Even when losing, some teams still have heart. Temple University's football team showed it two weeks ago when they lost 62-9 to Clemson at home.
Following the game, Beth Kunkel, president of the Clemson University Faculty Senate, wrote a thank you letter to the Temple football program and to the University.
"We would like to ask that you extend our sincere thanks to your football student athletes for their generosity in donating their per diem from the Clemson-Temple game to the fund established for one of our players, "Ray Ray" McElrathbey. "Ray Ray" has obtained custody of his younger brother and is raising him while attending school and participating in the football program. This fund was established to assist him with the financial issues he is facing. For your football team to make such a selfless gesture speaks more loudly than any words of the quality and integrity of your students, faculty and athletic administrators. Thank you!"
Temple football is not recieving much praise these days. It has certainly been abscent here. Around the league and in the media, they are a laughing stock -of course, according to ESPN's that is par for all of the Big East. You won't even find any kudos at the schools fanblog. Every school has one, but Temple's has been updated only five times since April.
This is a small forum for a big thank you, but it needed to be posted somewhere.
Way to go guys.
Showing posts with label football. Show all posts
Showing posts with label football. Show all posts
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Monday, October 16, 2006
Bucs Win!
Betsy Winter Hall, my magazine article writing professor told me that I am only entitled to three exclamation points in my career. Well, I'm using one of them here.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers win!
Controversy surrounded two calls on the final drive that brought Tampa Bay its winning touchdown. The first was a "roughing-the-passer" call on Bengals Defensive End Justin Smith. Smith sacked Tampa QB Bruce Gradkowski at the Bengal's 40 yard line, and was charged with roughing. Official Michael Carey explained after the game that the call should have been unnecessary roughness, as Gradkowski had not yet released the ball.
“The ruling on the field was roughing the passer,” said Carey. “Technically, it was unnecessary roughness because the pass didn’t get away. But in the tackle, the defender, stopped forward progress, drove him backwards, and then at the end gave him the extra effort and stuffed his head into the ground. We’re directed to protect the safety of the quarterback. Most people don’t understand [unnecessary roughness], so we just called it roughing the passer.”
In a post-game interview, Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer openly disagreed with the call. As a quarterback, he questioned how any sack could be ruled roughing, and how defenders are expected to tackle.
The second call was the challenged, game-winning touchdown.
With 34 seconds on the clock, WR Michael Clayton made a quick catch from a Gradkowski pass and lunged toward the end-zone, extending the ball passed the goal line. When he landed, the ball bounced out of his hands. Bengals fans thought it was an incomplete pass, but the final ruling on the play was that he still had possession of the ball when his feet had touched the ground. At that time the ball had broken the plane of the goal line, thus making it a complete pass and a touchdown.
Gradkowski, the replacement for my nemisis Chris Simms, completed 25-44 for 184 yards. Not bad. Cadilac Williams, showing off his bulk went 94 yards on 19 carries. That's not spectacular compared to the 1,800 yards he put up last season, but it tells me that the offensive line is stepping up, making holes and giving better pass protection.
Defensively, our secondary looked a little weak. Carson Palmer threw a stunning 261 yards (24/37), speading it out to six recievers. The d-line was able to maintain pressure up front, and that was the saving grace for the Bucs. The ability to shut-down the Bengals offense, one that has scored no less than 24 points in all of its appearences this season, and holding them to just one touchdown was vital. The two field goals scored by the Bangels were put up from no less than 34 yards, which means that the Buccaneers were holding the offense in the flat all day, a drastic improvement from the defense that coach John Gruden has consistantly criticized this season.
Defensive Tackle, Anthony McFarland, admitted to the St. Petersburg times that Gruden's complaints against the Tampa Bay defensive performance were valid and well deserved in an interview Sunday.
Now, let us see how the Bucs will fair against the Eagles at Raymond James. My hope is that the Eagles show up still stunned from their embarrassing loss against the Saints.
Go Bucs!
Source: Buccaneers News Detail
Tampa Bay Buccaneers win!
Controversy surrounded two calls on the final drive that brought Tampa Bay its winning touchdown. The first was a "roughing-the-passer" call on Bengals Defensive End Justin Smith. Smith sacked Tampa QB Bruce Gradkowski at the Bengal's 40 yard line, and was charged with roughing. Official Michael Carey explained after the game that the call should have been unnecessary roughness, as Gradkowski had not yet released the ball.
