I work at a SuperTarget down the street, and, every day, every employee who comes into work has to punch in. Everyone has a significant employee number, and they have to signal when they start work.
It's 10:09 in the evening, and three baseball teams have just punched the clock into the playoffs, by virtue of playing better baseball than at least four other teams, each.
Just minutes ago, Cincinnati Reds right fielder Jay Bruce swatted his 22nd home run of the season, sending the ball into the bleachers of Great American Ballpark, breaking (and ending) a 2-2 tie between the Reds and the Astros. That win sends them to the postseason for the first time since 1995.
The AL East title has yet to find a home, as has the AL Wild Card ticket, but, for weeks, it has appeared that both will belong to either of two particular teams, and now it is guaranteed. C.C. Sabathia earned his 21st win by leading his Yankees to a sound 6-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays to clinch a spot in the postseason, and the Tampa Bay Rays, behind the scorching left arm of young ace David Price (who won his 19th), defeated the Baltimore Orioles 5-0, to clinch their second-ever postseason berth, and second in the last three years.
Remember: the AL East and Wild Card are not yet decided. The Rays lead the Yankees by half a game in the standings.
Meanwhile, the last two postseason spots are in the National League. The Atlanta Braves kept their Wild Card lead (and attempt to get retiring manager Bobby Cox one last look at the postseason) alive with a 3-2 victory over the Florida Marlins, thanks primarily to a two-run homer by much-traveled Eric Hinske, who hit his bomb with the Braves trailing by a run in the seventh.
Then, in a pair of games just getting underway, the San Diego Padres host the Chicago Cubs, and the San Francisco Giants host the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Giants currently lead the NL West by a game over the Pads, and the Padres have a similar one-game deficit in the Wild Card standings, to the Braves.
It's getting exciting...
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Fightin' Phils, September 28
Last night, the two-time defending National League Champions (and 2008 World Champion) Philadelphia Phillies clinched their fourth consecutive NL East Championship with an 8-0 splattering of the Washington Nationals. Their ace, Mr. Complete Game Roy Halladay, threw just 97 pitches in a 2-hit shutout that was also his 21st win of the season. Once predicted to win the National League CY Young in his first year in the new league, he looks like the favorite as of this writing.
Well, at least they won't have to go through the formality of facing the Dodgers this time. In 2008 and 2009, the Phillies beat the Joe Torre-led Dodgers in the NLCS four-games-to-one. In the process, they out-hit a potent offense and twice humiliated a proud and proven closer in Jonathan Broxton. They've gotten grand slams off C.C. Sabathia (Shane Victorino), five-homer World Series performances (Chase Utley), the usual monster masher (Ryan Howard), and sterling pitching performances (Cole Hamels in '08, current Texas Rangers' ace Cliff Lee in '09). They've also breezed through the Milwaukee Brewers ('08 NLDS) and Colorado Rockies ('09 NLDS).
The Phils were one of the big leagues' greatest stories this year. Riddled with injuries (Utley, Victorino, Howard, 2007 MVP shortstop Jimmy Rollins), and inconsistency (Hamels, closer Brad Lidge), they managed to hang into an ever-changing NL East (at points, all five teams were in the conversation, even the Nationals). But they had an eye-popping August and September in which they blew through the National League, shot past the former division-leader Atlanta Braves, and now clinched. They have a new third ace behind Halladay and Hamels (Roy Oswalt), they're hitting, and they're probably going to be facing offensive weaklings like the San Diego Padres or the San Francisco Giants. Those teams can pitch, to be sure, but the Phils can swing with the best of 'em.
Right now, the Phils are one of two NL teams set in stone for the postseason. The other, which can clinch the NL Central (and their first postseason appearance since 1995) with a win tonight, are the Cincinnati Reds. Okay, so they're not set in stone, but the word 'Cincinnati' probably already is. With some talented hurlers (Aroldis Chapman, Edinson Volquez, Mike Leake, Bronson Arroyo) and proven, effective hitters (Scott Rolen, Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips), the Reds look like the biggest potential threat to the Phils' third straight NL pennant, and I'd pick the Phils over them in a heartbeat.
Meanwhile, in the American League, two teams are set in stone and the others are darn close to being a sure thing. The Minnesota Twins (still sans the concussive Justin Morneau) won the AL Central with a huge second half, and the Texas Rangers (still sans the wall-slamming Josh Hamilton) won the AL West because the rest of their division is a bunch of pansies. This is the 3rd straight postseason berth for the Twins, but the fourth overall for the Rangers, and first since 1999. The AL East is still up for grabs-as of this writing, the Tampa Bay Rays hold a one-half game lead over the New York Yankees. The Yanks got hammered by the Blue Jays last night, while the Rays were shut out by the Orioles. This weekend, the Yanks got a good scare when the Red Sox beat them in two of three, momentarily inserting their depleted selves back into the postseason conversation, but that appears to be a moot point. A win tonight would set either team, or both teams, in stone.
**It's worth noting here that the Yankees have kicked the Rangers unceremoniously out of the playoffs all three times they've ever made it (1996, 1998, 1999), losing just one game in the process. And, the last two times the Yankees and Twins shared the same postseason (2004, 2009), the Yanks beat 'em.
In other sports news, Donovan McNabb returns home to Philly when his 1-2 Redskins play the 2-1 Michaelvicks, I mean, ahem, the Eagles. His counterpart QB has become the biggest career comeback story since Johnny Depp. That's the big news for this coming week.
The Packers embarrassed themselves last night by committing a franchise record 18 penalties to lose to Da Bears, 20-17. Athletic star QB Aaron Rodgers kept them in the game 'till the end, even rushing for a key touchdown late, but the Pack had a field goal blocked by Julius Peppers earlier in the game, and lost a key fumble. Bears' QB Jay Cutler looks as good as he ever has in his pro career, as do defensive standouts Peppers and Brian Urlacher. Devon Hester also scored his first punt return-for-touchdown since 2007.
The defending-champion New Orleans Saints lost at home this weekend to the Atlanta Falcons when kicker Garrett Hartley missed an overtime field goal. The New York Giants were crushed for the second straight week, the Rams won a game, and Brett Favre threw a touchdown pass.
Well, at least they won't have to go through the formality of facing the Dodgers this time. In 2008 and 2009, the Phillies beat the Joe Torre-led Dodgers in the NLCS four-games-to-one. In the process, they out-hit a potent offense and twice humiliated a proud and proven closer in Jonathan Broxton. They've gotten grand slams off C.C. Sabathia (Shane Victorino), five-homer World Series performances (Chase Utley), the usual monster masher (Ryan Howard), and sterling pitching performances (Cole Hamels in '08, current Texas Rangers' ace Cliff Lee in '09). They've also breezed through the Milwaukee Brewers ('08 NLDS) and Colorado Rockies ('09 NLDS).
