Greg Schiano to the Bucs

Word is that Greg Schiano, current coach of the Rutgers football team, will be leaving to coach the Buccaneers.  I’m not writing this post to say whether he will be a good coach, or a bad coach, I’m writing it because he has a great idea to fix kickoffs in the NFL.

This is from last year, courtesy of nj.com.

This is Schiano’s plan: Replace all kickoffs with a punting situation, including after the opening coin toss and to start the second half. So, as an example, when Team A scores a touchdown, it immediately gets the ball back on a fourth and 15 from its own 30-yard line.

It can punt it back to Team B — the most likely outcome and a safer play since the bigger collisions usually happen on kickoffs.

Or it can line up and go for the first down, essentially replacing an onside kick with an offensive play that would require more skill than luck.

I’ve been a big supporter of this plan.  Let’s be honest, it beats the hell out of a touchback on almost every kickoff.  It makes one of the more boring parts of the current game substantially more exciting.

It adds offense, something this league seems to want, and would almost definitely increase scoring league-wide.

Not only is this a safe option, it’s actually best competitively.  This brings some strategy into the game, and is probably more likely to succeed then an onsides kick, which is basically luck.

It also gives the best players on the field more opportunities to make plays.  Would you rather see the game come down to an errant bounce off a kickers foot, or Big Ben getting one last shot on fourth and ten?

I think we all know the answer.

Maybe then the hiring of Schiano will give him the outlet to bring this topic up to the league.

If it does this hiring will be great for the league, and fans of all teams.

2012 Royal Rumble Predictions

Daniel Bryan vs. Mark Henry vs. The Big Show – Steel Cage Match

This seems like the perfect way for Daniel Bryan to keep his title in my opinion.  I think that’s exactly what will happen.  Bryan has made a habit of running away from both the Big Show and Mark Henry and that’s basically the point of a Steel Cage match.  I think that at some point Henry and Show will take each other out, allowing Bryan to escape the cage and keep his title.

CM Punk vs. Dolph Ziggler – John Laurinaitis, Special Guest Referee

Everyone expects Johnny Ace to screw CM Punk out of the title at the Rumble, that leads me to believe it won’t happen.  I do think he will try to screw over Punk, despite his wake-up call on Raw Monday night, but to no avail.  I have to imagine Triple H will get involved in this match in some way, but don’t be surprised   Besides Punk needs the title to bolster and upcoming feud I will talk about later.

John Cena vs. Kane

I know every time Cena faces a ton of adversity it seems like he always wins, but that isn’t always the case.  Last year the Miz repeatedly got the better of him leading up to their match at Wrestlemania, but still won the match.

I think this will be similar.

I strongly believe that WWE planted the seed for a Zack Ryder/ John Cena feud and that this is Kane’s last big push.  So Kane will win the match and continue to be the monster.  This will set up Kane vs. The Undertaker at Wrestlemania.  The Undertaker will come back to vanquish his brother and rid the WWE of this monster.

I think their is at least a reasonable chance that Ryder makes his presence known during this match, or on the other hand maybe the Undertaker.

Either way a clean victory for either seems pretty unlikely.

I know a lot of people see a Cena heel turn but I just don’t know.  It seems too easy.  He doesn’t need to be a heel to face the Rock, and the WWE just invested heavily in the RISE ABOVE HATE campaign.

Royal Rumble Match

It’s Jericho.  Jericho will be feuding with CM Punk in my opinion and this is his end of the world as you know it reference. I know it’s the obvious choice but I think WWE is going to give us another surprise.  I have a hunch that we will see the return of Brock Lesnar in the rumble.  That is my first guess.  If not Lesnar than Batista.  Someone will be back.

The Miz enters at #1, and I think he makes a strong showing, but he isn’t going to win it.

Other things I think will happen.  Randy Orton returns and eliminates Wade Barrett.

Christian shows up but obviously doesn’t win.

The Goldust and Cody Rhodes feud really picks up.

Mick Foley is able to eliminate a few, but he doesn’t make it too long.  Just long enough to make it a nice feel good family ordeal.

Who The Hell is Dave Hodge?

Now I’m not exactly sure who Dave Hodge thinks he is or what he is trying to prove here but where does he get off spreading the names of Tim Thomas’s kids on twitter.

I have no idea why he did this but I have to assume it has something to do with Thomas’s refusal to meet with President Obama recently.

Guess what, that is none of Hodges business.  That’s none of our business.  Tim Thomas has every right to his political views and he should not have to worry about some old coot in Canada possibly putting his children in danger.

Here is his twitter page.

I’m guessing that Hodge is calling Tim Thomas a racist here because the first letters of their names all equal KKK, but he is the one leaving that open to interpretation.

