Some headlines, and my two cents. (NFL)

It's the final week of regular season action in the NFL, with some interesting (yet confusing) headlines already popping up here and there. The following are what I've found so far, and I'll tell you what I think of them, and what it all means.

Marrone returns. This one is a stupid move from a football team that thrives on stupidity. Jacksonville will have coach Marrone back at the helm next season, and it makes little to no sense. He's had one good season (last year), and had accomplished little else. The Jags are a mess time and again, with no light at the end of the tunnel. Every aspect of this team is a mess. Bringing Marrone back just adds to the train wreck that is Jacksonville.

Winston is the QB. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have decided that Jameis Winston (everyone's favourite turnover machine) should be, and will be the starting QB come next season. Really? The kid was never that good at FSU, has transitioned poorly into the NFL, and has never met an interception he didn't like throwing. Fitzpatrick is not much better, but for the sake of not being a laughing stock, how does Tampa Bay justify this? Not a good move at all.

A Giant problem. It is rumoured that the Giants will have QB Eli Manning come back to lead the offence in New York next year. Personally, I think this is a bad idea. He's had his best years, he's won his two Lombardi trophies, and it's clear that he's not the QB he used to be. Eli Manning was a mess again this year, looking out of touch and living in a different world than the rest of us. The Giants have a decent team that needs a better O-line, and a new, young QB. If the Giants were smart, they'd start coming up with some strategy for the 2019 NFL draft.

Tha Raiderz. No one seems to know where the Raiders will be playing next year, not even them. Hell, if anyone finds out, raise your hand!

Bowl games and conspiracies. (NCAA)

After watching most of the college bowl games thus far, including yesterday's Cotton Bowl, the results should be obvious to any college football fan that the NCAA is the dirtiest, most corrupt sports league on the planet right now. It's gotten even worse than international soccer!

The playoff. What the hell was the point of introducing a playoff, when the NCAA consistently rigs everything so that we get the SAME two teams competing for the BCS Championship year in and year out? It's almost sickening to see the game garbage over and over again. Money and greed have pushed competition and sportsmanship out the door in the NCAA, and that is beyond sad.

Biased officiating. Don't believe it's rigged? One only has to go so far as the Cotton Bowl to see a prime example. The referees were heavily (and I mean heavily!) biased towards Clemson, screwing Notre Dame on fumble calls, pass interference, and other plays. It was almost like the NCAA told the refs beforehand, "Yeah, we put them in for credibility, but seeing as how they might win and screw up our script, you guys better shaft them, hard."

Alabama. Oh, so you think they won and keep on winning because they are a better team? With a football program worth $1-billion, and the fact that FOX Sports paid $2.2-billion to the SEC to keep that conference on top, this has nothing to do with competitiveness. This is greed, politics, and money, plain and simple.

And just so we're clear: NCAA football is SCRIPTED. Period.

Harbaugh sticks around, and how about those refs? (NFL)

As reported in Saturday night's game between the Ravens and the Chargers, it looks like the option has been exercised on John Harbaugh's contract for 2019. I have personally been under the impression that he'd be on the chopping block by the end of the season, and didn't expect him to be back with the Ravens whatsoever. It's not often I get surprised like this, but it does happen.

Officials and their poor officiating. See a recurring theme here, do you? I've been critical of the officiating in the NFL since the start of the season, and it just seems to get worse and worse. Last night's game between the Seahawks and Chiefs was a slanted affair, with the officials heavily favouring Seattle. A missed facemask on Chiefs' QB Mahomes, as well as several bad pass interference calls against the Chiefs (which were nowhere near PI), made the game almost unwatchable.

Bears/49ers. Chicago deserved to lose that game, but again, the officials decided to change the course of the game, with the command centre in New York less than helpful, to say the least. The hit on Mitchell Trubisky late in the 4th quarter was in no means a late hit, and was not helmet to helmet either. Add to the fact that Richard Sherman came in to break up a fight and started getting punched immediately was mishandled by the same officials. The refs are basically telling players that they can't defend themselves whatsoever, which is complete garbage.

The NFL needs to be held accountable somehow. This will only get worse when the playoffs arrive. Also, expect some more coaching changes by the end of the season.

Have a Merry Christmas, everyone!

Bizzarro weekend for sure. (NFL)

To say the weekend's NFL action was weird is an understatement. A lot of crazy things transpired, the least of which was the Browns beating the Broncos - IN DENVER. Now, I like the underdog. Always have, and it's nice to see Cleveland doing better this year. But the fact of the matter is, they beat Denver at Mile High, in the middle of some of the loudest (and animated) fans in the entire NFL. That is no small feat by any means.

Paging Dr. Brady. Normally, I wouldn't discuss New England or Pittsburgh, as I loathe them both to extreme levels. What I don't understand, is how Brady and company lost to a crummy Steelers team that is not good at all. The final score punctuates this perfectly. I am glad I didn't have to watch it (because seeing my 49ears beat up Seattle was WAY better), and was surprised at the outcome.

A shutout? The Cowboys got shutout by the Colts?!?! I didn't see this one coming at all, especially with the way the Cowboys have been playing in their last few games. Colts defence really stepped up to the place, and Prescott was rendered  completely ineffective. Is Jerry Jones thinking over his decision to keep Jason Garrett as head coach? Only time will tell.

Oh, and one more thing: Sam Darnold isn't as complete as people say he is. Flashes of brilliance are wiped out by bad throws, and piss poor decision making. Not good at all. I'd feel bad for Jets fans, but.....they're Jets fans, and used to this by now.

Corey Chamblin, etc. (CFL)

The CFL season has been over for a few weeks, but there are still things to talk about. The following are three things from this week in the CFL that are making me scratch my head and say, 'Huh?'

Let's play a game in Mexico! I really don't understand what the CFL braintrust (namely, Ambrosie) hope to gain from this. There is no need to play our game down in Mexico, where they are getting used to NFL teams and such. This is not a knock on Mexico, but rather the CFL. Taking a home game away from a Canadian team that needs the ticket revenue is a stupid idea. The Mexico angle only makes sense for the NFL, and certainly not the CFL. The league needs to fast-track the Halifax expansion and even out, not go to another country. Dumb move by Ambrosie on this one.

