For a group of Republican lawmakers, the answer was to attend radical nutcase Michelle Bachman’s Tea Party rather than try to mold Patriot Act reauthorization to their liking:
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/11/patriot_games_gop_reps_pick_tea_party_rally_over_n.php
Of course red-meat serving rallies make better theater than boring committee votes.
Signs seem to be pointing towards the Steelers holding safety Ryan Clark out of this coming Monday Night’s game at Denver:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/10277078/Rare-blood-condition-likely-to-keep-Steelers-S-out
I fervently hope he doesn’t play. This one game isn’t worth his health and his wife. It wouldn’t be worth if it were the AFC Championship Game and certainly isn’t worth a November regular season game. Tomlin should simply deactivate him for this game plain and simple end of discussion. Shut him down and tell him see you next week.
All local affiliates will show a Fox game in the 1pm window. Pittsburgh and Youngstown will carry Arizona @ Chicago with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman while Wheeling will show Washington @ Atlanta with Kenny Albert, Moose, and Goose. At 1pm all local CBS affiliates will show Baltimore @ Cincinnati with Dick Enberg and Dan Fouts. At 4:15pm all local CBS affiliates, along with the vast majority of the country, will show San Diego @ NY Giants Jim Nantz and Phil Simms. Of course the NFL Red Zone Channel will do its usual continuous whip around the league commercial free all afternoon. The Sunday Night game on NBC is Dallas @ Philadelphia with Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth and the Monday Night game on ESPN is Pittsburgh @ Denver with Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden. As usual this info courtesy of the506.com and subject to change. Enjoy the games!
The ESPN/ESPN2 schedule is slightly thinner due to Breeder’s Cup coverage. As a result Pam Ward & Ray Bentley will be on one of the regional ABC 3:30 games and the Big Ten Network has four different games at noon, something that usually only happens during non-conference play in September. Anyhow, this info courtesy as usual of awful announcing:
Thursday, November 5th
Virginia Tech @ East Carolina (ESPN, 7:30pm)- Rece Davis, Mark May, Lou Holtz, Tod Harris
Eastern Michigan @ Northern Illinois (ESPNU, 7:30pm)- Charlie Neal, Jay Walker
Friday, November 6th
Boise State @ Louisiana Tech (ESPN2, 8pm)- Dave Lamont, Rod Gilmore
Saturday, November 7th
Northwestern @ Iowa (ESPN, Noon)- Dave Pasch, Bob Griese, Chris Spielman
Central Florida @ Texas (FSN, Noon)- Bill Land, Gary Reasons, Emily Jones (Will Air on FS Arizona, Detroit+, Florida, Midwest, North, Ohio, South, Southwest, West; FSN Northwest, Rocky Mountain; CSN Bay Area, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington; MSG+; FCS Central)
Syracuse @ Pittsburgh (ESPNU, Noon)- Clay Matvick, David Diaz-Infante
Wisconsin @ Indiana (BTN, Noon)- Craig Coshun, Glen Mason, Mike Hall
Illinois @ Minnesota (BTN, Noon)- Matt Rosen, Ron Johnson, Ron Johnson
Western Michigan @ Michigan State (BTN, Noon)- Ari Wolfe, Rod Woodson, Kenny Jackson
Purdue @ Michigan (BTN, Noon)- Wayne Larrivee, Chris Martin, Charissa Thompson
South Carolina @ Arkansas (SEC Network, Noon)- Dave Neal, Andre Ware, Cara Capuano (Will Air on MSG, FS Detroit, CSN California)
Louisville @ West Virginia (Big East Network, Noon)- Mike Gleason, John Congemi, Quint Kessenich (Altitude, CST, MASN, SNY)
Virginia @ Miami (Raycom, Noon)- Steve Martin, Rick Walker, Mike Hogewood
Kansas @ Kansas State (Verus, 12:30pm)- Ron Thulin, Kelly Stouffer, Lewis Johnson
Tennessee Tech @ Georgia (CSS PPV, 1pm)- Matt Stewart, Buck Belue, Sandra Golden
Eastern Kentucky @ Kentucky (Big Blue PPV, 1pm)- Rob Bromley, Tim Couch, Dick Gabriel
Maryland @ North Carolina State (ESPN360, 1pm)- Ryan Rose, Danny Kanell
