A LITTLE BIT OF DISA AND DATA ...
So, what do you think … was MARIO
CRISTOBAL’s reason for not using CAM
WARD in the second half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl,
won by Iowa State 42-41? … The Miami, Fla.,
coach left the media guessing with some mumble
jumble about it being between Ward and him …
Naturally, they jumped to the conclusion it was all
about not risking injury to the All-American
quarterback, who is expected to be among the top
three players chosen in the 2025 NFL draft … and,
at least, he didn’t totally bail on his teammates,
which has become the norm nowadays …
Midway, 13th-ranked Miami led 31-28 … and
Ward did set a record with his 156th career
passing touchdown. That obviously was important
to him … All of which sounded reasonable and
was undoubtably true … except there probably
was more, like … what if Cristobal sacrificed
victory at another of a growing list of nothing
bowls to prove a point?… To wit, if the Hurricane
hope to remain a playoff contender, it will have to
take a deep plunge into the transfer portal pool
and come up with a worthy successor to Ward …
because current backup EMORY WILLIAMS
isn’t the answer … A sophomore, the 6-5, 220-
pounder had an encouraging first season, the
highlight beating Clemson, but the arrival of Ward
put Williams on the bench for all but one regular-
season game in 2024 … Against No. 22 Iowa
State, he completed 5 of 14 passes for 26 yards
and one INT.
------- CAMERON SELDON reportedly has had
it with the University of Tennessee. After two
seasons of limited duty as backup running back,
Virginia’s top-rated prep player in 2023 from
Northumberland High in the Northern Neck is
said to be coming to Virginia Tech … as a 6-2,
222-pound wideout … In other news from the
UT/VaTech pipeline,HENDON HOOKER told
reporters he’s all right with the NFL Lions
replacing him as No. 2 QB with TEDDY
BRIDGEWATER, who signed last week after
coaching his former high school in Miami to the
state championship … Hooker, a 2023 third-round
draft pick of Detroit out of Tennessee (after
beginning his college career in Blacksburg, Va.),
apparently believes Bridgewater, who was
JARED GOFF’s backup with the Lions last year,
is returning on a temporary basis only because
they have a chance to win the Super Bowl … In
three blowout wins this season, Hooker has
completed six of 9 passes for 62 yards – no TDs,
no INTs.
------- Did you happen to catch the post-game
fracas between East Carolina and N.C. State in the
Military Bowl? Here’s a chance for the ACC to let
the world know it won’t tolerate such behavior by
cracking down HARD on the Wolfpack players
involved … as well as coaches who created the
atmosphere and, thereby, allowed it to happen …
Don’t hold your breath … not when education in
this country has been guilty of pandering to the
lowest common denominator.
Actually, there were numerous examples of: ... I
went to watch football ,,, and a hockey game
broke out … recently … Like Sunday’s Dallas-
Eagles NFL affair … One of these days somebody
is going to get hurt.
------- From the Dept. of Meaningless But Fun
Statistics:
NHL Toronto was 14-1-1 this season when
scoring the first goal … until Saturday night when
the Washington Capitals built their record to 15-4-
1 after allowing the first goal.
------- Some teams never learn … the
dysfunctional New York Jets will interview RON
RIVERA in their search for a new coach. He was
26-40-1 in four years with the Washington
Football Team … 4-13 a season ago.
Until next time …
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