Norm Chow Finally Gets Head Coaching Gig

Offensive guru Norm Chow is going to be Hawaii’s next football coach. That is, just as soon as he’s done getting the Utah Utes, in his role as offensive coordinator, ready for the Sun Bowl against Georgia Tech.

Chow was an assistant to LaVell Edwards for 27 years at BYU before moving on to offensive coordinator positions at NC State, USC, the Tennessee Titans, UCLA, and Utah.

Utah is actually his college alma mater, though he spent the bulk of his career at rival BYU. Not sure how that worked for the fan base, but since the guy’s something of a genius, I’m sure most people didn’t care.

That said, I’m not all-in on this hire.

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T.J. McDonald Returning To USC

While waiting for star quarterback Matt Barkley to decide whether or not he will make himself available for the 2012 NFL draft, the USC Trojans got good news about the status of the team’s other No. 7. All-American safety T.J. McDonald has announced his intention to return to USC for his senior season.

The 6’3,” 205-pound safety is listed as the top junior at his position by ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper, and would have almost surely been a first-round pick had he decided to head to the next level.

McDonald’s father, Tim, was a two-time All-American at USC before spending 13 years in the NFL. The elder McDonald was a six-time Pro Bowler and was a member of the San Francisco 49ers when they won Super Bowl XXIX.

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Cubs Out Of Prince Fielder Chase?

As recently as a few weeks ago many thought Milwaukee Brewers free agent first baseman Prince Fielder would be headed just a bit south to play for the Chicago Cubs. In fact, once Albert Pujols signed his monster deal with the Los Angeles Angels, it looked like the Cubs were set to make a big offer to Fielder.

Now apparently things have shifted and while at least six teams are in on Fielder, the Cubs appear to be on the outside looking in and don’t seem interested in being involved any further. Fielder is apparently looking for a 10-year deal similar to the contract the Angels gave Pujols, and while the Cubs like Fielder, they are not willing to give that much time or money to the 27-year-old All-Star.

The Seattle Mariners have already made an offer to Fielder and they are apparently the leaders for his services at the moment. Meanwhile the Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Miami Marlins, Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals are also said to be interested in the free agent market’s biggest remaining prize.

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Montreal Canadiens Cross The Sacrebleu Line

Randy Cunneyworth was named interim coach of the Montreal Canadiens this weekend when the team fired Jacques Martin. Cunneyworth is Canadian so one could assume that a Canadian coaching the Canadiens would be enough to placate the fan base.

Ah, but you see these are Canadiens, not Canadians.

And those French Canadians are particularly prickly customers.

Guy Carbonneau, the former Canadiens player and coach, insists that being a Canuck isn’t nearly enough. Cunneyworth should learn to speak French too, and as quickly as possible.

“He’s living a dream, which is doing what he loves for one of the best franchises in the NHL, and he’s caught in a storm,” Carbonneau said. “It’s premature. You have to give him a chance to show what he can do and if he’s willing to learn. But there’s no doubt in my mind that the coach of the Montreal Canadiens has to speak both languages, at least to some extent.”

The Toronto-born Cunneyworth is the first Canadiens’ English-only speaking coach since Al McNeil in the 1970-71 season. The last coach who wasn’t fully bilingual was Bob Berry from 1981-84, though he was at least able to tell players to crash the net and order snails off a menu.

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Posted in Guy Carbonneau, Hockey, Montreal Canadiens, NHL, Randy Cunneyworth | 2 Comments »

Kobe Bryant Not Looking To Be Traded

Over the past week rumors circulated that Kobe Bryant was irate that the Los Angeles Lakers had traded long-time teammate Lamar Odom and that he was going to demand a trade from the team. Those reports were apparently completely unfounded.

In an extensive interview published today, the 33-year-old Bryant had the following to say about rumors that he was considering asking for a trade:

“I don’t know where that comes from. I don’t have any feeling about (leaving) whatsoever.”

