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20. A BMOC Soapbox Moment
Anybody who was stunned by the recent player mutiny against Arizona coach John Mackovic needs a small J.Mac refresher course. According to those who have worked with and for him, Mackovic is a brilliant offensive coach, a wonderful public speaker, and bright as a halogen headlight. He also can be arrogant, aloof, shy, demeaning and as communicative as a chinstrap. So the question isn't, "Why now?," but, "Why not at Wake Forest, Illinois or Texas?" -- previous Mackovic stops.
It was an extraordinary piece of college football theater, and surely a humiliating experience for the proud Mackovic. But it was either that, or completely lose whatever semblance of an Arizona team he had. This isn't the first time Mackovic has alienated players, staff and support personnel. But it is the first time as a college coach that complaints against him and his methods reached critical mass. When about 40 of your players meet with the university president to air their grievances -- and you have absolutely no idea of their discontentment -- then you've got serious communication issues. Maybe that's why junior cornerback Michael Jolivette wasn't exactly thrilled with Mackovic's belated mea culpa. "(The apology) is all a joke, a joke," Jolivette told reporters. "It is hard for a person to change. That is his personality; that is him. He can't change his ways; he is a grown man. That is Mackovic." And yet, traditionally strong programs such as Illinois, Texas and Arizona hired Mackovic. The people pulling the hiring trigger thought they knew him. And they did, up to a point. He was demanding and successful at Wake and Illinois. He was demanding and successful, but also insensitive at Texas, where he alienated some of the state's high school coaches, former Longhorn players and some members of his own program. And he did enough damage at Arizona to cause this late-season mushroom cloud. None of this is a total shocker. According to those familiar with the Arizona program, there were rumblings of player unrest as far back as May or June. Coaches of opposing Pac-10 programs, where there are few secrets, had heard of problems within the Wildcat team. "No, I don't think it surprises me," said a high-level athletic department official who knows Mackovic well. "His personality is such that he's not what you call, 'kid friendly. . . user friendly.' He's that way. That doesn't mean he's a bad person. He's a good person and he's a good coach. He's just cool -- not cold, but cool." Told that Mackovic had promised to change his ways, the official said, "If he would, that would be wonderful. He needs to change. You think people learn from past experiences. I thought he might learn. "We're in the kid business. You need to be that way. You need to feel strongly about it."
19. Mackovic Mutiny -- Part II At the moment, it appears Mackovic has the support of athletic director Jim Livengood. And it also seems as if the regents aren't in a hurry to dump him. That's what they'd have to do, since Mackovic, 59, said he has no plans to resign. There were rumors of a player boycott for this past Saturday's game at Cal, but it never materialized. The only real surprise was the Wildcats' 52-41 victory, which was their first Pac-10 win of the season. Check that -- a bigger surprise was Mackovic getting a postgame shoulder ride by a few of his players. The Wildcats are now 4-7 overall, 1-6 in the conference with no chance of a bowl appearance, though they still have their Nov. 29 grudge game against Arizona State. Mackovic has to hope for another win, hope for some more healing time, or hope everyone is paying attention to the No. 1-ranked Arizona hoops team. Contrary to what Jolivette said, people can change. Will Mackovic? He certainly could take a lesson from Marshall coach Bob Pruett. Pruett is the same age as Mackovic, but he doesn't seem to have any problems relating to his players. "I can't comment on [Mackovic's] situation since I'm not there," Pruett said. "But I think a lot of guys get too big for your team. "My door is always open. They don't need an appointment to see me. I tell them if I have a problem with them, I'm going to find them -- in their dorm, wherever. So I tell them, 'My door is never closed, unless I'm in there with one of you guys.' "If you're willing to laugh and giggle with them sometimes, it can make a difference." Mackovic isn't a laugh-and-giggle kind of guy, but he might want to try it once in a while. And he might want to ditch his previous policy of requiring players to make an appointment to see him. We're not sure how -- or if -- Mackovic can salvage his situation at Arizona. Unless some instant trust is built between coach and players -- and the win at Cal will help -- Mackovic will have to order an industrial-size bilge pump for the U.S.S. Damage Control. We talked to a big-name coach who watched parts of Mackovic's bizarre news conference. His first thought: "I would have never had a news conference. I would have issued a statement." His second thought: "He tried to minimize the negatives." His third thought: "Here's what I think you had to do in that situation: Ask the players, 'Do you want me to resign? If you do, I'll resign. But if you want to win, let's put this behind us and move forward.' I would have made it one way or the other. He left it up to the players."
