Thursday Throwdown Chat Transcript (09/18/08)

Scoops McCracken: Pliers, my good man. I want your opinion of Jim Tressel and if it changed over the past 7 days.
Peoria Pliers: Ahoy hoy, Scoops! Smashing to see you again today. My opinion of Tressel? Other than the fact that he looks like a pedophile on the sidelines because of those god awful Transition lenses, I still think he is a good man and a solid coach. If anyone was exposed this weekend it was the copious amount of football talent oozing out of the state of California
Scoops McCracken: See, I see him in a different light now. I think that 2002 was the perfect storm; a season with that kind of luck will never happen again. But he keeps sticking to that model and thinking that it can. He'll never beat USC with the way he's coaching now. You can't honestly tell me that the talent is THAT much better on the USC sidelines than it is on Ohio State's. Mandel brought up a good point about how USC seems so much looser than everybody, and their constantly having so much fun Ohio State? It seems like it's a chore to play football for them. It seems like they have zero fun and they're only playing for all the hunyucks for "Buckeye Nation." They're bringing in all the pressure in these big games in the bowls or against USC. And they can't handle it. Not only can they not handle it, they flat out gage. They jump out to the lead in all of them, and the opponent just starts doing anything they want to them. And OSU does nothing to change it. They stick with it. I'm all for doing what you do best the most, but what they've done clearly isn't working against an SEC heavyweight or USC.
Peoria Pliers: Fair enough, but if you make that argument, then who do you replace him with? Who is better than Jim Tressel? Honestly? I mean I LOVE Pete Carroll, and he is clearly the perfect personality and talent for the college game. But to say that these couple losses are an indictment of his ability is maybe a little far reaching. And lets not forget that OSU has stomped all over the Big 10 lately, which isn't easy to do
Scoops McCracken: It all depends what is satisfying to Buckeye fans and their university. If they're fine with being one of the top 2 in the Big Ten throughout, then they're just fine. But they have to become more aggressive if they want to win national titles if that's their goal. Obviously, I think Lane Kiffin will be the perfect fit for being their offensive coordinator as soon as he's canned from the Raiders
Peoria Pliers: Man, you've already got a replacement? Wow. You really think Tressell is that bad??
Scoops McCracken: Tressel-ball can win in the Big Ten, but the conservative nature won't get it done on a national stage. I think Pryor is a step in the right direction. And I said Kiffin for O-coordinator, not for Head Coach. A head man? I don't have a name for you. Carroll ain't going anywhere, but I'm sure an Urban Meyer would listen
Peoria Pliers: OK, first of all, if Urban Meyer turns Buckeye, I'm selling all of my possessions and giving the money to the Wolverine Booster club. Secondly, I like the new O-coordinator idea. that might not be a bad idea. To me, however, the real story here is how amazing the talent is at Trojan Stadium, year in and year out.
Scoops McCracken: Why not? From Ohio, played at Cincinnati and got his masters from OSU. A former grad assistant. He has more ties to OSU than Florida. But you're right, they lose a QB and simply enter in a new one. Palmer to Leinert to Booty to Sanchez. Mitch Mustain, who started at Arkansas as a true freshmen when they went to the SEC championship, is their freaking 3rd stringer right now. As long as they keep playing Boeckman, I think OSU gets nipped once or twice in the Big Ten this year. And please don't figure out that Pryor is the man until after next week when the Gophers visit C-Bus.
Peoria Pliers: Yeah that's fine, but I just friggen hate the guy. He spits in the face of the great tradition at OSU (as long as we forget about the John Cooper years). AndPryor might be the man, but he is still 18 years old and not the ultimate savior.
Scoops McCracken: Well, they ain't winning a national title this year, so why not let him take over?
Peoria Pliers: Wow. I have no resposne to that. Anyway, lets move on. If you are a WV Mountaineer fan, are you legitamately worried about the total collapse of your entire football program? They have looked like crap lately, and their niche offense has become the standard, so part of their advantage is gone. What gives?
Scoops McCracken: That's why I fear what Michigan can become in 3 years. West Virginia with better talent. They'll go down a little, but they'll always have a piece of Big East football. I doubt they'll be BCS winner worthy for a while though.
Peoria Pliers: OK, so am I the only person who thinks Pat White is REALLY overrated then?
Scoops McCracken: I think he's the perfect running QB for a spread running system. I think people who try to talk about him as a dual threat passer are talking out of their ass.
Peoria Pliers: So here comes my tpyical question since I wish I had Mel Kiper's job...where does he go (if anywhere) in the NFL draft next April?
Scoops McCracken: Maybe 4th or 5th round....no reason he couldn't be an Antwaan Randel-El, but he shouldn't go on the 1st day.
Peoria Pliers: He seems amazingly frail to me, but I could see him turning into a punt returner at some point. I'd say sixth or seventh round to someone like Denver
Scoops McCracken: Either that or WAAAAAY to early to some team that sucks trying to make a splash, like the Raiders or the Falcons in the 2nd round.
Who are your top 5 man-crushes in college football right now? Mine:
1) Todd Reesing
2) Tramaine Brock
3) Chase Daniel
4) Joe McKnight
5) Trindon Holliday
Peoria Pliers: Hmm. That is an interesting question. Very interesting.
1) Chase Daniel
2) Paul Johnson
3) The local South Bend Twinkie salesman now that ChuckWheat blew out his knee
4) Sam Bradford
5) Percy Harvin
Scoops McCracken: Does Auburn score more than 13 points this weekend versus LSU?
Peoria Pliers: I really want to say no, but I can't. They will probably return a punt for a TD or something, and that will push them to 17. The question I have about that game is this: will you be able to stay awake watching the entire game?
Scoops McCracken: If somebody enjoys watching fast southern Afro-Americans run around like heat-seeking missles on the defensive side of the ball, then it's a yes. If they're there to watch offense? Asleep by midway through the 2nd quarter.
Peoria Pliers: Speaking of sleeping through a football game, did you catch the Louisville/K-State game on ESPN last night? Lou Holtz sounded like Grandpa Simpson doing commentary. I kept waiting for him to start yelling "THE SWEDISH ARE COMING!!! TAKE COVER!! THE SWEDISH ARE COMING!!" or start talking about "Victory Cabbage...that's what we called Cole Slaw during WWII" He has officially entered Ed McMahon territory.
Scoops McCracken: We'll have to have a saulte to Lou Holtz coachspeak later this year
Peoria Pliers: I feel like we are going to be doing a 21-gun salute as we watch his casket dip into the soil any minute. He's like a mix of Trev Alberts (nonsensical football comments), Digger Phelps (undying loyalty to the Irish in the face of being a national correspondent) and the Crypt Keeper right now
Scoops McCracken: Difference between him & Alberts though is that he (Holtz) actually knows football. Alberts was garbage.
Peoria Pliers: True, but honestly, Lou doesn't even know what he is saying half the time anymore