Tuesday, November 30, 2010

NBA Power Rankings....11/30/10


Thanks to Anthony Judd for PYB's inaugural NBA power rankings. We hope to have a new set of rankings every week. If you disagree with any of these, you either don't follow the NBA or it's just the fact that he is from Ohio and is a twisted member of the Buckeye Nation. Either way, we're happy for the contribution and look forward to more! Right now, it's Timika Duncan's Spurs taking the top spot...fresh off their 12-game win streak.

1. Spurs--Just keep rolling along. Tony Parker update; Gave Eva the gift that keeps on giving….Does that count as an assist on the stat sheet?
2. Jazz--Cardiac Kids just keep digging a big hole and making huge comebacks. It’s tough to go against the guys.
3. Celtics--Shaq is healthy and has been dominate in the paint. When Rondo gets healthy again they should coast against the Eastern teams.
4. Lakers--Struggling as of late. Kobe taking way too many shots and they have been giving up way too many easy shots.
5. Magic--Other than Dwight Howard I really don’t pay much attention to these guys.
6. Mavericks--Flying under the radar other than a big win in the Alamo City. Is there a better outside shooting 7 footer than Dirk?
7. Hornets--Starting to come back to reality. I will be surprised if they are a playoff team by the end of the season.
8. Thunder--Westbrook is stepping it up with KD out. They need someone else to join him now.
9. Nuggets--Can you imagine if Denver would ever start playing Defense? They can score at will but never stop anyone.
10. Bulls--How much longer is Boozer going to be out. If he can deliver help to Noah with the boards the Bulls will be tough out in the playoffs for the Celtics.

Thanks Berry...


Props to Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman for replying to PYB and admitting the error he made while ripping NU's fans in this article. See below.

David: You got me on that one. Although I think that was more Mack than fans.

From: [mailto:dvincen1@.com]
Sent: Monday, November 29, 2010 7:39 AM
To: Berry Tramel
Subject: B12 South

Nobody in Norman or Austin knows there is a divisional Big 12 trophy? Is that why Texas had one made for themselves after they split the South title but didn't go to the Big 12 Championship game? It's Past Your Bedtime, Berry.

Crown Their Ass...


As the chill rolls through the AZ air, here is some reading on this fine Tuesday morning.

Let's start with The Queen, and another very interesting column from Yahoo! Sports.

No suspensions for the Johnson-Finnegan brawl. Amazing.

A Derek Anderson meltdown.....the only thing that should have happened after he walked away is him beating the shit out of the reporter. One question about his alleged 'laughing' is legitimate. Keep pimping a 6-foot-5, 240-pound NFL player for no reason....you deserve to get your ass kicked.

TCU to the Big East. What are we missing here? Besides the fact they're looking for the easiest way to weasel into a BCS bowl each season.

Exhibit A as to why college football awards and All-Conference and All-American teams are a farce. We love Prince Amukamara (So congrats), but when he's not even the best cornerback on his team this is hard to count as legitimate. Is the reason for his no-interception season a result of opponents not throwing at him (as the NU Sports Information propaganda is trying to force down our throats) or is it because he has dropped several and isn't great at playing the ball? Go to the tapes....especially the ones from Stillwater. That said, Alfonzo Dennard needs to quit getting burned, especially by receivers from Colorado.

Dejon Gomes (or DeJuan Gomes if you're Kirk Herbstreit), says Landry Jones is more of a leader this season. Let's see how much of a leader he is if the NU defense can put some pressure on him. Against the awful Oklahoma State defense on Saturday, Jones had thrown for Blaine-Gabbert-type numbers of 297 yards on 59 attempts. Luckily for him, the Cowboys melted down and gave up TDs of 86 and 77yards in Jones' final three attempts. Otherwise, the Sooners would be watching this weekend's game from Norman.

Saturday's line: Oklahoma -3.5

Dan Beebe has officially lost his fucking mind if he believes what he spews out here...Should be interesting to see what is in store Saturday in Dallas. Any more shenanigans and those fabricated death threats may become a reality, Dan.

Monday, November 29, 2010

PYB is Back...


Back from the road. Follow for more as the day wears on. For now, we'll leave you with some video of the best NFL fight in 15 years or more. Sorry for the length, but the only way you get NFL video is when the Gestapo at their HQ releases it.

Why so serious, Steve? Your Niles Paul-esque drop cost my fantasy team 10 points but saved my three-team teaser and eventually won me $75...

Nobody in Norman or Austin knows there is a divisional Big 12 trophy? Is that why Texas had one made for themselves after they split the South title but didn't go to the Big 12 Championship game? Bottom line: Dan Beebe is exaggerating the supposed "threats" he got and is flattering himself if he thinks anyone in Lincoln would have recognize him. It really hurts him to be a little fish in a shrinking pond...PYB, Berry. Nice fucking name as well...Berry....not Barry.

This is stupid. Isn't the NBA season on the verge of beginning as the Ryder Cup takes place and isn't MJ supposedly a team executive?

Get ready for this story 1000 times this week. ZZZZZzzzzz....All we know is that Landry Jones is shit. His numbers last week were shit as well. Without the two late TD passes against OSU's pathetic defense, he had thrown 60 times for 300 yards. This, against a team that Taylor Martinez threw for 352 yards against.

