As I was sitting here watching SpongeBob with Noah and Taylor and along with all of the snow we are getting today. I was thinking about a few more things I would like to share.....

Regardless of the outcome of Alabama-LSU the NCAA needs to rid itself of its demons, and institute a playoff system to determine the National  Champion just like they do in March with basketball. You could use the formula for used by the BCS committee to determine the field, maybe the top 8 teams or so and maybe make the playoff last about 3 weeks or so. They could use the bowl games like the Sugar Bowl to play the National Championship game, and neutral sites for the first two rounds of the playoffs. This is the only way that they truly can determine a National Champion. I do agree with their selection for the BCS Championship game, only because LSU and Alabama have been the best two teams in College football this season........

You could still use the bowl games for the rest of the field, and maybe this would help some of the smaller schools who would not get a nationally televised game a chance to be in the limelight and receive top dollar revenue for their programs along with getting better high school recruits. I know this is just my opinion, but the Northern Illinois of the world deserve a shot at some recognition but they will never receive any because the major conferences always receive all of the glory and revenues from those games......

I am not knocking teams like Notre Dame, who no matter how or what their record is during the season, always gets a bid because they are Notre Dame. Hell they did not beat any of the good schools they played this year outside of Michigan St, three of their losses came to schools like USC, Michigan and Stanford, and 8-4 gets them a top dollar bowl game to probably be shown on the Notre Dame Broadcasting Company (NBC). Do you think its fair that they should get a top dollar game, when they could not beat any of the big name teams they played during this football season? I believe that they should have to play football inside a conference, instead of being independent as they are in basketball and earn their way to the big money bowl game. Beeze, I am not picking on Notre Dame I am just using them as a reference point for a point that I am trying to get across to the reader of my blog.......

Sure this may lead the way for a few more .500 schools to gain entrance into bowl games that they would not normally get invitations too, but it did not bother the bowl selection committee to place teams like Ohio State in a bowl game this year even though they never were in contention for the Big Ten title. The playoff system may also benefit a team like Boise St who will be entering the Big East soon, because then they would not be deprived a shot at a national championship if they can win 3 playoff games........

These are just a few of my thoughts, feel free to express your opinion about what I spoke about.......

So, like most here I imagine, I've had a bit of a tough time focusing solely on sports. It being the holiday season, I've just gotten into the running about phase, which will be capped off by a trip down to Ohio to see my relatives down that way. Still, I've been enjoying seeing family and friends. 

I was also excited to find that here in Detroit we have a public tv channel called the Cool TV that shows honest to god music videos all the time. They had a nice selection of Christmas videos that made nice background during the various present sessions. I never realized that Mariah Carey had so many damn Christmas songs. Plus, Bieber showed up more than I or my dad needed him to. Still, I got my share of Christmas tunes, but never enough family time.

Still, I've caught few of the bowl games. Of course, I saw none of the NBA games. I probably wouldn't have anyways, but I'm still bummed by that league. I'll admit I can forgive the NFL easily, but it takes me longer for other sports. Besides, I find the new super teams terribly unfortunate for the league.

So far as sports go, 2011 was a crazy year. BOB had a point, I won't be sorry to see it go. Scandals upon scandals coupled with two strikes. We lost greats from Harmon Killabrew to Macho Man Randy Savage. We had few days without something to talk about here, but damned if most of it wasn't pretty negative. Let's hope next year goes off with more common sense and more sanity so far as sports is concerned. Being an election year, I know better than to ask for anything resembling sanity anywhere else.

Well, as if it matters, the NFL released the pro bowl teams. I like that they put the game back in Hawaii, but this playing before the Super Bowl thing still sucks. Granted I wasn't going to watch anyway, but you're eliminating a few possible players by having it before the Super Bowl. For that matter, most of the folks selected are probably going to opt out anyway. They should just scrap the damn thing and go back to the QB Challenge like I remember. Now that was something to watch.

Looking over the roster, Dwight Freeny catches my eye. This guy doesn't have much excuse to miss the game since it doesn't seem like his teams played much aside from the last few weeks. I don't see how anyone from that team should be near a pro bowl team the way they've played. 

Tebow was named an alternate, so he'll probably get the start since Brady will most likely decline, Big Ben is hurt, and Rivers will probably opt out too. Besides, Rivers strikes me as an odd choice, though he's been picking it up lately.

