Cal v. Washington - Cal reverts to old ways; Huskies hammer Bears

I'm not going to write a long blog post right now, even though I'm angry enough to chew nails or at least chew-out Cal's offensive and defensive coordinators Andy Ludwig and Bob Gregory respectively. Cal's 42 to 10 loss to Washington was avoidable.

For those of you reading my take for the first time, I'm a Cal Alum. For those of you returning to read my text, Bear or Husky, strap yourself in for a ride. I'm pissed.

OK, some of you, like tenplay's wife over at the BearInsider Forum, may be happy Cal lost because as he wrote:

She wants to go to SD, LV or SF instead. She wants to go to a fun place with shopping, good food and entertainment for the holidays. I wonder if anyone else has a partner who is wishing the same result. I can see her point since she is a very luke-warm fb fan.

But I'm not lukewarm. Cal had two weeks to prepare for Washington and an entire season to get rid of the habit of forcing the ball downfield rather than engineering a precision short passing attack and on defense learn to blitz aggressively and frequently.

But no; that didn't happen. Talk about a Thanksgiving turkey of a game plan.

And it leads to the same old song on offense: sacks. Five sacks courtesy of Washington Saturday night. I'm sure Ludwig is concerned with Cal QB Kevin Riley's health, so he should prove it by designing a game plan that doesn't leave Riley as a sitting duck in the pass pocket.

What's that?  The Ducks are going to the Rose Bowl?  Very funny. 

How many times do I and other Cal Alumns have to repeat this song? It's old now. We're tired of it! Tired of seeing Cal not consistently make the adjustments we ask for. And totally exhausted from seeing our defense riddled and picked apart because we gave passers like the Huskies' Jake Locker time to fake handoffs to running backs and throw.

I'd love a chalk talk with Coach Gregory to learn why he tries to insert a percentage defensive strategy in places where its more appropriate to take away one aspect of what an offense does? I'd also like to know why it seems the Golden Bears are reluctant to alter their game plan when a contest calls for it. There's an old saying in coaching: the "sudden change" is ours.

But what Coach Gregory must understand is it's the job of the defense to cause the "sudden change" - the turnover that changes the direction of the ball game. You can't hope that happens; you have to make it happen and that is where aggressive defense is important.

Ok. I'm done. For now.

Emerald Bowl in San Francisco? From what I understand, that's Stanford's slot now because USC lost to Arizona. And the Sun Bowl looks like it belongs to Oregon State.  Just where we're going is anyone's guess. 

But what hurts is Cal lost a chance to be in a three-way tie with Oregon State and Stanford behind Oregon. Now we're down there....with USC.

Even when USC's at their worst Cal just can't seem to over take them. Or for that matter beat them, or defeat a team, the Huskies, guided by the Trojans' former offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian.

Geez.

Cal v. Washington an important game for the bowl picture

What's the difference between 9 and 3 and 8 and 4? Plenty in the college football bowl hunt. Cal takes its 8 win 3 loss, two game win streak into Washington to play the Huskies tonight. The difference being a trip to the Sun Bowl in El Paso or the Holiday Bowl in San Diego at 9 and 3 and the Emerald Bowl in San Francisco at 8 and 4.

While many Cal Alumns want the prize that went to Oregon, The Rose Bowl, many would be happy with the Sun Bowl simply because some have expressed a desire for a bowl other than the Holiday or the Emerald. But Cal's got to beat Washington before we can have that conversation.

After a promising start, Washington's at 4 and 7, with all four of its losses coming at home. The key will be Cal's defense versus Washington's passing offense, which rides on the arm of Tyrone Willingham-recruit Jake Locker, who's thrown for 2,552 yards and 18 touchdowns this season.

Cal's QB Kevin Riley goes into this contest with a 133.49 passer rating, 2,421 yards and 16 touchdowns. Big Game hero Running Back Shane Vereen (three touchdowns) has 738 yards rushing on 147 carries and 10 touchdowns.

Given that Cal's had two weeks to prepare for Washington, the Golden Bears should be looking at a 9 and 3 win come late Saturday night. Then we can look at the bowl picture. As of this writing, USC is tied with Arizona at 14-all in the 3rd quarter. If USC looses, bring it to 8 and 4, it may fumble that automatic Holiday Bowl invitation.

On second thought, San Diego's not so bad after all.

GO BEARS!

FOOTBALL TALK-What to make of Week 12

FOOTBALL TALK-By David Ortega for Football Reporters Online

What to make of Week 12

Packers are looking like Post Season bound….
After losing to the Buccaneers in week eight and falling to .500 in the standings, the Packers have reeled off three straight wins to move back into the playoff picture. One of the biggest reasons for the turnaround has been the play of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers has been efficient completing over 70 percent of his passes and even more effective throwing six touchdowns during the winning streak and passing for over 300-yards in each of the last two. The Packers have a big matchup on Monday night against the Ravens and there's no question Rodgers and the passing game are going to be key.

Should we be talking about the Chargers?…
The Chargers have now rattled off six straight wins and sit atop the AFC West at 8-3 and no one is talking about them; but they should. This season Philip Rivers has been the quiet leader in San Diego and one of this year's best fantsay quarterbacks. His 19 touchdowns and 2,900-yards passing rank him among the elite, but he is not alone. The Chargers also boast a pair of the league's premiere pass receivers and fantasy studs with wideout Vincent Jackson (49 receptions, 7-touchdowns) and tight end Antonio Gates (59 receptions, 827 yards). With a formidable lineup the Chargers offense has become explosive this season ranking 3rd in scoring and 9th in passing this season. We may not be hearing much about the Bolts at the moment, but you can bet come playoff time this fantasy squad will be making plenty of noise to be heard.

More fantasy Notes

With so much attention being paid to a former Packer's quarterback (Favre), maybe fantasy owners should be directing more of their attention on the current one. Aaron Rodgers has been one of the hottest arms over the past several weeks. In his last three starts Rodgers has thrown six touchdowns with no interceptions and passed for 881 yards (293.6-yards per game). In the same stretch he has averaged 25 fantasy points per game.

For those not keeping up with current events apparently the Seahawks have found themselves a pretty good ball carrier with 2nd year running back Justin Forsett. The former Cal Bear has quickly stormed onto the fantasy scene with two 100-yard rushing games in his last last three. He is averaging 122-yards per contest and also has four touchdowns to his credit during the span. Forsett has become a fantasy stud, but with Julius Jones set to return fantasy owners will have to be cautious before buying what Forsett is selling.

NFC South Wrap Up Week 12

           NFC South Wrap Up Week 12
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer
Southeast Region Football Reporters Online
 
 
New York Jets 17 Carolina 6
Somehow some way Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme finds a way to get the ball in the hands of his opponent. Sometimes he does that a little too often, like he did Sunday when he threw four more interceptions and was a miserable 14-34 for a mere 130 yards. He looked about as lost as a kitten in a dog pound. He got absolutely no help from his running game either as DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart combined for 75 yards on 25 carries. There was also the problem of 11 first downs to go with 179 yards of total offense and three sacks of Delhomme. Head coach Jack DelRio is already on the hot seat and must now decide if its time to bench his quarterback. Then add the fact that Delhomme broke a finger which will make the decision easier. He had a passer rating of 12.7 and appears to have lost all confidence in himself. He now has 18 interceptions and that is his career high for a single-season. The worst part is that alot of his picks have resulted in scores too. When they had an oppotunity to score they could not. They had just intercepted Jets QB Mark Sanchez and Delhomme quickly hit Steve Smith in the end zone for a touchdown. Jets head coach Rex Ryan did not believe it was a catch and challenged the call. He would wn and the Panthers would have to settle for a field goal. It has been a season to forget for Carolina and Delhomme and it isn't over yet. The question is not whether Matt Moore will start next week. The question is will Delhomme ever get his job back. Speaking of jobs, what about DelRio? Can he last the season and if he does will he be here next year. Highly unlikely at this point so please stand by. One thing is certain and that would be that this team has to make alot of changes if they hope to compete next year.
 
