22 Jan 11 ACC Football: Monday Morning One-Liners

Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesBoston College head coach Frank Spaziani knows that Virginia Tech1-2 record is no indication of their talent. Clemson played Auburn tough in an overtime loss, but head coach Dabo Swinney is finding all the positives he can. Duke surrendered helplessly to their overpowering opponent, Alabama, on Saturday. With dominating performances on both sides of the ball, Florida State crushed BYU 34-10 on Saturday. Georgia Techwin over North Carolina was nearly perfect in terms of gaining an edge in the ACC, and using it as a stepping stone for improvement. Maryland lost by two touchdowns to the Big Eastbest in West Virginia on Saturday. After being told to end his Twitter reign, Miami quarterback Jacory Harris has come forward saying he has received at least one piece of Reebok Green Bay Packers 21 Charles Woodson Realtree camo Jersey
hate-Twit, hate-Twittering, hate-mail, Twitter-hate. Despite being down twelve players for yet another game, North Carolina played Georgia Tech extremely tough on Saturday in a 30-24 loss. North Carolina State came away with a very impressive win over Cincinnati last Thursday night. If you checked the Virginia Tech-East Carolina box score on Saturday sometime around halftime, you probably laughed to yourself at one point. But, the Hokies outscored the Pirates 25-6 in the second half to beat ECU and record their first win of the year. Stanford nearly put up 70 points on Wake Forestdefense on Saturday. The Demon Deacons have now given up 116 points over their past two games.

18 Jan 11 Maryland-FIU: Terps Welcome Golden Panthers in Final Tune-Up Before ACC Play

Elsa/Getty ImagesAfter a disappointing 31-17 loss to West Virginia in Morgantown, WV, the Maryland Terrapins (2-0) are back in College Park, MD gearing up for the Florida International Golden Panthers (0-2).The Terrapins will be televised this Saturday at 12:00 pm ET on ESPNU for the second straight week.Florida International comes to College Park with a very deceiving 0-2 record. In their two losses this season against Rutgers and Texas AM, the Golden Panther were outscored by only 12 points.The Golden Panthers led Texas AM 20-6 before the Aggies went New York Jets jersey
on to score 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.The Golden Panthers suffered a similar defeat to Rutgers to open the season. Going into the fourth quarter, the Golden Panthers led the Scarlet Knights 14-13 before Mohamed Sanu scored what ended up being the game-winning touchdown two minutes into the fourth quarter.The Golden Panthers are led by transfer quarterback Wesley Carroll. In his freshman season at Mississippi State, Carroll threw for 1,392 yards and nine touchdowns, earning a spot on the ALL-SEC freshman team. Carroll transferred to FIU after losing the starting job to Tyson Lee in 2008.Carroll made his FIU debut against Rutgers on Sept. 11. Through two games, the Fort Lauderdale native has thrown for 283 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions. Carrollstruggles at Mississippi State can be attributed to his combined 50 percent completion percentage at both Mississippi State and FIU and 19 interceptions thrown in 21 games.The Terrapins enter Saturdaygame with the ninth best pass defense in the country, giving up 129 yards a game. It should be noted that the Navy Midshipmen quarterback Ricky Dobbs only attempted 10 passes while picking up over 400 yards on the ground.The Terrapins' ninth-ranked pass defense has also given up four touchdowns through the air.Marylanddefense shouldered most of the blame for last Saturdayloss to West Virginia. The Terrapins were only able to close in on the Mountaineers' overwhelming lead after a long awaited breakout game from receiver Torrey Smith.Smith entered last weekgame with four catches for 47 yards. Maryland entered the second half of the West Virginia game down 21-0, and Smith had only one reception for nine yards. After falling behind 28-0 early in the second half, Smith struck for Marylandfirst score of Oakland Raiders jersey
the game on a 60-yard touchdown reception from Jamarr Robinson.Robinson later led Smith across the middle of the field for an 80-yard catch and run touchdown. Smith finished the game with three catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns.Running backs Davin Meggett and DaRel Scott have combined for 291 yards to pace the Terps' rushing attack. Scott and Meggett were unable to get anything going on the ground against the Mountaineers. The duo carried the ball 13 times for 36 yards.Junior quarterback Jamarr Robinson, the third member of Marylandtrio, has rushed for 88 yards and has showed his ability to create plays downfield with his legs. Robinson rushed for 92 yards in the season-opening win over Navy. However, with Maryland giving up eight sacks this year, Robinsonrushing stats can be overlooked.The Terrapins showed their inability to stop the run last week against West Virginia in giving up 201 rushing yards to the Mountaineers.Marylandrush defense will be tested again this Saturday. FIU is led by sophomore running back Jeremiah Harden. At only 5'9" Harden poses a threat to Marylanddefense after Maryland has showed its struggles with short, agile running backs.Harden has rushed for 145 yards so far through two games. Maryland's rush defense has given up an average of over 200 yards this year.Marylandrush defense can be fixed. A lot of the Terps' struggles on the defensive side of the ball can be attributed to technique. However, the outcome of the FIU game will probably not yield any sign whether Maryland has made reliable progress.The Philadelphia Eagles jersey
Golden Panthers could hurt the Terps similar to how Middle Tennessee State has in recent years if the Terrapins overlook the Panthers' 0-2 record.Saturdaygame could end up becoming a defensive struggle for both teams. Neither team has yet to air it out this season; Saturday could turn into a game of field possession and blocking. As most field possession games go, the team that does not turn the ball over could most likely come away with the victory.