The Patriots and 49ers both have 8 players on the team. 

Finally, it looks like ESPN may have a bit of competition as NBC is going to start its own 24 hour sports network. I hope they can give us some sports without the same old crap we get from ESPN. Still, might be interesting to see if they include it on basic cable.

Hope everyone had a merry Christmas and got all they wanted. We got everything except snow here. Here's to a great 2012 here at the GAB. Hope everyone has a safe and happy New Years and are smart with the sauce. 

holiday eve, noun

The YGS Fantasy Football league has now ended and we'd like to congratulate B.O.B.'s Mustangs for winning the whole enchilada!  The regular season may be over but we still have got more football to play. I've sent out invites to about 50 of you who I believe would be interested in participating in the Playoff version at NFL.com. There are no divisions in this format so there is no limit to the amount of people that want to play.

If you didn't receive an invite let me know by putting a message below, I'll send you an invite from the league. Keep in mind that the invites are generated via NFL.com and I use the email you signed up to the Gab with so if your email has changed since then please send your new email to yougabsports@live.com to ensure you receive the invite.

Sully

Welcome to the tantrums, where we come to the end of 2011 – a year that I'm personally OK with letting go.  It was a year of extremes for me personally.  While I had extremely great things happen to me this year, there were also some lows.  I lost my mother-in-law (who is greatly missed) and my job, but I gained a Nurse, an opportunity to go back to school while 90% of it is paid for, a way for my son go continue his education with no money coming out of my pocket, a new kitchen, and a family who came even more together than I thought possible.  In a way, I am the luckiest man alive - and 2012 will be a GREAT year indeed.

Christmas was great as usual, what with Mrs. B.O.B. cooking up a ridiculous storm.  We had a Christmas Eve Brunch, Italian for Dinner, Christmas Day Brunch, and finally Turkey on the grill and Prime Rib for Christmas Dinner.  I was so stuffed that I couldn’t get to my executive Baker’s desserts – and for me that’s akin to being a commie!

But in sports, it’s been pretty crazy.  2011 was a SWEET sports year.  We didn’t have to see the same old, same old. 

January.  We started off 2011 with a great Rose Bowl game between TCU and Wisconsin.  Andy Dalton showed flashes of what was to come later on in the year.  Oh yeah, another Big Ten team losing a big game.  Hmmm...

The drama with Cam Newton ended and Auburn beat Oregon in from what I understand was an entertaining and close game.  To be fair, if U$C and Ohio State got whacked, it’s time for Auburn to be punished.

February.  The Super Bowl was as good as advertised, and the fact that the two REAL America’s Teams were playing in Jerry Jones’ palace was pretty special indeed.   Too bad Jerrah got greedy and about 400 people with legitimate tickets got screwed while the NFL got the black eye.  Here’s the best part, Green Bay with all of those injuries beating a strong Pittsburgh team had me thinking this could be a dynasty in the making.

As you may know, In the Gene Pool is my brother and I suspect he has a yearly affinity with driving across I-4 and hanging out at the Daytona speedway.  He loves NASCAR and I hope he becomes a more active member so we can expand our NECKCAR knowledge.

March.  Two of the sweetest words that Gabbers can hear: “Spring Training”. 

But Spring Training can’t hold a candle to “March Madness”.  My Tuesday Brother BB and I have had huge disagreements about why 11 freaking Big Least teams got into the dance. True, UCONN won it all, but how much more fun could we have with this if some of those weak ass struggling teams on the bottom of the Big East selections had been left off in favor of teams like Missouri State and Indiana State?

April.  How cool was it to watch Butler and VCU make their runs to the Final Four?  None of the “Big Boy” conferences could handle VCU, and it took Butler to punk ‘em out.

I’m the first to admit that I’m lame, but I really enjoy that final round of the Masters, and on that phenominal first Sunday in April, I have no problem kicking back and enjoying the play, especially around Amen Corner.

May.  Maybe I’m an old softy, but I seem to enjoy the Kentucky Derby and the chase for the Triple Crown.

What a start to the Baseball season – Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Kansas City were all giving their fans room for hope. 

An incredible Indy 500 that was lost on the final turn of the final lap.  How crazy was that?