Atlanta 20 Tampa Bay 17
It has not been a kind season for either of these teams. The Falcons had high expectations coming into this season but were 5-5 coming in. The Bucs, playing under new head coach Raheem Morris, have had one of those years you already want to forget. Still they have played hard for their coach and rookie QB Josh Freeman is showing that he can be an NFL quarterback. On this day he was sacked six times but was 20-29 for 250 yards and two touchdowns. His counterpart Matt Ryan was hurt early when his foot was rolled on and he could not return. Also injured for the Falcons were running back Michael Turner, linemen Harvey Dahl and Sam Baker, The question is when will they return because they are so key to the Falcons success. So Chris Redman came in and saved the day when he hit Roddy White for the winning score with 23 seconds left. The Bucs had a chance to win but like usual found a way to lose it. Atlanta finds itself still in the playoff hunt but will need to keep winning and get some help from the rest of the NFC. The Bucs find themselves at 1-10 and need help badly. They could only muster 13 first downs and had just 73 yards on the ground. Penalties continue to haunt them and they added eight more on Sunday. They appear to have their quarterback of the future and have Cadillac Williams in the backfield. They will need to shore up the offensive line to protect Freeman better and their defense needs to improve dramatically. Redman was not bad in going 23-41 for 243 yards and no picks with two touchdowns. Tony Gonzalez is the only thing they have to count on as he addded nine catches for 83 yards. The Falcons are still in the playoff hunt but need teams like Philly and Green Bay to lose as well as continuing to win themselves. Three of the last five games are at home where they are 5-0 this year and one of those are against Philadelphia. They also go to the Jets and Tampa where they have a good chance to win those games if they are healthy. If Ryan and Turner do not return soon it won't matter because Atlanta needs them if they have any chance at making the postseason.
 
New Orleans 38 New England 17
Wow would be a word to describe this Saints offense I would say. Another could be explosive or plain and simply terrific. It was the showdown of the week and it was not supposed to disappoint. Drew Brees against Tom Brady is all the billing you needed to sell this one but it was Brees who made the statement. He was as accurate as you can be and finished 18-23 for 371 yards and five touchdowns. It was the first time a quarterback has thrown for that many scores against a Bill Belichick defense. They had no way of stopping Brees especially in the second quarter when he threw three scoring passes to three different players. Yet, as much as the offense has done the real story is the improvement of their defense. Darren Sharper sent Brady to bench for good with one of two picks the D had and the Pats looked lost and confused. It was a sight to see when Brady walked off the field each time he was stopped. He had a look on his face rarely seen during his career. His offense could not move the ball and his ground game did not help. They got two touchdown runs from Laurence Maroney and that was all they could get. Brady was harrassed and knocked around the whole game. So now the Saints are 11-0 like the Colts and are looking to run the table. It is games like this that can define a season and the Saints can use this win to propel them all they way to the Super Bowl. Saints receivers had a ball as Marques Colston had only four catches but that was good enough for 121 yards and a touchdown. Devery Henderson chipped in with only three catches but he finished with 116 yards and a nice 75-yard strike from Brees. So with their offense in sync and their defense playing ferociously the Saints have a good chance of running the table. Of course we all know that will be a moot point if they end their year the same way these Pats did when they went 16-0 only to lose to the Giants in the Super Bowl. Now we will see if they can win out and with games at home against the likes of Dallas and Tampa and roadies at Washington, Atlanta and Carolina, an undefeated season is looking better every week. I have a question for all of you. Give me a reason for Brees not getting the MVP this year.

AFC South Wrap Up Week 12

                AFC South Wrap Up Week 12
 
By Rafael Garcia
Sr. Contributing Writer
Southeast Region-Football Reporters Online
 
 
Tennessee 20 Arizona 17
When we last saw Vince Young and Matt Leinart on the big stage it was 2006 in the Rose Bowl. It was an epic battle between two of college football's best players and it came down to the final drive. On that drive Young would basically will his team down the field and he finished it off with that run into the end zone to give Texas the national championship over USC. Fast forward to this past Sunday and these two guys were at it again in Nashville. Cardinals starting quarterback Kurt Warner was ruled out and Leinart got his chance. The Cards came in at 7-3 in the NFC West and were looking to pad their lead. The atmosphere was electric before game time and a slight misty rain bothered no one in attendance. The Titans struck first when Rob Bironas hit a 52-yard field goal to give Tennessee a 3-0 lead. It was 6-3 at the half and both teams went into the lockeroom not knowing the drama about to unfold. In the third quarter the teams traded punts and then the Titans got the ball with 3:56 to go. On first down Young went deep to Bo Scaife but the pass was incomplete. So now it was second and ten and the play was a left tackle run to Chris Johnson. He went left, trying to navigate through the crowd and then popped out by the sidelines. A defender tried to get him and he sped up a bit then side stepped another and then he was gone 85 yards for the score. It was the third touchdown run of 85 yards or more this year for Johnson and no one has ever done that in their entire career. He ended up with 154 more yards to tie the NFL record of 125+ yards in six straight games. The record he tied was held by the great Eric Dickerson in the same year he ran for an NFL record 2,105 yards. In fact, Johnson is ahead of Dickerson's pace for that year. He continues to make it look easy as he piles up the yards. Still he was not the story on this misty day. It was 13-3 and it looked like Tennesse had another victory in the bag but Leinart had other plans. He remembered that day in the Rose Bowl and did not want to go out like that again. He got help from LaRod Stephens-Howling on the ensuing kickoff when he blew past the coverage by Tennessee and ran 99 yards to make it 13-10. So the stage was set for what looked like a fantastic finish. In the fourth the Cardinals were in position to take the lead and they drove 79 yards on nine plays and did just that. Tim Hightower ran it in from six yards barely touched and Arizona was up 17-13 with just over 12 minutes left. The teams once again traded punts and then Tennessee got the ball wth 4:37 left and a chance to take the lead. On third and nine Young hit Kenny Britt on a beauty of a pass that was good for 51 yards. When Britt caught the ball he fell on the turf untouched so he decided to get up and get some more yards. As he got up he was hit from behind, the ball came loose and the Cards recovered it at their own 30. All they had to do at this point was work the clock and the Titans four game winning streak would be over. Instead they went three and out and had to punt the football back to the Titans. The punt should have been returned but instead return man Kevin Kaesviharn let it go and it was downed at the one. So here were the Titans, 99 yards away from a wining touchdown, with a quarterback that had not been known for these kinds of situations. After a seven-yard completion to Britt on first down Young missed his next two passes. It was fourth down and time was not on their side when Young lined up in the shotgun. He threw a pass to Britt that was too high and too close to the defender but Britt reached over the defenders head and made a great catch to keep the drive alive. They were able to move the ball into Cardinals territory but were faced with another fourth down and one wondered if this was the end. Needing just four yards Young hit LaVelle Hawkins for 13 yards and it was now first down at the Arizona 31. There was about 30 seconds left  and it was third and five from the 26 when once again Young came through. He hit Jared Cook for 17 yards to the nine and the whole stadium now held it's collective breath. Three plays later it was fourth down again at the nine and hope had all but run out for a comeback. Six seconds left and an entire stadium stood together to see if another miracle could happen in Nashville. Young got the snap and stepped back but had to come up in the pocket to avoid the rush. It looked like he decided to run when he threw the ball sidearm into the end zone. It felt like time had stood still for just a few seconds as I turned away from the play. A second or two later all I heard was the cheeering and yelling of victorious fans. When I went back to the field to see the replay all I could do was shake my head. Everyone that was a Titan fan was laughing with utter joy. What seemed impossible had just materialized before a crowd of 69,143 rabid fans. The real story though was Young himself especially on that last drive. He started at his own one-yard line and never once did Chris Johnson touch the ball. It was an 18-play drive that will not be forgotten anytime soon. Young has been known for not being able to move the football. For not being able to stay in the pocket long enough to make a play. On this day he became an NFL quarterback that runs through his progressions and he had a career-high 387 yards passing. He was 27-43 wth no picks and only had eight yards rushing. What we witnessed on this day was the maturation of a quarterback that can now become a deadly weapon. Five straight wins with five more to play and the possibility of the playoffs. After the game he spoke like a grown man and praised his players and coaches. He still has a ways to go but if Young continues to improve like this the skys the limit. They go to Indy next week looking to end the Colts undeafeated season and looking for a sixth straight win. If they can puul this one off 10 wins in-a-row is not out of the question.
 
