What was the LSU coaching staff doing the last 5 weeks? They sure weren't drawing up a new offensive gameplan.

The College Football season came to an end last night as Alabama defeated LSU in the National Championship Game, 21-0.

Or I should say, LSU LOST the Championship Game.

LSU acted like a Presidential Candidate. They seemed to be afriad to offend 'Bama's omnipotent defense by actually challenging it.

How about a pass downfield? How about a new formation? Maybe a trick play? Maybe mix in your other quarterback?

As good as Alabama's defense is, LSU didn't make it work or more importantly, stop and think.

As much as I hate to say it, Nick Saban was the difference. Even though he loves him some Nick Saban and seems to a miserable individual, he can coach his ass off. The Tide rolled out some changes and also pulled off a fake field goal.

92 total yards is an embarassment. Period. With that level of talent and the rules all skewed toward the offense, there is no excuse for that paltry output. No matter how good Alabama's defense is.

Yes the game was boring

You can lay the blame on the Tigers. They failed to show up and challenge Alabama. Period.

Beyond that, what kind of football fan are you if you complain about the being boring?

Hey if you find football boring shut up and watch soccer.

Real football fans watch because it's FOOTBALL, not entertainment.

You fans crying for "entertainment" make me sick. Pick up your I-Pad and watch American Idol or Dancing with the Stars.

BCS changes?

With another season of some discontent with the postseason system there is strong indication from national media types that the BCS will be tweaked again, even possibly even expanding to a four-team "playoff".

Conventional wisdom says the four team model is going to be implemented. I always go against conventional wisdom.

There is lip service being given to the four team playoff but I'm not convinced the powers-that-be really want it.

And that includes the coaches. No matter what you've been told, the coaches prefer the bowl system.

While I do think there will be changes I don't think there will be a playoff. My prediction: "plus-one" after the bowl games.

AP Top 25 means alot to Butch Jones

While being ranked #25 in the final poll doesn't seem like a big deal, it cetainly pays for Cincinnati Coach Butch Jones. Media reports indicate he'll get a $35,000 bonus for the Bearcats finishing in the Top 25.

It also means they're the only returning Big East member to finish in the rankings.

Speaking of UC...

...hoops that is, did you notice they're 8-1 since their infamous brawl with Xavier. That includes wins over Pitt, Oklahoma, Notre Dame and Georgetown.

You have to give Coach Mick Cronin huge props. That team could have imploded and insteady it's prospered.

If they hadn't lost to Presbyterian early in the season they'd be talked about as a "lock" for the NCAA Tournament.

Welcome to 2012!

This week OSU coach Urban Meyer banned his players from twitter...or did he?

First, Reid Fragle tweeted this:

"New staff new rules. No more twitter, not a big deal and probably for the better..."

And Jake Stoneburner tweeted this:

"Twitter=done..."

Those two tweets clearly indicate that the players were told (or thought they'd been told) to stop tweeting.

Later, they claimed that Meyer didn't ban them from twitter. Apparently word was spreading through the team but it turned out, at least in part, to not be true.

This whole episode led to some discussions about whether coaches should ban their players from social media.

Some say it shows a "lack of trust". Some go farther and say it helps teach "life and job skills". I'm still trying to figure that one out.

Regardless, the way this whole thing played out is a perfect illustration of why coaches should indeed ban their players from tweeting or facebooking.

And it's a "life lesson" whether Meyer banned the Buckeyes or not.

If he DIDN'T, the whole thing was a "misunderstanding" and is a crystal clear demonstration of social media spreading a falsehood and making it true because players can't keep their "mouths" shut (or their I-Pads off).

Just like it would (and has) when a player tweets that the backup QB is considering transferring or the starting LB has the hots for the head coach's daughter.

If he DID ban them, I'm sure he didn't want them to stop effective tomorrow, he'd want the ban to start immediately. Yet, somehow, two players couldn't control themselves and started a problem the coaching staff and/or team has to deal with.

Twitter and Facebook are nothing but distractions to a team. It's an easy way for malcontents to spout their grievances and/or spread rumors. It airs a team's dirty laundry before issues can be resolved.

It's also the new millenium's "jock sniffing". Fans feel like they're part of the team if they follow a player and see all this inside information.

You have to remember that 18-22 year olds often don't think before they talk or tweet. Most of the time they do it when they're emotional and not thinking and often regret the things they post. But they can never be taken back.

SOME media types are very upset when a team is banned from twitter because it is the best way ever to peek inside the locker room and dig up dirt. It's like eavesdropping and alot of them love that part of "journalism".

***As an aside, I know many of my brethren follow these althetes and don't intend to use that information maliciously. I also recognize that the muckrakers are small in number. However, there are enough of them that do it and thus it's a problem...to me anyway.***

Others truly think it shows a level of distrust and that's why they  don't like the ban from twitter. They're right about the lack of trust.

