Montana vs. Richmond in the FCS National Championship Game

Great first half for the Richmond Spiders up on Montana 21-0, but the Spiders miss a short FG to end half. Will momentum shift in the 2ND half for Montana?

ESPN's coverage has been good. Good highlights of 2008 FCS season, including a couple of favorites... during the halftime show.

FBS kicks off bowl season on Saturday with four bowl games: EagleBank in Washington DC, New Mexico, St. Petersburg and Las Vegas.

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Iowa State University: "Wanted New coach, respect"

Headline for Thursday, December 19, 2008 edition of The Gazette titled Wanted: New coach, respect, regarding the vacant head football coach position at Iowa State.

I, for one, believe Iowa State is better off with the ill-fit, Gene Chizik. Coach Chizik is a fine, young coach, but he was a fish out of water outside the Southeast section of the country. I'll be shocked, if he ever takes a job north of the Mason-Dixon line again.

I would have enjoyed seeing Turner Gill as ISU's next head coach. I have always enjoyed his work as a player and an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The work he is doing at the University of Buffalo will likely earn Mr. Gill an opportunity somewhere else down the road. Hopefully, like the University of Buffalo, it will be the right fit for Mr. Gill.

On The Gazette question: "Is Iowa State's football program damaged goods in the wake of this mess?" Nope, one should consider it's been a long time, since Iowa State won any type of share of a conference title in football. As for last title, the Cyclones won a share of the 1912 Missouri Valley Conference title. Ironically, the MVC Football Conference returned this fall, after being silent for many years. Coach Chizik was 5-19 overall in two years at Iowa State (2-14 in the Big 12).

"I don't think Iowa State's reputation is hurt at all," said Charles Davis, Fox
television analyst who'll help call the BCS national championship game. "It
looks like they did everything the right way. If anything, Gene Chizik has to
answer questions about what really happened. I know him, I respect him, but the
court of public opinion is definitely not on Gene's side."

I have always enjoyed Charles Davis and I agree with him in The Gazette article.

Further I agree with the veteran Big 12/8 writer out of Omaha...

"Being in the North Division, which is in a much greater state of flux, you may
not be as far away as people on the outside think," said the Omaha
World-Herald's Lee Barfknecht, who has covered the conference since the days of
the Big Eight. "There's no reason somebody can't go in there and win some
football games. You aren't going to contend for national championship, but it's
not a black hole."

Dan McCarney was a better fit for Iowa State, than Coach Chizik would have been. Hindsight is 20/20. ISU AD Jamie Pollard wants to put his stamp on the Cyclone football program, as was shown when he hired Chizik. His first attempt lasted only two years, but like others that have been in the business before him (i.e.: Bump Elliott), sometimes your first coach doesn't work out.

It will be interesting to see who AD Pollard hires this time around? Someone with ties to the State of Iowa or the ISU program in some way may be a good trait to try to work into the new hire. Coach McCarney certainly brought that trait to Ames. It didn't work out for a conference title, but it did move the program in the right direction and the Cyclones came close in the North.

Good luck to State in finding their next football coach. The Cy-Hawk football series has certainly improved... it will be important for ISU to find a quality head coach for their program. Some of Pollard's decisions in other sports have left some ISU alums disappointed.

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Gene Chizik to Auburn; Good news for the Cyclone football program

Gene Chizik appears to be a good, young head football coach. In two years at Iowa State University, he finished 5-19 overall record (2-14 Big 12).

Of course, Mr. Chizik was 3-9 overall in year one (2-6 Big 12) for the Cyclones. This year, with a several weaknesses and lack of experience in various areas, the Cyclones compiled a 2-10 overall record (0-8 Big 12). While many in the Cyclone fan base were looking for signs of improvement in '08; talent was lacking, especially on defense. Of course, Chizik's background in on the defensive side of the ball.

Scanning his coaching staff, he looked like he was in the Sun Belt conference, not in Ames, Iowa, coaching a Big 12 team. From my vantage point, it appeared that Gene Chizik isn't the right fit for a program north of the Mason-Dixon Line. His heart is clearly in the South. As ISU athletic director Jamie Pollard pointed out.

"Auburn's interest in Gene speaks to his (Chizik's) reputation,"
Pollard said. "We saw that same potential in Gene two years ago. He is an
outstanding football coach, tremendous recruiter and inspiring leader. When your
organization has talented staff members, other schools express interest in their
services."

Stepping up to Auburn, in the SEC, does appear to be a tall order for a guy who has finished 5-19 in two years of head coaching at Iowa State. As a defensive coordinator, Chizik helped build undefeated programs at Texas (2005) and at Auburn (2004).

A dream job came true for Gene Chizik this weekend. But, for Iowa State, they get rid of a poor fit. Hindsight is always 20/20. For the ISU Cyclones, like Bump Elliott, during the 1970s at the University of Iowa; AD Pollard will have an opportunity to make the right choice this time.

It will be interesting to see, if AD Pollard jumps out of the box? After serving as an assistant at the University of Wisconsin as an athletic administrator, Jamie Pollard became athletic director at Iowa State. Of the four head football coaches that Pollard's experience would likely draw from, all are from the defensive side of the football, being DC before being hired as head coaches.

