Everyone thought Nick Saban ended the circus when he burnt Lane Kiffin’s popcorn in the regular season. Little did we football junkies know, the show was just getting started.
I have a scattering of other thoughts on NFL overtime and NCAA basketball, but most will circle around the above issue so buckle up and on to my ponderings. Don’t forget, subscribe to our YouTube channel and LISTEN TO THE PODCAST!
Jimbo and Texas aTM
Coach Saban and one of his former proteges, Lane Kiffin, struck the ire of a certain cult leader in College Station – causing him to cry all over national tv, multiple times. Seriously, I can hear this man live on the SEC network as I type this article. The person I speak of is Jimbo Fisher of Texas A&M – for those of you who don’t read my column or understand my Texas A&M snark. If you haven’t already, you may want to read some of my older columns because I’m about to lay it on thick.
But the most ironic part was this happened on a day that once was considered sacred to the most die-hard college football fans, like me. Wednesday, February 2, 2022, was National signing day, but no one really noticed. The culprit behind this monumental paradigm shift in college football – NIL and Transfer Portal for those living on an ostrich farm – stole the thunder from a now hollow national signing day.
Clowns and Hypocrites Everywhere!
The man that fostered Jameis Winston’s infamous college career had the audacity to call other coaches clowns and hypocrites. A man, who recently stated that the NIL is now just the legal form of the old ways, absolutely lost his mind last week on National television. His former boss, Nick Saban, and the always colorful Lane Kiffin of Ole Miss are most definitely under his skin. If you don’t know what caused this cry fest from a very well-paid head coach in college station, let me fill you in.
It has been reported that Texas A&M has offered upwards of $30 million in NIL incentives to future prospects, leading to one of the highest ranked recruiting classes in college football history. Again, this is happening at perennial middle of the pack, Texas A&M. Naturally eyebrows have been raised due to the money numbers being “rumored”. I put those in quotes because that is a huge point of contention for Jimbo. Anyhow some prominent SEC coaches – let’s be real – the most prominent, Nick Saban, has already made comments about getting this NIL situation under control and having some regulations. What a novel concept.
To add to the mess, Kiffin quipped in his most recent press conference that A&M may have to pay a luxury tax on said class. He went further to insinuate how bad this is for college football, equating it to the NFL without a salary cap. It seems A&M and a hand full of other programs are looking to turn college football into just that – here’s looking at you Texas and USC.
Parity was a distant dream to begin with, and it will completely die now. Most teams have no realistic shot to win anything of note when there are a few teams with exceptionally deep pockets. Hence the need for the NFL salary cap.
Alabama doesn’t have the finances to compete with these numbers long term. Then what happens when major cities decide to care? Watch out. We could see a return of the U at Miami or a new kid on the block like USF in Tampa or maybe even someone in NYC.
Apparently, these truth bombs were too much for the leader of the Texas cult of dude cheerleaders, so he went off to the media. He claimed the report came from a shady site and referred to Kiffin as a clown. Hey Jimbo, I doubt Kiffin and Saban are getting their info from ‘Sliced Bread’ over at BroBible.
To ice the cake, Jimbo also mocked Kiffin for using the portal and bragging about it. Hey idiot, Kiffin had to use the portal because teams like yours bought all the high school kids. It seems this is the only way for teams like Ole Miss to survive in this new world.
In true hypocrite form, Fisher also whined about Saban promoting Bryce Young’s close to $1 million in NIL deals before the season – then referred to said coaches as hypocrites. That’s one player moron not 25. I guess those kids just love the beauty of east Texas… and all the hot cheerleaders that are dressed as ice cream men… and the thought of being a part of the illustrious 12th man? Jimbo we aren’t as stupid as you talk. If it walks like a duck… well, you know the rest.
Jimbo finished his thoughts with comments about not knocking the hard work of his staff and the pure decisions these young men made to attend the magical home of the 12th man. Funny, as an Ole Miss fan I’ve heard that rhetoric before.
RT @CoachHughFreeze: If you have facts about a violation, email compliance@olemiss.edu. If not, please don't slander the young men
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) February 1, 2013
Yup, that same bravado spewed from Hugh Freeze after coming under similar fire that led to the destruction of the Ole Miss program. For even more irony, the Ole Miss Athletic Director at the time Ross Bjork, is now employed by one Texas A&M. He botched every step of the Ole Miss investigation. Not saying the NCAA has anymore teeth or anything will happen to the Cult. I’m sure they crossed their T’s and dotted their I’s. This just has a little groundhogs day feel to it… pun intended… for the season and all.
I leave this with one final thought. All this fire from Jimbo and all those talented recruits and he will still finish 8-5. Also, Kiffin trolled the hell out of Jimbo and made him cry on national tv. I don’t care if he wins another game at Ole Miss. Build him a statue next to Johnny Vaught.
Scattered Thoughts
NFL
The NFL playoffs have been nothing short of amazing. I feel like it is the 90’s all over again and each game featured an epic QB match up. With that said, could the NFL have shittier overtime rules? How can you let what was possibly the best game in the history of that historic league, the Chiefs / Bills, be decided by a damn coin toss? How do you not have another kickoff at the least to give the other team a chance to match scores? Josh Allen did nothing to lose and got no chance to win. Might as well have gone to midfield and played paper rock scissors. It was just freaking ludicrous.
NCAA Basketball
Will Wade of LSU continues to have the most punchable face in all of sports. He is everything that is wrong with sports and shouldn’t be allowed to coach rec league. If you don’t know why you should hate him, I’ll give you the short of it.
Wade was caught on FBI wire tap talking about paying recruits, something to the effect of “it’s a big ass offer”, but mysteriously still has a job and LSU and isn’t on NCAA probation. I’m not Sherlock Holmes, but some of the mystery may be that LSU’s Athletic Director is the son-in-law of the president of the NCAA, but who knows?
Alabama is the weirdest team to ever play sports. They have beaten 3 of last year’s Final Four teams including the defending National Champion, Baylor. Not one team in the country has that on their resume. They also gave Georgia their first SEC win and had to have a huge comeback to not lose their second game of the year to Missouri. It’s bonkers.
Auburn is going to win a national title. Speaking of hypocrites, I guess I am one. I slam Will Wade – justifiably – but I kind of like Pearl. I get it he’s just as dirty of a player in the recruiting game but at least he is likeable as a person. I’d drink a beer with him in a minute. Back to the title talk. Jabbari Smith is Kevin Durant with meat. The kid is unreal matched with Kessler and the dynamic group of guards, and I see them winning it all.
I say Auburn will win it all, but I may be getting ahead of myself down here in SEC country. A few traditional powers have resurfaced in the form of the Duke Blue Devils and Kansas Jayhawks. Both teams are salty this year and Kansas just dismantled defending champ Baylor over the weekend. Meanwhile Duke throttled North Carolina making that traditional grudge match a snoozer. Also, Gonzaga, not sure how they do it, but they will be there at the end. Timme is there for his 20th year or what seems like it. They always have a dude that looks just like him that can ball. I guess what I’m saying is March lies just around the corner and the most exciting month in sports is shaping up to bring all its usual thrills.
I hope you enjoyed my ponderings! Also, if you made it this far, you might as well subscribe to our YouTube channel and LISTEN TO THE PODCAST!