Andrew Carroll Gets A Call

Former UMD Bulldog Andrew Carroll left behind quite a legacy. He was rarely seen in a UMD uniform without the letter "C" or "A" on the front of his jersey. Leadership skills like his are not common at any level of hockey, and his tenacity on the ice masked the obvious skill that helped get him recruited in the first place.

Since leaving UMD, Carroll has hooked up with the ECHL's Charlotte Checkers. After an impressive start to his season there, he has received an opportunity to move up in the hockey world.

Wolf Pack general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the team has signed forward Andrew Carroll to a Professional Tryout (PTO) agreement.

Carroll, a rookie out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth, comes to the Wolf Pack from the team’s ECHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. In 16 games with the Checkers, the 6-0, 200-pound native of Shoreview, MN scored eight goals, good for a tie for third on the Charlotte club, and added four assists for 12 points, along with 30 penalty minutes.

It's hard not to root for a guy like Carroll, who was known as the quintessential "first one on the ice, last one off" guy at UMD. He was also insanely popular off the ice, and no one will ever forget the emotions he showed on the ice both during his last game at the DECC and after Miami eliminated UMD from the NCAA Tournament last year.

Here's hoping "Ace" finds even more success in the AHL!

(Tap of the stick to Donna for the tip!)

One Man's Heisman Ballot

I haven't been invited to vote for the Heisman Trophy. Part of the reason for this may be that I panned it the H*i*m*n for years after Larry Fitzgerald was somehow denied.

Anyway, The Blue Workhorse is compiling votes for a "Sports Blog Heisman," and I have decided to take part in the balloting.

It is a tough year to pick a favorite. There are a plethora of candidates from all over the country, and the guy everyone thought would win it (Tim Tebow) is not among the most serious. Neither is the guy who won it last year (Sam Bradford).

We don't even really have the Token Guy From A Smaller League Who Should Be Considered But No One Will Vote For.

What do we have? We have some great running backs, a quarterback who has had an unbelievable career, and a defensive tackle who should get a serious look.

Here's how I break it down.

REGION: Midwest

3. Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska. He's easily the most dominant defensive player in college football. He owned Colt McCoy in the Big 12 title game. The bottom line is that this is the kind of player NFL scouts drool over, and he's a game-changer in the same way the guys like Tebow and McCoy are.

2. Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama. As good as Suh has been, Ingram moved ahead of him on my ballot with his performance in the SEC title game. The way he owned the Florida defense all night was very impressive, and he is the kind of player who can lead his team to a national title, even without the presence of an elite passing game. The human interest story with Ingram and his jailed father is touching and could sway a few human voters.

1. Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford. Stanford was nothing when Gerhart arrived, and no one really knew much about the horse of a running back. This isn't about career achievement, though. Gerhart found the end zone 26 times this season, despite being the focal point of every defensive game plan he ran into. He was only held under 100 yards twice, and he never stopped taking the ball from quarterback Andrew Luck. It's odd to think that a guy on a four-loss team could win the Heisman in this day and age, but it's not been a normal year for college football.

College Football Bowls Set

By now, you're all aware of my feelings on the current setup in college football. I like the bowls, and I strongly feel they can give us some really entertaining football games during the holiday season.

At the same time, I find it patently insulting that we still don't have a national tournament to decide a football champion. This was kind of cute back in like 1990, but almost 20 years later, we're no closer to a playoff system than we were when Tom Osborne was roaming the sidelines at Nebraska, and Wisconsin's football program really sucked.

33 bowl games are lined up and ready to go for this year. Yes, that's too many, however, it does allow some quality football players a chance at national exposure that they wouldn't normally get. Plus, it's extra college football, and it's hard to argue with that.

The bowl season begins Dec. 19, as Wyoming and Fresno State hook up in the New Mexico Bowl. There will be at least one game virtually every day from there until the national championship game, which pits Texas against Alabama at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.

There are intriguing matchups all over the place, and there are compelling reasons to watch every game. Want proof? Here you go.

New Mexico - Wyoming (6-6) vs. Fresno State (8-4)

Fresno State running back Ryan Mathews should have a field day against Wyoming's horrific run defense.