Final thought this morning...Why is it that every school things they played in the Game of the Century? PYB was talking to an Arkansas fan last week who claimed they played in a game that had been given the title. Arkansas? Well according to wikipedia.com, there are nine such games, and Arkansas played Texas in one of them in 1969. Who gives a shit, and while we're not giving a shit there is no way the 2006 Ohio State vs. Michigan can just join the list because their fans want it to be on there. A four-year-old game that nobody ever talks about? We think not.

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

PYB on OWH...

Left column....

This is a load of shit. Do they think we're a high school English teacher that will accept any excuse from the high school football stud?

Getting some pub.....

Better than any pro fight...just ask Carmelo Anthony...However, Richard Seymour's shot on Ben Rapelisberger was deserved and pretty awesome on Sunday...Did the women swing that hard while you were penetrating them against their will?

More amazing statistics from College Station...

The Miami Heat can still break the Chicago Bulls' record for all-time single-season wins. They just need to go 65-3 to do it. CHECK THAT: after ANOTHER loss, make that 65 and 2!

Matt Millen goes psycho. Once one of the most annoying announcers in history before his botched attempt as a GM in Detroit, he had made a nice comeback on ABC doing college football. Looks like the arrogance is slipping back, as he rips a Hall-of-Fame quarterback for having an opinion on Brett Favre's tired act.

Stay tuned for more today....as work allows...

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Rise & Fire...


As Gus Johnson gets another amazing game as Cincinnati and Buffalo fight it out, here's one of our favorite clips of ALL TIME.........maybe!!!

Great column in the OWH by Dirk Chatelain. Too bad he's too nice to say Shawn Watson is the problem.

Doc Sadler's boys bounced back to win 7th place in Puerto Rico, at least getting one win for the trip. Sure, it's not much, but it was their best overall game of the season. An 0-3 trip would have been disastrous. As for the outside shooting, it will be MIA most of the season.

Missouri is rated ahead of Nebraska in the latest AP poll. Fuck off.

PYB's one and only comment on the rumor of Taylor Martinez quitting: if he was texting his daddy from the locker room during the game, he is a pussy and should never play another down at Nebraska.

Happy Monday! Here's a video to cheer everyone up....

Another shout out to Mad Chad for dropping Steve Johnson from his fantasy team before his 130-yard, three-touchown performance...

Composure Not in Pelinis' Repertoire


As if Bo Pelini's three-hour tirade wasn't enough, his brother Carl got into the act as the Texas A&M dorks celebrated on Kyle Field. Did they have a right to be pissed? Was it the biggest screw job Nebraska has experienced since Penn State in 1982? Did the officials steal the game. Did Ben Cotton get penalized 30 yards after an opponent grabbed his nuts and squeezed. Yes, yes, yes and yes.

But losing composure cannot help lead your team to the greater goal, which is winning the game and the Big 12 North and qualifying for a BCS bowl. Millions of dollars are at stake. If you can't keep calm enough to tell your pathetic offensive coordinator to run the fucking Wildcat formation, find somebody who can. The meltdown on Taylor Martinez is a mystery, but his dressing down of Cody Green after a timeout is unacceptable. Look, Green is not a very good quarterback. Mediocre at best and pretty bad at his worst. But he was the one under center in the first half, and he needs the support of his head coach. He needs a stable force that is backing him, as he's surrounded by 90,000 screaming dweebs and jarheads. No such luck, Cody. Your coach is playing out his high-school basketball coach role on the sideline.

There is not much analysis needed for this game, but let's get to it while we're here. Offensively, NU once again failed to commit to the run game. We've seen it time and time again. When they run consistently, the offensive line starts blowing people up. Gashing open big holes. The Aggies couldn't stop NU when they ran right in the fourth quarter. What does that tell Shawn Watson? Run a keeper to the left with a quarterback who can barely walk.

It also tells Watson to sprinkle in 28 passes between Green's scatter-arm and Martinez's hobbled plant foot. You had to know that was coming. So, the fact that Watson is clueless is no surprise. The biggest surprise is that he ran the Wildcat formation less than a handful of times. Still, it gained four or more yards just like it has every single time since the Iowa State game.

Still, Watson refuses to use it more. He doesn't care about success. He cares about looking good. On his terms. Forget the Big 12 title and the pride of beating Texas A&M AND the zebras in College Station. Arrogance does not become half-wits, Shawn. Remember

Roy Helu, who set Nebraska's all-time single-game rushing record a few weeks back? He got nine carries for 52 yards. Almost six yards a pop. Rex Burkhead, who racked up great numbers at Iowa State two weeks ago...remember him? Eleven carries.

Defensively, the was NU's best game of the season. Great pressure from the front four, as Pierre Allen had seven tackles with two for loss. Nice blitz placement and timing. Sure tackling and lockdown pass coverage. LaVonte David continued his amazing first season with 11 tackles, three for loss.

Too bad the effort was wasted. Not as wasted an effort as last year against Texas, but definitely a candidate for second. There were 16 penalties last night, as we didn't know which yellow box was up on the ABC screen more--the 'Flag' box or the Southwest Airlines commercial box.

