Thanksgiving

It’s that time of year again, when we get together with family, gorge ourselves on the best meal we will eat all year, and watch football in the afternoon on a weekday. Who could ask for more?

I have to be honest every year I think great we get to see Detroit and Dallas lose again, but when it comes around to game time I find my self cheering on the Thanksgiving home teams. On any given Sunday I wouldn’t even care if these two teams were playing. But this day is different. I don't know why that is. It could be something in the air. It maybe that at the end of the meal I am simply not thinking straight. I think more then anything though, it's about the tradition. On a day so packed with tradition, it is good to know that the Lions and the Cowboys will be with us when the meal is over and it is time for football.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!!!

Matt "The Closer"

Head-To-Head Hits

My listeners know where I stand on head-to-head hits in the NFL. The NFL needs to do something to improve the safety of their players. I know I am beating a dead horse when I talk about this, but as I sit here tonight watching Football Night in America, another great player has been knocked out of a game due to a concussion. For all you fans who say “I don’t want big hits taken out of the game.” You are able to light a guy up without putting your helmet through the side of your opponents head.

According to the Los Angeles Times, over 55 players have been sidelined with head injuries this year in the NFL. I realize that not all of those injuries are due to so called “vicious hits,” but if the NFL doesn’t start suspending players for head-to-head hits the numbers will only go up. For the people who say that cracking down on these hits will change the game, I ask you this. Did the game change for the worse when the NFL put an end to chop blocks, the four man wedge, and when they introduced the fair catch? NO!! And all those rules were put in place to protect players. The game won’t change if the NFL eliminates head-to-head hits. Players will learn to make big hits by focusing on the body.

In a earlier interview with the Chicago Tribune Jim McMahon said, "My memory's pretty much gone. There are a lot of times when I walk into a room and forget why I walked in there. It's unfortunate what the game does to you.” I leave you with this philosophical question. If Franco Harris doesn’t remember the “Immaculate Reception,” if Jerry Rice doesn’t remember his record breaking career, and if Erik Howard, Pepper Johnson, and Everson Walls don’t remember their spectacular win in Super Bowl 25, Did it ever truly happen?

-Matt "The Closer"

Are the NFL's fines too much?

The NFL is walking a tight rope with it's fines levied too players this week. They do seem too be sticking to it's stance of player safety being of upmost importance. With a lockout looming at seasons end will this tarnish the image of the NFL even more? While some may argue that all these injuries are diluting the quality of play during the season, I am afraid they are going too become more like two hand touch football then the NFL we have all grown up with. They refer too Mr. Goodell as the players commisioner but, with a lockout looming and an eighteen game schedule all but assured is he really? Only time will tell if this good or bad for the NFL I just hope fans don't fizzle out in the process. I just do not think that fining a player for playing the game the way he has been tought ever since he began playing is fair. Anyone who has played organized football knows that is how you are taught to play. Lets just hope in the process we dont lose too many former pro bowlers to early retirment in the process.

Tampa Chris

Tom Brady, Tom Brady, Tom Brady....

On September 9th, 2010 Tom Brady had a busy day. At 6:30 AM he was involved in a two car accident. At 10:45 AM and 1:00 PM he participated in practice at Gillette Stadium. And before he went to bed that night, he became the hightest paid player in the entire NFL.

The 3-time superbowl Champion quarterback signed a four-year, $72 million contract extension, making his average salary $18 million a year.

Really Robert Kraft? Really? What is the average career span of a quaterback in the NFL today? Although that number is probably on the rise, its not much more than 12 seasons. Tom brady is entering his eleventh season and has already had one major knee injury. Last year he threw the second highest interception total of his career.

Is it possible that Kraft feels that he owes Brady something, for the glory of the three Lombardi Trophies? Lets be real the team isn't what it used to be. They no longer walk alone atop the NFL, and money can't fix that.

What are the odds that a quarterback will win a superbowl, or even play in one? What about winning one twice? Three times? So what do you think the odds are that he would ever play in or win a fourth?

All great things must come to an end. If the Pats have a sub-par year again in 2010, they will be considered on the decline. The pressure is on Tom.

Free Agents and the "uncapped year"

The deadline for the players association and NFL owners is growing ever closer and the "word on the street" is not good. The uncapped could quite possibly be the end of the golden age of the NFL. At the absolute highest point of the NFL's popularity, who get't the biggest pile of money looms over the games future.

Small market teams like Jacksonville and Green Bay have already expressed fear for their future and the other owners are listening. Both teams are saying that their profits have decreased by more than 43% and saying salaries are the main reason.

Players are saying that the NFL has reported the highest ratings, and growth in the leagues history's. So to take a 17% pay decrease doesn't make sense to them. If you were a player, wouldn't you.