The Phils were one of the big leagues' greatest stories this year. Riddled with injuries (Utley, Victorino, Howard, 2007 MVP shortstop Jimmy Rollins), and inconsistency (Hamels, closer Brad Lidge), they managed to hang into an ever-changing NL East (at points, all five teams were in the conversation, even the Nationals). But they had an eye-popping August and September in which they blew through the National League, shot past the former division-leader Atlanta Braves, and now clinched. They have a new third ace behind Halladay and Hamels (Roy Oswalt), they're hitting, and they're probably going to be facing offensive weaklings like the San Diego Padres or the San Francisco Giants. Those teams can pitch, to be sure, but the Phils can swing with the best of 'em.
Right now, the Phils are one of two NL teams set in stone for the postseason. The other, which can clinch the NL Central (and their first postseason appearance since 1995) with a win tonight, are the Cincinnati Reds. Okay, so they're not set in stone, but the word 'Cincinnati' probably already is. With some talented hurlers (Aroldis Chapman, Edinson Volquez, Mike Leake, Bronson Arroyo) and proven, effective hitters (Scott Rolen, Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips), the Reds look like the biggest potential threat to the Phils' third straight NL pennant, and I'd pick the Phils over them in a heartbeat.
Meanwhile, in the American League, two teams are set in stone and the others are darn close to being a sure thing. The Minnesota Twins (still sans the concussive Justin Morneau) won the AL Central with a huge second half, and the Texas Rangers (still sans the wall-slamming Josh Hamilton) won the AL West because the rest of their division is a bunch of pansies. This is the 3rd straight postseason berth for the Twins, but the fourth overall for the Rangers, and first since 1999. The AL East is still up for grabs-as of this writing, the Tampa Bay Rays hold a one-half game lead over the New York Yankees. The Yanks got hammered by the Blue Jays last night, while the Rays were shut out by the Orioles. This weekend, the Yanks got a good scare when the Red Sox beat them in two of three, momentarily inserting their depleted selves back into the postseason conversation, but that appears to be a moot point. A win tonight would set either team, or both teams, in stone.
**It's worth noting here that the Yankees have kicked the Rangers unceremoniously out of the playoffs all three times they've ever made it (1996, 1998, 1999), losing just one game in the process. And, the last two times the Yankees and Twins shared the same postseason (2004, 2009), the Yanks beat 'em.
In other sports news, Donovan McNabb returns home to Philly when his 1-2 Redskins play the 2-1 Michaelvicks, I mean, ahem, the Eagles. His counterpart QB has become the biggest career comeback story since Johnny Depp. That's the big news for this coming week.
The Packers embarrassed themselves last night by committing a franchise record 18 penalties to lose to Da Bears, 20-17. Athletic star QB Aaron Rodgers kept them in the game 'till the end, even rushing for a key touchdown late, but the Pack had a field goal blocked by Julius Peppers earlier in the game, and lost a key fumble. Bears' QB Jay Cutler looks as good as he ever has in his pro career, as do defensive standouts Peppers and Brian Urlacher. Devon Hester also scored his first punt return-for-touchdown since 2007.
The defending-champion New Orleans Saints lost at home this weekend to the Atlanta Falcons when kicker Garrett Hartley missed an overtime field goal. The New York Giants were crushed for the second straight week, the Rams won a game, and Brett Favre threw a touchdown pass.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
State of Play, September 22
The Old Ballgame
Well, the Minnesota Twins clinched the AL Central Division last night thanks to a win over the Indians, and a loss by the Chicago White Sox to the Oakland Athletics. Early in the season, the Twins were trailing the Miguel Cabrera-and-Company Tigers, then, later, they were trailing the White Sox, who had a ridiculous record in interleague play. But, after the All-Star break, even without former MVP candidate Justin Morneau, they were the winningest team in the league, thanks to defending AL MVP Joe Mauer, Delmon Young, Denard Span, and Jim Thome. They're a great team with a hot new ballpark (Target Field), but they'll have their work cut out for them in the postseason, because they'll be facing one of the AL East Titans.
Speaking of whom, the Rays dropped their second straight game to the Yankees, making the AL East lead 2 1/2 games. The Rays are good, but I don't see them beating the Yanks in the ALCS if both teams get that far.
In the National League, Roy Halladay got to 20 National League wins (that didn't take long). Now the Phillies are a force capable of moving heaven and earth, what with all the sluggers (Ryan Howard, Jason Werth, Raul Ibanez), and The Big Three (Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels) tossing three days out of the week, not to mention all their recent post-season experience. They'd be the first National League team in over 60 years to play in 3 consecutive World Series'.
Meanwhile, the Colorado Tulowitzkis (just kidding, the Rockies) lost a game on both the Giants and the Padres last night. Time's not quite up for the Rox to continue their trademark late-season surge, but it'll be tough to catch two teams. The Braves remain in the hunt for the NL Wild Card.
Are You Ready For Some
Now, in football, things are blooming. The Cowboys and Vikings are 0-2, the Texans, Packers, and Saints are 2-0, Peyton Manning embarrassed his little brother on national TV in the Colts' big-time Sunday night win, Sam Bradford isn't making the Rams any better... Some of the real
eyesores of the week: Baltimore Ravens' quarterback Joe Flacco threw four interceptions in his team's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals (the Ravens' much-ballyhooed offense of Flacco, Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, Todd Heap, Anquan Boldin, etc.., has scored just 20 points in two games), and the New England Patriots-the Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker patriots- "sucked" (in Brady's words) in the 2nd half of a Sunday afternoon loss to the New York Jets. They were outscored 18-0 in the 3rd and 4th quarters, and, in the process, made Mark Sanchez look like Joe Montana. Nice job, guys.
Of course, there is a big fuss right now over the fact that Philadelphia Eagles' coach Andy Reid named Michael Vick his starting quarterback a day after naming Game One starter Kevin Kolb his starting quarterback. Kolb had been heavily hyped by the Eagles, even before they traded 11-year veteran Donovan McNabb to the Redskins. Now, Kolb misses one-and-a-half games with a concussion, and he's out. Now Vick, who's quickly turning into a great story (successful post-prison career), will start, and he's got a heck of a schedule facing him. In just two weeks, Philly will play host to McNabb's homecoming.
The Hurt Locker
In college, how the mighty are falling... National Championship Game hopeful Iowa drove a mac track over said hopes of grandeur by losing to Arizona on a last-minute drive last week, much-hyped Washington QB Jake Locker passed for just 71 yards and earned a 20.6 QB rating in an ugly loss to #6 Nebraska, and Houston QB Case Keenum-an extremely talented individual-was lost for the season with an ACL tear.
Quacking Up
A lot of college teams are 3-0 this season, but none are doing it with more style than the fifth-ranked Oregon Ducks. In Week One, they set all kinds of records in a 72-0 disemboweling of New Mexico, then went to Tennessee and beat the snot out of the SEC-power Volunteers, 48-13, then went back home and splattered Portland State 69-0. I saw an ESPN clip of 'The Duck' mascot doing push-ups in the End Zone. If he does those all cumulatively, I'd seriously be amazed if he managed all of them. Watch for this team.