But the two penalties that really sealed NU's doom were the pass interference on Alfonzo Dennard and the 'late hit' on Courtney Osborne. One was the poster child for offensive pass interference, as the wide receiver pulled Dennard's shoulder pads to get back tot he ball. The other was the textbook hit, not a tad late. If you expect a player to pull up on that one, you have obviously never played football. Officials that make calls this bad in a hometown rec game on Tuesday would get their asses kicked, no question, by the players they were screwing. Make calls that bad in the Big 12, and you can collect a paycheck the next week and bank on protection for the commissioner's shroud of secrecy. The only surprise to PYB was that Eric Hagg didn't garner a 15-yard penalty for lighting up the A&M receiver earlier in the game. Fucking joke.

But the bottom line is that Pelini refused to see through the haze. Keep a cold eye on the mission at hand. Grab the karma, win the game, and laugh at the officials and the Big 12 leadership as you walk off victorious. In the end, NU didn't lose any of its goals. North title, Big 12 title, BCS game......all still within reach. What the program did lose was some more respect, as Pelini's hothead act got another evening front and center for the nation to see. There is a difference between fire and destructive rage. Breaking cameras qualifies as destructive (so does screwing a booster's wife), and so does acting like an bully to news writers who are just doing their job in publicizing the events that make the coach millions of dollars. Keeping the players off limits is childish, and petty, and teaches them that if things don't go your way you can just take your ball and go home. How about teaching them to be a man, stay focused and answer the tough questions even though it hurts?

Not this night. Not this coach. Will Pelini ever harness his emotions enough to become a truly great leader and coach? Or will he continue to be baited by officials, consumed by rage and distracted by all the outside factors that slow down the also-rans? With many more boorish tantrums like this, Tom Osborne could make him prove it at another school.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

0-2 in PR


Let's quickly get to the points that need to be gotten to, as the Nebraska basketball team's second consecutive loss in Puerto Rico doesn't deserve much analysis. After going up 11-2 against Davidson, NU once again melted down and got thoroughly dominated and lost 70-67. PYB, for the first time in the Doc Sadler era, has begun to lose faith. Here's how:

-No perimeter shooting. NU was 2/11 from three-point range, with one of those makes being a trash shot from 25 feet at the buzzer. That makes for 2/21 for the tournament. The only person capable of making outside shots consistently is Division II transfer Drake Beranek, and he is too slow to get open against top Division I competition. The rest of Nebraska's perimeter offense consists of 15-foot pull-up jumpers from inconsistent (at best) shooters Toney McCray, Lance Jeter and Brandon Richardson.

-No perimeter defense. NU surrendered 11 three pointers, and luckily Davidson was cold as they missed 17 shots. The worst part of this is that their shooters were continually wide open, after using basic screen plays, and NU's slow-footed big men weren't quick enough to close before the shot. This is a disturbing trend that started last year and is getting worse. Where are Cookie Miller and Steve Harley when you need them? Davidson's white boys got past the NU defenders and to the rack at will, a sad sight indeed. Six-foot-one, 173-pound Brendan McKillop went 6/11 from long range and racke up 21 points. Something tells PYB that NU will see much more dangerous players in conference play.

-No scoring. ESPN3.com's announcers said that Sadler said all he needed now was a difference maker who could score....isn't one of those players always needed? How many years does a team go without one before getting one? The color analyst even called him Don Sadler once. Ouch.

-Bad offensive coaching. Why does the NU offense consist of 15-18 seconds of three man weave at the top of the key, followed by a player with no ball skills (Toney McCray, aka Ice Skates or Caleb Walker) awkwardly looking to pass (not attack, just get rid of a hot potato) before giving it back to Jeter who dribbles around for a few more seconds before getting a trash shot or dumping it to a big man who can only score against overmatched opponents?

NU's second-to-last meaningful possession was the capper, as the Cornhuskers had battled back to cut Davidson's lead to two points. With Brian Diaz consistently scoring inside the past few possessions, Sadler set a play for BRANDON FUCKING UBEL in the post. Ubel, the player who would have a tough time averaging 15 points a game at Nebraska Wesleyan. He got the ball. He traveled. Game over. Absolutely fucking atrocious. Rookie coaching move. NU would have been better off running a play for a three pointer...that way they could have won or lost and not subjected its fans to any more of this shit.

That said, Nebraska got one more chance after a missed Davidson free throw, to send the game into OT. NU ran a nice play, and Bear Jones bricked the three. Game really over. The Huskers' lack of outside shooting was again at the forefront, and their record was 1-2. They get a final chance Sunday to win a game in Puerto Rico, and avoid finishing last in the eight-team tournament. Does it matter at this point? Sure the season is young, but as the same problems continue to haunt the program, will it ever get better? Twenty five years as an NU basketball fan and counting.....

-

Friday, November 19, 2010

aTm


Barney Cotton, Nebraska's neighborhood simpleton and offensive line coach, wants to "go 1-0 this week" against Texas A&M. How trite, how uninspiring, how unmotivating. That crap may work for some 14-year-olds, for about two weeks. But this is seriously the best a D-I coach can come up with? (If you consider a job under Frank Solich, at Iowa State, and a sympathy gig with Bo Pelini's squad a real D-I stint.) We heard him use this tired mantra on the Bo Pelini Show a few weeks ago, and it was an equally horrible line at that time. Anyway, we digress and will use Coach Cotton's laughable cliche, for lack of any better ideas at 5:27am this fine Friday morning: How can Nebraska go 1-0 this week in College Station? Read on for our cogent analysis, and consider that we haven't watched the Aggies too closely this year.