Indianapolis 35 Houston 27
When the season began it was known that Texans head coach Gary Kubiak needed to get this team over the hump and to the playoffs. He had the talent and had been given time to get this done, but after the last two years of getting close nothing but the playoffs would do for this franchise. So after 10 games they stood at 5-5 with the Colts coming to town. They had underacheved to this point an were looking to knock off the undefeated Colts. They jumped out to a 14-0 lead after one and were ahead 20-7 at the half but knew that would not be enough against this team. The one thing the Texans wanted to do was finish the game. They have had so many heartbreaks because they fail to play four quarters consistently. The third quarter was relatively quiet except for a Colts score when Peyton Manning hit Reggie Wayne from four yards out to cut the lead to 20-14. Now it was time to get nervous if you were a Texan fan because they had been here before. So many times before this team has found a way to lose and they neded this win badly to keep Indianapolis from clinching the division while trying to improve their own playoff position. The thing is the Colts have been making a habit of this comeback stuff recently. They had trailed in the fourth quarter in the last four games and now it was five. Peyton time was fast approaching and Houston knew it. So at the start of the fourth he went to work and at the 8:24 mark he hit Dallas Clark for a six-yard touchdown and just like that it was 21-20 Colts. Now came the test as the Texans got the ball and needed to score but Matt Schaub was off and his pass was picked off by Clint Sessions and he ran it back 26 yards to make it 28-20. With the wind about out of their sails Houston went back to work but to no avail. Schaub gave the game away when he fumbled the ball and the Colts recovered. Later the Colts would score again when Chad Simpson ran it in from 23 yards to put the game away. Houston scored a meaningless touchdown with 18 seconds left to end the scoring. Now the Colts will host the hot Titans next week as the division champs. The question is will they play to their potential or will they let up giving Tennesse a chance at a sixth consecutive win? As for Houston, well they are about done and out the door. The playoffs are now a longshot after such a good start to the season. The question here is will Kubiak's job still be his at seasons end after another disappointing year? Can the Texans right their ship in time to save his job? With the luck this team has had in recent years it looks like they will be starting from scratch next season.
 
San Francisco 20 Jacksonville 3
Speaking of inconsistent teams with jobs on the line takes us to the Jags and their season of hope. They too have a head coach who's job is in question and this game did not help. Coach Jack Del Rio started this year like Kubiak, win or bust. His team is another that has not been able to put four quarters together for a win. On this day they made 49ers QB Alex Smith look like a number one draft pick as he was precise and accurate all day. He threw two touchdown passes while going 27-41 for 232 yards. He is showing more and more why he was the top pick in his draft as he matures. The Jags got a good day from QB David Garrard as he went 25-36 for 307 yards but no TD's. They have been outscored by west coast teams by a margin of 61-3 and if things don't get better quick it will be curtains for Del Rio. His team had more total yards, more rushing and passing yards. They had more first downs but it all added up to three points. In the red zone they were not a factor going 0-4. Second place was a lock for this team a few weeks ago but now they have the "red hot" Titans in their rear view mirror. Adjustments must be made in hopes of getting to the playoffs but even if they do the Jags just keep being one of those teams tat cannot get to the next level.

Jamie Jungers is Tiger Woods 4th alleged mistress; but 5 and 6?

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Tiger Woods 4th mistress alleged - Woods scandal heats up

UPDATE: Tiger Woods alledged mistresses five and six are named.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the Internet water, Tiger Woods 4th mistress is alleged to exist. TMZ (who else) discovered this new but as of this writing unnamed woman and reported it in the early morning hours today.

Tiger Woods, Jaimie Grubbs, Rachel Uchitel, Kalika Moquin, and Number 4?

Reportedly she's got an Orlando lawyer named Michael O'Quinn of Fowler and O'Quinn to represent her and make an announcement to the press. TMZ sources claim the woman is (like Jaimie Grubbs) a cocktail waitress who claims to have met Woods in 2004 when she was 20-years old and says they had a two-year relationship. 2004 was the year Woods married Elin Nordegren. 

Michael O'Quinn is well-known in Orlando business as part of the Arena Football League Orlando Predators ownership group. According to his firm's website, he specializes in "real estate and eminent domain litigation, transactional and commercial real estate matters and general business law," so he may be a bit out of his league in this arena.

No offense to the well-connected Mr. O'Quinn but the person should have hired an entertainment lawyer who's used to the huge media interplay O'Quinn's about to be involved in. Still, O'Quinn may be representing her as a friend and for the massive exposure he's going to get and has already enjoyed. But if there are holes in her story, the result could be a blast of negative PR for her and possibly O'Quinn. That's the risk he takes on here.

Meanwhile Woods public image is taking a massive beating in the media, with US Magazine taking the lead. The rag not only was rumored to have paid $150,000 for Jamie Grubbs affair story and voicemail, but now has information about Tiger Woods relationship and communications with nightclub executive Rachel Uchitel.

Stay tuned.

Lakers Kobe Bryant game winning shot v Miami Heat

This shot last night shocked the Twitter World with tweets ranging from "Kobe's ridiculous", to "I hate Kobe Bryant" but one thing they all have in common the the expression of shock and awe over Kobe's last second three-pointer against the Miami Heat in LA.

Kobe Bryant, post the Colorado sex scandal, has emerged as the NBA's best player. One would think earning a ring this year would satisfy his will to win just a little, but thankfully, no. Kobe Bryant: simply the best.

Jets Hold On for 19-13 Win

(photo By Bill Menzel)


JETS HOLD ON 19-13: SANCHEZ HURT
by TJ Rosenthal for Football Reporters Online

The Jets survived a late scare when QB Mark Sanchez left with a third quarter knee injury to hold on 19-13 against the Bills in Toronto. The win moves Gang Green to 6-6 and into playoff contention, with 1-10 Tampa Bay and the banged up 6-5 Falcons up next. Any hopes of a playoff run will be dampened though, if Sanchez is out for any extended time.

The Jets took control late in the second quarter. Down 10-9,  Braylon Edwards (3-45yds 1TD) hauled in a tough 13 yard throw in traffic and stretched over the goal line with 2:58 left in the half. The play was ruled down at the one but head coach Rex Ryan challenged it and the call was overturned. 16-10 Jets. This made up for a key drop by the former Cleveland Brown, wide open, on a long throw from Sanchez in the first quarter.

Still up 16-10 in the third, Sanchez then hurt his knee on a third down dive for a first down. He had worked with Yankees manager Joe Girardi this past week on sliding, after aggravating the knee on a scramble last week in the 17-6 win against Carolina. The play however called for an aggressive attempt in order for the Jets to keep possession, not a slide. QB Kellen Clemens took over the rest of the way, and was shaky at best. The career backup fumbled a snap and got stripped on a third down roll out inside the Jets twenty. Luckily the Jets recovered. Clemens did however make a key third down throw to the outside in the middle of the fourth quarter to WR Jerricho Cotchery. The completion led to K Jay Feely's third FG of the game, a 37 yarder to put the Jets up 19-10 with 7:00 left.