Texas A&M @ Colorado (FCS Central, 1:30pm)- Dan McLaughlin, Yogi Roth, Samantha Steele
Furman @ Auburn (CSS PPV, 1:30pm)- Andy Burcham, Cole Cubelic, Melissa Lee
Brigham Young @ Wyoming (MTN, 2pm)- James Bates, Todd Christensen, Andrea Lloyd
Navy @ Notre Dame (NBC, 2:30pm)- Tom Hammond, Pat Haden, Alex Flanagan
Rice @ Southern Methodist (Mustang Sports, 3:30pm)- Brad Sham, Allen Stone
Louisiana State @ Alabama (CBS, 3:30pm)- Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson, Tracy Wolfson
Ohio State @ Penn State (ABC/ESPN2, 3:30pm)- Sean McDonough, Matt Millen, Holly Rowe
Oklahoma State @ Iowa State (ABC, 3:30pm)- Bob Wischusen, Brian Griese
Wake Forest @ Georgia Tech (ABC/ESPN2, 3:30pm)- Pam Ward, Ray Bentley
Oregon @ Stanford (FSN, 3:30pm)- Barry Tompkins, Petros Papadakis, Rebecca Haarlow (Will Air on FS Arizona, Detroit+, Florida, Midwest, North, Ohio, Southwest, West; FSN Northwest, Pittsburgh, Rocky Mountain; CSN Bay Area, Chicago, New England, Washington+; MSG)
Duke @ North Carolina (ESPNU, 3:30pm)- Todd Harris, Charles Arbuckle
Army @ Air Force (CBS College Sports, 3:30pm)- Dave Ryan, Jason Sehorn
Washington State @ Arizona (FCS Pacific, 3:30pm)- Dave Sitton, John Fina, Glenn Howell
Washington @ UCLA (FS Regional, 3:30pm)- Bill MacDonald, James Washington, Brooke Olzendam, Courtney Jones (Will Air on FSN Northwest; Prime Ticket, FCS Pacific)
Louisiana-Lafayette @ Arkansas State (Sun Belt TV, 3:30pm)- Todd Kalas, Derek Rackley (Will Air on CSS, CST)
Texas-El Paso @ Tulane (ISP Sports, 3:30pm)- Sam Smith, Roger Schultz (Will Air on FCS Atlantic)
Texas Christian @ San Diego State (Versus, 4pm)- Tim Neverett, Glenn Parker, Lindsay Soto
New Mexico @ Utah (MTN, 4pm)- Dan Gutowsky, Blaine Fowler, Sammy Linebaugh
Oregon State @ California (FSN, 7pm)- Steve Physioc, Mike Pawlawski, Drea Avent (Will Air on FS Arizona, Detroit+, FS Florida, Midwest, South, West, Wisconsin; FSN Northwest, Pittsburgh, Rocky Mountain; CSN Bay Area, Chicago, Washington+; SUN; FCS Pacific)
Memphis @ Tennessee (ESPNU, 7pm)- Eric Collins, Brock Huard
Vanderbilt @ Florida (ESPN2, 7:15pm)- Mark Jones, Bob Davie
Houston @ Tulsa (CBS College Sports, 7:30pm)- Tom Hart, Aaron Taylor
Northern Arizona @ Mississippi (SEC Network, 7:30pm)- Bob Rathun, Dave Archer, Jenn Hildreth (Will Air on CSS, CST, Comcast Network)
Florida State @ Clemson (ESPN, 7:45pm)- Brad Nessler, Todd Blackledge, Erin Andrews
USC @ Arizona State (ABC, 8pm)- Mike Patrick, Craig James, Heather Cox
Connecticut @ Cincinnati (ABC, 8pm)- Brent Musburger, Kirk Herbstreit, Lisa Salters
Oklahoma @ Nebraska (ABC, 8pm)- Ron Franklin, Ed Cunningham
Colorado State @ Nevada-Las Vegas (MTN, 8pm)- Bill Doleman, Robert Griffith, Molly Sullivan
Utah State @ Hawaii (Oceanic PPV, 10pm)- Jim Leahey, Russell Yamaoha
Fresno State @ Idaho (ESPNU, 10:30pm)- Charlie Neal, JC Pearson
Sunday, November 8th
Nevada @ San Jose State (ESPN, 8pm)- Terry Gannon, David Norrie
Ohio might be about to pass a gambling initiative. The results are still coming in but my quickie 5 minute analysis of the results I think its going to pass. Currently holding about a 6 point lead statewide. Its winning by huge margins in Cuyahoga and Hamilton County along with a solid lead in Lucas County. It has some narrow wins/leads in more rural NE and SW Ohio counties and relatively narrow (for the most part) losses in SE, Central, and NW Ohio counties. Its also losing in Franklin County after some officials in Columbus came out against it in recent days due to unease with building the casino in the Arena District. But looking at the map a lot of the “no” counties are reported or nearly reported, and Cuyahoga County is still at only 41% reporting, Hamilton County less than that. Based on those mathematics and the present nearly 7 point lead Buckeyenewshawk is projecting that Issue 3 will pass.