St. Petersburg - Rutgers (8-4) vs. Central Florida (8-4)

It might be a home game for UCF, which is located in not-far-away Orlando, but Rutgers has the edge at all the skill positions. It will be up to the Golden Knights' tough defense to keep them in it.

New Orleans - Southern Mississippi (7-5) vs. Middle Tennessee (9-3)

Basketball score, anyone? USM's wacky, fast-paced attack faces well-known spread guru Tony Franklin, who is in his first season as the Blue Raiders' offensive coordinator.

Las Vegas - BYU (10-2) vs. Oregon State (8-4)

This could be one of the best running back duels we see in the bowls. BYU has Harvey Unga, while Oregon State counters with the shifty and insanely fast Jacquizz Rodgers.

Poinsettia - Utah (9-3) vs. California (8-4)

Both teams struggled mightily against top-tier foes this year, and both are coming off disappointing season-ending losses. It should be a good matchup, as they're looking to prove themselves and set up for bigger things next season.

Hawai'i - SMU (7-5) vs. Nevada (8-4)

Things could get interesting in this game. Nevada has been running people over for weeks, and they have three (!) 1,000-yard rushers. SMU, meanwhile, is still rebuilding under June Jones, and while they have had a nice season, it could be tough to watch their defense try to stop Nevada. Good thing for the Mustangs that Nevada's defense will also have issues with Jones' run-and-shoot.

Little Caesar's Pizza - Ohio (9-4) vs. Marshall (6-6)

If you haven't heard of Theo Scott, check out the Ohio quarterback. (Rightfully) overshadowed by Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour, Scott had a magificent season, and he could be in for a big day against a Marshall team that will take the field with a new coach for this game.

Meineke - North Carolina (8-4) vs. Pittsburgh (9-3)

With UNC playing a virtual home game, it should be a good atmosphere. The Tar Heels will struggle to stop Pittsburgh running back Dion Scott, a freshman who carried the rock for over 1,600 yards this season.

Emerald - USC (8-4) vs. Boston College (8-4)

Two things to really watch for here. One, how will USC come out for a minor bowl after seven straight trips to the BCS? Secondly, how will true freshman Matt Barkley handle BC's tough defense? Oh, and there's a third: Can the Eagles move the ball on USC?

Music City - Clemson (8-5) vs. Kentucky (7-5)

Two words: C.J. Spiller. The Clemson back and one-time Heisman candidate gets a chance to cut through one more college defense.

Independence - Texas A&M (6-6) vs. Georgia (7-5)

This could be another basketball game. Jerrod Johnson should have a great day with Georgia's defense, but the Bulldogs can move the ball, too. Plus, it's not like A&M offers up much resistance.

EagleBank - Temple (9-3) vs. UCLA (6-6) or Army (5-6)

Because of a contract, Army gets this spot if they beat Navy on Saturday. The safer bet is that UCLA will make the trip east to play Temple. The Owls sport freshman back Bernard Pierce, who scored 15 touchdowns for Temple. They haven't been to a bowl game in 30 years, and this is their first winning season since 1990.

Champs Sports - Miami (9-3) vs. Wisconsin (9-3)

The emerging mid-major bowl lands a great matchup. Wisconsin needs to tighten up on defense, as they were scorched by Florida State in this game last year. It will help that they're much more competent on offense this time around. It's a nice chance for Bucky to help boost the struggling Big Ten's reputation.

Humanitarian - Bowling Green (7-5) vs. Idaho (7-5)

The Vandals are usually blown out when they play in Boise, but this game could be different. Nathan Enderle leads resurgent Idaho's offense, but they're up against the most prolific receiver in the country in the Falcons' Freddie Barnes.

Holiday - Nebraska (9-4) vs. Arizona (8-4)

Entertaining tilt between Arizona's dangerous offense and the reincarnation of the Blackshirts defense. Nebraska can hold down any offense in the country, as proven against Texas on Saturday.

