Linking Up: August 17
Here's what running through Homerism's head as I await Rhett Bomar's (legitimate) professional debut:
*Carey Murdock, editor of SoonerScoop.com, looked into Mike Balogun's former semi-pro league, inspiring him to write this missive to the powers that be at NCAA headquarters.
Unfortunately for Balogun, the NCAA typically doesn't allow much latitude in these types of situations. It would shock Homerism if The Bricklayer was reinstated. Pretty sad state of affairs.
*Chad Millman, ESPN's new "sports wagering" writer, has a pretty cool article on the latest rage in football handicapping.
*Saw Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story this weekend. I just don't get these spoof flicks. Plus, is there a more blah actress than Jenna Fischer in the business today?
*Florida's Brandon Spikes says OU plays dirty. This is like all the complaining you hear from Florida fans about OU supposedly holding the whole time during the national championship game. You won the game, Gators. Move on.
*Sports bloggers have seemingly made an entire niche industry out of rankings and lists, so I'm well aware that this complaint is rife with irony. Homerism is as guilty of it as anyone. However, today's deluge of pontificating on college football's top "villains" is the kind of just-skirting-the-line-of-news junk from ESPN that really rubs Homerism the wrong way. Instead of actually trying to do some research and reporting that might produce some semblance of insight into the great game of college football, we're treated some pointless, warmed-over drivel that puts the Worldwide Leader right in the middle of the conversation.
The most infuriating part is how the rest of the sports media helps perpetuate the ESPN monolith. Note, for instance, this recent blog post from Guerin Emig, OU beat reporter for the Tulsa World: "ESPN, Sooners off to a rough start." Every Mickey Mouse--get it?--college football writer with an Internet connection is out there posting predictions on 2009 season. Yet, when ESPN does it, somehow it becomes news?
(And, yes, as I previously mentioned, the irony isn't lost on Homerism.)
*Wow, listening to Jon Gruden talk about the Wildcat on Monday Night Football is making me a little uncomfortable. He's going to need a cigarette when he's done. Meanwhile, Jaws sounds like a spurned schoolgirl with Chucky in the booth.
*Couldn't you see something like this happening at OU during the Howard Schnellenberger days?
*A young black football player giving a "shoutout" to Mike Vick... AND he never paid a parking ticket?! Draft at your own risk, NFL!
*Hope you've been keeping up with the ongoing 2009 season preview project the good guys over at GatorsFirst are working on. It's interesting to see how a bunch of other blatant homers view college football at large.