James Franklin: The Coach You Love to Hate...

For years Steve Spurrier was the "Coach You Love to Hate" in the Southeastern Conference. His teams would beat you, and he would rub your nose in it. He would gloat about his prowess. He was cocky and arrogant. But he was also very good at his profession. Love him or hate him, you had to give him that. Now we have Vanderbilt's James Franklin auditioning for Spurrier's roll He's getting the "Love to Hate" part down very well, but it's the other part he's sorely lacking in. To be more specific, he hasn't beaten anyone. He's arrogant and cocky, but he hasn't beaten anyone. He's a jerk, but he hasn't beaten anyone . He is fast becoming the new "Coach You Love to Hate" in the SEC, and he hasn't even beaten anyone. But then again it's Vandy, so go figure.

NCAA Football: Why Not an Early Signing Period?

Now that we have just passed the 2012 National Signing Day for high school senior football players, there are a few points of interest that continue to linger. The points include over-signing, gray-shirting, commitment flipping, etc. It seems to me that some of the problems I've alluded to could be solved by having an early signing period, of sorts. By that I mean perhaps six months before National Signing Day in February, allow high school kids to go ahead and sign their letter of intent with a school that has officially offered them a scholarship. This means a kid could sign at any time between August and February. The way the system is now, the kid can commit as soon as he receives an offer, but he cannot sign until February. He is still "fair game" for any other school to come after him and 'flip' his commitment. If he could sign early, his recruiting process would officially be over. He could not take any more official visits and schools could not tamper with him without incurring a violation penalty. This early signing would have ramifications; some good and some bad. I think schools would be more selective with their offers early on, and I don't think kids would verbally commit until they were absolutely sure of their college choice. It would eliminate an occurrence like Justin Taylor's experience with Alabama. I think it could curb some schools propensity with signing too many kids because they would know how many kids they have actually signed earlier in the process. The players who sign early would be assured they have a scholarship, and the offering school would not have to be concerned with the player flipping to another school on, or just before, National Signing Day. The obligation would fall on both parties, the college as well as the recruit. I realize there would be technicalities to work out in a new system like this, but it seems this could be a good measure to consider in a situation that needs revamping.

Joe Paterno: Why Did You Coach So Long?

I remember thinking that when Coach Joe Paterno was gunned down on the sidelines several years ago that maybe he was hanging around too long. An incident like that can happen to any coach, just ask Sean Payton. But nevertheless, Paterno was 79 years old at the time. Then last August when he was run-over at a Nittany Lions' practice and was relegated to coaching from the press box, I again had the thought that he was hanging around too long. To be honest, I actually thought he had already hung around too long. I had the same thoughts concerning Bobby Bowden as well. Their situations were reminding me of Baptist ministers who stay at one church well past their welcome. The only people who can make a change at that overdrawn point are the guys themselves. In Paterno's case, it would take a travesty to have him removed as the head football coach at Penn State University. That travesty did occur by the name of Jerry Sandusky. Now Joe Paterno has passed away, and I so much wish he had stepped down as head coach on his own terms. Not the terms that the Penn State administration dictated to him. His name would still have been brought up in the allegations that now sadly hangs over Penn State, but he would not have been terminated because of them. Joe Paterno was a good man, a good coach, and a good ambassador for Penn State and all of college football. It doesn't seem right that it should have ended this way for him, and it doesn't seem right that he should have died from a broken heart. Godspeed, Joe Paterno.

Alabama: You Did Justin Taylor Wrong.

North Atlanta High School's Justin Taylor verbally committed to play football for the University of Alabama back in February. However, Taylor was informed this past weekend by 'Bama coach Nick Saban that he could not sign with the Crimson Tide until 2013. Taylor was the 7th Alabama commitment at the time, and now they are saying that they do not have room for him. But what Alabama is actually saying to Taylor is that they now have better players than him committed and have now run out of scholarships. When a high school player gives a verbal commitment to a school that has offered him an athletic scholarship, he is saying he will come to that school to play. It is a consent of both parties. No, it is not binding; just more of a verbal agreement. Since Taylor committed so early in the process, Alabama should honor its offer to him. However, the 2012 offer has been rescinded by the Tide, and that's just not right. Shame on you Alabama.

Georgia Loses Outback Bowl in 3OT

From Georgia's horrific loss to Michigan State in the Outback Bowl comes the best blog line of the bowl season: "We just ran all the way around a win to get to a loss.". Thanks, Bernie (even though it hurts to admit that's exactly what we did).

Ga. Tech Blows Sun Bowl Lead

Georgia Tech lost the Sun Bowl to Utah in overtime. The best thing to come out of this, other than the gratification that Tech lost, was the best newspaper line of the bowl season: The "Come-From-Ahead" loss. Classic!

Merry Christmas!

If we had needed finances, he would have sent us an accountant.

If we had needed clothing, he would have sent us a Tailor.

If we had needed food, he would have sent us a chef.

But all we needed was salvation, so he sent us a savior.

Merry Christmas from An Opinion On Sports!

LSU -vs- Alabama: No Mas!