Sun - Stanford (8-4) vs. Oklahoma (7-5)

Toby Gerhart. Enough said. The Heisman frontrunner faces off against an OU team that had a majorly up-and-down season without Sam Bradford.

Armed Forces - Air Force (7-5) vs. Houston (10-3)

Losses to UTEP, Central Florida, and East Carolina ruined any chance for Houston to be a BCS buster after their stunning win at Oklahoma State in September. Air Force, meanwhile, didn't do anything terribly notable this season, but they just keeping running the ball like crazy and posting winning seasons.

Texas - Missouri (8-4) vs. Navy (8-4)

The Tigers have Danario Alexander, a top receiver in the country. He could have a big day against Navy's rather undersized defense. The Midshipmen, though, will compete like crazy, as proven by their win over Notre Dame in November.

Insight - Minnesota (6-6) vs. Iowa State (6-6)

Iowa State wasn't expected to do anything this year, but Paul Rhoads restored pride into that program and got them in the postseason. Watch how they handle the Gophers offense, led by running back Duane Bennett. Minnesota needed a win over I-AA South Dakota State to reach bowl eligibility.

Chick-Fil-A - Virginia Tech (9-3) vs. Tennessee (7-5)

Lane Kiffin's team started to make some strides offensively over the course of the season. However, Virginia Tech's defense presents a major challenge for the Volunteers. That said, what should a low-scoring game also features a good UT defense and a scattershot Tech offense.

Outback - Northwestern (8-4) vs. Auburn (7-5)

All joking about the Gene Chizik hire aside, he did some good work for the Tigers. The story here is the marvelous job done (again) by Pat Fitzgerald. The Wildcats aren't full of top recruits like other programs, but they're well-coached and always playing smart football.

Capital One - Penn State (10-2) vs. LSU (9-3)

The Tigers never got the defense going as expected, and they will have a devil of an afternoon dealing with Penn State quarterback Darryl Clark. Both coaches -- Joe Paterno and Les Miles -- will have their guys ready after somewhat disappointing seasons.

Gator - Florida State (6-6) vs. West Virginia (9-3)

Kudos to all the ACC teams who accepted lesser bowls so Bobby Bowden could coach one more time in a bowl game. This one pits Bowden against his former school, and while it looks like a mismatch, just wait and see how well FSU plays for Bowden in his last game.

Rose - Ohio State (10-2) vs. Oregon (10-2)

While much will be made of tOSU's recent BCS failures, the thing to watch here is how Chip Kelly schemes his offense against the Buckeyes' tough-but-vulnerable defense. Jeremiah Masoli could have a huge day if the Ducks can block up front for him. Plus, we all have to watch and see what wild uniform combination Oregon comes up with.

Sugar - Florida (12-1) vs. Cincinnati (12-0)

Two top offensive minds -- Urban Meyer and Brian Kelly -- will match wits in this game. Kelly has done a good job despite struggles in the run game, while Meyer just lets Tim Tebow be a battering ram when the running backs aren't getting it done. Oh, and this will be Tebow's last college game. The draft hype begins in earnest very soon (if you didn't already think it was bad enough).

International - South Florida (7-5) vs. Northern Illinois (7-5)

On paper, the Bulls are way too big and fast for the Huskies. However, USF is just 2-5 after a 5-0 start, and they clearly missed the hell out of senior quarterback Matt Grothe (torn ACL). NIU can run the ball enough to make this very interesting.

Cotton - Oklahoma State (9-3) vs. Mississippi (8-4)

A late loss to Oklahoma probably cost the Cowboys a BCS berth, while Mississippi has been slipping up regularly since the second week of the season. I hate to rip on Houston Nutt, who generally does really good work, but his teams do this all the time. They slip up when expectations are at the highest. Jevon Snead and Zac Robinson both lead elite spread offenses, so this should be fun.

Papajohns.com - Connecticut (7-5) vs. South Carolina (7-5)

While the up-and-down Gamecocks boast Steve Spurrier, the story here is UConn. They shook off a losing streak that followed the murder of a player (Jasper Howard) to win their last three (including in overtime at Notre Dame) and gain bowl eligibility. It should be close, as the Huskies' five losses came by a total of 15 points.

