Daps or No Daps

This is a new column that will hopefully be continued in the future. Similar to Sports Illustrated's "Who's Hot, Who's Not" section, but in a style that makes it entirely our own. The "Daps" section will acknowledge people/events/whatever that are worthy of daps and the "No Daps" section will talk about things that are not worthy of daps. Lastly, the "Questionable" section will address controversial issues that some may believe earn daps and some believe are not worthy. So here goes.

Daps:


Kyrie Irving:

Irving is a freshman guard who plays for the Duke basketball team. Highly recruited out of college, Irving has wasted no time making a name for himself. In Wednesday night's game versus the #6 ranked Michigan State Spartans Irving dropped 31 points. He did a little bit of everything to help the defending champion Blue Devils to victory and also added 6 rebounds, 4 assists, two steals and two blocks.

Waka blocka! Irving had a huge pack on this fast break. 

Bill Clinton:

You may be surprised to see the ex-President's name up here, but Clinton is serving as the Honorary Chairman of the USA Bid Committee to bring the World Cup back to America in 2022. He is definitely deserving of daps because the World Cup in America would be great for soccer here and would "assist those less fortunate and promote environmental sustainability," according to Clinton. Not to mention, the World Cup would be tight from a spectator's point of view. When the World Cup came to the US in 1994 a game was played at Stanford stadium. I'm getting my chest paint and vuvuzelas ready.

Brian Westbrook:

Westbrook filled in nicely as Frank Gore's injury replacement Monday night against the Cardinals, rushing 23 times for 136 yards and a TD. He should be getting the rock a fair amount this week against the Green Bay Packers if he's healthy.


No Daps:


The Miami Heat:

Cmon, you guys have the Big 3 and everyone expected you to be the best team in the NBA. After off season acquisitions of LeBron James and Chris Bosh the Heat were supposed to be the team. Instead Miami has stumbled out of the gate to an 11-8 start. D Wade has been pretty garb so far, only shooting 25% for 3 point land.

The Heat have looked like the worst possible scenario when you have a bunch of superstars on one team; there's no offense and everyone stands around waiting for James, Wade or Bosh to go 1 on 1. Hmm, sounds like a lot of NBA teams. But that's another for another time.

Boise State's kicker:

I feel bad for the guy. Kyle Brotzman, who is the Broncos all-time leading scorer, missed the game winning field goal against Nevada from 26 yards out late in the 4th quarter and then missed a 29-yarder in OT to secure Boise State's 34-31 loss. Any chances Boise State had of playing in the national championship are now gone. And Brotzman's apparently been receiving rude voice messages and there have been anti-Brotzman facebook groups created, too.

It's ok, at least you're the 8th best WR in fantasy football this year.

Steve Johnson:

WR Steve Johnson of the Buffalo Bills dropped what would have been the game winning TD pass in overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. Johnson's actually been having a breakout season, but it will be marred for some after his bout with butterfingers allowed the Steelers to prevail 19-16.

Questionable:

The fines on James Harrison:

James Harrison, a linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers was fined $25,000 for his helmet to chest hit on Bills QB Ryan Fitzpatrick last Sunday. Harrison has been fined four times this year for a total of $125,000.

There has been a lot in the news recently about concussions and head injuries in football and their crippling effects on ex-NFL players. Rick Reilly for one abhors Harrison's reckless playing style and seeming indifference towards injuring opposing players. Read his article about it here. 

Some think that Harrison is being criticized unfairly. "I'm sure if you asked 10 guys in the league, nine of them would say he's not a dirty player. He's a hard player." Harrison said. 

Steelers WR Hines Ward defended Harrison while also issuing biting remarks about the hypocrisy of the NFL's player safety policy. "They don't care about the safety of the game. If the league was so concerned about the safety, why are you adding two more games on?" 

Time to forgive?

Michael Vick:

Like him or hate him, Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles has been one of the most valuable players in the league this year. He took over the starting job after a combination of injury and ineffectiveness from Kevin Kolb and hasn't looked back since. Vick leads the NFL with a 106.0 passer rating and has only thrown 1 INT. A few weeks ago Vick had 6 total TDs versus the Washington Redskins. 

