Category: Sports

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Sports

Some Quality Quotes from Dabo Swinney

Coach Swinney has had a good week for “quotability”. First he [fired back at Steve Spurrier’s claim](http://www.orangeandwhite.com/news/2012/oct/10/dabo-swinney-fires-latest-verbal-salvo-steve-spurr/?partner=RSS) LSU has the “real” Death Valley:

> “I can see where (Spurrier) might have a little confusion,” Swinney told reporters. “Our guys have never been to USC. California is a long way from here. I can see where there can be a little confusion there. There are two Death Valleys and two USCs. There’s only one real one.

> …

> Swinney quipped that “Carolina is in Chapel Hill, USC is in California and the university in this state always has been and always will be Clemson” to begin an extended, now-infamous rant.

Coach Swinney then had a good [response for Alabama coach’s Nick Saban’s issues with no-huddle offenses](http://www.orangeandwhite.com/news/2012/oct/11/dabo-swinney-nick-sabans-view-no-huddle-offenses-s/?partner=RSS):

> “I don’t agree with that,” said Swinney. “I think that we have a play clock, and if you look at us, we substitute all the time. We play fast, but we’re constantly changing personnel, constantly multiple formations and shifts and personnel groupings.

> “When you do that, the defense has to be allowed to change personnel, and that’s the refs’ job, to manage that part. But we don’t just put the same 11 guys out there and play them for 80 plays. You know, I don’t know if there’s a lot of teams that do that.”

> …

> “To me, if you look around, what makes college football fun is you have a lot of variety,” Swinney said. “You see different things from week to week, whether it’s the spread or the “I” or the triple option or whatever, and I think that’s one of the things that makes it an incredibly popular game is that you just really never know from week to week.

> “If you really want the same old thing and everybody to be conformed, then you’ve got that in the NFL. That’s what Sundays are for, in my opinion…

It is pretty easy to see why guys want to play for Coach Swinney.

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Sports

Notre Dame’s “Trick Shot Monday”

I find that teams who have this kind of comradery can end up being special.

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Sports

Evaluating whether Jacoby Ellsbury is a Franchise Player

> If Ellsbury indeed a franchise player, the Red Sox might be able to land the frontline starting pitcher popular opinion has suggested they should seek for Ellsbury — maybe from the San Francisco Giants or the Washington Nationals.

> If Ellsbury is Ludwick or Quentin, however, there’s little reason for the Giants or Nationals (or any other team) to be willing to surrender anything of value for him.

It is going to be weird if / when Ellsbury gets traded. I hope that (1) he re-signs with the and (2) he returns to the almost-MVP form of a couple years ago.

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Sports

Obama Raising Taxes on the Middle Class

> The Obama campaign’s dishonesty about [Governor Romney’s tax plan] is striking even by the very low standards of Democratic election rhetoric. But the White House is also misleading the public about the consequences of its economic policies, specifically about elevating levels of federal spending that have produced an unbroken chain of deficits exceeding $1 trillion — which ultimately will force a very large tax increase on, yes, the middle class and all other taxpayers.

President Obama’s campaign relies on a study by *Tax Policy Center*, that [has been torn apart for its incorrect assumptions](http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/316728/obama-s-tax-hike-con-editors), to say the Governor Romney will raise taxes on the middle class. Meanwhile, policies like Obamacare are *actually* raising the tax burden on middle class workers. This will obviously be a focus during the last few weeks of the campaign.

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Sports

Guide to the Red Sox Offseason

Tim Britton with a comprehensive guide on what you can except during the Red Sox offseason.

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Sports

Nolan Ryan Questions the Timing of Josh Hamilton’s Efforts to Quit Tobacco

Nolan Ryan appears to be taking a page out of the Red Sox “smear the guy on the way out the door” playbook.

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Sports

Should Ichiro have been out?

Some nerdy, baseball goodness from Rob Neyer[^fn1].

[^fn1]: SPOILER: Of course he should have been out.

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Sports

Shakin the Southland’s Mid-Season Review

The best summary of the 1st half of Clemson’s season that you will read.

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Sports

The New ACC Schedule Should Improve Clemson’s Schedule Strength

It gives Clemson another open slot to play another marquee non-conference opponent[^fn1].

[^fn1]: Not to mention playing Notre Dame every so often

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Sports

Francona Might Have Started the Managerial Carousel

Terry Francona going to Cleveland seems to pave the way for Toronto to let John Farrell go to the Red Sox, followed by the Blue Jays signing Sandy Alomar as their new manager.

I am in the “fresh blood” camp, and think I would rather the Red Sox themselves took a run at Sandy Alomar. My top pick, however, is still Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Dave Martinez.