June.  We had the great opportunity to watch the Dallas Mavericks completely destroy the LA Lakers, and that’s always cool.  But the best was yet to come when the Mavericks surprised the Miami Heat.  Cubes has a big mouth, but for the first time in known history, he shut his pie-hole and Dirk Diggler did some serious damage and shot the lights out.

The NHL ended with the Boston Bruins winning the Stanley Cup by beating Vancouver.  The Bruins basically just got physical and Vancouver laid down when punched in the mouth.

Rory McIlroy broke out and won the U. S. Open. 

July.  In the darkest days of the NFL negotiations, we at least had some Football to lean back on, the Canadian Football League.  Guys, it really isn’t bad.

The Tour de France was pretty good, and an Aussie winning was pretty cool.

The Northern Irish continued their Slam dominance when Darren Clarke won the British Open. 

On a local note, the Tahoe Celebrity Pro Am is always an amazing event, and if you ever get a chance to get out here, come out during the third weekend of July – you won’t regret it, I promise you.  Everybody’s favorite Honorary Gabber Charles Barkley throws down at a party he hosts at Harrah’s, but beware, if you come for the gambling, the machines are tighter than a crabs-ass and that’s underwater.

August.  We missed out on the NFL Hall of Fame Game, but at least the folks in Canton got to watch the induction ceremonies.  I’m still pissed about the way Deion Sanders treated his induction like it was some sort of buffoonery.  The thing that pissed me off most was the fact that Canton missed out on a game.  If I understand correctly, this is the biggest thing on their calendar.

The youth movement in Golf continued with Keegan Bradley winning the PGA Championship.

September.  Will anybody be able to get 9/29/11 out of their head anytime soon?  The Tampa Bay Rays coming back from seven runs down in the 8^th and 9^th innings, beat the Yankees and come all the way back from the scrapheap?  And what about Baltimore scoring two runs in the bottom of the Ninth to beat Boston and put the Rays in the playoffs?  Finally, St. Louis snagging a wild card in the last day of the season?

Matt Kemp had one helluva season and was only a few BA points away from winning the NL Triple Crown.

Justin Verlander did win the AL pitching triple-crown.  If ever there was a lock for a player to be a Hall of Famer, Verlander should be it. 

The NFL wised up and we’ve had the opportunity to enjoy a pretty darn good season of Football.  Look what Cam Newton did in his first two games, would we have had that if the negotiations not been taken care of?

Friday Night Lights started as well.

October.   How great was the MLB playoffs followed by the World Series?  The Red Sox sat it out, getting their “skip” fired for their own lackadaisical play, and the Tigers took out the Evil Empire!  How great is it that we had a month of uninterrupted discussion of Yanks and Sawx?  The St. Louis Cardinals left for dead, came all the way back and won it all in a pretty solid World Series that went the full Seven.  As with Green Bay, the Cardinals overcame so many injuries, but unlike Green Bay, St. Louis struggled with their offense for the longest time!  

We had League Championship Series that involved teams from middle America.  

The NHL started in October and  there seems to be some form of Gabber intrigue about whether or not Toronto is gonna get into the playoffs.  Uh, I'm thinking not!

The UFL ceased operations this month and that sucks because I think it could have been a great chance for the NFL to have a minor league system.  

November.  HS Football playoffs were pretty great, and I had a good seat for the small school Mustangs trying to stick it to the man.  They went out in the second round to a stacked and highly recruited private high school, but they fought their hardest and never gave up.  Those Raiders knew what was up.

How great was it that North Carolina and Sparty hooked up in a game onboard the USS CARL VINSON (CVN 70) on Veterans Day?  An absolute classic.

NASCAR isn’t my cup of tea, but I sure as hell didn’t want to see Fat Tony Stewart win the Chase.  Of course, Junior is still rolling win-less.

For the first time in as long as I can remember, neither Florida State, Florida, or Miami ended up in the Top 25.

December.  The final game of the CFB season was Army/Navy.  Navy won for the 10^th consecutive year, but what makes this game so special?  Watching Army/Navy takes you back to a time when the influences surrounding CFB weren’t quite as pronounced.  These folks stand for something other than the almighty buck, and you know what?  It’s refreshing. 

Here’s what I love about College Basketball – Wagner goest into Pittsburgh and beats the 15^th ranked Panthers at home? 

The Dream Team doesn’t even make it past Christmas Eve before they’re eliminated from post-season contention.  Sometimes it’s better not to listen to the talking heads.