Issues 1 and 2 are also leading by much more comfortable margins. Not surprising as they were I believe far less controversial proposals.
To Pirates Fans:
Dear Pirates Fan,
As we begin the 2010 offseason, I would like to take this opportunity to let you know how grateful we are that you, our fans, continued to show your passion through some very difficult decisions to accelerate the overhaul of the organization during the 2009 season. Like you, we are extremely disappointed with the performance of our Major League Club this past season. But, for the reasons set out here and illustrated in The Pirates Blueprint, we are just as encouraged about direction of the organization and its future.
While the post-August timeframe receives the most attention from the media, our performance all season was unacceptable. As a result, we needed to take further bold steps to turn the organization around as quickly as possible. While the trades executed as we approached the trade deadline left the Major League Club shorthanded in some areas, these trades make us a much stronger organization for many years to come. As difficult as it has been to go through these growing pains this season, doing nothing to reverse the cycle of losing was simply not an acceptable option.
As we have said from the beginning, we are not interested in being just an average Major League Club. Our unwillingness to accept mediocrity has caused you additional aggravation over the short term. We regret that this was necessary but you deserve much more than a mediocre team. In the fine tradition of this city, you deserve a team that competes for championships. The bold steps taken this year, I hope, have demonstrated that our only interest is in giving you that type of team again. After supporting this great franchise through far too many lean years, you deserve nothing less.
The blueprint for our return to winning baseball was drafted two years ago, and it details the significant progress that has been made in building that winning organization. We all knew that it would not be easy to completely overhaul our system but the necessary groundwork has now been laid. We have worked very hard over the last two years to rebuild this proud franchise by focusing our energy and resources on the following core priorities:
* Extremely aggressive drafts to acquire as much high-level talent as possible by investing more resources in the draft than nearly any other team over the past two years and securing top draft classes as a result.
* Increased focus in our international operations to ensure we are in the best position to find talent in every part of the world where baseball is played by doubling the number of our international scouts, covering countries that had previously been ignored, tripling our international signing budget and building one of the very best Latin American training complexes in the Dominican Republic.
* Aggressively adding talent at all levels of our system by trading veteran players who were approaching free agency for multiple young players over whom we have multiple years of control. Although we traded players who were popular, we know that what you really want is a winning team. We are very excited that several players seized an opportunity to demonstrate that they can be important parts of a winning team. The fact that other players have not seized that opportunity will play a role in our off-season decision-making.
* Rebuilding our player development systems, including the way we instruct, train and mold our prospects. It is a cohesive approach at all levels that will allow our farm system to become the engine that constantly feeds our success. The fruits of this two-year effort were evident throughout the minor league system this year, but perhaps most apparent in Lynchburg where the Hillcats won the Carolina League championship based on a spectacular first-half fueled by Pedro Alvarez, Jordy Mercer and others and stellar pitching in the playoffs by five 21- and 22-year old starters (Rudy Owens, Bryan Morris, Jeff Locke, Justin Wilson and Nate Adcock).
* Significant investment in our core operations which has greatly improved our scouting and development systems, as well as our baseball facilities and top-of-the-industry analytical systems.
The investment of money, time and energy in these priority areas over the past two seasons has made us a much stronger organization. The talent we now have throughout the entire system means that exciting players will arrive in Pittsburgh beginning in 2010 to join the group of young, talented players that includes Andrew McCutchen, Garrett Jones, Ross Ohlendorf, Zach Duke, Paul Maholm, Lastings Milledge, Ryan Doumit and others.
