COLLEGE FOOTBALL: WE'RE BACK!!!!!

Absolutely nothing matches the passion of college football. Every game is do or die. I'm ready for kickoff. Are you in?

FUCK YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: WHY WE LOVE IT

HT to Jeff

THE CUBAN MISSILE SHIRT

THE CUBAN MISSILE has arrived and has completely blown away the competition while topping out at an amazing 105 miles per hour. The kid is sick and with pennant fever at an all-time high this shirt is bound to sell out quickly. Get yours today for only $19 at SPORTSCRACK.COM.

BYU SIGNS ON FOR MORMONS VS CATHOLICS GAME WITH NOTRE DAME

The BYU Cougars have announced their independence! Today they revealed to the college football world that they have signed an 8 year deal with ESPN to televise their home games and also announced a 6 year deal with Notre Dame to start a holy war to end all holy wars!!!!! Oh it's fucking on Mormons!

BYU has entered into an eight-year partnership with ESPN to televise every home football game, it was announced Wednesday.

At a press conference announcing the independence of their football program, the Cougars also announced a six-game series with Notre Dame that will run through 2020.

BYU president Cecil Samuelson said, “We are convinced we are taking major positive steps forward.”

BYU is leaving the Mountain West Conference for two reasons, according to athletic director Tom Holmoe.

“It comes down to two pillars,” he said. “Access and exposure. ... Independence increases access to our games for fans everywhere and it increases the exposure of our student-athletes.”

I'm not positive who God would root for in this scenario but I'm pretty sure he would go Notre Dame because of Touchdown Jesus and the ability to drink soft drinks (plus Catholic girls are usually slutty). This series really does nothing for me as a Notre Dame fan. I don't hate it. I don't love it. It's just a whatever feeling. My strongest memory of the Catholics vs. Mormons game is Ty Willingham totally shitting the bed in the 2004 season opener. I've tried to block out most memories but I can still remember how violently angry I got when Willingham wouldn't put freshman Darius Walker in at tailback and insisted on running fucking Marcus Wilson and Travis Thomas. Oh what lovely memories those were.

BYU is getting a good deal out of this. They get more national exposure as an independent on ESPN then they would in the Mountain West Conference. They can also line up a pussy schedule if they so choose or go play the big boys. More of the same in the college football world. Less playoffs and more debate.

BOISE STATE REVEILS THEIR NIKE PRO COMBAT UNIFORMS

Yesterday I told you about Virginia Tech coming out in some new Nike Unis for their game on Monday against Boise State and I completely forgot about the Broncos doing the same. Never to be outdone by a BCS Conference team, Boise State will too be ready to rock in some new digs. You can buy the new uniforms plus check out a pretty cool Combat Broncos helmet at BRONCOSPORTS.COM. I'm not sure how much I like the Bronco on the pants but I definitely like the helmet.

Big HT to Nick and Ryno for the link.

MIAMI VS FLORIDA IN YANKEES STADIUM 2013

Sign me up for this game! Even though I have no idea why they would play it at Yankees Stadium. People in New York don't even know they play football in college.

From FloridaToday.com...

CORAL GABLES — Miami has entered talks about playing a football game at Yankee Stadium in 2013.

Hurricanes athletic director Kirby Hocutt met with the Yankees on Tuesday about the possibility. Miami already has five home and five road games scheduled for that year, leaving two slots on its schedule.

The Hurricanes plan to host longtime rival the Florida Gators on Sept. 7, 2013. Miami is scheduled to visit the South Florida Bulls on Nov. 30 of that year in Tampa, Fla., the Yankees’ spring training home.

“I think it’s great for college football and the University of Miami,” Miami coach Randy Shannon said Wednesday. “You play teams outside of the conference a lot ... and it’s an opportunity for us to be in the Northeast, which is a big University of Miami alumni base area.”

Shannon said the school is “going through negotiations” with teams looking to find an opponent for the Yankee Stadium matchup.

Miami played in the old Yankee Stadium in 1962, losing to Nebraska in what was the final edition of the Gotham Bowl.

I find it amusing they have a quote from Randy Shannon about the game in 2013. It's on par with Charlie Weis talking last year about the Army-Notre Dame game to be played this year. No fucking way Shannon lasts that long in Miami. I have a better chance of catching gonorrhea from Derek Jeter's jock strap than Shannon lasting to the year 2013.

MANNY ALREADY PLAYING THE "MANNY BEING MANNY" BULL SHIT IN CHICAGO

What the fuck Manny? You don't need a translator. You speak English asshole. I've gone on record saying I love the way Manny swings a bat. In fact I think he has the sweetest right handed swing of all-time. But jesus christ this guy has some fucking baggage. I feel bad for bench coach Joey Cora here. He knows Manny is full of shit and can speak and understand American. Plus it's in Chicago. It's not like they are in Boston where everybody sounds like they are sucking cock while trying to whisper.

HT to Dougie for pointing this out and Deadspin for posting the video.

SIGN ME UP FOR "MACHETE"

Robert Rodriguez film: CHECK
Danny Trejo: CHECK
Robert De Niro: CHECK
A drugged up Lindsay Lohan: CHECK
Jessica Alba greased up: CHECK
Brutal rampage of revenge plot: CHECK

Naked chick pulling cell phone out of her you know what: FUCKING AWESOME

Seriously if you don't go see this movie you are probably either Mormon or a complete fucking loser. More than likely both. No offense to the losers out there.