15 Jan 11 St. Louis Rams "Smash-mouth football is the only way Rams can beat Washington"

This is one of those no-brainers on which you can bet the house and feel safe in knowing that you;ll win. The 0-4 St. Louis Rams traveling to Washington to face the 4-1 Redskins this weekend is sure money, right?But before you put this game in the 'L' column for St. Louis, remember that NFL can be a crazy place. How can the Rams beat the Redskins? Let us count the ways.Commentary: Should the Rams lose to the Redskins? Definitely. Will the Rams lose to the Redskins? Probably. But there is a reason that they play the games, and Sunday in Washington will be no Buffalo Bills jersey
different. The first thing the St. Louis has to do to have a shot against the Redskins is to get Steven Jackson going early. Jackson, one of the best running backs in the NFL, has started slowly after his protracted holdout during the preseason. Jackson has improved each week, rushing for 40, 53, 66 and 110 yards in the Rams; four games. If Jackson can establish himself early, it will allow quarterback Marc Bulger to keep the Redskins off-balance with his passing.The Rams also have to contain Clinton Portis to have any chance of beating Washington. The Redskins are fifth in the league in rushing yards per game, thanks mainly to Portis; 514 yards and four touchdowns. Washington quarterback Jason Campbell isn;t the type of player who looks to pass first and run later. If the Rams can force Campbell to pass more often, they will have a chance at the upset. Campbell only has six touchdown passes in five games, but he also has yet to throw an interception. Campbell is smart and doesn;t force the ball or make bad decisions.Fan Pulse: Utilizing Jackson to pound the Redskins is the only way fans think the Rams have any reason for hope in Washington. While the odds are against them, there are still some loyal Rams fans who want to believe their team has a shot.Fantasy Football Impact: If you own Jackson in your fantasy Carolina Panthers jersey
football league, continue to play him. Despite the Rams; dismal offense thus far this season, Jackson is a sure bet to post decent fantasy numbers. Expect Torry Holt and Bulger to start to resemble their more normal fantasy numbers in the coming weeks, but you might want to wait to start them unless your regulars are on a bye week.Injury Watch: Tight end Randy McMichael is done for the season with his broken leg. The Rams are thin at the receiver position, with Drew Bennett, Dane Looker and Keenan Burton all out with injuries. Eddie Kennison re-signed to help out, but don;t look for anything special from him this week. (4)

