What You Will Never Hear Ray Lewis Say

After losing to Tom Brady and the Patriots on this past Sunday, "Sweet Baby" Ray Lewis vented in the locker room afterwards about two roughing the passer penalties called against his Ravens. The rules to protect QB's have been there more than a couple of years now. If you go anywhere near the head or anywhere near the knees, you will be flagged. If you don't want the flag, don't go there. You may not agree with the rules being so protective but if it is on the books you can't argue with it being called. But I digress, that is a subject for another day. Today I want to write about what you will NEVER, EVER hear "Sweet Baby" Ray say.

Ray Lewis is a great football player. He is a first ballot Hall of Famer who gives his all in every game. Why can't Ray give his all in crediting the other team when he gets beat? I can't recall ever hearing Ray Lewis admit that the other team was better than him and his team on that particular day.

The Patriots offensive line has struggled all season to protect Brady. In fact, the Ravens sacked Brady 3 times Sunday but the Patriots did well enough to allow Brady to get them 27 points compared to the Ravens 21 points. If Ray said anything to indicate what kind of job the Patriots did, it did not make national media.

In addition, I wonder what Ray's reaction would have been if his QB had of been the one to get those calls instead of the opposing teams QB? Would Ray still have been yelling to the media after the game about how bad the calls were? As strongly as he stated his comments, he feels the rules are wrong. If the rules are wrong to be called on his team then surely they would be wrong to be called on the other team, right?

A few years ago the Ravens hosted the Chiefs on Monday night. Priest Holmes rushed for over 200 yards against the Ravens. The Chiefs as a team rushed for over 30o yards. This game was the ultimate butt whipping when it came to an offensive line dominating a defensive front 7, which included "Sweet Baby" Ray. Ray never addressed the media after the game. He dressed and left before the media got into the locker room.

I challenge you to observe closely how Ray handles post game comments after winning and losing. If he wins he is the center of the attention. The heart and soul leader of that team. If he loses, it appears he is never around to answer the tough questions. It also appears he will never give his opponent the credit they deserve for beating his team.

It is easy being the leader when your team wins. Accepting all the congratulations and bouquets of love. Talking about how great you and your team are. Posing for pictures. All very EASY.

Hey Ray, real leaders are there to take the questions of criticism when their teams get beat or even whipped. Real respect comes when you can win humbly and when you can admit you got beat, while acknowledging the effort of your opponent.

Oregon Football Is Weak If They Let LeGarrette Blount Play Again!

At the end of the first University of Oregon football game this year, running back LeGarrette Blount sucker punched a Boise State player in the jaw. He then pushed his teammates that tried to restrain him. As he left the field, the Boise State crowd taunted him and he tried to go into the crowd. Blount had to be removed from the field by 4 or 5 people, a couple of which were security personnel.

In the days that followed, Oregon head coach Chip Kelley announced that Blount would not play in another game this season, which is Blount's senior season. The President of Oregon as well as the Pac 10 Commissioner applauded the move and strongly backed Kelley.

Well, now Kelley has announced that Blount may return if he continues to follow guidelines set out by the university. HUH? No way. I cannot let a player that embarrasses my program that bad return to play. Yes, he can continue to be on the team and work out. Stay in shape and pursue a NFL career. But no, he cannot ever play in a real game for my team again.

Information has surfaced according to collegefootballtalk.com, that Oregon caving on the punishment could be linked to a threat from Blount's parents of a possible lawsuit. I recommend you read the articles on collegefootballtalk.com. I literally became nauseated by the story.

Sometimes you just have to do the right thing. Second chances are allowed. However, Blount's second chance was used in advance when while being removed from the field after the first punch, he tried to enter the stands after fans, some of which may have been paying customers.

Apparently everyone is controlled by money. Sorry, I need to be able to look at my self in the mirror and go to bed with a clear conscience worse than I need money. If you cave in to this threat of a lawsuit, where do you draw the line? Because this will only open the door for more lawsuits and challenges. Players and their families will be trying every way in the world to trump Coaches' and Universities' authority. The T.O.'s of the world don't stop until they are the only authority.

Chip Kelley and the University of Oregon should find some testicular fortitude and stand by their disciplinary action. Tell the Blount's and any lawyers, do what you gotta do because we are gonna do what we have to do and that is uphold the season long suspension.

I am sure Oregon will eventually settle at best rather than face a lawsuit. But as for me, if I were in charge at the University of Oregon, we would say go ahead, sue us. LeGarrette Blount you may win a lot of money from me in a lawsuit but I will have something more valuable than money to you. I will have your senior season which you can never get back. By the time this thing gets through court, the football season will be over and your eligibility completely gone. Oh, and once you file that lawsuit you are banished from any and all contact and participation with the team that you would have had. More important than any of this, I will be sending the correct message to my current players, recruits and their families, alumni, supporters, boosters, faculty, students, and fans. That is, as the head coach of Oregon I will see that the players, staff, and myself will conduct ourselves in a manner that will not embarrass or humiliate the students, faculty, administration, boosters, or fans. In addition, I will see that the behavior of everyone associated with Oregon football will bring a sense of pride to our fans and not a sense of shame.

