Sunday, January 30, 2011

4 Quarters Radio: January 28 4th Quarter


The fourth-quarter curriculum for January 28:
--Scott mentions some potential QB prospects coming to campus over the weekend, and also some addled people who had, shall we say, overly optimistic projections about MTSU's new coordinators.
--Scott also has some advice for aspiring ballers that can help them avoid the whole "banned supplement" problem.
--Jerry West's comments regarding the Lakers' age get an actual analysis, and they may be both right and wrong at the same time. Jack Nicholson guest stars, kinda.
--In the Epic Fails, the guys lament the epic failure of their Internet connection. Bobby goes Hawaii-to-Chicago for a pair of NFL fails. Logan laments the silence of the Jets. Scott calls out a player who quit in mid-game, and a team who quit playing offense and never started until the next game.

Excised music: "Papa Don't Take No Mess" by James Brown and "Beat the Horse" by Pamplamoose.

4 Quarters Radio: January 28 3rd Quarter


The third-quarter curriculum for January 28:
--The anticipated Erik Walden interview doesn't come off, so the fellas have to freestyle a bit. They start with projecting what B.J. Raji will do against a gimpy Maurkice Pouncey in the Super Bowl.
--More Conference Roulette may be forthcoming, as rumbles of discontent are being heard in the Big 12. Logan gets asked about his reaction to a possible SEC addition of Texas A&M and Oklahoma. Scott ponders which conference could make out best if the situation goes nuclear.
--The Mountain West makes a move to put TCU's toughest game on the road next season, and the fellas weigh in on how big a jerk move it is.
--Logan addresses a ridiculous rumor that someone's tried to restart in Tennessee.
--Another college football story gets checked for legs, as MTSU is listed as a potential transfer's landing spot.

Excised music: "Flower" by Amos Lee.

4 Quarters Radio: January 28 2nd Quarter


The second-quarter curriculum for January 28:
--The guys are joined on the phone by Matt Norlander, college basketball writer for CBS Sports and College Hoops Journal.
--Ohio State's claim to number 1 is validated, even though it's painful for Scott that it was at Purdue's expense.
--San Diego State's credentials get reassessed in the wake of the loss to the Fighting Jimmers.
--Matt shares his current favorite for Player of the Year, and he actually votes against The Jimmer...for now.
--Syracuse's struggles get looked over, and a player dances dangerously close to the dreaded "bust" label.
--Tennessee, Michigan State, and Purdue get late-season forecasts. Happily for our hosts, no one gets actively written off.
--More numbers get put out to place Jeff Fisher in a historical perspective. Of particular interest is how often his teams reach the postseason.
--In Whodaman, Bobby gives some love to an unheralded Bear, Logan takes a gratuitous shot at the Prof, and Scott mentions a couple of hoop studs.

Excised music: "Secret Mobilization" by Deerhoof.

4 Quarters Radio: January 28 1st Quarter


The first-quarter curriculum for January 28:
--After a brief discussion of the blazingly hot studio (including Logan's somewhat radical solution), Los Guys get down to discussion of the day's overriding story, the departure of Titans coach Jeff Fisher. Fisher's future moves, the even-less-certain future of Vince Young, and the rush to win one for Bud are all discussed.
--Scott revisits a painful weekend in analyzing the abuse of Jay Cutler. Tolerance for pain, TV director prejudice, and players calling the kettle black are relevant factors.

Excised music: "Royal Blue" by the Cold War Kids.

The Best of 4 Quarters Radio: Volume 1


It's hard to condense an entire year of great sports talk into one half-hour program, but the 4QR staff has managed the feat.

The highlights include:
--Scott and Bobby discussing Ines Sainz, and Clinton Portis's comments regarding Ines Sainz and "53 men's packages."
--Scott going solo on an absolutely epic rant about the idiots who choose to run onto baseball diamonds during games.
--A couple of memorable Whodaman segments, with Logan happy for his fantasy team, Scott happy for a NBA scrub scoring a hot fiancee, and celebrating a highly buff bird.
--Excerpts from interviews with MTSU football coach Rick Stockstill and Sporting News college basketball writer Mike DeCourcy.
--Brief shots on a potential name for Arian Foster's fan club, a new martial art that wins UFC matches for those who DON'T practice it, and what breed of dog comes to Scott's mind when he looks at Cortland Finnegan.
--And of course, it wouldn't be 4Q without ending on some Epic Fails. Scott takes time to make fun of a guy who thought the World Cup was underdressed and an announcer who thought a quarterback was "DEFENSELESS!!!!!!!!!"

