Sports in Stilettos

Cute QB of the Day: Florida State's Christian Ponder

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 11:46:28 -0400

This post is not an indication that Cute QB is going to be a regular thing, but someone on GameDay just mentioned Christian Ponder which reminded me how much I love him.

Isn’t he adorbs?

And he’s not just a dumb jock with a strong arm and a cute butt, either. He’s actually a graduate student who got his undergrad degree in finance in 2.5 years while maintaining a 3.7 GPA.

Brains and brawn - winning combination! (Check out those biceps!)

But can he win on the field? He missed the end of last season after he got injured trying to make a tackle, and while I appreciate his effort, I’m looking forward to seeing more of him this year (preferably without a shirt on). He’s occasionally mentioned as a possible Heisman candidate; if Florida State improves and starts getting more national attention, he’ll be an even bigger factor in the conversation.

If I was a mom, this would be me. Also, this is why I’m...

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 11:20:25 -0400

If I was a mom, this would be me.

Also, this is why I’m not in any hurry to have any demanding young’uns running around. I like my “Me Time.” And “Me Time” is for watching football.

USC Fights On in Opener At Hawaii

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 01:21:31 -0400

USC Fights On in Opener At Hawaii:

Lane Kiffin might not have been happy about the Trojans’ first game under his leadership - I believe “embarrassed” and “disappointed” were his exact words - but I just happy they started out with a…

Cute QB of the Day: Arizona's Nick Foles

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 22:17:00 -0400

I don’t know if Arizona’s Nick Foles is actually cute, because he’s currently playing Toledo and insisting on wearing his helmet at all times, even on the sidelines, and most of the photos I found via Google Images didn’t show his face and/or weren’t flattering. So homeboy could actually be butt ugly in real life and therefore unfit to be Cute QB of the Day, especially if I decide to turn that into a regular feature. (I just sort of came up with it 7 seconds ago, so it might end up being a one time thing. In which case I’ll be a bit annoyed if Foles is actually ugly and I wasted my one day of Cute QB on him. But I digress.)

I have hope he’ll be at least decently not-ugly because half the photos that came up when I Googled “Nick Foles” showed this dude:

This dude, for those of you who don’t watch Remember the Titans aka Arguably The Greatest Sports Film of All Time every time it’s on tv (which is frequently, trust me, I know), is Sunshine, the QB of the Titans. According to an Arizona fan site, “Nick Foles is Sunshine.” Ok then.

Why am I rambling on about a cute Pac-10 QB not named Matt Barkley? Because the Arizona-Toledo game is currently on and one of the announcers just happened to mention that Nick Foles went to NYC and Bristol with a few other Pac-10 QBs before the season, and he apparently loved all of it except “having to wear makeup.” So adorbs.

And because I do love a manly non-makeup-wearing man, I was looking for a photo of him, preferably wearing plaid and carrying an ax and a dead animal he killed with his bare hands, so I could post it with a caption about liking boys who don’t like to wear makeup.

Instead, you get Sunshine, who always looks vaguely familiar but according to imdb is not someone I would know, and who probably did wear makeup to make him that pretty.

See? The dudes behind him are amazed by the pretty. Maybe he’s born with it. But maybe it’s Maybelline.

Ohhhh hi…..

After some additional searching, I found the below shot of a helmets-off Nick Foles. Not bad. Sort of rugged, no?

Offense Shines, Defense Struggles in USC Opener at Hawaii

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:48:06 -0400

Offense Shines, Defense Struggles in USC Opener at Hawaii:

My isportsweb recap of last night’s USC-Hawaii game is up! Click above!!

I’m gearing up for a pretty good slate of games tomorrow (that LSU-UNC game should be pretty interesting, huh?) - scroll down just a bit for my take on those matchups!

2010 College Football Kicks Off Toniiiiiiiight

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:46:07 -0400

There are a lot of cupcakes in the first week or two of the college football season. But they don’t all look as good as this one:

I’m talking about Florida playing Miami….of Ohio. Anyone else excited? A lot of schools use the first weeks of the season to continue to torture fans by withholding the games we’ve been waiting all year to see while racking up easy wins and/or earning big consolation dollars, depending on which side of the field they’re on.

