TicketsThere is only one place to start on a day like this. My mother turns 60 today. She should receive a bounty of riches considering she put up with me for half her lifetime and has always done so with a smile. Unfortunately, she'll only receive a nice meal, pile of Hallmark cards and gift nowhere near what she deserves. So,happy birthday, Mom. (Great Son status: Achieved)
Plenty to get to in today's Breakfast, so let's eat...
--- In case you missed it, I tackled the linebacker quandary yesterday. No need to say more, because I already said enough in the post.
--- Butch Jones mentioned Isaiah Pead would spend time returning kicks and punts for UC this year. Along with DJ Woods they would be 1 and 1A, according to Bill Koch's blog.
I remember looking up the kickoff return numbers last season and being shocked at how poor UC's kickoff return has been.
Last season the Bearcats only managed one kickoff return longer than 40 yards and zero longer than 50.
Only 30 teams had either one or zero returns longer than 40 yards last season of the 120 in Division I. Take into consideration Big East champion UConn took three kickoffs for touchdowns and seven times more than 40 yards.
The numbers were even more numbing for the Cats considering what they did in 2009 with returner extraordinaire Mardy Gilyard at the helm. Were UC fans spoiled? Oh yeah. That made the drop off seem all the more dramatic.
The Bearcats were second in the country in kickoff returns in 2009, averaging 28.6 yards per return with three touchdowns. Nearly twice a game they took the ball back more than 30 yards. UC only did it seven times in all of 2010.
As for punt returns, the fall wasn't as dramatic. UC had two punt returns of more than 30 yards against BCS AQ opponents. Only 38 other teams can say that. Nobody in the country had more than six.
One has to believe Pead will enjoy success back there with his straight-line speed. The only concern with a new kick returner already owning the speed is an ability to take care of the ball. Obviously, fumbles hurt the Bearcats at both kickoff and punt return last year.
Considering Pead's track record of holding on to the ball, I doubt carrying three or four extra times a game will be an issue.
Sidenote: This will increase his chances of moving up the ladder of UC's career total yards from scrimmage category mentioned last week.
--- Tommy G spoke with WR DJ Woods this weekend. He's become the hot media item of the week as this story surfaced in the Enquirer. No doubt, Woods has come a long way on and off the field.
--- TG also spoke with Mr. McSaucy aka Ragu aka Randeazy aka OL Randy Martinez.
Tough act to follow, unfortunately, Dan Giordano had to. Dan's an entertaining guy as well, this was the best personality day TG has had at HG.
--- Team Photo Day on Sunday! All my uniform junkies can check out the all blacks. At least they don't look like Maryland, who is either ready to play a football game or work the drive-thru at McDonald's.
--- Andrea Adelson talks about the leadership of Zach Collaros and JK Schaffer.
--- Headline rhyme time with Zach Collaros. Zach might not necessarily be back or even on the attack, but it sure sounds nice. Regardless, here's a story on him from Athlon Sports.
--- The Big East slipped West Virginia into the back of the AP poll. The only other Big East team receiving votes was Pittsburgh, coming in at 36.
--- The USA World University Games team could have used Yancy Gates as they were ousted by Lithuania while being outrebounded (43-37) for the first time in the tournament.
--- Some randomness...
--- Apparently all the cold weather in the Pacific Northwest has its inhabitants feeling pretty promiscuous. No word yet on Nelly Furtado planning a reunion concert in Portland.
--- Listen to the new Chili Peppers album here.
--- USA Network put together this short film series called the Character Project. It tells the stories about real-life people who inspired famous movies. I know I've been a bit Lebowski-heavy on here of late, but this is a pretty neat piece. It includes some scene recreations and plenty of white russians from the original Dude, Jeff Dowd.
--- A great flow chart to figure out what NFL team you should root for this year with the standard kicking of the Bengals while they are down.
--- This pitcher won't be teaching sliding techniques to youngsters. However, he may be teaching the most efficient method for breaking your collarbone.
--- Can I convince anyone to take the over on two years for the Kardashian-Humphries marriage?
--- The 80s Power Ballad week was gratifying and notstalgic, but I've always been a fan of the 90s station on Sirius radio. Anytime I can bring the hits of my teenage years, I don't miss it.
Let's start that today.