And speaking of blowouts, each of the nation's top teams are burning people worse than Sherman burned Atlanta in 1864. Number One Alabama has been rolling (nice to have you back, Mark Ingram, especially with your 100+ rushing yards in the first quarter against Duke), #3 Boise State is chugging (Kellen Moore passed for 370 yards last week), and #6 TCU has won 9 of its last 10 games by 27 or more points.
What's in Store
in Baseball? Quite a lot, actually. Half of the Rays/Yankees four-game series is left (if the Rays win the next two, it would end the series with them trailing by just a half-game). Whoever loses the AL East Crown is basically guaranteed the AL Wild Card. The National League West is still a catfight between the Giants and Padres (Giants up by a half-game), as is the NL Wild Card (Padres down a game to the Atlanta Braves). And the race for the AL's best record is still on. Whoever thought the Twins would change the Yankees or the Rays for said accomplishment, raise your hands. Didn't think so. They trail the Yankees by one whole win as of Wednesday the 22nd.
in the NFL? Oh, still more than three quarters of the season. The Giants, Patriots, Ravens, and Vikings look to rebound from ugly losses against, respectively, the Titans, Bills, Browns, and Lions. Michael Vick will start against the Jaguars. The Saints will march into Atlanta to play the Falcons. The Colts play the Broncos, Monday Night Football will see the Bears play the Packers, and Sunday afternoon plays host to the Texas Bowl (Houston Texans vs. Dallas Cowboys), which is a huge game for the surprising 2-0 Texans and the disappointing 0-2 Cowboys.
in College Football? Plenty. The SEC biggies square off when #1 Alabama visits #10 Arkansas, #12 South Carolina plays #17 Auburn, and struggling #9 Florida plays Kentucky. The Boise State Broncos get their last real test of the season by facing ranked Oregon State. Texas plays UCLA, Nebraska plays South Dakota State, and the nation's #2 team, Ohio State, plays Eastern Michigan.
Let the games begin.
Well, the Minnesota Twins clinched the AL Central Division last night thanks to a win over the Indians, and a loss by the Chicago White Sox to the Oakland Athletics. Early in the season, the Twins were trailing the Miguel Cabrera-and-Company Tigers, then, later, they were trailing the White Sox, who had a ridiculous record in interleague play. But, after the All-Star break, even without former MVP candidate Justin Morneau, they were the winningest team in the league, thanks to defending AL MVP Joe Mauer, Delmon Young, Denard Span, and Jim Thome. They're a great team with a hot new ballpark (Target Field), but they'll have their work cut out for them in the postseason, because they'll be facing one of the AL East Titans.
Speaking of whom, the Rays dropped their second straight game to the Yankees, making the AL East lead 2 1/2 games. The Rays are good, but I don't see them beating the Yanks in the ALCS if both teams get that far.
In the National League, Roy Halladay got to 20 National League wins (that didn't take long). Now the Phillies are a force capable of moving heaven and earth, what with all the sluggers (Ryan Howard, Jason Werth, Raul Ibanez), and The Big Three (Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Cole Hamels) tossing three days out of the week, not to mention all their recent post-season experience. They'd be the first National League team in over 60 years to play in 3 consecutive World Series'.
Meanwhile, the Colorado Tulowitzkis (just kidding, the Rockies) lost a game on both the Giants and the Padres last night. Time's not quite up for the Rox to continue their trademark late-season surge, but it'll be tough to catch two teams. The Braves remain in the hunt for the NL Wild Card.
Are You Ready For Some
Now, in football, things are blooming. The Cowboys and Vikings are 0-2, the Texans, Packers, and Saints are 2-0, Peyton Manning embarrassed his little brother on national TV in the Colts' big-time Sunday night win, Sam Bradford isn't making the Rams any better... Some of the real
eyesores of the week: Baltimore Ravens' quarterback Joe Flacco threw four interceptions in his team's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals (the Ravens' much-ballyhooed offense of Flacco, Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, Todd Heap, Anquan Boldin, etc.., has scored just 20 points in two games), and the New England Patriots-the Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker patriots- "sucked" (in Brady's words) in the 2nd half of a Sunday afternoon loss to the New York Jets. They were outscored 18-0 in the 3rd and 4th quarters, and, in the process, made Mark Sanchez look like Joe Montana. Nice job, guys.
Of course, there is a big fuss right now over the fact that Philadelphia Eagles' coach Andy Reid named Michael Vick his starting quarterback a day after naming Game One starter Kevin Kolb his starting quarterback. Kolb had been heavily hyped by the Eagles, even before they traded 11-year veteran Donovan McNabb to the Redskins. Now, Kolb misses one-and-a-half games with a concussion, and he's out. Now Vick, who's quickly turning into a great story (successful post-prison career), will start, and he's got a heck of a schedule facing him. In just two weeks, Philly will play host to McNabb's homecoming.
The Hurt Locker
In college, how the mighty are falling... National Championship Game hopeful Iowa drove a mac track over said hopes of grandeur by losing to Arizona on a last-minute drive last week, much-hyped Washington QB Jake Locker passed for just 71 yards and earned a 20.6 QB rating in an ugly loss to #6 Nebraska, and Houston QB Case Keenum-an extremely talented individual-was lost for the season with an ACL tear.
Quacking Up
A lot of college teams are 3-0 this season, but none are doing it with more style than the fifth-ranked Oregon Ducks. In Week One, they set all kinds of records in a 72-0 disemboweling of New Mexico, then went to Tennessee and beat the snot out of the SEC-power Volunteers, 48-13, then went back home and splattered Portland State 69-0. I saw an ESPN clip of 'The Duck' mascot doing push-ups in the End Zone. If he does those all cumulatively, I'd seriously be amazed if he managed all of them. Watch for this team.
And speaking of blowouts, each of the nation's top teams are burning people worse than Sherman burned Atlanta in 1864. Number One Alabama has been rolling (nice to have you back, Mark Ingram, especially with your 100+ rushing yards in the first quarter against Duke), #3 Boise State is chugging (Kellen Moore passed for 370 yards last week), and #6 TCU has won 9 of its last 10 games by 27 or more points.