Enjoy it all, and the crew will try to do even better next year.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

4 Quarters Radio: January 21 4th Quarter


The fourth-quarter curriculum for January 21:
--After a few minutes of pointless screwing around, Scott and Bobby finally get to some NBA discussion, namechecking the teams that are surprising and disappointing them in the first half of the season. They also cover midseason MVP's and concede that the Rookie of the Year award is already decided.
--In the Epic Fails, Bobby advocates protective gear, while Logan rubs salt in the wound of a guy who hasn't played all year anyway. Scott tells one player to get over himself and another one to keep it in his pants while outdoors.

Excised music: "Pull Up to the Bumper" by Grace Jones.

4 Quarters Radio: January 21 3rd Quarter


The third-quarter curriculum for January 21:
--Guest stars Daffy Duck and Taz help 4QR and Logan both celebrate their birthdays and the show's debut on iTunes.
--Bobby gives a thumbnail preview of UFC Fight for the Troops.
--In a game of Medal Stand, the NFL's new head coaches are previewed, and the fellas rank the three best bets for next season.
--MTSU football coach Rick Stockstill joins the crew after a recruiting visit, and patiently answers questions about the concluded season, his search for new coordinators, and whether he'd tolerate a player going off Cromartie-style.

Excised music: "Worlds Apart" by Times of Grace.

4 Quarters Radio: January 21 2nd Quarter


The second-quarter curriculum for January 21:
--Bart Scott's postgame rant on the Patriots is filtered through his stated admiration for Hulk Hogan.
--Scott shares the fun environment in which he watched the Sunday playoff games, including watching a relationship explode before his eyes.
--The conference title games get picked, and Scott finds himself in a bit of a dilemma. MTSU's rooting interest in the NFC title game is explained, as well.
--Scott, Bobby, and Logan (a late arrival following over-celebration for his birthday) discuss the value of prayer in sports. Logan even channels his inner Jimmy Swaggart. (Or is it George W. Bush?)
--In Whodaman, Bobby gives respect to a potential Super Bowl quarterback, Logan goes totally off the reservation, and Scott gives respect to a woman who got massively inked for her Jayhawks.

Excised music: "Pink Pants!" by the Aquabats.

4 Quarters Radio: January 21 1st Quarter


The first-quarter curriculum for January 21:
--Scott celebrates the show's first anniversary and also its debut on iTunes. Following that, Scott and Bobby check out the Mississippi State cheerleader in Playboy. (In more ways than one.)
--Texas's new network gets examined, and the guys ponder exactly how many people will tune in for volleyball, swimming, and UT productions of "Hamlet." Also, speculation on which other schools could pull it off.
--MTSU's basketball team pulls a solid win over Troy, and the guys look into the strengths and weaknesses of both the men and women.
--Another area school gets the majority of the love, as Belmont continues to post crazy win margins. Coach Rick Byrd's exclusive club gets a mention, as well.
--Other college hoop races get a glance, and special attention is paid to John Calipari's vocabulary.

Excised music: "Floating Bridge" by Gregg Allman.

 

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

4 Quarters Radio: January 14 4th Quarter


The fourth-quarter curriculum for January 14:
--4QR gets a rare listener call-in, and the discussion veers toward the Seagulls' lack of qualifications for the playoffs.
--Los Guys discuss the State of Their Teams, including the proper result of the Fisher-Young showdown, whether Skeletor needs to spend to keep Nnamdi Asomugha, and the comparisons between Bob Sanders and Kenny McCormick.
--The Ultimate Fighter coaches have been named, and the idea of Brock Lesnar weekly on Spike seems like a sure recipe for fun and disaster.
--Scott explains why the Knicks need to simply walk away from Melo.
--In the Epic Fails, Bobby calls out a clumsy corner, Logan gasses a Nazi ref, and Scott marvels at how people will pay multiple hundreds of dollars expressly to stand outside a stadium.

Excised music: "Always Something" by Cage the Elephant.

4 Quarters Radio: January 14 3rd Quarter


The third-quarter curriculum for January 14:
--The fellas talk about other results from Wild Card Weekend, and somehow, Tony Dungy gets blame for a loss. Not literally, but Jim Caldwell gets very little credit for anything.
--Bobby gets salt rubbed in the wound after the Eagles' loss to Green Bay, as the discussion even veers back toward the Minnesota game.
--The guys ponder how far is too far when it comes to talking trash. Bobby even anticipates a feminine field invasion. For Logan's part, he's perfectly fine with profanity...but one could probably guess that by now.
--The AFC divisional rivalries are compared, and the guys come to a decision on which is more entertaining. Then, all four games are forecast.

