Jim Rome, a radio show host I used to listen to in college before I grew out of the smack off, banging on my monkey and jungle karma phase, often uses a phrase that I think is very fitting with the current quarterback situation at Ohio State.
“With apologies to Todd Boeckman’s family…”
It’s not so much that the middle-aged quarterback stinks, it’s more like he is so uncomfortable in the pocket that he hasn’t been productive in nearly 11 months.
So while I feel badly for him as a person for getting booed at his home stadium for going 0-for-1 passing Saturday, I also know that OSU football, or other big time college football, is as close as you can get to actually being professional, without really being so.
That means that it’s best for the program to get super frosh Terrelle Pryor into the fray as the starter, like Jim Tressel did Saturday, against Troy and Minnesota so that he can be as acclimated as possible to the speed as the college game.
Everybody who saw him at USC, even Trojans coach Pete Carroll, knows he’s not afraid of the big stage, and even on a slightly smaller stage against the other Trojans he showed what he can do with his arm with the four passing touchdowns.
I think we’ll see some growing pains — like the scrambling attempt to the left and right at the end of the first half that knocked the Buckeyes out of field goal position and led to him having to throw the ball up for grabs in the end zone, ending his modest interception-less streak — but even if you just point to the fact that he can move in and out of the pocket, making up for a shoddy line to this point, it’s a big step up from Boeckman’s happy feet that go nowhere.
On a much bigger level, Pryor, as a freshman, has shown he’s an alpha dog. He’s the guy everybody looks to. Senior corner Malcolm Jenkins tested Pryor’s resolve in the summer and came out with a lot of respect for the newcomer. Another example of how the rest of the team looks up to the 6-6 QB is that during that USC game, not one player on the sideline remained back in the bench area when TP was on the field.
The telling example of Boeckman not being that alpha male is that when Beanie Wells was healthy he was the guy the offense looked to for leadership, not the sixth-year senior captain quarterback!
With apologies to the Boeckman family, it was time to make a change.
NFL Picks
We had a tight one this week with a record 20 participants. We welcome Grandpa and Jeremiah to the show.
Once again it came down to the overall Monday night score to determine a winner, and while bermuda funk, Howard aka the Trashman and gatorbuckeye all correctly picked 12 winners, the ultimate victor is Howard, who came closest with a guess of 44 overall points.
Shenanigans apply again as the Chargers scored 48 points by themselves! I doubt the game this week between the Ravens and Steelers will be as high scoring. Do with that information what you will.
Howard 12-4 (plus 1 for winning the week)
bermuda funk 12-4
gatorbuckeye 12-4
Jeremiah 11-5
Big Game 11-5
Seth 10-6
Adman 10-6
crazed wolverine 10-6
The CPA 10-6
Jessica 10-6
nora peanut 10-6
JMB 10-6
Brian 9-7
tom s 9-7
mary the nurse 9-7
Jack 10 8-8
Grandpa 8-8
Nick 8-8
Steve-o 7-9
Kara 4-12
Overall standings
Big Game 31-16 (plus 1)
Adman 31-16
tom s 30-17 (plus 1)
Howard 30-17 (plus 1)
Seth 29-18
The CPA 28-19
Brian 28-19
nora peanut 27-20
Jessica 27-20
bermuda funk 26-21
Kara 26-21
gatorbuckeye 25-22
mary the nurse 25-22
Steve-o 24-23
crazed wolverine 24-23
Jack 10 22-25
JMB 20-11
Nick B. 18-13
Jeremiah 11-5
Randy 9-7
Grandpa 8-8
NFL Week Four
Minnesota (1-2) at Tennessee (3-0)
Denver (3-0) at Kansas City (0-3)
San Francisco (2-1) at New Orleans (1-2)
Arizona (2-1) at NY Jets (1-2)
Green Bay (2-1) at Tampa Bay (2-1)
Atlanta (2-1) at Carolina (2-1)
Houston (0-2) at Jacksonville (1-2)
Cleveland (0-3) at Cincinnati (0-3)
San Diego (1-2) at Oakland (1-2)
Buffalo (3-0) at St. Louis (0-3)
Washington (2-1) at Dallas (3-0)
Philadelphia (2-1) at Chicago (1-2)
Baltimore (2-0) at Pittsburgh (2-1) Pts.______
Make your picks by using the “Comments” section under the headline.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:27 am
In honor of Super T, I plan on making it a banner weekend:
Titans
Broncos
Saints
Jets
Packers
Panthers
Jaguars
