Sorry, UCF, you won’t beat big, bad Cincy
Running off at the typewriter. …
Memo to the UCF Knights: Your status as an elite “Power 6” program is on the line Saturday when you host the No. 7-ranked Cincinnati Bearcats.
It’s them, not you who are being talked about as a contender for the College Football Playoff semifinals.
It’s them, not you who
Paul Finebaum, the ESPN GameDay crew and the rest of the national media is talking about.
It’s them, not you who has a recruiting class ranked higher than any other non-Power 5 program in the country.
It’s their coach, not yours who is being mentioned for big-time job opportunities.
What are you going do about this, UCF?
Are you going to continue to fade into the background?
Are you going to let Cincinnati establish itself as the dominant program in the American Athletic Conference?
Are you going to bow down to the new kings of the domain you once ruled?
Are you going to let the Bearcats roll over you on Saturday like they have rolled over everybody else on their schedule (average margin of victory 42-12)?
Hey, UCF, if you want to save this disappointing season, this is your last chance.
Beat Cincinnati and you send a message that you’re still one of the most dangerous, dynamic programs in the country.
Lose and you become just another middle-of-the-pack Group of 5 program.
The reputation you have worked so hard to establish during the past few years is officially on the line Saturday at the Bounce House.
Can you rise up and beat Cincinnati? I don’t think so.
I don’t think you’re tough enough.
I don’t think you’re consistent enough. I don’t think you’re good enough.
Mikey likes: Cincinnati over UCF by 10, Florida over Vanderbilt by 50, Clemson over FSU by 100, COVID over college football by 12 (canceled games), Steelers over Jaguars by 11, Dolphins over Broncos by 8, Bucs over Rams by 6, Biden over Trump by Christmas (maybe). ...
Short stuff: I’m not going to say Orlando City coach ”scar Pareja got robbed by not being elected MLS Coach of the Year, but my operatives tell me that those who didn’t vote for him cast their ballots while wearing stockings over their heads. Personally, I believe Pareja needs to sue for election fraud! … By the way, when I asked him on Thursday, Pareja, to his credit, didn’t begrudge Philadelphia Union coach Jim Curtin from winning Coach of the Year and said the longtime Philly coach had “a terrific season.” However, it was clear Pareja wanted to win the award. He said he wants to “finish first” in everything and will have his eyes on the coaching award “next year.” … How good is former UCF kicker Matt Prater, who drilled a 59-yard field goal at the buzzer to lead the Lions over the Washington Football Team last Sunday? I still find it amazing that Prater’s final kick at UCF was a game-losing missed extra point in overtime of UCF’s first bowl game (the 2005 Hawaii Bowl), and, yet, he has gone on to become one of the greatest, most-clutch kickers in the history of the NFL. …
Did you see where TV ratings for the Masters were down 51% from last year? Hmmm, I wonder how the “Get Woke, Go Broke” crowd who claim the NBA Finals ratings plunge came as result of the league’s political liberalism are going to explain away the Masters’ dismal ratings? Seriously, is there a more staid, stodgy sporting event than the Masters or a more conservative group of athletes than pro golfers? The fact of the matter is that sports ratings have plummeted across the board. The NBA Finals were down 49%, the Stanley Cup Finals were down 61%, the World Series drew an all-time low viewership and was down 31%.
Why? It had little to do with politics and everything to do with all of these sports being crammed together at once and being played simultaneously in the middle of football season. Don’t ever forget, the NFL television steamroller crushes everything in its path. …
Brandon Kravitz, afternoon radio host of “In the Zone” on FM 96.9 The Game, says he believes the New Orleans Saints offense will be more explosive now that Jameis Winston has taken over for the injured Drew Brees. Question for Kravitz: Did you mean explosive or implosive? … Breaking news: Kyle Trask just threw another touchdown pass. … With the massive struggles of the Florida State football team combined with the hoops team winning the ACC regular-season championship last season and having two players — Patrick Williams and Devin Vassell — picked in the NBA draft lottery Wednesday night, can we now safely say Florida State is a basketball school? Not so fast, says my FSU buddy
Notepad Rick, who points out, “We’re a woman’s softball school.” Can’t argue with him there. Coach Lonni Alameda’s Seminoles softball program is amazing. …
Now we find out there are allegations that wide receiver Antonio Brown destroyed a security camera and threw a bicycle at a security guard in the community in which he lives in South Florida. That tic-tic-ticking sound you hear is the time bomb of Brown’s imminent selfdestruction as a member of the Tampa Bay Bucs. … Longtime Gainesville Sun sports columnist and good friend Pat Dooley announced earlier this week that he is leaving the newspaper on Dec. 1. Flags immediately began flying at half-mast in hospitality rooms across the SEC. Nobody ever covered the Gators like Dooley did. … By the way, it was Dooley who long ago gave me my first job as a sports columnist. So you can blame him. …
Last word: With the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers getting ready for a game against the 1-8 Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin wanted to make it clear to the media that, “We are not a Big Ten team playing a MAC opponent this week.” He’s right about that. The Steelers are an SEC team playing a MAC opponent.
Peace, love and boiled peanuts.