Big Apple Bound

It's been awhile since I've just concentrated on sports, so let's do so tonight.

You'll hear me say this several times a year, but this is my favorite time of year! It's Aug. 19, two weeks away from the kickoff of both high school and college football, and three weeks from the kickoff to the NFL.

I didn't grow up a huge football fan. Didn't play the sport as a kid, outside of a few pickup games on the elementary school playground, before I got to junior high. Baseball was my first love, followed by basketball and then football a distant third. Now football and basketball are neck and neck, with baseball running a distant third.

Because of my new job schedule, I won't get to make many high school or college games this year (I work both Friday and Saturday nights), but I am excited about the few opportunities I might get. One of those opportunities is when my college alma mater, Louisiana Tech, travels to face Texas A&M on Sept. 23. It was the first vacation I set up when I got to The Town Talk. Elizabeth and I will go to College Station for the game Saturday night before driving down to Houston and catching an Astros game Sunday afternoon.

Well, now I've got another vacation set up. My brother-in-law, Elizabeth's oldest brother Jason, and I have talked for quite some time about taking a weekend road trip to catch a baseball and football game. We talked about maybe driving to Houston, Dallas or Atlanta. Jason called me the other night and pitched a trip to me at the end of September (the weekend following A&M). We decided to go to Atlanta, catch a Braves v. 'Stros game and then watch the Falcons play the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Or so I thought. A couple nights later, Jason called with a new plan. One that, even to me, Mr. Up-for-a-trip-anytime-anyplace, was shocking. I'm a road tripper. I usually go places in a car. But Jason had bigger plans. Let's go to Yankee Stadium! Wha??? Yes, New York City. The Big Apple. The Yankees recently broke ground on a new Yankee Stadium earlier this week, set to open for the 2009 season, and I honestly don't know what the plans are concerning the historic one. Will it stay open for tours? Will they tear it down? I'm not sure. I do know that the days are limited for me to make it to The House That Ruth Built.




Last summer, I had the chance to visit Fenway Park, though the Sox were out of town, and that was a huge deal for me. Actually seeing a game in Yankee Stadium -- even for this self-professed Yankee Hater -- is almost too much for me to put in words. So we made plans to go see the Yankees on Saturday (Sept. 30) afternoon.

But, wait. There's more. Jason -- somehow, someway -- was able to finagle his way off on Monday, as well. The New York Jets -- the new home of Ruston High alum Patrick Ramsey -- are at home on Sunday facing Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts at the Meadowlands. Why the heck not? Let's do it!

I must admit that I am somewhat -- OK, a lot -- intimidated by the Big Apple. I'm a small-town kid who thinks Dallas is HUGE. The Big Apple is so much more huger!!! But I also know chances like this don't come around every day. My blood is boiling from excitement -- at seeing a baseball game is the most historic (sorry Fenway lovers) park in the world, at seeing an NFL game at the Meadowlands, at being able to do what little sightseeing we can squeeze in our schedule!

While I'd love to be off every Friday night and every Saturday afternoon for high school and college football, the chances I'll get to see games this year are going to be that much more special. It's only a little over a month away -- and I sure can't wait!!!

NFL Thoughts

My fantasy league draft is a week from Tuesday, and I'm gearing up for a strong showing (yes, I'm still in first in my baseball league, although I should slip down to second at the end of this week). I've been invited to join The Town Talk's league, and we will have our live draft on Aug. 29. I've already started putting together my position rankings and big board. Can't wait for the draft!!!

My boy Ryan Moats returned from a knee injury Thursday night to play in the Eagles second preseason game. The stats weren't great (7 carries, 7 yards), but apparently his burst is back. He's still lining up second on the depth chart behind Brian Westbrook. Moats must continue to work hard and limit his fumbles, but I'm predicting a big, big year for my boy!

Saints fans got just a glimpse of what Reggie Bush will do when he ran for nearly 60 yards in New Orleans' first preseason game. The highlight was a 44-yard scamper that was reminiscent of his USC glory days where he took a handoff and headed off-tackle left before reversing field and racing down the sideline. Beautiful!

College Football

Who do I care about most in college football? Louisiana Tech, of course! My Bulldogs held their only scrimmage of fall practice this morning, and it appears we have us a starting quarterback. Although I wasn't in attendance, everything I'm hearing is junior Zac Champion clearly separated himself as the No. 1 guy with his performance. Zac has been around for 4 years now and has yet to live up to the billing he had when he arrived on campus for spring practice and lit the world on fire. He redshirted that year, during Luke McCown's senior season, before losing out a three-way battle for the starting job and sitting two years behind Matt Kubik and Donald Allen.

