The Ciskie Blog

Sunday, July 20, 2008

COLLEGE FOOTBALL '08: MOUNTAIN WEST

BYU = BCS? Head coach Bronco Mendenhall has coined the phrase "Quest for Perfection" to describe the upcoming season. They've won ten in a row since a loss to Tulsa in their third game of 2007. Efficient, accurate QB Max Hall now has 13 starts under his belt. The top rusher and top four receivers return. Things are setting up well in Provo. Hall (right) threw 26 touchdowns a year ago, and he gets to throw to Austin Collie, Dennis Pitta, and Michael Reed again. Harvey Unga returns as feature back after compiling over 1,800 yards from scrimmage last year. Mendenhall does have to patch together a defense, but he gets to build it around athletic DE Jan Jorgensen, who picked up 14 sacks last year. MLB David Dixon is the only returning starter who doesn't play on the defensive line. Guys like Scott Johnson, Brandon Howard, and G Pittman aren't experienced corners, but they're plenty talented to handle starting assignments.

Utah looks to rebound from injury-riddled season. Starting QB Brian Johnson (right) missed significant time and was probably never 100 percent. Starting RB Matt Asiata broke his leg in the season opener. Leading receiver Brent Casteel blew out his knee in the Utes' second game. As a result, it took quite some time for Utah's offense to find its footing. By the time it finally did, the Utes were staring up from a 1-3 hole. They finished by winning eight of their last nine, including a Poinsettia Bowl win over Navy. With that in mind, Johnson, Asiata, and Casteel are all going to be healthy. Add to that RB Darrell Mack (also pictured), who stepped in and ran for over 1,200 yards, and WR Brandon Godfrey, who caught 50 passes and is Utah's leading returning receiver. Oh, and Kyle Whittingham still has guys like DEs Koa Misi and Paul Kruger, along with OLB Stevenson Sylvester, on the defense. While this is likely to be a very good team again, their top-end players don't quite match up to BYU's.

Colorado State changes coaches. Sonny Lubick did great things in Fort Collins. He won 108 games in 15 years, led the Rams to nine bowl games, and he also won or shared six conference championships, most recently in 2002. Lubick struggled to get this program going in recent years, however. The Rams have won just sven games over two years, haven't won a bowl game since the 2001 New Orleans Bowl, and the administration convinced Lubick to retire after last season. Enter Steve Fairchild, a former CSU QB and most recently the offensive coordinator for the NFL's Buffalo Bills. Fairchild has quite a task in front of him, and making it tougher is the fact that the Rams return just 12 starters. In a way, this is a good thing, as Fairchild has no reason not to conduct a competition for most, if not all, starting positions. The offensive coaches took an unusual step to helping the new QBs out. They've programmed their passing plays into Madden 08 for the PlayStation 2, and the four candidates take turns playing it every day. Fairchild was a good hire, but this rebuild is going to take a while.

Wyoming tries to bounce back. The Cowboys' 2007 collapse was capped by coach Joe Glenn's embarrassing one-finger salute toward the Utah sideline after an onside kick. Glenn had guaranteed a win over Utah, and the Utes apparently decided a 43-0 lead wasn't enough. Your mileage may vary on the Utes' decision to onside, but you can't justify Glenn's inability to control his emotions. A 4-1 start crumbled away in a 1-6 finish. After the loss to Utah, Wyoming got blown out by BYU and upset by Colorado State. The talent exists for Glenn to engineer a turnaround. Junior QB Karsten Sween, senior RB Devin Moore (pictured), and junior WR Greg Bolling lead the offense, which sports all five starters from last year on the offensive line. Three junior linemen (Mitch Unrein, Fred Givens, and John Fletcher) and senior LB Ward Dobbs are the best players on defense. Glenn expects seniors Michael Ray and Quincy Rogers to provide stability in the secondary.

Air Force tries to follow a great year. Troy Calhoun maxed out the talents of his players a year ago, leading them to a nine-win season that included wins over Mountain West powers TCU and Utah. The Falcons have to find a way to follow up on that this year, and it is going to be potentially tougher than last year was for Calhoun. To do it again, he and his staff are going to have to max out the talents of 14 new starters, including a new QB, new RBs, and new receivers. Defensively, Air Force has to find new starting corners and replace most of its LB depth. The biggest loss is that of QB Shaun Carney, who totaled over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and directed the offense to nearly 30 points per game, increasing production by nearly a touchdown per game from a year earlier.

BEST OF THE REST
Gary Patterson has won at least ten games four times in seven years at TCU, and this team has the talent to make it five out of eight. An uncharacteristically leaky defense should be healthier, and the Horned Frogs have plenty of experience on offense. Quick: Name the only Mountain West school to be bowl-eligible each of the last seven years. You probably got it wrong, as it's not likely you'd guess New Mexico. The Lobos snapped a 46-year bowl win drought last year with a 23-0 win over Nevada in the New Mexico Bowl, and Rocky Long hopes his young team can find a way to get back to the postseason this year. No seat is hotter than that of Mike Sanford at UNLV. The Rebels have won just six games in three years, though things are looking up this season. Omar Clayton and Travis Dixon are locked in a solid QB competition heading into fall camp. Sanford finally has some experienced receivers and runners to operate his spread offense. It's up to those players to stay healthy, and the defense to improve quicker than it has been. Losing a starting QB isn't something that is going to lead to higher expectations when your team is coming off a 4-8 season. San Diego State has to replace Kevin O'Connell, along with leading receivers Brett Swain and Chaz Schilens. Of course, a defense that allowed a staggering 34 points per game is going to have to come around for Chuck Long if his team is to climb into the upper division of this league.

PRESEASON AWARDS AND NOTABLES
Offensive Player of the Year: Max Hall, QB, BYU
Defensive Player of the Year: Jan Jorgensen, DE, BYU
Coach of the Year: Gary Patterson, TCU
Coach on the Hot Seat: Mike Sanford, UNLV
Best Non-Conference Game: Utah at Michigan, August 30
Worst Non-Conference Game: Stephen F. Austin at TCU, September 6

Thursday, July 17, 2008

DO NOT SPEAK TO THIS MAN

On the surface, this all appears to be kind of silly.

The Green Bay Packers, in the midst of one of the biggest quandaries in their long history, have decided to go on the offensive. The reasoning, method, and timing are all questionable, but their target is clear.

It's the Vikings.