18. Thank You, Violet
That's right, she's a trust-fund baby. When lifelong Buffs fan Violet Stromberg spun in after 96 wonderful years, she left her life savings of exactly $40,730 to create a trust fund for Ralphie IV and her hairy successors. "This will provide growing support for Ralphie in perpetuity -- not only for this Ralphie, but all future Ralphies," Colorado treasurer Judy Van Gorden told reporters. Ralphie IV had no comment. The trust fund will cover the cost of harnesses, ropes, medical bills, transportation, oats, alfalfa, grass, hoof trimmings and, of course, facials and Ralphie's time-share in Kapalua.
17. Tattoo Parlor "It wasn't really a bet," said Walker. "I just challenged him. I told him, 'You get double-digit sacks, I'll pierce my ears.' Now the deal is if he gets 13, I get a tattoo." Sounds like a bet to us. Long, who was inexplicably left off the Lombardi Award list of semifinalists, picked up his 10th sack against Arizona State Oct. 26. Six days later, Walker got his ear pierced. "Yeah, it hurt, man," said Walker, who wears a diamond stud -- with head coach Mike Price's blessings. "I wasn't ready for that. It wasn't as easy as I thought." Now Long needs just one more sack against Washington or against UCLA Dec. 7, and Walker has an appointment with a tattoo needle. If he thought the ear piercing hurt. . . "My wife's not for it yet," said Walker. "Maybe [the tattoo] will be in her name. I'll figure it out." Long's 12 (and counting) sacks are impressive enough. But the numbers take on a greater weight when you consider they come from the defensive tackle position, and in a scheme that rarely ventures from a 4-3 alignment. "Inside guys usually have maybe four or five sacks," said Walker. Long's breakout season raises the question: Will he return for his senior year, or bolt for the NFL? "I think he'll be back," Walker said. "He's decided now to finish his degree. He's decided to come back with this group. He wants to go to three bowls in a row. He's probably going to stick by that." Walker said this while he was out on the road recruiting. Washington State's main recruiting focus: "Defensive linemen," said Walker.
16. No Debate Of course, you should have seen him shortly before the start of last Tuesday evening's crucial MAC East Division game against Miami of Ohio. At 7:35, about a half hour before kickoff, Leftwich was begging coach Bob Pruett to let him start the game. "Coach," he said, "let me play. I want to play. Give me a shot to see if I can try." Pruett thought about it. . . for a nanosecond. The Marshall medical staff hadn't cleared Leftwich to play, so that was that. "Hey, big guy, you're not going to play," Pruett told Leftwich. "Come over here and relax and enjoy the game." And just to be on the safe side, Pruett wouldn't let Leftwich dress out. "If he had dressed out, he would have tried to get in the game," Pruett said. Leftwich's reaction? He began bawling like a baby. But that's the thing we love about Leftwich -- he cares.