Bo Levi Mitchell. The Stamps' QB made quite the headlines with his bluster about playing for an NFL team next year. Problem is, he's already worked out for two NFL teams, and has yet to work out for a couple others. I don't see this working for him whatsoever, and expect him back with the Stamps for the 2019 CFL campaign. This I believe, was more bluster than anything else on his part.

Argos. Corey Chamblin? Really? 'Nuff said.

Aside from all that nonsense, I'm more interested to see where Trestman, and/or Benevides end up for the 2019 season. Should be interesting.

The Monday night game was a piece of crap. (NFL)

Sad to say, I caught most of last night's craptacular football game between the Vikings and Seahawks. The lack of offence, bad play calling on both sides, and blind as shit referees made for a terrible game for the fan.

Here's why.

Who called the plays, Stevie Wonder? Both the Vikings and Seahawks suffered from this the whole game, with the Vikings call to go for it on 4th and Goal in the second half being as bone-headed as you can get. It's 6-0 for the opposition at that point, and instead of kicking three and halfing the score, you try to run the ball? On fourth down? Zimmer is an idiot for letting that happen. Any sane coach takes the three, then has their defence step up to the plate.

Seahawks = posers. The Seahawks aren't really good, it's just that the Vikings are worse. Kirk Cousins is inconsistent, and their defence is spotty as best. Russell Wilson was awful, and anyone watching the game saw this. I said several years back that Wilson is a one-and-done quarterback, and guess what? I'm still right. I'm not buying into the hype with this guy, and never will.

Officiating - it only gets worse! From a plethora of non-calls, to a pass interference call that went against Minnesota (even though the replay clearly showed hand slapping, and no grabbing or holding of any kind), the officiating in the NFL gets collectively worse every week. Blind as shit refs and their crews never seem to be held accountable, nor do the rule makers at the NFL itself. The NFL used to be about letting the players play. Now, we get penalty flags almost every play, and most of them are complete stupidity.

So yeah, the game was a dud.

Kyler Murray wins the Heisman, and more! (NCAA)

In case you live under a rock and didn't hear about this, the annual Heisman trophy presentation happened. Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray won the prestigious award, and rightly so. He beat out Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins, and Alabama's Tua Tagovaolia for the nod. As someone who follows college football quite closely, I agree on this result. 

While Tagovaolia had a great season himself, he sat out too many fourth quarters, and was putting up numbers on crappy teams due to a light schedule. Anyone can beat up on Citadel and other weaklings, and this shouldn't be rewarded. Haskins had some great games, and even torched Michigan badly this season. That being said, Murray had the best numbers, beat quality opponents, and didn't sit out near the end of any games. He proved he can beat anyone with his arm, or his legs.

The UCF controversy. Still. I was watching Pardon The Interruption the other night on ESPN, and they happened to bring up (again!) the fact that UCF is perfect this season, and don't get any respect from the committee, citing weak schedule, etc. I'm still not buying that. It's not up to the school to set the schedule, as the NCAA ultimately makes the decisions, based on conference, among other factors. The committee could have easily ranked UCF higher this season (who played some decent games, beating a couple of ranked teams), but chose not to. This is another case of the establishment telling us what we want, instead of giving us what we really want.

Personally, I'm sick of almost the same four schools in the playoff race every year, the exception being Notre Dame, who are legitimately the best team out there this year, and got to where they are due to their own hard work and determination.

McCarthy gets fired, and there will be more. (NFL)

The Packers sacked head coach McCarthy following the loss at home to the awful Cardinals on Sunday (and right after his press conference), letting go of one of the league's longest-tenured coaches. Not terribly surprising, considering how bad the Packers are this year, even with Aaron Rodgers doing all he can on the field.

Below are some other head coaches that should be fired by the end of the season, if not sooner.

1) Ron Rivera. The Panthers have been terrible as of late, looking like a bunch of little kids running amok all over the place. They have one or two standouts, but other than that, aren't very good. Head coach Ron Rivera is on borrowed time with the Panthers, and will be gone by season's end.

2) Todd Bowles. Where to begin? The addition of Sam Darnold hans't done much to this awful Jets team, which is brutal year in and year out. Bowles lakes any emotion at all, standing like a statue on the sidelines during games. It's clear he doesn't have a good hold on a team that always lacks confidence on the field. He needs to be fired, as well as most of the coaching staff on the Jets.

3) Mike Tomlin. This one is obvious, due to his arrogance, as well as putting the blame on others when things don't go his way. Almost as bad at temper tantrums as Pete Carroll, but not quite.

4) Pete Carroll. The Seahawks aren't very good, and Russell Wilson isn't a saviour. With the 'Legion Of Boom' defence long gone, this team is going nowhere fast. Rumour has it that Carroll might head back to the college level, with a return to USC being tossed about by pundits. His legendary meltdowns on the Seattle sideline are nothing but a distraction anyways.

5) Last but not least, either Jason Garrett or John Harbaugh. If the Cowboys keep winning, Garrett will keep his job. If they perform a downhill slide, he's toast. Harbaugh on the other hand hasn't done much in the past few seasons with his team. Flacco is near the end of his career, and the NFL always has that air of, "What have you done for me lately?". Harbaugh will be gone after this season.

You heard it here first.

Things that drive me crazy in college football. (NCAA)

In no particular order.....

1) Fake injuries. Don't believe it's a thing? This season of NCAA football has been beyond brutal for this infraction, with today's UCF versus Memphis game living proof. If I had a nickel for every time a Memphis player dropped just to stall the clock, I'd be able to retire right now, and quite happily. The NCAA really needs to look at this, and force some repercussions on teams that do this constantly. There should be no place in the game for nonsense like this, and if the coaches of the teams are behind it/sanctioning it, then they need to be dealt with accordingly. Suspensions even.

2) Over-dramatic crowds. I can understand freaking out and looking bleak if your team was about to win and got scored on with less than a minute to play, but when people in the stands are acting like the world is fucking ending while still in the first quarter, perhaps they shouldn't go to a game in the first place? Some teams need to get rid of jitters in an important game before they start rolling, so everybody in the stands PLEASE calm the hell down until the second half. Thanks. No Oscar for you!

3) Zebras. Yeah, the refs are always on my hit list, and even moreso in college football, where most crews of officials seem to be complete airheads/clueless/have no idea what they are doing. Too many blown calls, too many missed calls, phantom pass interference plays......I could go on, but no one has that kind of time. NCAA reffing has slowly gone downhill, and this season is no exception. The game need cleaning up, and first and foremost are the officials. Clean 'em up. Clean 'em up real good.