 Bills K Rob Lindell answered with a 32 yarder to cut the Jet lead to 19-13 with just under 5:00 left. The Jets then went three and out, leaving the season in the hands of the defense. Prior to Thursday night, the defense had twice given up game winning scores on the final drive in 2009. In Toronto, the D answered the call. DE Sean Ellis, who was active all night, put the Bills in a quick hole on their final drive with a key first down sack. On second down, the Bills went for it all down the right sideline, but CB Darrelle Revis, who held hot WR Terrell Owens to just 31 yards, intercepted the Ryan Fitzpatrick bomb to put the game away. Revis has now shut down star wideouts Andre Johnson, Marques Colston, Randy Moss twice, Steve Smith, and now Owens twice. LB David Harris also had a stellar game with 11 tackles and a forced fumble that led to points.

Thomas Jones who finished with 109 yards on 25 carries, iced it on the ensuing drive with a 25 yard run with just over 2:00 to go. The Jets torched the league's 32nd ranked rushing defense with a combo of Jones and rookie Shonn Greene (11-59yds).

The win allows the Jets the right to believe again; To rally around the truth that they are back in the playoff hunt. Jacksonville is 6-5 and the club that Gang Green is chasing for the sixth and final spot.  The big key over the next ten days, will be whether Sanchez can respond from the second straight knee injury in two games. During the post game press conference,  Sanchez admitted that "in the heat of the moment I was just trying to advance the chains." The team will conduct more tests on Sanchez's right knee over the coming days. As of Friday morning they are calling it a mild knee sprain. If the Sanchise is hurt, really hurt, the Jets may be in trouble. The latest Jet drama comes while they escape dire straits with two straight solid wins in five days.

A LOOK BACK ON THE THREE KEYS TO BUFFALO:

Darelle Revis vs Terrell Owens: Revis island owned TO. 31 yards was all Owens could muster up. Three deep throws to Owens, led to two incompletions and a game ending pick for the leagues top corner.
 
Thomas Jones vs Bills Defense: We said Jones needed 100 yds and a TD in order for the Jets to win. He didn't get the TD but went over 100 which meant the Jets were running downhill in the second half.

Unsung hero?:  We asked for someone outside of the usual suspects to step up. Shonn Greene, Brad Smith, perhaps Danny Woodhead. Greene had 59 yards, Smith made some nice plays, Woodhead tripped on a screen and failed to look up on an early throw to him. Sean Ellis was the difference maker. Getting pressure all night in a game where the Jets had to have pressure so speedy Lee Evans would not have the time to expose CB Lito Shephard downfield. Shephard also played great , jumping short routes all night , almost coming up with some big picks.

follow TJ Rosenthal on twitter@ thejetreport

Florida QB Tim Tebow plays receiver before SEC Championship

This very interesting and just posted YouTube video features Florida Quarterback Tim Tebow playing receiver and some cornerback in a practice before Saturday's SEC Championship game against Alabama.



Is it possible we will see a trick play from the spread option involving a throw to Tim Tebow? Well, it's possible; take a look at this double pass play from The Spread:

It features the quarterback (QB) throwing to the running back  (R), who then throws back to the quarterback which has ran downfield to the left corner. 

It's going to be a great game, but I don't think Alabama will win because of the coaching skill of Urban Meyer. The conversation of the SEC Championship took up a good degree of time on the Football Reporters show Thursday night. Click here for the show.

Listen to the show on BlogTalkRadio Thursday nights at 6 PM PST, 9 PM EST.

George Clooney jokes on Tiger Woods scandal; Up In The AIr gets Oscar buzz

George Clooney, who's new movie Up In the Air is enjoying its first awards success of the Awards Season scoring four prizes at the National Board of Review Awards Thursday, cracked a joke about the Tiger Woods scandal at the Los Angeles premier of the flick Monday night. According to Fox News.com, Clooney said:

“I never get mad. But I do I get mad at Stan (Rosenfield, his long-time publicist) sometimes but what I do is hit him. I hit him with a golf club the other day…you heard about that?”

As Clooney was cracking on Woods, Up In The Air was moving, well, up in the level of Oscar buzz surrounding it. New York Magazine has the film as the Oscar Best Picture front runner as of this writing, and picks it ahead of Bright Star, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Invictus, Nine, Precious, A Serious Man, A Single Man, and Up.

But that's New York, which seems to have it in for Precious.

George Clooney in Up In The Air

What makes Up In The Air so appealing is its somewhat contemporary story. But why does Clooney's character have to be captured in promotional trailers sharing a racial stereotype? What's the point?  In a trailer, there's a segment where Clooney's character says that he gets behind Asians in the security line because they're efficient. Or...

Bingo. Asians. They pack light, travel efficiently, and have a thing for slip on shoes, god love ‘em.”


“That’s racist!”


“I’m like my mother. I stereotype – it’s faster.”

Here's the trailer:



Here I agree with Carmen Van Kerckhove from New Demographics and Racialicious blog, who wrote:

Cue eye roll at blatant “he’s so cool and un-PC” ploy.


Bonus points for making a “post racial” joke when there are no other people of color in the trailer. Not even as background extras.

I think the movie would have been just as effective without such crappy lines. I don't care if its the character, in 2009 we do have a choice not to present such attitudes, why not avoid doing so? I just don't get it and I'm sure I don't want to. I'm not alone in saying that America craves a truly contemporary movie; this isn't quite it.

But that written, Up In The Air's assent will be interesting to watch.

Stay tuned.

April Ryan v. Robert Gibbs - does Ryan hate White House' Desiree Rogers?

April Ryan, a reporter with American Urban Radio Networks, bumped the Tiger Woods scandal down Google Trends and for something I didn't think would reach the collective public media radar, an exchange with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs posted on YouTube by the conservative blog TownHall.com:



The issue that April Ryan's asking about is White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers' role in the State Dinner Partygate Scandal where Tareq and Michaele Salahi gained access to the exclusive affair without being on the White House' Official Guest List.

April Ryan of American Urban Networks

April Ryan was trying to ask Robert Gibbs why Desiree Rogers was at the dinner. Desiree Rogers is the White House Social Secretary who planned the event. But Ryan says that Washington gossip centers around the perception that Desiree Rogers is just working to advance her own interests.

What's of concern to me is Robert Gibbs' mistake of talking down to April Ryan - he should not have compared her to his kid - masks the real issue: what does April Ryan have against Desiree Rogers?

What's not reported at a number of conservative blogs is that this was the second straight day Ryan came to the White House press briefing and aggressively questioned Gibbs. I saw both exchanges on television and had the impression Ryan was fishing for information to write a "dirty" article about Desiree Rogers, who like Ryan is black.

Desiree Rogers

This exchange between Gibbs and Ryan is not important; what April Ryan wants to discover and then do with the information she gets is. Read this transcript (first posted at the DailyKos) from the first day of questions from April Ryan to Robert Gibbs:

QUESTION: Follow up. Normally in the past, before this administration came, there was always a checks and balances type of system at that gate with the Social Office, as well as the Secret Service --


MR. GIBBS: I think that's what Ed just asked.


QUESTION: That's what I'm saying. And you're saying --


MR. GIBBS: This is a follow-up or -- go ahead, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.


QUESTION: Again, there's always been a series of checks and balances. And if there was a concern from the Secret Service, they would always relay it back to -- it was a back and forth between the Social Office and the Secret Service.