14 Jan 11 Carolina Panthers Tight Ends Kris Mangum Steve Smith Jake Delhomme

Quick, name at least one of the Carolina Panthers' top three tight ends. Not so easy, is it? Well, that doesn't matter to the Panthers' coaching staff, who happen to believe their top trio of tight ends are more than good enough to get the job done. Truthfully, they're probably right. After all, the Panthers' offense isn'tCincinnati Bengals jersey
one that focuses on throwing many passes to its tight ends.Now that you've pondered and still can't name any of the Panthers' tight ends, I'll clue you in. Kris Mangum, Mike Seidman and Michael Gaines make up the team's triumvirate. Obviously, none are household names by any stretch of the imagination. Still, they manage to do what they're supposed to, which is block, contribute on special teams and not take foolish, costly penalties.The 32-year-old Mangum has been a member of the Panthers for his whole career, which dates back to 1997. Quietly, he's been making a difference as a member of the Panthers throughout his time in the league; Mangum's also the second best tight end in franchise history, behind Wesley Walls, who caught 325 passes between '97-2002 with Carolina.In his eight seasons with the organization, Mangum has pulled in a solid 130 receptions. That only averages to about 16 per season, but it's good enough for an offense that uses its tight ends primarily for blocking. It was different in Walls' days, but offensive coordinator Dan Henning likes to utilize the team's most skilled weapons, instead of having the tight ends catch many passes.Mangum may not be the most enticing or athletic tight end in the league today, but he has the intangibles that coaching staffs look for: Cleveland Browns jersey
character, leadership, coach-ability and consistency. Carolina's head coach, John Fox, possesses great traits as well, so he can relate to Mangum. In fact, on a team that has been one of the NFC's best since Fox's arrival four years ago, character might be its best asset. Mangum joins other key Panthers such as Jake Delhomme, Steve Smith, Julius Peppers, Mike Rucker, Dan Morgan and Mike Minter as players with great character. Honestly, the Panthers are among the few teams in the league that lack a disruptive locker room force, unless you count newly acquired receiver Keyshawn Johnson. However, the man formerly known as "Meshawn" has seemingly cleaned up his act.Throw in Seidman and Gaines, two extra blockers, and the Panthers' top trio is just fine. They also added former Virginia Tech difference-maker Jeff King in the fifth round of last month's draft, so the Panthers seem all set. For Henning and Fox, all that's needed is blocking, solid special teams play and the occasional catch from this pack of unknowns. The rest of the offense can be left up Dallas Cowboys jersey
to Delhomme, Smith, Keyshawn and the running back strength, which runs four deep. Frankly, that should be good enough to make for an elite, ball-control, big-play offense in '06 for the Panthers, and that spells bad things for the rest of the NFC South.--Get more on the Carolina Panthers' offense