4) The fix is in. College football is not rigged you say? Really now. The only reason Alabama remains on top year after year is the script everyone in the committee reads from. The SEC received $2.1 billion (yes BILLION) dollars from Fox Sports recently to make sure that the SEC (and Alabama) remain on top, in primetime, and making everyone a LOT more money in the process. Alabama's football program alone is worth a staggering $1-billion dollars. Let that sink in for a moment. Add to all this that they always get the weakest schedule, occasionally play a good team that lays down for them, and are almost ALWAYS assured to win even when they are down by thousands (slight exaggeration) of points, and voila.

NCAA football is so dirty, it makes soccer look clean and pristine. Never mind the fact that the players don't get a penny of the billions of dollars going around in the NCAA, and Lord knows they deserve some of that pie.

Just blown your minds, haven't I? Thought so.

The Saints lost. To Dallas. (NFL)

There I was, pumped for last night's TNF game, hoping to see the high-powered New Orleans offence pick apart let another average team. I was predicting Drew Brees to put up 4 touchdowns and a mess of yards against Dallas. Boy was I wrong!  Nothing of the sort even came close to happening!

The Saints' offence looked dazed and confused, Brees looked worse than a rookie, completing very little of his passes to receivers that dropped or mismanaged almost every target. The Saints' defence looked porous and flat, like they were standing still the whole time. The Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott ran through them like it was nothing, muscling his way into gains and decent yardage. Dak Prescott looked a lot better than he had in recent weeks as well, and for once, you could hear the crowd in Dallas cheering loudly and going nuts with most of the plays.

Could the Saints have gotten a little complacent and expected to just win out? It's possible. The Saints players on the sidelines seemed to look on in disbelief as the Dallas offence got first down after first down, as if they had never seen someone do that to them before. I think this loss will motivate New Orleans to be better, and give them a wake-up call that they just may have needed. Better to have this happen now then on entrance to the playoffs.

Look for New Orleans to really put a beat down on Tampa Bay in Week 14. They'll be rested, better conditioned, and looking to prove that the loss to the Cowboys was but a fluke.

The 106th Grey Cup. (CFL)

After watching the 106th edition of the Grey Cup, I'm going to give my thoughts on the big game, but will focus only on the football aspect, and not some of the political things I noticed during the pre-game and whatnot.

Ottawa. The RedBlacks could have easily won this game, instead focusing on bad play calling, and taking silly penalties that cost them scores or field position. It's too easy to blame the field conditions, as this is what it's like when you play football in November in Canada. I believe that Trevor Harris will one day win a Grey Cup, but I don't think it will be with Ottawa. Rick Campbell should remain the head coach, as it's hard to get to a Grey Cup, let alone get to three of them in five years, and winning one of them.

Calgary. They didn't play as good as they could have, but they played just a little better than Ottawa to win said Grey Cup. Unfortunately, Calgary always making it to the final, and this time winning it is not that good for the league as a whole. Add to to fact that Dave Dickenson is an arrogant complainer, and his QB Bo Levi Mitchell likes to throw tantrums, the result wasn't what most of Canada really wanted. But......these things happen from time to time.

Halftime. Didn't watch it. Who the hell is Alessia Cara, anyways?

Let me end this by saying the game was decent, and had some entertainment value. Now that it's over, we can look forward to the 2019 CFL season!

Go Bombers!!!

Notre Dame, 12-0 in the regular season! (NCAA)

There have been a lot of doubters this season, publicly stating that Notre Dame was going to drop a game to a 'better' team on various weekends of the NCAA regular season. There have even been a couple games where it looked as if the Fighting Irish might not pull out the win, and yet here we are, discussing a perfect regular season record of 12-0, also qualifying them for the College Football playoffs, and a shot at the BCS National Championship.

Great teams find a way to win, no matter the odds, and Notre Dame has done just that this year, overcoming adversity, and coming from behind on a few occasions to help them to this record. This team is a special one, and the grit and determination shown by the players is truly inspiring. I'm saying all of this not just as a Notre Dame fan, but as a football fan in general.  Coach Kelly and his staff have done an exceptional job this year, and we can only hope it translates into him and the whole team lifting that championship trophy in January.

"Play like a champion TODAY....."

Some late November football thoughts. (NFL/CFL/NCAA)

The Big Breesy. Managed to catch the late game last night (worked most of the day and missed the first two), and wasn't disappointed. Drew Brees and the Saints once again controlled most of the game and scored more than 30 points. Sure, Brees had an interception last night (which really is no big deal seeing how it's only his second all year), but he was still making awesome plays left and right almost effortlessly. The Saints are a lot of fun to watch this year.

The M.O.P. award goes to the wrong dude. Last night was also the CFL's night to hand out awards, and they got it wrong by giving the Most Outstanding Player award to the Stampeders' Bo Levi Mitchell over the Redblacks' Brad Sinopoli. I'm not saying Mitchell is not a good player, I'm saying that Sinopoli was a stud this year, going above and beyond to help his team get a berth in Sunday's Grey Cup game. He's a true team player, while Mitchell takes after his coach and throws tantrums a little too often when he doesn't get his way.

Last game of the season. Saturday night's contest between Notre Dame and USC marks the last regular season game for the Irish, who will look to go 12-0 and secure a spot in the BCS National Championship. These two teams have a decent rivalry, and it should be a great game overall. Look for both teams to pound the ball on the ground in this one.

My thoughts on the Alliance of American Football. (AAF)

Oh you expected another awesome NFL post? Well.....I have been doing some reading on the upcoming AAF inaugural season, and I like what I see so far.

The AAF will run eight teams across two divisions with a schedule that starts after the NFL's Super Bowl, and is slated to run for ten weeks of regular season action before the start of a four team playoff. Notable rules include the lack of kickoffs, with every team starting on the 25-yard line after a score.

There will be no extra points kicked in after a touchdown, with two-point conversion attempts being required. The play clock will only be 30 seconds, as opposed to the NFL's 40 seconds, and games cannot end in a tie whatsoever. While I disagree with the lack of kickoffs, I like their position on ties, as well as the fact that the two coaches challenges are the only replays in the game (aside from scoring plays inside two minutes). This might eliminate the drag the NFL suffers from whenever there is a replay.