Not everyone takes the easy route, though. Here are the top games to look forward to this Labor Day weekend.

THURSDAY - THIS IS TONIGHT!!! Who else is BEYOND ready???

#15 USC at Hawaii, 11 p.m. (all times EST)

I’ve been waiting for this game since the Trojans left the field after the Emerald Bowl. In the past, this game might’ve been a “gimme” (USC won their last meeting, 63-17) but this is not the USC of the past. Hawaii should improve on last year’s 6-7 record now that quarterback Bryant Moniz is more experienced; he’ll have a stellar target in WR Greg Salas. The Trojans are the wild card here. No one, coach Lane Kiffin included, will really know how they’ll look until they take the field. I’m certainly not going to miss it.

#14 Pitt at Utah, 8:30 p.m.

Both teams are talented, successful, and often overlooked. They both finished the 2009 season with bowl wins and expect no less this season, Utah’s final year without an automatic BCS bid (the Utes will join the Pac-10 in 2011). Pitt has a potential Heisman candidate in running back Dion Lewis but will have to break in a new quarterback in Salt Lake City.

SATURDAY

The themes for Saturday’s games are beginnings - and possibly endings, depending on how things turn out.

Kentucky at Louisville, 3:30 p.m.

An in-state rivalry game isn’t usually on the schedule for week one, but hey, it’s one way to reward fans - and players - for making it through a long offseason. This one will showcase new head coaches Joker Phillips (Wildcats) and Charlie Strong (Cardinals). Louisville’s had a few shaky years thanks to short-lived coaching stints, but if Strong’s team comes out, well, strong, it might be just the starting point for a successful head coaching career.

Purdue at Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m.

Brian Kelly is also making his coaching debut when Notre Dame faces the Boilermakers. The Irish have a new coach, a new quarterback in Dayne Crist, a new, speedy offensive strategy and, they hope, a new era of winning. Purdue finished 6-7 last season but can never really be counted out. It’ll be a good test for the new-look Irish.

Connecticut at Michigan, 3:30 p.m.

While several new coaches are debuting on Saturday, a few could be on their way out. Michigan learned its lesson about scheduling cupcakes back in ‘07, so instead of Appalachian State, they get UConn. Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez faced the Huskies when he was coaching their Big East rival West Virginia; if he doesn’t have the keys to winning this game, he might not have a job much longer. UConn finished strong last season, sticking together even after one of the players was murdered early in the fall. Without that emotional turmoil, the Huskies should be stronger, more focused, and harder to beat. It’ll be a good gauge of where the Wolverines are - and how much further they have to go.

Washington at BYU, 7 p.m.

This season may or may not be the end of the RichRod experiment at Michigan, but it’s definitely the end of an era for Washington and for BYU. Beginning next season, the Cougars will compete in football as an independent after being snubbed by the Pac-10. The Huskies, in the lower half of the stacked Pac-10, will start senior quarterback Jake Locker, the probable #1 pick in the 2011 draft. Locker is ridiculously talented and with a more experienced supporting cast and a smart offensive director in second-year coach Steve Sarkisian, this might be his year. Time is running out on his goal of leading the Huskies to a bowl win; a win over BYU would get the team started in the right direction.

#14 Oregon State vs. #6 TCU, 7:45 p.m.

TCU is just one of many talented football teams in Texas, and as such, they’re often overlooked. Starting the season ranked 6^th shows that people are finally starting to take the Horned Frogs seriously (when you think of the mascot, it’s tough, I know). Oregon State should follow suit. TCU quarterback Andy Dalton is one of the winningest QBs in school history, and among other active passers around the nation. Oregon State’s no slouch either. They’ll have a new quarterback, but the rushing game, led by the Rodgers brothers James and Jacquizz, can carry the Beavers far.

#21 LSU vs. #18 UNC, 8 p.m.