MR. GIBBS: What I'm saying -- what I said to Ed was --


QUESTION: But let me finish, please --


MR. GIBBS: No, no, no, but let me -- I think the question was asked, so let me reiterate my answer. Again, April, none of that relay happened, right? None of that relay happened between the Secret Service and the Social Office, whether or not the Social Office was standing at the gate or whether or not somebody was sitting in their office at the White House.


QUESTION: If you would allow me to finish, you can understand what I'm saying. The relay did not happen because that person was omitted at the gate from the Social Office. The way we understand, that person --


MR. GIBBS: Omitted?


QUESTION: That person was fired earlier in the year. So --


MR. GIBBS: But again, April, you can ask it seven ways. The answer continues to be, the relay didn't happen because somebody was or wasn't there. The relay didn't happen because nobody picked up the phone to relay the information. I mean, I appreciate the observation that somebody could or could not have been at a certain gate. But again, you could pick up the phone, just like I can pick up my phone in the office and relay you, April. You don't have to be standing in my office for me to convey information to you. I think the --


QUESTION: So are you saying that the Social Office does not have any responsibility in this at all?


MR. GIBBS: April, there's an investigation that's ongoing into the actions of what happened, and I'm going to wait for that to be completed.


QUESTION: The reason why we are questioning the Social Office and the Secret Service is because in the past, both have worked in conjunction and successfully were able to protect the President of the United States without anyone coming in. And now because the Social Office did not have that other layer of checks and balances there, this happened. And people are questioning why this White House is not putting the onus some on the Social Office, as well.


MR. GIBBS: I'm going to let the investigation put the onus on where the onus should be. But what I'm simply doing is explaining to you a series of facts that include the notion that if somebody was confused about whether or not somebody was on a list at a guard tower on the exterior perimeter of the White House, and there was a question, generally somebody could pick up the phone and ask. I'm saying that -- I'm saying that the Secret Service, in the statement that they released a few days ago, acknowledged that that didn't happen and that that was a mistake.


QUESTION: The whole process has been changed at that gate from now on. Will the Social Office be working in conjunction with the Secret Service now?


MR. GIBBS: I think first and foremost we're going to go through this investigation, and I would refer you to the Secret Service about operations that might change at that gate.


QUESTION: And the last question. People were saying that the President was never in danger, and many people have said that is not true. They got in --


MR. GIBBS: Who's "many people"?


QUESTION: People here, Secret Service. These people met with the President. They shook the President's hand. Who's to say they did not have some kind of -- granted, they didn't -- but hypothetically, what if a person had walked in and could have done something to the President? The President -- do you --


MR. GIBBS: This hasn't happened before. (Laughter.) I appreciate the opportunity to indulge in a grand hypothetical.


QUESTION: Has the President remarked on this at all?


MR. GIBBS: Look, I think the President shares the concern that the director has for how this happened and how we can remedy it from happening again.


QUESTION: Is he concerned about his safety with this?


MR. GIBBS: No.


QUESTION: Have you heard him say anything, is he angry or is he as incredulous as the average American is that people could just walk right into the White House like this?


MR. GIBBS: I think the President -- look, the reason there's an investigation is the President and the White House has asked for that to happen. So I think suffice to say the President is rightly concerned about what happened last week.


QUESTION: Have you actually heard him say anything about it?


MR. GIBBS: I have not heard it, but it's been relayed to me.


QUESTION: Can you confirm whether or not charges will be filed against this couple?


MR. GIBBS: That is not a power bestowed on me as the press secretary. I know they've -- according to media reports, they've been interviewed by the Secret Service. I think that's a decision that would be made by the Secret Service and the United States Attorney in that area.

That reads like April Ryan's trying to do a media hit on Desiree Rogers. The Gibbs / Ryan "talks" are not Gibbs being disrespectful to a black woman, Ryan. They are Gibbs trying to defend Desiree Rogers from April Ryan's silly attacks.

April Ryan's questions have nothing to do with Tareq and Michaele Salahi at all. It's about Desiree Rogers' style. First, the real question is what did the Secret Service ask the Salahis at the check in desk? Second, who did the Salahis' know that helped them get into the event? Focusing on what fashion show Desiree Rogers attended in New York City has zero to do with the issue of the State Dinner.

In my view, April Ryan is being what we in the African American professional community call a "crabbarel": a black person who wants to take down another black person because the target has reached some level of fame. Mentioning that Desiree Rogers is at fashion shows and other events is not the point and calls her real intent into question. Desiree Rogers style and looks may be April Ryan's issue, but Ryan needs to get over it.

Tiger Woods scandal update - pictures, Jamie Grubbs, Rachel Uchitel

Just when I thought this was no longer a Google Trend, it's back hotter than ever, and as of this writing listed "Volcanic". The latest Tiger Woods scandal update has news about mistress Rachel Uchitel and the assumed payoff from Woods, one publications' need to dig into the past of the other mistress, Jamie Grubbs, and new pictures.

First, TMZ reports that Tiger Woods never paid off Rachel Uchitel to stop the press conference that was scheduled to be held Thursday. The news counters RadarOnline.com's assertion that Woods did pay Uchitel.

Rachel Uchitel

Uchitel reportedly called the press conference off Wednesday, after a long talk with Woods and his people because of her concern for her safety. Apparently she knows "too much" about Woods with other women and other personal details such that a news conference would have at the very least started a massive public PR battle between Rachel and Tiger.

TMZ's sources explain that Rachel's not afraid of Tiger Woods, but is concerned about how other people not named would be impacted by what she said. So Rachel's just going to go into hiding for a while. Let's hope her personal safety is maintained. Having something negative happen to her after that disclosure would only reopen the scandal as a criminal investigation and that would be massively bad for Tiger Woods.

Massively bad is the sudden negative press Woods other girlfriend Jamie Grubbs is getting today. CBS News.com has a new set of pictures and information about Jamie Grubbs "criminal record" posted on its Crimeinsider website.

Why "Crimeinsider"? Because EOnline reports Grubbs was arrested for shoplifting a coat in 2004 and a credit card balance EOnline says she didn't pay (which is dangerous territory to wade into because such issues are generally resolved). It seems to me that EOnline think's it's ok to defame Jamie Grubbs character and I'm guessing the reason is that some PR effort has been launched to attack her.

For example, RadarOnline reports that Grubbs recently worked in a medical marijuana "pharmacy." Reporting that is also wrong-headed because the next question is did Tiger take a medicinal toke?

Why all the negative press about Grubbs?

Because unlike Rachel Uchitel and Kamile Moquin who didn't talk about their Woods encounters, Jamie Grubbs was rumored to have received $150,000 by US Weekly to talk about her affair and turn over the now infamous voicemail recording of Tiger Woods asking her to take her name off her phone.

Jamie Grubbs' action torpedoed Tiger Woods' public image in a way that the Thanksgiving night accident had not. But, in a day when millions of people, including me and Paris Hilton, have DUIs, I'm not sure what good dishing on her so-called "record" will do and it could open EOnline and RadarOnline to a lawsuit from Jamie Grubbs.

Yikes.

If you're looking for revealing photos of Jamie Grubbs and visit the site with that objective, you're going to get punked because there's nothing special or revealing about them. But if you have to go there to see for yourself, click here, then come back here.

Reports: Woods offered $80 million prenup to Elin

Meanwhile, reports are surfacing, starting with New York Magazine, that Tiger Woods offered his wife Elin Nordegren an $80 million revised prenuptial agreement. Finally, in what would certainly be a show with ratings to blow away those gained when she had Sarah Palin as a guest, Oprah Winfrey's reaching out to Tiger to come and talk.

Stay tuned.  As I said in a vlog, this story will last for another week.  

Did Stanford Coach Jim Harbaugh use the F-word?