“The ruling on the field was roughing the passer,” said Carey. “Technically, it was unnecessary roughness because the pass didn’t get away. But in the tackle, the defender, stopped forward progress, drove him backwards, and then at the end gave him the extra effort and stuffed his head into the ground. We’re directed to protect the safety of the quarterback. Most people don’t understand [unnecessary roughness], so we just called it roughing the passer.”
In a post-game interview, Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer openly disagreed with the call. As a quarterback, he questioned how any sack could be ruled roughing, and how defenders are expected to tackle.
The second call was the challenged, game-winning touchdown.
With 34 seconds on the clock, WR Michael Clayton made a quick catch from a Gradkowski pass and lunged toward the end-zone, extending the ball passed the goal line. When he landed, the ball bounced out of his hands. Bengals fans thought it was an incomplete pass, but the final ruling on the play was that he still had possession of the ball when his feet had touched the ground. At that time the ball had broken the plane of the goal line, thus making it a complete pass and a touchdown.
Gradkowski, the replacement for my nemisis Chris Simms, completed 25-44 for 184 yards. Not bad. Cadilac Williams, showing off his bulk went 94 yards on 19 carries. That's not spectacular compared to the 1,800 yards he put up last season, but it tells me that the offensive line is stepping up, making holes and giving better pass protection.
Defensively, our secondary looked a little weak. Carson Palmer threw a stunning 261 yards (24/37), speading it out to six recievers. The d-line was able to maintain pressure up front, and that was the saving grace for the Bucs. The ability to shut-down the Bengals offense, one that has scored no less than 24 points in all of its appearences this season, and holding them to just one touchdown was vital. The two field goals scored by the Bangels were put up from no less than 34 yards, which means that the Buccaneers were holding the offense in the flat all day, a drastic improvement from the defense that coach John Gruden has consistantly criticized this season.
Defensive Tackle, Anthony McFarland, admitted to the St. Petersburg times that Gruden's complaints against the Tampa Bay defensive performance were valid and well deserved in an interview Sunday.
Now, let us see how the Bucs will fair against the Eagles at Raymond James. My hope is that the Eagles show up still stunned from their embarrassing loss against the Saints.
Go Bucs!
Source: Buccaneers News Detail
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Temple football called "The Ultimate Scream" by ESPN
ESPN is finally addressing the issue of what an embarrassment Temple football has become:
Spike TV's big Tuesday night program this week is the Scream Awards, which the network promotes as the first awards show for horror, Sci-Fi, fantasy and comic books. While Spike TV celebrates the best in horror annually, the Bottom 10 does it every week.
In honor of the Scream Awards, we'll use the program's award categories to take a look at the most frightening teams in college football...
...Temple, which actually had a first-quarter lead against Kent State, remains in the top spot after losing to the Golden Flashes. But the Owls have a new neighbor. San Diego State jumped five spots to No. 2 following the Aztecs' 47-17 loss to BYU. Duke and Stanford round out the top five.
Temple ranked #1, the Ultimate Scream as we successfully made it to 0-18. At least we are winning at something.
Can someone please forward this to Dr. Ann Weaver Hart. I know they say any press is good press, but come one, is there any accounting for self-respect?
That's my Bucs.
I know I haven't written anything about my Buccaneers yet, but that's mostly because I am ashamed. I am hanging my head low. Still, I have to be ever reminded that the reason I fell in love with the team in the first place was because they were the underdogs. Now my Underdogs in Orange are back.
News on the Bucs:
----They are the first team ever to be embarrassed by Reggie Bush twice on national television. Just in case you missed our fourth loss this season and were eager to see Bush run an 82-yeard punt return in for a touchdown, you can check it out on Wednesday's "NFL Replay" on the nFL Network.
---- With a record of 0-4, the Bucs are in the running to get a great first round draft pick for next season. Perhaps they will start looking for a quarterback... But, before we make any real plans to pick up John David Booty (USC, QB with the perfect name to match Bucs play) or yank Chase Daniel out of Mizzou, we still have to manage to complete the season with a worse record than two other bottom-feeding teams: Oakland (0-4), and Detroit (0-5).
----Bringing it back to the old school. The Bucs will be pulling out their famous Orange uniforms for Thanksgiving. I can't wait.
News on the Bucs:
----They are the first team ever to be embarrassed by Reggie Bush twice on national television. Just in case you missed our fourth loss this season and were eager to see Bush run an 82-yeard punt return in for a touchdown, you can check it out on Wednesday's "NFL Replay" on the nFL Network.