What's in Store
in Baseball? Quite a lot, actually. Half of the Rays/Yankees four-game series is left (if the Rays win the next two, it would end the series with them trailing by just a half-game). Whoever loses the AL East Crown is basically guaranteed the AL Wild Card. The National League West is still a catfight between the Giants and Padres (Giants up by a half-game), as is the NL Wild Card (Padres down a game to the Atlanta Braves). And the race for the AL's best record is still on. Whoever thought the Twins would change the Yankees or the Rays for said accomplishment, raise your hands. Didn't think so. They trail the Yankees by one whole win as of Wednesday the 22nd.
in the NFL? Oh, still more than three quarters of the season. The Giants, Patriots, Ravens, and Vikings look to rebound from ugly losses against, respectively, the Titans, Bills, Browns, and Lions. Michael Vick will start against the Jaguars. The Saints will march into Atlanta to play the Falcons. The Colts play the Broncos, Monday Night Football will see the Bears play the Packers, and Sunday afternoon plays host to the Texas Bowl (Houston Texans vs. Dallas Cowboys), which is a huge game for the surprising 2-0 Texans and the disappointing 0-2 Cowboys.
in College Football? Plenty. The SEC biggies square off when #1 Alabama visits #10 Arkansas, #12 South Carolina plays #17 Auburn, and struggling #9 Florida plays Kentucky. The Boise State Broncos get their last real test of the season by facing ranked Oregon State. Texas plays UCLA, Nebraska plays South Dakota State, and the nation's #2 team, Ohio State, plays Eastern Michigan.
Let the games begin.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Alabama vs. Penn State, 9/11/10
The last five minutes of the fourth quarter were probably the toughest of the game for Penn State University starting quarterback Robert Bolden, and he wasn't even playing.
By that point, his Nittany Lions were down, 24-3, to the home team Alabama Crimson Tide, the top-ranked team in the country. Bolden, a true freshman making his first road start (doing so, no less, in front of a crowd of nearly 100,000 in Tuscaloosa), had had a respectable night passing, completing 13 of 29 attempts for 144 yards. He had been sacked a few times, and had drives wither and die under his watch, but he had also gained a key 4th & 1 single-handedly, and kept his team in the ballgame.
The last five minutes of the game were probably the toughest for Bolden because his team had the ball, and he wasn't taking the snaps.
One can only speculate why it was fellow freshman Kevin Newsome under center for that final, short Penn State drive, and, while it would probably be pushing it-and inaccurate-to say he was 'demoted' or 'benched' during that final drive, one thing is for sure: he could have been under center, and probably would have been, had he and the Lions not made some crucial mistakes.
On the Nittany Lions' second drive, one in which they gained more than 70 yards in response to a stunningly succinct Alabama scoring drive, Bolden had the ball at the 20 for a 3rd & 8. The ball was snapped, he backpedaled, saw his offensive line collapsing, and started backpedaling faster. He had a receiver downfield, near the end zone, and as the red jerseys swarming at him closed in, and knocked him to the ground, he tossed a wobbly spiral toward the end zone. It fell, neatly, into the hands of an Alabama defender, for an interception, that would turn into a touchdown and a 14-0 deficit.
Just minutes into the second quarter, the Lions had another chance, especially after Bolden and receiver Stephen Kesey pulled off a perfect screen pass for a 25-yard gain. But on a 2nd & 6, he tossed the ball to one of his receivers. His teammate was hit, lost the ball, and Bolden was soon jogging half-heartedly downfield after a sprinting Crimson Tide team.
Maybe there was nothing he could have done about the fumble. It wasn't his fault. Nor was it necessarily his fault that, in the early moments of the third quarter, another pass he threw under pressure was caught by a sprawling Alabama defender for a second interception. Nor was it his fault that on the next possession, he threw a perfect spiral to a wide-open receiver who dropped the ball, losing a first down on a crucial 3rd & 12.
Penn State and its legendary coach, all-time NCAA football wins leader Joe Paterno (395 wins), aren't going to blame their 24-3 loss to #1 Alabama on Bolden. He played hard, and, for a true freshman, showed grit and, often, poise, in the face of adverse conditions that included the nation's best team, at home, against an opposing quarterback (Greg McElroy) who hasn't lost a start since 8th grade, and an opposing running back (sophomore Trent Richardson) who shrugs off tacklers like sweaters and can out-sprint most defenders.
The number speak for themselves. Bolden's teammate, Collin Wagner, saved Penn State from an uglier loss, on paper, by kicking a 36-yard field goal with about 10 minutes left. The Lions were beaten soundly by a team favored to defend a national championship. They gave up more than 150 yards on the ground (144 by Richardson), and 229 through the air (McElroy completed 16 of 24 passes, including touchdowns of 36 and 14 yards). They picked up just 5 of 14 third-down conversions.
But, the real sting in this game comes not from the final score or the 1 in Penn State's loss column. It comes from the fact that, yes, Bama's offense looked unstoppable more than once during this game, but the Lions, but for a few costly mistakes, displayed amiable enough offense to counter it. Had Bolden not forced a pass or two, or had someone held the ball more tightly, this game could very well have gone down to the wire.
By that point, his Nittany Lions were down, 24-3, to the home team Alabama Crimson Tide, the top-ranked team in the country. Bolden, a true freshman making his first road start (doing so, no less, in front of a crowd of nearly 100,000 in Tuscaloosa), had had a respectable night passing, completing 13 of 29 attempts for 144 yards. He had been sacked a few times, and had drives wither and die under his watch, but he had also gained a key 4th & 1 single-handedly, and kept his team in the ballgame.
The last five minutes of the game were probably the toughest for Bolden because his team had the ball, and he wasn't taking the snaps.
One can only speculate why it was fellow freshman Kevin Newsome under center for that final, short Penn State drive, and, while it would probably be pushing it-and inaccurate-to say he was 'demoted' or 'benched' during that final drive, one thing is for sure: he could have been under center, and probably would have been, had he and the Lions not made some crucial mistakes.
On the Nittany Lions' second drive, one in which they gained more than 70 yards in response to a stunningly succinct Alabama scoring drive, Bolden had the ball at the 20 for a 3rd & 8. The ball was snapped, he backpedaled, saw his offensive line collapsing, and started backpedaling faster. He had a receiver downfield, near the end zone, and as the red jerseys swarming at him closed in, and knocked him to the ground, he tossed a wobbly spiral toward the end zone. It fell, neatly, into the hands of an Alabama defender, for an interception, that would turn into a touchdown and a 14-0 deficit.
Just minutes into the second quarter, the Lions had another chance, especially after Bolden and receiver Stephen Kesey pulled off a perfect screen pass for a 25-yard gain. But on a 2nd & 6, he tossed the ball to one of his receivers. His teammate was hit, lost the ball, and Bolden was soon jogging half-heartedly downfield after a sprinting Crimson Tide team.
Maybe there was nothing he could have done about the fumble. It wasn't his fault. Nor was it necessarily his fault that, in the early moments of the third quarter, another pass he threw under pressure was caught by a sprawling Alabama defender for a second interception. Nor was it his fault that on the next possession, he threw a perfect spiral to a wide-open receiver who dropped the ball, losing a first down on a crucial 3rd & 12.
