Thought of the day

I’m beginning to think that it would be the greatest thing in the world if the staffs at Tennessee and Auburn got into a Texas Death match raiding each other’s recruits.

(h/t Doc Saturday)

Mark Bradley discovers the principle of “any given Saturday”.

Mark Bradley breaks out teh stoopid today.

… Rivals has ranked Georgia in its top 10 every year since 2002, and only once (in 2007) has Tech cracked its top 25. Scout has had Georgia in its top 10 every season save one since 2004, and over that span it placed Tech ahead of Georgia only in 2007. And yet Tech, at last check, beat Georgia 45-42 on Nov. 29.

If you were a signee in 2004, you’d have been a redshirt senior in 2008. If recruiting is all-important and Georgia had outrecruited Tech four of those five years — five of five, according to Rivals — how did the Jackets manage to stay on the same field with the Bulldogs in any of those seasons, let alone actually win a game?

Is it worth even bothering to point out that the win for Tech broke a seven game losing streak?  Exactly what does Bradley attribute that to?

Jeez, Bradley, I know you AJ-C guys troll for responses, but couldn’t you bother to be at least a little subtle about it?

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UPDATE: I missed this in the comments.

By Mark Bradley

February 2, 2009 9:59 AM | Link to this

If you’d outrecruited your in-state rival by such a large margin every year save one since 2002 — and if recruiting is the key measure of a program — shouldn’t you have built up a talent base that would have rendered you impregnable?

That’s my point, pretty much. That’s my logic, however twisted it seems.

So, is this a case of cynical pandering or is he truly a moron?  You decide.

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When a bug becomes a feature

Only in America can a coach characterized as a two-faced, lying “scumbag” for his behavior running an NFL team – get fired at least in part for reaping what he sowed – then look at taking his act to the college level where he’s perceived as the next big thing.

… College players, however, benefit greatly from that kind of presence.  Bobby Knight wasn’t the most pleasant guy to play for, but you’ll have a hard time finding a former player with a bad thing to say about him.  Today the same thing could be said about someone like Nick Saban.  The authoritarian style of coaching works better in the college ranks because not only are coaches developing football players, but they’re also developing men.

Gruden would thrive in the college ranks for that reason.  He’d be allowed to be his usual maniacal self on the sidelines and in practice, and wouldn’t have to worry about primadonna players leaving through free agency or demanding trades.  For the most part, if a player doesn’t like getting yelled at, he’s got two options — deal with it or quit the team and sit out for a year while you transfer.  All the criticisms about Gruden switching players in and out of the lineup would virtually be gone in the college game — there’s so much roster turnover from year to year that it’s bound to happen naturally.

Being the control freak that he is, he’d have complete control over his roster.  Being as persuasive as he is, he wouldn’t have a hard time recruiting big-time talent.  Being the workaholic he is, he’d have a ton of success.

Makes you wonder if there’s a minor case of buyer’s remorse going on in Knoxville, Tennessee these days.  If only the Vols had waited a month or so… they could have had a proven, winning asshole instead of a wannabe.

Times are tough all over department, Buckeye edition.

Ohio State announces athletic department will finish in the red, will raise the price of football tickets to help cover the shortfall.

This comes as no surprise:

The vast majority of Ohio State’s athletic revenue comes from football. Smith said the Buckeyes must play a minimum of seven home games to support all of the school’s sports teams.

So much for that whole “we’ve got to level the playing field by making all schools only play six home games” line of thought…