Can anyone watch a Texas A&M game though, outside of their fans? There has not been a more boring team that is more meaningless to the major college football landscape the last 15 years, that is supposedly among the nation's elite. We remember them as unwatchable, even when they were the only game on over Thanksgiving weekend. We think we watched them in a drunken stupor a couple weeks ago, but were so amazed by Bob Stoops' horrible play selection inside the 10 yard line that we forgot who the Sooners were playing. Shades of OU's choke job against Florida in the 2009 BCS game. Anyway....

Let's begin with our favorite, yet highly deserving, whipping boy Shawn Watson. The NU offensive coordinator further proved his ineptitude last week against Kansas, as he proved he could not get a grasp on pounding an inferior Jayhawk team with the base running game. Instead, he butchered the playcalling by dialing up a variety plays out of many needless formations. The Wildcat that got four yards at a minimum against Iowa State? Forget it. Let's run Taylor Martinez on a bum ankle, and while we're at it, let's have him throw the ball 26 times against one of the worst teams in the nation while his plant foot is dangling like a snapped tree limb. Good plan.

Watson's insistence on being the one to 'discover gold' each game is maddening. Rather than just do what works, Watson wants to prove to everyone that it was his idea--whether it's slinging the ball 30 times (sometimes in the rain at Missouri) or finally going to a power game and utilizing his two stud running backs and hugely improved offensive line. The front five has shown it can be dominant in base run formations, when given the chance to find a rhythm---which comes from good playcalling. Sadly, not Watson's forte.

While we're dealing with simpletons and simple topics, the next key for the Cornhuskers is to quit fumbling. NU leads the nation with 33 fumbles, and have been lucky enough to recover 21 of those. That won't play on the road, especially at Kyle Field with the rabid dorks in the crowd ready to explode at any moment in hopes of tongue-kissing their girlfriends. How does a team stop fumbling? It's not as easy as giving it lip service and is unlikely to stop Saturday. So far it has cost NU one game (against Texas, when Roy Helu pulled a Niles Paul and dropped the ball for no reason), and could very likely cost it another. Stay tuned.

Most importantly, the offense's success (cliche warning) hinges on the right ankle of Martinez. He looked very injured last week, as he didn't have his usual ability to shift into high gear and turn a 12-yard run into a 50-yard touchdown. Of course, Pelini says Martinez is fine, but we saw what we saw and we know that high-ankle sprains don't go away in seven days. ESPN has told us this is so. So without a fully healthy Martinez, NU will need its best from Watson, the offensive line, Helu, Rex Burkhead and will need for Paul to stay out of the way. If he adopts his Superman with Division III skills mentality, it will be curtains for the Cornhuskers.

Defensively, it will be simple. NU will have to generate a pass rush that has been nonexistent against any team not named Kansas this season. The Blackshirts will also have to slow down the run. Give the Aggies some momentum, like NU did against Oklahoma State in Stillwater, and trouble will ensue. Ryan Tannehill has been hot since becoming the starter, and has completed 69 percent of his passes.

Cyrus Gray provides a significant running threat that could keep NU off balance, much like Kendall Hunter did in helping OSU rack up 41 points against Carl Pelini's unit. Gray ran for 137 yards against a bad Baylor defense and 122 yards against a poorly-coached Oklahoma squad (Don't believe me? Watch the playcalling inside the 10 from that OU-Texas A&M game). Sure tackling will be paramount, as turning five-yard gains into 25-yard outbursts will produce the same result that NU got against the Longhorns.

So, like we said, simple. Just like NU's offensive coaches. Don't fumble, call good plays, tackle and pressure the quarterback, and a second-straight trip to Dallas for the Big XII Championship game is in store. Forget to do those things, and Nebraska will have to beat lowly Colorado the next week to punch that ticket back to Texas. Which NU team will show up? The eyes of Tejas are upon you. Man or mouse?

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Mad Chad


Props to Mad Chad in Bennington.....they should have you chasing gangsters on Maple, combating fat chicks at the Omaha bars.....

Ya Estuvo en Puerto Rico...


The Nebraska basketball team started its real schedule off in typical form, hanging tough despite a shitty offense before going through the final 7:49 without a field goal and succumbing to Vanderbilt 59-49. The Huskers held a three-point lead before their signature drought ended hopes of a victory. PYB was called off to work with 15 minutes remaining in the game, and our DVR stopped with seven minutes remaining thanks to the game being pushed back by the Davidson vs. West Virginia foulfest (67 fouls, 78 free throws). Various sources have said to consider ourselves lucky, and we have to agree.

We still promise the season preview, which will actually be stronger once we know a tad more about all the newcomers, but for now here are our observations:

--Nebraska doesn't have ONE good outside shooter with the ability to get open at the Division I level. How this can happen in a state full of white people is a mystery....every other state has good white guys...Iowa, Indiana, Minnesota, Kansas, why can't Nebraska? We can stomach cold-shooting games, but not having any good shooters is inexcusable, especially when you finally have big men who can draw double teams and your state's demographic is 99.4% white.

