I’ve been so wrapped up in election stuff I’ve neglected to write on my increasingly incorrect view on football. Let’s take a look, shall we?
Last week, the Beloved Cougars took their turn in the barrel against USC, losing 42-12 in a game that wasn’t really that close. WSU found themselves down 28-0 after like six minutes. Alex Brink was ineffective, the running game was non-existent, the defense was good only in spurts. Now they head down to Los Angeles to take on the resurgent UCLA. Talent wise this game is just about even, but the Bruins come in red-hot after smoking Stanford 27-0. WAZZU has to win this game, all of their games actually, if they hope to keep their bowl streak alive at 4. They don’t. They’ll lose this game.
The Huskies, coming off another blowout loss, this time to the hated Oregon Ducks, pulled the plug on Keith Gilbertson. Technically he resigned, but he wasn’t given much choice in the matter. You’d like to think that the Dawgs would rally around their now lame-duck coach and start playing better, but one has to wonder if they’re capable of that. Today they’re at home against Arizona, the best shot a Pac-10 win on the schedule. Arizona is just as awful as UW is, and if they can hold down the turnovers, a big if as they lead the nation in that sad stat, the Huskies can win this. As for Gilby’s replacement, the names have ranged from obvious (Urban Meyer and Dan Hawkins) to not-so-obvious (Gary Pinkel and Norm Chow) and really plain odd (Steve Spurrier and Mike Price). New AD Todd Turner has hinted pretty broadly he wants a big name and a current head coach, but I wouldn’t rule out a coordinator. The best hires the past few years (Tedford, Freidgen, Bob Stoops) have come from the ranks of assistant coaches.
The SDSU Aztecs continued their losing ways last week, getting torched by Utah. The Utes put up 51 against the vaunted-but-overrated Dark Side Defense. Now the Tecs have lost 5 in a row, are winless in the MWC, and have to head to Provo to take on BYU. These Cougars have been playing better, especially last week, crushing Air Force 42-24. San Diego State is in disarray now. BYU should take this one. The score might be close, but the game won’t be. The Aztecs have no offense whatsoever.
In the NFL, the Beloved Seahawks got off the mat a bit last week, beating an outmanned Carolina team 23-17. The Seahawks, as is their wont, made just enough plays not to lose this game. Shaun Alexander, proving the team plays better when he’s The Man, rushed for 195 against the Panthers. Still, it was dicey for the ‘Hawks, as Jake Delhomme led a spirited comeback bid. With the Rams idle, Seattle actually tied them for first in the NFC West. This week, Seattle gets to play their favorite whipping boys, San Francisco. This time the game is in, I kid you not, Monster Field at Candlestick Park. The 49ers are dead in the water. Isn’t that what we said about Arizona though? Uh-Oh…
Finally, the only really good team I’ve been following: The San Diego Super Chargers. Wait a minute, did I just write that? Yep, the Chargers won again last week, obliterating the Raiders 42-14. Really, the game wasn’t that close. Had the Chargers kept the dogs going past the mid-third quarter, they could have hit 50 or 60. Drew Brees, the guy the Bolts think can’t play QB, was nearly perfect, going 22-25 for 281 and 5 touchdowns. For those not paying attention to such thing, Drew Brees’ season numbers: 138-206, 1597 yards, 14 TD and 3 INT. He’s a free agent at the end of the year. Think a few teams will be lining up?
This week newly tied for first Bolts are at home against New Orleans. The week after a huge win. The week before a bye.
Could the LETDOWN GAME alarm be going off any louder?
Posted by Frinklin at November 6, 2004 10:00 AM