Green Bay filed a tampering charge against the Vikings recently, claiming that offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell has had "inappropriate contact" (football related, we think) with Brett Favre.

Favre is retired, but he is still the property of the Packers, as he retired with years left on his contract. Therefore, any contact Favre has with officials from another team about the prospects of joining that team are considered against the rules.

Though it's unclear what the Packers have for evidence, they are probably alleging that Bevell and Favre, known to be good friends ever since Bevell was Favre's position coach in Green Bay, discussed the chances of Favre playing in Minnesota. The Packers' allegation, according to one report, goes so far as to claim the Vikings are the reason for Favre's sudden interest in a comeback.

Look: Favre and Bevell are friends. I would hate for NFL rules to restrict their ability to talk to each other, especially as Favre goes through a difficult time in his professional career. That said, I also understand why the league so greatly frowns on this stuff.

A few hot-button questions that I can answer:

1. Why does this rule apply to retired players? Because Favre is under contract. If you allowed teams to contact retired players from other teams, you'd have disgruntled players retiring to facilitate their own free agency. That would be a really bad thing.

2. What can happen to the Vikings? If the NFL finds them guilty, the organization could face fines or a loss of one or more draft picks.

3. Will this change the Packers strategy in this drama? Probably not. It would never have made sense to release Favre, even if you thought he would only go to the Lions. There's no reason to trade Favre until you get a stronger hint that he'll apply for reinstatement.

4. Is there any way Favre could end up with the Vikings? Not by trade. Ted Thompson would never do that. However, I do think it's possible that Favre will not apply for reinstatement until Week Six. If that happens, the Packers could very easily cut him instead of dealing with the BS and the distractions. Even if he signs with the Vikings, he's going to be at least two weeks away from jumping in as the starting QB.

Ah, soap operas. So much more fun involving sports.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

COLLEGE FOOTBALL '08: MID-AMERICAN

Temple and Buffalo. There's no better way to describe this storyline than by simply saying "Temple and Buffalo". By themselves, and without any attached context, this means nothing to most of you. Temple hasn't had a winning season for 17 years. They haven't even won more than four games in a season since 1990. On its surface, a four-win season isn't anything special. But for Temple, who endured a myriad of injuries, started a slew of freshmen, and started 0-5, a 4-8 finish is something to build on. The Owls are the only Division I-A team to return all 11 starters on each side of the ball. A bowl game is not out of sight, believe it or not. The same could be said for Buffalo. The Bulls don't have 22 starters back, but they do have 18. They won five MAC games a year ago, matching their total from the previous four years combined. The Bulls have a senior QB in Drew Willy (pictured) who has started 28 games over three years. Coach Turner Gill appeared to be a favorite for the Nebraska job (his alma mater) before deciding to stay in Buffalo. He should reap the benefits of his decision this year, as the Bulls have the tools to at least be bowl-eligible, and they'll challenge Miami and Bowling Green for the league title.

LeFevour fever. A 1-3 start, featuring blowout losses to Kansas, Purdue, and North Dakota State (!), left the Chippewas reeling under first-year coach Butch Jones. CMU rallied, winning five of six, claiming the West Division title, and blowing by Miami in the MAC title game. Despite a porous defense, the Chips gave Purdue all they could handle in the Motor City Bowl thanks to QB Dan LeFevour (right), who is the latest in a long line of elite MAC QBs. He threw for 300 or more yards in four games, topped 3,600 yards passing, and chipped in over 1,100 yards on the ground. LeFevour's 46 total TDs included 19 scores on the ground, placing him only behind Tim Tebow among Division I-A quarterbacks. LeFevour has already started 26 games, and he's mastered the Chippewas' spread offense. Expect more big numbers this year, as CMU returns all their top skill-position players and four starters on the offensive line.

QB experience all over the MAC. While many of the MAC's 13 teams struggled to generate a consistent passing game last year, they'll all have a great opportunity to improve in 2008. 12 of the league's 13 teams return their starting quarterback from 2007. Among them are West Division stars LeFevour and Nate Davis (Ball State). Tim Hiller (Western Michigan) disappointed coaches with some of his decision-making, but he returns for another season. Toledo's Aaron Opelt needs to stay healthy. Tyler Sheehan (Bowling Green) should become an Omar Jacobs-like star this year. Willy and Adam DiMichele (Temple) both have the chance to continue their teams' respective surges. Daniel Raudabaugh (Miami) may have to fend off a freshman (Clay Belton) to even keep his job. Ohio is the only team that has to replace last year's starter.

Ball State's offense should continue to shine. Off their first winning season since 1996, the Cardinals have the goods to make the leap atop the MAC West this season. QB Nate Davis has room to improve (completion percentage around 57), but he takes care of the football (nine picks in over 700 career attempts). He's the triggerman for an offense that is as formidable as any in this league. Ball State gets all eleven starters back, including 100-catch WR Dante Love, a TE in Darius Hill who scored 11 times last year. The Cardinals need to get more consistency out of the running game (held under 100 yards in four of their last six regular-season games), and they're banking on the idea that seven returning starters will bolster a defense that was flat-out abused against the run (204 yards per game, including over 200 yards in six of 13 games). Phil Steele wants to point out that the Cardinals were plus-17 in turnover ratio last year, meaning they're likely in for a less fortunate season, too. That said, they're ready to make the leap, and this year might be their best chance.

MAC woes continue. Despite some on-field success and more exciting offenses, the MAC continues to struggle against the big boys. In 2007, the MAC went 5-37 against teams from BCS conferences, but didn't win a single game against a BCS team that finished with a winning record. They also went 0-3 in bowl games, including Bowling Green's 63-7 waxing at the hands of Tulsa in the GMAC Bowl. This year doesn't look good, with such doozies as Miami at Michigan, Miami at Cincinnati, Temple at Penn State, Bowling Green at Pittsburgh, Ohio at Ohio State, Akron at Wisconsin, Boston College at Kent State, Central Michigan at Georgia, etc. Good luck, MAC. Hopefully, your improved football teams can spring an upset or two.