I cannot emphasize enough the appreciation we have for your continued support of the Pittsburgh Pirates. We understand that we have tested your patience but hope you understand that we have done so in order to make the blueprint for success in Pittsburgh a reality and to do so as quickly as possible. I also hope that, after reviewing the attached progress report, you will share our confidence that your patience will soon be rewarded.
Sincerely,
signature
Frank Coonelly
President, Pittsburgh Pirates
By using a shooter, who scored, in a shootout Friday night against Omaha who should not have been allowed:
http://www.bgsufalcons.com/news/2009/10/31/HOCKEY_1031090004.aspx
I now consider Bowling Green athletics even, balancing a win stolen from the men’s basketball team against Buffalo a couple years ago when it was decided the game wasn’t over, then was assessed a technical when they didn’t return from the locker room fast enough.
Info from ohsaa.org:
2009 OHSAA FOOTBALL PAIRINGS – REGIONAL QUARTERFINALS
DIVISION I (All games at 7 p.m. Saturday)
Crew Region 1
92 8 Youngstown Boardman (7-3) at 1 Cleveland St Ignatius (10-0)
20 7 Euclid (6-4) at 2 Solon (10-0)
89 6 Parma (7-3) at 3 Mayfield (9-1)
45 5 Cleveland Glenville Academic Campus (9-1) at 4 North Royalton (9-1)
Region 2
63 8 Canton Mc Kinley (6-4) at 1 Toledo Whitmer (9-1)
93 7 Brunswick (7-3) at 2 Twinsburg (9-1)
25 6 North Canton Hoover (7-3) at 3 Massillon Washington (7-3)
88 5 Wadsworth (9-1) at 4 Canton Glenoak (8-2)
Region 3
50 8 Springfield (6-4) at 1 Dublin Coffman (10-0)
30 7 Lancaster (6-4) at 2 Hilliard Davidson (8-1)
17 6 Pickerington High School North (7-3) at 3 Pickerington High School Central (9-1)
91 5 Powell Olentangy Liberty (7-3) at 4 Westerville South (8-2)
Region 4
29 8 Centerville (8-2) at 1 Cincinnati St Xavier (8-2)
18 7 Middletown (9-1) at 2 Cincinnati Archbishop Moeller (9-1)
23 6 West Chester Lakota West (9-1) at 3 Cincinnati Anderson (10-0)
1 5 Huber Heights Wayne (7-3) at 4 Cincinnati Elder (7-2)
DIVISION II (All games at 7:30 p.m. Friday)
Crew Region 5
21 8 Ravenna (8-2) at 1 Mentor Lake Catholic (9-1)
47 7 Medina Highland (6-4) at 2 Warren Howland (9-1)
7 6 Chesterland West Geauga (9-1) at 3 Ashland (9-1)
44 5 Aurora (8-2) at 4 Canfield (9-1)
Region 6
49 8 North Ridgeville (8-2) at 1 Toledo St Francis De Sales (9-1)
4 7 Rocky River (7-3) at 2 Toledo Central Catholic (8-2)
59 6 Maple Heights (8-2) at 3 Toledo Rogers (9-1)
11 5 Avon Lake (7-3) at 4 Maumee (9-1)
Region 7
15 8 Columbus Marion-Franklin (8-2) at 1 Louisville (10-0)
24 7 Canal Winchester (8-2) at 2 Logan (10-0)
10 6 Columbus Walnut Ridge (8-2) at 3 Columbus Brookhaven (8-2)
2 5 Dresden Tri-Valley (9-1) at 4 Lewis Center Olentangy Orange (8-2)
Region 8
77 8 Wilmington (7-3) at 1 Cincinnati Turpin (10-0)
74 7 Hamilton Ross (6-4) at 2 Cincinnati Winton Woods (8-2)
38 6 West Carrollton (8-2) at 3 New Carlisle Tecumseh (9-1)
34 5 Cincinnati Mount Healthy (7-3) at 4 Trotwood-Madison (7-3)
DIVISION III (All games at 7:30 p.m. Friday)
Crew Region 9
90 8 Mogadore Field (8-2) at 1 Youngstown Cardinal Mooney (10-0)
83 7 Akron St Vincent-St Mary (6-4) at 2 Poland Seminary (8-2)
5 6 Parma Padua Franciscan (7-3) at 3 Akron Archbishop Hoban (7-3)
