For soccer to ever to become a viable spectator sport in this country basic changes have to be made.  Feel free to correct me because I know little about the sport.

Number one, how can you play games that end in a tie? Number two, where is the scoring and why can’t there be more? Number three, what’s with the yellow and red cards?

I could go on and on.  Presumably you get my point.  The only time soccer will command any real respect in this country is when it is played on a national stage such as the World Cup.

It’s great that so many kids play soccer but it’s still true- most of the elite athletes do not and will not play the sport.

If the sport is not “Americanized” I look forward to watching it again. In four years.
Dusty drilled again! For once, I didn’t do it.

Perhaps you’ve heard of the “Joe Sheehan” Sports Illustrated article that completely destroyed the “Duster”.

Sheehan described Baker “as a manager whose “tactical shortcomings are compensated for by his people skills.” Joe went to trash Baker for a number of short comings such as his love for veterans to his lack of respect for other nuances of the game.  Baker’s record since his departure from the Giants and Barry Bonds is 513/531.

I don’t have the space or time to reproduce the article here, but the bottom line is I agree with Sheehan’s assessment of Baker as a poor tactical manager.  
I don’t agree with some of the personnel choices he got blasted for.  Baker can only work with the players provided.

My gut feeling though is this team has won regardless of “Duster”. Before the season is over we will find if personnel moves by Jocketty can continue to overcome tactical blunders from the dugout.
Phil Steele writes possibly the most comprehensive college preseason football guide.

How good is he? His preseason conference picks have ranked #2 for the last 3 years and #1 for the last 5 to 10 years.

Why do we care?

Steele picked the Buckeyes, “Bama” Jr.  College and the “Boomer Sooners” to compete for the National Championship. Unfortunately he picked “Oklanoma” to beat the Buckeyes.

Ultimately, strength of schedule was the deciding factor. Alabama, Ohio State and Oklahoma ranked one through three. “Bama’s” schedule in the SEC (Jr. College Conference) was the roughest and most likely to keep them out of the big game according to Steele.

From Columbo to Coffeyville? Buckeye freshman Duron Carter, son of former OSU great Chris Carter flunked out of Ohio State and was promptly sent to Coffeyville Community College in Kansas.

His first assignment will be to read the “Wizard of Oz” and locate Dorothy and Toto.

His second assignment will be to get his grades up so he can compete in a similar academic climate…somewhere in the SEC.