BEST OF THE REST

I mentioned the potential QB controversy at Miami, as Belton tries to snatch some snaps away from Raudabaugh, who struggled mightily at times last year. Whoever gets the job has talent to throw to, led by sophomore Eugene Harris and junior Dustin Woods. The RedHawks will battle Bowling Green for the East Division title again. Sheehan (right) is an accurate thrower in an offense that demands accuracy. The Falcons' spread attack does rely on the ability to run the ball and keep the offense diverse, and they didn't do such a good job of that last year, averaging 40 pass attempts per game (50 or more in four of their first five games). Kent State won their opener at Iowa State last year, started 2-1, and finished the season 3-9 thanks to a scattershot passing game and a secondary that seemed to get worse throughout the season. To improve, it would be super if they could stay healthy at QB, where four different players started games last year. Frank Solich seems to have the offense tuned up at Ohio, as the Bobcats topped 30 points a game last year. A defense that allowed 30 or more points in five of six losses sunk their bowl hopes. Solich hopes senior LB Michael Brown will lead an improvement. A rebuilding process is underway at Akron, where the Zips will play in the Rubber Bowl for the last time this year. Coach JD Brookhart seeks improvement from QB Chris Jacquemain, who leads a passing game that has to get something positive going without leading receiver Jabari Arthur. There are too many losses on defense for the Zips to be much of an East Division factor. If Hiller doesn't watch out, sophomore Drew Burdi might wrestle the QB job away from him at Western Michigan. He has a top target in Jamarko Simmons to go along with the emerging Schneider Julien. The Broncos are another team that needs to show improvement on defense. A late-season upset at Iowa last year may help propel WMU to the bowl picture. Tom Amstutz has hit a bump in the road at Toledo for the first time. Injuries have ravaged the QB position, and now they have to deal with the loss of leading rusher Jalen Parmele. Amstutz knows the run defense has to improve after finishing last in the MAC (215 yards per game allowed), and his team also has to survive a brutal schedule (at Arizona, vs. Fresno State, at Michigan in non-conference play). Jerry Kill comes from a successful Southern Illinois program to take over at Northern Illinois. The cupboard isn't bare with the departure of Joe Novak, as the Huskies have a staggering 21 starters back. If Kill can guide this team through the first five games (four on the road) without their confidence taking a hit, they could be a surprise team. The seat is warming quickly for Jeff Genyk at Eastern Michigan. Genyk is very optimistic about the upcoming year, but the odds of EMU earning their first postseason trip since 1987 are not good. If they're going to build a winner, expect it to be done with an improved offense. QB Andy Schmitt needs to stay healthy and improve his consistency. If he doesn't, sophomore Kyle McMahon has the edge in mobility and may steal the job.

PRESEASON AWARDS AND NOTABLES
Offensive Player of the Year: Dan LeFevour, QB, Central Michigan
Defensive Player of the Year: Larry English, DE, Northern Illinois
Coach of the Year: Turner Gill, Buffalo
Coach on the Hot Seat: Jeff Genyk, Eastern Michigan
Best Non-Conference Game: UTEP at Buffalo, August 28
Worst Non-Conference Game: Northeastern at Ball State, August 28

Monday, July 14, 2008

BRETT FAVRE SPEAKS, SHOULDN'T HAVE

For the sake of Brett Favre, let's hope he's inhaled some fumes from that tractor of his.

Everyone in Wisconsin appreciates what Favre did for the Green Bay Packers. Even Ted Thompson and Mike McCarthy. Favre refuses to understand this, instead evidently choosing to believe that Thompson especially has been trying to push him out the door since 2005.

After requesting his release last week, Favre has given an interview to Packers shareholder Greta Van Susteren of Fox News. In the interview, Favre shows signs of senility, apparently believing the Packers are stupid.

...while Favre said the Packers asked him for a list of teams to which he would accept a trade, he wants to be released to make sure he ends up on a competitive club.

Wait. You want to pick your team, but only on your terms?

Screw that!

The Packers are responsible for one thing here, and that's not Brett Lorenzo Favre. It's the Green Bay Packers.

And in this instance, what's best for Brett isn't what's best for the Packers.

Favre wants a release because he "didn't feel welcome". Typical BS athlete whining.

The truth is that Brett Favre decided he didn't want to play football anymore. He did this on his own, 44 days after a crushing end to the season that was largely his fault (see right). No one pushed him to retire. To the contrary, the Packers made it clear that they wanted him back.

Favre wanted out. He got out. He could have come back in March, but backed out.

Now, it's too late.

Aaron Rodgers is starting. Favre gets to take part in an open competition for the job in a best-case scenario in Green Bay, and he doesn't feel he should have to do that.

Understandable, but it means Favre has to go elsewhere.

With that in mind, does he really think the Packers are going to release him so he can sign with the Vikings or Bears? Instead, his best option is to find teams that are interested in him, narrow down the list to the most competitive franchises, and work out a deal.

It's the most amicable way out of Green Bay, which was what agent Bus Cook said they wanted. Instead, Favre, Cook, and their inner circle seem to have brokered the most acrimonious situation possible. They allowed this to go public, basically forced the Packers to respond in public, and have now seen this issue reel out of control.

This is July. Nothing happens in July. They had to know this would happen.

In the end, Favre thinks he's owed free agency by the Packers. It's insane. Favre signed a ten-year contract seven years ago. He did it because he wanted to finish his career in Green Bay, and the Packers offered him a deal he couldn't pass up. Now, he wants out of that deal for convenience. He thinks the Packers should up and release a contracted player, setting him up to go wherever he wants without compensation.

As bad as we all think Kevin McHale is, at least he didn't release Kevin Garnett.

Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers continues to do something Favre was apparently allergic to. He's being a teammate and being "one of the guys". Despite the insistence of many Favre loyalists, who assume the veterans want Favre back, this behavior appears to be rubbing off on the other players, and Rodgers is getting some support.

Rodgers said he has received supportive calls and text messages from numerous teammates over the past couple of days, including offensive linemen Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton and wideout Greg Jennings. He also has shown his leadership skills by actively mentoring Brohm and Flynn, a stark contrast to the chilly reception he got from Favre after joining the team.

“I’ve been trying to be as open as I can possibly be,” Rodgers said. “I told both Brian and Matt from the start that if they have any questions, they should come to me and I’ll help them in any way I can. Because making them better is making our team better.”