Whether or not this new league will last more than one season has yet to be determined, but I think it could be a lot of fun, especially at the time of year when there normally is no football. Only time will tell how this all ends up.

That being said, I'm always game for more football!

Alex Smith makes it a double, Trubisky is the real deal. (NFL)

I keep telling people that the universe screws with people, sometimes picks on them, and once and a while reminds people it's still around. This rang true yesterday, with Redskins QB Alex Smith suffering a double fractured leg 33 years to the DAY that Redskins QB Joe Theismann suffered the same fate. Luckily, Alex Smith's career doesn't seem to be in jeopardy, while Theismann's career pretty much ended abruptly when his injury happened.

Today, it seems the Redskins signed Mark Sanchez to back up Colt McCoy, a move which makes no sense because Sanchez is garbage, plain and simple. This is the same man that was an interception machine for the Jets, and gave the world the now-infamous "butt fumble".

That's Washington for you, folks.

Also.....Mitch Trubisky is the real deal over in Chicago. The more I watch the kid play, the more I like him and wish my 49ers hadn't traded that pick in the draft. He runs, he guns, he has amazing situational awareness, and his decision making process is excellent. I can easily see Chicago winning a Super Bowl in the next few years with Trubisky at the helm, providing they get him more targets, and shore up the O-line.

When you watch the Trubisky show, are you not entertained?

The reasons why the Blue Bombers just lost the Western final. (CFL)

To say I'm disgusted with how the Western final was played out, is an understatement. The Stampeders did not win so much as the Bombers lost. No one really wanted to see the Stamps back in the Grey Cup for the third time in a row, nor do they deserve to be there. But.....let me now focus on the game, and why Winnipeg met their demise.

Poor play calling on offence and defence. OC Paul LaPolice's offensive unit looked pathetic out there, running when they should be throwing, and making ridiculous play calls, especially in the second half. Line up in the shotgun on 3rd and 10 for a few yards when Harris could easily rumble for that and more? C'mon, meathead. Add to the fact that Richie Hall's defence STUNK and what do we have? A boatload of missed opportunity. Hall and LaPolice should be fired, immediately.

Matt Nichols. Not much to say here other than the fact that he is NOT elite, and can't win the big games. He was completely ineffective, and played it safe more than anything, Matt Nichols is not a risk-taker, and needs to be dealt or let go. He is NOT the future at QB, and never was.

Officiating. Again, we're faced with slanted reffing over and over. Heaven forbid Winnipeg gets a fair game called. Can't have the Stamps not go to the Grey Cup again and again and again, right? Complete nonsense calls by CFL refs screwed the Bombers in the second half. This never seems to get cleaned up, and it's disturbing. Personally, I'm tired as fuck of crap like this.

Did I mention that Coach O'Shea needs to be fired as well?

College football and the home stretch. (NCAA)

It's true! I'm still here! I haven't posted in a little while, mainly because life has been keeping me busy, so let's get this show back on the road, shall we? The second last regular season week has just been played in the NCAA, and here's my take on what's going on right now.

UCF. As I've mentioned before in a previous post (and have been vocal about on Twitter as well), it seems that UCF keeps getting screwed by the committee, even though they are undefeated in 23 straight games. That's a huge feat in ANY league, never mind just football. They should be in the playoff hunt, if not the top ten. And don't start griping about their schedule, either. Alabama, who is still #1 (unfortunately), has had the weakest schedule year after year. So shut up.

Urban Meyer needs to calm down. This is a coach (who was suspended to start the season, by the way) who never really shows much emotion. Until yesterday! He was pulling his hair out, jumping around like an idiot, and yelling at all sorts of things. It's no wonder his team played poorly for most of the game, and just barely escaped with a win, due to the failure of Maryland's late 2-point conversion. Ohio State looks beatable, and Urban Meyer looks stupid.

Here come the Irish! Notre Dame tore apart a strong Syracuse team, almost completely shutting them out (save for a late field goal). Props to  the Orange to try and keep reloading, but came up with the same result. Notre Dame is for real, and they're 11-0 record is no mistake. Bring on USC! And......it was kinda cool to see them play at Yankee Stadium. Always neat to see football in a baseball stadium. Good stuff!

Now, where are my peanuts?

Marc Trestman was scapegoated. Period. (CFL)

Over the course of a football season, be it CFL, NFL, or NCAA, I'm usually the first person calling for a coaches' head IF they are the true reason the team they represent stunk up the place. A coach that cannot motivate his players o get the best out of them deserves to be fired.

This is not the case today with the news that the Toronto Argonauts have fired head coach Marc Trestman, after a 4-14 record this season. Trestman just last year won a Grey Cup with the Argos, and was expected to be around for some time, in tandem with GM Jim Popp. This move by the Argos front office is surprising, due to the fact that the Argos were depleted due to injuries, leaving their roster quite thin. The most notable injury knocked out starting QB Ricky Ray (who will probably retire) and screwed the Argos' chances almost immediately.

Trestman has a reputation as a coach that can get the best out of his team and win championships. He did it twice in Montreal, and last year guided the 9-9 Argos to another Grey Cup victory. The Argos' management has sat on their hands all season, doing little to help Trestman or the team. Jim Popp (who has worked with Trestman for over 8 seasons) has become the ultimate back-stabber. It's clear that management not only hung Trestman out to dry, but made him the ultimate scapegoat, and for no good reason.

To the Argos' management: You reap what you sow.

Returns, departures, and boy was I wrong! (NFL/CFL)

Well now. Saturday isn't even over yet, and I already have things to talk about! (in between the college football I'm watching at the present moment) It seems there are things afoot that just need to be critiqued and dissected by yours truly. Here goes!

Bradford goes bye-bye. The Arizona Cardinals have apparently just released QB Sam Bradford, and I can't say I'm surprised. Bradford is long past his best before date, and has been one knee injury away from retirement for several seasons now. I was more surprised when Arizona first signed him than I am now with his release. Arizona has sucked for two seasons (at least!) and need to move forward. This is what I would call a 'good start'.

Drew Tate, redux. Yes, the same Drew Tate that retired from the CFL back in June is back, and with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. This sort of makes sense, due to the current Zach Collaros-gets-hit-in-the-head episode. The thing I don't understand is why the Roughies always seem to sign geriatric players who are well past their best years. Tate was never that good to begin with, always being a back-up in Calgary, or getting himself injured when called up to be a starter. I don't think he's the answer, and neither is Collaros, who is damaged goods by default.