--Brandon Richardson is giving us serious doubts as to his future impact. Against Vandy, he was a walking turnover and bricked three wide-open threes off great passes from Andre Almeida in the post. He can't make his own shot off the dribble or finish at the rack consistently....all he has left is his defense on a team that desperately needs scoring punch.

--Speaking of Almeida, the guy has some skills. But he will struggle getting his post shots off against strong players who are more athletic. His passing from the high post is great on back-door cuts and to open shooters, but the Huskers must have players talented enough to finish at the rim and shooters accurate enough to drain threes consistently to make it pay off.

--NU continues to struggle guarding the perimeter and gives up way too many wide open looks from three-point range. This began last year and looks be the same again this season.

--Doc Sadler's squad shot a pathetic .353 from the field (18/51) and .000 from three point range (0/10). In an amazing statistic, Vandy made five threes and continues its streak as one of three teams who has made a three-pointer in every game since it was added to the college game in 1986. Truly astounding. Brandon Ubel was the only NU player in double figures in Doc's 10-man rotation. Somehow, Ray Gallegos got only three minutes despite Kamyron Brown's suspension.

--NU's lack of a true scorer who can consistently penetrate and break down a defense was apparent as usual, and that could make for another long Big 12 season. Doc's detractors will likely be calling for his head soon after this disappointing meltdown, but PYB will support him with these two points: 1. Who else would come to NU that is any better? 2. As long as Mike Anderson still has a job as NU's baseball coach, no other sport's coach deserves to have his or her job under scrutiny.

Sadler is going to have to refine the rotation and play only the guys who can make a difference. Caleb Walker looks overmatched and Toney McCray doesn't have a position. Sek Henry, anyone? I didn't think so.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Start the Turnstiles...


Looks like Doc has got his first newcomer on the way out. That was fast. One game with four minutes played. One game spent on the bench....now maybe three more in Puerto Rico. Kamyron Brown looked skilled enough to help the Huskers this season, but now may be gone. Add him to the long list...Is it just the way of college hoops these days, or something about Doc Sadler? Or the fact that today's players can't take someone riding their ass all the time?

Speaking of college basketball.....Butler proves that they aren't shit without Gordon Hayward and the referees' whistle and gets blasted by Louisville (a team starting five new players). Kansas State blasts VaTech at the end of the game, and Baylor struggles early and pulls away from LaSalle.

Duke Vitale already anointed the Blue Devils as untouchable while announcing his first game....to nobody's surprise. And Gonzaga lost at home to new media darling San Diego State.

Also to nobody's surprise, PYB went 0-2 in its first two college hoop wagers of the season...

Seattle's Best


Glad to see Seahawk fans are keeping up with the current roster. A grainy picture while walking at dusk after the Seattle v. Arizona game Sunday. PYB only saw one near skirmish and no punches thrown....but it was two chicks...which was a plus.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Death at Wrigley


The field for this weekend's Illinois vs. Northwestern game at Wrigley Stadium looks safe....

PYB is Back...


---This could not be worse. The Storm Chasers? Well I guess it could be worse, because the logo is somehow worse than the name...and it does portray the lack of imagination and mediocrity that personifies Omaha. Rare. Well done.

NU's hoops squad rolled to another meaningless win Monday night. How about ONE good non-conference game per year? How about every other year? Something tells me fans would rather watch NU get blasted at home by someone like Illinois than beat Arkansas-Pine Bluff by 43. We'd settle for Wyoming, North Dakota, Iowa, SEMO, SWMO, Wichita State......anyone...

---PYB will check in very soon with a season preview and initial thoughts from the South Dakota game. It might be later than sooner, given we'll have to cover Doc Sadler's 14-man rotation, and that takes some time. Will his newcomers be pretenders, as usual, or legitimate against Big-12 level competition. Andre Almeida looked fat, but skilled, against South Dakota and could provide the beef NU needs to bang through the 16-game conference schedule.

In good news, Eshaunte Jones didn't suit up due to being lazy in practice and Oregon PG washout Kamyron Brown might not go to Puerto Rico for 'personal reasons.' No wonder the Ducks let him walk.

---Don't cry Cornhuskers fans. You suck. Bo Pelini is right. You have been dead for years. Memorial Stadium is a mausoleum. You can't clap in rhythm for more than 10 seconds during the fight song. You only cheer when you're winning. Look to this year's Texas game for Exhibit A. When things get tough, the overrated clam up. You are the Niles Paul of college football fans.

But let's also be honest to Pelini, your shitty fucking offensive coordinator turned a 42-10 win into a 20-3 nightmare against one of the worst teams in the nation. There is no rhythm, no thought process, no trust from the fans about the game plan. Two way street.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Weekend Preview


Is the Chicago Bulls 72-10 record safe yet? The Miami Heat would only have to go 68-5 from this point. Anything is possible...Jeff Van Gundy still thinks Miami has a shot at the Lakers' 33-game win streak record. Only question is: how long until Heat coach Eric Spoelstra becomes the fall guy for Pat Riley's shitty experiment as GM? Does Riley not know that three 'stars' can't coexist in one starting five? Anyone that plays pickup games at the gym knows this. Within Queen James whining about playing too many minutes already, it shouldn't be long.