Coaches (and parents for that matter) hardly ever trust their players (their kids).

Examples? OK.

Why do teams stay in a hotel the night before home games? So they can get a better night's sleep? No. It's because the coaches don't trust them to do what they need to do to be ready to play the next day.

Why do coaches assign somebody to do a bed check? Because they don't trust the players.

Why do coaches call professors to see if kids are attending classes? Becasue they don't trust the players.

Why do compliance officers keep an eye on the athletes? Because they don't trust the players.

Why do parents put GPS units on their kids' cars? Because they don't trust their kids.

Not trusting 18-22 year olds is par for the course, not to mention good policy.

I'll tell you what you can trust: At least 1 of the 100+ members of a football team at some time will tweet something offensive. Or will tweet something that you wouldn't necessarily want the other team to know (i.e. our starting RB is hurt).

And you can trust it will be detrimental to the TEAM because it will create a distraction and become an issue that has to be addressed by the coach and/or the University.

I trust you now understand why banning players from social media is a good idea.

It was quite a day for College Basketball on Saturday.

Indiana signalled its return to the big time with their home win over #1 Kentucky. Kansas knocked off #2 Ohio State...

And there was something else....

Oh Yeah. This:

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7341744/cincinnati-bearcats-suspend-four-players-brawl-xavier-musketeers

This brawl is obviously "a black eye" for Xavier and Cincinnati. The suspensions are laughably inadequate and will be served in a part of the schedule that doesn't mean that much because it's non-conference.

Suspensions should ALWAYS be in terms of conference games. If you have a six-game suspension, then you'll have to miss these next five games PLUS six league games.

Missing games versus Arkansas Pine Bluff and Chicago State is really going to teach Yancy Gates, isn't it?

In fairness, he will miss games versus Oklahoma and Pitt but my point still stands.

As for the brawl itself, I'm not surprised anytime one happens. I believe that many games on all levels can deteriorate into a melee at anytime.

I think this culture of "fake machismo" exists in all sports but it's worse in basketball because of the nature of the game. The players are always in contact with one another in tight quarters. 

The modern player has been conditioned and raised with the idea that you can't ever back down from any perceived insult or slight, lest you be tagged as "soft". And "disrespect" cannot be allowed to stand.

This generation of athletes (and non-athletes for that matter) has substituted fake toughness for the real thing. Instead of being tough enough to play the game in the proper way and respect the game, the "fake" tough guy shows he's "a man" by running his mouth and "not backing down".

Modern "trash talk" is not about getting in your opponent's head, it's about "defending your honor". It used to be that trash talk was somewhat subdued and hidden. That was because it was designed to get your opponent off his game. Not now. Now "trash talk" is done very openly and demonstratively so EVERYBODY sees it and knows HOW TOUGH YOU ARE.

Every verbal taunt is met with an answer that exceeds the first. It leads to escalation in the "war of words". You see it in almost every game.

And it's not a big step from that to pushing and shoving. And it's not a big step from that to punches being thrown. And it's not a big step from that to the benches clearing and a full blown melee breaking out.

While incidents of this magnitude are thankfully rare I don't see things getting better on their own. In my opinion, this situation can and should lead to rules changes in college hoops to deter it happening again. Here are some suggestions:

1. Like the NBA, the act of leaving the bench area during an altercation should be met with an automatic suspension. It should be a multiple game suspension.

2. All suspensions should be institued by a single entity, like a commissioner in pro sports. They also should be in terms of conference games. Leaving it up to individual schools or conferences is a joke. Is it a coincidence that Terrelle Holloway's one-game suspension means he'll get to go with the team on a trip to Hawaii?

3. Referees should be instructed to be more proactive in shutting down all the yapping. Maybe a few more technical fouls would shut some people up.

4. The rules should be enforced as written as it pertains to how much contact is allowed. The game is way to physical.

As for the upcoming "public apology tour" many of the players are about to imbark upon, I have one thought: Don't believe them.

The idiotic comments from Holloway after the game referring to a locker room full of "gangsters" perfectly illustrated the prevailing attitude of those involved. They aren't the least bit sorry about what happened. They see it as their only alternative because to not act that way will be presented as being "soft". In addition, they fully expect any punishment they receive will be relatively light.

Make no mistake, each individual is responsible for his actions. In no way do I seek to exonerate those involved.

I'm simply observing that the culture that permeates sports, the "gangster" menatlity, is perverting what it should mean to be a tough competitor. This "fake machismo" is not caused by sports, rather it's a big stage for it to be showcased by those that play it. 

Whlle each individual is responsible for his reaction in the moment, there is little doubt that popular culture and society at large encourages this behavior. Unfortunately we can't suspend this stuff in everyday life.