Excised music: "Sick of You" by Cake.

4 Quarters Radio: January 14 2nd Quarter


The second-quarter curriculum for January 14:
--After a seemingly endless promo for an upcoming concert and Logan channeling his inner greasy Latin lover, the Triple Threat slide into discussion of the BCS National Championship game. Scott's wondering why Auburn's conference rivals leapt onto the bandwagon so hard, and Logan attempts to explain.
--Other bowl games get a brief look, including Bobby's favorite team getting waxed and the NCAA bending over for the Sugar Bowl.
--Cecil Newton's presence at the championship game, as well as his alibi, have the smell test administered to them. (Hint: FAIL.)
--Whodaman is Pacific Northwest-centric this week, as Seattle is an epicenter in more ways than one. Strangely, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, ball gags, and tea parties all get brought up. Don't ask, just listen.

Excised music: "Freak Out" by Tapes 'n' Tapes.

4 Quarters Radio: January 14 1st Quarter


The first-quarter curriculum for January 14:
--After an abrupt start, the 4Q crew is joined by Daily News Journal (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) writer Adam Sparks to discuss his experience reporting on the GoDaddy.com Bowl.
--Adam discusses impressions of the city of Mobile itself, the mood of the MTSU football team following the game, and preparations already beginning for 2011, including the dual coordinator search.
--MTSU basketball gets examined, as the team survives one brutal, WWE-style game, then curls up and disappears against Florida Atlantic. The team's use of depth is pondered as a potential problem.

Excised music: "The Overdose" by Lecrae.

Monday, January 17, 2011

4 Quarters Radio: December 16 4th Quarter


The fourth-quarter curriculum for December 16:
--Scott gloats a bit about the New York Spankees not getting all the free-agents this offseason. Appreciations of the loaded Red Sox batting order and Phillies rotation follow.
--Wondering what the Spanks have left to look forward to, Scott expresses fear for a pitcher with documented emotional baggage if he would ever end up in the Bronx.
--The rent-a-player system gets some blame for fan apathy in most baseball cities, especially when compared to the NFL's constantly shifting landscape.
--Comparisons between Cliff Lee's decision and LeBron James's Decision are examined and mostly debunked.
--In the Epic Fails, Scott marvels at the fall of a former Pro Bowler reduced to stealing his ex's unemployment checks.

Excised music: "Strung Out" by Wendy & Lisa.

4 Quarters Radio: December 16 3rd Quarter


The third-quarter curriculum for December 16:
--Bobby checks in from Nashville to celebrate his victory in the Great UFC Wing Wager. The UFC 124 results are analyzed, including the cat-playing-with-a-ball-of-yarn that was St. Pierre over Koscheck. Bobby even comes out and calls GSP a nerd.
--For Fantasy Football Gloat/Bitch Day, Bobby and Scott commiserate over their losers' bracket status, and Scott even tries to broker a deal.
--The guys compare the consecutive-game records in each of the major sports, trying to decide how impressive Grampa's run is in comparison. Jim Marshall's impressive history gets some special discussion.
--The collapse of the Metrodome gets examined for conspiracies. Both Scott and Bobby both offer theories about the identity of the mysterious golf-cart driver.
--Scott bemoans the Bears getting buried in the snow by the Patriots, and both guys share a chuckle over the sad disappearance of Randy Moss.
--Tripping, autographs, and laughing get compared as Scott and Bobby decide which offense is most egregious.

Excised music: "This New Technology" by Midnight Juggernauts.

4 Quarters Radio: December 16 2nd Quarter


The second-quarter curriculum for December 16:
--Scott compares the new head coaching hires at Florida and The U, wondering which one is more prepared for his new job. Scott takes on no less an authority than Warren Sapp over the credentials of the new Hurricanes boss.
--A new game called "How Bad Could It Be" makes its debut, and Scott examines the Big Ten's rebranding campaign. Division names, logo, and new trophies all get discussed.
--Scott examines a proposition for the elimination of the NBA's age restriction. He's not mad at it, but still likes another method better.
--In Whodaman, a freshman basketball star (speaking of one-and-done) gets respect, despite being from Ohio State.

Excised music: "Strobe Lights" by Diddy Dirty Money feat. Lil' Wayne.