Liberty - East Carolina (9-4) vs. Arkansas (7-5)

Assuming Bobby Petrino doesn't quit before this game, he will have quarterback Ryan Mallett flinging it all over the field.

Alamo - Michigan State (6-6) vs. Texas Tech (8-4)

While MSU is hurt by suspensions, expect the Red Raiders to put up some sick offensive numbers. Kirk Cousins, the accomplished Spartan quarterback, could do some good things in this game, but it's going to be tough with such a bad defense trying to slow down Mike Leach's attack.

Fiesta - Boise State (13-0) vs. TCU (12-0)

Duh. This will be fun. That said, I'll have more on this matchup at some point. I can't believe it's happening.

Orange - Iowa (10-2) vs. Georgia Tech (11-2)

I'm such an idiot for saying that Tech's offense would be slowed down. No one slows down Josh Nesbitt and Jonathan Dwyer. They're awesome, and so is Paul Johnson. The test here will be running wide on a really good north-south defense that has its issues defending the perimeter.

GMAC - Central Michigan (11-2) vs. Troy (9-3)

This is the best mid-major matchup imaginable. LeFevour has been amazing at CMU, and Troy's defense is stout. It's close to home for the Trojans, who should have plenty of fans in Mobile.

BCS National Championship - Alabama (13-0) vs. Texas (13-0)

Mark Ingram virtually carried the Tide past Florida, while Texas had to gut it out against the Blackshirts. How Texas defends Ingram will go a long way toward determining their chances to survive, because you shouldn't expect Colt McCoy to be able to post a ton of points.

BlogPoll: Dec. 9 Ballot (draft)

This is (sniff) the last ballot of the season. We'll throw one more up after the bowl games end, but the regular season is over, no matter what Army and Navy try to tell you.

Here is this week's ballot.

Rank	Team	Delta
1	Alabama	1
2	Cincinnati	1
3	Texas	1
4	TCU	1
5	Boise State	1
6	Florida	5
7	Ohio State
8	Oregon
9	Iowa
10	Penn State
11	Virginia Tech
12	West Virginia
13	Georgia Tech	1
14	Pittsburgh	1
15	LSU	3
16	Oregon State	1
17	Brigham Young	2
18	Houston	1
19	Southern Cal	3
20	Utah
21	Oklahoma State
22	Stanford	1
23	Wisconsin	1
24	Clemson	2
25	Central Michigan
Last week's ballot

Dropped Out: Nobody.

Thoughts:

• I believe this is the first time I have gone a week without dropping anyone out of the Top 25. It's no credit to me, only that there were so few games involving fringe Top 25 teams that it was hard to seriously consider moving anyone in or out.
• The one team I thought about moving in was Nebraska. Full marks to them for the effort against Texas, but it's hard to justify taking anyone off the ballot for a Huskers team that I just don't think is all that good.
• Cincinnati has been in front of Texas for some time now. Neither team is perfect -- outside of their record -- and neither team would be a serious favorite against a more balanced Alabama squad.
  

Game 16: UMD vs. North Dakota

The message is simple. The Bulldogs need a 60-minute effort desperately in this game. They fell 20 minutes short Friday, and it cost them in a 4-2 loss.

Lapses have been a bit of an issue this season, and they will be again if UMD doesn't clean their overall game up.

Here are the lines.

UMD
Schmidt - Connolly (Jack) - Connolly (Mike)
Bordson - Oleksuk - Fontaine
Danberg - Akins - Seidel
Fulton - DeLisle - Flaherty

Olsen - Montgomery
Bergman - Lamb
Olson - Kishel

Hjelle - Reiter - Crandall

UND
Trupp - Malone - Toews
Gregoire - Rowney - Hextall
Lamoureux - Zajac - Kristo
Cichy - Knight - Bruneteau

MacWilliam - Blood
LaPoint - Marto
Gleason - Fienhage

Eidsness - Dell

Game 15: UMD vs. North Dakota

You know the Fighting Sioux are in town when the scoreboard says "Sioux" at 5 P.M., then "No Dakota" later on.

