Setback? What setback?

Can somebody explain why this is a problem for Christian LeMay?

Four-star quarterback Christian LeMay of Matthews, N.C., has been ruled ineligible for the Offense-Defense All-American Bowl in Myrtle Beach, S.C. LeMay practiced with Georgia recently, which made him ineligible to participate in a high school all-star game. This is the latest setback for LeMay, who did not play as a senior following a suspension from his high school.

I mean, he’s disqualified from some trivial high school all-star game that’s no doubt put on primarily for the benefit of recruitniks, but the reason he’s disqualified is because he practiced at the school he intends to enroll at next month.  In other words, it’s all systems go for the kid and Georgia.

Now, maybe it’s a shame that Rivals has one less player to opine about (or sell subscriptions about), but I don’t think that’s LeMay’s problem at this point.

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Envy and jealousy, cranky old man edition

If you look up the definition of curmudgeon in the dictionary, I’m pretty sure you’ll find Frank Deford’s mug there, but this is still a good shot:

… Everybody is in a funk about college football because of the stupid BCS. And the guy who won the Heisman Trophy was arrested for stealing a laptop at Florida and is playing for Auburn only because his father couldn’t sell him to Mississippi State. Oh well, be grateful for small favors. The likely MVP in the NFL is an ex-con.

Win-win.

I’m not sure what I enjoy most about this story – that James Willis, after being given a shot at defensive coordinator by his long-time head coach Tommy Tuberville, is walking away from his mentor, that Tuberville learned about the move from third parties instead of from Willis directly, or that Will Muschamp’s first coaching hire at Florida may be the guy who masterminded a defense which ranked No. 116 out of 120 major-college teams in total defense and last in pass defense in 2010.

It’s all good, though.

Ice, iced baby.

Wes Byrum’s heroics notwithstanding, it’s interesting to see there’s one bit of conventional wisdom that may actually have some validity to it.

… But a study published in September by a University of San Diego professor has delivered the worst news of all to kickers: Icing works. Really, really well.

Nadav Goldschmied, an adjunct professor at the university’s psychology department, examined field goals over six seasons, 2002 to 2007. He identified 273 attempts that he considered “pressure” kicks, those attempted in overtime, or with one minute or less remaining in regulation when the kicking team was tied or trailing by 3 points or fewer.

Of the 163 field-goals attempted when a timeout was not called before the kick, 80.4 percent were successful. But in the 110 cases when the kicker was iced, the success rate dropped to 66.4 percent, a difference that Goldschmied — and probably every coach in the N.F.L. — considers significant.

I’d like to see what a similar study for college football presents.  I can’t imagine that college kickers are less immune to pressure than their pro counterparts are.  If anything, I’d expect the opposite.

He’s gone.

If for some reason you’ve let yourself fantasize that his recent Twitter comments and the earlier statement about owing the fans something after missing the first four games of 2010 meant that A.J. was seriously contemplating returning next season, it’s time to let go.

Judging from this comment, he certainly has:

“Stuff happens in life,” Green said. “It’s made me a better person. I’m not going to sit over and be depressed about it. It happened, it’s done. I had a great season this year. I came back strong. It’s behind me now.”