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Sports

Clemson Half-Season Review

> The defense still has serious issues: Following an opening-drive three-and-out, Clemson’s tackling got absolutely cringe-worthy, and quick. A sideline pass to Anthony Autry that should’ve been a 15-yard gain, at most, turned into a 53-yard jaunt after safety Jonathan Meeks whiffed on a tackle. Later, Meeks was dragged for at least 20 yards by quarterback Tevin Washington. He wasn’t immune; fellow safeties Travis Blanks and Rashard Hall also had their share of bad angles and poor tackling as Tech rolled up 483 yards.

The Tigers are going to have just outscore opponents going forward. Hopefully, next year–with some new top level prospects–Coach Venables can provide the defensive upgrade Tigers fans were hoping for when Clemson signed him.

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Sports

FSU’s Loss Brings Down the ACC and Hurts Clemson’s BCS Chances

People are saying that the loss by Florida State opens the door for Clemson to make a BCS bowl again. I disagree. I think it makes the road Clemson has to travel to reach a BCS bowl harder. If FSU had run the table, it could have gone to the national title game and then, maybe, Clemson would have been the ACC’s non-title BCS representative. Now, Clemson has to hope that FSU loses another game. Sadly, I do not see that happening.

Additionally, as the linked article points out, the FSU loss means the ACC is getting hammered in the national media:

> We’re not even midway through October and the ACC found a way to fade into irrelevance again. This conference is a bigger tease than Notre Dame joining the ACC. And the ACC could use the Irish right now. You’ve heard of Clemson “pulling a Clemson?” Nope. Not this year. It’s the ACC pulling an ACC. At least last year Clemson made it to 8-0 before losing on the road to Georgia Tech. No. 3-ranked Florida State couldn’t even make it through its first road ACC game…

Ouch[^fn1]

[^fn1]: Really, was the “pulling a Clemson” shot necessary?

Categories
Entertainment Sports

Ohio State Band with a Tribute to Video Games

Amazing. I hope a professionally recorded version of this is released soon.

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Sports

Venables Pleased with Clemson’s Defensive Improvement

> “I’m proud of the way they responded in the second half. We lost some leverage and had a couple of poor tackles. We didn’t change a whole lot. I thought our plan was good. You’ve got to trust the guys around you and know what everyone’s responsibility is, but I thought we really responded big-time. We had some huge plays in that second half. I think those were steps of growth and confidence. What a great play, the blocked field goal, the safety, the fourth-down stop. Just defending a little more sound. Tackling in great positions. Big plays sting but we’re so glad this day is done. It’s a tough offense to defend and creates a lot of stress. They do a great job of in-game adjustments. I’m proud of our guys. They didn’t freak out, stayed calm. We made some minor adjustments and they handled those really well. Really great team effort.”

Hopefully the progress can continue.

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Sports

Teddy Wins the President’s Race

I am so “sports superstitious” that I would be scared if I was a Nationals fan. How can you chance something that happened during your playoffs run? I am sure I am overreacting though, right?

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Sports

The Argument for Trading Jacoby Ellsbury

I am torn on this. On one hand, I understand how trading Ellsbury could potentially allow them to get some prospects, on the other hand, I feel like he could be a building block for the team going forward. I guess the whole thing will come down to how much Ellsbury wants in this next contract.

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Sports

The “Outfield” Fly Rule

What a strange way to start the “1-Game-Playoff-Era.” I think [Jim Donaldson](http://blogs.providencejournal.com/sports/red-sox/2012/10/is-sam-holbrook-a-replacement-ump.html) asked the right question:

> Is Sam Holbrook a replacement ump?

Chipper Jones deserved better as he ends his tremendous career.

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Sports

NCAA Still Monitoring UNC’s Investigations

> When North Carolina announced in late August that the NCAA had told school officials that no NCAA rules had apparently been broken in the scandal surrounding its Afro and African-American Studies Department, it was also pretty clear it wasn’t the end of the case.

Hopefully this wraps up soon. It feels like a black cloud hanging over the Carolina basketball program, even though it seems any “scandal” was much more football related.

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Sports

Getting John Farrell from the Blue Jays

I think I prefer the Red Sox hiring Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Dave Martinez for their next manager. Yes, Farrell might be more of a known commodity, but I think having someone who has seen first hand how Joe Maddon gets guys ready to play could end up being just what this young Red Sox team needs. Besides, if Martinez does not work out, the Red Sox can go after Farrell when he is no longer under contract with the Blue Jays[^fn1].

[^fn1]: That might be as early as next year, since it seems like Toronto is not particularly wild about him

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Sports

Dan Levy on Bobby Valentine

> I don’t know why ESPN or MLB or even the great folks at Turner would want him. He presided over such a calamity in Boston it will be impossible for any fan to respect his opinion right now. That said, the guy isn’t shy about giving those opinions, so if he can do it in the protected environment of a TV booth with no pressure or accountability of actually having to win games, maybe that would be the best spot for him.

Bobby’s Valentine’s façade of “great baseball mind” took a major, major hit. I am sure he’ll still be entertaining on TV, but it will be harder to take him seriously as a baseball analyst going forward.