4 Quarters Radio: December 16 1st Quarter


Yes, it's a month late. Not like many are listening anyway.

The first-quarter curriculum for December 16:
--Scott announces Fantasy Football Gloat/Bitch Day and gets exactly one call, from ex-co-host Joseph Anthony. Of course, Joseph can't resist the opportunity to poke fun at Scott's team and its lackluster record.
--Scott returns the favor and clears up one of Joseph's patented misconceptions regarding the prospects for Tennessee's basketball team...just in time for them to go in the toilet, apparently.
--Scott's not hard on the Vols for losing to Oakland, because he details Oakland's rugged schedule and how solid their team really is.
--The other side of the scheduling coin is examined, as Scott notes that heavy non-con schedules sometimes backfire.
--From the Wishful Thinking Department, Scott envisions college basketball's various conference challenges being co-opted by football. If the SEC would ever play real opponents...
--MTSU's women's team has a star racking up conference honors, and Scott gives her some radio love.
--Also getting respect: MTSU's men's program, specifically their upcoming recruiting class.

Excised music: "Lovely and Blue" by Ryan Adams and the Cardinals.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

How Right are the Titans in Dumping Vince Young?

Let's do a small piece of blind taste-testing...er, except we're tasting quarterbacks. Eeeeew.

Anyway, grossness out of the way, here's the comparison:

Quarterback A: 21-12 (.636 winning percentage) as a starter over three seasons, 55.3 percent completions, 30 TD, 27 interceptions, 161 yards per game.

Quarterback B: 30-17 (.638) as starter over five seasons, 57.9 percent, 42 TD, 42 picks, 150 yards per game.

Neither set of numbers is exploding off the page, but one of these players still had local fans defending him to the death, while one was considered among the worst QB's of all time based off a hideous rookie season.

Given the fact that his 30-17 record as a starter has been trotted out ad nauseam as fans and analysts struggle to find good things to say about him, it should be no surprise that Vince Young is Quarterback B. As for Quarterback A?

This guy. Kyle Orton, one of my ex-Purdue amigos, and quite obviously a veteran party hound. The numbers above are from his three seasons in Chicago, where he grew as a quarterback while one of the decade's best defenses toiled opposite him in practice.

At least he's never been caught on video beating some fool in a strip club, but that's a whole other story.

As an interesting coincidence, Orton spent the past two seasons churning out numbers after being traded to Denver for Jay Cutler, the guy who was selected eight spots behind Vince Young in the 2006 draft.

Nashville sports radio, as recently as October, still occasionally turned out mouth-breathers who would still claim that Young was the best of the three 2006 signal-callers (Matt Leinart, of course, being the third). Strangely, out of the three, only one is likely to have a starting job in 2011, and it ain't VY.

Cutler's not quite the franchise guy yet. Did he whine his way out of Denver? Yep. Is he arrogant? You bet.

One thing Jay's never been accused of, however, is being lazy. Leinart always seemed more interested in hot-tubbing, and Vince always seemed to think he could just show up and dominate. If I have to choose one of those traits in my franchise QB, I'm taking arrogance over laziness every time.

For all the (entirely justifiable) flak that Cutler caught for crying his way out of Denver, his towel is nowhere near as tear-stained as Vince Young's. Tossing shoulder pads into stands, freely admitting that you're walking out on your coach, disappearing after a game to the point that your coach and family are contacting authorities out of fear that you've harmed yourself? These are not the actions of a leader of men.

The win-loss record defense continues to chap me, as I am far from a card-carrying member of the Cult of the Quarterback. A quarterback's win-loss record is one of the most meaningless stats in all of sports.

Vince Young did not go 30-17. The Tennessee Titans went 30-17 in games that he started. Of course, in 2008, they went 13-2 in games that he didn't start. Yet, very little clamor has been heard for Kerry Collins to maintain a starting job.

The point of comparing Vince to Orton was that absolutely no one was giving Orton any credit for the games that the Bears won during his tenure. Vince always seemed to get a huge share of the credit for every victory, even the ones that were part of Chris Johnson blazing his way into the history books last year.

The sad part is that Vince Young appears to have learned absolutely nothing.

Comments from an interview with Jim Wyatt of the Tennesseean:

"People say that's immature, but that's just me." Good to know that one can admit to being immature. Isn't the first step admitting that you have a problem?

"Wherever I go I will be committed like I am committed to everything." Commitment was the biggest question that most people had about you, Vince. 

