Alternate Uniforms Drive me nut – The Week That Was

Alternate Uniforms in all the sports drive me nuts.  It makes no sense to me why you would spend years building an identity just to toss something else on for a game.  I am sure that it is all done because of marketing.  Yes I know that this is a business.   But they way that it is done is strange. Over all this was a pretty run of the mill week.   A few things happened but nothing too crazy or unexpected.   The NFL is at the half way point.  The NHL and NBA are trying to build some stories for the slow grind to the end of 2018.   NASCAR is still racing.  MLS is in its playoffs.  There are exciting things here it is just finding it.

Ohio State Alternate Uniforms

Ohio State wore Alternate Uniforms this week.  I got to the game late because another game was also on that I wanted to watch.  I switched to the Ohio State Nebraska game and saw a team that was wearing White and Red uniforms playing a team wearing all Black.  It took me a while to figure out what was going on.  At first I thought to myself Nebraska is supposed to be playing at Ohio State.   It looks like they are in Ohio Stadium and I see Nebraska but there is some other team with all black uniforms.   I was trying to remember who wears all black uniforms.  Ah it was the Buckeyes.   They are in one of their Alternate Uniforms.

I get it this is a business and they need to make money.  One of the ways to make money is to sell uniforms.   The regular uniform most people have so how do you sell more of them?  You have to have more uniforms.  That is fine and it can be done.  The problem I have with it is when you can no longer recognize the team that is playing buy the quick look.  The uniform should be something that is at least based on the teams regular uniform.   The Buckeyes colors are Scarlet and Gray.  A team like Oregon has not had a regular uniform for a long time.  For them it makes sense to have different uniforms.   They do tend to at least have the uniform based on their colors and general design that they used to have.   What the Buckeyes did I just don’t understand.

On to the games

It was once again a pretty interesting day for College football.  The biggest question that was answered was how good is Alabama.  People said LSU will be the big test since Alabama has not played anyone yet this year.  Alabama answered that question with a 29 – 0 pounding of LSU.   Watching the game it was not even that close.  What Alabama showed is that they are the number one team in the country and every one else is playing for second.   When the playoff starts what ever team is in the fourth spot better hold on for a crazy ride.   The Alabama freight train is rolling down the track.

Ohio State did not look that great in their win over Nebraska.  Michigan beat up on Penn State.  Over all the B1G has not looked that great.   Penn State is not nearly as good as people thought at the beginning of the year.  Ohio State has huge issues as well.  With out Bosa on the Defensive line they have some issues.   Their Run game is not that good either which is somewhat of a surprise since they have two really good running backs in Dobbins and Weber.   If Michigan and Ohio State both win out it will set up a huge game at the end of the regular season.   Which ever team wins that game will more than likely end up as the B1G champion.  There is no one in the B1G West that should be able to compete.  Of course anything can happen.  If the B1G West team wins the championship game then the B1G will be out of the playoff.   It may be out if anyone other than Michigan wins the B1G championship.

Maryland strange week

Maryland has a very strange week.  This strange week could have been completely avoided.   The Board of Regents in some convoluted thought decided to strong arm the president of the university into keeping D. J. Durkin as head coach.   This was a strange choice by the Board considering what happened over the past few months for the team. With the death of Jordan McNair during the spring drills and the way it was handled by the training and coaching staff.

It seemed that after their investigation Durkin would be let go.  For some reason the Regents forced the president to keep him.  Saying that if Durkin was fired then the president would have been fired as well.   The president decided to keep him.  The outrage was quick and severe.  As it should have been   Within 24 hours of announcing that Durkin would be retained.  He was fired.   The fall out of this poor choice will be severe.  Many of the Board members have been forced to resign.   The long term fall out of this horrible decision will be difficulty in recruiting players.   The damage has been done by one bad choice after another.

NFL – The Winner Is

The top teams in the NFL are starting to separate from the rest.  In a way over used Cliche the cream is rising to the top.  Groan – I know but I could not resist.  Even though the Rams were beaten pretty convincingly by the Saints. I would still put them at the top of the league.   There is also no more undefeated teams now in the NFL this year.   Three teams with one loss.  The Rams, Chiefs and Saints. There are also four teams with only two loses the Steelers, Patriots, Chargers and Panthers.

The surprise in this list of 7 teams is the Chargers.   They are not a huge surprise.  We had them finishing with a winning record of 9 – 7 this year just missing out on the playoffs.  If thy make it they will more than likely be a wildcard team.  I do not see them finishing ahead of the Chiefs.   The Patriots and Saints were the big winners of the weekend.  The big loser was Packers.  It is more than likely that their season is pretty much done.  I do not see any clear way that they can turn this around.  The moves at the trade deadline really did not make much difference.   The result would have been the same.

Brady Vs Rodgers

It is fun to debate which of these Quarterbacks is the best.   They both have some amazing numbers.   Both of them can make throws that other quarterbacks could only dream of.  So how do you decide which one is the best.  There are so many different criteria that you can use.  If you go by Super Bowl wins there there is no debate Brady is the clear winner.   But Super Bowl wins are a team effort.   Wins in football is a team effort so giving it to the Quarterback is a bit of an odd stat.  But i suppose in a day where we have to keep stats for everything you have to give it to someone.

Brady has played longer.  So clearly he will have better stats.   Rodgers has more seasons where he finished at the top of the quarterback ratings.   This year I would have to say that Brady is better.   He is doing a lot with not a lot.   Rodgers does not have much either but he really is not elevating his team.

NFL trade deadline – glad it means something now

The NFL trade deadline was very busy and exciting this year.  Traditionally the trade deadline has meant next to nothing.  At best a few minor trades.  Lately it had been picking up quite a bit.  It is not clear what has changed that is making the trade deadline actually mean something.  It could have something to do with moving it to the halfway point of the season.  Teams are a little more clear what situation they are in.  Teams have an idea what players will either not be with them next year or will just not fit what they want to do.  I am all for the trades.

It really had not made sense before in the NFL but now it seems to work.  Teams that are on the brink of making a playoff run can get a player or two that can help them out.  Teams that are out of it can pick up usually picks for the upcoming draft so they can try to fill the holes that they have.   This is another win by the NFL.  Taking something from other sports that work and bringing it to the NFL.

The Walking Dead – The and of Rick Grimes sort of

The Walking Dead has been telling us about the end of Rick Grimes for over 6 months.  They have had this massive build up.  Rick Grimes last episode.  They told us this over and over and over.  I guess trying to get more people to watch the final episode with Rick Grimes.  After killing Carl and losing half of their audience that they would learn something about their cast.  We were all wrong.  The episode may have been billed as Ricks last episode.  How ever he did not die.  He got whisked away in the annoying helicopter with the trash lady.  So who knows.  He will probably be back at some point.