college football 9/26 - who are you?

Excuse me if I sound punch drunk but I've been watching sports since before 7am when I rolled over and turned out the Zenit v CSKA Moscow game.

Even though there's been a bunch of great soccer today, Arsenal held on for an uncharacteristic scrappy, ugly win and Chelsea lost to Wigan, I need to get talk about some jekyll and hyde teams in college football.

I've got a question for the following teams:

Miami
Virgina Tech
Oregon
Cal
Florida State
Georgia Tech
UNC
BYU

WHO ARE THE HELL ARE YOU?

I've never seen so many teams look so different from one Saturday to the next.

I'm glad I'm not betting on these games because I would have lost my ass today.

mo field goals mo problems...

So the Redskins failed to score a touchdown yesterday but still managed to get the win.

From the second the game ended I have been wondering about how often that happens. Since it's still pretty annoying to sit at a computer desk with this sling on my arm I waited until today at work so I could get paid to look it up.

I mean it usually takes at least one 7 pointer to get the W in the NFL. Funny how going into the game the big Jim Zorn stat was all about how his offense had yet to score 30 points in a game. He then promptly goes out and can't even get double digits. Awesome.

(I'm now searching for the last time the 'Skins won a game w/o the aid of a touchdown.)

2005: Washington 9 Chicago 7

Well that's not too long ago. I should have remembered that. I was at that miserable game.

FedEx has been the location of three games ending 9-7 this decade. The 'Skins are 2-1 in such games. The lone loss resulted in Norv Turner's job.

(I'm now searching for the 2nd most recent time the 'Skins won a game w/o having to kick an extra point.)

1992: Washington 15 Minnesota 13

And that was on the road!

More nerdy stats: The last two times the Redskins won a game without scoring a touchdown they have gone on to not only make the playoffs, but to win a road playoff game. I'd be stunned if that stat held up this season.

I'd also like to point out that we are heading into Week 3 and Hunter Smith, the punter, is leading the team in rushing touchdowns.

That's awesome.

4 hours to go...sign Zidane

Since I've wasted a lot of time since June 1 reading thread upon thread of ridiculous transfer rumors for Arsenal, I've decided that I might as well just keep Sky Sports News on in the background as the Transfer Window mercifully comes to an end today. It should have been yesterday but some Bank Holiday in the UK gave us an extra day of "fun".

Here are the two things that currently puzzle me 1) It looks like Senderos is staying and 2) who exactly does Wenger plan on playing while Song is gone at the African Cup of Nations?

I'm a little bummed about the international break this weekend. I'd really like to watch another game and wipe out last weekend's dreadful collapse out of my memory bank. Nothing like giving the ref a chance to call and a pk and then score an uncontested own goal for the road loss. It's actually quite impressive to lose like that. Oh and I also forgot to mention Gallas being called for offsides while Van Persie scored what looked to be the equalizer in the 95th minute. At that moment I broke my phone.

Seriously.

Ok I've decided that I want Arsenal to pick up Zidane.

I think it's only fair. I also think it would be hilarious.

Random

**I couldn't sleep last night so I went to the gym around 445am. I sent up a fairly difficult circuit in the studio and went at it for about 40 minutes. You can get good odds in Vegas on me falling asleep at my desk before lunch.

**David James would probably sell his soul to the devil to get out of Portsmouth.

**The Nats stranglehold on the most losses in MLB has dwindled down to 6 games. I'm officially worried.

**Every time I consider cleaning out my truck I always put it off because a trip to RFK is only days away. I mean why clean your truck out when it's destined to pick up miscellaneous crap down there.

**It's impossible to buy a decent College Football preview magazine. After having no luck over the past two days at about 8 different local stores - Giant, Safeway, CVS, Rite Aid, Wal-Mart, Target, etc - I will be making a trip to Barnes and Noble today.

**I'm not sure what I've seen more of recently: Starbucks or Fantasy Football magazines. I had no idea that the public's thirst for meaningless rankings was at such an all-time high. I'm not sure what it means, but I doubt it's a good thing.

**I wonder what couch Rocky is sleeping on right now.

worst shoulders ever

When you schedule your very first MRI appointment over the phone, they ask you if you are claustrophobic or not. Also trying to sound like a big, tough guy to some woman on the phone that I will NEVER see in my life I naturally say "No". It's possible that I even laughed at the mere possibility that I could somehow be claustrophobic. Like that's possible right?

It's really not until you slowly slide back, arms pushed up against the sides, into that big tube, head first of course, that you realize that it's very possible that you actually ARE very claustrophobic.

It's never a good sign when the last thing the technician says to you is, "Most people find it more relaxing to keep their eyes closed". I think that's the politically correct way to say, "You are less likely to freak out if you keep your eyes shut."

Ok so up first was my right shoulder. Well more like my right pectoral major but it goes to my shoulder so whatever.

