Coaching Carousel is fun to watch

The Crimson Tide won the national championship. I was on record numerous times last semester saying that Alabama was the best looking team in the country at times. I never actually counted them out at times, but I will concede that I was praying Florida would have made it.
I know the thoughts on all of your minds, why am I writing about college football when the Super Bowl, Vancouver Olympics, and March Madness are right around the corner?
Well everybody, there has been one incredible start to the offseason. One of the decade’s three best coaches Pete Carroll has left powerhouse USC to once again go to the NFL. The Seattle Seahawks didn’t give Jim Mora enough time to establish a program there, but Carroll is a west coast name that has much prestige. He should be able to breathe some life into a team that has seen better days. Seattle will not do much at the beginning, but they could challenge Arizona, if Kurt Warner does retire, for the NFC West title next season.
That leaves USC wide open at the head coaching position. Rookie Tennessee head coach Lane Kiffin bolted for USC, where he might be given a little more leeway to annoy the rest of the league than he was in the SEC. However, the major question is that Kiffin brought some questionable recruits into Tennessee and then left, potentially creating a problematic situation there. USC is in trouble, as the Beavers, Ducks, and the Cardinal seem to be the new class of the Pac-10. On the other hand, Tennessee continues to slide, falling far behind their SEC East rivals.
Texas Tech had one interesting bowl season, seeing a coaching scandal under Mike Leach that enveloped the sport for a few days before the New Year. Accused of mistreating a student suffering under a concussion, Leach was fired with cause and now Texas Tech has hired Auburn flame-out Tommy Tuberville. One thing’s for certain, Tech will still put up tons of points every game. However, can a former SEC coach succeed in a much different Big 12? Too bad for them, but Texas and Nebraska will rule that conference next year.
Notre Dame will still be horrible, even though Charlie Weis has left. Brian Kelly is picking up a seemingly cursed program, leaving Cincinnati out to dry. The Bearcats then stole Central Michigan’s coach, fresh off recent Chippewa success due to Dan LeFevour. All three teams will not see the success they had this year – or in Notre Dame’s case, the lack of a winning record AGAIN.
Urban Meyer is incredibly sick, or so we thought. He announced his resignation, then said it was just an indefinite leave of absence, and now he’s silently back to work almost every day of the week. It seems like Steve Addazio won’t get his head coaching audition after all.
However, with Dan Mullen leaving last year, Charlie Strong this year, and the loss of the most talented class of seniors to ever play college football (plus the juniors going to the draft), will Florida even matter next year? Their recruiting class actually gets better by the day despite the tiny bit of insecurity from Meyer’s undefined status. With Tebow’s graduation, Florida should still win the SEC East and could challenge nationally.
At any rate, the SEC will win a fifth national championship in a row. Alabama is the nod to win it, but an underrated Florida team and the rest of the SEC West could throw some serious monkey wrenches into a repeat national championship.
Boise State is going to be scary next year. I wouldn’t put it past the Broncos to run the table and wind up opposite the Crimson Tide in the National Championship game next year.

GOP Win in Massachusetts is in Best Interests of the Nation

While some might argue that the Democrats losing their filibuster-proof majority is a bad thing, they are sorely mistaken and are speaking in the interests of the liberal side of the nation. On the other hand, those aligned with the GOP may be ranting on how there is a chance to take power back. Once again, those views are misguided.

Our nation says it is a democracy, but with two political groups vying for power, it too often turns into us versus them. When the “liberal lion of the Senate” passed away in 2009, it saddened all involved. However, the loss of this important figure needs to be reevaluated. In all honesty, taking away the ability to run bills through Congress without the filibuster threat could and should make the US better off.

Forcing reconciliation and cooperation between the two warring factions will create laws and regulations that will be moderated and have influence from both ends of the spectrum.

Insuring the millions without health care, immigration, and both the national debt and national deficit are among the issues facing the nation which are better off with a more communicative legislative body.

CNN’s John King went to Massachusetts and found several voters who were all fed up with Obama’s message of “change.” One even remarked that they did not like that Obama had started to blend in with the old crowd of Washington politics, so this gave them questions over his ability to fulfill his campaign promises.

Looking for others who shared my opinions on blogs or forums, I found others who feel that this might be a step in the right direction for America to rebound after a past decade rife with problems both at home and abroad (the economy, war on terror, etc.).

The last time there was a split Presidency and Congress, the national budget was balanced and the national debt was slowly going down. At the very least, Americans should see a slight turn in a better direction.

Too often, it seems like politicians in this nation care more about winning a seat and collecting favors for themselves than actually helping their constituents. But why should they? Many Americans are ambivalent and care more about who the latest celebrity couple consists of than how their representatives are helping them.

I hope that the “Massachusetts Message” does not just stay there for this special election, but that it picks up steam and becomes a national phenomenon for the midterm elections this November. Other than just voting by party lines, I am going to choose who I think is the most likely to bridge the gap between conservatives and liberals. I’m going to vote for who actually wants to cooperate, not mudsling. I suggest you do the same.

BCS National Championship

Last night, a kid became a man before millions of people's eyes. Garrett Gilbert might never win a Big 12 Championship, a national championship, or any award of importance. The kid might usher in an era of mediocrity and might not even be the starter next season, but as for last night, Gilbert should be a Texas state hero. The true freshman QB had never taken snaps against a meaningful opponent, but that only took a quarter to overcome. Ignoring a bad coaching decision by both teams (Texas not taking a knee and going to halftime, and Alabama not running the clock out), the final score is 24-21 Alabama.
Gilbert led the Longhorns to two touchdown strikes in the second half. The kid, who easily threw for more yards and touchdowns than Alabama's now undefeated QB, gave hope to every Cinderella story. There is nothing a team can't do when their back is against the wall. We've all seen the sports movies where the underdog pulls it off in the end (e.g. The Replacements), and have seen the real life moments where a George Mason upsets UConn in men's basketball. However, there is a certain stigma and mystique attached to college football.
When we're in high school and cheering on our local football teams, there are some moments you know you'll never forget. When those moments happen, you can feel the electricity in the air and anything seems possible. In the 2010 BCS National Championship game, Garrett Gilbert was feeling that. He should have been the MVP. Yes, four interceptions does not bode well, but against a top notch defense from the SEC, the green rookie pulled off a miracle.
On the other hand, I would never ask to be Colt McCoy and have to go through what he went though last night. Alabama wasn't playing their best game late, and McCoy knew that he had a chance. The fact that he supported and never gave up against a vaunted 'Bama team for Gilbert is incredible. He showed real class in the postgame. I truly feel sorry for McCoy and wish him all the best in the NFL (except when he plays my Vikings!)
I might be the world's biggest Gator fan, and I've hated on McCoy and the Big 12, but I will always be a Garrett Gilbert fan. He has what every great player needs - heart and a desire to win. Good luck to Garrett Gilbert, and I hope the Texas receivers learn to catch. They are what cost Texas the game.