Sometimes, just doing the right thing will require that you dig deeper and find the utmost courage, guts, and character. That straight and narrow path can be very lonely.

How Did Jim Zorn Not Get Fired?

Redskins fans came into this NFL season without very high expectations after last season. However, they never knew how low their expectations should have really been. After 3 games the Skins are 1 - 2, not good but their performance is worse than their record indicates.

The fact that the Skins lost to the Giants in week 1 on the road was not that big of deal. However, they looked very lackluster with no offense and seemed very unmotivated. The ugly begin to show in week 2. Hosting the horrible Rams for their first home game of the season, the Skins laid a nice fat egg but snuck out the back door with a 9 - 7 win. How would you have liked to paid top dollar to see that disgusting display of offense?

If that was ugly, the hideous showed up this past Sunday as the Skins FOUND a way to lose to the hapless Lions. Think about this, the Skins are supposed to be somewhat competitive - on paper - with the Giants, Cowboys, and Eagles. Yet, they beat a Rams team that had lost 11 consecutive regular season games by 9 - 7. Then the next week they LOST to a Lions team that had lost 19 consecutive regular season games.

EMBARRASSING! SIMPLY EMBARRASSING! NO EXCUSES FOR IT! VERY UNDER ACHIEVING AND COMPLETELY THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL! Therefore, I ask you this question, why didn't the owner Daniel Snyder fire head coach Jim Zorn immediately following the game Sunday? Could it get worse? Not in my opinion. You played two of the worst teams in the NFL. Barely beat one and lost to the other.

If I were Daniel Snyder, I would rather have a team motivated & learning a new coach than to have an underachieving team that is full steam in the wrong direction. I would have fired Zorn in Detroit and given him the money for a plane ticket home. These guys are professionals who supposedly put 14 and 15 hour days in trying to be successful. After working 14 hour days, if all you can get out of the Redskins' talent is a 2 point win over the Lambs and a loss to the Big Pussy Cats, then you will never get the job done and almost anything is better than this.

Daniel Snyder has done some silly things as owner of the Redskins that would indicate he is a totally incompetent football evaluator. He gave big money to Deion Sanders and Bruce Smith when both were over the hill and couldn't play any more. He brought Joe Gibbs back after the game had passed him by. He turns over the roster like it is a fantasy football team. He tries to buy a trophy. Amazingly though, it was what Snyder didn't do on Sunday or Monday that provides the most evidence that he is a totally incompetent football evaluator. Snyder didn't fire Jim Zorn immediately after watching the two most embarrassing performances his team has ever had.

Sergeant Football's Quick Hits

Vikings vs 49ers will be the only game this coming weekend matching undefeated teams. In addition, the NFL's top two leading rushers will be playing - Frank Gore and Adrian "All Day" Peterson.

Not this Sunday, but the next we have a little game known as the Packers @ the Vikings - might be of a little interest.

Why did the Cowboys want to throw the ball when they were running at will against the Giants?

Why did the Chargers line up in a 3 TE Jumbo eye formation package on 4th and 2 against the Ravens with Little Bitty Darren Sproyles at tailback carrying the ball? Norv Turner could mess up a paid date with a prostitute.

How does a receiver as good as Andre Johnson have over 160 yards receiving and 2 TD's, when there is not another good receiver on his team? I don't know who is going to catch the ball, but I know who isn't! Andre Johnson, whether I have to put 2 or 3 men on him.

USC was 0 - 10 on 3rd down conversions in the loss to Washington. Just like not getting base hits with men in scoring position and 2 outs in baseball, if you don't convert on 3rd down in football you usually won't win.

Steelers and Patriots are struggling to run the ball effectively. The Colts couldn't stop the run on Monday night. Hard to be a championship team when you can't run or stop the run.

I would love to hear GM Bill Parcells opinion of his Dolphins last drive against the Colts. Just plain UGLY for a 2 minute offense trying to win a game. BRUTAL! I may vomit, oooh I can taste it in the back of throat!

After his 2 long TD runs this past Sunday, Frank Gore is only the 2nd player in NFL history to have 2 TD runs of 75 or more yards in one game. The first guy to do it was somebody named Barry Sanders - they say he was pretty good.

Tennessee shutting down Florida's offense was a case of a great NFL coach in Monte Kiffin schooling a great college coach in Urban Meyer. Great NFL coaches like Monte work longer hours than college coaches and usually have deeper knowledge. Meyer had no answer for the Vol defense - no creativity, no true misdirection, no adjustments. Also, against the Vols at least, the Gators don't cross the T's and dot the I's the way they should. Watch how many times they do not carry out fakes. A good fake is another block!

No Matter How Good Your QB Is, You Must.....

Football can be a very complex game and it can be a very simple game. The New England Patriots are making the game complex and forgetting to keep it simple.

No matter how good your quarterback is, you cannot become one dimensional on offense. The Patriots are very one dimensional on offense right now and this is making it easier for defenses. The offensive line is not as good as it used to be and the Pats cannot line up and run straight ahead. This has caused them to rely to heavily on the pass.