Bengals
Chargers
Bills
Cowboys
Eagles
Steelers: 10
September 24th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Tennessee
Denver
New Orleans
Arizona
Tampa Bay
Carolina
Jacksonville
Cincinnati
San Diego
Buffalo
Dallas
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh Pts. 31
September 24th, 2008 at 10:52 pm
Tennessee
Denver
New Orleans
NY Jets
Green Bay
Carolina
Jacksonville
Cincinnati
San Diego
Buffalo
Dallas
Chicago
Pittsburgh 38
September 25th, 2008 at 10:05 am
1. Tennessee
2. Denver
3. San Francisco
4. Arizona
5. Green Bay
6. Carolina
7. Jacksonville
8. Cincinnati
9. San Diego
10. Buffalo
11. Dallas
12. Philadelphia
13. Pittsburgh 52
September 26th, 2008 at 7:58 am
minnesota
denver
san francisco
new york jets
green bay
carolina
jacksonville
cleveland
san diego
buffalo
dallas
philadelphia
pittsburgh 31 points
September 26th, 2008 at 7:59 am
Adman picks:
TEN
DEN
NO
AZ
GB
CAR
JAX
CLE
SD
BUF
DAL
PHI
PIT
Total Pts: 30
September 26th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Here are my picks for Week Four
Minnesota
Denver
New Orleans
NY Jets
Green Bay
Carolina
Jacksonville
Cincinnati (someone is getting a win!)
San Diego
Buffalo
Dallas
Chicago
Baltimore (30 pts)
September 26th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Tennessee
Denver
New Orleans
NY Jets
Green Bay
Carolina
Jacksonville
Cleveland
San Diego
Buffalo
DALLAS
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh 42
September 26th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
vikings
broncos
saints
cards
bucs
panthers
texans
bengals
raiders
rams
redskins
eagles
steelers 28
September 26th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Tennessee
Kansas City
New Orleans
Arizona
Tampa Bay
Carolina
Jacksonville
Cleveland
San Diego
Buffalo
Dallas
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh Pts.__31____
September 26th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Tennessee
Denver
New Orleans
Arizona
Green Bay
Carolina
Jacksonville
Cincinnati
San Diego
Buffalo
Dallas
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh – 24
September 27th, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Tennessee
Denver
New Orleans
NY Jets
Green Bay
Carolina
Jacksonville
Cincinnati
San Diego
Buffalo
Dallas
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh (36 Pts)
September 27th, 2008 at 9:42 pm
Tennessee
Denver
New Orleans
Arizona
Tampa Bay
Carolina
Jacksonville
Cincinnati — a toast to a glimmer of hope in Brady Quinn
San Diego
Buffalo
Dallas
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh — 36 — lock of the century is Pitt to cover -2.5
September 27th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Tennessee, Denver, New Orleans, NT Jets, Green Bay, Carolina, Jacksonville, Cleveland, San Diego, Buffalo, Dallas, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh 40
September 28th, 2008 at 10:18 am
1. Minnesota
2. Denver
3. San Francisco
4. Jets
5. Green Bay
6. Atlanta
7. Jacksonville
8. Cincinnati
9. San Diego
10. Buffalo
11. Washington
12. Chicago
13. Pittsburgh (29 pts)
September 28th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Vikings
Broncos
Saints
Jets
Bucs
Panthers
Texans
Browns
Raiders
Rams
Cowboys
Bears
Ravens 60
September 28th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Vikings
Broncos
49ers
Jets
Bucs
Panthers
Texans
Bengals
Raiders
Rams
Cowboys
Bears
Steelers 69
September 28th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Titans
Broncos
Saints
Jets
Bucs
Falcons
Jags
Bengals
Raiders
Bills
Cowboys
Bears
Steelers 45
September 28th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Titans
Broncos
Saints
Jets
Packers
Panthers
Jags
Browns
Chargers
Bills
Cowboys
Eagles
Steelers 34
September 28th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Minnesota
Denver (3-0)
New Orleans (1-2)
Arizona (2-1)
Green Bay (2-1)
Carolina (2-1)
Jacksonville (1-2)
Cincinnati (0-3)
San Diego (1-2)
Buffalo (3-0)
Dallas (3-0)
Philadelphia (2-1)
Pittsburgh (2-1) 41
September 28th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Wanted to make a change or 2, can’t remember what I posted earlier so here’s my update!
Tennessee
Denver
New Orleans
Arizona
Green Bay
Carolina
Jacksonville
Cincinnati
San Diego
Buffalo
Dallas
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Pts 32