TNF. I had said in my previous post that the game was essentially going to be a shit-show, and that Mullens was a nobody. I was wrong it seems. Mullens is the real deal, and the game turned out to be a blowout. Luckily, I was quite inebriated by the third quarter, and didn't have to worry about my 49ers at that point. Rye and gingers will do that to you, and I imagine Raiders fans are busy getting more drunk than me to forget their awful team and it's equally awful season. Never mind the fact that they gave up long before halftime. Bartender, a round for all my friends!

Why the Thursday night game will be an epic fail. (NFL)

Tomorrow night's NFL contest could have been a great match up, had both the Raiders and the 49ers not gone into the toilet so hard, so fast. As often the case with TNF games, they usually are quite bad and not very entertaining. There have been a one or two exceptions this season, but that's all. Now I'll explain why it's going to be such a shit show tomorrow night.

On paper, the Raiders had a decent roster, and made a couple of moves during the off-season that made them even more of a contender, the main one being the hire of Jon Gruden as their head coach for his second go-around with the team. This is a guy who made something of Brad Johnson and won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers many moons ago. Derek Carr, who is actually much better (or so we thought) than Johnson, could have gone far. Instead. the Raiders are 1-6 and have opted for an instant rebuild. The defence is clueless, Derek Carr is horrible, and everything is going wrong for the Raiders, who look AWFUL.

To quote Jim Mora: "Playoffs? Playoffs?!?! I just hope we can win a game!"

My 49ers, on the other hand, are just as awful if not worse. Star quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was knocked out earlier in the season with a tear to his ACL (What the HELL WERE YOU THINKING RUNNING LIKE THAT JIMMY?!?!) , which has left the 49ers with less than nothing. The offence is not very good under QB C.J. Beathard, who in my opinion, shouldn't be a starting QB in the NFL. (I mean come on! He's BRUTAL!) The defence looks worse than Swiss cheese, and special teams..... well, they don't really exist. I will not blame Kyle Shanahan, as he has nothing to work with at this point. I will put the blame squarely on management for dropping the ball in the off-season.

To quote Vince Lombardi: "What the hell is going on out here?!?!"

Some spooky football notes for Halloween! (NFL/CFL/NCAA)

Anyone want to see something scary? No, it's not a ghost, but rather the NCAA college football/playoff rankings, which just came out the other day. What's the first issue I see right away? LSU (7-1) is ranked third, while undefeated UCF (7-0) is way back in 9th. Also, if a 7-1 team is going to be 3rd, it should be Oklahoma. But.....the biggest issue I have with this list is Notre Dame moving down to FOURTH behind LSU??? Notre Dame is 8-0 and has actually beaten several ranked teams. I've been saying for years that the rankings and seedings are a joke, and this just confirms it. The fact that Alabama is always ranked 1st shows what a joke everything is.

The NFL is extremely perplexing this whole season so far, and it's not getting any better eight weeks into the season. Penalty flags are flying at a ridiculous pace, and the league doesn't seem to care that the officiating as a whole has taken a nose dive. Yes, I've been crabbing about this all year, but you know what? I'M RIGHT. Don't believe me? Go on Twitter once in a while. There's enough vitriol being thrown around to convince anyone. Also, watch a game. I've never seen so many flasg fly as they have been this season. Must have been a discount on them at Costco or something.....

The Blue Bombers have kept rolling, and it's helped them clinch a playoff spot. They did it in convincing fashion again the Stampeders, burying them in the second half of the game. Offence and defence are firing on all cylinders right now. That being said, I am going to man up and offer an apology. At the halfway point of the season when the Bombers were struggling, I had said that Matt Nichols was garbage ans should be replaced. I'm big enough to admit when I'm wrong, and so I was. Nichols has really bounced back and has been kicking ass. He's in the zone, and I might have given up on him a little early. My bad. Go Bombers!

The road to the Grey Cup is a mess! (CFL)

So, there's two weeks left in the CFL regular season, and the playoff picture is as clear as my homemade chili. There are six playoff spots, and seven teams in contention for them, with so many scenarios possible it makes you want to fall over just thinking about it.

One thing is guaranteed: Both the Argonauts and Alouettes have already been eliminated. Unfortunately, that is all we know at this time. The Stamps still lead the West, but can finish second and get leap-frogged for top spot and home field advatange, never mind the first round bye. Saskatchewan could either jump into first, or finish second, depending on the outcome of the final two games. Winnipeg could finish second, or third, or crossover to the East, or be eliminated entirely if they lose of their last two games.

BC could finish second, third, or crossover, while Edmonton (who looked as done as dinner last week) could make the crossover, or be eliminated as well. And.....whoever crosses over to the East adds a different dynamic to the playoff picture, as Ottawa and Hamilton are still fighting it out to determine top spot in the East. If Ottawa secures first place in the East and gets that first-round bye and home field advantage, I have no doubt they'll put themselves in a position to make it to the Grey Cup. As for whoever crosses over to the East from the West......I dunno.

Usually, the CFL picture is already figured out at this point in the season, but because the East is a mess, and several teams in the West have had roller coaster seasons, this is what we get.

Several surprises yesterday! (NCAA)

I was able to catch most of yesterday's NCAA football action, and witnessed a few things that made me either stop and think, or shake my head with disgust. This was of course well before the alcohol knocked me out near the end of the late night game.

Michigan/Michigan State. Okay, I understand that some inter-state schools have a fierce rivalry, and that it can get quite intense at times. That being said, I completely disagree with Michigan's celebration on the Spartans' centre field logo. Yes, it was in response to something a player from Michigan State did, but the Wolverines could have been the bigger team and celebrated elsewhere on the field after time expired (The end-zone, anyone?). Then again, they do have a Harbaugh for a head coach.....

Purdue upsets Ohio State. I have nothing against Ohio State, and consider them to be a decent bunch overall. What I do like is when a huge underdog comes through and knocks off a top team. Was Ohio State a little too complacent? Did Urban Meyer underestimate his opposition? I really don't know the answer to those questions. What I do know, is that a Purdue fan with a terminal illness got to see his team win such an epic game, and that's all that really matters. The Boilermakers played like a team possessed, and I'm happy it went down the way it did.