15. More MAC
All in all, not Miami's finest moment. And later, Miami interim athletic director Steve Snyder says schools need to prevent fans from ever setting foot on the field, as if somehow the Marshall chowderhead in question -- 36-year-old lawyer Robert Flaugher -- rammed his head into Wauford's forearm. And while it didn't come close to matching the semi-bedlam after Marshall's last-second win against Miami, Snyder might want to remember the postgame scene in last year's Akron-Miami game. Down by four points with 10 seconds left, the RedHawks scored on a 70-yard bomb as time expired. It wasn't exactly a stampede, but according to Miami officials, about 20-30 fans joined the celebration on the field. Nobody popped them. Look, this was a lose-lose situation. Do we have a problem with Wauford getting cuffed? Nope, because if a fan had done the same alleged thing as Wauford, the fan would have received a pair of those same police bracelets. Do we have a problem with chowderheads who ignore warnings to storm the field? Sure, but not every place is Florida, where the Gators spend between $75,000-$100,000 per game on a security force that includes 210 armed law enforcement folks, 250 unarmed security personnel and a couple of German shepherds (these numbers come courtesy of USA Today). Given the proper mix of alcohol and circumstances, fans are going to storm fields, no matter if there are Green Berets lining the perimeter. Fans think its their right to taunt, run around like idiots and tug at goal posts. Flaugher shouldn't have been on the field. Wauford shouldn't have (allegedly) done a Nutcracker drill on the lawyer. Simple as that. What's the solution? If you've got the budget, you can do what Florida does and hire a small army. If you've got the pepper spray, you can do what police did when students tried tearing down the goalposts after UConn's victory against Kent State last week. If you're Texas Tech, you can institute a new zero tolerance rule prohibiting fans on the field "before, during or after the game." (Of course, it's probably best not to mention the words "zero tolerance" to Tech basketball coach Bob Knight.) If you're Iowa State, you can purchase reinforced goalposts that are supposedly impossible to tear down. But some fans, no matter the measures taken to prevent stupid, dangerous acts, are going to cross the line. Tech's "zero tolerance" policy was ignored as students stormed the field following the Red Raiders' upset win over Texas. It happened at Virginia Tech a few weeks ago, when a Hokies fan flung a half-filled bottle of soda from the end zone stands at Pittsburgh players as they left the field. The throw missed the Pitt players, but clocked an ESPN cameraman in the face. The same sort of misbehavior happened last Thursday night at Southern Miss, when fans sitting behind the Louisville bench berated the Cardinals and tossed things at them. As for the Miami mess, an internal investigation is supposed to be completed within the next week or two. The timetable on Wauford's legal case isn't as definitive.
14. Willing, But Able? Thirteen weeks, thirteen games. And Neil Parry won't play in any of them. You remember Parry's heartwarming story: He suffered compound fractures of his right fibula and tibia during special teams play against UTEP a little more than two years ago. Complications forced doctors to amputate the lower part of the leg. Parry vowed to return. . . this Sept. 28, against that same UTEP team. Sept. 28 became Oct. 5, then Oct. 12, then November, then, well, it became obvious Parry wouldn't play this season. As usual, Parry did everything he could to make it happen. Next month he'll undergo his 21st surgery, this time to further desensitize nerves in his leg. If that works, who knows? Parry still has two seasons of eligibility, and he plans on using each one of them. "I was kind of down when they said this season was done," Parry told the Chicago Tribune's Skip Myslenski, "but right now I'm pretty dang good, actually." Here's to September 2003.
13. Player Of The Week
Who loves ya, baby? Well, it wasn't us. We dropped you from our Heisman-watch list weeks ago, mostly because Tech had lost to Ohio State, NC State, Iowa State, Colorado, and because we had our doubts about the dink-and-dump passing game we sometimes saw, and the stats that came with it. But we couldn't ignore Saturday's win against Texas, and those six touchdown passes and 473 yards against the fifth-rated defense in D-IA. Kingsbury also eliminated the Longhorns from the Fiesta Bowl equation, and all but eliminated them from BCS bowl consideration. Meanwhile, the Red Raiders control their own Big 12 title game destiny. "We tried everything, and he whipped everything we tried," said Texas coach Mack Brown afterwards. Brown isn't the only one humbled by Kingsbury's performance. BMOC is feeling a little sheepish, too. So we ask the question to Kingsbury: Still friends? With potential?
Runners-up Broke his own PSU single-game rushing record for the third time this season with 327 yards (and a career-high four TDs) in win against Indiana. How do you rush for 327 yards and only get runner-up status? Good question. We'll make it up to the lug.
Only 100 yards passing and 39 yards rushing, but he had four TDs (two passing, two running) and helped control the flow of the rout against Minnesota.
Russell had 194 yards and a score as the Hawkeyes clinch, at worst, a tie for the Big Ten title.
Roberson rushed for 228 yards in laugher against totally overmatched Nebraska.
Must be nice to have a "backup" rush for 174 yards and TD. But that's what Purify did after Chris Brown (127 yards and a TD) was dinged up during win against Iowa State.
Is four TDs and 316 yards in rout at Oregon any good?