That Stanford Cardinal Football Coach Jim Harbaugh would be one of YouTube's first results in its brand-new "Trending Topics" feature was interesting to me. So I started searching on YouTube, found nothing, then checked Google News and saw a brewing controversy.

Jim Harbaugh

Some claim Jim Harbaugh used the F-word, and I'm not talking about the word that refers to sex. The other one that has to do with sexual orientation.

Allegedly Harbaugh yelled some choice words at game officials during the Stanford - Notre Dame contest that the Cardinal won 45 to 38. Now it's common for coaches to lose it and yell something at an official - it's expected in our culture. So from that perspective Harbaugh's rant was standard issue.

But the assertion is Harbaugh did more than just rant, where a coach complains about a call, but he called a name to an official, the F-word. It's something, this issue, that's been hidden from wide view. From reading the dates of the posts about this controversy, its been around for almost two days but only gay-oriented sites have covered it, even though it's on Google News under "jim harbaugh." Until now, no mainstream media site or straight-person's blog picked up the story, so I figured this straight-guy who has a blog and blogs at mainstream media sites would put it out there.

Ok, house cleaning out of the way, what proof is there that Harbaugh got off such a blast? Well, if you discount the self-proclaimed lip-reading bloggers, none, and here I'm wading into dangerous territory because the feelings on this are rightly powerful. Any slur is a bad one, but one must make sure there are several sources that can claim what the blogger asserts, as I had in the LeGarrett Blount issue.

I think Towleroad blog went too far in making an assertion that Harbaugh made the statement and basing that blog post on a video of the coach yelling without the sound.

But the problem that gives fuel to the issue is the video itself was just made private by its maker! So we can't see the video a second time. That in itself is really suspicious and now adds smoke to this story. The video should have remained available.

For Harbaugh, he asserts he did not use the term. Outsports reports that Harbaugh said:

It did not come out of my mouth. It would not come out of my mouth. It’s not in my heart to ever say that.

That's enough for me here. We have coach Harbaugh who says he didn't say it, and a video that really doesn't prove he said it.

The person who started all of this was a guy named Chris Finley who made the video and guessed at what was said. That was enough to cause a small controversy.

Time out. It seems to me some people are just knee-jerk ready to find fault with others and so much so that they will make up a story without hard evidence. That's got to stop. From my experience Coach Harbaugh's a good man who would not have a negative thought about someone based on race or sexual orientation.

Jim Harbaugh's only problem in the eyes of this Cal Alum is that he coaches the Stanford Cardinal Football Team.

Oregon v. Oregon State today; Cal v. Stanford in 2010

Congratulations to the Pac-10 Champion Oregon Ducks, who won a trip to the 2010 Rose Bowl after defeating Oregon State, 37 to 33 in their "Civil War" played Thursday night.

Oregon came back from a shocking season-opening loss to Boise State and the LeGarrett Blount name-calling incident to hammer Cal and USC before running into a Stanford Cardinal team that seemed Rose Bowl-bound until it was stopped by the sturdy Golden Bear.

That the Oregon / Oregon State rivalry ended in a fitting contest for all the marbles means that in 2010 The Cal / Stanford Big Game's next. And of course Cal will march to the Rose Bowl.

But until that happens, we have to look at videos of the Oregon v. Oregon State game and watch Oregon fans and students storm their field.

National Board of Review Awards - Up In The Air, Best Film; Precious snubbed

The first awards show of the Oscar season brings a surprise. The National Board of Review selected Up In The Air, the romantic travel story featuring George Clooney, as Best Film, but snubbed the controversial domestic violence story that is Precious.

Precious by Lionsgate Films

And as the Academy Awards will have 10 Best Picture nominees, the NBOR's provides a glimpse of what might happen in March with this Top Ten Film List:

An Education, 500 Days Of Summer, The Hurt Locker, Inglorious Basterds, Invicus, The Messenger, A Serious Man, Star Trek, Up, Where The Wild Things Are.

The surprise here is that Precious did not make the Top Ten list, but Star Trek did.
 
Star Trek was projected as a film that would be marketed as an Oscar contender and this awards outcome is the first proof that Paramount's tenpole movie of 2009 may also have that Oscar luster.

But that written, the films to watch for have multiple awards: Up In The Air with Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay awards; Clint Eastwoods' Invictus, a film of sports and freedom in South Africa, won Best Director, Top Ten, and the NBOR's Freedom of Expression award; The Messenger earned Best Supporting Actor for Woody Harrelson and made the Top Ten list, and a Spotlight Award for Best Directorial Debut for Oren Moverman; An Education also made the Top Ten list and Carey Mulligan took home Best Actress award.

But what happened to Precious and why is it not in the Top Ten List?

I think it has a lot to do with the New York City film community, the very same that snubbed Precious during the Gotham Awards in October.

Opray Winfrey's support aside, I thought good pictures were supposed to shake you up and make you think and "be real" and Precious did all that. I'm beginning to believe that, at least in New York City, that film community was not ready for a hard core story about African American domestic violence in America.  But given the range of views I've gathered about Precious, it may be a hard film for anyone to take regardless of race or region; still, it's one of the top nominees in The Independent Sprit Awards, so one storyline during awards season will be if Precious can weather its storm of controversy and emerge with at least an Oscar... or any award. 

Precious aside, a pattern of front runners is slowly emerging as we head toward the 82nd Academy Awards with the top award winners being Up In The Air, Invictus, An Education and The Messenger.

Here's the full list of NBOR winners:

Best Film: Up In The Air

Best Director: Clint Eastwood, Invictus

Best Actor: Morgan Freeman, Invictus and George Clooney, Up In The Air (tie)

Best Actress: Carey Mulligan, An Education

Best Supporting Actor: Woody Harrelson, The Messenger

Best Supporting Actress: Anna Kendrick, Up In The Air

Best Foreign Film: A Prophet

Best Documentary: The Cove

Best Animated Feature: Up

Best Ensemble Cast: It’s Complicated

Breakthrough Performance by an Actor: Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker

Breakthrough Performance by an Actress: Gabourey Sidibe, Precious

Spotlight Award for Best Directorial Debut: Duncan Jones, Moon, Oren Moverman, The Messenger and Marc Webb, 500 Days of Summer (tie)

Best Original Screenplay: Joel & Ethan Coen, A Serious Man

Best Adapted Screenplay: Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, Up In The Air

Special Filmmaking Achievement Award: Wes Anderson, The Fantastic Mr. Fox

William K. Everson Film History Award: Jean Picker Firstenberg

Top Ten Independent Films (In alphabetical order):
Amreeka
District 9
Goodbye Solo
Humpday
In The Loop
Julia
Me And Orson Welles
Moon
Sugar
Two Lovers

NBR Freedom of Expression: Burma Vj: Reporting From A Closed Country, Invictus, The Most Dangerous Man In America: Daniel Ellseberg And The Pentagon Papers


Top Six Foreign Films (In alphabetical order):
The Maid
A Prophet
Revanche
Song Of Sparrows
Three Monkeys
The White Ribbon

Top Six Documentary Films (In alphabetical order):
Burma Vj: Reporting From A Closed Country
The Cove
Crude
Food, Inc.
Good Hair
The Most Dangerous Man In America: Daniel Ellsberg And The Pentagon Papers

Tiger Woods scandal - Tiger Woods Voicemail Remix a new song

The Tiger Woods Scandal has sparked an online creative streak with content producers making jokes and photoshopped pictures. But this new song takes the cake. It's called Tiger Woods Voicemail Slow Jam Remix.

Tiger Woods Voicemail Slow Jam Remix is based on the voicemail allegedly left by Tiger Woods for Jaimie Grubbs asking her to take her name off her phone before his wife called her. Produced by HalfDayToday, it was distributed via Twitter and YouTube and blogs and now has gone viral.