Ah, political correctness ... how nice to see you again!

Lines?

Yeah.

UMD
Danberg - Connolly (Jack) - Connolly (Mike)
Bordson - Oleksuk - Fontaine
Fulton - Akins - Seidel
Schmidt - DeLisle - Flaherty

Olsen - Montgomery
Olson - Lamb
Kishel - Huttel

Reiter - Hjelle - Crandall

UND
Gregoire - VandeVelde - Hextall
Trupp - Malone - Toews (David, that is)
Lamoureux (Mario, that is) - Zajac (that would be Darcy) - Kristo
Bruneteau - Rowney - Knight

MacWilliam - Blood
LaPoint - Marto
Gleason - Fienhage

Eidsness - Dell

Bulldogs Ready for Measuring Stick

"Measuring stick."

Those were the words UMD men's hockey coach Scott Sandelin used this week to describe the Bulldogs' weekend series against North Dakota.

While it's probably too early to overemphasize any games, there's no question that the next four are going to be huge for UMD.

At 9-4-1, and within striking distance of first place, the Bulldogs know they have a team that can contend in the WCHA. However, "can" and "will" are completely different animals. For UMD to legitimize themselves, they're going to have to take advantage of some fortunate scheduling. They get a (kind of) banged-up North Dakota team at home this weekend. Denver follows next week for their only two games against UMD this season. From there, the Bulldogs' next WCHA series will be against Colorado College in January, a team UMD needs to get three points from to claim the season series.

The pre-Thanksgiving sweep of Minnesota proved a few things to UMD:

• They can win on Olympic ice (they started the season 1-2-1 on the big sheet).
• They can win when they don't necessarily play their best hockey.
• They're capable of taking advantage of some fortunate bounces.
• This team isn't afraid of anything.
• It seems they will throw the puck on net as much as humanly possible.
• They don't need Justin Fontaine and the Connollies to do all the goal-scoring. They can always call on Cade Fairchild. Oops.
  
• Most importantly, they seem to have put their disciplinary issues behind them.

(On that last point, yeah, they've only dropped to second in the league and third in the country in penalty minutes. However, in a span of four games, UMD cut four minutes per game off their average. That's a really good start toward the bigger goal.)

Now, the Bulldogs are charged with moving forward. The Gopher series is done and gone, almost like it was in a different season.

North Dakota is a different animal.

The Sioux like to get in your face. You'd think that task would be easier in our sardine can of a rink, but the Bulldogs don't mind it, and they're pretty good at it themselves.

Nothing is easy against UND. The Sioux press the play all over the rink, and they're especially tough on the penalty kill. UMD has to be at their best to win either game this weekend.

Don't be fooled. The absence of All-American defenseman Chay Genoway will hurt the Sioux, but it isn't a crippling loss. This is a strong and deep hockey team, and they're a tough defensive team even without Genoway. Where they might be hurt is their breakout, and that means UMD has to deploy a strong and persistent forecheck to fully take advantage of Genoway's absence.

This is a measuring stick, but it isn't the ultimate one. That said, fans at the DECC will see some very good hockey this weekend.

NFL Week 13: This Can't Happen

It's pretty special, quite frankly, to see two teams sitting at 11-0 so far this season.

This trend is one that can't possibly continue.

Don't get me wrong. The Colts and Saints are both rock-solid teams who are deserving of strong records, but they've also gotten lucky.

We know at least one of them will eventually lose, and the way Brett Favre is playing, you have to think the Saints are going to have a hell of a time advancing to Miami.

Will it happen this week? Can the 1972 Miami Dolphins finally pop the corks?

Probably not.

Indianapolis is home for red-hot Tennessee, winners of five straight. This would probably be a better upset special if the Titans were 2-9 or something, but instead they're on fire, people have noticed, and the Colts should be ready.
The pick: Indianapolis

The Saints play a game that has "letdown" all over it, as they travel to Washington. The Redskins are coming off a couple very tough losses, and they're generally terrible. It's just the kind of team that can be overlooked, no matter how strong a speech the head coach gives about not overlooking the opponent.