Would North Carolina be ranked 18^th heading into the season if voters had known up to sixteen players might miss game one, and maybe more? Star defensive tackle Marvin Austin is definitely out, and he might not be the only hole in what was projected to be one of this year’s toughest defenses. Depending on how many players are out, it might not be an accurate measure of how good either LSU or UNC actually are. If the Tarheels win without a number of their best players, they shouldn’t have much to worry about this season (other than their offense. And that pesky NCAA investigation.). If LSU loses, don’t be surprised if things turn ugly in Death Valley this season. It’s been a few years since the Bayou Tigers hoisted the crystal football, and the native are getting restless.

MONDAY

Thanks to the Labor Day holiday, we get an extra day off work and an extra day of football. What more could I ask for? (Ok, a USC win. And no hurricanes on my vacation. But I don’t want to be greedy).

Maryland vs. Navy, 4 p.m.

Maybe it’s because I grew up in Maryland, but after USC plays on Thursday, the game I’m most looking forward to is Maryland and Navy. The Terps are coming off a positively disastrous 2-10 season, and they’ve already been plagued by injuries this year without even playing a down. Grrrrreat game, you say? I think they’ll pull off a better year than most people are projecting, but I don’t think their comeback will start on Monday. The Midshipmen have a good young coach and an even better quarterback in senior Ricky Dobbs. I’ve been incredibly impressed with everything I’ve seen or heard of him, on and off the field. He’s a leader and a game-changer and was a big part of Navy’s success last year. His goal this year is to reach a BCS bowl, and I’d love to see him get there, but that won’t happen if the Middies can’t first get past the Terps.

#3 Boise State vs. #10 Virginia Tech, 8 p.m.

Finally. The game everyone’s been talking about for months. Here’s the deal, if Boise State beats Virginia Tech Monday night, they’ll be one step closer to the national title game, and one millimeter closer to being taken seriously. It’s not enough that they’ve had mind-boggling success over the last few seasons; their cushy WAC schedule just works against them. If they win, this will be the win that sticks in voters’ minds. Ditto if they lose. A loss to Virginia Tech which is essentially playing a home game, will just prove to the naysayers that Boise State still can’t hold up against the big boys. So much for cupcakes.

Suggestions for Matt Leinart

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:31:00 -0400

After I wondered earlier What’s Next for Matt Leinart (go find out. now. I’ll wait) I started brainstorming. Clearly, he peaked in college. So what could our pretty boy quarterback do next?

Dancing With The Stars! After all, he did spend the first semester of his senior year loaded down with one very, very strenuous ballroom dance class. He might finally win something again! Alas, a quick study of NFL players who’ve waltzed around the DWTS set reveals that they’re all actually good. At football. In the NFL. *sigh* Oh well. Wouldn’t it have been a fun season though, Matt Leinart partying with The Situation and then exchanging parenting tips with Bristol Palin? Such a missed opportunity.

That basically leaves The Bachelor. He can just follow the Jesse Palmer route: short stint in the NFL, a tv deal that lets you date 25 women at once while someone else foots the bill, and then a cushy gig analyzing college football, because really, it’s what you know best, and it will allow your pretty face and adorable dimples to remain in the public eye for those who appreciate that sort of thing. Done and done.

What's Next for Matt Leinart?

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:28:16 -0400

Everything I’ve heard, read, and observed suggests that Matt Leinart won’t be in Arizona much longer.

And honestly? I think it might be a good thing. I adored the dude when he was at USC - he was the QB there when I was just starting to cross over from casual observer to obsessed football fan, so I’d love to see him make a switch, get a fresh start under a different coach, and start to be successful in the NFL.

Mark Schlereth said on Sportscenter today that he never really saw Leinart as an NFL starting quarterback, and maybe he’s right. He’d certain have a more informed perspective on it than I.

But I think Leinart’s issues in Arizona were more mental than anything else.

