// December 31st, 2009 // 3 Comments » // Uncategorized
…I’ll end on a high note, and let that video take you into the new year. Tomorrow morning at 8am I’m off to Birmingham for the PapaJohns.com Bowl. I’ll be checking in with interviews and mobile blogging. The wonders of the internet age.
// December 31st, 2009 // 2 Comments » // Uncategorized
A big congratulations are in order for Lindsey Witten, defensive end for UConn. Not only is he a totally stand up guy, but he has also been invited to participate in the NFL Combine. For those of you who don’t know, he was the best rush end in the Big East this year, and arguably the country. But, beyond that, Witten is the kind of player who demonstrates a maturity beyond his years on and off the field. Couldn’t be happier for this guy.
// December 30th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized
Dave Portnoy of BarstoolSports.com put it best when he said:
I know it sounds crazy but I actually feel bad for Bills fans. Like it’s bad enough to live in Buffalo, but to have to root for a team whose greatest accomplishment is losing 4 straight superbowls? Just doesn’t seem fair. It’s like double jeopardy or something
// December 30th, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized
I’m just your humble, overweight bloggger. Spending my days trying to convince the girlfriend’s parents I’m not a drain on society. I enjoy the simple things in life, like football, youtube, and hatemail. The latter of which I’ve been getting a ton of. So here is some of the best, in response to yesterday’s piece on Mike Leach and whether or not he went too far (if, as it now seems, he went anywhere at all).
And now, the mail bag [Sic'd]:
“wow nice move retard. biased reporting at its best” (from Steve in Texas)
// December 29th, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized
Mike Leach has taken abusive coaching to the next level.
Texas Tech has suspended head Coach Mike Leach for mistreating sophomore wide receiver Adam Jones. According to recent reports and accounts of the incident , Leach instructed a member of the training staff to lock Jones in a dark closet, after he suffered a concussion.
Either Leach is on the cutting edge of sports medicine, pioneering the “sexual orientation metaphor healing model” or he just has a really bad sense of right and wrong. I’m going with the latter on this one.
// December 29th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized
Good morning good readers. Hope the holidays Christmas went well for you. Nothing like booze and family to remind you why you went out of state for college (just kidding, Mom…) That being said, in my 7 day food coma I got real lazy with the blog posting and forgot to post this video in which I was able to not only predict the USC vs. Boston College bowl game outcome, but also drop in a “Super-Frauds” reference. Tremendous. Enjoy this video and stay tuned. Thanks for your continued support of Thoughts From A Fat White Guy. Without you, I’d be unemployed.
// December 21st, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized
That’s me, “resting” at the girlfriend’s parent’s house, all of whom are Patriots fans. Yeah, notice the placement of my Bill’s hat. Here I am, looking like the world’s worst prom date. Like my beloved Bill-skis (no body circles the wagons, Leather) I’m all Swedish, no Finnish. Even my dog has decided to mount me, and hump me into submission, like the rest of the NFL has done to Western New York’s finest since 1994.
// December 18th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized
Made my debut on GQ.com, who knew all those years holding out for them to start a plus-sized model campaign were for nothing. All I had to do was become a writer. Here’s the link, and a preview:
FWG in GQAs college football approaches the start of its “postseason,” I am forced to reflect on the ‘08-’09 bowl season—which was my last as a player. It was also, coincidentally, so mind-numbingly boring that I finally jumped on the we-need-a-playoff bandwagon. Maybe last year’s bowls weren’t boring for you, but that’s probably because you didn’t tune into the Pitt vs. Oregon State game, where Pitt lost 3-0. It was then that I knew the bowl season had reached its pinnacle. That shoot out (sarcasm noted) was a start-to-finish adrenaline rush, beginning with Oregon State’s penalty for (get this) wearing the wrong uniforms. Apparently the referees felt that Orange was soooo last season. But, I digress. If there was ever a greater argument for more excitement (read: a playoff system) come championship season, that was it.
With the Division 1-AA Championship game being played tonight (Division 1-AA, of course, has a playoff system), I figured I’d go right to an expert on the issue—someone who has actually participated in a college football playoff system.
Meet Dominic Randolph, starting quarterback for the Holy Cross Crusaders.
// December 17th, 2009 // No Comments » // Uncategorized, wob
My love affair with Suh continues.
I’m sure there is photo credit to be given here, if you know shoot me an email @ TheFatWhiteGuyATgmail.com
// December 15th, 2009 // No Comments » // Uconn, Uncategorized
Apparently, the faculty at the University of Texas are little “miffed” by Brown’s 2 million dollar raise. Similar discussions (and dissent) are common-place as tensions between athletics and academics are constantly growing.
Allow me to offer my somewhat profound opinion. An opinion honed and probably valued as a product of both a liberal arts education and the athletic department. First and foremost, nothing does more to bring prestige or notoriety to an academic institution than an athletic program. Millions of people aren’t paying attention to the University of Florida or Alabama because of their excellent science programs. In an ideal world, maybe that would be the case. But this isn’t an ideal world. No, this is a country that loves it some football. Sports transcend race, gender, and class, and bring colleges and universities prestige and attention that they would otherwise not get.
Playing a football or basketball game on national television is basically a two hour infomercial for why you should attend that school. The game being played sells potential students, recruits, and the rest of America on that school. Schools also use that opportunity to showcase their academics, facilities, and other such highlights. Trust me, not a lot of people come to UConn because of the hustle and bustle of Storrs, CT.
And the more your team wins, the more national attention you get. In college programs, players come and go, it is a revolving door of sorts. The only constant is coaching, the better your coaching, the better your team does, the better your team does, the more national attention. Breakout that freshman year logic-course. Transitive property; better coaching, more national attention. And nothing is more likely to keep a great coach at your school, as is the case with Mack Brown, than a 2 million dollar raise.
Sure, John Q history professor isn’t making even close to that amount of money. But then again, he doesn’t pay his own salary. In the past few years, University of Texas football generated more than $6.6 million into academic programs. It comes down to popularity contest, which I’m sure the nerds in the science department will be upset about (Sorry, Chauncy. Yes it is high school all over again, isn’t it?). To borrow a quote from one of the greatest sports movies of all time, The Program:
Professor: This is not a football vocational school. It’s an institute for higher learning.
Coach Winters: Yeah, but when was the last time 80,000 people showed up to watch a kid do a damn chemistry experiment?
Exactly. Boo Yah.
Copyright © 2013 Thoughts from a fat white guy. All rights reserved.
“Rob - I guess the fact that you played “professional” football in Austria (are you kidding me?) makes you an expert and give you the right to make accusations that you have no way of knowing if they’re true or not. What is fact is that several players have already come out in defense of Leach and a few of them said they also were put in the same equipment room that James was supposedly put in. Hey, got a great idea, go back to Austria you clown.” (From John)
“I have looked forward to reading your comments in the past because I thought you brought some insite into the world of college football. However, after reading this article I realize that you do not research or report journalistically. You are basically taking the reporting of ESPN (Craig James’ employer) and fueling the fire. Do you know that all injured players are to attend Texas Tech practices and rehab while practice is conducted? Do you know that the doctor said James could return to practice, but light could be detrimental? Do you know that the doctor said that Leach’s actions were a positive for that particular injury? Why should James not be held to the same standard as other players? Just because he has a daddy that will stand on a big soap box and scream foul, Leach is supposed to appologize. That is right, the James family wanted a written appology or they would go public, Leach refused to apologize for wrong doing and here we are. It’s about time someone has a pair and stands up to the James’s.” (From Mark)