In pure NFL fashion, the Baltimore Ravens got screwed last night. Why would the NFL be rigging games for Atlanta this early in the season? Baltimore scored to take a 21-20 lead with 1:08 remaining Thursday night, then it happened. Bullshit third and ten conversion that was somehow upheld after booth review, even though the receiver didn't make the catch. Another third-down conversion on SLIGHT contact in coverage to put the Falcons in FG range. Then Roddy White grabs the Raven defender the next play and pulls him to the ground, gets open for a TD, and no call. Reminiscent of Big 12 officiating. Side note: Is there anything worse than these NFL Network games? The sounds is totally muffled, no crowd noise can be heard....making them totally boring. Why is this?

Is PYB obligated to do a preview on the KU vs. Nebraska game? The longest, uninterrupted college football series is coming to an end. Who cares? Frank Solich destroyed every meaningful streak NU had, and the Callahan Experiment polished off the rest. Expect Taylor Martinez to play a few downs to chip off some rust before traveling to Texas A&M next week. Expect the same for Alfonzo Dennard. NU will grind out a boring win, Bo Pelini will take his foot off the gas to spare Turner Gill's inflated ego, Shawn Watson and Niles Paul will piss you all off for reasons not yet known....and there you are. Take the Jayhawks +35.

Other weekend picks, wager at your own risk:

Purdue +13 over Michigan
Illinois -21 over Minnesota (Cosgrove Theory at work)
Mississippi St. +14 over Alabama
Utah -5.5 over Notre Dame
Oregon -20 over Cal

Good luck.

Impromptu moview review: PYB saw The Town yesterday. Worth watching, but not great. Not bad. If you're expecting some badass action, dialogue and tension reminiscent of The Departed, you will be disappointed. We never knew that a movie billing itself as a bank-heist film would be a love story. PYB came in looking forward to more depth as to why Charlestown had produced the most bank robbers per capita.....no such luck. Something was missing. Still better than 95% of the drivel released these days. Hello Netflix.

Enjoy the weekend.....

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Veteran's Day Miscellany


PYB's stance on this one.....as long as Mike Anderson still has a job at NU, Doc Sadler's security should NEVER be a question. Scary, though, is Tom Osborne's stated stance that as long as Nebraska's non-football sports are good once in a while, it is OK to suck the rest of the time. PYB heard it with its own ears at a speaking engagement this spring. Not good.

Bettors load up on the Jayhawks. You know TO has told Bo Pelini to take it easy on Gill's overmatched KU squad Saturday. And who knows about the QB situation.

Interesting tidbit on the ManPig, Mark Mangino....

For what it's worth, PYB says Cam Newton has to be crooked. Regardless of all the rumors, he's just too cocksure and smooth and pulls the "I Love God" line WAY too early in the questioning to be trusted.

This one's for you, Hubcap. Time to put big money on the Bears Sunday. The players may hate Brad Childress, but we think the 'winning despite him' quote is a bit ridiculous considering the Viking 3-5 record, which required a late comeback last week against the lowly Arizona Cardinals.

So much for Wilson Chandler's teeth after an unintentional elbow from David Lee. Lee had a victorious return to MSG, where he used to rack up more rebounds in one night than the newest Knick Amare Stoudemire would have in a week.

Finally, you gotta love the shirt that we never thought would sell but have seen three times in person. T-Magic....from the Todd Carstens collection.

Monday, November 8, 2010

They're just getting lazy...


As I sit here and contemplate Bert Fav-ruh's new career as celebrity spokesman in the wake of the Jenn Sterger controversy, it occurs to me that its now just football without the style. C'mon Bert! Sending dick shots from your cell phone is just lazy.

For the love of Burt Reynolds! In the 70's they had hair pits-to-chesty and double entendres (shout out to the old school -- RIP Jill Clayburgh). Do you know much work it is to coif that Matuzak fro? Look at the hair now. Troy Polamalu notwithstanding, it's just uninspired. Seriously, Tom Brady. At least the crowd is keeping it real in Dallas. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Where's Mac Davis when you need him?



The Tail's in the Tail...


Thanks to Crazy Eddie for this submission. Is it any suprise that the nastiest skank of the bunch is the Hooters entry?

Iowa State Summary...


Well let's start this column by saying that any time a team starting its third-string QB goes on the road and wins, it is a success. That's what Nebraska did Saturday in Ames, as it held off Iowa State in a needlessly close 31-30 overtime game. Why shouldn't the game have gone to OT? NU had decent offensive rhythm in using the Wildcat formation, given the circumstances. Why was the game closer than it should have been? Niles Paul and Shawn Watson. Some things never change.

Nebraska began the game with Rex Burkhead at the helm of the offense, and he was making great reads (better than NU's QBs) for nice gains. They were the right reads. They were decisive. The offense was flowing downhill. Hell, Barney Cotton's boys were actually looking like they knew how to run block, and Burkhead was averaging 6.5 yards a carry.