When asked if he wanted to stay with the Lakers, Bryant had this to say:

“Of course. No question. Why not? I’ve been here 16 years. I’m going to up and leave now?”

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Posted in Kobe Bryant, NBA, NBA Rumors, Rumors | 1 Comment »

Two NFL Teams Reportedly Desperate To Draft Robert Griffin III

Robert Griffin III is having quite a month. After leading Baylor to a 9-3 record and a spot in the Alamo Bowl, the 21-year-old won the Heisman Trophy and since then his parents have reportedly been interviewing agents for the young man’s inevitable jump to the NFL.

When the Bears take on the Washington Huskies on December 29 it is almost certain to be Griffin’s final collegiate game. His stock is as high as it will ever get, so there is virtually no reason for him to return to school. With that in mind everyone is now focusing on his future and apparently two NFL teams are desperate to get their hands on the 6’2, 220-pound signal-caller.

The Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins are franchises in desperate need of quarterbacks, and both teams are said to be salivating over the prospect of getting Griffin. Most scouts believe that Baylor’s quarterback will end up being a high first-round pick and that if Andrew Luck goes No. 1 overall to the Indianapolis Colts, we should expect the Dolphins and Redskins to jockey for the chance to snare Griffin, even if guys like Matt Barkley and Landry Jones are still on the board.

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Eagles Aren’t Dead Yet

Sunday’s most stunning NFL development is not that Kyle Orton and the Chiefs beat the previously unbeaten Packers, nor that Dan Orlovsky and the previously winless Colts derailed Tennessee’s playoff hopes. It’s not even that the Bears thought there was a chance Caleb Hanie could pass off as a competent quarterback, though I must tip my hat to Hanie for possibly becoming the first quarterback to throw Pick-Sixes to two different extremely fat defensive linemen in his career.

No, to me the most amazing thing to come out of the day is that the Philadelphia Eagles have a very real chance of making the playoffs. Like Monty Python’s Black Knight, somehow they’ve stayed alive despite repeatedly having limbs chopped off.

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Andre Ward vs. Carl Froch: Live Blog

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GMs, Don’t Let Your Players Be Ex-Cowboys

Memo to Chicago Bears GM Jerry Angelo: when a player is let go by a team as crappy as the Dallas Cowboys, there is probably a reason.

For the third consecutive week, the Bears are looking like idiots thanks to the actions of a former Cowboy player.

Against Kansas City the culprit was wide “receiver” Roy Williams, whose billionth career drop deflected into the hands of a Chiefs defensive back in the end zone and deprived the Bears of a chance to tie the game, which they lost 10-3. At that point playoff hopes were officially put on life support.

Against Denver, former Cowboy running back Marion Barber was the goat, falling out of bounds as the Bears were trying to run out the clock in regulation, then fumbling as the Bears were driving into position for the winning field goal in overtime. Season over.

And now there is this.

Former Cowboy Sam Hurd put anything Williams and Barber could do — or rather, can’t do — to shame as he was arrested on charges of being a major drug distributor starting in his days in Dallas and continuing with Chicago, with whom he signed a three-year, $4.15 million deal this summer.

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Posted in Chicago Bears, Cocaine, Dalls Cowboys, NFL | No Comments »

Dwight Howard: Trade Request Still Stands

Yes, the Dwight Howard trade saga is still going on. A day after the Orlando Magic said they were no longer listening to offers for the five-time All-Star, he claimed that his request to be traded had not actually been withdrawn.

Howard can opt out of his contract in July and Orlando general manager Otis Smith had given him and his agent permission to discuss trades with the Dallas Mavericks, New Jersey Nets and Los Angeles Lakers. Then on Wednesday the Magic told teams they were no longer listening to offers for their star center. When that announcement was made many thought it meant Howard wanted to stay in Orlando beyond this season.

Apparently that assumption was premature.

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Posted in NBA, NBA Rumors, Rumors | 1 Comment »