Penn State and its legendary coach, all-time NCAA football wins leader Joe Paterno (395 wins), aren't going to blame their 24-3 loss to #1 Alabama on Bolden. He played hard, and, for a true freshman, showed grit and, often, poise, in the face of adverse conditions that included the nation's best team, at home, against an opposing quarterback (Greg McElroy) who hasn't lost a start since 8th grade, and an opposing running back (sophomore Trent Richardson) who shrugs off tacklers like sweaters and can out-sprint most defenders.
The number speak for themselves. Bolden's teammate, Collin Wagner, saved Penn State from an uglier loss, on paper, by kicking a 36-yard field goal with about 10 minutes left. The Lions were beaten soundly by a team favored to defend a national championship. They gave up more than 150 yards on the ground (144 by Richardson), and 229 through the air (McElroy completed 16 of 24 passes, including touchdowns of 36 and 14 yards). They picked up just 5 of 14 third-down conversions.
But, the real sting in this game comes not from the final score or the 1 in Penn State's loss column. It comes from the fact that, yes, Bama's offense looked unstoppable more than once during this game, but the Lions, but for a few costly mistakes, displayed amiable enough offense to counter it. Had Bolden not forced a pass or two, or had someone held the ball more tightly, this game could very well have gone down to the wire.
Friday, September 10, 2010
In Memoriam
I wasn't going to blog tonight, because I work early tomorrow and I'm planning to cover tomorrow night's marquee match-up, Penn State vs. Alabama, but a little something happened tonight. I turned on the TV to eat my dinner to the tune of some football, and an amazing story started creeping up. Really, truly, real-life inspiring and amazing. Then, however, something happened. Life happened. Sports happened. And it was taken away.
The game was between the Mountaineers of West Virginia University (ranked 23rd in the nation) and the Thundering Herd of Marshall. This is the primary rivalry between teams in the small state of West Virginia. They've faced off nine times since 1911 (that's the year before the Titanic sank) and the Mountaineers, of a school rightly called a powerhouse, has won every time.
Tonight's game wasn't supposed to be a big deal, sports-wise. Being nationally ranked, and with that huge historical edge to boot, WVU was supposed to clobber the Herd, who were coming off an ugly lopsided week one loss to The Ohio State University, the nation's second-ranked team. There were lots of statistics, but, let's just say no one expected this to be a three-point game.
However, from a historical standpoint, it was a biggie. Point A) You've heard of Marshall University, because everyone has, because, four years ago, a movie called 'We Are Marshall' was released, starring Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox, and detailing the program's struggles in the wake of the November 14, 1970 plane crash that killed all their players and all their coaches, about 75 people in all. It was the biggest loss in the history of NCAA sports. Anyway, this November will be the 40-year anniversary of said event.
Point B) Mary Jane Tolley, the widow of the coach who was killed in that crash, performed the opening coin toss, in attendance at her first football game in exactly 40 years. Point C) Marshall Head Coach 'Doc' Holliday, who grew up some 20 minutes from the campus, had his alma mater at Marshall but coached in the WVU system for years since. Tonight was beyond his first home game as Marshall head coach; it was his first time even in their new stadium.
Well, it was a surprise to everyone when Marshall opened the game on a hot streak. They counted a 55-yard rush from scrimmage on their first drive of the game, followed up a blocked WVU field goal with a 96-yard touchdown reception, and took a 14-3 lead into half time. The chants of "We. Are. Marshall." rang out, clearly audible on the television. Across the field, the 23rd-ranked team in the nation was in disarray.
With the crowd firmly behind them, the Thundering Herd added a touchdown in the third quarter, gave up one field goal and blocked another, and, with 8:28 to go, recovered a WVU fumble in their own Red Zone and looked to score to put the game away. On their second play from scrimmage, their freshman running back (somebody Martinez) lost a fumble at the four-yard line. In just over three minutes, the Mountaineers, led by sophomore quarterback Geno Smith, roll out 9 plays and 96 yards for a touchdown. 21-13.
After a short, unfortunate possession by the Herd, the Mountaineers took over again, with 3 minutes left, at their own 2 yard line. They drove-against a defense that had repeatedly stopped them cold in the first half (Marshall had players with 2+ sacks and 15 tackles)-98 yards to score, adding the two-point conversion to tie the game. 21-21.
It almost goes without saying that, in overtime, West Virgina kicked a field goal, stuffed the Marshall offense and let them kick a 40-yard field goal. There, Thundering Herd kicker Tyler Warner became a most-undeserving symbol of a night of drama, momentum, play, and, yes, history, when his high, arching kick fell just a few feet shy to the right. WVU wins 24-21.
I was crushed, and I know thousands of others were, as well. Gone was the 40-year-anniversary, they finally won, storyline. Gone was the they finally won, first in a rivalry since 1911 storyline. Gone was the coach's first home game for the school he grew up loving storyline. Gone, even, was the defeating a ranked team in their home opener storyline. Gone. Doc Holliday looked close to tears, the fans looked shocked, and I searched for a word to describe the general feeling. I think I found one.
From The Merriam-Webster Dictionary: Devastate-to reduce to chaos or helplessness
Now, since the game ended, I've had to reminded myself not to get carried away. The Thundering Herd didn't play a snap of this game in the memory of the 75 friends who died 40 years ago, or for those people's friends or families. They weren't playing for the widow back for her first football game in 40 years. They weren't playing for that tragedy. They weren't playing to heal anyone's hurt. And the Mountaineers, for beating them, most certainly are not villains.
Sports often makes for great drama, yes, in winning and losing, but that's what lost this game, sports. I don't know if the pumped, mile-a-minute Thundering Herd defense from the first half tired out. I do know that Geno Smith, star running back Noelle Devine, and the other Mountaineer offensive players just started to play lights out, finding every crease and every hole. I know that they earned a victory-a steep comeback one at that-from 15 points down in the opposing team's stadium by marching for over 200 yards of offense in less than six minutes, not to mention overtime. I do know that they never game up the game.
This loss was devastating, yes, for a lot of reasons. We miss, and hope to always remember and honor, the 75 people who died 40 years ago. But it was a good team playing better football than another good team, and playing it precisely when they needed to. That's how you win in sports.
On another note, tomorrow is Monster Saturday, with a number of huge matchups, including a rematch of the 2003 Fiesta Bowl for championship, Miami (13th in the nation) vs. Ohio State (2nd), Michigan and Notre Dame, Florida State and Oklahoma, and, the game I plan to watch, Alabama and Penn State. I think that one may be the only game where both teams' coaches are more well-known than any player (Joe Paterno, the all-time NCAA football wins leader, for Penn, and two-time national champion Nick Saban, of Alabama).
I hope I'm not hurting anyone's feelings with what I wrote about Marshall. I sincerely wanted them to win, and I wanted them to do it for all those historical reasons. But, at the end of the day, they lost a football game. Someone always loses. Maybe we can all say a prayer for the friends and families of those who died. And, of course, we can always remember them. They deserve that.