Terps have won eight in a row, partly because of the steady improvement of McBrien. McBrien had four TDs in win at Clemson.
Turner, who entered the game against Eastern Michigan as the second-leading rusher in D-IA, had 225 yards and five touchdowns on 21 carries in win.
Abney helped the Wildcats over their post-LSU hangover by returning a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown in Saturday's win against Vandy. It was his sixth kick return for a TD this season, an NCAA record.
Had a school-record 492 yards and four TDs in win at Cal. Also took a little bit of the sting out of a tumultuous week in the Wildcat program.
Had career-high 175 yards in win against Wisconsin.
Honorable Mention
12. Coaches Of The Week A toss-up. Ferentz, who certainly wasn't the people's choice when he was named Hawkeyes coach four years ago, now has Iowa thisclose to a Rose Bowl. Meanwhile, Leach was rumored in the preseason to be on slightly shaky ground at Tech. So all he does is win eight games (and counting), beat Texas, and put the Red Raiders in position to reach the Big 12 title game in Houston.
Runner-up The Black Knights were the only winless team in D-IA until Saturday's 14-10 road victory against bowl-eligible Tulane.
Honorable Mention
11. Aggie Update Of course, this is still a fluid situation, as evidenced by the Aggies' Nov. 2 upset of then-No. 1 Oklahoma, followed by a letdown and home loss against Missouri Saturday. In some circles, Slocum was considered home free after the OU win. Now with the Mizzou loss and a Nov. 29 road game vs. Texas, who knows if that will change the dynamic. A&M is 3-4 in the Big 12, 6-5 overall. For now, football king-maker Chuck Neinas has been hired as a consultant/head-hunter to find a replacement for departing AD Wally Groff. "But I don't see it getting done inside a month," said an A&M athletic department official. If that holds true, Slocum is probably fine. The longer the search goes on, the shorter the odds Slocum is back next season. But there are no absolutes, especially when it comes to head coaches these days. In other words, we're hedging our bet. Recruiting seems to be going well enough for the Aggies, and the team and staff is scheduled to move into a brand new football facility next August. A&M will need every edge it can get, what with a 2003 schedule that includes trips to Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas Tech, Missouri and home games against Pittsburgh, Texas and Utah.
10. Say It Ain't So, Joe
Paterno said last week that he went in and out through the garage rather than the front door and didn't see it. The doll was eventually removed, but if Paterno had anything to do with it hanging from his door, he owes some apologies. At the very least, he owes an explanation. That's what the Big Ten office issues when one of its game officials make a crucial mistake -- a public explanation. Paterno and his Penn State team have been on the wrong end of bad calls or non-calls in each of their three losses this season. Who can forget Paterno's dash toward the tunnel to catch a ref after the controversial loss to Iowa? The guy could have won a Senior Olympics gold medal for his sprint time that day. Paterno and Penn State athletic director Tim Curley have taken their shots at Big Ten officiating this season. Some of the criticism was deserved, some of it was piling on. But the doll incident, combined with the public criticism, has made Paterno look borderline petty. If nothing else, his stature among game officials has been affected, if not diminished by his handling of the calls. According to the Los Angeles Times, the 57-member Big Ten Football Officials Association has pressed supervisor Dave Parry to ask conference commissioner Jim Delany to discipline Paterno. "I like Joe, but there is a concern among the officials about him, [that] he's never been so abusive or critical in public," an unnamed Big Ten game official told the newspaper. And speaking of dolls. . . One of the Big Ten's TV promos ends with a young women, presumably a Penn State coed, kissing, of all things, a Paterno doll. He'll get no smooches from Big Ten game officials these days.
9. High Marks Sure, he'll make his 36th consecutive start Wednesday night and he has 13 career interceptions, which ties a Big East Conference and Va. Tech record. But what we really like about Pile: he isn't phoning it in when it comes to academics. Pile has already earned his degree in management, but he's taking 12 hours this semester, and not all of them are chippies (two geology classes, one social psychology, and one hotel tourism and travel -- OK, that one sounds a little easy). And unlike some players who quit going to class once their eligibility during their final season is ensured, Pile keeps showing up. "We get grade reports," said Va. Tech defensive backs coach Lorenzo Ward. "So I asked him, 'Why are you going to class? You've already graduated.' And you know what he said? 'Coach, I'd feel like I was cheating y'all out of your scholarship money if I didn't go.'"