Also, a few other neat things: Penn State held on against Indiana (I was watching this one intently), as the Hoosiers suffered from bad play calling in the fourth quarter, resulting in a mess that saw their fans start leaving very early. UCF has a rank! They do, they do! Unlike last year where they got screwed, UCF is ranked 10 so far (and won yesterday too). Finally.....I hate it when Notre Dame has a bye week. It really makes me sad.

Blue Bombers are heating up at the right time. (CFL)

The regular season in the CFL is coming to a close, and teams in playoff contention are scrambling to develop and/or keep a rhythm so as to find success, and make a trip to the Grey Cup in November. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are doing this quite well as of late, currently on a four-game win streak with only one game remaining in the regular season.

Yes, their final game after this bye week will be against the West-leading Stampeders, who have been the class of the CFL yet again. However, it's more than likely the Stamps will rest most of their starters in said game, having already clinched the division and a first-round bye, and so on. For the Blue Bombers, the season looked several weeks ago like it was becoming our of reach, with Matt Nichols' inconsistent play at the time, as well as a defence that looked downright confused.

Fast forward five weeks, and the Bombers look like a different team. Nichols is spot on and not committing any silly turnovers, the defence looks like it has the best pass rushing in the CFL, and everything is moving along like a well-oiled machine. If you're going to go on a winning streak, now is a good time. Momentum like this is needed for a sustained playoff push, and of course, a Grey Cup championship.

Here's hoping.

Eli Manning needs to retire. (NFL)

Another Giants game, another case of Eli Manning getting roughed up, sacked, fumbling, etc. I watched the latest episode of, "Eli is scared" last night, and heard the boos rain down from the home crowd in Jersey. It wasn't a pretty game by far for either Eli or the Giants, with most of the problems coming from the offence and their star QB.

When your top wide receiver (Odell Beckham Jr.) walks off before halftime even starts and shakes his head in the tunnel, you know it's getting bad. It would be too easy to blame the coaches or the whole offence at this point, when the blame squarely rests on Eli, and to a lesser extent, management for building the team around him and not drafting or acquiring a younger successor. This season is looking worse for the Giants than last, as Eli looks more and more like a man who is mentally done with the game, and who can't seem to keep up or make plays at all.

He's got nothing left to prove, having already won two Super Bowls. For the good of the team, he should either retire, or step aside and remain a backup to help mentor a younger quarterback. That being said, Eli and the Giants need to get this figured out very quickly if there's any hope.

Drew Brees and his yardage record. (NFL)

For those of you who are watching the Monday night contest between the Redskins and Saints (it's halftime as I write this), history was just made a little while ago as Saints QB Drew Brees passed Peyton Manning to become the NFL's all-time leader in pass yardage.

For those of you that don't know, Drew Brees now sits third for passing yardage in all of professional football. Here are the top five names in the overall list.

1) Anthony Calvillo, 79,816
2) Damon Allen, 72,381
3) Drew Brees, 71,975
4) Peyton Manning, 71,940
5) Brett Favre, 71,838

It's entirely possible that Brees will eclipse Damon Allen's total this season, but would have to play for two more seasons to pass Anthony Calvillo and secure the all-time pro football yardage record. Drew Brees is a hell of a competitor, and I wish him all the best as he continues to populate the record books during his stellar career.

Undisciplined football. (NCAA)

Yesterday's college action seemed to highlight an epidemic that has been going around since the start of the season. There have been so many players on so many good teams (and bad ones) that have been playing extremely undisciplined football, and costing their team yardage, field position, and of course, points. How this is tolerated I do not know.

Wake Forest. Players on the Demon Deacons were some of the worst offenders yesterday, with several key personal fouls being committed throughout the game. A captain in the defensive corps was even disqualified and sent off for a blatant targeting call against Clemson. For a player to screw up so hard, that's one thing. But a team captain getting busted for a stupid play? I understand they are college kids, but there needs to be some growing up, fast. If you're trying to get into the NFL, shit like this isn't going to help you.

LSU versus the Gators. Where to begin? There were so many flags in this game, I'm not sure I have the time (nor do any of you out there have the money) to listen to me go on all day about said contest. Never mind the dumb pass interference calls and blatant face masking that went on. Then, we get frayed nerves (with probably too much pre-game Red Bull) turning into fist fights (not that I mind a little more action) and almost full-on melees. Pushing and shoving are part of the game to a certain extent, but when you slap the shit out of the other player or throw a punch, it's gonna be 15 yards against you at the very least.

You know what? I saw a lot more, but I got better things to do right now, so there.

Andrew Luck. (NFL)

For those of you that are Indianapolis Colts fans, or just like to see a good player do well, then you have to be excited about last week for Andrew Luck, and the fact that his arm strength is back and in fine form. He's been out for quite some time, and had taken it easy over training camp and the pre-season. How that translates as the season progresses, we'll have to see.

Luck's arm looked to have all the zip it used to in last week's loss to the Texans. The Colts might view it as a loss, but the fact that they have their starting QB back to normal should be considered a win for the most part. Tonight's game against the Patriots should be a different story however, with Luck needing to have a great game and bring home the W if he is to be taken seriously from here on in, as the skeptics (myself included to a certain extent) maintain that he is an underachiever so far in his career. At the time of this post, Luck is 6/10, with 65 yards passing in the first quarter.

Granted, Luck took over the Colts from Peyton Manning, and those are big shoes to fill. But somehow, he needs to step up sooner or later and definitively make the Colts his team, and show them he can win and lead them into the postseason to contend for a Super Bowl. Until that happens, he's just another dude throwing a ball.

The debacle at Commonwealth. (CFL)

You would think I'd be happy and quite euphoric after seeing a 30-3 result in favour of my Blue Bombers over the Eskimos, in Edmonton. Yes, they scored offensive and defensive touchdowns. Yes, they moved up two spots in the standings. Yes, it was a wide margin.

BUT.

Winnipeg has lacked consistency for most of the season. They've had good games, and they've had stinkers. Edmonton's season started pretty well, before the wheels started coming off in the last five or six weeks. Personally, this was more about the Eskimos having a really bad game then the Blue Bombers having a really good game. Mike Reilly doesn't usually throw shit passes and get picked off like a rookie QB. The Eskimo defence doesn't always look like Swiss cheese.

While the Blue Bombers have amassed more points for than any team in the CFL this year, they can't afford to carry inconsistency into the playoffs (providing something stupid doesn't happen and knock them out) and expect to win. I love seeing my team win, and win big. Problem is, I don't want to see them stagger into the playoff race and get bounced.