The game was between the Mountaineers of West Virginia University (ranked 23rd in the nation) and the Thundering Herd of Marshall. This is the primary rivalry between teams in the small state of West Virginia. They've faced off nine times since 1911 (that's the year before the Titanic sank) and the Mountaineers, of a school rightly called a powerhouse, has won every time.
Tonight's game wasn't supposed to be a big deal, sports-wise. Being nationally ranked, and with that huge historical edge to boot, WVU was supposed to clobber the Herd, who were coming off an ugly lopsided week one loss to The Ohio State University, the nation's second-ranked team. There were lots of statistics, but, let's just say no one expected this to be a three-point game.
However, from a historical standpoint, it was a biggie. Point A) You've heard of Marshall University, because everyone has, because, four years ago, a movie called 'We Are Marshall' was released, starring Matthew McConaughey and Matthew Fox, and detailing the program's struggles in the wake of the November 14, 1970 plane crash that killed all their players and all their coaches, about 75 people in all. It was the biggest loss in the history of NCAA sports. Anyway, this November will be the 40-year anniversary of said event.
Point B) Mary Jane Tolley, the widow of the coach who was killed in that crash, performed the opening coin toss, in attendance at her first football game in exactly 40 years. Point C) Marshall Head Coach 'Doc' Holliday, who grew up some 20 minutes from the campus, had his alma mater at Marshall but coached in the WVU system for years since. Tonight was beyond his first home game as Marshall head coach; it was his first time even in their new stadium.
Well, it was a surprise to everyone when Marshall opened the game on a hot streak. They counted a 55-yard rush from scrimmage on their first drive of the game, followed up a blocked WVU field goal with a 96-yard touchdown reception, and took a 14-3 lead into half time. The chants of "We. Are. Marshall." rang out, clearly audible on the television. Across the field, the 23rd-ranked team in the nation was in disarray.
With the crowd firmly behind them, the Thundering Herd added a touchdown in the third quarter, gave up one field goal and blocked another, and, with 8:28 to go, recovered a WVU fumble in their own Red Zone and looked to score to put the game away. On their second play from scrimmage, their freshman running back (somebody Martinez) lost a fumble at the four-yard line. In just over three minutes, the Mountaineers, led by sophomore quarterback Geno Smith, roll out 9 plays and 96 yards for a touchdown. 21-13.
After a short, unfortunate possession by the Herd, the Mountaineers took over again, with 3 minutes left, at their own 2 yard line. They drove-against a defense that had repeatedly stopped them cold in the first half (Marshall had players with 2+ sacks and 15 tackles)-98 yards to score, adding the two-point conversion to tie the game. 21-21.
It almost goes without saying that, in overtime, West Virgina kicked a field goal, stuffed the Marshall offense and let them kick a 40-yard field goal. There, Thundering Herd kicker Tyler Warner became a most-undeserving symbol of a night of drama, momentum, play, and, yes, history, when his high, arching kick fell just a few feet shy to the right. WVU wins 24-21.
I was crushed, and I know thousands of others were, as well. Gone was the 40-year-anniversary, they finally won, storyline. Gone was the they finally won, first in a rivalry since 1911 storyline. Gone was the coach's first home game for the school he grew up loving storyline. Gone, even, was the defeating a ranked team in their home opener storyline. Gone. Doc Holliday looked close to tears, the fans looked shocked, and I searched for a word to describe the general feeling. I think I found one.
From The Merriam-Webster Dictionary: Devastate-to reduce to chaos or helplessness
Now, since the game ended, I've had to reminded myself not to get carried away. The Thundering Herd didn't play a snap of this game in the memory of the 75 friends who died 40 years ago, or for those people's friends or families. They weren't playing for the widow back for her first football game in 40 years. They weren't playing for that tragedy. They weren't playing to heal anyone's hurt. And the Mountaineers, for beating them, most certainly are not villains.
Sports often makes for great drama, yes, in winning and losing, but that's what lost this game, sports. I don't know if the pumped, mile-a-minute Thundering Herd defense from the first half tired out. I do know that Geno Smith, star running back Noelle Devine, and the other Mountaineer offensive players just started to play lights out, finding every crease and every hole. I know that they earned a victory-a steep comeback one at that-from 15 points down in the opposing team's stadium by marching for over 200 yards of offense in less than six minutes, not to mention overtime. I do know that they never game up the game.
This loss was devastating, yes, for a lot of reasons. We miss, and hope to always remember and honor, the 75 people who died 40 years ago. But it was a good team playing better football than another good team, and playing it precisely when they needed to. That's how you win in sports.
On another note, tomorrow is Monster Saturday, with a number of huge matchups, including a rematch of the 2003 Fiesta Bowl for championship, Miami (13th in the nation) vs. Ohio State (2nd), Michigan and Notre Dame, Florida State and Oklahoma, and, the game I plan to watch, Alabama and Penn State. I think that one may be the only game where both teams' coaches are more well-known than any player (Joe Paterno, the all-time NCAA football wins leader, for Penn, and two-time national champion Nick Saban, of Alabama).
I hope I'm not hurting anyone's feelings with what I wrote about Marshall. I sincerely wanted them to win, and I wanted them to do it for all those historical reasons. But, at the end of the day, they lost a football game. Someone always loses. Maybe we can all say a prayer for the friends and families of those who died. And, of course, we can always remember them. They deserve that.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Anticipating Alabama
It's funny how the Baltimore Orioles looked like a perfectly competent team tonight, beating the New York Yankees in Yankee Stadium, 6-2, denying Yankees ace C.C. Sabathia his 20th win. They looked good on defense, pitching, and offense. It's weird that they actually perform well against the monsters of the AL East (Yankees, Rays, Red Sox) but still put up 90+ loss seasons because they play subpar ball most of the rest of the time. It's a bummer. The O's have always had offensive talent. If Buck Showalter can keep up the magic, and put some decent pitchers on the mound and, especially, in the bullpen, they could be a halfway decent team next year.
The next game I intend to blog about is Saturday night's showdown between the Penn State Nittany Lions (ranked 19th overall) and the defending champion Alabama Crimson Tide, who are the top team in the country. Defending Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, Alabama's junior running back, who missed the season opener with a knee injury, is questionable for that contest. Game starts at 7:00.
I've read that at the start of every Alabama home football game, a recording of legendary Tide coach Paul "Bear" Bryant plays over the sound system, proclaiming: "I ain't never been nothin' but a winner." That holds true for current Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy, who hasn't lost a game as a starting QB since high school. Can't quite imagine Penn State ending that streak, but I guess we'll see.
The next game I intend to blog about is Saturday night's showdown between the Penn State Nittany Lions (ranked 19th overall) and the defending champion Alabama Crimson Tide, who are the top team in the country. Defending Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram, Alabama's junior running back, who missed the season opener with a knee injury, is questionable for that contest. Game starts at 7:00.