Defenses have realized this and since they do not fear the running game, they can lay their ears back and blitz Tom Brady to death. Brady is rushed and unable to set his feet before he throws, meaning many passes are inaccurate and out of time with the receiver's route. The Jets exposed this on Sunday, just as the Giants did in the Super Bowl two years ago.

To stop the blitz and pass rush, a team must run the ball, use the draw play, and execute the screen pass effectively. The Patriots have thrown 100 passes in two games. That is on pace to throw 800 passes in the season, which would break the NFL record by 109 passes. Conversely, the Patriots have only ran the ball 47 times in those 2 games.

Offensively you do not have to be perfectly balanced between the run and the pass but you cannot be one dimensional. If the Patriots do not start running the ball more they are going to struggle to even make the playoffs. Because they are unable to line up and run straight at people, they should spread the field with 3 or 4 receivers to create space and hand off out of the shotgun. In addition, the screen pass should be used as part of the running game.

No matter how good your quarterback is, if your opponent does not respect the fact that you will attempt to run the ball , the blitzing and heavy pass rush is coming all day long. Even if you can't run the ball well, you better make the effort so as to keep the defense honest. If your quarterback can't set his feet and throw, your success rate drops. Just ask Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, etc.

Ohio State, Please Just Go Away!

I don't know about you, but I am tired of seeing Ohio State in a so called "big" game. Sure, the Buckeyes have a good team year in and year out under Jim Tressel. However, "good" does not mean great.

For the last 4 seasons, Ohio State has beat up on the weak Big 10 conference. Eventually, either during the season or at the end of the season, the Buckeyes have been in a so called "big" game and the ending keeps repeating.

During the 2005 season, they lose to #2 Texas during the regular season 25-22. They show up in the 2007 BS, yes the C was left out to make a point, National Title game against Florida and get whipped. Not beat, but beat down on by 41-14.

That whipping didn't deter the Buckeyes and the very next season they ended up in the 2008 BS, yes the C was left out to make a point, National Title game against LSU. Once again, LOSER 38-24.

Last season they began a home and home series with the USC Trojans. One of the biggest hyped games of the regular season. Tressel and the Buckeyes went home from Los Angeles embarrassed by 35-3.

Now, the Buckeyes are supposed to be one of the top teams in the country for the 2009 season. USC had to visit the Buckeyes in the Horseshoe at Columbus last Saturday evening. Another prime time game considered a prime time match up involving Ohio State. Surely, the Buckeyes win this one. USC is flying across country and starting an untested true freshman at quarterback. WRONG! Trojans drive the length of the field to score with less than 2 minutes left to win 18-15.

Ohio State, please, JUST GO AWAY! I can't take anymore. I have seen the same ending over and over and over again. It is no longer a "big" game when the Buckeyes are involved BECAUSE WE ALL KNOW HOW IT IT GOING TO END!

What On Earth Was Rick Neuheisel Thinking?

So Saturday afternoon, I am watching some college football. Bouncing between UCLA @ Tennessee, Houston stunning Oklahoma State, and Notre Dame @ Michigan, I finally land on UCLA @ Tennessee. UCLA leading in the last minutes of the game by 6, believe. UCLA makes a goal line stand and gets the ball back with less than 2 minutes to go at their on 2 yard line.

Here's where I couldn't believe what I was seeing out of a seasoned somewhat successful veteran college coach like Rick Neuheisel of UCLA. The Vols had 2 timeouts to use. I immediately agreed with my Sound Off Sports co-host, The Official Scorekeeper (who I was on the phone with at the time keeping him updated on the game as he was coaching little league football), that all UCLA had to do was run 3 quarterback sneaks, force the Vols to burn their timeouts, then take a safety on 4th down and free quick back to the Vols from the 20 yard line with well less than a minute left in the game. This was simple. For a high school coach this was simple.

For Rick Neuheisel, no it wasn't simple. UCLA turns and hands the ball off 5 yards deep in the end zone. Hey Rick, you want the safety but on 4th down not 1st down. You need to run some clock and make the Vols burn timeouts. On 2nd down, UCLA runs wide and barely gets out of the end zone again. Not only did they risk the safety but the fumble by handing the ball off. Sure enough, the Bruin running back fumbled and after review it was determined that UCLA recovered it. Two bullets dodged so surely they will quarterback sneak on 3rd and long then take the safety. NO! UCLA runs a naked bootleg with the quarterback deep in the end zone trying to throw then trying to run out and he gets stuck for the safety and a fractured jaw. This stupidity in play calling, that caused the safety on 3rd down instead of 4th down, left the Vols 30 to 40 more seconds that UCLA could have run off before taking the safety on 4th down.

All I could ask was what the heck is going on? UCLA did punt from the 20 and in the end were able to win because Tennessee's quarterback was not competent enough to move the ball in the final seconds. However, UCLA's coaching staff tried in every way to keep Tennessee in the game and give it to them. Absolutely no excuse for not taking the quarterback sneak three plays in a row, then taking the safety on 4th down.

As, Rick Neuheisel critiques his players while watching film on Sunday, I hope the Athletic Director will walk in and critique Rick on his horrendous and almost loss causing decision making in the final 2 minutes.