HFF Preview: Sikeston (5-0) @ NMCC (4-1)

One of the better games of Week #7 of Heartland Football Friday should be undefeated Sikeston at NMCC. Arlen Pixley's Eagles enter with a record of 4-1 and feature an offense averaging 35 pointer per game.
The Eagles only loss came three weeks ago at Potosi (39-7).

Following the week three road block the Eagles regrouped on both sides of the ball outscoring Charleston and Caruthersville a combined 90-19. Coach Pixley knows it won't be easy for his offense to light up the scoreboard against the tough Bulldog defense.

"We've got to rely on some misdirection against a team as big as they are, as physical as they are." said Pixley, "I think they (Sikeston) are outstanding on defense, the best defense we're going to see this season...I guarantee it."

One of the best may be an understatement. I'll go a step further and suggest the Bulldogs may actually have the best in Southeast Missouri.

Since allowing 20 points to Fredericktown in the season opener the Bulldogs have allowed only six points. Cape Central scored a touchdown in the second half last Thursday night ending Sikeston's streak of three consecutive shutouts. The defense is allowing a Baltimore Raven-esque 5.2 points per game. To make life even tougher for their opponents the offense is chewing up the clock with running back Eli Jackson and his 127.8 yards a game.

As he prepares his team for Friday nights game Sikeston head coach Kent Gibbs says the his defense will face the tough challenge of trying to contain an Eagles team loaded with quickness.

"They have a great amount of team speed." said Gibbs, "G'Darius Stevenson is probably the best player in SE Missouri right now, so we know for us to have a chance in the game we are going to have to do a good job of trying to contain him and limit their big plays."

NMCC has dominated the series the past few years winning four of the last five meetings including four straight.

2008 Sikeston_29 NMCC_40
2007 Sikeston_7 NMCC_29
2006 Sikeston_20 NMCC_27
2005 Sikeston_16 NMCC_19
2004 Sikeston_43 NMCC_14

I will post the interview with Sikeston Head Coach Kent Gibbs as soon as possible. I'm having video issues.

Chase Daniel added to Saints 53 man roster

Former Missouri QB Chase Daniel was signed from the New Orleans Saints practice squad and added to their 53-man roster.

Daniel will travel to Buffalo and take the field Sunday against the Bills as the Saints 3rd string quarterback.  New Orleans needs another QB because wide receiver Lance Moore (the team's emergency qb) is inactive for Sunday's game suffering a hamstring injury.

Daniel has 26 years of NFL experience in front of him: Starter Drew Brees with 9 years in the league and his back-up veteran Mark Brunell with 17.

To make room for Daniel the Saints released center Nick Leckey.

Why does USC get a pass?

Before I get into the meat of this post, I'll write this. I am a die-hard Ohio State Buckeyes fan. I wore 'Bucks gear before I could walk...I eat sleep and drink all things Buckeye football.

Like most boys growing up in Ohio I wanted to become the next great Buckeye... score the winning touchdown to beat hated rival Michigan and roll onto the Rose Bowl to drill a PAC 10 team like USC.

For me that never happened, I went to college at Toledo and had to update my wardrobe to include a lot of blue & yellow. That color combo is tough to find in the closet of any self respecting Buckeye fan...That's a topic for another day.

As a sports journalist my job is to report the facts in an accurate and unbiased manner. Don't misconstrue my dislike for USC as a chance to take a shot at a program still dazed following another loss to an unranked team.

As a Buckeye fan I get the feeling OSU football is like a national toothache...annoying, painful to watch and in desperate need of extraction. Extraction from National Title talk. It's almost as if the voters are looking for a reason to knock the Buckeyes back in the weekly rankings.

OSU loses in the final minutes at home to (at the time) #3 USC by the final score of 18-15.

What followed has become typical after recent losses by the Buckeyes to top ranked teams...A week of: "Tressel is behind the times", "Buckeyes can't win big games", "Buckeyes aren't that good", the list goes on and on. Basically it was a week of Buckeye bashing on a national level.

Of course there was much love given to USC freshman QB Matt Barkley and his leadership on the Trojans final drive which lead to the game winning score. It was deserved, he was poised and confident under pressure in the final minutes.

The AP Top 25 poll released a day after Ohio State lost to USC was as follows:
1.Florida (56) *
2. Texas (1)
3. USC (1)
11. Ohio State

*First place votes

Dropping the Buckeyes three spots for barely losing to USC at home was harsh....One spot...maybe two would have been more like it, but why give USC a first place vote? Sure they did what was expected and beat a lower ranked team but rewarding them with a first place vote was wrong.

The following week #11 Ohio State does what is expected and hammers unranked Toledo 38-0 at a neutral site in Cleveland. What thanks do the Buckeyes get? A slap in the face and a ticket to the 13th ranking.
What were they supposed to do just to remain at number eleven...Beat the Rockets by 80 or more?