Barry Alvarez (his former boss at UW)

Bret Bielema (current HC at UW)

Dan McCarney (who Pollard let go at ISU)

Gene Chizik (DC at Texas when hired)

Will Jamie Pollard consider an offensive minded coach to replace Gene Chizik? After the accomplishments of Dan McCarney at ISU, the difference may be found in an offensive prospective. Look at the success of Dr. Tom Osborne or Hayden Fry. Both offensive minded, even, Bill Snyder at Kansas State was a former OC.

Further, ties to the State of Iowa or old Big Eight schools may wise to apply for the job. Look for someone who clearly will be a better fit north of the Mason-Dixon Line Mr. Pollard!

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Five finalists would be worthy for the Heisman Presentation and College Football

Is the Heisman Trophy losing it's luster? Is it becoming another award for the nation's top quarterback in college football?

From Wikipedia...

"The Heisman
Memorial Trophy Award (often known simply as the Heisman Trophy
or The
Heisman), named after the former college
football coach John Heisman,
is awarded annually by the Downtown Athletic
Club of New York City
to the most outstanding player in collegiate football."

We know the Top 3, who are attending the 74Th presentation today in New York City on ESPN are all quarterbacks. But, why not invite some non-quarterbacks? The award is about the outstanding player in collegiate football. There is clearly more to football than strong quarterback play.

Who would cidsports invite? Well, the Top 3 are all worthy of attendance. Any of the three are outstanding players and you could argue worthy of the 2008 award. The next two that should have been invited were a running back and a wide receiver.

Iowa's Shonn Greene clearly displayed he was the most outstanding running back in college football in 2008. Further, his story was worthy of tribute through an invitation. He is the only running back to run for 100 yards in all 12 regular season games. Further, he averaged a very solid 6.2 yards per carry. The Heisman isn't for the best quarterback, but best college football player. The absence of non-quarterbacks is simply bad for college football.

“Shonn has been consistently dominant throughout the season and his
performances in big
games have been the key to Iowa’s success,” said
CBS’ Verne Lundquist, a member of the Doak Walker Award National Selection
Committee and presenter of the 2008 Award.

The next player would be a wide receiver. Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree is the best wide receiver in college football. His catch in the Texas game likely cost the University of Texas the BCS title game and likely will cost Texas QB Colt McCoy the Heisman Trophy. An undefeated Texas team would be hard to not consider McCoy the nation's most outstanding player in 2008.

Some would say what about Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell? Isn't he worthy of an invitation. Yes, he had a very good season in the Texas Tech offensive system. However, for one, I don't think he is his team's top player, let alone the most outstanding player in college football. Of the six players being discussed, I think the loss of Harrell would have the least impact for their teams. Maybe, I am giving too much credit for little known, Taylor Potts, Harrell's backup.

So, the two finalists for the Heisman Trophy in my book are two quarterbacks. By, the way, I would have placed RB Shonn Greene in the Top 3, if I had the opportunity to cast a ballot. I don't always agree with Mike Hlas, but I do on this occasion about Greene, not Harrell, since I don't see Harrell in the Top 3 among quarterbacks nationally.

So, who should be the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner? The Walter Camp Award winner, like 2007, is out of contention in my book. Here are cidsports Top 3 for 2008:

1. Sam Bradford, Oklahoma (outstanding Big 12 statistics in passing)
2. Tim Tebow, Florida (2007 Heisman Winner - great story following 'Ole Miss loss)
3. Shonn Greene, Iowa (Football is more than a strong quarterback)

One final note:

Good luck to the Northern Iowa Panthers in there Division I semi-final football game coming up on ESPN at 3 pm Central Time. Yes, there are playoffs in Division I college football, it's called the FCS. This year's Heisman is for FBS players in Division I.

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Iowa's Shonn Greene not among Top 3 Heisman Finalists

My thoughts on the development about Iowa's Shonn Greene and the Heisman finalists in NYC. Nothing can take away from the outstanding season displayed by the junior running back from New Jersey.

McCoy, Bradford, Tebow named Heisman finalists Houston Chronicle AP USA Today Top 25 BCS Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford and reigning Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow were named ...
Bradford, McCoy, Tebow finalists for 2008 Heisman Trophy Sports Network
Tebow, pair of Big 12 QBs are Heisman finalists The Associated Press
Heisman finalists announced tonight The News-Press
Orlando Sentinel - Tulsa World

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Thought of the Day?

From the Rivals Network
fsu1jreed
Warchant.com
Gulf Breeze/Pensacola Beach Florida

The Bowl Season is soon approaching America!

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Should Chicago really be the Host of the 2016 Olympic Games?

With the corruption charges today with the Governor and his Chief of Staff, should the City of Chicago, with the corruption reputation of the City and State, be rewarded with the Olympic Games?

Fond Ties Have Grown Between Chicago and Its Corruption Fighter -The same year his office pursued corruption charges against associates of Mayor Richard M. Daley of Chicago, a Democrat like Mr. Blagojevich, ... New York Times
Highlights of the Blagojevich Corruption Charges - Wall Street Journal Blogs
Illinois has long legacy of public corruption - MSNBC

Now, the current governor of Illinois is under investigation and a previous one is already in prison.Should Chicago be the 2016 host of the Olympic Games?

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