COMMENTS FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY! - MIKE IN DA - AUGUST 28, 2010

COMMENTS FROM THE PEANUT GALLERY!

Written by: Mike in DA
Date posted: 8/28/2010


JOHNNY LEE BAILEY (1967 – 2010)

Ralph Cooper’s (1430 KCOH) entire radio show on Friday (8/27) was devoted to memories of Johnny Bailey, the former Yates High School football star who died on August 20 after battling pancreatic cancer. Several of Bailey's teammates, classmates, and coaches participated in the salute recollecting stories about Bailey.

For those not familiar with Bailey, he was born in Houston and was a key part of the Yates football team when it won the 1985 5A State Championship.

Bailey then went on to Texas A&I University (now named Texas A&M University–Kingsville). While at Texas A&I, Bailey was the first, and so far only, player to be a three-time winner of the Harlon Hill Trophy, which is given to the best player in Division II college football and is its version of the Heisman Trophy.

He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 1990 NFL Draft. He played for the Bears for two years before going on to the Phoenix Cardinals for two years, as well as playing for the Los Angeles Rams/St. Louis Rams for two years. During his NFL career he played in 81 games and scored nine touchdowns.

In 2000, Johnny was inducted into the Division 2 Football Hall of Fame. Below is his page on the organization’s website:



Johnny Bailey


Texas A&I (now Texas A&M-Kingsville)


1986-89

A native of Houston, Texas, Johnny Bailey closed his career as college football’s all-time leading rusher with 6,320 yards, the all-time leader in all-purpose yards with 7,803, and as one of the most honored college players in history. He was a three-time Harlon Hill Trophy winner and the runner-up as a freshman. He was named to the Little All-America first team four times and to the AFCA All-America team four times. He is the only non-Division I player to make the Football Writers Association All-America team, winning Player of the Year honors in both 1986 and 1987. He was named Domino’s Pizza AFCA Player of the Year twice, Street & Smith Magazine’s Exemplary Player of the Year, South Texas Sportsman of the Year three times, and was selected to 14 All-America first team spots. He had 100 or more yards in the first 11 games he played. His team had a 38-8-0 record with him in the lineup and he is a member of the Javelina Hall of Fame. He set more than 50 NCAA Division II records. In 1997, Bailey was selected to the Division II Team of the Quarter Century and as the Offensive Player of the Quarter Century. He rushed for 6,320 yards, had 7,803 all-purpose yards, 70 TDs and averaged 7.1 yards per carry. His 428 points ranked third best in collegiate history. Bailey was drafted by the Chicago Bears and played with the Bears, the Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams during his pro career. END.

RIP – Johnny Lee



"FUMBLIN’ FOSTER"



A couple of weeks ago, the SR610 Morning Show was looking for a nickname for Texan RB, Arian Foster. My contribution was “Fumblin’” as in "Fumblin'" Foster. They mocked me for giving such a ridiculous nickname, though Foster's propensity to fumbling at critical times earned him the nickname from many Tennessee fans while he was in college.

One of his more memorable fumbles in college was as a soph in the 2007 Outback Bowl against Penn State. He broke open a 10-10 tie game with only 10 minutes remaining. During a sustained Tennessee drive, Foster's fumble was picked up and returned by Penn State 60+ yards for a touchdown. Tennessee trailed from there on out and lost the game, 20-10.

In his junior season (2007), Foster was a recipient of a left-handed hand off from injured Erik Ainge that was returned for a touchdown, just when Tennessee had pulled within 7 points of Florida in the second half of the game, but then got blown out, 59-30.

In his senior season, Foster fumbled on UCLA's 6 yard line in the first game of the season. Despite UCLA throwing 4 interceptions in the first half alone, Tennessee lost the game by 3 points in overtime, 27-24.

Last week in the Texans’ second exhibition game, with the Texans down by only 14-7 and moving the ball at midfield in the first half, Foster fumbled, which allowed the New Orleans Saints to later score off of a short field and take charge of the game and winning, 38-20.

Remember that nickname whenever Foster loses the ball this season for the Texans and where you read it first.

CRIER'S CORNER

Please note that the "The Crier" and his crew will be showing up every now and then in the Peanut Gallery to discuss the betting angle on sports.





CRIER’S CORNER - HOUSTON COUGARS (SR)

“Houston’s 7-3-1 ATS (“Against the Spread” for the acronym-challenged) record from last season included two games where they covered by only 1 and 2 points. It could have easily been a 5-5-1 ATS record. Houston’s overall profitability was aided by a defense that recovered 18 opposing fumbles, second-most in the nation next to Rutgers’ 19. Acquiring so many turnovers is far from a guarantee in 2010, but better overall play on downs is probably forthcoming, considering that seven true freshmen saw action for the Cougars defense last season, that the top two tacklers were sophomores, and a new defensive coordinator is now on hand to help coach ‘em all up.

Brian Stewart (Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator for two seasons) is switching to a 3-4 alignment. But another reason to be skeptical about the team’s ability to cover increasingly large spreads is that they returned five kickoffs for touchdowns in 2009, and blocked six kicks. That’s a lot of special teams lightning to bottle and re-use.

The Houston offense is one of the few members of the 500 Yards Per Game Club, and should maintain their good standing in it with three 1,000-yard receivers returning, along with the quarterback who has done such a good job of getting the ball to them, Case Keenum.” END.





