Unnecessary Gruffness

Skinner needs to get another chance

Date: December 30, 2012
Author: Mark
Categories: College Basketball, Unnecessary Gruffness
Comments: 28 Replies

It is still way too early in the college basketball season to be talking about jobs that will open for next season. But here’s a name that should be on almost every list.

Al Skinner.

One of the more mind-boggling non-moves of the past few years has been the decision by people at Rutgers, Brown, Rhode Island, SMU, Clemson and St. John’s NOT TO hire Skinner after he was fired by former Boston College Director of Athletics Gene DeFilippo in the spring of 2010.

I’ve heard the criticism of a coach who didn’t work hard enough, didn’t communicate with the campus community enough, played a dull grade of basketball and was a bad recruiter.

Please.

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No interest in what Manziel has to say

Date: November 26, 2012
Author: Mark
Categories: College Football, Unnecessary Gruffness
Comments: 4 Replies

Texas A&M made freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel available to the media in a conference call on Monday.

This is the same Johnny Manziel who was not available to the media for almost the entire season because he was a freshman and ostensibly not ready to deal with the media on a regular basis.

This is the same Johnny Manziel who nearly beat Florida and LSU and did beat Alabama and was the subject of numerous stories–without being quoted of course–during the regular season.

This is the same Johnny Manziel who is now two weeks away from probably winning the Heisman Trophy, symbolic of being the best football player in college football.

And now he is available?

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Time running out on the Lane Kiffin Show at USC

Date: November 9, 2012
Author: Mark
Categories: Unnecessary Gruffness
Comments: 6 Replies

USC football is back in the headlines–in a negative context. The latest news was a student manager deflating some footballs used in USC’s game against Oregon last week-which turned into a 62-51 Oregon win.

Before that, it was USC getting involved in a controversy in which it had two players switching uniform numbers to get–a competitive advantage?

Before that and before that and before that..it has been that way all season at USC where the one constant was that the program was run by Coach Lane Kiffin.

The question that is being asked in Los Angeles and around college football is what is going on with USC and Kiffin.

We have a larger question. How does Kiffin keep getting hired?

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BC football becoming irrelevent

Date: October 22, 2012
Author: Mark
Categories: Unnecessary Gruffness
Comments: 35 Replies

Boston College returns to Alumni Stadium on Saturday with a 1- 6 record and a fading and disgruntled fan base that wants to see a change at head coach.

Remarkably, despite all the negativity around the program, the Eagles are 1.5 point favorites over Maryland, which shows  a lack of faith in the Terps, who are coming off a tough last second loss to NC State.

Does anyone really care  about BC anymore?

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Some of Spaz’s critics need to chill out

Date: October 8, 2012
Author: Mark
Categories: The Grudge Report, Unnecessary Gruffness
Comments: 26 Replies

The two biggest  criticisms of  Boston  College Coach Frank Spaziani after the  loss to  Army on Saturday was that Spaziani didn’t work hard enough, didn’t know how to coach and should have been fired immediately after he got off the bus when the team arrived back at The Heights on Saturday night.

And that Spaziani should be ashamed of himself for “throwing his players under the bus” when he suggested that the breakdowns were because of lack of execution, rather than preparation.

Both criticisms are ridiculous. Here’s why.

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Masters better late than never

Date: August 21, 2012
Author: Mark
Categories: Unnecessary Gruffness
Comments: Leave a reply

My first and only visit to Augusta National was in 1996 when I covered the tournament for the Boston Globe. It was and still remains a magic moment, especially when I left the bustle of the road in front of the club, came down Magnolia Lane and went through the gates into a time warp. Aside from the clothing of the patrons, it could have been 1946 instead of 1996. No commercialization, no corporate tents. Just a golf course and serenity.

I still remember the traditional Thursday morning ceremonial start with legendary golfers hitting off the first tee. In 1996, the legendary Gene Sarazen was one of the honored guests. With a semi dense fog swirling about, Sarazen hit his shot walked into the mist with a “See you all in heaven” comment. Special time. Special place.

Such was the case on Monday as well when Augusta National announced that former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and South Carolina financier Darla Moore had been admitted to the club as the first female members.

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Skies above Chapel Hill are no longer Carolina Blue

Date: August 16, 2012
Author: Mark
Categories: Unnecessary Gruffness
Comments: 1 Reply

Right now they are just clouds. Big and dark and potentially dangerous. But  just clouds.

The people at the University of North Carolina are hoping the clouds  are blown away by an investigation which will now pick up speed and, hopefully for North Carolina officials, will reveal that no major crimes or misdeameanors have been committed.

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A Jerseyguy going to see THE Jersey Guy

Date: August 13, 2012
Author: Mark
Categories: Unnecessary Gruffness
Comments: Leave a reply

Tuesday–at least Tuesday night-will be a day of  semi-rest.  A Jerseyguy is going to see THE Jersey guy, Bruce Springsteen, at Fenway Park.

I’m a Springsteen fan–have been dating back to the days when I still lived in Jersey in the 70′s. But my courtship of Bruce began with the Born in the USA tour in 1984. I was working for the Dallas Morning News at the time, covering college football.

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