So Zac has the experience, but his competitors -- redshirt freshman Mike Mosley and juco transfer Joe Danna -- bring something that Zac doesn't. Mosley has a huge, huge arm and also is a very mobile QB. Danna, on the other hand, is a big fellas. While Mosley and Champion are both listed around 200 pounds, Danna is about 6-4, 230 pounds. He's come a long way since he arrived in the spring, but appears to still be third on the depth chart.

Most likely, as the Bulldogs run through their opening four-game gauntlet (which includes road trips at Nebraska to start the season and also treks to A&M and Clemson) head coach Jack Bicknell will use all 3 QB's to see if one can separate himself. I've received conflicting reports that Champion has been outplayed during practice (the same reports I received from last year that said Champion outplayed both Kubik and Allen), but there's no doubt who firmly grabbed the job at today's scrimmage. I hope that heading into the fifth game, a dangerous trip to Boise State, one of the guys will have established himself as the only QB. My guess is Champion will be that guy.

Elsewhere, offensively, if the QB play isn't erratic, it could be a strong year for the Bulldogs. There are 4 high quality receivers in seniors Eric Newman and Jonathan Holland, sophomore Josh Wheeler and junior Freddie Franklin, a converted running back who has the best hands on the team. Each of the 4 guys has the potential to be a playmaker, especially Holland, who is one of the fastest players in the country but has yet to realize his full potential. At running back, Tech will be very young and very talented. So talented that Bicknell moved last year's two leading rushers, junior Mark Dillard who moved to safety, and Franklin. The majority of the carries will go to sophomore Patrick Jackson, who showed great signs as a true freshman last year when he was the No. 3 back and rushed for nearly 400 yards. However, pushing him are a trio of ultra-talented true freshmen -- Will Griffin, Myke Compton and Daniel Porter. If Griffin is healthy, he's the guy. He was Tech's No. 1 recruit and has the potential to be a serious playmaker down the road. On the O-line, Tech returns 3 starters and also has 3 new guys that have pushed their way into playing time. Should be a solid unit. And at tight end, there are 4 big targets -- senior Anthony James, sophomore Anthony Harrison and true freshmen Dustin Mitchell and Dennis Morris. This should be Tech's most talented and prolific offense of this decade.

Defense is another question. Tech lost a ton -- and I mean a ton. Six of the front 7 are gone. But replacing them are young and talented players, led by junior Brannon Jackson and middle linebacker and junior Josh Muse at nose tackle. There are major questions as to who will line up at DE and DT, and how will the depth chart shake up at linebacker -- Tech's strongest position, with an absolute ton of talent. Quin Harris, Chad Beverage and Marquis McBeath are my best guesses to be starting with Jackson. But there are 8 other linebackers that will compete for snaps. In the secondary, senior Dez Abrams returns at free safety as the team's captain. He's steady, though not particularly flashy. A smart guy and good leader. At strong safety are Dillard, the converted running back and a big hitter at 220 pounds, and sophomore Weldon Brown, who began his career at running back before switching to receiver during the middle of last season. Ideally, Brown will switch out to corner (at 180 pounds, he's not the biggest safety) and move into a starting spot. Dillard must continue to improve at safety for that to happen.

This is a very young and talented team, with enough talent to make a run at the WAC title, and even greater things over the next couple of seasons. However, with a killer schedule, Bicknell will have to do a great job to keep this team focused and prevent it from folding if for some reason (as I suspect) the team starts 1-4. It could be a long year for the Bulldogs, or it could be a conference title season. I honestly don't know, and that's what makes it so exciting!!!

The AP released its preseason poll recently, and Ohio St. is the consensus top pick. Troy Smith is this year's Vince Young while Teddy Ginn Jr. is the new Reggie Bush -- at least the Buckeyes hope so, because they must revamp a defense that lost 8 starters and open the season against defending national champion Texas. The winner of that game gets the early upper hand in the national title race. The loser gets a setback, but because it's so early, they won't be out of the hunt. No. 2 is Notre Dame, led by Heisman favorite Brady Quinn at QB. Charlie Weis is the uber-coach, so the Fighting Irish are the chic choice for national champ. At least 3 losses is my prediction. Texas is 3rd, with a freshman QB, which tells you how wide open this year's race for the title is, followed by Auburn and West Virginia -- who, if it can knock off Louisville, has the best chance of going undefeated, and still might be left out of the title game because of the weak Big East. USC is No. 6, and much like Tech, if it can find consistent QB play, could win the national title despite losing the last two Heisman Trophy winners to the NFL Draft. There are other talented teams as well. For the first time in my memory, this is a season with no clear-cut favorite. Each team has question marks that must be answered. It's so wide open that nearly any team could run the table and win the title!