It has been a very busy three weeks with the overlap of football and basketball seasons so I've been unable to blog here for a while...that ends today.

Here we go...

Let's talk about L.C.C.'s future in the NWC.

From eveything I've been able to learn, Lima Central Catholic's days in the Northwest Conference are dwindling.

With that said let me clarify the nature of the separation.

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANY "RECRUITING VIOLATIONS" OR ANY PARTICULAR BAD BLOOD. THIS ISN'T ABOUT "T-BIRD HATE".

My understanding, after much conversation and investigation, is that this is a mutual and amicable separation.

The partnership is set to change because circumstances have changed since L.C.C. joined the NWC. There was always the understanding between the schools that the relationship could be relatively short in duration in the event that L.C.C. "outgrew" the conference.

The recent implementation of the expansion of "school vouchers" has many figuring that L.C.C. is going to be picking up students within the city of Lima. Since the T-Birds are already the dominant program across the specturm of sports in the NWC it is logical to think the gap between them and the others will continue to grow.

Because of that, L.C.C. is apparently reconsidering its membership and vice versa. Simply put, it may not be in their interest any longer to have L.C.C. compete in the NWC.

This is not a knock on L.C.C. or the conference in any way. The situation should be reevaluated on a regular basis. If they and the others feel it's better to make a change, than so be it.

When L.C.C. leaves it could benefit the remaining football schools in one important area: scheduling. What I'm hearing is that the football guys are cool with 8 teams because it means the first three weeks you have non-league games and then seven weeks of league play.

As for the future of the T-Birds athletic affiliation I think they may look to join a league for football only and go back to indedpendent status in their other sports.

There is a possible landing spot for their football program in NW Ohio. It's a league that features three former State Champions and schools in Divisions III, IV, V and VI that has put out feelers about adding a tenth team. That league's initial response to L.C.C. coming in has apparently been lukewarm but it is a situation worth monitoring. 

There HAS NOT been a NWC vote or even a proposal for L.C.C.'s withdrawal or discharge to this point.

To my knowledge there is likely to be a meeting next week that will probably bring this to a conclusion.

Here's the likely scenario: L.C.C. will be in the NWC for 2012-13 and maintain a "scheduling agreement" with the league for some time after that (probably two years).

I think this is happening because L.C.C. didn't want to be forced out of the league and be holding the bag after next season. Just ask Lima Senior about how bad it sucks to get booted from a conference.

I also don't think the other schools wanted to actually "kick them out". It's much better for them all to come to a mutual solution without burning bridges.

With this being settled amicably, look for L.C.C. and the other schools to continue to play each other, especially when you consider that each remaining NWC team will have an open Friday during hoops season.

Finally, will the NWC look to add a team? I don't think so, but if they do, I know that Perry would love to be back in the NWC. They never really wanted to leave in the first place.

"You" owe Luke Fickell an apology.

You know who you are. You're "Buckeye Fan".

You're the guy you was saying that Luke Fickell was doing a bad job coaching the Bucks. You're the guy talking incessantly about the need to throw the ball more. You're the totally reactionary football fan.

Don't worry, you're the typical fan. You don't have the ability to think long term or consider all the circumstances surrounding a football team. You don't "think" you "feel" That's why your so often wrong in your assumptions and conclusions.

It's amazing how three weeks can turn a football season around.

Flash back to October 8th. The Buckeyes had just choked away the game at Nebraska and their season appeared to be hopelessly lost.

Of course if Braxton Miller hadn't gotten hurt they very probably would have won the game.

Then the next week, Ohio State won at Illinois yet all "you" wanted to talk about was that they only completed one pass.

They can't beat good teams doing that, you said. They have to throw it more or Wisconsin will eat their lunch, you said.

Admit it, that's what YOU were saying. Weren't you? This whole posting describes you, doesn't it?

I don't remember ever hearing so much bitching about a win over a ranked team on the road in conference.

Now, the Buckeyes have whipped the Badgers while completing only seven passes.

I don't know if Luke Fickell will get this head coaching job beyond this season but his work with this team sure as hell doesn't disqualify him. He's held this team together through all the turmoil and seemingly never ending personnel issues.

The Buckeyes finally know who they are. Literally.

They now have played a couple of weeks with most of their suspended players back on the field and they've settled on QB Braxton Miller. Coach Fickell has also decided to lean on the team's undeniable strengths: Miller's athleticism/running, Boom Herron and the defense. He's also trying to hide its weaknesses: The receivers and Miller's lack of polish and pure passing skills.

All of "you" who were telling me how bad a job Luke Fickell was doing three weeks ago owe him an apology.

And if OSU doesn't seriously consider him for the job permanently, THEY'LL owe him and Buckeye fans an apology.