Some have forgiven Vick for his dog fighting and are impressed that the man has come so far. Jason Avant, a WR on the eagles said this of Vick. "We look up to him. As someone who's been to hell and back - and conquered it." 

Others think that Vick's crimes were too heinous for him to be forgiven. They think that he is benefitting from the sports world's short memory because of his exploits on the field and that he is not truly sorry for his actions. 

Great articles by S.L. Price of Sports Illustrated and Rick Reilly of ESPN about Michael Vick. 

Yankees' hard stance towards Jeter:

This is the problem that both the Derek Jeter and the Yankees organization face. Derek Jeter is a very solid shortstop, a leader in the clubhouse, a Yankee icon and one of the most respected athletes in America. The Yankees are treading on unsteady ground here because they would look terrible if they pushed out the door the most famous Yankee since Mickey Mantle. 

Some believe the Yankees were smart though for telling Jeter to "test the market" to see if other teams offer him a better contract than what's waiting for him in NY. Jeter met with Yankee execs Tuesday night and supposedly Jeter and his agent, Casey Close, are asking for a 4-6 year deal at around $23 million/year. Honestly, does Jeter really have 5 more good years left in him? Certainly not good enough to be worth $23 million each year in my opinion. And in the end, the Yankees have less to lose than Jeter, their ultimate priority is winning championships, not loyalty. 

College Football BCS Bowl Predictions – As of 12/1

Written by Pete Foster. 


Tostitos BCS National Championship - #1 Auburn vs. #2 Oregon


Preview: The National Championship will be a matchup for the ages. Oregon and Auburn both have high scoring offenses, stellar defenses, and more speed than anyone has seen in years. Auburn QB Cam Newton has dazzled every opponent, most recently rival Alabama in Tuscaloosa, with his athleticism in space and rocket arm. Oregon hasn’t seen a dual threat QB since their Rose Bowl loss last season (Terrelle Pryor), and it will be up to defensive veterans Casey Mathews and Kenny Rowe to shut Newton down. The Auburn D also has their hands full with Oregon’s quick-paced spread offense, which has put up 50.5 points a game (1st in FBS). Speedy RB Lamichael James will test Auburn’s secondary when he finds running lanes.

Cam Newton will be the X factor in Auburn's victory.  

Verdict: This game is a complete toss-up, but ultimately Cam Newton will be the difference maker. The Heisman front-runner is one of the most gifted athletes I’ve ever watched, and his ability to make plays is unmatched. Oregon should push his team to the brink, but Auburn will somehow outscore the Ducks. 


Auburn 35 – Oregon 31

Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO - #3 TCU vs. #5 Wisconsin


Preview: Wisconsin has been playing out of its mind recently, and is arguably the hottest team in college football. Their traditional power I offense, even without bruiser RB John Clay, has put up 201 points in the past 3 weeks! TCU on the other hand is coming off of an undefeated season and hopes to justify its highest-ever ranking with a BCS victory. The Horned Frogs have a solid defense and a big-play threat in WR Jeremy Kerly, but have not been tested by any legitimate teams this season, and even came down to the wire with sub-par opponents (Oregon State, San Diego State). Wisconsin will be by far the best competition they’ve seen in years, and it’s very hard to say whether TCU can keep it close.


Verdict: Wisconsin is a better football team all around, and will prove it on January 1st. RBs John Clay and Montee Ball, behind an unstoppable offensive line, should overpower TCU all game and not let up. TCU’s passing attack could make it close, but I believe Wisconsin runs away with this one without a worry. 


Wisconsin 34 – TCU 16

Those black jerseys are pretty sick. 

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl - #4 Stanford vs. #9 Oklahoma


Preview: Coming off of a historical 11 – 1 season, Stanford has been playing its best football in, well, ever! QB Andrew Luck is the best true quarterback in the country, and his offense’s balance and complicated formations keep defenses on their heels. In last year’s Sun Bowl, Oklahoma WR Ryan Broyles torched Stanford’s defense for 3 touchdowns. The Cardinal D has drastically improved this season, just allowing 17.8 points against, but will need step up if they are to contain Broyles and elusive RB Demarco Murray. Expect a fantastic coaching battle as well between Jim Harbaugh and Bob Stoops.


