Week 3 odds and ends

September 10, 2008

I used to switch from laughing to being livid when occasionally reading columns from a certain Seattle sportswriter. Predictably, with the state en route to a sweep of Seattle (Clay Bennett moved the Sonics to a place that is about to sell every ticket available for their first season in Oklaohma City, OSU just hammered a Washington State football team that is so bad that they are an underdog to Big 12 bottom-feeder Baylor, and OU is expected to lay it on the Washington Huskies in Seattle.

Sir Steve Kelly of the Seattle Times wrote in part today: When it comes to Washington sports, Oklahoma has been more about larceny than Largent.

It took Washington State basketball more than a decade to recover from losing coach Kelvin Sampson to Oklahoma. And this city is, and will be, smarting from the loss of the Sonics to Bennett and his billionaire boys for a long time to come.

Oklahoma City is as giddy over the NBA as a kid with his first crush. Meanwhile, Seattle's just been crushed.

The nines are en vogue with birthdays.  Stoops turned 49 yesterday, Bill O'Reilly turns 59 today and Arnold Palmer registers 79. On a negative note, it was on this day in 1972, Mr. Iba and his American Olympic basketball team was robbed-fathers of Pac-10 football officials?-in the 1972 games in Munich. Without instant replay, the Ruskies won 51-50 leading the US to leave their silver medals in Germany. They are still there today.

Some might think OU has an advantage since Mike Stoops, brother of Bob, is head coach at Arizona. But history does not indicate Mike has been able to help big brother out very much. Should help that W ashington is not SC and even though Pac-10 Jobber officials will call Saturday's game, it is not in Eugene, OR.

I've never had a quarterback that had all of those skills put together," Washington coach Tyrone Willingham said. "He throws the ball very well. He thinks the game very well. He has speed that you don't see in most quarterbacks. . . . And then you combine his toughness. He is, I think, pretty special."

You shudder to imagine where the Huskies would be without Locker. They rank between 85th and 112th nationally in major offensive and defensive team statistics. They are playing for a coach who is 11-27 in just over three seasons on the job. It is a job Willingham kept, reportedly, only after a long sit-down with his president and athletic director following the '07 season.

Locker, even, has been caught in the net this year, ranking 91st in passing efficiency heading into Saturday's game, and showing some rust from a hamstring injury that stalled his preseason camp. What Locker believes is a little simpler, and something the Sooners would be advised to heed this week.

"I believe I was given a gift to play this game," he said. "There's nothing I'd rather do on a Saturday afternoon."

STOOPS TURNS 49 LOOKING FOR 100, Oreilly turns 59 and arnie 79 and same day in 72 screwed by ruskies and haven't picked up Olympic silver.

Would be quickest to do so?

OSU Division 2 beaten by Ichobods at home.

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ESPN The Magazine

By Thomas Neumann
September 5, 2008

10 biggest upsets in bcs era

• 1. Appalachian State 34, Michigan 32
  Sept. 1, 2007 at Ann Arbor, Mich.: In an upset for the ages, the No. 5 Wolverines became the first ranked Division I-A team to lose to a I-AA opponent. Appalachian State used the win as a springboard to its third consecutive I-AA title. The Wolverines would finish the season 9-4 with a win over defending BCS champion Florida in the Citrus Bowl, but the shocking loss to the Mountaineers will undoubtedly be better remembered. In the wake of the upset, the Associated Press changed its rules to allow Football Championship Subdivision teams to receive votes for its top 25 poll.

2. Boise State 43, Oklahoma 42
Jan. 1, 2007 at Glendale, Ariz.: The Broncos emptied their bag of tricks to withstand a furious comeback from the Sooners in the Fiesta Bowl. Boise State forced overtime with a 50-yard touchdown on a hook-and-ladder and famously won on a two-point conversion off the Statue of Liberty play.

3. Utah 35, Pittsburgh 7
Jan. 1, 2005 at Tempe, Ariz.: Behind the passing of Alex Smith, the Utes easily covered the 16-point Fiesta Bowl spread to finish the season 12-0 and become the first team from outside the six power conferences to win a BCS bowl game. Too bad fans didn't get to see them play a better team.

4. TCU 17, Oklahoma 10
Sept. 3, 2005 at Norman, OK: The Horned Frogs produced a spectacular defensive effort, holding Adrian Peterson to 63 yards on 22 carries and handing the No. 7 Sooners their first home loss in nearly four years.