8. Quote Of The Week -- Illinois coach Ron Turner, on a series of a bang-bang plays (an Illini catch ruled to be just outside the end zone, another catch ruled to be bobbled while in the end zone) during U of I's overtime loss to Ohio State. The loss cost Illinois an upset and a chance at a bowl.
7. Stat Of The Week
6. PAM Scam Reaction: The players used PAM because. . .
Actually, the four knuckleheads in question -- Brad Osterhout, Bilal Watkins, Eric Broden and Ben Fox -- used the stuff to try to slip past Montana offensive linemen. Some scheme. This was the gang that couldn't spray straight. They used the stuff on the Sac State sideline, in full view of a University of Montana photographer who clicked away as the players had their PAM-fest. Later, a can of the stuff was found in the Sac State locker room. Big Sky Conference commissioner Doug Fullerton reprimanded the PAM Four, but let them play against Weber State Saturday. According to an interview in the Sacramento Bee, Osterhout said he knew PAM was great for no-stick cooking and grilling, as well perfect for better browning of roasted turkey and chicken -- but how would it respond to the meaty hands of Montana's big uglies? No, not really. What he really said was this: "I can honestly say it had no impact on the game. It would have been one thing if every defensive lineman that used it had three sacks in the game." Cheaters never win. Sac State lost to Montana, but when it was PAM free, it beat Weber State Saturday, 41-38. Montana, though, lost to Eastern Washington, 30-21, to end its 24-game victory streak.
5. Shorties
4. Hawkeye Nation "It felt like we were stepping out to Kinnick Stadium," said Iowa senior guard Ben Sobieski. The game was a sellout, but an estimated 25,000-30,000 Iowa fans, maybe more, made the trip to Minneapolis. By rout's end, the place was like a Hawkeye pep rally. Iowa fans poured out of the stands (no zero tolerance plan at Minnesota) and even tore down one of the goalposts, which is something you don't see everyday at an opposing field. Coach Kirk Ferentz got a well-deserved shoulder ride. Players waved roses, though their postseason destination remains in question. The Hawkeyes, who have completed their regular season schedule with an 11-1 overall record (the lone loss to Iowa State) and a perfect 8-0 Big Ten mark, could play in the Rose Bowl or, with lots of late-season luck, the Fiesta Bowl. So it was no accident that Rose Bowl past president Ken Burrows was invited into the Hawkeyes locker room after the win. Of course, his wife had to cool her high heels outside the double doors. "We're here to support the Big Ten and, at the very least, congratulate the co-champions," Burrows said. Not to be outdone, a Fiesta Bowl rep was also in attendance and chatted up Iowa AD Bob Bowlsby and his family after the game. The way the Hawkeyes are playing these days, they'd be a great alternative if Miami, Ohio State, Oklahoma or Washington State falters down the stretch.
3. Heisman Trophy Race
2. Whatever Happened To. . . Late last Sunday afternoon, the day after Tennessee lost to No. 1-ranked Miami, Vols offensive line coach Mike Barry made the short walk from UT's football offices to an on-campus Catholic church for 5:30 Mass. It's a weekly ritual for Barry, who likes to use the hour break to forget about all things football. The poor guy. Instead of solitude and reflection, Barry had to listen to a few good-natured jabs by the good priest on Tennessee's disappointing season. For instance, the priest told everyone he had just returned from attending the funeral of his grandfather. "I was in a funeral home yesterday," said the priest to the congregation. Long pause. "Just like you." And later, the priest essentially asked for an end to the Vols' season. He said it with a smile on his face, but how do you think Barry felt? "It's just one of those things you've got to go through," Barry said. "It's OK." Maybe the priest went easy on the Vols this past Sunday. Tennessee beat Mississippi State to become bowl eligible.
One Hack's Weekly Elite Gene Wojciechowski is a senior writer at ESPN The Magazine. He can be reached at gene.wojciechowski@espnmag.com. |
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