I think Rex Ryan is one funny dude, but he’s really got to stop with the schtick and stay focused on coaching. 

How good has the year been for Green Bay?  In this calendar year, the Pack is 18-1.  Wonder if there was a group of sports fans who had a better Christmas than the Cheese Heads?

Rant of the Week – Floyd Mayweather, Jr..  OK jerk-off you got your plea-bargain for domestic abuse (after repeatedly being let off the hook for same - ALLEGEDLY!).  Here's the funny part, this will do nothing but make this guy look like a good guy.  Just wait, he'll be canonized.  Personally, I don't care how lethal a boxer Mayweather is or how bad is posse is, he's nothing more than a little punk that feels it's right to do physical damage to women!  Put this damn fool in the ring with R. Lee Ermey - I'll be the Gunny will kick his ass!

Cougar Report.  Jerry signed his letter of intent Thursday and we are getting a visit from the Assistant Head Coach today.  While that's going on, Mrs. B.O.B. and I will be preparing to help move him.  Don't have the ability to drive all the way out there, so we're flying him out next Monday.  

Gabbers, I just wanted to say:

HAVE A HAPPY AND SAFE 2012!!!

Though Im not one for putting eye candy on my column...this one is ok by me....

Greetings from the Hoodwood, where the locals have cleaned up the ornaments and wrapping but the joy of the season is still here...

NFL: Lions in, Cowboys out, Is Tebow fading?

I absolutely loved the Saturday slate of games this week, except for the fact that the local blackout of the Bengals affected Hoodwood and I didn’t get a Fox doubleheader.  The feel good story has to be coming out of Motown, where the Detroit Lions shook off a midseason swoon and talk of a Buffalo like collapse to rout the Chargers (as I predicted) and um, roar into the playoffs their first berth since 1999. With the exception of the Bills and the neophyte Texans, every NFL team has made the postseason at least twice in that span. Yeah, that even includes the Bengals and Cardinals. The Bills are now on the longest drought list with the Browns next up with a 10 season and counting drought. The Lions also have a chance to break the 2^nd longest playoff win drought as they last had a playoff win in 1991. Only the Bengals who’s last playoff win was against the then Houston Oilers  in 1990 are sitting on a longer playoff win drought. This coming weekend both networks get doubleheader and the intrigue into them is fascinating.  Most of the focus will be on the suddenly sputtering Cowboys who are looking at a Gotham showdown with the G-Men to win the NFC East. The Giants thrashed the Jets and shut their grinning jeering coach up. Meanwhile the Cowboys looking like a team with nothing to play for since the Giants won came out terribly flat and lost to Philly. With the status of Tony Romo in question, the Pokes are now looking at being locked out of a postseason spot that was theirs for the taking.

Then there is the curious case of the Broncos, who two weeks ago looked to be writing things after another incomparable dramatic win, this time over the Chicago Bears. The Broncos got thrashed by the Pats, which was no real big shock but then facing a Bills team that hadn’t won in almost 2 months; got took back of the woodshed. Tebow and company jumped to another early lead then wilted badly. Tebow threw 4 interceptions, two taken back to the house on pick sixes…on consecutive throws in the 4^th. The Broncos are still in the drivers seat, needing a home win over the Chiefs to secure a playoff spot for the first time since 2005. I still want Tebow to fall flat on his face once again, I have nothing against the Broncos personally but the Tebow hype must stop and him failing with the money on the line would quiet them in a hurry.

NFL: Bengals plead for their peeps.

