Random Friday Notes
So much for that Heisman trophy clarity I was hoping for from last night’s game. Tony Pike reinjured the arm he broke last week just before the half. That means that he missed all but a couple of plays of the second half, and will very likely miss at least one more game – Louisville next week. Pike hadn’t played great before the injury, either – he had thrown for two touchdowns, but but had completed less than half of his passes. That’s the end of another Heisman campaign.
Despite the Pike injury, though, Cincinnati proved that they are very much for real. They absolutely thrashed the Bulls and their previously impressive defense. It was a dominating performance, and one that clearly signaled which team is the clear class of the Big East. They also gave reason to believe that they can sustain the play regardless of how long Pike is out. Zach Collaros was more than capable in relief. He was decent in limited passing work, and brilliant on the ground – he broke a 75 yard TD run. Collaros was 30-0 as a high school QB, and he is in his third year with the program, so he should be more than capable of keeping things on track – especially because the schedule of Louisville, Syracuse, and UConn isn’t as tough as it could be.
I’m pretty impressed by the Ottawa Senators. They absolutely crushed the Tampa Bay Lightning – a pretty decent team – by a 7-1 score last night. That moves Ottawa to 4-2 on the season. They have had solid goaltending, they have spectacular coaching, and they have solid offensive talent – especially now that the headache of Dany Heatley is out of town. The defense isn’t as strong as it could be, but I still think that this team has the talent to be far better than people thought they were going to be. I don’t see them as a Cup contender or anything, but I see them as a playoff team when a lot of people don’t. There is some real upside there as well – Jonathan Cheechoo, who came from San Jose for Heatley , only has two assists so far. Once he gets comfortable and finds some chemistry he’ll add another offensive dimension to this team.
Last night’s baseball game was a good example of just how hard it is to be a manager. For four innings Clayton Kershaw was pitching great. He had a shutout going, and he was looking good, and, at times, dominant. It seemed like he could last forever. Then, in the fifth, the wheels fell off. It was like he was tossing beach balls underhanded to the Phillies . They crushed him, scoring five times and essentially ending the game. Torre must be wondering what would have happened if he had pulled Kershaw sooner. Certainly everyone else in the world is. Knowing when to yank a pitcher is incredibly hard, but obviously so important.
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Tags: Cincinnati Bearcats, Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers, ottawa senators, Tony Pike, Zach Collaros
