thesportsfag | my gay sports blog

Former USC linebacker Brian Cushing was named the AP’s NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, receiving 39 out of 50 votes by a nationwide panel of 50 sports writers and broadcasters. If you’re wondering why USC had a little bit of a drop off this year consider this, Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, who also went to USC and was a first-round draft pick, earned three votes and Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo, another first-round pick from USC, received two votes. Cincinnati Bengals rookie linebacker Rey Maualuga was also a 2010 first-round pick from USC.

Cushing finished the season with 134 tackles for the Houston Texans who finished with their first winning season and narrowly missed the playoffs. Check out the SportsFags bio of Brian Cushing complete with hot shirtless photos and a link to his personal website.

The NCAA is considering a rule change that would allow officials to remove players from games if they show signs or symptoms of a concussion. The NFL moved recently to toughen the standards on when players are allowed to return after experiencing concussion-like symptoms.

With all of the science recently regarding the long-term effects of concussions on the human brain, subtracting the coach from medical decision is a step in the right direction. For as long as there has been football there have been coaches who’ve tried to keep all types of injuries, including concussions, from being disclosed to both medical personnel and the media because it might impact the outcome of a game.

Of course, then there’s Mike Leach who, after a players he deems a slacker is concussed, he penalizes by confining them to a small room and, according to sworn affidavits, lies about it to cover his tracks.

Knowing this, Dr. David Klossner, the NCAA’s Director of Health and Safety, should title the new rule, ‘The Leach Rule’. It’s an appropriate name and a lasting legacy for a coach who let his personal feelings and prejudices stand in the way of a player’s safety.

More about the Mike Leach story.

I’m not a big proponent of crowning a conference champion in college football strictly from one season’s bowl results. Fans like to beat their chests and point to the bowl results if their particular conference has fared well but I think the best conferences are those that demonstrate consistency over a number of seasons not merely a one-year blip.

However, over the course of two bowl seasons the Mountain West Conference (MWC) is making the big boys of the SEC, Big-10 and PAC-10 take notice. Last season it was Utah’s upset over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl which generated buzz about the MWC, yet this years 4-0 start, with just TCU’s game against Boise State remaining, has the college football world sitting up to take notice.

An area of the country better known for skiing, rugged terrain, and wide open spaces has used the national stage of the college football bowl season to change perceptions of what most considered a second-tier bowl conference. Despite smaller fan bases, inferior facilities and less national media attention the MWC has thrust itself into the national championship conversation in each of the past two seasons and has fared well when matched up against the big boys in December and January.

The success of the MWC may just force the big boys to consider its worthiness for an automatic bid into the BCS should the Cotton Bowl come online as a new BCS bowl in the next couple of years.

Ask yourself a question, can you honestly say that the ACC or even Big East is any better than the MWC at this point? I can’t and I guarantee you if you would’ve asked me that question in 2007, I would’ve thought you didn’t know much about college football.

Mountain West 2009-10 Bowl Results

New Mexico Bowl
Wyoming 35, Fresno State 28

MAACO Las Vegas
BYU 44, Oregon State 20

S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia
Utah 37, Cal 27

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces
Air Force 47, Houston 20

As my momma used to say, “Who would’ve thunk it?”

Just three weeks ago the Cowboys were preparing for what everyone, including myself, thought was a sure beat down from New Orleans. The loss to the Saints would be the catalyst that would surely send the Cowboys into a tale spin, ending only after Dallas was eliminated from the playoffs.

Yet these Cowboys stepped up and beat the Saints and the next week they beat the Redskins. Two road wins in December put an end to talk of another Cowboys’ December collapse.

And so entering the final weekend of the season, Dallas is a win away from capturing their second NFC East title in the past three years.

On the other hand, fellow NFC East rival Philadelphia, withstood a number of injuries this season, starting tailback Bryant Westbrook, starting quarterback Donovan McNabb and several offensive lineman have missed several games. Yet amid the upheaval the Eagles cautiously worked their dynamic young play makers, LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin, into an offense that had grown increasingly predictable in 2008.