Then, before you knew it, Watson would insert his arrogance into the mix and screwed it all up. Go deep, make it 2nd & 10--a down not suited for Cody Green's skill set--run for two yards. Third & 8. Punt. We're sure you all saw it. Watson only wants to run the power game when he's convinced he's the one who came up with the idea. He should have run Burkhead in the Wildcat 40 times. The Cyclones had no answer.

One telling statistic from the Omaha World Herald says it all: In Nebraska's five possessions where Burkhead touched the ball two or more times, NU scored 24 points. In the SEVEN (yes fucking seven), possessions where Burkhead touched it once or less, NU scores ZERO points. Can Watson go the way of Wade Phillips, soon? Please. This shows both how effective Burkhead was and how clueless Watson was and continues to be.

And then as if one dose of poison wasn't enough, Paul found a way to make his mark on the game. It was almost as if, since he hadn't impacted the game for 3.5 quarters (like most shitty players don't impact the game), he felt compelled to try to make something happen. Too bad 'Wants the Ball Paul' is slow and has no moves and is prone to dropping the ball. Sure enough, he coughed up one of Nebraska's five fumbles and paved the way for ISU's game-tying TD. Bo Pelini will surely have to debate benching him in key situations. He already took him off the punt return game to a large extent. Let's just add kickoffs and offense, and things will be looking much rosier through PYB's glasses.

Pelini was happy that his squad got the victory, and rightfully so. But his clock management at the end of the first half was Solich-esque. Risking a turnover deep in his own territory, he ran the ball three times rather than kneeling it and heading to the locker room to adjust. After making decent yardage, he then let 40 seconds elapse and decided to pack it in without calling his timeout.

If you're stupid enough to risk the turnover on the 10 yard line, why aren't you going to keep trying to make yards when you're at the 40? Not good, especially given his decision to onside kick against Texas with three timeouts remaining. This makes PYB believe his decision against the Longhorns wasn't a gut feeling, but a mistake. It's annoying to even the average fan and will be more annoying when it costs the team a game.


Notes
--We'd like to wish a speedy recovery to Alfonzo Dennard, the team's best defender. If NU has to play Anthony West in a a meaningful game, they will likely lose. PYB is not sure how Ciante Evans got benched for giving up one TD (a new CB's first road start can always be rough), but West gets playing time as Evans' replacement despite being absolutely awful for four years? Even worse, we had a Lance Thorell sighting, and you'll be happy to know he's right where he was last time we saw him--trailing the play by five yards.

--Game ball obviously goes to Eric Hagg, who continues to amaze PYB with his endurance and playmaking while covering running backs, wide receivers, tight ends and fullbacks---most times while chasing from awkward positions with his back to the quarterback. Kent Pavelka was surely thrilled when Hagg intercepted that double-extra-point to win the game for the Cornhuskers.

--PYB was sad to see Nebraska join the lamest college football trend, with the oversized flash cards for play signals. It was bad enough when flavor-of-the-week Oregon did it, but Nebraska? Please stop.

--Special thanks to Paul Rhoads for his chickenshit fake double extra point call. If you're scared to go another overtime on your home field, you should have forfeited this game weeks ago. NU will take the gift-wrapped win, and just because your players back you doesn't mean it is a good call. They play for Iowa State, nobody else wanted them, of course they'll back you. It's just like why hookers stay with their pimps.

--Finally, can someone tell the OWH's Lee Barfknecht to take his lips off of ISU's collective knob? First, while the Big 12 dissolved, he lauded ISU's fans for how loud and proud they are despite being perennially shitty. Next, this summer, was his outpouring of support for the residents of Ames because their tired athletic complex got flooded, forcing their volleyball team to play at Ames High School. Can someone tell PYB the difference?

Now, after his darling Rhoads makes a game-losing call against a team playing with its 3rd QB and backup RB splitting reps under center, he awards him Coach of the Year with four games remaining? Definitely a scary kind of man crush.

This, for a coach whose team got blasted by Iowa 35-7, Utah 68-27, and Oklahoma 52-0. But they did beat an awful Texas team. Great logic Lee. Reminiscent of your logic in 1997 while continuing to vote Michigan #1 because they never lost, but how you will drop teams in your weekly Big 12 rankings several spots despite winning.

PS: Congrats to everybody's All-American Blaine Gabbert, who posted another signature performance with his 12/30 for 95 yards against Texas Tech Saturday. That's a whopping 3 yards per attempt, which is bad for even his standard, especially considering Tech was 119th in the nation in pass defense. Most of his throws weren't close. We'll see him playing on Sundays soon. Playing, or holding a clipboard along with Chipmunk Chase Daniel.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Cornhusker Recap...


Another amazing exhibit of how delusional Niles Paul really is. It's a bold move....Joke.

Read about Barney Cotton's emotional return to his kin with the "Real Big Red." Go to hell, Barney. You are a shit coach who got two opportunities to coach in Lincoln and didn't deserve either.

Congrats to the York News Times' Jack Vincent for getting his latest column posted on huskerpedia.com. Jack, you're not PYB material yet, but maybe someday soon. Keep working on your copy editing, and you could still make it to the big time (see the Iowa City entry in your column). We hear it runs in the family.

Previewing the game in Ames. PYB is leery of this one, but with Iowa State having a small chance at the B12 North title, they'll choke. We saw what happened when they had a shot at the North crown a few years ago...they got close then Mr. Cotton threw that ill-fated, Solichesque fade pass that cost them the game, set & match.