MSNBCs David Shuster picked it up on Twitter as has The Huffington Post, BoingBoing, and now my blogs! The video, created by Trevor Cushman with the video by Al LeVine, has this description:

Tiger Woods knows how to treat a lady right. Here’s a sexy song to prove it.

It's a creative mix of the voicemail, sultry music, and added voices. A combinations of the Tiger Woods sound with a little El Debarge thrown in.

Nice.

Half Day Today is an LA-based New Media Organization specializing in comedy and viral videos. What I'm impressed with is the speed with which they turned out this remix, just about 24 hours from the release of the voicemail. Well done.

JETS IN TORONTO TO FACE BILLS: PLAYOFF HOPES STILL ALIVE

JETS IN TORONTO TO FACE BILLS: PLAYOFF HOPES STILL ALIVE
by TJ Rosenthal for Football Reporters Online

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdX5YzOaS3Y to

The NY Jets saved their season last Sunday against Carolina with a 17-6 win.
That win will mean nothing if Gang Green can't continue a much needed win streak 
that includes  tough AFC East battle with the Buffalo Bills in Toronto tonight. It's Thursday night football. A short week to prepare followed by either a happy long layoff before week 14, or the realization that postseason dreams will be all but
 over.

For the Jets , RB Thomas Jones will be a key factor tonight. The Newark Star Ledger reported this week that Jones is second only to the Chargers LaDanian Tomlinson in yardage gained since 2005. An impressive stat for a humble guy. 
For the Jets to go to 6-6, he'll need to add to that tonight against Buffalo, a team that owns the league worst  32nd ranked rushing defense. Can QB Mark Sanchez's color coded bracelet minimize the interceptions for a second straight week? It better. Sanchez threw five interceptions in the Jets previous meeting with the Bills.
A sickening  week six OT loss that also saw NG run killer Kris Jenkins injure his knee and thus become lost for the season.

The 4-7 Bills are a different team since the last time the Jets faced them. Head coach Dick Jauron is gone, fired weeks ago in favor of interim Perry Fewell. Fewell got his first NFL coaching win last week at home against Miami. This thanks to the resurgence of WR Terrell Owens, who credits his recent hot play to the new starter QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. Owens said this week that the relationship between himself and former starter Trent Edwards simply was not there. RBFred Jackson has supplanted Marshawn Lynch as the starter as well. Lynch who started the year serving a three game league suspension, has yet to find a rythym in 2009.

With Tampa Bay on the schedule next before a tough finish against Atlanta, undefeated Indy, and the first place Bengals, the Jets are in position to make the stretch drive interesting. This is as big of a game as a 5-6 team can have. Let's call
it a playoff game because in essence it is. Win, or go home.

Three keys to the Buffalo Game:

Darrelle Revis vs Terrell Owens:  Owens is on fire the past two weeks. Revis has shut down top wideout all year starting on opening day in Houston against Andre Johnson. Randy Moss twice. you get the idea. Tonight must be the same.

Thomas Jones vs Bill Run defense: Jones has to go for close to 100 Yds. and a TD against the 32nd ranked D. If not, that would mean the onus would've been on Sanchez. Bracelet or not, the Sanchise is being asked to manage things and keep the chains moving, not take 2009 into his own hands. 

Can we get an unsung hero tonight?: moments like these call for the unsung hero. The guy who wasn't a threat on paper, in game films. Let's look for a Brad Smith, Danny Woodhead, or perhaps a Jet interior defender like Sione Pouha tonight. The Jets need a big contribution from one perimeter guy tonight to help push things over the edge. If the QB isn't allowed to, or can't light it up, it will take, oh god am I actually saying this? 52 flashlights. This of course to quote ex Jet head coach and now ex UVA head coach Al Groh who used this reference in 2000 after the Jets beat Tampa with former Jet Keyshawn Johnson who mocked WR Wayne Chrebet that week before the game.

Follow TJ Rosenthal on twitter@ thejetreport

Tiger Woods scandal - Rachel Uchitel press conf cancelled, deal?

The latest news in the Tiger Woods scandal is that nightclub executive Rachel Uchitel called off a press conference scheduled for 11:30 AM PST. TMZ.com reports that the reason is connected to an alleged phone conversation between Rachel Uchitel and Tiger woods and his management staff last night.

Rachel Uchitel

TMZ implies that the result was a deal to stop talking in exchange for money but that's not been confirmed as of this writing. Still, the simple suggestion of a payoff for silence will sully the already damaged image of The World's Best Golfer. But I believe his call may have had to do with the concern of sponsors like Nike and Cadillac, who are seeing the image of their brands harmed by the Tiger Woods scandal.

Rachel Uchitel is the first women connected to Tiger Woods affair rumors. After denying them, she was about to do what I predicted she was thinking of doing: talking.

Now Tiger wants the chatter to stop. I can't say I blame him but he has little control over this now that it's part of pop-culture.

Stay tuned.

Parnevik, who introduced Tiger Woods to Elin Nordegren, expresses regret

According to Bob Harig at ESPN, Swedish golfer Jesper Parnevik, who introduced Tiger Woods to Elin Nordegren, is not happy with Tiger Woods in light of the affair scandal. And while you may say "no kidding", it gets better.

Nordegren started working as a nanny for Parnevik in 2000. She was introduced to Woods in 2001 at the British Open, and then married him in 2004.

Jesper Parnevik

Now, what Parnevik said to Harig at ESPN is damning:

I would be especially sad about it since I'm kind of -- I really feel sorry for Elin -- since me and my wife were at fault for hooking her up with him. We probably thought he was a better guy than he is. I would probably need to apologize to her and hope she uses a driver next time instead of the 3-iron. It's a private thing of course," he said. "But when you are the guy he is, the world's best athlete, you should think more before you do stuff ... And maybe not just do it, like Nike says."

Ouch! Why he had to get off the Nike blast is beyond me, but I wonder what the 'swoosh' people will think about the Tiger Woods affair now.

Stay tuned.

CNN down 60 percent in ratings; John Klein should use iReport

I don't find this surprising at all, but CNN's down a dramatic 60 percent in viewers, while Fox News rules the ratings for November. As I've written before, and will continue to blog until the cows come home, CNN's failure to match its 2008 ratings performance, when it was number one, is due to a failure to change.

Or to recognize the similarities in aspects of change and react.

What was true in 2008 is true today: people are more than ever interested in what other people do. That rule of mine covers why the Tiger Woods story is so hot and why Sarah Palin continues to get press as well as why there's a new interest in politics.

The Internet has changed our expectations and made it easier to get information on celebrities. Now bloggers like PerezHilton make a decent living off the information trade about stars and the World's industrial culture thirsts for more and more information. It should come as no surprise that we expect this from television; it's why Headline News, or HLN, is doing much better than CNN. It's also why Fox News remains on top.

News is a story of people, not events. CNN forgets that. Traditional news organizations don't seem to understand that. How CNN can regain status is via the one underused resource it has and CNN President John Klein seems reluctant to develop: the iReport.

John Klein of CNN

People want to see people and the use of the iReport allows that. But CNN has cut back on its employment of the vlogging system and even downgraded its visibility on the CNN website. That's a huge error on John Klein's part.

I've said it to CNN and I've blogged it here: iReport's the answer for CNN.

Tiger Woods scandal - Woods in intense marriage counseling

UPDATE: Jesper Parnevik, who introduced Woods and Nordegren, blasts Woods

Tiger Woods is in intense marriage counseling. This comes as reports fly around regarding what his wife Elin Nordegren would get if she filed for divorce.

For example, if the Tiger Woods scandal (which continues with Rachel Uchitel's press conference today) ends with a divorce between Woods and his wife Elin Nordegren, the Herald Sun reports she would realize a settlement payout of $300 million.

