Stories on Sunday's Playoff Games

San Diego Chargers @ Indianapolis Colts - 1:00
Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes how the Chargers mid-season improvement on defense has led to the team's resurgence..... "And it can be traced back to an increased emphasis on the sheets this defensive coaching staff prepares for the linebackers and defensive backs that show the upcoming opponents' tendencies in certain formations and different downs and distances." .....

Kevin Acee

Indianapolis Star sports columnist Bob Kravitz writes that he thinks Tony Dungy will be leaving.... "He has acknowledged, between the end of last regular season and a week after the Super Bowl victory, he went back and forth on the issue of retiring three or four times before deciding to come back. This time, he doesn't come back." ....

Bob Kravitz

New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys - 4:15
Vic Ziegel of the New York Daily News writes that he is "surprised" the Giants are only dogs by seven points.... "The Cowboys are sending 12 players to the Pro Bowl. The Giants have one representative, Osi Umenyiora. Sure sounds like the league thinks the world of Dallas." ....

Vic Zeigel

Dallas Morning News sports columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor writes how a Cowboys win will be nice for two veterans.... "Ellis and Adams, the Cowboys' first two selections in the 1998 draft, have played a combined 296 games. Yet, neither has ever won a playoff game." ....

Jean-Jacques Taylor

Will Terrelle Pryor be wearing the Maize and Blue in 2008?

A shake-up took place in Ann Arbor on Wednesday when wide receiver Adrian Arrington officially declared that he is leaving Michigan for the NFL.....it is also speculated that fellow wide receiver Mario Manningham will soon follow....the other official announcement was that quarterback Ryan Mallett is transferring out of Michigan, presumably to Tennessee....

Before I go on, I want to wish all three players the best in their future endeavors....Arrington and Manningham will always be Wolverines and hopefully they can make the football program proud at the next level....as far as Mallett, I wish him nothing but the best....only 1 quarterback can be on the field at one time and Mallett must have felt that he does not fit in with new head coach Rich Rodriguez's system.....Below is an article by John Borton of Rivals.com and his thoughts on Mallett leaving....

John Borton
TheWolverine.com Senior Editor
Rich Rodriguez wants a Michigan quarterback to quarterback Michigan. And if there's any doubt, hesitation, missed meetings, etc., on the part of those who might apply, well … don't let the door sack you on your way out.

Rodriguez tried to sell freshman Ryan Mallett on the new staff's ability to structure its offense to meet the strong-armed passer's talents. He made several efforts to try and sway the long, tall Texan, as he told Jim Rome yesterday.

"I talked to him and all our quarterbacks about how our system adapts to the quarterback," Rodriguez said. "If we get a throwing quarterback, we've had ones who have gone on to have great careers and to the NFL and all that. "But I [spoke to Mallett] a couple of times. I recruited him once. I recruited him twice, but after the third call, it's 'Okay, three times is enough for me.' It's three invitations. If somebody doesn't want to be here, then we should all move along."

Rodriguez left no doubt at halftime of the Michigan-Indiana basketball game last night. He noted Mallett missed a team meeting the day before, and when asked whether he is waiting to hear what the young quarterback has to say, Rodriguez responded with words that made all but the most diehard recruiting guru sycophants smile. "Don't care," the new sheriff said. "He's not playing for Michigan. I'm concerned with who's playing for Michigan. That's my concern."

DON'T CARE? Don't you understand, Coach? This is RYAN MALLETT, the greatest quarterback-to-be in the history of college football, the torpedo-launching Texan who shreds receivers' gloves and who once chucked an armadillo 85 yards without breaking a sweat!

This is the kid who was about to make Tom Brady look like Marcia Brady! This is the once-in-a-lifetime, surefire, Heisman-ready architect of multiple national championships – not to mention the guy whose poster replaced that of the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders on the walls of aging recruiting "gurus." DON'T CARE?

Don't care. Just that easily, the new era begins. Oh, and by the way, it was a short lifetime. The next once-in-a-lifetime QB prospect watching the Wolverines closely isn't far behind.

Now, for anyone taking this as Mallett bashing (Mallett hammering? Mallet malleting?) – breathe deeply and listen. The kid came here under one system, believed fervently in his position coach, and saw those very important elements change in the span of 12 months. Wherever he goes (within reason), we wish him well. No hard feelings. It should probably be noted – for the sake of perspective – that the two most glorified quarterbacks in the history of Michigan football recruiting (Mallett and Drew Henson) combined for a total of 11 career starts.

Meanwhile, someone who generated little more than a shrug upon arrival in Ann Arbor has three Super Bowl titles in his back pocket, with another on the way. But we digress. Most importantly, the new boss is concerned about who is playing for Michigan.