How bad is WSU? Opened a four point dog...but it is in that pantheon of college football, Floyd Casey Stadium n Waco.

• Over is 9-1 in OKLA last 10 non-conference games.
• Over is 7-2 in OKLA last 9 games in September.

GUERIN...WASH D WORST NATION 2007Ed Donatell to fix things, and two games into Donatell's tenure, the Huskies rank 112th out of 118 NCAA Bowl Subdivision teams defensively. About special teams: Remember Bob Simmons, the old OklaAbout the defense: From a total yardage standpoint, Washington's '07 defense was the worst IN SCHOOL HSTRY  HIRED FORMER NFL D COORDIANATOR homa State coach who would occasionally torment the Sooners? He coached special teams last year, and not very well. Simmons was fired. Not that it's made much difference. Besides Perkins' botched PAT, the Huskies have pitiful kick return numbers.

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FISHER FEARED FOR YOUNG

Posted by Mike Florio on September 9, 2008, 9:49 a.m. EDT

The situation in Tennessee has gone from odd to bizarre to downright freaky.

On Monday night, Titans coach Jeff Fisher became worried about Young because he left his home abruptly at 7:30 p.m. and because he seemed "emotionally down" and left his cell phone behind.

Fisher eventually tracked Young down, and they met at 12:30 a.m. at the team's facility.  Also present at the meeting, per WKRN in Nashville, were police officers.

After the meeting, Fisher called the whole thing a misunderstanding.

HOWEVER, IF SOMEONE ASKED YOU TO NAME THE GREATEST COLLEGE FB PLAYER OF ALL TIME, WOULD YOU NOT PUT YOUNG NEAR THE TOP OF YOUR LIST. I WOULD, AND I'D BUT FORMER NEBRASKA QB TOMMY FRAZIER.

WHAT ABOUT USC LOSING AT HOME AS A ___ FAVORITE TO A 4-WIN STANFORD TEAM IN 2007?

FIND LIST OF BIGGEST UPSETS IN BCS ERA. ESPN

OU DEFENSE: BEST PLAYERS, McCoy (Granger overrated, out of shape, not as good as Gerald, not the citizen or leader and perhaps a sign he's not ready for NFL if he's not even starting)

Scout: Iglesias first OU player taken in second round. 11 Cincy and 10 OU seniors. Mel Kiper complimented for not listing juniors which some suggests coaches like him for that and many "experts" go ahead and do that leading more of them to come out early. How many "first rounders" have you heard of throughout the years who ended up being second, third or worse picks and would've been better to return for their senior seasons. Gresham would (will, because I'd be stunned if he returned for his senior season) be the first Sooner taken, easily over Iglesias. While tight ends are not commonly high picks, tight ends are not also commonly 6-7, 260, fast, strong, extremely competitive, becoming dominant blockers who work hard at it, have good hands and have a huge upside. Other than those traits, Gresham is a bust. Don't know how he'll do.

ESPN'S ____lists Sam Bradford as his fifth pick for Heisman after two weeks. His rationale: Sam Bradford -- Perhaps I'm biased because I watched Bradford in person last weekend, but he was brilliant in carving up Cincinnati for 395 passing yards and five touchdowns. The addition of receiver Ryan Broyles gives Bradford a go-to target, and the Sooners' no-huddle offense will pump up his numbers all season. Plus, polling history strongly favors quarterbacks of top-rated, undefeated teams. Bradford could make a Jason White-like run for the hardware if Oklahoma rolls through the Big 12 unscathed.

His others were, first Tim Tebow, 2 Chase Daniel (who Bradford could hurt if OU were to beat Missouri in another Big 12 title game), 3 Knowshawn Moreno and 4, my suggestion back on August 29, USC QB Mark Sanchez. Big test for a more mature, better leader and undeniably an improved Bradford to show he belongs if he can do something critics say he can't: Play as well outside of Norman when OU plays at Washington Saturday and lead his No. 3 Sooners to a solid win against an 0-2 Huskie team that's a 20-point dog at home. By Brian Bennett, ESPN.com....ESPN's panel of Heisman voter(weekly) lists Bradford as being voted number 4, ahead of Sanchez, whom I predict will receive a "presidential convention" type bounce after his Trojans lay it on Ohio State.

Did anyone fathom Washington to be a 20-point mut when Joe Castiglione scheduled the