Sitting there Sunday after the game, there was really nothing you could do about it. We had a sick feeling in our stomach Saturday night, Sunday, Monday …”

To finally practice Tuesday was a relief.

The criticism of Cosgrove, he said, will only serve as more inspiration for this defense to get better.

“Me and Coach are real close,” he said. “Whatever Coach says, I’m going to do it.”

It didn’t seem to be lip service.

Minutes after practice, Asante saw Cosgrove walking by and motioned for him to come over.

He whispered some words, then gave a hug.

“Coach Coz is like my pops. He’s like my dad,” Asante said. “I’m closer to him than any other coach on the coaching staff. If I have any problems, that’s the man I go to.”


- The run defense has problems. Big time problems.



Published Wednesday | September 19, 2007

NU Football: Run-defense numbers prove alarming
BY DIRK CHATELAIN
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER


Is there any more damaging football weakness? After Southern California's offense hammered the Blackshirts into submission Saturday, a startling stat sheet revealed the damage.

In the first three quarters, USC ran 25 times for 278 yards, an average of 11.1 yards per rush.

Actually, Nebraska was worse than those numbers indicate. Nine of those 25 plays came inside NU's 10-yard line, when the Huskers stacked the box. They gained just 15 yards.

The other 16 carries — when USC had room to run — produced an incredible 263 yards. That's 16.4 yards per rush.

A thorough video review of the game revealed glaring inadequacies throughout the defensive lineup.

It's not a stretch to say the NU defensive front was manhandled one-on-one. Three of the players up front who played significant minutes touched a Trojan running back a combined two times in these 16 plays.

The soft front four allowed USC linemen to go after NU linebackers, who appeared often to misjudge a play's direction. The linebackers funneled toward piles of linemen unable to find the ball.

In the secondary, defensive backs played passively and missed key tackles.

Sixteen plays, 263 yards, an easy USC victory.




- The Tank is on board. It just shows why there is no motivation for staying clean, SOMEONE is always there to give you a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th chance.



Cowboys put Tank in the bank

Johnson might not be available until Nov. 11

08:31 PM CDT on Tuesday, September 18, 2007
By TODD ARCHER and CALVIN WATKINS / The Dallas Morning News


IRVING – Tank Johnson is a Cowboy.

The Cowboys signed the suspended defensive tackle to a two-year deal Tuesday, which brings future depth to the nose tackle position but also a fair share of questions.

"I'm real excited, man," said Johnson, as he waited for a taxi to take him to the airport Tuesday afternoon. "I can move forward. It's a process I knew was going to take some time, but I'm excited to reach this point."

Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, who was traveling after Johnson signed, and coach Wade Phillips were not available for comment. Johnson is believed to be only the second player to have signed as a free agent while under suspension.

Running back Mike Cloud signed with New England in 2003 but had to miss the first four games for violating the league's policy on banned substances.

Under league rules, the Cowboys had to put Johnson on the active roster for a day before he would move to the reserve/suspended list, so they waived cornerback Nate Jones. Should Jones clear waivers, he could be brought back.

The difficult question is when Johnson will be able to make his debut.

According to the NFL, Johnson, who has already served two games of an eight-game suspension for violating the league's personal-conduct policy, cannot play until Nov. 11 at the New York Giants, because that is the Cowboys' eighth game. However, the Cowboys' bye week is Oct. 28 (Week 8), and if he had remained unsigned until then, he would have been eligible to play Nov. 4 at Philadelphia.

It could all be moot if NFL commissioner Roger Goodell reduces Johnson's suspension to six games, which remains an option. When Goodell announced he was suspending Johnson on June 4, he left open the possibility of reducing the penalty, but Johnson will have to apply for reinstatement early next month.

A June arrest for driving while impaired in Gilbert, Ariz., could adversely affect the chances of the suspension being shortened, but those charges were eventually dropped. If Goodell lessens the suspension to six games, then Johnson could be available Oct. 21 against Minnesota.

The Cowboys will pay Johnson a prorated base salary of $510,000 this year, depending on how many games he plays, and he will earn a $605,000 base salary in 2008 with the chance to earn more money through incentives. He is not paid during the suspension, nor do league rules allow him to be at the team's Valley Ranch facility to work out.

The Cowboys' need for Johnson became greater when starting nose tackle Jason Ferguson was lost for the season with a torn right triceps. With Jay Ratliff the starter and inexperienced Remi Ayodele as the backup, Johnson was the best alternative available. In 46 games with Chicago, Johnson had 63 tackles and nine sacks, but he has never played in a 3-4 scheme the Cowboys' use.