87 5 Medina Buckeye (8-2) at 4 Hubbard (9-1)
Region 10
60 8 Bryan (8-2) at 1 Columbus St Francis De Sales (7-3)
27 7 Bellefontaine (8-2) at 2 Columbus Bishop Watterson (7-3)
75 6 Columbus Eastmoor Academy (8-2) at 3 Napoleon (8-2)
64 5 Tipp City Tippecanoe (8-2) at 4 Sandusky Perkins (9-1)
Region 11
9 8 Alliance Marlington (8-2) at 1 Steubenville (9-1)
6 7 Cadiz Harrison Central (8-2) at 2 Dover (9-1)
35 6 Canal Fulton Northwest (7-3) at 3 Rayland Buckeye Local (8-2)
19 5 Salem (8-2) at 4 Granville (9-1)
Region 12
73 8 Springfield Shawnee (7-3) at 1 Goshen (8-2)
22 7 Eaton (8-2) at 2 Cincinnati Wyoming (10-0)
8 6 Monroe (8-2) at 3 Dayton Chaminade-Julienne (8-2)
79 5 New Richmond (9-1) at 4 Circleville Logan Elm (8-2)
DIVISION IV (All games at 7 p.m. Saturday)
Crew Region 13
85 8 Campbell Memorial (7-3) at 1 Chagrin Falls (10-0)
84 7 Cuyahoga Falls Cuyahoga Valley Christian Acad (7-3) at 2 Girard (10-0)
31 6 Peninsula Woodridge (8-2) at 3 Martins Ferry (7-2)
86 5 Cortland Lakeview (7-3) at 4 Akron Manchester (9-1)
Region 14
36 8 Pemberville Eastwood (8-2) at 1 Galion (10-0)
51 7 Milan Edison (8-2) at 2 Genoa Area (10-0)
67 6 Bellville Clear Fork (7-3) at 3 Orrville (7-3)
28 5 Ottawa-Glandorf (8-2) at 4 Wooster Triway (8-2)
Region 15
37 8 Albany Alexander (8-2) at 1 Amanda-Clearcreek (10-0)
80 7 Sparta Highland (8-2) at 2 Ironton (8-2)
12 6 Chillicothe Zane Trace (8-2) at 3 Heath (8-2)
3 5 Coshocton (8-2) at 4 Zanesville West Muskingum (9-1)
Region 16
71 8 Waynesville (8-2) at 1 Clarksville Clinton-Massie (10-0)
14 7 Plain City Jonathan Alder (7-3) at 2 Kettering Archbishop Alter (10-0)
76 6 Carlisle (8-2) at 3 Cincinnati North College Hill (10-0)
72 5 Germantown Valley View (7-3) at 4 Kenton (9-1)
DIVISION V (All games at 7:30 p.m. Friday)
Crew Region 17
96 8 Apple Creek Waynedale (7-3) at 1 Cuyahoga Heights (10-0)
66 7 East Palestine (7-3) at 2 Columbiana Crestview (9-1)
46 6 Garfield Hts. Trinity (7-3) at 3 Youngstown Ursuline (6-3)
57 5 Gates Mills Hawken (8-2) at 4 Independence (9-1)
Region 18
52 8 Northwood (7-3) at 1 Hamler Patrick Henry (10-0)
54 7 Sherwood Fairview (7-3) at 2 Defiance Tinora (9-1)
13 6 Hicksville (9-1) at 3 Lima Central Catholic (8-2)
53 5 Jeromesville Hillsdale (8-2) at 4 Ashland Crestview (9-1)
Region 19
32 8 Caldwell (8-2) at 1 Fredericktown (10-0)
82 7 Coal Grove Dawson-Bryant (9-1) at 2 Oak Hill (10-0)
78 6 West Lafayette Ridgewood (10-0) at 3 Minford (8-2)
95 5 Wheelersburg (8-2) at 4 Woodsfield Monroe Central (9-1)
Region 20
39 8 St Henry (7-3) at 1 Richwood North Union (10-0)
41 7 Hamilton Badin (7-3) at 2 Coldwater (9-1)
68 6 Anna (8-2) at 3 Columbus Bishop Ready (8-1)
33 5 West Jefferson (9-1) at 4 West Liberty-Salem (10-0)
DIVISION VI (All games at 7 p.m. Saturday)
Crew Region 21
43 8 Bascom Hopewell-Loudon (8-2) at 1 Mc Donald (10-0)
42 7 Berlin Center Western Reserve (9-1) at 2 Norwalk St Paul (10-0)
94 6 Warren John F Kennedy (7-3) at 3 Mogadore (9-1)
48 5 Dalton (9-1) at 4 Bucyrus Wynford (10-0)
Region 22
55 8 Arlington (7-3) at 1 Delphos St John’S (10-0)
26 7 Rawson Cory-Rawson (7-3) at 2 Ada (10-0)
61 6 Columbus Grove (7-3) at 3 Carey (9-1)
56 5 Fremont St Joseph Central Catholic (9-1) at 4 Leipsic (9-1)
Region 23
62 8 Willow Wood Symmes Valley (8-2) at 1 Malvern (9-1)