Maybe Favre can try this "teammate" thing in his new locale.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

COLLEGE FOOTBALL '08: CONFERENCE USA

June Jones to the Metroplex. There was probably no bigger coaching change in college football than this one. SMU's program has been a joke since the Death Penalty sanctions imposed by the NCAA a little more than 20 years ago. They haven't been to a bowl since 1984, and athletic director Steve Orsini finally had enough. He fired Phil Bennett after a 1-6 start to the 2007 season. Then, at the end of the year, he found a way to get June Jones to join his program from Hawai'i. Jones had probably accomplished all he could with the Warriors, thanks to a shoestring budget he was saddled with. At SMU, he'll make some $2 million per year, he has a relatively new on-campus football stadium, and he has a job in one of the richest recruiting bases in the country. So, yeah, this won't take long. Short-term, the prognosis is good. He's got some speed to work with at the skill positions, and he has a junior QB in Justin Willis who has already started 22 games. Shoring up a defense that allowed over 300 passing yards per game last year is the first priority.

Central Florida gets it done with defense. They're going to have to. The two rocks of the Knights' offense last year were RB Kevin Smith (2,567 yards, 30 total TD) and QB Kyle Israel (2,173 yards, 15 TD). Michael Greco, who transferred from NC State in 2005, seems to have the inside track on replacing Israel. Smith's old job is wide-open, with upwards of six players in line for a shot at it in the fall. Meanwhile, George O'Leary has no such problems on the other side of the ball. The Knights return nine starters on what could be Conference USA's top defense, including their top seven tacklers. Also back are the co-leaders in interceptions from a year ago, CBs Joe Burnett (right) and Johnell Neal. The experienced, talented secondary features four senior starters who have already combined to start an astounding 134 games at UCF. If the Knights can find a way to generate enough pass rush, the secondary will likely put up some great numbers.

Is Mark Snyder in trouble? Longtime head coach Bob Pruett retired in 2004, just as Marshall was up against some NCAA sanctions and a move to a tougher conference (leaving the MAC for Conference USA). A program used to bowl appearances, conference titles, and NFL-caliber talent (Chad Pennington, Byron Leftwich, Randy Moss, etc.) wasn't going to take well to rebuilding, but that was in the cards. Snyder is just 12-23 in three seasons, including 3-9 a year ago. However, things are looking up. Marshall returns 17 starters, 33 players on the roster who have started a game, and 41 total letterwinners back. The Herd need to replace a starting QB in Bernard Moore, but the coaches like redshirt freshman Mark Cann, who currently sits atop the depth chart. Improvement will be expected if Marshall is to win games this season, and a big part of that will be a defense that was destroyed last year. The Herd allowed 34 points per game, couldn't stop anyone running or passing the ball. Snyder's job security is in question, and results are needed this year, in all likelihood.

Where did all the runners go? A look at Conference USA shows a startling number of star RBs gone from last year. Marcus Thomas (UTEP), Anthony Aldridge (Houston), Matt Forte (Tulane), Chris Johnson (ECU), Smith (UCF), and Joseph Doss (Memphis) are all gone, and they take 9,686 yards and 104 rushing TDs (118 total) with them. And that's just the 2007 total. Needless to say, there are a ton of teams in Conference USA with top runners to replace, with UCF and Tulane the most hurt, as Smith and Forte each cleared 2,000 yards a year ago. Perhaps this is a nod to Southern Miss (Damion Fletcher) and Tulsa (Tarrion Adams), both of whom return 1,000-yard rushers from last season. Or maybe it's a sign that Conference USA will lean more toward air attacks this season than ever before.

Tulsa reloads. For the first time since 2004, Paul Smith will not be under center (or in the shotgun) for the Golden Hurricane. Tulsa has plenty of talent surrounding the new starter, who will be senior David Johnson. WRs Trae Johnson(right) and Charles Clay combined for 139 catches last year, and while Brennan Marion only caught 39 passes, he averaged a record 31.9 (!) yards per catch. Adams returns in the backfield, and he's a solid receiver. Johnson should be well-protected by a solid offensive line. The schedule is favorable, with only a home date against New Mexico posing any major issues among Tulsa's first five games. With that in mind, Johnson should be well-established before an October 11 game at SMU.

BEST OF THE REST
East Carolina should threaten for the top spot in the East, thanks to a strong defense and improved passing attack. However, replacing a key player like Johnson may be too much to ask for this offense. Believe it or not, Tommy West of Memphis is the longest-tenured head coach in the league. He's been there since 2001. If they can figure out the defensive issues that plagued them throughout the season, Memphis should also be a factor in the East. Southern Miss made the most controversial coaching change, letting Jeff Bower go after 17 seasons. Former Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Larry Fedora gets the job, and he'll bring his no-huddle attack with him. Fletcher should benefit greatly in this offense. Neil Calloway fielded a thin football team last year, but the second-year UAB coach did it out of necessity. He flushed the bad apples out of the program, and now has quite the rebuilding project. The numbers indicate that this will be another rough year in Birmingham, but the Blazers will continue to improve gradually. New Houston coach Kevin Sumlin is highly-regarded and probably not long for this job. While he's there, expect the Cougars to continue with their high-flying offense. With Sumlin's background as a recruiter at schools like Oklahoma and Texas A&M, UH's profile on the national scene is likely to rise considerably. Rice was running the wishbone as recently as 2005. Now, the Owls have a passing attack that is top-notch, thanks to QB Chase Clement and WR Jarett Dillard. Expect Rice to return to bowl contention this year after a 3-9 season in David Bailiff's debut. If sophomore QB Trevor Vittatoe can build off a 31-touchdown freshman season, UTEP should improve off their 4-8 record from 2007. Much will also be decided by whether they can find a RB to replace Thomas, who was a huge part of the offense last year. No team in the league has to replace a player as important as Forte. Bob Toledo returns a ton of players from last year's team, but for Tulane to get any better in a tough division, all the skill-position players have to perform better in Forte's absence. That's probably too much to ask.

PRESEASON AWARDS AND NOTABLES
Offensive Player of the Year: Tarrion Adams, RB, Tulsa
Defensive Player of the Year: Joe Burnett, CB, UCF
Coach of the Year: June Jones, SMU
Coach on the Hot Seat: Mark Snyder, Marshall
Best Non-Conference Game: South Florida at Central Florida, September 6
Worst Non-Conference Game: Central Arkansas at Tulsa, September 27

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

SMOKE LEAVING GIBBS

In a move that is designed to secure his long-term future in NASCAR, Tony Stewart has gotten out of his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing, effective at the end of the season. "Smoke", as they call him, has had his eye on team ownership for some time, it seems, and he's going to make the move next year to become an owner/driver.