Before signing, Johnson, 25, met with Jerry and Stephen Jones and also had a physical. His past, which included a February stay in jail for violating probation stemming from a gun charge, is certainly an issue. Before the 2004 draft, the Cowboys removed him from their draft board because of character issues, although Chicago drafted him in the second round.

In November 2005, he was arrested for concealed possession of a handgun, and he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge and was given 18 months probation. Three months later he was charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest, but the charges were dropped.

Last December, he was arrested for possessing unlicensed weapons and charged with violating his probation. A Cook County (Ill.) judge placed him on home confinement and prevented him from driving by himself or leaving the state.

Shortly after Super Bowl XLI, Johnson pleaded guilty to violating his probation and was sentenced to 120 days in jail, and he was released May 13.

"I would say he looks at this as a chance to start over, and not everyone gets that in life," said agent Jerrold Colton, who also represents the Cowboys' Anthony Henry and Pat Watkins. "That's a special opportunity that is precious, and he must take advantage of it because there may not be a chance like that again.

"He is extremely appreciative of the Cowboys and determined to reward them for their faith in him."

In the Jones era, the Cowboys have taken their share of chances on players considered character risks, including defensive linemen Dimitrius Underwood, Alonzo Spellman, Leonardo Carson and Jermaine Brooks, with differing levels of success. Jones believes the Cowboys have one of the best player-development programs in the NFL, and consultant Calvin Hill met with Johnson on Tuesday.

"I see him being a major influence in a lot of respects," Johnson said. "He's a great guy, and I'm excited about getting a relationship with Calvin."

tarcher@dallasnews.com

and cwatkins@dallasnews.com


TANK JOHNSON TIMELINE
November 2005: Arrested outside a Chicago nightclub for possession of a handgun in his SUV. Pleads guilty to misdemeanor gun charge and sentenced to 18 months probation and 40 hours of community service.

February 2006: Charged with aggravated assault and resisting arrest after threatening a police office at a nightclub in Chicago. Charges were eventually dropped.

December 2006: Lake County, Ill., police search Johnson's home in Gurnee and discover he possessed six firearms, including six assault rifles. While Johnson was at practice during the raid, Johnson's bodyguard, William Posey, was arrested for alleged possession of marijuana. Johnson was charged with violation of probation and possession of unlicensed weapons.

December 2006: Just two days after Johnson's house was raided by police, his bodyguard was shot at a Chicago bar and eventually died.

December 2006: Four days before Christmas, a judge in Chicago places Johnson on home confinement, preventing him from leaving the state for any reason.

January 2007: Johnson gets a judge to allow him to leave the state of Illinois so he can participate in the Super Bowl, which his team loses to the Indianapolis Colts.

April 2007: Johnson is sentenced to 45 days in jail after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor weapons charge. It was part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.

June 2007: The NFL suspends Johnson without pay for violating the NFL's conduct policy.

June 2007: Johnson is pulled over for speeding in Gilbert, Ariz. A police officer suspects Johnson is driving impaired. Days later, the Bears cut Johnson. Blood tests reveal Johnson wasn't impaired while driving.

September 2007: Johnson passes a physical with the Cowboys and signs a two-year deal.



- Kige Ramsey gives us an in depth look at what goes on behind the scenes.



- And recaps the college football weekend.




- Picks O'the Day

Yesterday - 3-5
YTD - 152-140

1)

Mack Truck

- I got nothing so far today. If something comes up, I'll post. But for now, here you go. If you really want to see how ridiculous that picture is, click on it and it will blow up for you. Go Big Red. The Blackshirts kicked ass Saturday.

JAT (Just Another Team)

- Average. Mediocre. Middle of the road. I don't care how you put it. That what they are.

- Nebraska continues to lack in superior, top-level defensive athletes. It was like I was watching Colorado 2001 again. Running straight north-south right up the middle and no one to be found in the LB area. Just absolutely gashing them.

- Pass rush continues to suck as well. When they weren't breaking off big runs, John David Booty was sitting back there with no pressure picking them apart. I'll stick to my original thought on him - very ordinary and no better than a top 15 QB in the nation. Like Donnie Jones says, any QB in NCAA or the pros can pick you apart if he has all day, they're all good enough to do that.

An attacking, blitzing defense would eat his lunch. But of course, you have the slowest defense in America that lacks a pass rush, so how do you think he did?