All parties here can learn from what the NHL went through a few years ago and find a way to work this out. One thing the players can give into is the rookie saleries being capped. Paying rookies that have not proven anything at the highest level getting paid the highest amounts in money leaves the owners taking all the risk. And in the end game, makes teams like GB and Jax have to release proven players, to sign rookies, and quality suffers.

We will get into more of this on the air at . 2-3pm. Toon in baby, it's balls out!

Free for All Fridays!!!!

Well, It's gonna be one of those "free for all fridays" again. When, every single show turns on it's ear and things happen that certainly wouldn't happen any other time. It's a mish-mashup of all the show's throughout the day. Why does it matter so to speak, it doesn't. But it sure as hell is good radio, fun to do, fun to listen to, and hell, if you always have a chance to share your opinion by calling 614.333.5300.

Today at the end of the "Highlight Reel" and " the Buckeye Show" Joe McCarthy, will be singing his "favorite" team's fight song. Brandon from the Highlight Reel and Joe from the Buckeye Show made a bet based on the outcome of the OSU/WVU basketball game last saturday, you can guess how it turned out. So today Joe is gonna be singing the WVU fight song and it should be great.

CBJ Raquet is winding down in it's current format, and we wish nothing but the best for one of the nicest guys I've met at ScoreonAir.com, Dan Colley. He graduates very soon, and we wish him nothing but the best. Check out his last friday show, Today.

NFL Chalk Talk is gonna be as loose as possible today. More SB 44 talk, blah, and Pro Bowl being a load of crap.... Vick in Buffalo?? Didnt we already hear this story???? Tim Tebow invades Pro Talk, and who are the best RB prospects in the draft? Our Draft Guru, Josh Powers himself will give us the 411. Tune in for the first half of ScoreonAir.com's day. 10am-3pm, or just 2-3 if your picky.

LISTEN UP!

Carroll bailing out?

January 8th- Chris Mortenson, ESPN, reports that the Seattle Seahawks are targeting Pete Carroll, Head Coach of the University of Southern California, for their head coach vacancy left by Jim Mora Jr. fired the same day.

January 9th (my birthday by the way) ESPN reports that Seattle and Carroll are close to inking a deal worth $35 million over five years to be head coach and President of the Seahawks.

Now all that being said, two questions come to light. Why Carroll and why now? We could start by looking at the fact that USC and Carroll, have lost a significant lot of coaches due to USC's success over the last ten years and the struggles the team faced in 2009 because of those losses.

Norm Chow/Offensive Coordinator- hired by NFL's Tennessee Titans as Offensive Coordinator- now holds same position @ USC's rival, UCLA

Lane Kiffen/Offensive Coordinator, replaced Chow- Hired as NFL's Oakland Raiders as Head Coach- now Holds Head Coaching Position at the University of Tennessee

Steve Sarkisian/Offensive Coordinator, replaced Kiffen- Hired as Head Coach at the University of Washington

John Morton/QB Coach- Hired as Offensive Coordinator at the University of Washington

These are just a few examples of what USC's football program and Pete Carroll essentially has lost over the last five years. Replacing coaches with resumes such as these men is more difficult than you can imagine. Carroll you might say is a victim of his own success.In 2009 USC missed a BCS bowl game for the first time since 2001, losing 6-10 to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Then there is the Reggie Bush scandal. USC's football program is currently under investigation for boosters setting up Bush's parents in a $300,000 home. Bush, a Heisman trophy winner for USC, denies any wrong doing and no word from the NCAA has come down as far a ruling on the situation. Clearly the writing is on the wall after USC's basketball program was sanctioned heavily for the O.J Mayo scandal that cost then coach, Tim Floyd his job. I guess your wondering is Carroll running? Is he trying to get from under the gaze of the NCAA's ultimate power? I say without a doubt, YES! Think about it, February 3rd is National Signing Day. Why would Carroll put his program at risk of losing top recruits to this story if he wasn't leaving? Quick answer, HE WOULDN'T.

Coaching these days is a dirty game, in all college and professional sports. Say one thing only to do another. Building a dominant program is clearly a job for those not afraid to get their hands dirty. Image has become everything and Carroll's has been squeaky clean for the most part. Untill now, when sanctions and penalties would stain a reputation he has vigorously tried to protect. So rather than do what he is supposed to set the example to do for these young men who came to USC on his promises, he runs. Only to follow in the footsteps of fools such as Spurrier, Petrino, and Saban who left for the greener pastures in the NFL, only to come back with their backsides receiving a substantial beat down at the hands of real professionals.

So in closing, "Buyer Beware" Seattle. Pete's record in the NFL is something the "12th Man" might not even be able to overcome.

Danny Cross
Scoreonair.com