Stewart's buying into Haas/CNC Racing to the tune of a 50 percent share. It's expected that the new team will be called Stewart Haas Racing, with Stewart driving one car and another driver - reportedly Ryan Newman - being brought in for the other. Stewart has apparently lined up some serious sponsors, including Office Depot (their deal with Carl Edwards is up and will apparently not be renewed). Possibly of even greater importance to Stewart will be his return to driving Chevrolet racecars.

Obviously, Stewart is not doing this to win a championship in 2009. He's doing it because of the long-term opportunities that come with team ownership. While Haas/CNC has struggled this year, there's no reason to believe they'll continue to with two big-name drivers. Stewart gives them immediate credibility. So would Newman.

Right now, neither Haas car is regularly qualifying for races, as both sit outside the top 35 in Sprint Cup owner points. Scott Riggs has been driving the 66 car this season, and he hasn't posted any finish higher than 16th. They're 36th in owner points, meaning Riggs has to make races on speed, as only the top 35 in owner points qualify automatically for each race. The other Haas car, number 70, is primarily driven by Johnny Sauter. That one is even worse off in owner points, ranked 44th, and Sauter's best finish is 28th. Jason Leffler, who is having a fine season in the Nationwide Series, will attempt to qualify the 70 for Saturday's race at Chicagoland.

This leads me to my big question.

While I don't expect Stewart or Newman to win championships right away, I do expect them to be in the top 35. That is going to put a lot of pressure on other drivers who are currently gaining automatic entry into the races.

Of those in the lower reaches of the top 35, I see guys like Regan Smith, Michael McDowell, and Reed Sorensen really having to step up their game next season. I don't think Sam Hornish will stay where he is (35th in owner points) for very much longer, though the season-long struggles of Penske Racing in general might hurt him in his effort to climb the standings.

Another team that will be under tremendous pressure will be the Pettys. Kyle Petty's 45 car is having a miserable year, no matter who drives it. They need to find a way to turn that around, because they aren't helping anything in the company by missing races, and they're in danger of doing that because Terry Labonte is running out of champion's provisionals to use.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL '08: BIG 12

Welcome to The Ciskie Blog's 2008 College Football Preview. As usual, you can expect a rundown of every Division I-A (or "Football Bowl Subdivision", if you prefer) conference, as well as a brief look at the independents. Some of the information used to compile these previews came from various football preview publications that I took the time to review this summer. I give a full endorsement to Phil Steele's College Football Preview (the national edition, as well as his various regional magazines). I also have looked at Sporting News, Athlon Sports, and Blue Ribbon (via ESPN Insider). Information was also gathered from local newspapers and school websites. Please use the comments section or e-mail for feedback, questions, and any corrections you feel need to be noted.

NORTH DIVISION
1. Missouri
2. Kansas
3. Nebraska
4. Colorado
5. Kansas State
6. Iowa State

SOUTH DIVISION
1. Oklahoma
2. Texas Tech
3. Texas
4. Oklahoma State
5. Texas A&M
6. Baylor

TOP FIVE STORYLINES IN BIG 12
More struggles at Baylor. Every school in the Big 12 has been to at least three bowl games since the calendar flipped to the year 2000. Well, every school except one has. Baylor has not seen the college football postseason since 1994. They've not won a bowl game since 1992. Guy Morriss was allowed five years to try to turn things around after being hired away from Kentucky, where he nursed the program through the worst of the Hal Mumme fallout. At Baylor, Morriss never won more than five games in a season, and he won just 18 games total. Even at a place that has become known as the Big 12's weakest sister, this isn't going to be accepted forever. Now, accomplished coach Art Briles takes over. He brings his funky spread-style offense from Houston, where he posted a so-so 34-28 record, but did guide the Cougars to four bowl bids in five years. Surely, Briles will be allowed more than a couple years at BU, and if he gets the resources he needs, the Bears should begin to improve as quickly as this year.

Is Kansas a flash in the pan? Last year's version of the Jayhawks did everything you could ask them to do, outside of beating Missouri. They rung up some serious point totals, including that 76-point outburst against Nebraska. Their defense was great throughout most of the year, holding opponents under 100 rush yards per game and keeping four teams from reaching double figures in points. They shocked many (evidently, we all thought KU would have "Just happy to be there" syndrome) by beating Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. So, can Mark Mangino engineer another magical season? They probably won't be 12-1 again, but they should be very good. Todd Reesing is back to run the offense at peak efficiency. RB Brandon McAnderson has to be replaced, but KU returns three starting linemen and two top receivers. The defense should be among the Big 12's best again. Nine starters are back, including the top four tacklers. Mangino's team has no fewer than six seniors starting on defense, and if Kendrick Harper can step up his game in departed CB Aqib Talib's spot, the Jayhawks won't miss a beat. 12-1 looks out of reach, but the Jayhawks only play four true road games all season long, and they bear watching once again.

Chase-ing the H*i*m*n. Chase Daniel (right) returns to lead North Division champion Missouri's attack. He loses top receiver Martin Rucker and leading rusher Tony Temple, but freshman All-American Jeremy Maclin is back to catch passes and return kicks, and safety blanket Chase Coffman returns. Daniel threw for over 4,300 yards and 33 scores last year. He topped 300 yards in nine of 14 games. The Tigers might not win another division title, but they're favored, and the senior QB is a big reason why. Daniel is pretty much everyone's pick for the league's Offensive Player of the Year in the preseason. With Maclin, Coffman, and Tommy Saunders all back to catch the ball, and with a loaded offensive line, Daniel will put up some serious numbers again this year.

Oklahoma's defense looks to rebound. The Sooners were flat-out embarrassed in their Fiesta Bowl loss to West Virginia. Before that fateful night in Glendale, the OU run defense hadn't once yielded 200 yards to an opponent. Only Oklahoma State's 195 even came close, and that was in a 49-17 OU win. West Virginia ran for 349 yards and averaged 8.9 yards per carry in a 48-28 romp. The 349 yards exceeded the total Oklahoma allowed in their first five games (338). It was an awful way to end a superb season. The Sooners lose six starters from that defense, but they get back three starters on the line, while stud SS Nic Harris anchors the secondary. If Bob Stoops can find a replacement for departed feature back Allen Patrick, the offense won't miss a beat after averaging 42 points per game in 2007. Instead, the ultimate fate of this season rests on the defense. Can they rebound and play like a confident unit after the thrashing they got from WVU?