- Are we slowly getting stuck into a typical Callahan team? Lots of attention to offense and no difference makers on defense? Watch out.....

- I was wrong in so many ways in my pre-game assumptions/predictions that it's embarassing. This team made me sick and showed its true colors Saturday night. No running game, no pass rush, no run defense, defenders stuck in mud compared to superior athletes, etc just rendered me sick.

- It's time to start playing some of these top recruits like Ricky Thenearse, Phillip Dillard, and some others. They're faster and are closer to being playmakers. This coaching staff needs to start holding some of these seniors accountable for sucking.

- Throw out the 4th quarter, that wasn't anything, USC laid down and made it appear to others who didn't watch that it may have been close. It was nowhere near close.

- So if you throw out that 4th quarter, how did NU's offense REALLY do? If Rey Malauga doesn't go brain dead on that FG attempt by jumping offsides and allowing NU to punch it in from 2 yards out, then NU score 6 points through 3 quarters. 6 points????????????????

- I keep hearing, but they lost to #1, a great team, etc etc. This was not an overly elite team, this was not a #1 team. This was a very good team that should be extremely beatable under the right conditions. At home, in year 4 of Callahan, with a veteran QB, a good RB and O-line. They needed to be competitive and were nothing close to it. Just an absolutely sick performance. Laid down and took it up the ass for 3 quarters, esp on defense. Which leads me to this.......

- I'M SICK OF SLOW, WHITE DEFENDERS. There, I said it. I'm so sick of the constant parade of average, slow, white linebackers. There are no difference makers on defense. This defense is slow, ordinary, and in the bottom 3rd of the conference. Since 2000, every year you can count on there being at least 2 slow-ass white linebackers. This has got to change or NU will continue to look like they're stuck in mud when trying to slow offenses down.

- 2 turning points - 2 fumbles that were there for the taking for NU, and weren't recovered. Up 10-7, USC fumbles a kickoff and recovers it. And the pooch punt that USC fumbled and it seemed that 2 NU players had their hands on and both lost it.

- I'm not saying NU would have won the game, with the way USC bent them over running the ball, a USC win was going to happen 19 out of 20 times. But I would have liked to see what would have happened had those 2 turnovers gone NU's way.

- All in all, not a bad game called by Callahan. He was handcuffed by a shatty run game and a fast, attacking defense. He did what he could. On the other hand, if he doesn't start stocking the defensive side of the ball with athletes, then his time will be short as hell in Lincoln, I don't care if he builds the next 1995 Scoring Explosion on offense.

- Keller did what he could. Yes he threw a few INT's, but it was basically him vs. the world. The running game sucked. The O-line was getting manhandled. And he did what he could. He has talent, he just doesn't have enough around him. He'll be fine, like I've said all year. Sam Keller is not the problem. He got Zac Taylor'ed all game, getting put on his ass and getting hit play after play. But yet he kept slinging, threw for 360, and made no excuses after the game. I love the guy. He'll end up being one of my favorite Huskers before it's all said and done.

- D-Coordinator Kevin Cosgrove is on his way out. The lack of superior defensive performance (outside of the magical 2003 year of Bo Pelini, the best D-Coordinator since Charlie McBride, and who now has LSU playing kick ass defense) year after year is becoming old. Nebraska won't challenge teams like USC until this aspect improves. The athletes, while not that great, are still good enough to warrant a good defensive performance. Cosgrove continues to be poor in his play calling, execution, and inability to put guys in positions to succeed.

- Final Thought
I'm disappointed and concerned. I overrated this team. I overrated some of the defensive players, and I overrated the offensive line. I thought Cosgrove was capable of calling a good defensive game. I thought the WR's were better than they were. I thought they were finally able to wear teams out with the running game. I thought they were on the cusp of beating a top 5 team. I though a lot of things about NU this year. And now I know, they are what they are. A top 15 team at home and a shatty one on the road. An 8-4 team with a decent offense and an unathletic defense that can be worn down and gashed with good RB's. MEDIOCRE.

They are just average. They're nothing more than Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Boston College, Oregon, etc. They're just a middle of the road team. And this infuriates me. I demand excellence. I demand greatness. I've seen it done there in the past, so I don't want to hear it can't be done. Nebraska football should be held to a higher accountability level than any other program in America. And to see the program sink into mediocrity just infuriates me. Heads need to roll if they can't become competitive in games like these, especially at home, very soon. This is unacceptable.