But with NU missing its best defensive player and second-best offensive player dinged up, strange things can happen. Dr. Watson better lean heavily on that running game and keep the ball away from Niles Paul in critical situations. If he does that, and NU tackles and doesn't fumble, the Cornhuskers should win. Hopefully, Ciante Evans will cover and tackle as well as he did against Missouri. But, playing consistent fundamental football has been a tall order on some Saturdays with this group.

NU basketball started in fine fashion last night. Christopher Niemann is out after his third knee surgery, Brandon Richardson sprained his ankle in the first half of the exhibition game and Eshaunte Jones and Toney McCray sat out for missing a study hall. Solid, if not spectacular, start.

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Elementary My Dear Watson...

Well now Shawn Watson is a genius for using his running backs and a tight end? Please.

Go Doc Go.... But would you please schedule some real fucking teams for the home schedule. USC is the only decent matchup, outside of Creighton, and that is just because of the Big 12-Pac 10 challenge. And we've seen that too many times already. Buckle up for Jackson State, Alcorn State, Eastern Washington, Grambling and Savannah State. This must be some kind of record for an elite-conference team, as far as playing the most historically black colleges in one season.

Reader Rant...


A maniacal rant from Hubcap in Philly. Apparently this Minnesota Viqueen fan trapped in the City of Brotherly Love has begun to take on the persona of the constantly disgruntled Eagle fans.....Regardless, thanks for saving us a day of writing. And you thought PYB was angry.....


I’M DONE!!!

I never thought I would ever utter those words referring to the Nordic Warriors of Eden Prairie. Thanks to Brad Childress’ latest tyrannical move, I’ve had enough. This little Napoleonic tyrant has gone too far this time and I hope Odin can come in and slay this Andy Reid protégé before it’s too late. The Ben Franklin wannabe in Philadelphia may be able to rule the nest over his spineless owner on player/personnel. Not to mention we all know you didn’t call the plays in Philly, you just happened to fill a position that a friend opened up for you. However, when you cut one of the most prolific and productive receivers in NFL history because of some statements about food from a former player’s restaurant and not addressing the media to your liking, you better look yourself in the mirror.

Face it Brad, you have lost your team. I realize you started out the year with no real receiving threat for your team’s quarterback. Notice I didn’t call him YOUR quarterback. We all know you put him on your shitlist last year, because he questioned you at times. I know Fav-ruh is a Prima Donna, but HE HAS PLAYED EVERY GAME FOR 18 STRAIGHT YEARS. He may know something about the game and how things work on the field. When it takes your high profile players to fly down to his home to convince him to come back because it gives them a better chance to win, that tells me the respect from your players was well on it’s way out the door. The players these days will not play for someone they don’t respect. Take for instance your fellow Eagle Asst. Coach Wild Willy Callahan. I’m sure there is a tree in Oakland and Lincoln waiting for his return.

Back to the point of no receivers. After 3 games and having your top two receivers on the shelf with injuries and your passing game produced a single TD pass with 6 interceptions. Your owner did the right thing and traded for Randy Moss for a bargain price of a 3rd round draft pick. Whether or not he did this with your permission is irrelevant, HE SIGNS YOUR FUCKING PAYCHECK!!! It’s his team and can do what he thinks is right for HIS team to win football games. Randy came in, and scoring doubled, literally. Wins were scarce, but production was up and the team was competitive again with a threat at wideout. When Randy wasn’t targeted he was constantly being double teamed to either open up another receiver or took away a safety from the running game. Things were on the rise. That is until November 1st. When in your ineptitude, kicked him off the team, much to the dismay of your owner who still, publicly reported, wants Randy on HIS team.

Now, that being said, WILL YOU PLEASE FUCKING QUIT? How else can you explain that a team that was one play away from the Super Bowl 10 months ago is now floundering under your tutelage with nearly the same exact roster? Injuries may be a small factor for the early season woes. Now what are you gonna do? Throw Tavaris Jackson under the bus like you did the Prima Donna when you lose this week? He maybe 40 years old, but still has more talent and arm strength than T Jax ever will. That actually hurt to say, because I still despise the Prima Donna for all of the years in Green Bay. I, as a fan, want the best for the players on the team and what gives them the best chance to succeed. Clearly, you are not the answer. Bill Belichek may be a dictator, but his players respect him, he’s earned it, you haven’t. It’s been well documented that Randy Moss and the Prima Donna have their ego issues. It’s like buying a used car, you know what you’re buying at the time. Until you learn to understand what each player tick on your team, you will continue to fail at the only head coaching position you have ever held.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

RIP Blaine...


And another fuck you to Ed Cunningham, who said WE are trying to get these kinds of hits out of the game. Bullshit. All you corporate motherfuckers who make your living off the game and raise pussy kids like Blaine Gabbert who can't take a hit want them gone. Everyone else likes them and can handle them. If the Tin Man doesn't cower like a schoolgirl on this play he doesn't get hit in the head.....the first lesson any sixth-grade football player learns. This, against the same Missouri team that has been the cheapest and dirtiest team NU has played, by far, the last 30 years.

Watch here...