Pro Bowl... Nice Honor, Bad Game...

Believe me, I am the last person you would ever expect to hear this from, but it is time for the NFL to make the Pro Bowl go away.

I love football, especially the NFL and can watch almost any teams play, but the game has lost its luster. Name the team and then figure something else out from there. A player shouldn’t be a Pro Bowler because someone else couldn’t play. Congratulations to Vince Young on a great year, but there’s no way he should be a 2-time Pro Bowler and when Keith Bulluck is sitting on one.

Oh, and then there’s the injury factor. When I do watch moments of the game almost the entire time I’m wondering, “man, how bad would this be if suchandsuch blew out his knee in a meaningless game?”

Make it an honor not a game.

P.S. My alternative is to send them to Hawaii 1 month after the season and have the “skill” players compete in a “superstars” style competition and have the lineman compete as “strongmen”. Not realistic, but I always enjoyed watching both of those programs in the past.

Favre Being Favre

First, I know I’m going to get hammered on this so let me say, Brett Favre is a great player, one of the best ever at his position. Now let me say this, he’s also one of the most selfish.

He makes plays, he’s daring and in the process puts himself above the team. He put himself about the team when he left Green Bay and then New York, oh and then again when he “acted” like he wasn’t sure he was going to play until the offseason ended and training camp started.

His last pass illustrates clearly. The Vikings were in position to kick a field goal, a long one, but a field goal to win the game. There were 2 things he could not do on that play, take a sack or turn it over and obviously the latter occured. He’s been playing quarterback for 100 years and knows you don’t make that throw back across your body over the middle, but he’s Brett and he always does what “he” wants and despite his greatness he robbed his team of the “opportunity” to win the NFC Championship and go to the Super Bowl.

Taking Stock in Middle Tennessee

A pretty amazing turn of events in Murfreesboro over the last few days. MTSU Head Football Coach Rick Stockstill was offered a deal believed to be worth $4 or $5-million over 5 or 6 years to be the next head coach at East Carolina, but turned it down. That means he turned down an extra $2 or $3-million!

When Coach Stockstill was originally hired he produced a program he put together for Athletic Director Chris Massaro titled “Taking STOCK In Middle Tennessee”. We thought it was witty and clever at the time, but today it obviously means a whole lot more. He didn’t just take a job, he took THIS job and it’s a job he cares deeply about.

In a statement released this morning Stock talked about the importance of being a man of word with recruits and parents, but most of all having too much respect and admiration for his players. As a rock solid recruiter he knows his players are his lifeblood and he treats them that way.

The response to Stockstill was amazing. He’s no Lane Kiffin. There would have been no riot, no burning mattresses, only a pat on the back, words of thanks, maybe some tears, but most of all understandings. No one, NO ONE would have blamed him for taking that job, but everyone seems pretty darn happy that he didn’t.

.....A Wanted Man....

The Clash had a great song in the 80’s called ‘Should I stay or should I go?’  That pretty much sums up what MTSU head coach Rick Stockstill is dealing with right now.

Stock, according to several sources, is in the running to be the new head coach at East Carolina.  We caught up with the coach Saturday night at the MTSU football banquet where he confirmed he has talked with ECU but no offer has been made and nothing else is going on.  He did say he would listen if they called him back out of respect for his family.

Middle has hit unprecedented heights under him.  Winning a bowl game, getting to 10 wins and the part that really impresses a lot of administration types, he graduates players.

This should be a very interesting 72 hours for Rick Stockstill.  Should he stay or should he go? 

Still Waiting for Confirmation From U-T

Still no definitive word on if David Cutcliffe is the new head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers. Earlier today WFMY TV in North Carolina reported he had the job, but U-T hasn’t confirmed and Duke called the report “inaccurate”.

Cutcliffe is the MAN

WFMY in North Carolina is reporting David Cutcliffe is leaving Duke to be the new head coach of the Tennessee Vols.

Cutcliffe Picking Up Steam With U-T

Word is David Cutcliffe could be the next target for U-T. Cutcliffe reportedly spoke with his Athletic Director at Duke this morning and will speak with U-T A-D Mike Hamilton this afternoon after Air Force Coach Troy Calhoun pulled out of the running.

Strike 2 For U-T, Mabye 3?

Still no luck in the search for a Head Coach at the University of Tennessee. Last night News 2 reported Texas Defensive Coordinator Will Muschamp turned the Vols down. Today Air Force Coach Troy Calhoun pulled out and announced he’s staying. We were led to believe David Cutcliffe, but that may not be over quite yet.

Who does that leave? Not Skip Holtz, he’s going to South Florida. Kevin Sumlin at Houston, Gary Patterson at TCU, Randy Edsall at UConn and we hear Houston Nutt is pushing hard for the opportunity.

Strike One! Muschamp Turns Down Vols

Give U-T Athletic Director Mike Hamilton credit, he swung for the fences as he looks to replace Lane Kiffin. Unfortunately, it appears he swung and miss.

Wednesday night News 2 learned that Texas Defensive Coordinator Will Muschamp has turned down Tennessee’s offer to be the Vols new head coach. Earlier in the evening the two sides were reportedly very close, but there were issues over numbers and control, apparently they were issues that could not be resolved.

The question is where does Hamilton go from there. WATE’s Jim Wogan told us Hamilton was in Texas Wednesday night making TCU coach Gary Patterson an easy target. Other names that are sure to pop up are former U-T Offensive Coordinator David Cutcliffe, Skip Holtz from East Carolina, Randy Edsall from UConn, Kirby Smart at Alabama, Air Force Coach Troy Calhoun and Ole Miss’s Houston Nutt.

Kiffin Leaving For Southern Cal

An absolute stunner tonight from Knoxville! ESPN.com is reporting Lane Kiffin is leaving Tennessee to be the new head coach at the University of Southern California.

Kiffin will replace Pete Carroll who was officially introduced today as the new head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.

Kiffin spent just one season in Knoxville bringing in a top 10 recruiting class and leading the Vols to a 7-6 season including a Chick-Fil-A Bowl loss to Virginia Tech.

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