Andrew Luck: Get a Hair Cut and a Shave Hippie!

Serious question for anyone that can grow a beard: Does facial hair help with the ladies?

Because I'm 32 years old and I still can't grow one.

I've got the Civil War thing going on. Full hair on the left but thin as shit on the right side of my face. I ask this because future #1 NFL Draft Pick and current Stanford QB as well as the clear cut leader for the Heisman Trophy grew out the beard this summer. I would think it would diminish your ability to score ass if you look like a nerdy hillbilly with pubs glued to your face.

Just a heads up Andrew Luck since I know you read SportsCrack. Cut it man. Cut it all off.


Via TheBigLead

Butch Davis Officially Fired by North Carolina

It sounds like North Carolina head coach Butch Davis might be looking for a job pretty soon. According to InsideCarolina.com an "UNC official would not confirm or deny whether Butch Davis has been fired today." If Butch's job is safe in Chapel Hill then it would seem someone within the Tar Heels football program would come out and defend him. So far it has not happened.

Davis and the Tar Heels program have been under a microscope since last year's ACC Kickoff when several reports surfaced about potential NCAA infractions with some of their football players involved. Players like Marvin Austin, Greg Little, and Robert Quinn were suspended for the 2011 season when word got out they had received impermissible academic assistance as well as extra benefits in airfare and parties attended. Also records revealed 395 parking citations for 11 football players totaling more than $13,000 in fines. The UNC football program is the next in line for the NCAA's Committee of Infractions in Indianapolis to rule on what punishment the football program will receive.

If UNC jumped the gun and fired Davis today then it probably means the Tar Heels will receive a punishment similar to what Ohio State received. Which is basically nothing besides losing your head coach. Davis has compiled a 28-23 record with a 1-2 bowl record at North Carolina.

UPDATED at 5:40 PM EST: Davis has been told in meetings with chancellor and athletic director that the process of termination has begun according to Joe Schad at ESPN.com

So now the question is who will be the next head coach at North Carolina? Does anybody really care?

Nation's Top QB Gunner Kiel picks...Indiana?

For months the speculation surrounding the nation's top QB prospect in Gunner Kiel revolved around whether he would go to one of either Alabama, Illinois or Oklahoma. But today the 6'4 220 lb QB with the big arm from Columbus, IN decided to stay in-state and pick the Indiana Hoosiers.

The biggest factor was Indiana's new head coach Kevin Wilson, who was recently Oklahoma's offensive coordinator, formed a great bond with Kiel and persuaded Kiel to come to Bloomington so he could play with his older brother Dusty.

Kiel of course will be given an immediate chance to start in 2012. It's still 6 months to signing day but this has the same feel of Tim Couch or Brian Brohm deciding to stay in-state back in the day. Congratulations to the Hoosiers. Now they can get 45,000 people to attend instead of the usual 35,000.

Via LostLettermen

Giants Agree To Trade Zach Wheeler for Carlos Beltran

The San Francisco Giants have agreed to deal top pitching prospect Zach Wheeler plus cash to the New York Mets for Carlos Beltran according to Joel Sherman. The deal is finalized it's just needs Beltran's approval because of his 10 and 5 rights to refuse a trade. The chances of him refusing a trade to the defending champions Giants is about 0%.

This is a huge move for the Giants. They need hitting and Beltran will fit in perfectly in San Francisco. Beltran can be their #2 or #3 hitter and is a proven playoff hitter once the Giants get there.

For the Mets this trade makes a lot of sense too. They get a young arm in Wheeler who they can develop as a starter who should eventually make the big league club in 2012. They were going to lose Beltran to free agency and to acquire a live arm with Wheeler's makeup and get some cash is a win-win for the Mets.

Finally a Baseball Trade: Blue Jays trade Edwin Jackson to Cardinals for Colby Rasmus

The trade deadline is 4 days away and yet nothing worth mentioning has happened until today. Earlier today the White Sox traded starter Edwin Jackson (very underrated starter IMO) and 3b Mark Teahan (salary dump) to Toronto for reliever Jason Frasor and prospect SP/RP Zach Stewart according to Ken Rosenthal. It looks like the White Sox are in full force dump salary mode as they have also put starters John Danks and Gavin Floyd (hello Orioles make a call and bring the hometown boy back) on the trade market.

Now Toronto is sending Jackson to St. Louis for young centerfielder Colby Rasmus according to Rosenthal. Rasmus is an excellent prospect with 5 tool talent but he doesn't get along with the Cardinals organization and more importantly Tony Larussa. The Cardinals need pitching and will put Jon Jay in center to replace Rasmus. This will be the second malcontent on the Jays with Rasmus joining SS Yunel Escobar who was discarded by the Braves last year.

Initial reaction: The Cardinals got a starter they needed in Jackson but didn't get enough for Colby Rasmus. Rasmus still has the ability to turn into a superstar and maybe a change of country will do him good.

Mini Skirt Bowling

Just fast forward to the 1:30 mark and enjoy some bowling. For some bizarre reason I enjoy this bowling more than the crap they put on ESPN at 4 AM. I'm not sure what it is. Feel free to comment why.

Thanks to Dave for the clip.

Jerry Meals Blows Call in 19th Inning

He looked out right? I've looked at every single replay possible and he still looked out by a long shot. I fell asleep last night in the 18th inning so I am not as outraged as I would have been if I saw it live but I kind of figured umpire Jerry Meals would blow a call to decide the game. I just thought it would have gone the other way in favor of the Pirates.

Meals was picking fights all night with the Braves. He threw out Nate McLouth for disagreeing with a called 2nd strike in the 9th. He then tossed manager Fredi Gonzalez for coming out of the dugout to protect McLouth. They were both bullshit ejections in my opinion. Meals was trying to make a point that he is a jackass. Then in the 14th or15th shit I can't remember what inning it was he flipped out when Braves reliever Christian Martinez got mad at a ball call on an outside pitch. He came in front of catcher David Ross, pulled off his mask, and started yelling shit at Martinez while kicking homeplate. Completely unprofessional and enforcing his status as a jackass. So I guess it's no surprise he would botch such an easy call in the 19th inning and call the great Julio Lugo safe at home.

Pirates fans just got flashbacks of Sid Bream. But all is not lost for the Pirates. At least people are talking about you. And that hasn't happened since 1992.

The Braves lost their MVP in Brian McCann to a strained oblique. He goes on the DL today and luckily the Braves have the best backup catcher in the Show in Ross. But the Braves were already struggling to score runs with McCann in the lineup. They need to add a righthanded bat. They needed to add it about 2 months ago. The outfield trio of Nate McLouth, Jordan Schafer, and Jason Heyward has been atrocious in terms of offensive production. It's time to go out and get either a Hunter Pence, Adam Jones, Matt Kemp, or a Carlos Beltran if the Braves are serious about winning a World Series this year. It's not just about making the playoffs Frank Wren. It's about winning the whole fucking thing.