Hodge was already fired once from Hockey Night in Canada.  Here is to hoping he gets taken to task for his idiotic comments about Thomas.

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. St. Louis Blues – Game 49

Who: Pittsburgh Penguins (27-17-4) vs. St. Louis Blues (29-13-6)

Where: Scottrade Center

When: 8:00 PM EST

Channel: ROOT Sports

Six straight?  Ya know seven is better than six.

The Blues beat the Penguins the last time out (preview) 3-2 in overtime.  The Penguins played their patented one period of hockey and both of their goals came in the third period to send it to OT.  James Neal and Steve Sullivan were your goal scorers.  The Pens were outshot in this one, something pretty rare for this team, 43 – 33.

Deryk Engelland vs. Ryan Reaves

Joseph Vincent “Joe” Paterno (1926-2012)

“Believe deep down in your heart that you’re destined to do great things.”

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Washington Capitals – Game 48

Who: Pittsburgh Penguins (26-17-4) vs. Washington Capitals (25-19-2)

Where: Consol Energy Center

When: 12:30 PM EST

Channels: NBC, NHLN-CA

Last of the season against the Capitals.  The Pens have lost eight straight to the Caps at home, something that needs to change.

Preview one. Preview two.  Preview three.

1-0 in the last game.  Jason Chimera had the only goal, which came in the first period.

Whattaya know, there were as many fights as goals in this one.

Craig Adams vs. Matt Hendricks

Even that wasn’t very entertaining.

NBC Sports Fight Night Was A Decent Card

Last night NBC Sports debut it’s Fight Night series on NBC Sports Net.  Despite the Main Event being scrubbed due to injury I thought the show still went off good.  The production was quite good and the fights ranged from good to decent.

Once Eddie Chambers go hurt the promoters had to scramble and found two more heavies to fight.  Bryant Jennings defeated Maurice Byarm in the Main Event, by unanimous decision.  The fight started off well enough, but these two inexperienced fighters both slowed pretty substantially towards the end, hurting the overall quality of the fight.

That’s the type of thing you’d expect though booking a fight on such short notice.  They did good enough, and definitely didn’t ruin the card.

Before that, Cuban,  Sullivan Barrera easily took care of Toledo’s Damar Singleton.  I didn’t have Singleton winning a single round as he was easily outclassed by the older, more experienced Barrera.  I understand you need to fill time, but if you aren’t booking meaningful fighters, just get some decent brawlers out there.  This fight was basically a snooze fest.

“King” Gabriel Rosado easily stole the show tonight.  I actually thought this should have been the main event, and it was the most exciting, but it probably worked out just as well that it wasn’t because those other two fights may have had people reaching for the remote right away.

Jesus Soto-Karass was a step up for Rosado, who is fighting at his best right now.  Soto-Karass definitely gave all he could in the fight, but he was just no match for the bigger Rosado, who actually seemed to fight the type of fight Karass would want.  Rosado would win after a good stoppage in the fifth.

Rosado is now ready to step up big after this dominating win, probably entering the top ten of Junior Middleweights.

Of everyone who fought last night Rosado was the best pound for pound, and it wasn’t close.  It’s just too bad the original main event got scrubbed or this would have been a really good card.

NBC managed to make it look professional, despite the small venue.  Commentary was great, and they actually stuck to the fighters fighting.

Next up for NBC is Zab Judah vs. Vernon Paris.  Judah is a legit fighter, and has been one of the best in the world at his weight class.

The only real beef I have is the commercials, you are missing ten to twenty seconds of some rounds and that is just not acceptable.  Such a high quality broadcast should not have the audience missing portions of the fight for commercials.

Does Anyone Really Believe Arians Wasn’t Forced Out?

For real, is there anyone out there that really believes his “retirement” was his idea?  The Rooney’s are speaking to the media like they are trying to regain control of the troops, Tomlin is on record saying he wanted Arians back, and Arians is on record saying he wants to come back.

Suddenly he retires?

Dan Rooney is going to give up his Ambassadorship in Ireland to rejoin the Steelers.  Anyone think that’s not just a little suspect?  I mean if he was happy with how things were going he would keep the government job.

So is there some drama between ownership and Tomlin?  I mean they told him to run the ball more, they have made it clear that Ben will have no input in the new Offensive Coordinator, and now they’ve forced out his choice for Offensive Coordinator.

They’ve also said that Roetlisberger must change his style a bit, which is true.  But isn’t that for the coaches, not ownership to decide?

Obviously they have every right to be involved in their team, but does Tomlin have their full faith?  Is Dick Lebeau being retained at the behest of ownership or does Tomlin really want him back?

Things don’t seem completely gravy in Steelerland right now, and at the very least the Steelers front office seems displeased with this season’s outcome.

I’m not saying it is true, but this very well could be the beginning of Tomlin on the hot seat.