Rahne Flies Coop
So, all those who bitch about Ricky Rahne’s dumbed-down, derivative Moorhead offense need bitch no more. Ricky done flown da coop!
Speculation abounds on who will be selected by James Franklin as Rahne’s successor. We don’t even know who will run the offense at the Cotton Bowl at this point.
Black Shoes Diaries posted an article that said absolutely nothing, but it was couched as the opinion of its author, Chris Lucia. Nevertheless, since I know even less than Lucia, I’ll won’t make grandiose statements about what the team needs on offense. I’ll just ask: Who is your leading candidate for OC?
Bowl Bullshit
So, we got the Cotton Bowl and PSU homies are pissed off that we didn’t get the Rose Bowl. Hey, Wisconsin deserved it and PSU didn’t. (By what arrogant and impertinent measure did PSU stake its claim on Pasadena turf, anyway? Certainly not on that ridiculous, season-ending putridity against the lowly Scarlet Knights of PJHS.) Furthermore, from a subjective point of view, why would the “Graddaddy of Them All” want a team that consistently shows up for only half a game?
Even the Cotton Bowl is probably more visibility than the Nits deserve this year. Nevertheless, for some of us, the matchup seems even more unsettling than the lesser venue.
A Group of Five playoff wannabe will always want to be appeased, and the Cotton Bowl is now the designated spot for the proud pretender. This year, AAC winner Memphis (12-1) is it. The at-large berth went to Penn State (10-2), who are favored by a touchdown.
But Can Memphis Win?
The thing is, the Tigers might be tigers. (How many sports teams choose this ferocious, striped, 500-lb feline as their mascot? I’m thinking it must be the most overloaded icon in sports. But I digress.) Memphis has everything to gain, while the Nittany Lions will likely enter the game with their usual dullard looks for the noon kickoff. What are they playing for?
Memphis will be coached by interim head coach Ryan Silverfield, since former head coach Mike Norvell was hired away by Florida State. Of his ascension, Silverfield stated, ” The players will understand it’s just another day with a new face up there that’s talking to them, a new face that’s calling the plays.”
Make a Statement?
In this situation, the players know the importance of “making a statement.” (LOL) The coach’s motivational significance is somewhat secondary. They’ll be awed playing in Jerry’s House, a huge upgrade from their home venue, which is where the Liberty Bowl has been played for about 100 years and holds 60,000. AT&T Stadium (Jerry’s Joint) is one of the most expensive and elaborate sports venues in the world, costing $1.15 billion to build and holding 105,000 slobbering Cowboys fans.
Whether PSU stacks up well against Memphis will be the subject of my pre-bowl post, so I ain’t sayin’ here. At the moment, I’m more interested on your thoughts regarding the matchup and any sour grapes you have for me to chew on.
Depending on how sore my ass is, I might not get the pre-bowl post up before Christmas, so I want to wish all six of my readers the very best of the holiday season — Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and to those who celebrate Kwanzaa, Habari Gani.