13 Jan 11 Pivot Points: Kobe Bryant's Teammates Not Bearing Fair Share of Lakers' Burdens

Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesFor the duration of this NBA season, Kobe Bryant has carried his Los Angeles Laker teammates to the top of the NBA standings on the weight of some Herculean efforts and timely clutch shooting.Through the pain of a broken finger, constant double teams, injuries to other players, and subparNew York Giants jersey
performances from his bench, Kobe has persevered, and at a time when he needs his teammates the most, they have been unable to answer the bell.Bryant has visibly suffered from his finger injury recently and was forced to sit out the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs due to back spasms, and his team responded by being outscored 18-5 to close the game.Kobe is criticized for taking too many shots, but who in his stead has been assertive enough to be considered a legitimate alternative to Bryant? Pau Gasol for sure, but the Lakers don't expect him to return until this weekend against the Los Angeles Clippers.In truth, it could be longer, because hamstring injuries are tedious and the time frame for recovery drifts more to the speculative side rather than the specific, and is based more on the general feel of the player.So who steps up to share the load with Bryant? Ron Artest suffered a finger sprain of his own and is now listed as day to day, and the other members of the team have proven ill equipped for the job.Center Andrew Bynum had a strong showing against a team with superior inside strength with 23 points and 12 rebounds against the Spurs, but his performances have lacked consistency and aggressiveness, and trade rumors have began to swirl.I'm not sure if the Lakers would move Bynum, but to even consider it is a shift in previous Laker strategy, which envisioned Bynum as a cornerstone of the team far into the future.The other obvious suspect would be Lamar Odom, but afterdisplaying an unusually aggressive manner in offseason contract negotiations, Odom has reverted to his talented, meek, and inconsistent self.Sure, he shows up all over the stat sheet, but never in the dominant way his skills suggest he could, and his demeanor has never included traces of the alpha-male trait which would be New York Jets jersey
very useful in the time of Kobe's pain.And pain it has been, as Bryant has endured through a shooting slump caused by a hard hit on the finger against the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Lakers are mired in a slump which has seen them dropthree of four games.Bryant shot nowhere near as bad against the Spurs as he did in a 95-77 win against the hapless Milwaukee Bucks, where he went 4-for-21 from the field, or in the game against Portland where he scored 32 points on 37 shots.But the effects of the injury have began to show, and the Lakers can't afford to shut Bryant down for any significant portion of the season if they are to maintain their now vulnerable lead in the Western Conference.Bryant will always account for the majority of the Lakers' success simply because of the wide range of skills he possesses and the hunger and passion in which he approaches the game.But the Lakers' ailing captain is in need of a little reciprocation of the loveand the ability for his teammates to step up and help will aid Los Angeles now and further down the road.Kobe has been an iron man throughout his career, and this recent slide is sure to subside eventually, but the Lakers need to establish another player who can carry the team in his absence.The health of Gasol is paramount as he has really been the onlyLaker who has seemed Oakland Raiders jersey
to consistently produce outside of Bryant's umbrella, as his peers may have fallen victim to an over-reliance on Bryant.The time has not come to hit the panic button, but a little Laker self-reflection may be in order as Los Angeles finds itself faced with its first real adversity of the season.In order for the Lakers to keep their heads above the waters of the Western Conference, someone will have to step up and play alongside Bryant rather than in his shadow. Who might that Laker be?

13 Jan 11 Pivot Points: Kobe Bryant's Teammates Not Bearing Fair Share of Lakers' Burdens

Ronald Martinez/Getty ImagesFor the duration of this NBA season, Kobe Bryant has carried his Los Angeles Laker teammates to the top of the NBA standings on the weight of some Herculean efforts and timely clutch shooting.Through the pain of a broken finger, constant double teams, injuries to other players, and subparNew York Giants jersey
performances from his bench, Kobe has persevered, and at a time when he needs his teammates the most, they have been unable to answer the bell.Bryant has visibly suffered from his finger injury recently and was forced to sit out the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs due to back spasms, and his team responded by being outscored 18-5 to close the game.Kobe is criticized for taking too many shots, but who in his stead has been assertive enough to be considered a legitimate alternative to Bryant? Pau Gasol for sure, but the Lakers don't expect him to return until this weekend against the Los Angeles Clippers.In truth, it could be longer, because hamstring injuries are tedious and the time frame for recovery drifts more to the speculative side rather than the specific, and is based more on the general feel of the player.So who steps up to share the load with Bryant? Ron Artest suffered a finger sprain of his own and is now listed as day to day, and the other members of the team have proven ill equipped for the job.Center Andrew Bynum had a strong showing against a team with superior inside strength with 23 points and 12 rebounds against the Spurs, but his performances have lacked consistency and aggressiveness, and trade rumors have began to swirl.I'm not sure if the Lakers would move Bynum, but to even consider it is a shift in previous Laker strategy, which envisioned Bynum as a cornerstone of the team far into the future.The other obvious suspect would be Lamar Odom, but afterdisplaying an unusually aggressive manner in offseason contract negotiations, Odom has reverted to his talented, meek, and inconsistent self.Sure, he shows up all over the stat sheet, but never in the dominant way his skills suggest he could, and his demeanor has never included traces of the alpha-male trait which would be New York Jets jersey
very useful in the time of Kobe's pain.And pain it has been, as Bryant has endured through a shooting slump caused by a hard hit on the finger against the Portland Trail Blazers, and the Lakers are mired in a slump which has seen them dropthree of four games.Bryant shot nowhere near as bad against the Spurs as he did in a 95-77 win against the hapless Milwaukee Bucks, where he went 4-for-21 from the field, or in the game against Portland where he scored 32 points on 37 shots.But the effects of the injury have began to show, and the Lakers can't afford to shut Bryant down for any significant portion of the season if they are to maintain their now vulnerable lead in the Western Conference.Bryant will always account for the majority of the Lakers' success simply because of the wide range of skills he possesses and the hunger and passion in which he approaches the game.But the Lakers' ailing captain is in need of a little reciprocation of the loveand the ability for his teammates to step up and help will aid Los Angeles now and further down the road.Kobe has been an iron man throughout his career, and this recent slide is sure to subside eventually, but the Lakers need to establish another player who can carry the team in his absence.The health of Gasol is paramount as he has really been the onlyLaker who has seemed Oakland Raiders jersey
to consistently produce outside of Bryant's umbrella, as his peers may have fallen victim to an over-reliance on Bryant.The time has not come to hit the panic button, but a little Laker self-reflection may be in order as Los Angeles finds itself faced with its first real adversity of the season.In order for the Lakers to keep their heads above the waters of the Western Conference, someone will have to step up and play alongside Bryant rather than in his shadow. Who might that Laker be?