For all the talk after the ‘06 draft about how Arizona was actually a good fit for him and his personality, he was clearly not happy with falling in the draft, not happy with himself for deciding to stay at ‘SC when everyone had him headed to the NFL as a top pick, forfeiting millions of dollars for an undefeated season that culminated in a loss at the hands of Vince Young. I’m still bitter about it; I can only imagine how it must’ve impacted him.

Since he’s been at Arizona, he hasn’t had a coach he really trusts, or who’s really been supportive and motivational. I know, I know, it’s the NFL, it’s business, he needs to grow up. And he does need to grow up and mature if he’s going to have a future in the NFL, but I know firsthand how hard it is to stay optimistic and motivated when you’re in a frustrating situation and your self-confidence has taken hit after hit.

I don’t know if Matt Leinart, even with a little self-confidence and hard work and support, can be successful in the NFL. I don’t think anyone else does either, least of all him, and that’s a problem. He needs to know it and believe it and accept that it might not be as easy as he wants it to be, as it was when he was the Hollywood golden boy at USC. And if he didn’t learn that after backing up Kurt Warner for a few seasons, I’m not sure he ever will.

Maybe parting ways with the Cardinals will be a good career move for him. Maybe he’ll land on his feet somewhere else, with a different organization.

Maybe he’ll just need to find something else.

Anyone know if the boy can act? Hollywood tends to coddle its stars a little more than the NFL, and he clearly has the looks for it. Which is probably why I liked him in the first place.

This is a screenshot of Miami’s new Nike Pro Combat...

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:04:19 -0400

This is a screenshot of Miami’s new Nike Pro Combat Uniforms.

Some of the new Nike stuff is cool, some is strange and unnecessary. If you go to the website, you can see all the new details and technological innovations.

And if you click to see the back view of the Miami uniform, you’ll see the new waistband with The “U” on it. Know why they put it there? According to the website copy, “to be seen from behind as a Hurricane blows past his opponent.” Yikes.

USC Starts the Season in Hawaii TOMORROW!!

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:57:28 -0400

USC Starts the Season in Hawaii TOMORROW!!:

I’m way excited. I can’t even imagine how glad the actual team must be to finally get this season underway.

My USC-Hawaii preview is live NOW on isportsweb.com!

Game time tomorrow night, 11pm EST on ESPN! Who else is staying up to watch?

Locker has unfinished business - College Football - Rivals.com

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:08:53 -0400

Locker has unfinished business - College Football - Rivals.com:

From a piece by Yahoo! Sports’ Les Alexander:

There is a lot that comes with staying for a senior year. After throwing for 2,800 yards and scoring a combined 28 touchdowns passing and throwing last season his name has emerged as a Heisman Trophy candidate. He is now the No. 1 quarterback prospect in next spring’s NFL draft. This time many more people are declaring him the top pick. But there is also a price. A potential NFL lockout looms. No one knows exactly what the pay system will be when the labor dispute is resolved.

Veterans and league executives alike were outraged that this year’s top pick, quarterback Sam Bradford from Oklahoma could get six years and $78 million as the No. 1 selection last spring. More likely the new system will have a more modest rookie pay scale. So if Locker truly could have been the top selection this past spring he may have cost himself tens of millions of dollars.

But sometimes it’s not the money. Something Scott Locker learned when his son, then 17, was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels to skip college and play center field. He sat Jake down and said that the contract would be about $2 million and that he had been hanging drywall for 20 years and couldn’t make the kind of money Jake would make with one swoop of his pen. His son, if he was smart, could be set for life.

Scott recalls him looking up and saying: “Dad, if I ever asked for something you’ve always been able to get it, so maybe the money thing isn’t important.”

I’ve always liked Jake Locker, even back when he was still just a young QB leading a horrendously awful team that couldn’t manage to win games, much less put together a winning season. This piece makes me like him even more (even if it is just a little bit too sappy).

More Sports In Stilettos!

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 06:19:14 -0400

More Sports In Stilettos!:

College football season is so close it’s practically here (2 days, people!!) and this season, you’ll be able to get even more sports from your favorite spike-heeled blogger.

A few months ago, I…

Exciting News!

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:58:17 -0400

I just joined isportsweb.com as their USC Football Correspondent!