I can accept losing, and losing to top teams. What I can't accept is losing the way in which they did. Totally inept on defense, unable to even get 2 yards running the ball on offense, and showing a total lack of intensity and will. I don't expect to win all of these games, but I expect to be a hell of a lot more competitive than 42-10.



- Big 12 Rankings


1) Oklahoma 3-0 - Another week, another 50+ points, another blowout.
2) Texas 3-0 - Survived and got lucky on the road. This team's clock is ticking.
3) Missouri 3-0 - You know why I put them at #3? I can't put anyone else above them in the Big 12 because it sucks so bad after Oklahoma and maybe Texas.
4) Nebraska 2-1 - Even losing badly to USC can't convince me to put TAMU here.
5) Texas A&M 3-0 - Vaults past Nebraska next week if they beat Miami on the road Thursday.
6) Texas Tech 3-0 - Still waiting to judge them when they play someone.
7) Kansas 3-0 - Have yet to go on the road, or play anyone of substance.
8) Kansas State 2-1
9) Oklahoma State 1-2 - What the hell happened to them?
10) Colorado 1-2 - Offense looks pitiful.
11) Baylor 2-1
12) Iowa State 1-2 - Is Iowa that bad? How did ISU beat them?



- National Top 10


1) LSU - Is there any doubt? Head and shoulders above anyone else in the country. Another shutout.
2) Oklahoma - Looking damn good, although I'll know a ton more about them Oct. 5 against Texas.
3) USC - Regardless of how overrated I think they are, and how overrated of a team Nebraska was, they still went on the road and looked impressive in winning.
4) Florida - Pretty impressive win over Tennessee. How worried must Phil Fulmer be? Giving up 48 and 52 points in big games vs. Cal and Florida?
5) West Virginia - Still not impressed, just waiting for them to get upset.
6) Texas - On borrowed time. Just a matter of time for this team.
7) Cal - Setting up nicely for a USC showdown.
8) Penn State - Either them or Ohio State or Wisconsin here. No way I'm putting 2 Big 10 teams in the top 10.
9) Ohio State - Good win on the road against a pretty decent Washington team. Even I have to admit that. Could be better than I thought.
10) Boston College - A new team to the top 10. My preseason prognostication about this team is on the money so far.

- Dropped out

UCLA - So long you bastards. I thought I had something here. You can lose on the road to a decent team, just don't do it 44-6.
Wisconsin - Winning, just not impressively.
Louisville - See ya, I knew I'd be kicking you out soon.

- On the cusp

Wisconsin
Penn State - If they keep winning.
Rutgers
Alabama - Beat Georgia and you leap frog someone into the top 10.
South Carolina - Can they survive the SEC slaughter house?
Oregon



- Dining Review - Silver Fox Steakhouse



Was able to check this place out last Thursday. A review.

- Very quiet, laid back, cool place. A place you can definitely go to and be left alone and actually hear the other person talk.

- Kind of cool, 50's style look/feel to it. Sinatra playing, lots of wood in the design of the dining area. Felt as if I was in New York City.

- Crab cakes were probably the best I've ever had. You only get 2 of them, however. Very disappointed in this. Give me at least 4.

- Lobster bisque was great as well. However, they shaft you on the lobster. Would have liked more meat in it. But the soup overall tasted great.

- Ran out of porterhouse steaks. A little disappointed here. But I guess this proves that they keep fresh meat on hand and don't buy in bulk. I can appreciate that.

- The Blanton's bourbon and water was phenomenal. Maybe I'm used to tap water ice, but the mix was better than my mixes. It tasted great. Convinced me to use store bought ice next time I mix a drink. No more tap water involved. Makes a huge difference.

- Bone-in ribeye was great. Asked for medium rare and it came out perfect. Was pink and tender, but not bloody. This is a hard thing to do, but they did it. Unbelievable flavor and spices. Not overbearing, still made the meat the main attraction.

- Banana's Foxter was excellent. One of the best desserts I've ever had. Carmalized bananas, great vanilla ice cream, and unbelievable cookie shell.

- Wait staff was great, kept my whiskeys full, helped out with menu, gave great suggestions. Owner very nice as well, made sure everything was perfect.

- Overall, a little pricey but still outstanding. I thought it was pricier than Bob's, which I still rate over Silver Fox. But all in all, a very good experience. Not crowded, quiet, calm, good dining experience. Docked for the lack of lobster in the soup, lack of quantity in the crab cakes, and overall price. I didn't think it should be on the Al Biernat's/Bob's/Nick and Same's level going in, but I guess maybe it is. It definitely could compete as far as taste goes.