Hours after Ohio State dismantled my Alma Mater the USC Trojans do what they seem to do real well of late...lose to an unranked team. Pete Carroll's group falls on the road to Washington 16-13 thanks to a 22 yard field goal from Huskies kicker Eric Folk with 3 seconds on the clock.

As the next AP Top 25 Poll saw the Buckeyes fall, despite a win, the voters did get it right by dropping USC from #3 to #12.

Will the national media in the days ahead put USC under the microscope as Ohio State was last week?

Probably not.

They should.

Suffering a loss to an unranked team has become a pattern for USC the past few years:
2009 #3 USC 13 Washington 16
2008 #1 USC 21 Oregon State 27
2007 #2 USC 23 Stanford 24
2006 #3 USC 31 Oregon State 33
2006 #2 USC 9 UCLA 13


Ohio State has fallen into a funk as well...losing to top ranked teams on a national stage:
2009 #8 Ohio State 15 #3 USC 18
2008 #5 Ohio State 3 #1 USC 35
2008 #10 Ohio State 21 #3 Texas 34 (Tostitos Fiesta Bowl)
2007 #1 Ohio State 24 #2 LSU 38 (BCS National Championship)
2006 #1 Ohio State 14 #2 Florida 41 (BCS National Championship)

Once since 2006 a ranked Ohio State team has lost to an unranked opponent:
2007 #1 Ohio State 21 Illinois 28


I'll borrow a line from Lance McAlister a sports radio host in Cincinnati..."Riddle me this Batman".

So, riddle me this Batman, which is worse? Losing to a higher ranked team in a big game or losing to an unranked opponent during the regular season?

Getting to the big game and losing is much more respectable than suffering a huge upset loss during the regular season.

Is Ohio State deserving of criticism....Sure...But not to the extent they have been drilled the past few years.

Why has USC gotten a pass for it's shortcomings?

Update: Saluki sophomore guard Ryan Hare arrested

Update: Monday September 21, 2009

Saluki guard Ryan Hare has been suspended indefinitely from the basketball team following his Saturday arrest.

--- --- ---

Not the kind of news Saluki Nation wants to hear as the season draws closer. This release was sent from Tom Weber SIU Director of Media Relations.
--- --- ---

Southern Illinois University sophomore guard Ryan Hare was arrested for battery and trespassing, stemming from an incident that occurred Saturday morning, the school has confirmed.

Hare played in every game last season and averaged 7.5 points, making 26 starts for the Salukis.

"We don't have all of the facts yet, but we are certainly disappointed," head coach Chris Lowery said. "Once we've gathered all of the facts, we will make an appropriate decision regarding Ryan's punishment."

SEMO Heading in the right direction

Despite the loss Saturday to Eastern Illinois (23-14) I anxiously look forward to the Redhawks next game.  Maybe this is wishful thinking or seriously looking on the bright side, but I think the Southeast program under Tony Samuel has turned the corner.  I'm not suggesting they are a contender for the OVC title or a playoff hopeful but I do believe they are improved and will  make games interesting.

The Redhawks put together a good first half against a team which will probably crack the FCS Top 25 this week. Entering the SEMO game Eastern was ranked 26th.

I like what the Redhawks showed me: Opportunistic defense (recovering four fumbles) and a never give up attitude.  It's a start and hopefully the beginning of better things to come.

Southeast goes for it's first OVC victory of the season next Saturday at UT Martin.

Bears Lose More Than Game Sunday Night

This not something Chicago fans will cheer about.  It appears star linebacker Brian Urlacher will miss the remainder of the season with a dislocated wrist suffered in last nights loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Prior to last night things were looking up for the Bears...They finally get a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback in former Bronco Jay Cutler. But the good times were short lived in the opener as Cutler looked shaky at best and the heart-and-soul-of the defense in injured.

Here is the Associated Press story:

The Chicago Tribune is reporting Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher will likely miss the rest of the season with a dislocated right wrist.

In a text message sent to the newspaper Monday, Urlacher said: "season is over."
the Bears would not confirm or deny the report. Urlacher's agent, Bill Johnson, did not immediately return a message from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Urlacher apparently was injured in the first quarter of Sunday night's 21-15 loss at Green Bay making a tackle on Packers running back Ryan Grant. He left on the Packers' first drive of the second half.

The Bears were counting on a healthy Urlacher to help them get back to the playoffs after missing them the past two years. The six-time Pro Bowler appeared to be in better shape after being limited by back and neck problems in recent years.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Looking Forward To Next Weekend

or me this was not a great weekend for football.  However it did begin well with my alma mater (Toledo) drilling Colorado 54-38.  If you get a chance to see the Rockets play this year don't miss the opportunity. I'm sure they will be on one of the ESPN channels at some point again this season.