And losing Chad Henne, Mike Hart, Jake Long, Adam Kraus, Mario Manningham, Adrian Arrington and Ryan Mallett off the offensive roster in a fortnight didn't make him blink. Now, "Don't care" doesn't quite carry the same ring as "Those Who Stay Will Be Champions." But the intent is the same, and the edge carried by the man delivering the message can't be mistaken.

Stiles Points Thoughts
With Mallett leaving Ann Arbor, there is a very good chance that Michigan may land super-stud quarterback Terrelle Pryor from Jeanette, PA.....Pryor was the USA Today Offensive Player of the Year and is being labeled as the next Vince Young....of course, Michigan has to battle Mr. Sweatervest for Pryor's services....it is believed that Pryor has narrowed his choices down to Michigan and Ohio State.....with Mallett gone, Pryor would be able to start from day one at Michigan....check out the links to read more about Pryor.....

Scout.com

Terrelle Pryor

Take that Ohio State fans!!!!

BEST DAMN TEAM IN THE LAND

Michigan Man Shuts Up Ohio State Fans!!!!

A MICHIGAN MAN
FINALLY BEATS TRESSEL

New Passcode at Hayes Center 38-24!

Thoughts on the BCS Title Game

Here are my keys for tonight's BCS Title Game.....

For Ohio State to win
1. Run, run, run - OSU must get Chris Wells started early and often...
2. Surprise, surprise - I'm not talking Gomer Pyle here....but look for OSU to throw some type of trick play to keep LSU off balance...a flea flicker could be big - especially if LSU is determined to stop the run...don't be surprised if they go with a deep pass early to show LSU that they are here to play....
3. Stay close - if Ohio State is close at halftime, they will be a threat in the second half...Tressel wants to stay close then grab the lead in the second half and play Tresselball....

For LSU to win
1. Stop the run - Defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, must stop the Ohio State running game....if OSU can run the ball and then get the lead in the second half, Tressel will go into Tresselball mode and shorten the game....force Boeckman to beat you!!!...
2. Over the top - Juice Williams and Illinois proved that Ohio State cannot play the deep ball well...LSU needs to throw in some playaction and go for the big play....
3. Keep your foot on their throat - if LSU gets an early lead, they cannot let down for 1 second...if you do, Tressel will grab momentum...LSU must play 60 minutes of hell...not 59 minutes and 59 seconds....60 minutes!!!

Prediction
If this game was played immediately following the regular season, my pick would have been Ohio State because LSU was banged up...Glenn Dorsey and Matt Flynn were hurt...the Tigers are now healthy....

Sure Ohio State has all the "motivation" after what happened last season to Florida....and I believe all coaches need to motivate their players, but Tressel goes overboard....in August, he made the passcode 4114 to get into the Hayes Center (the score of last year's Florida loss)....then he gave his team these DVDs about all the negatives that the national media are saying about OSU...motivation is good, but Tressel lives off it....

I pick LSU to win a close game....not only does Les Miles want to win this game, but so does Pelini who can use this victory for recruiting purposes when he becomes head coach at Nebraska...a healthy LSU will be difference....

LSU 27-16

BCS Stories - LSU vs. Ohio State

BCS Title Game - LSU vs. Ohio State - New Orleans - Fox
Rob Oller of the Columbus Dispatch reveals the real Jim Tressel..... "When Jim Tressel enters a roomful of Ohio State fans, the floor immediately tilts in his direction. Worshippers flow toward him like water rushing to a drain." ....

Rob Oller

Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch writes that being an underdog is good in the BCS Title Game..... "Of the previous nine title games of the Bowl Championship Series, six were won by the underdog." ....

Tim May

Doug Lesmerises of the Plain Dealer writes about Road Warrior Animal's son..... "On the road for 250 to 300 nights a year, wearing those same red and black tights, pulling on the spiked shoulder pads and applying the face paint that disguised who he really was, Road Warrior Animal couldn't talk to his co-workers about his children back in Minnesota, his oldest son Joey; his baby, daughter Jessica; or little James in those tights." .....

Doug Lesmerises

New Orleans Times Picayune's Rob Thibodeaux traveled to Elyria, Ohio - the hometown of Les Miles..... "Consider Elyria's contributions to life as we know it. This is the home of the padded bicycle seat. The rubber heel. The colored golf ball. And Les Miles." ....

Rob Thibodeaux

Baton Rouge Advocate's Carl Dubois writes about LSU's humble leader - Glenn Dorsey.... "Yet, in early October, after LSU's dramatic 28-24 victory against Florida in Tiger Stadium, Dorsey sounded charmingly oblivious to his status as one of the big men on campus and one of the biggest names in the game he loves." ....

Carl Dubois

Shreveport Times' Roy Lang III writes about hometown hero Jacob Hester..... "He's not flashy — although he has plenty of speed. His name never hit the Heisman radar, but LSU folks will tell you there's not a more valuable Tiger." ....

Roy Lang III

The Baton Rouge Advocate has a list of tidbit....

The Advocate