Beginning this season (which starts in two days!), I’ll be posting weekly game previews and recaps, giving updates on recruiting, and of course throwing in my two (or three, or four) cents on anything and everything related to Trojans football.

I’m incredibly excited for this opportunity to be part of the great new sports blogging community at isportsweb.com, so stop over & check it out!

I’ll still be blogging about the rest of the college football scene here and at my original site on Fannation.

Preseason Uncertainty: USC Trojans 2010 Season Outlook | isportsweb

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:35:09 -0400

Preseason Uncertainty: USC Trojans 2010 Season Outlook | isportsweb:

“Any 2010 preview of the USC football season is going to look a heck of a lot different than any other preview in recent Trojans history. For USC fans, the fear is that this season will also look a whole lot different from those in the recent past – and not in a good way. Then again, when your last decade included national titles, Pac-10 Titles, and back-to-back-to-back Rose Bowl wins, there’s not really anywhere to go but down.

After a disappointing 9-4 season in 2009, head coach Pete Carroll bolted, AD Mike Garrett was booted, and the NCAA hammered the Trojans thanks to former star Reggie Bush. When a team goes from being one of the game’s Ultimate Haves to a Has-Quite-a-Bit-Less in just a few months, it’s hard to tell what the season’s going to look like, other than different.” Read more…

"If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck and then gets kicked off the team, then it must be a..."

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:10:14 -0400

“If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck and then gets kicked off the team, then it must be a Rebel.”

- Classic.

Jab at former Oregon Duck Jeremiah Masoli courtesy of Mike Kline for Bleacher Report.

Jeremiah Masoli Now Plays For Ole Miss | College Football For Dummies: Everything You Need to Know About 2010 | Bleacher Report

SO Ready for Some Football!

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:26:00 -0400

Tonight.

8 p.m.

Ravens vs. Panthers

So excited.

Can’t wait for this season to start.

(Just don’t tell my college roommates that the “prior engagement” preventing me from meeting them out tonight is a football game. Especially don’t mention the whole “preseason” bit. They wouldn’t understand.)

*All photos from various sites. Yes. I Googled. Click through for sources

Jacory Harris Fights His Inner Grossman, And 99 Other Thoughts About The 2010 College Football Season - SBNation.com

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:35:56 -0400

Jacory Harris Fights His Inner Grossman, And 99 Other Thoughts About The 2010 College Football Season - SBNation.com:

Click the above link. Read the hilarious (and even somewhat true, if a little exaggerated) list.

BUT.

Do not click the above link while at work with your mouth full of water, because if you laugh out loud, which is entirely probable, the end result will be bad. Also, everyone in your office will know you definitely were doing something more fun than working. Keep it on the DL yo.

Brian Cushing: Overtraining caused positive test - ESPN

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:56:44 -0400

Brian Cushing: Overtraining caused positive test - ESPN:

Oh. Ok then.

Far be it from me to question legitimate medical experts, but now I really think I’ve heard it all.

I think this picture is exceptionally awkward. Also, I think...

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:53:00 -0400

I think this picture is exceptionally awkward. Also, I think Jeff Van Gundy is wrong (see below) and I would love for his ridiculous statements to be proven wrong this season.

“They will break the (Michael Jordan Bulls’) single-season win record (of 72),” Van Gundy told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “And I think they have a legit shot at the Lakers’ 33-game (1971-72 winning streak) as well. And And only the Lakers have even a remote shot at beating them in a playoff series. They will never lose two games in a row this year.” (ESPN’s Jeff Van Gundy via How many? Jeff Van Gundy will be shocked if Heat lose a game - Game On!: Covering the Latest Sports News)

An interactive visualization of Brett Favre’s annual...

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 16:22:09 -0400

An interactive visualization of Brett Favre’s annual off-season waffling. - By Josh Levin - Slate Magazine

Click through to get the full effect of this brilliant interactive creation. I mean, really. It’s pretty sweet, as is the accompanying story that refers to Favre as “elderly.”