Each week I talk about the world of sports:
• I have to say that the Phillies made a questionable decision going with Joe Blanton instead of Cliff Lee in game four of the World Series. Down 2-1, the Phillies needed the game badly, and no knock against Blanton, but Lee on three days rest would have given the team a spark. I understand Lee has not pitched on short rest, but he has the entire off-season to relax. Now the Yankees have a 3-1 lead and are in the driver's seat. Blanton pitched well, and it came down to great hitting and baserunning by Johnny Damon, and a clutch hit by Alex Rodriguez in the ninth inning to move ahead in the series 3-1.
• How about a salute to a couple of college football coaches doing an incredible job. Down at Duke, David Cutcliffe has the Blue Devils on a three-game win streak. Duke won at Virginia over the weekend and now fans in Durham are talking about the possibility of a bowl bid. Duke also won at NC State earlier this season. Then there is Temple, where Al Golden has the Owls bowl eligible already. The last time this program was in the postseason was at the Garden State Bowl, and that doesn't even exist any more.
• Brett Favre had to be ecstatic to leave Green Bay with a victory and a sweep of the Packers. You can see the elation at the end of the game, and I believe it meant more than just an average game. Favre is a proud guy and he was not happy with the way his Green Bay career ended. He made big play after big play on Sunday. Yes it helps to have Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin and a veteran offensive line.
• If I was voting on the Heisman today, I would go with 1-Tim Tebow, 2-Mark Ingram, 3-Jimmy Clausen. You cannot just measure a player like Tebow based on stats. He is a flat-out winner, like a Derek Jeter. The Gators signal-caller is all about winning more than he is about stats. Measure him on productivity and guys like Jeter and Tebow have such special leadership qualities that are not based on numbers.
• Isn't it unbelievable to see the transition of so many NFL head coaches to the college game. Think about these names: Pete Carroll, Nick Saban, Bobby Petrino, Dave Wannstedt, Steve Spurrier. These guys bring passion, credibility and stability to the collegiate sidelines. They have all found success.
• Wouldn't it be great to see the likes of Cincinnati, Boise State and TCU battling for the national championship? Under the current system, that will never happen and that is a shame. Those kids have been dominating people, and these three teams can play with the alleged big boys of college football. Barring several major upsets, they will not have a chance to play for the title even with an unblemished record. That is why we need an eight-team playoff.
• I went out and saw a couple of great high school football teams recently. Venice went against undefeated Manatee. I was so impressed with Trey Burton; I am not Mel Kiper, but he is going to be a superstar at Florida. This kid is the total package; how good was he against an unbeaten opponent? Coach Joe Kinnan of Manatee, who has won four state championships, said Burton is the best player he has ever faced. That is quite a compliment from a cosch who has seen many stars over the years. Burton totaled over 400 yards rushing/passing and the crowd was calling him Tebow Jr.
• I really believe that Ty Lawson of the Nuggets and DeJuan Blair of the Spurs will go out and prove they should have been drafted higher. These two NBA rookies should put up decent numbers on very solid teams. Blair is a force on the glass and showed a lot during the preseason. I am sure Tim Duncan is happy to have some support on the backboard.
• Technology is so important in sports. The use of the replay in game three of the World Series to determine whether or not Alex Rodriguez hit a home run simply made sense. Years ago, the home run would have been wiped out. The bottom line is the umpires ended up getting the call right. Using a monitor was the right way to go. It changed the game.