It was said that after their final epic battle, Muhammad Ali said to Joe Frazier: "Ain't gonna be no rematch", to which Frazier replied:"Don't want one". Well, I'm sure Alabama doesn't feel that way, but I suspect LSU would rather not play the Tide again. I, being one among many, am not so fired up about this SEC rematch myself. As for as I'm concerned, Alabama had their chance face to face with the Tigers. At home. And lost. I understand the game could have gone either way, but it didn't. Anyway, how many hugely important college football games could have 'gone either way' this year? Several, so that's a dead end take on the situation. What a game it would have been to match the explosiveness of Oklahoma State against tough 'Miles-Minded' LSU. We've already witnessed the defensive show down of the two SEC powers. But now we have to go through it again, primarily because 'Bama cried louder than did OSU. Here's hoping Alabama cries a whole lot after January 9th. Beware the 'Mad Hatter'. Again.

LSU 42 - Georgia 10

Everyone knew Georgia would have to play a flawless game in order to defeat the number one team in the country. Although they came out of the gates looking as though they were ready to pull such a performance off, it was not to be. An old nemesis from last year came back to haunt them , the dreaded drop pass syndrome. A familiar nemesis also continued to rear its ugly head, inept special teams play. Although the Bulldogs held LSU to zero first downs in the first half (unheard of!), the final two offensive possessions of the half by Georgia showed that the tide was indeed beginning to turn in favor of the purple and gold. The better team won the SEC championship, no argument whatsoever about that. Is Georgia really that far behind the Tigers in terms of being a 'great' team? Defensively, the Bulldogs are almost there. Offensively, they must develop a stable of tough, talented tailbacks. The running game is almost nonexistent for Georgia. Quarterback Aaron Murray is very good now. He will be great with a running game to assist him. Mark Richt must find a way for his Dawgs to play good, consistent football on special teams. This area is a glaring weakness at this point. Georgia might be getting very close to getting back to the level of the elite teams in the conference. They aren't there yet, and there is still much work to be done. It will be imperitive for Richt and his staff to recruit well again this off-season. A tremendous amount of solid groundwork has been laid since the 2010 season. The Bulldogs have come a long way, but they aren't where they need and want to be yet. Say tuned, bigger and better things are on the horizon.

Takeo Spikes: Home For The Holidays...Again

Takeo Spikes has played for 5 different teams during his 14 year NFL career. However, Spikes has never been to the playoffs with a single one of those teams. Zero. Nada. Nilch. Nothing. He leads all active players with 198 regular season games without a playoff appearance. Not quite the distinction Spikes was expecting when he left Auburn University early to declare himself eligible for the pro draft (the Washington County, Georgia native elected to sign with the Tigers out of high school even though his home was only 80 miles from the University of Georgia campus. Spikes has never been accused of being smart). Nevertheless, the thick-necked Spikes will play out the remainder of San Diego's regular season with nothing but the television to connect him with yet another playoff season. Some things just never change.

Georgia: Can They Win The SEC?

Georgia is somewhere in the neighborhood of a 13 1/2 to 14 1/2 point underdog to LSU in the SEC Championship game Saturday afternoon. This line really doesn't appear to be that far off, after all the Tigers are the undefeated and top-ranked team in the country. But does Georgia have a legitimate shot at knocking off the mighty and powerful team from Baton Rouge? I think they do, but several aspects of the game have to be positive for the Dawgs. As in so many football games, it all starts up front. Georgia's offensive line, led by senior center Ben Jones, must be able to allow their offense to establish some semblance of a running game. They also must give quarterback Aaron Murray time in the pocket to locate and hit open receivers. I realize this seems redundant because it's always true in any football game, but especially so when you're facing the number 2 ranked defense in the nation. It is also crucial because Murray needs to have the game of his life Saturday, as does offensive coordinator Mike Bobo. Defensively, Georgia has a tendency to come out of the gate a little slow in games. If the Dogs can withstand LSU's opening drive, that will be a great sign because Todd Grantham's group usually plays strong after their opponents first possession. From a special teams perspective, Georgia cannot afford to let the Tigers have big returns. That means that it is imperative that the Bulldogs do a great job of covering punts and kickoffs. They have to play with the discipline and intensity they showed against Auburn. I understand LSU is not Auburn, but Georgia must have that same fire as a team, from the opening kickoff through the fourth quarter. I think Georgia has the attention of LSU, and I think this game could be just as tough for the Tigers as their earlier encounter with Alabama. Georgia just has to do a lot of things right for that to happen. Win or lose, we will probably know all we need to know about this 2011 edition of Mark Richt's Bulldogs after Saturday night. I personally like this team, and I think they have much more than a fighting chance against LSU. After all, that's why they play the game.

It's Georgia -vs- Georgia Tech

It's been labeled "Clean Old-Fashioned Hate". It's been called the 'Backyard Brawl'. It's otherwise known as Georgia -vs- Georgia Tech (and no it is not Tech -vs- Georgia; you gotta keep the order correct). After all, Georgia plays football in the toughest conference on the planet. Tech plays football in a basketball conference. Georgia has a real live mascot. Tech has a 'hive' for a mascot. Georgia's home is a beautiful sprawling campus. Tech's home is a crime invested concrete jungle. The Bulldogs play "Between the Hedges". The Yellow Jackets play between the interstates. The loyal followers of Georgia make up the massive 'Bulldog Nation'. The followers of Georgia Tech don't really have such a distinction. They are more like a "Jacket Neighborhood", I suppose. The only similarity between Georgia and Georgia Tech is a genuine hatred for each other. A disdain for losing to the other permeates both programs. As an avid Bulldog, I hate losing to our long-standing rivals in the Southeastern Conference. But I REALLY hate losing to Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. Thank goodness Georgia doesn't lose to Tech very often, and I won't go to bed Friday night thinking that's going to change this year. Wreck Tech!