I've read that at the start of every Alabama home football game, a recording of legendary Tide coach Paul "Bear" Bryant plays over the sound system, proclaiming: "I ain't never been nothin' but a winner." That holds true for current Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy, who hasn't lost a game as a starting QB since high school. Can't quite imagine Penn State ending that streak, but I guess we'll see.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Monday, September 6, Boise State vs. Virginia Tech
"Game one, and that's what it is.." -Boise State Head Coach Chris Petersen after his team's wild 33-30 win over the Hokies
Wow. If that was only Game One, sign me up for the next 12!!!
I know what he means, of course: he's downplaying all the superlatives (i.e. that this game was "a championship game" for the Broncos, that it was "the biggest game in Boise State History", that it was "all-or-nothing for the Broncos", etc..) and reminding everyone that, duh, all it means is that the Boise State Broncos beat the Virgina Tech Hokies on the night of Monday, September 6, in their first game of the season. And, oh yeah, they have 11 more. And there's absolutely no guarantee that they'll go on to repeat the kind of success they had last season, when they went 14-0, including a win over similarly then-undefeated TCU in the Fiesta Bowl.
But I do think he was being a little tongue-in-cheek, because that was a heck of a game. It was a marquee match-up, between two teams that are in the Top Ten in the Associated Press national rankings (Boise is #3, Tech is #10). It was the last game of the first week of the 2010 college football season. And it was the first chance for the Broncos to show that they belong in the conversation, the one that determines who can play for the National Championship. And the Broncos, coming from the WAC (Western Athletic Conference), where they play lightweights like San Jose State, New Mexico State and Utah State, must not only repeat last year's perfect record to be in that conversation, but they also needed to beat Virginia Tech, which figures to be harder to beat than anyone else they'll see this season.
But we all knew that for weeks (even months) heading into this game. The game itself, the EVENT, as something else entirely. Eighty-thousand fans (including several thousand from, TA-DA, Boise, Idaho, 2,300 miles away) packed into FedEx Field, home of Donovan McNabb and the NFL's Washington Redskins. It was a primetime, nationally-televised game on Labor Day. And, to me, it was even more special, because my brother goes to Virgina Tech, and was at the game, as was my dad. So it was epic.
Anyway, the game was nails-on-the-chalkboard awful early on, at least for Tech fans, when their team staggered through a dismal first quarter that left them down 17-0 after 15 minutes. Their first play from scrimmage was a fumble after the snap bounced off the fingertips of highly-touted senior quarterback Tyrod Taylor and was recovered by Boise and turned into a field goal. Then they can't even punt without screwing up, kicking the ball off an opposing receiver and setting up a quick touchdown for Boise State's pride and joy, QB Kellen Moore, who looks like that weird cousin you're embarrassed to be around but plays quarterback like Peyton Manning. And, when he gets a touchdown, he pumps his fist with more enthusiasm than the Tiger Woods of old, which all the Tech fans got to watch, twice, in that first quarter.
But, then, Tyrod Taylor, who has Vince Young/Michael Vick/Tim Tebow type tools, starts getting his act together and stops being intimidated by the experienced Boise State defense. Or, maybe it was just that he started throwing the ball. After going all Vick on us and just running after quickly seeing all his men covered for the first nine plays from scrimmage, he makes pass completions of 16 and 43 yards to set up their first touchdown, making it 17-7.
Let me skip some meanderings and just say, by halftime, it was 20-14, the crowd was back in it, and no matter was hailing Boise State as February's National Championship heir apparent anymore. The Hokies were alive and kicking. Seriously. While this was a great game for Boise State, a big win, an exciting contest and a vindication of Kellen Moore, it was also very much a coming out party for Taylor. I mean, he jumped clean over an oncoming tackler at one point in the third quarter en route to a game-high rush of 29 yards. While, early in the game, it looked like he was running because he lacked confidence in his offense or didn't feel like he had time to throw, no he was running because he knew he could make it.And, during a 2nd and 9 on Tech's first possession in the fourth quarter, Taylor held the ball long enough to be nearly sacked, dropped almost to all fours, somehow kept his knees up while using just his left fingertips to keep himself from falling all the way down, got back up, and trucked for 11 yards. I didn't describe that very well. Suffice to say a lot of people, let alone quarterbacks, wouldn't have been able to do that, and wouldn't have even tried.
Not long after that, Tech kicked a field goal, and it was 30-26. This came after their then-21-20 lead was eradicated when Boise State's D.J. Harper took a hand-off on a third-and-one, broke one tackle, and proceeded to run 71 yards for a shocker of a touchdown.
Anyway, to make a long(er) story short, the Hokies didn't do a good enough job of running out the clock late, they got a bad late hit penalty on Boise's ensuing drive, and Kellen Moore connected with Austin Pettis with 1:14 left to make it 33-30. Taylor's magic subsequently ran out in the last 50-some-odd seconds of the game and they lost a tough one.
This was a great game. I admit I've been getting nervous about the length of this post (and my direct memory of the game is fading slightly by now; it is a quarter after 1 a.m.), so I've skipped some finer details, but this game was terrific. My jaw dropped a number of times, and I had mostly written the Hokies off after that hideous first quarter. Then I assumed they had it in the bag, that no way was Boise going to catch up. Wrong. And I had assumed I would see my brother on TV because he's in the Corps of Cadets, he went to the game with said Corps of Cadets, and he told me they had a big banner with them, and I know, if there's two things the telecasts always show at football games (other than the cheerleaders) it's guys in uniform and eye-catching banners. I was wrong on both accounts. Sorry, Joel, I didn't see you :(
Yeah, so, hopefully the next game I watch won't have so many background details. I'm hoping to next write about Penn State/Alabama Saturday night. Bad night for the Hokies, and tomorrow will be a miserably day for the Tech campus, as everyone skips class because they're hung over, catching up on sleep, or just plain not interested. Anyway, until next time...see ya.
Wow. If that was only Game One, sign me up for the next 12!!!
I know what he means, of course: he's downplaying all the superlatives (i.e. that this game was "a championship game" for the Broncos, that it was "the biggest game in Boise State History", that it was "all-or-nothing for the Broncos", etc..) and reminding everyone that, duh, all it means is that the Boise State Broncos beat the Virgina Tech Hokies on the night of Monday, September 6, in their first game of the season. And, oh yeah, they have 11 more. And there's absolutely no guarantee that they'll go on to repeat the kind of success they had last season, when they went 14-0, including a win over similarly then-undefeated TCU in the Fiesta Bowl.
But I do think he was being a little tongue-in-cheek, because that was a heck of a game. It was a marquee match-up, between two teams that are in the Top Ten in the Associated Press national rankings (Boise is #3, Tech is #10). It was the last game of the first week of the 2010 college football season. And it was the first chance for the Broncos to show that they belong in the conversation, the one that determines who can play for the National Championship. And the Broncos, coming from the WAC (Western Athletic Conference), where they play lightweights like San Jose State, New Mexico State and Utah State, must not only repeat last year's perfect record to be in that conversation, but they also needed to beat Virginia Tech, which figures to be harder to beat than anyone else they'll see this season.