Whatever Bud Adams heard in the postseason meetings that he's been having with Titans executives, there must have been some serious bombshells, creating shockwaves strong enough to remove Bud's head from VY's backside. It used to seem that it would take the Jaws of Life to get Bud out of there. Safe to say that a lot of people questioned Vince's maturity, commitment, and a lot of other things.

Now to kick back and listen to the mouthbreathers complain that it should have been Jeff Fisher getting canned. Calm down, fellas, who's to say that he won't?

Oh, and over/under on how long it takes Jemele Hill to write a column about how VY got canned because he's black: four days.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

NCAA: Big Dumb Muscle for the BCS Mafia's Godfathers

I'm a Big Ten homer, having grown up around and attended Purdue.

Unfortunately for me, I've lived for the last five years in SEC country, and had to sit back and cringe in embarrassment as Florida and LSU have cleaned Ohio State's clock in back-to-back national championship games.

This season, the jokes and snickers started anew after the Conference Momentarily Known as the "Legends and Leaders" League laid a nasty 0-5 egg on New Year's Day (thanks for not much, Rich Rod).

So, when Ohio State finally pulled a win over a school from the SEC (they're a whopping 1-9 now), especially in a BCS game, there should be much rejoicing among us Big Ten lifers, right?

No, not so much. Why not?

Simply another case of the tail wagging the dog.

The Sugar Bowl looked like it was going to be a convincing beatdown with 19 minutes left and tOSU up 31-13. Then, the Buckeyes tried their best to choke the game away...and this was WITH the Yard Sale Five on the field striving to make plays.

Imagine if Pryor, Posey, Herron, Adams, and Thomas hadn't played at all. Because if the NCAA was actually still in charge of anything involving college football, they wouldn't have.


Sugar Bowl CEO Paul Hoolahan is perfectly up front in admitting that he wants nothing other than what's good for the game:
"I made the point that anything that could be done to preserve the integrity of this year's game, we would greatly appreciate it...That appeal did not fall on deaf ears, and I'm extremely excited about it, that the Buckeyes are coming in at full strength and with no dilution."
Remember, when he says "integrity of (the) game," he's speaking of the Sugar Bowl, not college football in general. For that matter, we can substitute the word "ratings" for "integrity" and be much more on point.

My questions regarding the BCS are often born out of wonder. Why does the NCAA refuse so steadfastly to sanction its own championship? Why does it continue to put itself at the mercy of a system that leaves it subject to possible Congressional scrutiny? Is it really all in the name of "tradition"? Who's running this Mickey Mouse operation, Topol?


The NCAA says, "These guys aren't playing," then a BCS boss says, "Suspend 'em next year, they're playing in my game," so the NCAA's response is something like, "Duhh, okay, boss." Congrats, NCAA, you're roughly on the same level as this guy.


If you're suspending someone, it's immediate. Did Georgia's A.J. Green have his suspension's games cherry-picked? The Sugar Bowl should have no input into this process, and should have been put down with extreme prejudice when Hoolahan started raising a stink. That is, if the NCAA had any balls other than the ones that get carried into the end zone.

Interesting question #1 about the entire mess: Where's Jim Delany's high-handed moralizing now? Attempting and failing to acquire improper benefits is less of an offense than actually doing so, right? So, if Cam Newton should have been shut down, why not the Buckeye Bazaar Boys?

Interesting question #2: Would Boise State or TCU have gotten as lenient a treatment from the NCAA? Or would the godfathers have seized on a golden opportunity to once again point out the inadequacy of non-BCS teams and conferences when a depleted squad got drilled by Wisconsin or Arkansas?

Interesting question #3: What kind of enforcement is available for the pledges that the Tattoo Twits allegedly made to return for next season? None of them are projected first-round picks, although there are serious doubts that Terrelle Pryor's gotten that memo. Still, what exactly is there to stop these guys from bailing? Did they pinky-swear?

I do have to applaud the NCAA for at least being consistent. They let the Mafia sanction the championship, so why not let the Mafia decide how the rules are enforced?


As a bonus, Ohio State's looking to appeal. Give it until about March, and the NCAA will try to keep lopping one game off the suspension as quiet as possible. Get Ohio State back to full strength before the Michigan State game and pretend it's all about "giving the student-athletes a chance at redemption," rather than "giving Ohio State a chance to get back for another pimp-slapping in the National Championship Game."

Meanwhile, cue the SEC supporters telling all us Big Ten homers that Ohio State had to get their own personal set of rules to win a game. The sad part is...there can be no argument here.