This is Texas Tech's time. For Mike Leach, it probably doesn't get any simpler than this season. He has a senior QB in Graham Harrell who is set to obliterate any remaining school passing records (he's less than 2,000 yards from Kliff Kingsbury's career mark, meaning he may set that before the Big 12 opener October 4). He has three solid dual-threat RBs to choose from, including sophomores Aaron Crawford and Baron Batch. WR Michael Crabtree (right) won the Biletnikoff Award as a freshman last year, catching 134 passes and falling 38 yards short of 2,000 for the season. Oh, and Leach's defense returns eight starters. The schedule shows tough road games against Kansas and Oklahoma, but the other really tough Big 12 games are in Lubbock, including Nebraska and Texas. If they're ever going to climb the mountain, it's going to be this season. The best part? No matter the record, there isn't a more entertaining team in all of college football.

BEST OF THE REST

Nebraska brings back Bo Pelini, this time for a longer head-coaching stint (he coached the team in the Alamo Bowl the year Frank Solich got fired). His first task is to rebuild the image of the Blackshirts defense, which gave up a rather ghastly 37 points and 477 yards per game last year. 80,000 people paid to watch the spring game, so you know they're excited in Lincoln. The coach's son looks to improve on a solid freshman season in Boulder. Cody Hawkins (right), son of Dan, leads the Colorado offense, which improved by leaps and bounds - and by nearly 100 yards per game - over a dismal 2006. Cody threw 17 picks in 13 starts, however, and that can't happen again. The Buffaloes upset Oklahoma a year ago, and with West Virginia, Florida State, Texas, and Oklahoma State all visiting Boulder this season, they may need to pull another upset or two to reach a bowl game for the second straight year. You think Ron Prince senses trouble at Kansas State? He brought in 19 JUCO kids in this year's class, hoping to supplement a roster that returns only 12 starters from a disappointing 2007. The Wildcats fell off badly, losing their last four games by a total of 86 points. The offense has to find a way to replace leading receiver Jordy Nelson and leading rusher James Johnson. Good luck. If anything positive can be taken out of the debut season for Gene Chizik at Iowa State, it's that they played some good football towards the end of the season. The Cyclones beat bowl-bound Colorado and also dealt a crippling blow to Kansas State's postseason hopes. Chizik gets 14 starters back and should field an improved team capable of winning four or five games. Texas lost an uncharacteristic three Big 12 games last year, but recovered to blow out Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl. The defense fell off terribly from when Chizik led the way, and now they have to replace seven starters this year. A favorable early-season schedule should get the Longhorns off to a fast start, but they don't appear to be strong enough to contend in the South. Mike Gundy made headlines for his anti-media rant last year, but the Oklahoma State coach made the right move in starting Zac Robinson ahead of Bobby Reid. The Cowboys are a secondary away from being a sleeper in the South, as Robinson will continue to lead the offense to serious numbers. Former Packers coach Mike Sherman takes over at Texas A&M. While I was no fan of his work in Green Bay, I think he will be fine in the college game. The problem will be trying to sort through the mess Dennis Franchione left him. While Sherman's smarts and play-calling acumen should serve him well with the offense, I'm not sure how the hell they're going to field a defense that doesn't get destroyed.

PRESEASON AWARDS AND NOTABLES
Offensive Player of the Year: Chase Daniel, QB, Missouri
Defensive Player of the Year: William Moore, S, Missouri
Coach of the Year: Mike Leach, Texas Tech
Coach on the Hot Seat: Ron Prince, Kansas State
Best Non-Conference Game: Illinois vs Missouri at St. Louis, August 30
Worst Non-Conference Game: SE Missouri at Missouri, September 6

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

IT'S TIME FOR BRETT FAVRE TO GO AWAY

Yes, that headline reads as crass, unemotional, and perhaps vindictive.

Sorry. Deal with it.

Let me start with a disclaimer. The jersey being modeled to the right is still in my closet. I still look at it with pride and nothing but positive memories. The career Brett Favre enjoyed in Green Bay is one to be admired and pursued for years to come. No one does what he did anymore.

Word that Favre is considering a comeback leaked last week. As expected, it's set the internet on fire.

It seems that the Packers are in no hurry to deal with this, as general manager Ted Thompson reportedly blew off a Favre text message during his vacation over the weekend. Naturally, this is a sin punishable by death in some circles. You don't blow off Brett Favre, sir. Not under any circumstances. Even if you are enjoying basically the only time off an NFL executive gets in a calendar year.

Whatever.

This charade has gone on long enough, and it hasn't even been a week. It's time for Brett to go away.

Favre had approximately 45 days to make up his mind about the 2008 season. He deliberated, discussed the decision with his family and head coach Mike McCarthy. On March 6, he tearfully announced his retirement. He cited fatigue, saying he'd given all he could give. He said he didn't think he wanted to play anymore. It sounded sincere, and it sounded like it was happening for the right reasons. After watching much of the question/answer session that followed his announcement, you had to come away thinking Favre was at a degree of peace over his decision.

The Packers sensed this, and they moved on. Aaron Rodgers was groomed through off-season workouts as the starting quarterback, and he appeared to get off to a good start with his coaches and teammates. McCarthy tweaked the offense to benefit Rodgers and his strengths, which are different than Favre's.

We find out now that Favre isn't at peace. Four months later, there are rumblings Favre wants the starting job back in Green Bay, or he wants to go play somewhere else.

Let's be realistic. The Packers aren't going to cut Brett Favre. He will not become a free agent. Ted Thompson isn't a dummy, and he'd be run out of town if Favre showed up as a member of the Vikings September 8, or for the Lions or Bears later in the season. No chance in hell.

However, can the Packers just welcome Favre back?

As much as it kills me, my answer is a quick and emphatic "No". Favre retired, then waited almost four months before indicating that he may have acted rashly. This isn't Dana Altman taking the coaching job at Arkansas before reconsidering and quickly returning to Creighton, or Billy Donovan going to the NBA before backing out and returning to Florida. Altman didn't change his mind months after making the move, and neither did Donovan. Those things happen.

Favre made a deliberate decision, gave the team no indication that he wasn't happy with his decision. His inaction and silence could be taken as nothing but an indication that the Packers needed to move on. They did. They trained his replacement.

For Favre to be handed his old job back now would be simply wrong. Life isn't fair, but it's about time the Packers did something fair for Aaron Rodgers. He's done nothing but be a professional about his awkward and difficult situation since the day he showed up. He's waited three years for his turn, and he's spent four months preparing diligently for his turn.

If the Packers intend to bring Favre back as their starting quarterback, without competition, then they need to trade Rodgers to a team that will give him a chance to start.