Verdict: Stanford will get its revenge from last year’s Sun Bowl and beat OU soundly. Oklahoma’s defense is good, but not great: simply not enough to keep Andrew Luck from having a field day on a mediocre OU secondary. Stanford’s defense is improved enough to keep the Sooner’s passing game in check, and the Cardinal will enjoy a solid victory. 


Stanford 38 – Oklahoma 24

Allstate Sugar Bowl - #6 Ohio State vs. #7 Arkansas


Preview: Once again Jim Tressel has led his Ohio State Buckeyes to a BCS bowl, this time with one of his strongest teams. However, they face young and talented Arkansas, led by standout QB Ryan Mallet. The Razorbacks average 338.4 yards per game, and Mallet has dangerous targets in WRs Greg Childs and Joe Adams. OSU has a very experienced offense, led by RB Dan Herron, WR Dane Sanzenbacher, and QB Terrelle Pryor. Pryor possesses the speed, athleticism, and arm strength to rip up a lackluster Arkansas’ defense. 


Verdict: OSU is too experienced and too talented to lose this game. Ryan Mallet can be inconsistent at times, and if he is rattled early the Buckeyes will have no problem taking the cake. Watch out for Terrelle Pryor and his play making ability – he was the game changer in last year’s Rose Bowl, and could be just as deadly against the Razorbacks. 


Ohio State 42 – Arkansas 27

Swag out the building: Tyrod Taylor. 

Discover Orange Bowl - #15 Virginia Tech vs. #24 West Virginia


Preview: After losing to Boise State at the start of the season, Virginia Tech has really slipped out of the nation spotlight. Yes, it was painful to lose to the Broncos, and losing to James Madison brought back memories from Michigan – App. State, but the Hokies are still a good football team. QB Tyrod Taylor is a dynamic playmaker, and they have a first-rate defense. West Virginia should not be much of a challenge, as the Big East is garbage and it’s ridiculous that a team like Michigan State is left out of the BCS picture for a team like WVU. They too have a great defense, but again, that’s playing in the Big East.


Verdict: VA Tech should win in an overall boring and shameful BCS matchup. Watch out for a relatively low scoring affair; both of these talented Ds should hold the other team’s offense in check. VA Tech will only squeak out more points because, aside from WVU RB Noel Devine, they have better athletes on their sideline. 


Virginia Tech 24 – West Virginia 13

Scam Newton headlines a tragic college football season

Not so fast Cam, you're only eligible because of a stupid loophole, according to ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski.

Written by Wade Avery.

The 2010 college football season has provided some of the best football I have ever seen in my life. Future NFL star Andrew Luck and the nation’s top coach Jim Harbaugh have led Stanford in the sickest way possible to a school record 11-1 regular season and are looking to produce the Cardinal’s first BCS bowl berth since the 2000 Rose Bowl. Oregon has probably the most exciting offense to watch in college history and there have been shocking upsets aplenty. To top it all off, the teams that everybody hates (Texas, Florida, USC, Notre Dame) are having awful seasons and receiving the beat downs they deserve. 

That being said, there has been enough tragedy, corruption, and adversity to make what seems like another great year of college football a season everyone wants to forget. Here are some of the events and actions that have tainted this season:

• Rutgers defensive lineman Eric LeGrand remains paralyzed from a hit against Army
• Mississippi State defensive linemen Nick Bell lost his battle with cancer only weeks after playing in what would be his last football game
• Three Southern Mississippi players were shot outside of a night club, leaving one with severe voice damage and another in a wheelchair the rest of his life
• Agent scandals have tainted the reputations of many elite programs such as Georgia (AJ Green), UNC (everybody), and South Carolina (Wesley Saunders)
• Last but CERTAINLY not least SCAM NEWTON