But that $300 million figure has been floating around unsubstantiated, so I'm not going to use it as anything more than a jumping-off point for blogging.

The matter of a divorce payout is more complicated than the Herald Sun presents and Nordegren's already receiving a "stay home" gift. According to Chicago Sun Times Columnist Bill Zwecker, his sources claim that the couple is currently involved in intense marriage counseling and Nordegren already has a "hefty seven-figure amount (that was) immediately transfered into an account she alone controls".

For those of you math challenged that's at least $1 million.

Moreover, Zwecker writes that Woods original prenup required Nordegren to remain married to Woods for over 10 years, and then she would receive $20 million. But after the Tiger Woods scandal, she demanded and got a shorter term at a high amount. Zwecker does not report what that is as of this writing.

Tiger Woods with even more women? C'mon

Hollyscoop.com claims even more women are expected to come forward to claim their moment in the spotlight, er, say that they had sex with Tiger Woods. But now this is, to borrow a term now-President Obama used during the 2008 Democratic Primary, "Silly Season" because we will have to continue to sort through the garbage to determine which story is real. Oh brother.

I've got news for any woman who's part of the "I slept with Tiger" set. If you expect to receive the same level of media attention enjoyed by Rachel Uchitel, Jaimee Grubbs, and Kalika Moquin, forget it and for a very technical reason: the novelty factor is wearing off.

What we're seeing now is the public adjusting to a new image of Tiger Woods because of the scandal, but once that sets in, and it's happening fast because of New Media, the public's collective ear will not perk up as high the next time a woman says "I slept with Tiger Woods." The collective response will be a yawn and a snarky "So what" which will translate into no payouts for news, unlike the $150,000 US Weekly is rumored to have paid to Jaimie Grubbs for her affair story.

Stay tuned.

Tiger woods update - Rachel Uchitel‎ to admit affair Thursday

For now Tiger Woods' morning statement admitting his "transgressions" seems to have cooled the search activity, but there's still a lot out there. First, the Tiger Woods voicemail was released today and played all over including the CBS Evening News, which even took my Mom by surprise. She said "I can't believe that's on there!"

While the Jaimie Grubbs voicemail recording was spread all over , the Florida Highway Patrol released 100 new accident photos which you can see here.

But what's equally interesting is how nightclub executive Rachel Uchitel's name has sprouted up in searches again, and because information surfaced that Woods allegedly purchased her tickets for a trip to Australia. The National Enquirer linked the two in Australia at the same time but she said it was just coincidence.

Rachel Uchitel

According to the Kansas City Star, Rachel Uchitel's expected to admit that she had an affair with Tiger Woods on Thursday. According to TMZ.com, Uchitel said she "lied for him."


TMZ reports:

Sources say less than an hour before Tiger's accident, Rachel and Tiger were texting each other. Elin confronted Tiger and asked whom he was texting. She grabbed the phone and we're told she called Rachel to confront her. According to sources, Tiger and Elin began arguing and the phone broke in the process.

And that happened just before Tiger left to get into his SUV and drive off, which points to the ever increasing possibility that his wife Elin Nordegren did indeed hit his Cadillac SUV with two golf clubs.

Uchitel's lawyer Gloria Allred will make a statement at 11:30 AM PST Thursday.

If you're keeping count, that's officially three women - Jaimie Grubbs, Rachel Uchitel, and Kalika Moquin - who've had affairs with Tiger Woods.

Stay tuned.

Super-Hot Rachel Sklar Super-Mad at New York Observer

I created this video-blog for two reasons: first, because my friend Rachel Sklar  (well, friend in online media from my Huffington Post vlog submission days,  but have yet to meet) wrote a stinging column at the news website Mediaite where she's Editor-at-Large; second, because her take seemed to focus on the ridiculous perspective that at 37-year-old (as of next week) she was unattractive.

Before I continue, Rachel Sklar, you're just plain hot.

Rachel's angry with the New York Observer's Spencer Morgan, who wrote a rather mean-toned column entitled "Rrrowl! Beware Cougar's Young Niece, the Cheetah", about what he observes is a particular kind of woman younger than the hated "Cougar" but who is equally sexually-aggressive.

I don't know Spencer Morgan and I noticed that he's married, but my experience is such that men who have to place that kind of label on a woman hate women. What I mean is they have to categorize a woman for the general purpose of making a negative statement about them.

Think about it. When was the last time you saw the term "Cougar" used in a positive light, except when some guy says he escaped the paws of one, female or feline? That's not nice at all. By extension, it's not cool to call a woman a Cheetah, either, regardless of age.

The message I took from Spencer Morgan's ranting story about drunken exploits in Manhattan was that aggressive women are to be feared, loathed, and avoided at all costs.

I can't help but wonder if that view applies to women who are aggressive in the workplace or on the playing field? While Elizabeth Lambert has become the poster child for dirty play, I've got to admit I applauded the fact that it was a woman doing the punching instead of a man. Negative aspects aside, aggressive and assertive women are the kind most likely to stop a potential criminal in his or her tracks. It's about time.

I for one find such a woman extremely hot, and I'm proud to say I know a lot of them. Spencer cracks on women who sleep with a man then leave in the morning as if nothing happened; that's the fun story of my sex life. We call it "no strings" and Morgan's complaining? In my book, it's called a good screw and real men don't run around whining about women who start them.

Rachel, I'm not implying that you're such a woman; I'm just attacking the message of Morgan's work from my personal view. As the only male member of the San Francisco Chapter of WISE - Women in Sports and Events - I can't tell you how many men are just plain scared of attending a mostly-female networking event. But what's even harder to understand is this: aggressive women like men who fear and hate them.

I think this has to do with some women not being able to get beyond a message that they have to have a certain type of guy: black women have to have a black man where white women have to have a white guy, and so on. Fortunately a number of forces have come together such that the Millennial generation between 21 and 31 is almost devoid of such a concern; in my experience as of this writing, interracial dating for Millennial women is far more the standard than for women over 30.

Another set of forces has impacted the mating scene: the emergence of gay culture. In San Francisco (I live in both Oakland and suburban Atlanta) I've talked to a number of white women over the years who complained that the white men they were interested in turned out to be Gay. In fact this happens so frequently many white women assume a white man may be Gay if he's attractive and of means.

It's so much a part of our American urban culture, the concern found its way into Woody Allen's Husbands and Wives, when Judy Roth (Mia Farrow) observes that Michael Gates (Liam Neeson) is "single and not Gay" and that was in 1992; 18 years later, it's part of our cultural DNA.

So all of that spells confusion for a lot of women, especially older women. But it spells an America where it's easier to get a hook up, but harder to find a mate. So older women are just trying to make it as best they can.

Many women are adjusting to the new World around them by going after what who they think will accept them regardless of color, which is a fantastic development. Black women date white men; white women with black men, and all points connect in between. Cool. Very cool.

Some women get so frustrated with older men who don't grow with the culture or with them and fear aggressive women, they turn to....women. Look at Meridith Baxter.

So while all this is going on, some mean guy has to go and put a term on older women just trying to cope, calling them Cougars. I hate the term and it certainly does not apply to Rachel Sklar.

Rachel, this is for you: you're just plain hot. OK. There's nothing about you that is even remotely undesirable. You've got a great smile, lovely eyes and a playful way that just comes shining through, and your damn smart. Stop picking out or being drawn to men who can't see this (or who fit in a certain "box") and would even think of a woman of any age in a negative light such that he has to use a derisive term. Kick them to the curb.

Rachel Skalar, you're awesome and your best days are ahead of you. I hope this blog rant of mine makes your birthday that much happier. And when I'm in New York, let's catch dinner at 21!

Happy Birthday!