I used to be a Bengals fan when I was younger, I had a Bengals starter jacket that I wore everywhere. I mean all the time. I grew disenchanted with the Bengals after they fired Sam Wyche and dumped my then favorite player, running back James Brooks. The Bengals have long been known for their penurious owner and their losing ways. They have had just 3 winning seasons in the past 21 years.  All have come under the watch of Marvin Lewis, who is the longest tenured, winningest coach in Bengals history. After a disastourous 2010 season which saw the Bengals at one point lose ten games in a row, suffer the indiganty of their frnachise quarterback openly demand a trade or else he would retire and face the humiliation of having a showcase Sunday night game late in the season flexed away from them the Bengals looked like a team that was falling back into its bad old ways and days. Many people openly questioned if the Bengals would win a single game as they were handing the reins to a rookie quarterback in Andy Dalton since Palmer stated that he would retire if he was not released or traded.  Instead the Bengals got off an winging with a rousing defeat of instate rival Cleveland, the opening win seemed to take a lot of pressure off the Bengals who after losing their next two then ripped off a 5 game win streak, including a defeat of the then unbeaten Buffalo Bills. A rocky stretch in which they lost a pair of tight games to the Steelers and Ravens and edged the Browns then got hammered by the Steelers and lost a heartbreaker to the Texans was then offset by wins over the Rams and Cards. At 9-6 the Bengals have only to win against the Ravens a team that they fought to the end of a tight loss in November. The Bengals will host the game and the NFL has flexed them to the higher profile 4:15 start for maximum national coverage, but the Bengals are still looking at a blackout as they are short of a sellout. The city has had the mentality of not going to the games to spite the owner, Mike Brown who they feel has hampered the team. Brown and his family recently bought the last 30 percent of the team from the Austin Knowlton estate which gives him total control of the team and many of the fans in the area feel going to the game is putting money directly into his pocket. In fact, the Bengals have sold out (and subsequently been on TV locally) just once the whole season against the Steelers who bring their noisy fans in droves and buy up tickets.  The Bengals players have taken to the airwaves, begging and pleading for Bengals fans to come to the game, and give them a home field advantage.  Only 41,273 turned out for the game last Saturday against the Cardinals. Game day was a bit chilly but sunny and 38 degrees, my alma mater has used Paul Brown Stadium twice for games and drew more than that in one game and nearly as much for the other.

NBA: Back…were you paying attention?

The NBA made its long overdue 2011 debut on Sunday. The Knicks rallied hard to beat the Celtics, the Heat thrashed the Mavs at home, the Bulls stole one late from the Lake Show and the Thunder and Clips won the night games. The Knicks winning was no real surprise as I think the Celtics are getting a bit long in the tooth. If ever there was a game changer for two different teams it is Tyson Chandler. With Chandlers presence the Knicks look like a formidable foe and the Celtics were worn down by it. The Mavs on the other hand missed his roaming presence down low and the Heat repeatedly abused them, if the Mavs are hoping to repeat they better hope Mr. Kardashian…errr Lamar Odom develops more toughness and Vince Carter (is he still in this league?) can do more than just jack up stupid shots.  My favorite for the West is the Thunder (I wish they had been named the Bandits) who’s dominant force is the irrepressible Kevin Durant. It was fun watching him repeatedly abuse Dwight Howard to the tune of 30 points. Get used to that, he will be abusing many a player this year. The Lakers? Ummm, they wont win much of anything if they continue to give away games like they did Sunday. Mike Brown (the Lakers coach not the Bengals owner) looked more lost than anything and we all know hes not the real coach of that team, just a caddy for Kobe. Im waiting to see Kobe tell Mike Brown to shut up in a huddle and give directions on what the Lakers need to do. With a chance to win the game Sunday, Kobe had his shot blocked (yes that was a clean block) but the onus falls on Pau Gasol who had a chance to ice the  game with free throws and failed. He also gave up a foul and three point play late to Derrick Rose who would hit the game winner . The Lakers are not going to be anymore than a token player in the west and might not even be the most exciting team in their own building.

PHAT DAP/HEAD SLAP

Phat Dap

To Bengals receiver Jerome Simpson who stuck the landing on the flip in the Bengals win over the Cards Saturday…I know the play has been shown ad infinitum but still…

He got a 9.7 from the Russian judge cause he put his hand down, but I loved the daring move to score what would be a crucial score for the Bengals win over the Cards.

Head Slap

To Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba who was handed a 66 game suspension by the Venezuelan League for striking an umpire on Friday.  Torrealba swung and missed at a third strike, got into the face of the ump then after a heated argument, slapped his face mask with an open hand. Being someone who has argued with an ump before I can understand that the dialogue can get heated but under no circumstances should anyone ever touch an ump, much less hit with an open hand. Torrealba’s suspension will not carry to the MLB level but the Rangers should levy some sort of punishment. A head slap to Torrealba who should have known better.

Well this is the last post of 2011 for me, my picks will post early on the first day of the new year. I hope 2012 brings good fortune, good health and good times to you and your loved ones. Until next post fellow sports fans!