Be afraid, Saints fans. Be very afraid.

Just not too afraid.
The pick: New Orleans

Other games (home team in CAPS)
BUFFALO over N.Y. Jets
ATLANTA over Philadelphia
CHICAGO over St. Louis
CINCINNATI over Detroit
KANSAS CITY over Denver
Tampa Bay over CAROLINA
Houston over JACKSONVILLE
PITTSBURGH over Oakland
New England over MIAMI
San Diego over CLEVELAND
San Francisco over SEATTLE
N.Y. GIANTS over Dallas
Minnesota over ARIZONA
GREEN BAY over Baltimore

Last week: 13-3
Season: 101-48

Canada, United States Work to Finalize World Junior Rosters

The IIHF World Junior Championships are set for Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Saskatchewan. Last year's tournament was a disappointing one for the United States, as they lost a preliminary-round game to Canada by blowing a 3-0 lead, then bowed out to Slovakia (!?) in the quarterfinals.

To get back on the medal stand, USA Hockey called on an old friend for this year's tournament. Former North Dakota and current Nebraska-Omaha coach Dean Blais has plenty of international experience, and he is very good with young players.

Canada is the defending champion, and they're again playing on home soil (it was in Ottawa last year). No pressure, guys.

Both countries announced preliminary rosters this week, and both have NCAA players at least in position to make the final rosters.

In Canada, UMD freshman defenseman Dylan Olsen is on the preliminary roster. A first-round pick of the Blackhawks this past summer, Olsen has eight assists in 12 games for UMD.

He is joined by Denver sophomore defenseman Patrick Wiercioch. It was inconceivable to me that Wiercioch didn't make the team last year, and he should have a pretty good shot this time around. Wiercioch has 14 goals and 45 points in 49 career games with the Pioneers.

The Canadian World Junior camp is Dec. 13-15 in Regina, Sask. According to sources, both players are expected to miss the Denver-UMD game at the DECC on Dec. 12, as they make their way north for the camp.

Harvard freshman Louis Leblanc is the only other college player on the Canadian roster for that camp.

On the U.S. side, a preliminary roster of 29 will be whittled down during a camp scheduled for Dec. 15-19 in Grand Forks, N.D. UMD recruit Justin Faulk -- now with the U.S. National Team Development Program -- is on the roster, as are a number of current college players. Minnesota's Jordan Schroeder will play in his third World Juniors, and Wisconsin (Derek Stepan, Jake Gardiner, John Ramage), North Dakota (Danny Kristo), and Denver (Matt Donovan) are also represented on the preliminary roster.

High School Hockey Season Starts

As the prep football season closed out at the Metrodome, high school hockey got underway. It really gets going this week, as pretty much everyone we cover will have a game under their belt by Saturday. Most will have played earlier than that, and some have already gotten in a game or two.

Similar to football, I have set up a Google spreadsheet to keep track of the teams in our three area sections in Minnesota (Sections 5A, 7A, and 7AA), as well as the two that cover northern Wisconsin (Section 1 and Section 2). As we speak, all Minnesota teams are in, and I am working to get all the Wisconsin teams done as the season starts. Please e-mail me with any information you believe to be incorrect, or if you can help provide anything we are missing.

Ahead of that, here are my snap judgment rankings for each of the sections.

MINNESOTA SECTION 5A
1. St. Cloud Cathedral
2. Hermantown
3. Duluth Denfeld
4. Sauk Rapids-Rice
5. Rogers
6. Proctor
7. Mora/Hinckley-Finlayson
8. St. Michael-Albertville
9. Pine City/Rush City
10. Moose Lake Area
11. Meadow Creek Christian
12. North Branch

MINNESOTA SECTION 7A
1. Virginia/MIB
2. Duluth Marshall
3. Hibbing
4. International Falls
5. Two Harbors
6. Eveleth-Gilbert
7. Duluth Central
8. Greenway
9. Silver Bay
10. Ely