Things that crossed my mind right before the first series of loud ass noises started:

What if they start filling this thing up with water?
What if a rat got in here?
What if they keep moving me back into a furnace?
Can my tongue touch the top of this thing?
What if they freeze my body? Only to wake up in future.

Well luckily none of those things happened. Oh and for the record, my tongue could not touch the top but it was pretty damn close.

So one of my hands is wrapped around the "freak out" buzzer - just in case I gets tough in there. The other one, my right, is propped up with towels so that they get a good readout. I've got my headphones on with some sound of nature crap being pumped in when the tech says, "Ok first test. 4 minutes."

Then you get 4 solid minutes filled with sounds similar to those that come from the Tipods in the recent movie version of War of the Worlds. My strategy was to try and count to 4 minutes. About 4 tests or so into the entire scan I got restless leg syndrome or at least a light touch of it. Keep in mind you arent supposed to move at all.

So after 40 minutes or so when I finally got out of there the tech tells me that it wasn't an exact 4 minutes.

Wow. Talk about ruining a game. Thanks for nothing. I need exact times or else I can't concentrate. What's the point of playing a game if you can't win? That's like being DC United in the Champions League.

Wait did I mention the call I got a day later?

So the next day I get a call from the good people at Alexandria Inova letting me know that they need me to come back because they didn't get everything they needed during my 40 minutes of fun. Remember how I said it was kind of a shoulder MRI but they also needed some of my chest? Well they needed more of my chest.

Terrific.

I said I'd see them again when I came back for my left shoulder.

Pretty cool.

more later

another yanwer out at rfk

So United has a game tonight- nice.

A home game - even better.

Against a Mexican team - ok you've got my interest because I hate all things Mexican Football related.

In the regional club tournament - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

So why the low interest?

Well it's simple. Over the last few seasons, DC United has given about as much respect to the CONCACAF Champions League as I've given to the WNBA. Ok probably a little more than that but you get the picture right?

United signed some guy yesterday, Tiyi Shipalane, and I'm sure he will start tonight. He's last year's verison of Boyzzz and Janicki. BTW Janicki needs to start out on the bench tonight after last week's hat-trick.

Prove me wrong tonight Tom. Try and match last year's group stage point total of 1 by the 2nd game and I'll be happy.


Arsenal: I'm looking forward to seeing if Diaby can put together back-to-back positive outings. I'm also wondering if Merida or Ramsey start in place of the oft-injure Cesc. I'd like for Eboue to get in the game because it will mean he's cup-tied and not going anywhere.

Here's to 4 in 4 for Billy Gallas.

Jessie Sapp to Scotland

Jessie Sapp is tweeting that he has just signed his first professional contract in Scotland. He's actually providing some very heart felt tweets on this subject.

Anybody can follow Jessie by clicking here.

His best two tweets are as follows:

**special shout out to my Georgetown family.. i have learned so much from that place and i will carry that name on my back forever..

**when i say family i mean students, fans, team mates, faculity, coaches, professors, alumni, even the bull dog, i love you all

EVEN THE BULLDOG! Incredible. I've talked to him a few times and I came away thinking he was a really genuine, nice dude.

Congrats!

I'm not sure what the Scottish League is like but I'm sure that Sapp can compete wherever he decides to play. I wish him the best and hope that he continues to work his way through the top European Leagues.

lebron, skins, & greek yogurt

**Rumors are swirling around the various Hoya message boards and blogs that LeBron might show up at Kenner League tonight. I doubt it but he was in town for a screening of his movie - More Than A Game.

**I didn't see exactly how it happened but the Redskins got shutout last night in Baltimore by the old Cleveland Browns. Today non Redskins fans seem awfully quick to decide that last night's loss is an indication that their season will be a disappointment.

I have a question: Would a lopsided win by the 'Skins have resulted in the same people thinking that it would translate into regular season success? My guess is probably not.

So the same jokers trying to say that the "Skins suck" are the same people who would have discounted a dominating performance by saying "it's only pre-season...who cares".

My advice? Wait until about 4 weeks into the regular season before worrying about anything.

**With last night's Banana Pudding still heavy on my mind, and in my stomach of course, I began to wonder how long it would take the good people at Chobani to incorporate Banana into their stellar Greek Yogurt line-up.

The most recent addition, Pomegranate, is great in taste but lacking with the amount of seeds. I don't want seeds in my fruit just as though I don't want pulp in my drink. No thanks.

This is how I'm ranking my Chobani Greek Yogurt:

1. Peach - A little slice of Yogurt Heaven.
2. Blueberry - Was #1 until they introduced Peach.
3. Strawberry - Hard to go wrong with Strawberries.
4. Pineapple - The package looks better than product.
5. Pomegranate - Take out the seeds Rick.
6. Vanilla - Low by itself, but much higher when I put in my own fruit.
7. Honey - I won't even try it. Just sounds gross.