Brief did you know about how pathetic pop music was in the mid-90s: Ace Of Base had three of the top 10 songs in the country in 1994.
Of course, that same year Nate Dogg and Warren G had to Reg-u-late, so I it wasn't all bad.
Plenty to get to in today's Breakfast, so let's eat...
--- In case you missed it, I tackled the linebacker quandary yesterday. No need to say more, because I already said enough in the post.
--- Butch Jones mentioned Isaiah Pead would spend time returning kicks and punts for UC this year. Along with DJ Woods they would be 1 and 1A, according to Bill Koch's blog.
I remember looking up the kickoff return numbers last season and being shocked at how poor UC's kickoff return has been.
Last season the Bearcats only managed one kickoff return longer than 40 yards and zero longer than 50.
Only 30 teams had either one or zero returns longer than 40 yards last season of the 120 in Division I. Take into consideration Big East champion UConn took three kickoffs for touchdowns and seven times more than 40 yards.
The numbers were even more numbing for the Cats considering what they did in 2009 with returner extraordinaire Mardy Gilyard at the helm. Were UC fans spoiled? Oh yeah. That made the drop off seem all the more dramatic.
The Bearcats were second in the country in kickoff returns in 2009, averaging 28.6 yards per return with three touchdowns. Nearly twice a game they took the ball back more than 30 yards. UC only did it seven times in all of 2010.
As for punt returns, the fall wasn't as dramatic. UC had two punt returns of more than 30 yards against BCS AQ opponents. Only 38 other teams can say that. Nobody in the country had more than six.
One has to believe Pead will enjoy success back there with his straight-line speed. The only concern with a new kick returner already owning the speed is an ability to take care of the ball. Obviously, fumbles hurt the Bearcats at both kickoff and punt return last year.
Considering Pead's track record of holding on to the ball, I doubt carrying three or four extra times a game will be an issue.
Sidenote: This will increase his chances of moving up the ladder of UC's career total yards from scrimmage category mentioned last week.
--- Tommy G spoke with WR DJ Woods this weekend. He's become the hot media item of the week as this story surfaced in the Enquirer. No doubt, Woods has come a long way on and off the field.
--- TG also spoke with Mr. McSaucy aka Ragu aka Randeazy aka OL Randy Martinez.
Tough act to follow, unfortunately, Dan Giordano had to. Dan's an entertaining guy as well, this was the best personality day TG has had at HG.
--- Team Photo Day on Sunday! All my uniform junkies can check out the all blacks. At least they don't look like Maryland, who is either ready to play a football game or work the drive-thru at McDonald's.
--- Andrea Adelson talks about the leadership of Zach Collaros and JK Schaffer.
--- Headline rhyme time with Zach Collaros. Zach might not necessarily be back or even on the attack, but it sure sounds nice. Regardless, here's a story on him from Athlon Sports.
--- The Big East slipped West Virginia into the back of the AP poll. The only other Big East team receiving votes was Pittsburgh, coming in at 36.
--- The USA World University Games team could have used Yancy Gates as they were ousted by Lithuania while being outrebounded (43-37) for the first time in the tournament.
--- Some randomness...
--- Apparently all the cold weather in the Pacific Northwest has its inhabitants feeling pretty promiscuous. No word yet on Nelly Furtado planning a reunion concert in Portland.
--- Listen to the new Chili Peppers album here.
--- USA Network put together this short film series called the Character Project. It tells the stories about real-life people who inspired famous movies. I know I've been a bit Lebowski-heavy on here of late, but this is a pretty neat piece. It includes some scene recreations and plenty of white russians from the original Dude, Jeff Dowd.
--- A great flow chart to figure out what NFL team you should root for this year with the standard kicking of the Bengals while they are down.
--- This pitcher won't be teaching sliding techniques to youngsters. However, he may be teaching the most efficient method for breaking your collarbone.
--- Can I convince anyone to take the over on two years for the Kardashian-Humphries marriage?
--- The 80s Power Ballad week was gratifying and notstalgic, but I've always been a fan of the 90s station on Sirius radio. Anytime I can bring the hits of my teenage years, I don't miss it.
Let's start that today.
Brief did you know about how pathetic pop music was in the mid-90s: Ace Of Base had three of the top 10 songs in the country in 1994.
Of course, that same year Nate Dogg and Warren G had to Reg-u-late, so I it wasn't all bad.