MINNESOTA SECTION 7AA
1. Duluth East
2. Elk River
3. Grand Rapids
4. Andover
5. Cloquet/Esko/Carlton
6. St. Francis
7. Cambridge-Isanti
8. Forest Lake
9. Princeton

WISCONSIN SECTION 1
1. Superior
2. Hudson
3. New Richmond
4. River Falls
5. Somerset
6. Menomonie
7. Burnett
8. Spooner
9. Amery
10. Baldwin-Woodville
11. Barron/Chetek

WISCONSIN SECTION 2
1. Eau Claire Memorial
2. Hayward
3. Eau Claire North
4. Rice Lake
5. Chippewa Falls
6. Marshfield
7. Ashland
8. Medford
9. Chequamegon/Phillips
10. Altoona
11. McDonell Central

A Quick Note of Thanks

One year ago today, I found out my position at Midwest Communications was being eliminated.

After a few head-spinning days, the process of getting back on the ol' feet began, and I'd like to think we're in a better place now than we were then.

I'd miss people if I tried to thank all the individuals who played a role in helping me cope with what happened. Obviously, my wife, Tammy, was a rock, and my immediate family and friends are all to be thanked with words I cannot come up with.

Same goes with all those who e-mailed words of support and encouragement after that happened. I thank my lucky stars every day that I have people who cared that much about me.

Anyway, I felt the need to acknowledge the one-year anniversary. I also want all of you to know how seriously appreciated you are.

Thank you.

Notre Dame Has It All Wrong

First things first.

Charlie Weis wasn't likely to ever truly fit at Notre Dame. He showed up with a deserved and warranted swagger that quickly morphed into overconfidence and cockiness. By carrying this attitude into the first couple years of his tenure, Weis built more expectations on top of what the two BCS berths did on their own.

He built them to a point that they were unattainable.

While those expectations were no one's fault but Weis', it was the players who bore the brunt of the pressure to perform. Weis knew he had to win games to keep his job, no matter how big his buyout was. In order to accomplish this, Weis prepared like a madman for games, but he never found a way to get his team to play physical enough at the line of scrimmage to be a constant factor.

It got to the point where even Navy was able to handle the Irish up front and exert their will on games.

Yes, Navy.

No offense to Navy, but this should never happen, much less twice in three years.

What sealed Weis' fate, however, was a consistent and maddening inability to win big games, especially on the road.

His defense couldn't make any of the necessary stops against teams like Michigan, Michigan State, USC, or even Navy in recent years. A third straight six-loss season was the straw the broke the camel's back, and Weis is gone.

Blame it on the institution that is Notre Dame football if you want, but this one is on Weis. His ego was out of control when he walked in the door, and he couldn't bring the program back after he got humbled in 2007.

The defense was terrible. They got gashed by Navy. They got torched by Connecticut. Toby Gerhart just ran for another touchdown, trucking two safeties on the way.

While Weis is to blame for what happened Monday, Notre Dame needs to figure some things out.

Loyalist Bob Davie got fired.

Tyrone Willingham was the transcendent hire who had experience winning at a place with tough academic standards (Stanford). He got fired.

Charlie Weis was the genius. He had the NFL pedigree, and he was going to recruit athletes all over the field. He's now fired.

Where do you go from here? You've pretty much tried every kind of hire except one. It's one that will never work in the current culture of Notre Dame football.

The long-term hire.

Instead of reaching for a Bob Stoops or an Urban Meyer who doesn't really want to be there, go after someone who will tackle the duties with the kind of passion the alumni will have no choice but to appreciate.

(Yes, the point here is that a guy like Stoops or Meyer doesn't really want that job. If either of them did, it wouldn't cost Notre Dame an arm and a leg to hire them. Argue all you want that this is how the business works now, but the money wouldn't matter one bit -- outside of taking care of any buyout at their current school -- if there was any sincere desire to take on this job.)

This won't be the popular hire by Jack Swarbrick. He's going to have to absorb some criticism, and there may be another 7-5 season or two in the near future. However, finding someone who will be passionate about Notre Dame football is the first part of the battle. Stop paying big-name coaches who are only in it for the money. Hire someone who will treat the job with the reverence it deserves, and everything will start looking up.