---- With a record of 0-4, the Bucs are in the running to get a great first round draft pick for next season. Perhaps they will start looking for a quarterback... But, before we make any real plans to pick up John David Booty (USC, QB with the perfect name to match Bucs play) or yank Chase Daniel out of Mizzou, we still have to manage to complete the season with a worse record than two other bottom-feeding teams: Oakland (0-4), and Detroit (0-5).
----Bringing it back to the old school. The Bucs will be pulling out their famous Orange uniforms for Thanksgiving. I can't wait.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Temple sued for disgracing mascot
Many on the Temple University campus have expressed a great deal of anomosity over the Owls' seemingly perpetual losing streak. Apparently, they are not alone in their frustrations.
According to a far more experience and accomplished blogger, Cinnamon, the CEO of the chain restaurant Hooters has called for a change in the companies name and its logo as a result of the embarrassment that Temple's football team has brought upon their iconic bird.
In September 2005, an animal activist group, Pestering for Improved Treatment of Animals (PITA), filed suit with Temple contending that the school is a disgrace to the pervasive image of its mascot, the Owl. Blogger Cinnamon wrote on the "suit":
“The owl is an important component in the earth’s ecosystem and deserves better treatment than depiction on banners and literature supporting an athletic team that has become a laughing stock throughout the nation,” said Larson T. Whipsnade, director of PITA’s Animal Dignity Divison. “Temple mascot materials consistently – and rightfully – depict a fierce Great Horned Owl that uses sharpened claws with which to kill rodents and small animals. It’s how they live."
Read more about the "suit" here.
Temple's performance has been on a downward spiral since the beginning of the decade, and it appears to have reached an all time low. Since the beginning of 2005, the Owls are 0-16. Even with the introduction of new head coach Al Golden, the Owl's seem unable to pull themselves out of this painful slump.
So what is it with Temple? Is it a self-esteem problem? If that's the case, I would be more than willing to take up a collection for therapy. At Temple Counseling Services, it's only $10 for an hour-and-a-half session with a seasoned professional. And if funds should come up short, perhaps the beleagured football team would benefit from visiting my new favorite web site - positive-way.com. Check out their tools for team building.
Temple's new President Ann Weaver Hart said in interview with Temple News that she is dedicated to protecting Temple's committment to A-1 football, and that she we will what it takes to bring Temple up to par.
When I joined the University of New Hampshire, they were struggling in football at the II-A level. They're now leading the country. But what I learned from that experience is that you hire the right people, you share the right values, and then you stick with them through the developing years. And that's what I want to do.
We'll see.
According to a far more experience and accomplished blogger, Cinnamon, the CEO of the chain restaurant Hooters has called for a change in the companies name and its logo as a result of the embarrassment that Temple's football team has brought upon their iconic bird.
In September 2005, an animal activist group, Pestering for Improved Treatment of Animals (PITA), filed suit with Temple contending that the school is a disgrace to the pervasive image of its mascot, the Owl. Blogger Cinnamon wrote on the "suit":
“The owl is an important component in the earth’s ecosystem and deserves better treatment than depiction on banners and literature supporting an athletic team that has become a laughing stock throughout the nation,” said Larson T. Whipsnade, director of PITA’s Animal Dignity Divison. “Temple mascot materials consistently – and rightfully – depict a fierce Great Horned Owl that uses sharpened claws with which to kill rodents and small animals. It’s how they live."
Read more about the "suit" here.
Temple's performance has been on a downward spiral since the beginning of the decade, and it appears to have reached an all time low. Since the beginning of 2005, the Owls are 0-16. Even with the introduction of new head coach Al Golden, the Owl's seem unable to pull themselves out of this painful slump.
So what is it with Temple? Is it a self-esteem problem? If that's the case, I would be more than willing to take up a collection for therapy. At Temple Counseling Services, it's only $10 for an hour-and-a-half session with a seasoned professional. And if funds should come up short, perhaps the beleagured football team would benefit from visiting my new favorite web site - positive-way.com. Check out their tools for team building.
Temple's new President Ann Weaver Hart said in interview with Temple News that she is dedicated to protecting Temple's committment to A-1 football, and that she we will what it takes to bring Temple up to par.
When I joined the University of New Hampshire, they were struggling in football at the II-A level. They're now leading the country. But what I learned from that experience is that you hire the right people, you share the right values, and then you stick with them through the developing years. And that's what I want to do.
We'll see.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