In the CFL, expect the unexpected.

Things I took note of in the NCAA yesterday. (NCAA)

I managed to catch some action from several of the entertaining games yesterday, and also watched some highlights in between of other games. While there was not that many surprises yesterday, I did see a few things that piqued my interest.

Notre Dame's defence. The Fighting Irish already have one of the best offences in college football, but it was also their defence making some great plays yesterday, from hurrying the Stanford QB to picking off a pass at a pivotal moment. I don't think the Irish defence is getting enough credit as of late. This team proved they could knock off a higher-seeded team when they needed to, and elevated themselves to another level.

Hey Penn State, what the fuck? That last offensive play call with less than two minutes left handed the game to Ohio State, who could've been handed their first loss this season. Penn State was faced with a 4th and 5 scenario, and elected to go for it. But seriously, a RUNNING PLAY? Both teams had taken their time, called timeouts, and gotten ready. Ohio State's defence pulled the safeties in, and was prepared for a run, which Penn State obliged. What a stupid way to end a game and screw your school's chances of a National Championship. Whoever called that play should lose his job. Period.

What's up, Wolverines? Michigan as a whole looked confused and out of touch for most of the game against Northwestern, before finally erasing a 17-0 deficit and coming back to win from behind. The defence looked gassed in the first half, the offence was terrible, and all the huffing and puffing of Jim Harbaugh on the sidelines didn't do much to help. I got nothing against the Wolverines, but in my mind, they don't look like a Bowl-calibre team so far.

Tonight's TNF match-up. (NFL)

Well, it's Thursday again, which means there is football to be watched. Tonight's game features the Minnesota Vikings playing the Los Angeles Rams, in Los Angeles. This game might be a good game, but I believe it's going to be a stinker by the time the final whistle blows. Historically, Thursday Night Football games are lacklustre contests between crap teams, or the match-up is just plain lopsided and not very fun to watch.

The Rams are undefeated in their first three games, rolling along like a well-oiled machine, thanks in part to the offence, as well as their stingy defence, and of course Mr. McVay. Jared Goff is putting up consistent numbers, and generally keeps out of trouble whenever possible (as in few INT's and such).

The Vikings however, are already at a crossroads in this young season. Kirk Cousins looked worse than a rookie last week, hardly doing anything of warrant, and getting himself picked off as well. For someone who was made the highest paid quarterback out there, he needs to produce, and soon. Getting smoked by the Bills of all teams was a black mark on his performance as a whole. This game is being played in L.A. and I don't see the Vikings coming away with a win. The Rams just might make this a shit show, and continue the long line of Thursday stinkers.

East versus West heading into the playoffs.... (CFL)

If anyone has looked at the CFL standings as of late, it's easy to see what a mess they are. The East is again weak as shit this year, and the West is an ever-shuffling race to either the finish, or obscurity.
As recent as a few weeks ago, the Blue Bombers were sitting in third place, holding onto a playoff spot. Now, they sit fifth, and look as if they won't even be good enough to use the crossover rule and get into the post-season as an East team.

Calgary continues to sit on the top of the West (*yawn*), while Edmonton and Saskatchewan are fighting it out for the number two seed. In the East, Ottawa pretty much has a lock on first place, while Hamilton will more than likely stay in second, and get thumped in the first round of the playoffs. The Grey Cup picture is looking more and more like we'll get a rematch of 2016, a game that will again feature the Redblacks and Stampeders. The only way that will change would be if Edmonton can turn on the juice down the home stretch.

As for the teams not making the playoffs..... Toronto and Montreal are guaranteed to miss out in the East, while the battle between BC and Winnipeg for the crossover will come down to whoever screws up the least in the last several weeks of the season. Personally, I'm silently hoping that there will be some balance in the standings next year, with the East hopefully getting some lustre back. Until then, we just have to wait and see where the dice land.

Sunday's football, and what I got from it. (NFL)

A slew of interesting things happened in yesterday's NFL action, but I think I will only mention the top three things I saw go down throughout the day. Needless to say, most of it isn't good. But, I digress. My expectations were once again too high.

Green Bay Packers. As was the case in the first two games of the season, Clay Matthews got levied with a ridiculous penalty for roughing the passer. I'm sorry, but that hit yesterday by Matthews was textbook, and very much a clean hit. The recipient, a one Alex Smith, even said so himself after the game. For some reason, the Packers have fun afoul of some serious behind-the-scenes nonsense, and are getting screwed every which way possible. As a football fan, this is really starting to grind my gears with these 'improved' rules and garbage penalties. NFL = No Fun League.

Jimmy G goes down and out. Jimmy Garoppolo managed to tear his ACL in the left knee when he made a cut to avoid a tackle with the ball. The franchise quarterback, signed to mega-money in the off-season, is likely done for the year. The list of players ending on on the IR is getting bigger, and now it seems that the 49ers season has gone down the toilet. I hate to see this happen to my team, and it looked as if this season was going to be awesome. Now.....doom and gloom.

The Big Breesy. No one can seemingly stop Drew Brees. Not only did he eclipse the all-time NFL completions mark, but also continued to put up great numbers as he always seems to do. I like Drew Brees, mainly because of his consistency, and also because he's a class act. He's fun to watch, and is apparently ageless. He'll definitely go down as one of the greats......if he ever retires.

Alex Smith and why the 49ers should have kept him. (NFL)

In his seven seasons as a San Francisco 49er, Alex Smith had some good years, and some bad years. He had some amazing numbers in some games, and sat out others with injuries, one of them leading to his trade to the Kansas City Chiefs. At the time, it might have seemed like a good idea to trade Smith and go with the more flamboyant Colin Kaepernick, who had led them to a Super Bowl appearance, losing the game eventually.

I am of the opinion that after said Super Bowl loss, the team should have built itself more around Smith, acquiring even more weapons and bolstering the defence further. Consider this: The 49ers had one of the best rosters they had been able to field in recent years, having the likes of Vernon Davis, Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree, Aldon Smith, and Navorro Bowman, just to name a few. The smart thing would have been to get even more star players and stand outs, and take the team to the next level.