Saturday the Buckeyes lose to USC in the final minute and it's topped off Sunday with a Bengals loss to Denver on a play some are calling "The Immaculate Deflection". An 87 yard td reception by Denver's Brandon Stokely off a deflected pass with seconds left in the game...Blah, Blah, Blah...Bengals find another way to lose.  I fear it's going to be a long season.

With that said I am actually looking forward to next weekend.  SEMO and Murray State are back playing competition more to their level. Redhawks host Eastern Illinois (not another Big East team) and Murray State travels to Missouri State (not another ACC team). I don't think we'll see either team involved in 70-3 or 65-7 game. Those were clearly pay day games for SEMO and Murray State.
Tennessee Martin get a money game Saturday at Memphis and SIU hosts SW Baptist.

The Redhawks run defense will need to come prepared Saturday against Eastern Illinois.  The Panthers feature junior running back Mon Williams and his 6.45 yards per carry (two games 31 carries for 200 yards and 2 td's). 

The University of Florida transfer brings more than great running skills to the EIU roster, he owns a pair of National Championship rings wons while and underclassman with the Gators. He was with Florida from 2006-2008 and took a medical redshirt in 2007 after suffering a torn ACL in spring practice.
Williams transfered into Eastern Illinois in time for the '09 Spring Semester.

This will be the first "real" test of the season for the Redhawks playing against guys on their level. SEMO held NAIA school Quincy to only 63 yard rushing while top 25 Cincinnati gutted the Redhawks for 351.

Everyone loves a prediction so I'll step out and say EIU 27, SEMO 10. Hope I am way off base, but it's hard to go against the numbers. This decade SEMO is 1-8 against the Panthers (the only victory coming in a 2003 30-17 final) and they have been outscored 270-156. 

Now it's time for a shameless plug: You can watch the game webcast live at www.kfvs12.com.

While surfing the net scouring sports pages I stumbled upon a great site for college football / numbers geeks like me.

• Football Championship Subdivision
• Football Bowl Subdivision

Example Of Bad Sports Journalism

It's not often I read an article and upon completion stare at the page or computer screen shaking my head like the AFLAC Duck. I certainly haven't felt like firing an e-mail to the author. But that changed after finishing the collection of words Orange County Register Columnist Mark Whicker compiled and tried to pass off as Sports Journalism. I controlled my outrage and decided not to send an e-mail.

I have read my share of sports related articles and columns over the years and this is by far the lowest of low, the worst of the bunch, a complete waste of time and utterly disgusting. At some point you would think your internal filter would catch the garbage..Not the case with Mr. Whicker's September 7th article.

I'll admit I would probably not have ever read the piece had it not made the rounds nationally.

The article titled "Many odd things have happened in sports the past 18 years", sounds innocent enough...But all that changes with the opening line where Whicker writes "It doesn't sound as if Jaycee Dugard got to see a sports page."

What direction could Whicker take the column and have a positive result?

Whicker uses the rest of the article to list some big sporting events kidnapped / rape victim Jaycee Dugard missed while being held against her will from June 10, 1991 until August 29, 2009.

How could someone write this in good conscience and how could his article slip past his editors?

As a sports journalist I am embarrassed he's part of my chosen profession and completely understand why some are jaded when it comes to the media. Mr. Whicker's lack of judgement and compassion is dissapointing.
(He did issue an apology)

You can read the article by following the link below.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/world-won-most-2555260-never-one

Mark Whicker's apology can be found here.
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/column-apologize-readers-2557723-register-most

Just Got Called Out!

I just got called out by a co-worker for slacking on my blog updates.  I believe the quote was "Dude, you need to blog more."
Thanks for giving me a kick in the pants...It was needed!

Weather you are SEMO fan or not you have to admit (for years) the Southeast football program has been in desperate need of a day like the one they enjoyed last Thursday night at Houck Stadium.

• 72 Points 
• 512 Yards of offense
• 282 Rushing yards
• 230 Passing yards
• 26 First downs
• 0 Turnovers

More importantly the Redhawks get a victory and accomplish what a team is supposed to do when playing an inferior opponent...Dominate in every facet of the game. We have't witnessed that in a long time, in fact, I can't say I have ever watched a SEMO football team totally outplay another. The atmosphere at Houck that night is something I hope we experience more often this season.

As a former football player I can relate to Quincy's plight. I have been on the receiving end of a football beating. I played varsity all four years of high school but didn't taste a victory until the fourth week of my junior season...0-23 before we won a game. Those were three brutal years!

Back to the Redhawks...

The school, the program, SEMO nation and anyone with a connection (no matter how small) to Southeast Missouri State University needs something to rally behind. It would be a nice lift to school spirit & community pride after the punch-to-the-gut from SEMO men's basketball.

I really hope this is the year the program turns the corner and heads down the road to success. Now I'll be selfish - As a member of the media it's tough to cover a losing team. Everyone loves a winner.