I don't think this will happen. I think the Packers will try their best to convince Favre to stay retired. If that fails, I see them either trading Favre or making him compete for the job with Rodgers. If the offense has truly been changed to favor Rodgers' game, it's not a lock Favre would win the job.

If they trade Favre, they control where he goes. They can tell agent James "Bus" Cook to seek a deal with a team that doesn't appear on the Packers' 2008 or 2009 schedules. They can make it clear to Cook and Favre that there won't be a deal done within the division.

While Favre has a ton of power here (simply sending a letter that requests his reinstatement would set wheels in motion for a lot of newsworthy events), but it shouldn't be forgotten that Thompson isn't a weakling, either. The Packers have the cap space to force Favre to ride the pine should they choose, and they have the power to trade him wherever they want (remembe,r there are no "no-trade" clauses in NFL contracts).

Packer fans will always appreciate Favre, but he's not handling this well. If he doesn't figure that out, it's inevitable that Favre's pristine legacy will face the risk of serious damage.

AN IDEA WHOSE TIME HAS COME

Matt Hayes of Sporting News did some interesting analysis on Big Ten football schedules. It got me thinking, so here we are.

Hayes looked at the non-conference schedules of the teams and rated them in order of strength. I have no issue with the rankings he drew up, nor do I have any issue with the content of his post or the idea behind it.

In fact, I applaud it. It really got my mind working on some stuff.

A grand total of two out of 11 teams in the Big Ten have non-conference schedules that don't include any Division I-AA (or Football Championship Subdivision, if you prefer) teams. Michigan State and Michigan are the only ones (kudos, by the way).

Three teams in the league (Wisconsin, Indiana, and Minnesota) don't meet a single foe from a BCS conference (ACC, Big East, Big 12, Pac 10, and SEC). Two teams (Northwestern and Iowa) don't face a single bowl team from a year ago.

In short, these schedules suck. Lots.

While my loyalty to the Big Ten is not without limits, I still didn't believe it would be fair to simply bash the Big Ten over this. The Big Ten is not the only guilty party. In fact, they aren't the worst offender.

Not even close.

Hayes broke down the other league's non-conference slates (check his archives for the info), and I consulted my Athlon's preview magazine for a quick gander.

There are 65 teams in the six BCS conferences. Of the 65, only 13 have a non-conference schedule void of any Division I-AA opponents this year. That's 20 percent.

Of the 42 BCS conference teams that play Division I-AA opponents this year, 11 of them won ten or more games last year.

By conference, the worst offender is clearly the ACC. The All-Cupcakes Conference has just one freaking team (Wake Forest) who didn't schedule a I-AA opponent. I hate to go all TMQ on you, but I hope the football gods reward Jim Grobe with another conference championship. Three bowl teams from a year ago (Clemson, Florida State, and Georgia Tech) saw fit to schedule TWO I-AA opponents this year (Clemson plays The Citadel and South Carolina State, Florida State hosts Western Carolina and Chattanooga, and Georgia Tech hosts Jacksonville State and Gardner-Webb).

You could justify Duke playing James Madison. It's Duke versus the Dukes. Imagine the shirts.

North Carolina and North Carolina State sucked last year, so it's not totally sinful for them to schedule McNeese State and William & Mary, respectively.

But why the hell is Boston College playing Rhode Island and Virginia Tech playing Furman?

All this lunacy has me thinking that it's time for an extreme move by the powers-that-be in college football.

It's time to make a rule that bans teams from BCS bowl consideration if they schedule more than two I-AA opponents over a rolling six-year period.

No one will be for it. The I-AA schools like the six-figure (possibly soon to be seven-figure) guarantees that come with these beatdowns (well, "beatdown" may not apply if you're Appalachian State). The BCS schools enjoy the guaranteed home sellouts and normally easy wins. Those wins help them move toward bowl eligibility, and they help the team gain confidence.

But it's a necessity. Think about it for a moment. If you match up open dates and weeks where I-AA opponents were used to fill the schedule, we're being robbed of some nice matchups. Among them:

Boston College-Rutgers
Kentucky-Kansas
Florida-Wisconsin
Georgia-Ohio State
Florida State-South Florida

That's just a few off a quick gander at schedules. You could draw up probably dozens of other great combinations.

Instead, we get crap.

Now, I know many of you will say "Hey! My team played so-and-so". And you'd be right. Ohio State does play USC. Clemson does play Alabama. Florida has Florida State and Miami on the docket.

Also valid would be the "My team only plays that I-AA team because someone else backed out of a contracted game on short notice".

That's why I went with the rolling two-year period. I don't deny that there are situations where a I-AA team is on a short list of options. It takes two teams to make a non-conference game happen. But we need to change the lazy, unimaginative, gutless mindset that has become epidemic in the game. We deserve better for our ticket money, and the fans who crowd around the TV sets for dozens of Saturday games every weekend deserve to see better matchups.

Monday, July 07, 2008

COLLEGE FOOTBALL '08: BIG EAST

Welcome to The Ciskie Blog's 2008 College Football Preview. As usual, you can expect a rundown of every Division I-A (or "Football Bowl Subdivision", if you prefer) conference, as well as a brief look at the independents. Some of the information used to compile these previews came from various football preview publications that I took the time to review this summer. I give a full endorsement to Phil Steele's College Football Preview (the national edition, as well as his various regional magazines). I also have looked at Sporting News, Athlon Sports, and Blue Ribbon (via ESPN Insider). Information was also gathered from local newspapers and school websites. Please use the comments section or e-mail for feedback, questions, and any corrections you feel need to be noted.

1. West Virginia
2. South Florida
3. Pittsburgh
4. Rutgers
5. Cincinnati
6. Louisville
7. Connecticut
8. Syracuse

TOP FIVE STORYLINES IN BIG EAST
The Hot Seat in Syracuse. Any coach who goes 7-28 in three years is going to find himself in some trouble. When that coach follows a guy who took the Orange to nine bowl games had just one losing season in 14 years, it spells nothing but trouble. At Syracuse, patience must be a virtue, because Greg Robinson got a fourth year. Despite the improbable upset of Louisville, the Orange weren't exactly improved in 2007. Their win total was sliced in half (from four to two), they were worse running the ball, they scored fewer points, and their defense was the worst it's been under Robinson. Considering Syracuse lost almost half their letterwinners (28 out of 65), Robinson better hope his recruits are good. They dominate the roster now, and they're going to be responsible for securing Robinson a fifth season.