As a result, the Eagles also enter the final weekend of the season just one win away from capturing the NFC East title.

Last year the Cowboys traveled to Philadelphia on the season’s final weekend of the regular season with a chance to secure a playoff bid and were routed 44-6 by the Eagles. So the question remains, are these Cowboys, who this season answered adversity with a renewed focus and determination, any different than last year’s squad that failed miserably at the end?

Absolutely.

What the Cowboys denied last year but recently acknowledged is that the atmosphere created by Terrell Owens’ selfishness was a major factor in their demise last year. So if you believe like I do, that a locker room can benefit greatly by addition through subtraction, then you’ve got a team that isn’t looking to get the season over with but rather, one that’s focused on making a push for the playoffs.

There’s no way Dallas will fall apart like they did in Philly last year, especially considering the Cowboys have only given up 30+ points in a single game to one team this year, against the NY Giants twice.

Philadelphia has big problems on the offensive line, Romo is playing great, the Cowboys offensive line is rolling and the Cowboys defense is peaking at just the right time.

Hottie Watch – Keep an eye on the tight ends, like I really had to tell you that. Tony Romo’s favorite little buddy All-Pro Jason Whitten and Philadelphia’s Brent Celek are hella fine and they’re having monster years which translates to plenty of face time on TV.

Prediction
Dallas 27 – Philadelphia 20

Other games of importance
New York Jets 27 – Bengals 17
The Jets have proven they can beat any team who doesn’t have anything to play for. Bengals’ starters may play but they will be on the sidelines when the Jets win this one in the second half.

Baltimore 38 – Oakland 17
Flacco will lead the Ravens to their second straight playoff appearance against an Oakland team looking forward to the off season.

NFL Power Rankings Week 16

As the NFL season comes to a close we examine who’s closing strong and who’s fading down the stretch. Week 16 of the 2009 season will be remembered for the Indianapolis Colt’s somewhat controversial decision to rest their starters for the playoffs, for the Bucs upset of New Orleans and Minnesota’s Monday Night OT loss to the Bears, it will also be remembered as the week the Cowboys squashed concerns about their recent failures of December’s past.

1. Indianapolis Colts – Although they lost their first game of the year they remain on top but the Chargers are closing fast.

2. San Diego Chargers – The Chargers crushed a Tennessee Titans team that was playing well and once again Norv Turner has San Diego playing its best football at the right time of year.

3. Philadelphia Eagles

4. New Orleans Saints

5. New England Patriots – winners of three straight and locked into the #3 or #4 seed in the playoffs, a dangerous team come playoff time.

6. Minnesota Vikings

7. Green Bay Packers

8. Arizona Cardinals

9. Dallas Cowboys – we can quell the December swoon discussion for the next 10 months or so. Riding a two-game winning streak, the Cowboys are in position to win the NFC East for the second time in three seasons and hottie Shaun Suisham successfully took over the kicking duties.

10. Cincinnati Bengals

11. Pittsburgh Steelers

12. Houston Texans

13. Baltimore Ravens – tough loss at Pittsburgh but they have a chance to regroup and secure a playoff spot with a win at Oakland this weekend.

14. Denver Broncos

15. New York Giants

16. New York Jets – the Jets remain in the playoff hunt because of a favorable schedule and the Colts having nothing to play for this past week.

17. Atlanta Falcons

18. Carolina Panthers

19. Tennessee Titans

20. Miami Dolphins – the reigning AFC East champions will more than likely miss the playoffs after laying a turd at home against the Texans.

21. San Francisco 49ers

22. Jacksonville Jaguars

23. Chicago Bears

24. Cleveland Browns – with a new GM (Mike Holmgren) headed to town the Browns are no longer just showing up for a weekly beating but rather are playing with a sense of urgency.

25. Oakland Raiders

26. Buffalo Bills

27. Seattle Seahawks

28. Washington Redskins

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

30. Kansas City Chiefs

31. Detroit Lions

32. St. Louis Rams – have secured the #1 pick in next years NFL draft.