Grade - B+



- Rangers


This guy is a nut. His teammates have to hate him. Rangers win 11-9.

Slam! Pow! Rangers beat A's 11-9


09:53 PM CDT on Sunday, September 16, 2007
By EVAN GRANT / The Dallas Morning News
egrant@dallasnews.com

OAKLAND, Calif. – The Rangers already have a long enough list of things to do this winter. After Sunday, though, they may have something else to ponder:

Can they afford to bring Vicente Padilla back for another season?

Wielding a 96 mph fastball, Padilla decided to play vigilante again Sunday afternoon. It ignited a bench-clearing incident between the Rangers and A's that rendered the rest of the Rangers' 11-9 win meaningless. And it did nothing to eliminate questions about his commitment to his teammates.

"Sometimes you just don't know what you are going to get from him," said outfielder Marlon Byrd, who played with Padilla in Philadelphia. "But when he's out there dealing, you sure do love having him out there."

But there are a lot of other days, too. There are days when he seems to get quickly frustrated and hits batters without remorse. There are days when he is knocked around early and heads quickly to the showers, only to be gone by the time his teammates come up from the dugout after the last pitch. Those kinds of days have been far more frequent this season in the first year of a three-year, $33 million contract.

Just 10 pitches into a game in which the Rangers desperately needed some innings from a starting pitcher, he hit Oakland's Nick Swisher in the ribs with a full-count fastball. After hitting homers in the first three games of the series, getting plunked twice and having two pitches in the first at-bat back him off the plate, Swisher wasted no time charging the mound. He tackled Padilla, and the benches emptied on to the field to break things up.

It seemed to be a carryover from the latter stages of Saturday's game. In that game, Swisher homered in his second at-bat, doubled in his third and took a pitch of his leg in his next plate appearance. After he was hit, the umpires issued warnings, which brought Oakland manager Bob Geren out of the dugout for an argument. But the game concluded without incident.

In the top of the first Sunday, Oakland lefty Lenny DiNardo allowed a walk but didn't come close to hitting any of the four hitters he faced. In the bottom of the inning, Padilla, who is 6-9 with a 5.77 ERA, allowed a leadoff walk to Daric Barton, then worked the count full on Swisher. Two of the balls were inside, forcing Swisher to back off the plate. The 3-and-2 pitch, however, left him no escape route.

"There is no doubt in my mind at all that was a purpose pitch," Geren said. "The first pitch he threw was right over him, the third was right at him and then he hit him."

Padilla offered no defense for his actions. He has once again stopped talking to the media. On Sunday, his locker was empty moments after the game.

The Rangers' defense was lukewarm, at best.

"I have no comment on Swisher's reaction, but I do know you need to throw inside," manager Ron Washington said. "Did I put a hit out on [Swisher]? No."

Said shortstop Michael Young, who earlier this year was hit by a pitchas retaliation for a Padilla beaning: "I can't say I was shocked by [Swisher's] decision. ... I wouldn't be happy about that at all. Not at all."

Outfielder Frank Catalanotto, who did not play Sunday, leads the Rangers in getting hit by pitches with 10. He said, under the same circumstances, he'd have thought an opposing pitcher was throwing at him, too.

Byrd, who was due up first in the top of the second, said he assumed he'd be hit in retaliation. Byrd said he would have simply gone to first base if he had been hit; such an action is usually an acknowledgement that being hit was fair retaliation.

The umpiring crew, headed by Rick Reed, declined to comment about the incident after the game. They will file a report to Major League Baseball. If they deem that Padilla was throwing at Swisher on purpose, a suspension becomes more likely.

Padilla, who leads the majors in hit batsmen since 2002 with 75, six more than his closest competition, was suspended last year for throwing at Los Angeles Angels players in an incident that helped ignite another brawl.

"That guy isn't even worth talking about," Oakland second baseman Mark Ellis said of Padilla. "He has a bad reputation around the league. I know that decision didn't come from the manager. [Washington] has too much respect for the game and too much respect for [Swisher]. You want to know you gave that kind of order, you have to talk to the pitcher."

On Sunday, Padilla wasn't talking. His actions, however, seemed to speak louder than words.


- Picks O'the Day

Weekend Record - 11-8-1

YTD FB - 31-21-2

1) Philadelphia +105
2) Chicago Cubs -140
3) Milwaukee -140
4) NY Mets -125
5) Boston -125
6) Cleveland -130
7) Philadelphia Eagles -7
9) PHI/WASH over 38.5