Big D in Tampa. This is not to besmirch the South Florida offense, which should be improved thanks to QB Matt Grothe, a good running game led by Mike Ford, the return of seven of USF's top eight receivers, and an almost intact offensive line. But this might be the best defense in the Big East. All-American DE George Selvie is back, as are solid OLBs Brouce Mompremier and Tyrone McKenzie. Ben Moffitt is gone from the middle, but coach Jim Leavitt brought in a potential replacement in JUCO Kion Wilson. Senior S Carlton Williams leads the secondary. With a more balanced offense that probably won't make as many mistakes, the Bulls look to the defense for even slight improvement this year. If that happens, a run at the Big East title is far from being out of the question.

Life without Ray Rice. It may not be as hard at Rutgers as many anticipate. Sure, it's going to suck not having Rice, a 2000-yard rusher, around. But the Scarlet Knights have the makings of a potent offense in 2008. Triggerman Mike Teel has accomplished receivers in Tiquan Underwood (right) and Kenny Britt, who combined for 127 catches, over 2,300 yards, and 17 scores a year ago. If you want to blame their success on Rice's ability to keep defenses honest at the line of scrimmage, then you may want to know who will run the ball for Rutgers. The answer is uncertain. Sophomores Mason Robinson and Kordell Young appear to be the favorites. That said, Teel's experience and the super receivers he has to throw to should combine for a fine season in Piscataway.

Dave Wannstedt in a pivotal season. The seat might not be as hot as Robinson's, but it's getting there. Wannstedt has disappointed in his first two seasons at Pittsburgh, seasons that came after Pitt ran Walt Harris out of town for having the audacity to take the Panthers to the Fiesta Bowl. That loss to Utah is still the last bowl game this program has seen. Wannstedt is an incredibly average 16-19 in three seasons. The good news for him is that he has continued to recruit well, and this is probably the season he starts to reap the benefits of that recruiting. The Panthers lost just 13 letterwinners, and they return all their skill-position starters on offense. I really like sophomore RB LeSean McCoy, and his numbers should only increase this year as junior QB Bill Stull becomes more and more comfortable with the players around him. Wannstedt has a natural leader and incredible talent in senior MLB Scott McKillop, who had 91 more tackles (151) than any other Panther a year ago. With a relatively easy schedule to start the season, the Panthers should get off to a good start, something that may be enough to propel them to a bowl appearance.

Rich Rodriguez out, Bill Stewart in. After West Virginia's unreal performance in the Fiesta Bowl against Oklahoma, the administration didn't waste any time getting Stewart set up as the new head coach to replace Rodriguez. And why not? The players lobbied hard for Stewart publicly, and their performance in that game validated their lobbying. The offense isn't going to change a ton, continuing to emphasize the run. Pat White (right) will continue to star at QB, and Noel Devine will take over as the feature back for early NFL departure Steve Slaton. If Stewart can find a way to replace seven lost defensive starters, WVU won't miss a beat. The Mountaineers have the offensive tools and defensive talent to win this league again.

BEST OF THE REST
Look for Louisville to rebound from an awful season and at least get back in a bowl game. Steve Kragthorpe isn't incompetent, or he wouldn't have engineered the turnaround he did at Tulsa. QB Hunter Cantwell will make Cardinal fans move on from the Brian Brohm era quickly. Cincinnati's a prime contender to surprise in this league. Brian Kelly's offense is exceptionally tough to defend, and it may actually improve on the 36 points per game it scored a year ago. Connecticut surprised many last year with nine wins, and even though they have a ton of starters back, you can expect a bit of a fall. The Huskies were fortunate to win many of their games last year, and a schedule that includes road trips to Temple, Louisville, North Carolina, Rutgers, and South Florida doesn't look too forgiving.

PRESEASON AWARDS AND NOTABLES
Offensive Player of the Year: Pat White, QB, West Virginia
Defensive Player of the Year: George Selvie, DE, South Florida
Coach of the Year: Dave Wannstedt, Pittsburgh
Coach on the Hot Seat: Greg Robinson, Syracuse
Best Non-Conference Game: Kansas at South Florida, September 13
Worst Non-Conference Game: Tennessee Tech at Louisville, September 6

Sunday, July 06, 2008

REPORT: SABATHIA TO THE BREWERS

A doff of the cap to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tom Haudricourt, who has been all over the trade rumors in Milwaukee.

His latest update? It's a rumor no more. Now, it's a done deal, and the Brewers have added a significant chip in their quest for an end to their 26-year playoff drought.

C.C. Sabathia is headed to Milwaukee, pending all the formal paperwork and physicals and such.

I didn't start to follow the Brewers closely until 1985 or so, as the local media coverage in Duluth/Superior was pretty scarce. In 1987, the Brewers finally landed a local radio deal, which gave me the chance to do what a bunch of kids were already doing for Twins games. That, of course, was to have the little portable radio under the pillow so I could listen to games. Man, was it fun doing that!

23 years later, my team is finally a player on the trade market. They are a buyer. Or, more specifically in this case, they're a renter. Sabathia is a free agent after the season, and there's virtually no chance Milwaukee will pony up the $20 million per season it will cost to sign him. Instead, it appears the Brewers will load up on early picks in next June's draft, hoping to continue to keep stocked one of baseball's best farm systems.

Considering how many teams mortgage the future to make deals like this for rental players, the Brewers give up virtually nothing. Yes, Matt LaPorta is a top prospect, and rightfully so (dude can hit), but he's one of a load of All-Star minor-leaguers in the Brewers' system, and with (potentially) five of the top 35 picks next June, the Brewers aren't mortgaging the future. Not in the least.

Instead, they're using one of their great assets to take a shot at a pennant in 2008. Look at how strong the Brewers are at the top of their rotation (Sheets-Sabathia-Parra) and tell me this isn't realistic.

It absolutely is. And it's refreshing to see a general manager (Doug Melvin) and an owner (Mark Attanasio) who are willing to go for it.

The Brewers won big today, taking the lead in the National League Wild Card race. Ryan Braun was announced as a starter for the NL All-Star team. And C.C. Sabathia is becoming a Brewer, even if only for a few months.

Bad things aren't the only things that happen in threes.

VOTE FOR COREY

Please click the "Vote at MLB.com" link to vote for Corey Hart. He's up against the mighty David Wright, among others, for the final spot on the National League All-Star team.