(Yes, I get that this will never happen. Doesn't mean that what happens is the right thing.)

BlogPoll: Dec. 2 Ballot (draft)

Here you be, kids.

Rank	Team	Delta
1	Florida	1
2	Alabama	1
3	Cincinnati
4	Texas
5	TCU
6	Boise State
7	Ohio State	2
8	Oregon	2
9	Iowa	2
10	Penn State	2
11	Virginia Tech	2
12	West Virginia	4
13	Pittsburgh	5
14	Georgia Tech	7
15	Oregon State	3
16	Southern Cal	3
17	Houston	4
18	LSU	5
19	Brigham Young	5
20	Utah	6
21	Oklahoma State	6
22	Clemson	5
23	Stanford
24	Wisconsin
25	Central Michigan
Last week's ballot

Dropped Out: North Carolina (#20), Mississippi (#22), Temple (#25).

The Alabama-Florida flip-flop is based solely on each team's play the previous weekend. Frankly, Alabama looked good in beating Auburn, who isn't a bad team, but Florida absolutely demolished their rival and hit on virtually all cylinders in doing so. You have to give them the nod for now. Frankly, the order of these teams is meaningless because we've known for a while that they'd be going head-to-head on a neutral field for the SEC title this Saturday.

This is the nightmare scenario for the BCS. Unless Nebraska shocks the world and beats Texas in what should be a virtual home game for the Longhorns, we're staring at the very real prospect of five unbeaten teams plus an impressive one-loss SEC title game loser.

Of course, this won't stop the anti-playoff morons from continuing to advance their "meaning of the regular season," "academics," and "how many teams would you take to make it work?" non-sensical rambles.

Happy Turkeys

At the risk of getting too cheesy, I wanted to take a moment and wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving.

I'm thrilled that you stopped by -- even if it was just this once. I'm grateful to have a platform like this to vent about topics that may only interest me.

Be safe and have fun on this day of thanks. May your feast be delicious and plentiful.

NFL Week 12: Trap Me

A few quick thoughts on Week 12:

• The Packers are walking into a trap. They appeared to right the ship a bit with two straight home wins, but they have now lost two defensive stalwarts for the season. Oh, and they're on the road with a short week to prepare against a team that just won a crazy game and has nothing to lose. These are typically very tough games to play, and the Packers will be in desperate need of a fast start Thursday.
• Speaking of traps: Don't sleep on Oakland. The Raiders have a competent quarterback who won't kill his team, and they have some confidence after a nice home win over Cincinnati. The Cowboys have scored precisely zero points in the first three quarters over the last two weeks. They have a total of 14 in that span.
• I can't get a read on the Saints-Patriots doozy scheduled for Monday night. Nothing really at all. Every time I think Belichick will figure out a way to win this game, I think about the way they blew the Colts game, and the fact that their defense is a shell of its championship self. Then again, the Patriots have typically risen to the occasion for big games, and if they want to have a good chance of a first-round bye, they'll probably need this one.
• The Vikings are good. Jay Cutler is not. Unless one of those immutable laws changes in time for Sunday, the Bears don't have a chance.
• Huge game for Jacksonville on Sunday. They go cross-country to play San Francisco, who is oh-so-close to being a playoff contender. A win solidifies Jacksonville as a team to contend with in the AFC, as they'd move to 7-4. It also keeps them well ahead of surging Tennessee and upstart Houston.

Here are this week's picks. Happy Thanksgiving, all!

Green Bay over DETROIT
DALLAS over Oakland
DENVER over N.Y. Giants
ATLANTA over Tampa Bay
Miami over BUFFALO
CINCINNATI over Cleveland
Seattle over ST. LOUIS
N.Y. JETS over Carolina
PHILADELPHIA over Washington
Indianapolis over HOUSTON
SAN DIEGO over Kansas City
Jacksonville over SAN FRANCISCO
TENNESSEE over Arizona
MINNESOTA over Chicago
Pittsburgh over BALTIMORE
NEW ORLEANS over New England

Last week: 11-5
Season: 88-45