69 7 Shadyside (5-5) at 2 Columbiana (8-2)
16 6 Grove City Christian (9-1) at 3 Zanesville Bishop Rosecrans (8-2)
81 5 New Philadelphia Tuscarawas Central Catholic (7-3) at 4 Bridgeport (9-1)
Region 24
65 8 Covington (7-3) at 1 Ansonia (10-0)
40 7 Fort Loramie (8-2) at 2 Lockland (9-1)
58 6 S Charleston Southeastern Local (8-2) at 3 Waynesfield-Goshen (9-1)
70 5 Maria Stein Marion Local (5-5) at 4 Sidney Lehman Catholic (7-3)
Gotta love this time of year! I was just scanning through the 24 regions’ standings on joeeitel.com to see the situation. In Region 13 the last playoff spot between Union Local and Campbell Memorial comes down to whether Leavittsburg Labrae can beat Steubenville Catholic Central, with Memorial needing the Labrae win. In Region 2 Canton McKinley is going to sneak in on the tiebreaker, Level 3 points after they beat Massillon today. Columbiana County, at least the northern half, will be well represented with Salem, Columbiana, Crestview, and East Palestine all advancing (the latter two may be playing each other in the 1st round on the Rebels’ home field) It looks like this season won’t have any 5-5 (or worse) teams get in and it won’t have any 10-0 teams get left out, though 3 9-1 teams (New Philadelphia, Athens, and Zanesville) all got left out in Region 7. At any rate good luck to everyone that qualified!
For the first time in school history the Salem Quakers footbal team will advance to the postseason (according to projections at joeeitel.com) with their 33-14 win at Patterson Field. Salem literally always led in this game as they won the toss, elected to receive, and ran the game’s opening kickoff back for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead, then recovered a “walk the dog” onside kick and drove the ball 48 yards for another score and it was 13-0 only 2:14 into the game. The Potters responded with a scoring drive of their own to cut it to 13-7 and recovered their own onside kick but that ensuing drive stalled in the red zone on downs. Salem scored twice in the 2nd quarter to take a safe 26-7 lead at halftime. The Potters really didn’t have a great answer on defense for Salem’s spread offense. Maybe more blitzing could’ve forced some mistakes. Or just caused getting killed more quickly. Oh well.
The Potters finish the season 4-6. Though the “on the field” record is only one game better than last season I thought this team showed vast improvements over the squads of the McNicol Era. They played hard, they played disciplined, and they showed skill for the game at times. Very young team so there were mistakes, and injuries took their toll as the season moved along, most noteable the absense of Willie Leavell most of the 2nd half of the season. And it was a tough schedule. With the exception of the Linsly game the Potters loses could potentially all be to teams that make the playoffs in their respective states; Steubenville, Maple Heights, Salem, and Martins Ferry I think are all shoe-ins in Ohio and Oak Glen in West Virginia was very alive with a couple weeks left in the WV regular season. I think there is great reason for optimism for the 2010 season. In the meantime good luck to the Quakers and other area teams that qualify for postseason play!