Instead, the team focused on Kaepernick, who was soon figured out by opposing teams and exposed as the one-dimensional player he was. This was of course, a while before he became a travelling sideshow. Smith on the other hand, continues to have a stellar career, putting up great numbers with the Chiefs before being traded in the off-season to a struggling Washington Redskins team. Who was at fault for Smith's departure from San Francisco? Was it Jim Harbaugh? Was it the front office? Was it ownership, who seemed to be more obsessed with money that championships? Who knows. One thing is for sure, however: Alex Smith would have won the Niners a Super Bowl or two.

Officiating is at an all-time low. (NFL/CFL/NCAA)

As evidenced in the first two weeks of the NFL season, first three weeks of the NCAA, and so far all season in the CFL, referees and officials alike are screwing up at an alarming rate, throwing flags like confetti, and upholding/overturning calls that really never made sense in the first place. I'm going to highlight an officiating issue from each of the three leagues as per what I have witnessed.

Targeting. I understand completely that in the NCAA, the targeting rule was put in place to protect quarterbacks and/or defenceless players from taking helmet to helmet hits and cutting down on concussions or worse. What I don't understand is why NCAA referees who after watching the replay (it is required that the play is reviewed for targeting) still call it when it was blatantly clear that the player hit the other player with a shoulder, or went out his way to go low or avoid the collision outright. Targeting is bad, but screwing up the call is worse.

Command centre review. As if the CFL referees weren't bad enough already (This mean YOU Tom Vallesi and you Andre Proulx!), it gets made even worse when the CFL's 'command centre' (overpaid monkeys) weigh in on the issue at hand. I'd like to know what the command centre is looking at when they either uphold or overturn some of the flags, and/or if they are watching the same game as the rest of us at that time. Too many plays are getting butchered by over-officiating, and the CFL is by far the worst when it comes to this.

As for officiating in the NFL..... In the words of the late, great Vince Lombardi, "What the hell is going on out here?!?!"

Alabama, Nick Saban, and why college football is a joke some days! (NCAA)

Year after year it's the same thing in the NCAA. The schedule is put together by a bunch of uneducated bean counters that don't want us as fans to have too many good matchups, while Alabama seemingly gets a number one ranking before the season even starts. College football has become very predictable in the last decade, and it's taking all the fun out of what are usually good games and exciting teams to watch, including some underdogs every year that surprise us.

Now onto my main issue: Alabama. You can disagree with me all you want and keep mentioning the fact that they were national champions last year, but it won't change my opinion. College football is a money game. As long as Alabama (who, by the way have the RICHEST football program next to Ohio State at around one BILLION dollars annually) continues to pay off everybody, this will keep happening. When a team is good for a few seasons or more, that's fine. When a team stays at the top and never commits any kind of error and can do no wrong, that's a problem. Consider the following:

Alabama almost always gets a weak schedule, full of crap schools that have crap football teams/programs. This season alone, Alabama plays teams like Arkansas State, Ole Miss (who have a good season once in a blue moon), Louisiana (yawn), Tennessee, and The Citadel (are you freaking kidding me?). The only decent team they play all season is LSU, and maybe Auburn (even though I'm not convinced of the Tigers this year). This happens every season. Alabama gets weak as shit opponents, and then we get to hear how 'good' they are. Add to the fact that Nick Saban is an annoying prick who has been caught cheating and scheming (Belichick anyone?) every so often, and it's no wonder a lot of us now believe the NCAA is rigged.

Thoughts on last night's Bombers/Alouettes game. (CFL)

I caught most of the Friday night match up between the Blue Bombers and Alouettes, catching pieces of the first and second quarter from the gym, then coming home to watch the rest of it right until the very end. Johnny Manziel actually played a decent game, making some interesting plays throughout, and doing what he could to help his team win. It's way too easy to shove the blame onto him, when the Montreal defence is like swiss cheese, and they simply do not have many stand out players on that roster, save Henoc Muamba. Manziel will get better. The rest of the team, not so much.

As for my Blue Bombers..... Yes, Matt Nichols bounced back this week and looked to be in the zone, and the defence looked to be a tad better. But.....most of the game, the Bombers had just 21 points to show for their effort against a very bad Montreal team. The game-ending touchdown drive with a long bomb to put it near the goal line was nice, but still serves to highlight the Bombers' second half scoring issues. Add to the fact that THREE impact players (Harris, Bighill, Demski) all got injured and were forced to leave the game, it doesn't bode well for a sub-par Bomber team that has to play Edmonton twice and Calgary once in last weeks of the season.

Personally, I would have started Streveler in last night's game, and used his creativity and explosiveness to exploit a weak Montreal team and make an example of them. Coach O'Shea is being a friend to the players, when what we really need is a ruthless dictator to instill fear.

Why we all dislike the Stampeders so much.... (CFL)

Yes, they are on top of the west yet again, and yes, they have one of the best coaches in the league, and yes, they have one of the best QB's in the CFL, but does the rest of the CFL (or us fans for that matter) care anymore? The Calgary Stampeders have been tops in the league for some time, having great coaches and GM's as well as a deep roster to sustain them. That's not the real problem that most of us have with them, however.

It's the fact that they expect to win every game, and that the commentators and scribes alike feel the need to shove all this in our faces week after week. I'm not saying they're not a good team, I'm just saying I'm tired of hearing/seeing them at every turn. Need I remind everyone that they are so good to the point that they have totally screwed themselves out of a Grey Cup two years running at this point. Mr. Hero (Bo Levi Mitchell) seems to think it's okay to throw the playbook out of the window as times runs out in football's biggest game.

I'm not ready to crown them, and neither should anyone else. The Stamps are just as imperfect and human as everyone else on the planet. So there.

The 'Dawg Pound' wins a game! (NFL)

So it happened yesterday on Thursday Night Football. The Cleveland Browns won a game for the first time in over 600 days or something like that. Tyrod Taylor wasn't very good off the start (he never really found footing during his time in Buffalo), and the concussion he suffered paved the way for Mr. Mayfield to come in and show everyone why he was drafted first overall. Unlike other first round QB's that the Browns have famously drafted first in the draft, Mayfield actually looked like a bonafide starter. His fourth quarter charges were simply awesome.

Couple this with the fact that the Browns tied their first game against the Steelers and lost against the Saints because they had a poor kicker (Gonzalez, now out of a job), they are a legit team once again methinks. Playoff team? Maybe, but more than likely an 8-win team that misses out on the Wild Card. Whatever the circumstances, it's nice to see a Cleveland team on the up and up again.