12 Jan 11 Gilbert Arenas, Javaris Crittenton: Stern's Punishment Not Harsh Enough

Brendan Smialowski/Getty ImagesAmerica has seen a drastic increase in gun violence during the past 30 years. Professional athletes have been getting caught up in the whirlwind in recent years as well. It is a shame that this even has to be pointed out.Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton pulled guns on each other in Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
the Washington Wizards' locker room while feuding over a supposed bet gone wrong. Gun violence to resolve a bad bet? That sounds like more of a city alley or a casino back room than an NBA dressing room. The NBA already has rules in place preventing possession of guns in any workplace of the league, loaded or unloaded. Arenas and Crittenton have broken that ruleas well as several local and federal laws. All they received were season-ending suspensions.Let me put this in context: Two grown men who are both well-off financially and have relatively good job security pulled guns on each other because of an unresolved betting issue. I read stories about these kinds of events every day in the newspaper, and they have a very different result. Usually one or both persons are injured or killed, and usually, an innocent bystander is almost hit or injured.The response and sanctions from NBA Commissioner David Stern should have had no relation to the criminal investigations. Arenas and Crittenton should be banned from the NBA and all associated events, arenas and everywhere else. People have pointed out that Arenas has already lost $7 million in salary from his current suspension. That is only $7 million to a man who has already earned millions in salary and endorsement deals. I find it offensive that people even consider this a legitimate argument for approving of his suspension.With other players like Stephen Jackson firing seven rounds outside a nightclub and another player being arrested for illegal possession of firearmsincluding a Reebok San Francisco 49ers #21 Frank GORE Realtree camo Jersey
shotgun in a guitar caseallowing these clowns to continue in the NBA is a grave injustice.There are no other jobs in the world where pulling a firearm on a coworker in the workplace would be tolerated and punished by only a few months' suspension without pay. It does not matter how remorseful the pair appear to be in front of the commissioner or anyone else. The pair should have been banned for life instantly from any NBA- associated program or venue.With the amount of black-on-black violence in America and the number of guns used in those instances, I believe Stern skipped out on several great opportunities to make an impact on young African-American teens' minds. He could have shown that no matter how hard you work to achieve a professional career, if you think guns solve problems, then you have no place in a professional organization.Stern could have helped reverse the current trends sweeping professional sports and the role models of most of America's youth. Instead, he decided to sweep it under the rug and allow the impact of gun violence to Reebok Washington Redskins #98 ORAKPO Realtree camo Jersey
go unpunished. Stern showed that he cares too much for revenue and keeping the status quo than for using his position for good: showing there is no tolerance for gun violence in America, no matter how many jerseys you sell or what your points-per-game average is.