Predicted Straight-Up Regular Season Record: 8-4

Predicted ATS Regular Season Record: 5-6


2010 Schedule for University of Houston:


Wk Date Opponent Conference


1 4-Sep h Texas State nb
2 10-Sep h UTEP C-USA-west
3 18-Sep at UCLA Pac 10
4 25-Sep h Tulane C-USA-west
6 9-Oct h Mississippi State SEC-West
7 16-Oct at Rice C-USA-west
8 23-Oct at SMU C-USA-west
9 30-Oct at Memphis C-USA-east
10 5-Nov h Central Florida C-USA-east
11 13-Nov h Tulsa C-USA-west
12 20-Nov at Southern Miss C-USA-east
13 27-Nov at Texas Tech Big 12-S


CRIER’S CORNER – RICE OWLS (SR)

“Rice’s crummy 2009 results were very predictable, as they fit the profile for projecting negativity. Improvement is forthcoming, as they aren’t a public team and last year – a season removed from many key offensive performers and a bunch of assistant coaches who went elsewhere – was pretty much a point-to for this year. “When you have the number of players coming back that played last year,” says coach David Bailiff, “the sophomore offensive line that will be juniors, the freshman tight end who’ll be a sophomore – we have high expectations.”

New offensive coordinator, David Beaty, is a returnee to Rice, after spending the last two seasons as receivers coach at Kansas. The tight ends figure to get lots of early work in an offense that seeks to re-energize the passing attack.

Straight-up writers giving Michigan transfer RB, Sam McGuffie, a chance to be one of the best offensive producers in Conference USA might actually be right for a change.

Rice needs to be able to trade scores with most opponents because the defense’s idea of a big stop is an interception or a fumble recovery. Without them, the main way they exit the field is via an opposing score." END.

Predicted Straight-Up Regular Season Record: 6-6
Predicted ATS Regular Season Record: 9-3


2010 Schedule for Rice University:

Wk Date Opponent Conference


1 4-Sep h Texas Big 12-S
2 11-Sep at North Texas S-Belt
3 18-Sep h Northwestern Big Ten
4 25-Sep h Baylor Big 12-S
5 2-Oct h SMU C-USA-west
6 9-Oct at UTEP C-USA-west
7 16-Oct h Houston C-USA-west
8 23-Oct at Central Florida C-USA-east
10 6-Nov at Tulsa C-USA-west
11 13-Nov at Tulane C-USA-west
12 20-Nov h East Carolina C-USA-east
13 27-Nov h UAB C-USA-east


FOR READING PURPOSES ONLY!



Any HMW reader interested in getting a copy of  “Sports Reporter” e-mailed to them every Tuesday, please e-mail crierscorner@aol.com with your name and the e-mail address you want it to be sent to. The weekly newsletter will analyze every NCAA and NFL game for the upcoming week.

ODD AND ENDS

1. Rich Rodriguez had a hearing before the NCAA, and now the University of Michigan was told it will have to wait six to eight weeks for the final verdict on the school's football program’s punishments. Six to eight weeks? What is this, the Nuremberg Trials? It’s just a bunch of football guys breaking the rules. Study the evidence, make a ruling, and announce it tomorrow.

2. In an AP story that has nothing to do with sports, a woman in Pennsylvania is suing Walt Disney Parks and Resorts because she claims “she was inappropriately groped by a man dressed up in a Donald Duck costume.” My question is “How does a guy dressed up in a Donald Duck costume “appropriately grope” a woman?

3. On November 4, the defending NCAA champion Duke Blue Devils will host the defending NCAA Division II champion Cal Poly-Pomona Broncos in an exhibition game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke started the policy of inviting the defending NCAA D2 champion to play at Cameron in an exhibition game three seasons ago, all expenses paid by Duke. Two of the previous three invitees accepted because most of their players were returning. One team punked out because all their starters were gone. But this is the first time that Duke will host the exhibition game as the defending national champion. It's a big thrill for the D2 players to play at Cameron, even though they know they will get blown out by 30 or more points.

4. If you’re going to be in New York City the weekend before Thanksgiving like me, you may be interested in going to see the Notre Dame/Army game at Yankee Stadium. However, please note that tickets are priced in a category that matches some of the other outrageous prices charged at Yankee Stadium. Top seats will be $175 each; end zone seats will be $125 each. Remember this is Notre Dame versus Army in 2010 and not undefeated Notre Dame versus undefeated Army in the 1940’s when end zone seats were $1.50. Don't expect to see me at this year's game; the ticket price is more than my annual clothing budget.

5. Nike’s Public Relations Department needs to do more work than most other companies’ PR Departments. The reason is because its three biggest superstar endorsers happen to be serial philanderer, Tiger Woods, recent basketball villain, LeBron James, and alleged drug cheat, Lance Armstrong.

6. Speaking of Tiger, the newly single guy fired a 6-under 65 on Thursday (8/26) at The Barclays in Paramus, NJ, and knowing how golfers always are searching for an edge, people are now guessing there could soon be an outbreak of divorces on the PGA Tour. I don’t think that will happen, but I do think that Thursday might have been an aberration for Tiger. We'll see!

7. According to the Chicago Tribune, earlier this week, Northwestern coach, Pat Fitzgerald, had enough of in-camp fighting between his team members, including two players who scuffled, taking some swings at each other’s helmets. He called them idiots, then had the two walk a lap around the field, holding hands. I don’t know if the holding-hands is a deterrent or a cure to fighting. That is, is it designed to prevent the guys from fighting because they are embarrassed holding another guy's hand or is it a cure because they bond holding hands?


HMW

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