If there is one thing that has made this catastrophe laced college football season devastating for me, it is Auburn QB Cam “Scam” Newton and his painful antics. I’m not going to deny that he is a phenomenal football player. He makes stout SEC defenses look like Menlo College every single week and can beat you any way he pleases. All talent and on field performance aside, I die inside when people talk about him. The first thing he taught me was that I could get kicked out of one college, get caught throwing a stolen computer out of a third floor window, and face felony charges and STILL get into Auburn. Well if Jeremiah Masoli can get into Ole Miss with every drug and theft charge in the book, why not?! But that is not the only reason he ticks me off. He has a hurricane of allegations swirling around him that has made his presence in college football questionable at best. 

For starters, Newton apparently had somebody acting as an agent during his recruitment process that tried to sell Cam to schools in return for money. In addition to the agent figure, Newton’s father, Cecil, was apparently offering schools Cam’s commitment for money in what was called a “pay-for-play” plan. It was later reported that Cam and Cecil said in separate phone conversations that the “pay-for-play” plan was their only option and his commitment would be based on how much cash the Newton’s received. How much money did the Newton family want? It is reported that Cecil wanted between $150,000 and $200,000 for Cam’s commitment. But the controversy doesn’t end there. There are also allegations that at Florida, his first school, Cam was caught cheating on three exams and turning in other peoples’ papers with is name on it, which nearly led him to expulsion at Florida. 

And what do Cam and Cecil have to say about these allegations? It went from ‘I didn’t do anything’ to ‘no comment’ to not even speaking to the media. Really? You claim you did nothing wrong but at the same time you won’t talk to anyone about anything? It isn’t that hard, he just has to come out and tell us what he did and he needs to stand by that. Obviously he won’t come out and admit he did anything, he’s in the middle of a historic season. Seriously though, who won’t speak to the media because they want to hide their innocence? It’s common knowledge people, if he won’t talk there is something wrong. I will never be able to watch him play the same way I watch LaMichael James play because I don’t know if he should be on the field or not. 

Naive Auburn fans can only protect you for so long, Cam. 

LaMike was charged with assault, found guilty, accepted his penalty, and got on with his life and is still in the Heisman race. Newton won’t stand up to anything and continues to get defended by naive Auburn fans that would obviously attack him if he played for any other school. 

As if seeing him on the field was bad enough, the fact that certain Heisman voters continue to treat him like a god is what really irritates me. Did everybody totally forget about Reggie Bush?! Any one of Newton’s many allegations is just as severe as everything that Bush did and yet people think that every single one of the numerous allegations against Newton is false because anybody can make things up.  The reason I didn’t put “Heisman contender” next to Andrew Luck’s name is because Cam Newton pretty much has that award on lock, which is garbage. I can’t stand to see players with squeaky-clean records like Andrew Luck and Kellen Moore take a back seat to somebody who is up to his neck in controversy after one of the best running backs ever lost his Heisman for almost the same reason. 

I understand he was just cleared to play by the NCAA because his dad broke the rules and I guess Cam had not even the slightest idea what the man around the most in his life was doing. The other thing that people seem to forget is that Cam acknowledged that his recruitment would be decided based on payment during a phone call that was tragically unable to be recovered. I’d be very willing to bet that in five or so years it is uncovered that Newton lied to the NCAA and knew about the entire thing, but since he is long gone from the college game the only people that will be punished are the ones who had success playing by the rules. 

I will totally understand if people disagree with me and back the NCAA and Newton, but I just want to let it known that I do not trust Newton and his family. This isn’t some Michael Oher case where the player is being innocently caught in the crossfire of an investigation, Cam himself had all sorts of direct ties with the case. He just got incredibly lucky that his dad was in on it to take the blame because what dad wouldn’t take the bullet for his son that is probably going to style him with millions of dollars down the line? And if you think that making up allegations is just a new way for people to bring down the top players, why doesn’t every other amazing football player face 20 different rules violations? 

When he wins the Heisman, I just hope his portrait ends up next to OJ Simpson’s picture.