Video via WWTDD

Freeman to the Bravos

The day has finally come, Freddie Freeman gets his well deserved call up to play with the big boys in Atl! While this leaves Troy Glaus' season a bit in question, Bravos fans and the Bravos themselves are excited to see the potential future first base star in the bigs, finally. There are multiple rumors of several American League teams interested in Glaus for a clean up role and with Infante playing well at 2nd, Prado still raking and playing 3rd, Derek Lee, Erik Hinske and Freeman at 1st, trading Glaus for a future SS or LF may not be the worst idea.

In case you missed it, Freeman was also recently named the International League Rookie of the Year and named the best defensive 1st baseman in the league. The last Braves player to win this award was none other than Larry himself.

The future is bright in Atlanta folks. Hanson, Medlen, Minor, Kimbrel, Venters, Prado, McCann, Infante, Heyward, and Freeman are looking like a hell of a core to build around and with each of these guys being relatively young in their careers, that future may be bright for years to come. Let's pack the Ted for the rest of the season and support our Bravos! Hanson is on the mound tonight for the Braves versus the Mets in the series finale and if I'm lucky, Freeman will make his debut at 1st Base! Let's go Braves!

Laroche to Johnson - It's Raining Men!

Found this great and had to share! Thanks to deadspin.com. The original post can be found here.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PICK EM CONTEST

Our annual tradition in the fall is back! We will be doing another College Football Pick 'Em contest with the weekly points winner getting a free SportsCrack.com tee shirt. If you haven't played before then you need to join the sportscrack league. It's free to join so don't worry about paying any fees.

Here is the direct link to join:
http://www.funofficepools.com/joinpool.php?Passed_Pool_Key=c29b6a25deb

Remember all you are doing is picking the winners of each game. Don't worry about the spread. You weigh the games in terms of confidence points so make sure you load up on Boise State this week! Who ever gets the most points at the end of the year will win a big grand prize* which is yet to be determined.

Good luck and make sure to get your picks in asap. First games start tomorrow.

*=the opportunity to kiss my ass

IOWA OFFENSIVE LINEMAN JOSH KOEPPEL TO MISS SEASON OPENER FOR MINOR FENDER BENDER

Granted Koeppel's fender was that of the moped he was driving before some jackass pulled in front of him...


Somehow Koeppel managed to walk away from this incredible accident witnessed by a police cruiser. No major injuries at all except jello for a brain. He's not going to play this week since the accident just happened on Monday and God knows how his body is going to react to the trauma of a 273 pound senior being thrown around like a raggedy ann doll. The guy is just lucky to be alive.

Video via TheBigLead through TheWizofOdds

Not quite 'The Natural' that was

Photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated

He’s come a long way from the cover of Sports Illustrated. ‘The Natural’ is no longer the prospect nor person he once was. For everything I’ve heard about Frenchy being down to Earth, relaxed, positive, smart, and talented, all I can say is that I’m still waiting for him to be humble. Since the cover of SI, Francoeur has done nothing to live up to the nickname. He joined the Atlanta team as the right fielder of the future in 2005 and looked every bit the part. Labeled as the savior of the Bravos, Francoeur, McCann, Boyer, Davies, McBride, Johnson, and the rest of the nicknamed “Baby Braves” are all gone, with the exception of McCann, and the Braves have been better for it.

Jeff is headed to his 3^rd team in 5 seasons, 2^nd in 18 months, and is still saying he’s looking for the opportunity to play every day. Hitting .237 with 11 HRs and 54 RBIs shouldn’t guarantee anyone the everyday label. The Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals couldn’t find an opportunity for him to play every day so Francoeur somehow got traded to the division leading Texas Rangers on Tuesday to “help” them against left handed pitching.

I wish the kid all the best, but it seems to me that it’s time for a come to Jesus moment, and by Jesus, I don’t mean go and talk with Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper, or Tim Tebow, although I have heard reports that talking to Tim Tebow can cure Lupus so it wouldn’t hurt for Jeff to try. While in Atlanta, Frenchy proved to be hard headed and immature. As if getting demoted to the minors to straighten his swing, and presumably his head out, Jeff came back up and struggled more. In the off season, he went around the Braves to get instruction from a “personal” hitting coach. Even the conservative Terry Pendleton was quoted as saying the Braves had obviously paid attention to the wrong guy meaning that Brian McCann should have, and justifiably so, been the focus of the “face of the organization” talk from day 1.

It’s time for Francoeur to wake up. Talent plus desire does not equal success. At some point, you have to realize what kind of player you are, what kind of player you want to be, and do the things it takes to make up the difference. Those things aren’t demanding higher salaries, demanding playing time, and spurning coaches to do things on your own terms. The guy has a world of talent, but is in the process of making Oliver Perez’s decision to spurn management and refuse to be designated to AAA to improve a stroke of genius.

Take my advice Jeff, go to Texas with an open mind and be willing to listen to management and work on what they say your issues are. Those guys have been around a lot longer and like it or not, pay your salary. Good luck with the Rangers and if all else fails, get Saint Tebow to bless your bat, hey it’s worth a shot.