But we all knew that for weeks (even months) heading into this game. The game itself, the EVENT, as something else entirely. Eighty-thousand fans (including several thousand from, TA-DA, Boise, Idaho, 2,300 miles away) packed into FedEx Field, home of Donovan McNabb and the NFL's Washington Redskins. It was a primetime, nationally-televised game on Labor Day. And, to me, it was even more special, because my brother goes to Virgina Tech, and was at the game, as was my dad. So it was epic.
Anyway, the game was nails-on-the-chalkboard awful early on, at least for Tech fans, when their team staggered through a dismal first quarter that left them down 17-0 after 15 minutes. Their first play from scrimmage was a fumble after the snap bounced off the fingertips of highly-touted senior quarterback Tyrod Taylor and was recovered by Boise and turned into a field goal. Then they can't even punt without screwing up, kicking the ball off an opposing receiver and setting up a quick touchdown for Boise State's pride and joy, QB Kellen Moore, who looks like that weird cousin you're embarrassed to be around but plays quarterback like Peyton Manning. And, when he gets a touchdown, he pumps his fist with more enthusiasm than the Tiger Woods of old, which all the Tech fans got to watch, twice, in that first quarter.
But, then, Tyrod Taylor, who has Vince Young/Michael Vick/Tim Tebow type tools, starts getting his act together and stops being intimidated by the experienced Boise State defense. Or, maybe it was just that he started throwing the ball. After going all Vick on us and just running after quickly seeing all his men covered for the first nine plays from scrimmage, he makes pass completions of 16 and 43 yards to set up their first touchdown, making it 17-7.
Let me skip some meanderings and just say, by halftime, it was 20-14, the crowd was back in it, and no matter was hailing Boise State as February's National Championship heir apparent anymore. The Hokies were alive and kicking. Seriously. While this was a great game for Boise State, a big win, an exciting contest and a vindication of Kellen Moore, it was also very much a coming out party for Taylor. I mean, he jumped clean over an oncoming tackler at one point in the third quarter en route to a game-high rush of 29 yards. While, early in the game, it looked like he was running because he lacked confidence in his offense or didn't feel like he had time to throw, no he was running because he knew he could make it.And, during a 2nd and 9 on Tech's first possession in the fourth quarter, Taylor held the ball long enough to be nearly sacked, dropped almost to all fours, somehow kept his knees up while using just his left fingertips to keep himself from falling all the way down, got back up, and trucked for 11 yards. I didn't describe that very well. Suffice to say a lot of people, let alone quarterbacks, wouldn't have been able to do that, and wouldn't have even tried.
Not long after that, Tech kicked a field goal, and it was 30-26. This came after their then-21-20 lead was eradicated when Boise State's D.J. Harper took a hand-off on a third-and-one, broke one tackle, and proceeded to run 71 yards for a shocker of a touchdown.
Anyway, to make a long(er) story short, the Hokies didn't do a good enough job of running out the clock late, they got a bad late hit penalty on Boise's ensuing drive, and Kellen Moore connected with Austin Pettis with 1:14 left to make it 33-30. Taylor's magic subsequently ran out in the last 50-some-odd seconds of the game and they lost a tough one.
This was a great game. I admit I've been getting nervous about the length of this post (and my direct memory of the game is fading slightly by now; it is a quarter after 1 a.m.), so I've skipped some finer details, but this game was terrific. My jaw dropped a number of times, and I had mostly written the Hokies off after that hideous first quarter. Then I assumed they had it in the bag, that no way was Boise going to catch up. Wrong. And I had assumed I would see my brother on TV because he's in the Corps of Cadets, he went to the game with said Corps of Cadets, and he told me they had a big banner with them, and I know, if there's two things the telecasts always show at football games (other than the cheerleaders) it's guys in uniform and eye-catching banners. I was wrong on both accounts. Sorry, Joel, I didn't see you :(
Yeah, so, hopefully the next game I watch won't have so many background details. I'm hoping to next write about Penn State/Alabama Saturday night. Bad night for the Hokies, and tomorrow will be a miserably day for the Tech campus, as everyone skips class because they're hung over, catching up on sleep, or just plain not interested. Anyway, until next time...see ya.
First Post: Just Getting a Feel For It
Hello there. This is Dan, geeking out slightly over actually having a blog. I always have a lot of thoughts in my head, so I'll be using this baby a lot, starting with a preview (later this afternoon) of tonight's Virgina Tech/Boise State game. This game is a BIG DEAL. I'm sitting here in the only Virginia Tech shirt I own, and I'm not even going. My dad is. My brother (a current VTech freshman) is--he'll be in a uniform with the Corps of Cadets, with a big banner, so I'm betting I'll see him, or at least some of his buddies, on TV. The game is being played tonight, 8:00 p.m. primetime, on ESPN, at FedEx Field, home of the Washington Redskins. Expect some 80,000 people, most of them Hokies fans.
Did I mention this game is a big deal? I've heard it called 'the [Boise State] Broncos' most important game of the year.' I've heard it said: "this might as well be a championship game for the Broncos." Yeah, because they need to win in order to gain legitimacy. I guess being undefeated in the WAC (Western Athletic Conference) just isn't enough.
Yeah, so, this is me. I'm 22, have a Bachelor's Degree in Print Journalism from Liberty University, and I'm hoping to work for ESPN or Sports Illustrated one day. Definitely wouldn't mind being a beat reporter for a pro sports team either (baseball, football, or hockey). I am a Christian, I love Jesus, and it's only because of Him that I'm a) alive b) have hope, and c) am going to heaven despite the fact that I'm not perfect. His sacrifice on the cross paid for my sins, and justified me in the eyes of the Father. There's no getting around that.
Anyway, if you're reading, thanks a lot. I'm psyched for this game tonight. Go Hokies!
Did I mention this game is a big deal? I've heard it called 'the [Boise State] Broncos' most important game of the year.' I've heard it said: "this might as well be a championship game for the Broncos." Yeah, because they need to win in order to gain legitimacy. I guess being undefeated in the WAC (Western Athletic Conference) just isn't enough.
Yeah, so, this is me. I'm 22, have a Bachelor's Degree in Print Journalism from Liberty University, and I'm hoping to work for ESPN or Sports Illustrated one day. Definitely wouldn't mind being a beat reporter for a pro sports team either (baseball, football, or hockey). I am a Christian, I love Jesus, and it's only because of Him that I'm a) alive b) have hope, and c) am going to heaven despite the fact that I'm not perfect. His sacrifice on the cross paid for my sins, and justified me in the eyes of the Father. There's no getting around that.
Anyway, if you're reading, thanks a lot. I'm psyched for this game tonight. Go Hokies!
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