Does anyone remember Jason Gwaltney?

Recruiting is an inexact science and that was no different in 2005. Some of the hot shot recruits from the class have been making an impact on college campuses for the last couple of years while some have yet to hit the mark, while other have been run from college like Jason Gwaltney (picture above).

Here is a little look back at some of the hits and miss from that class.

Hits:

• Rey Maualuga, USC, linebacker: At the time the 5th rank in the class has been a warrior for USC and one of their best players over the last couple of years.
• Jonathan Stewart, Oregon, running back: At the the 10 ranked prospects in the class, has become one of the best running backs in the country and has helped lead the Ducks to their best start in years.
• DeSean Jackson, Cal, wide receiver: At the time, the 18 ranked prospect in the class. Has become Mr. Electric for the Golden Bears and has been one of the best players on the left coast.
• Darren McFadden, Arkansas, running back (pictured): At the time, the 23 ranked prospect in the class. I have a man crush on Mr. McFadden. He has made hog's game interesting to watch, which is something to be said.
• James Davis, Clemson, Running back: At the time, the 42 ranked prospect in the class. Has been one of the best players from the class.

Misses:

• Jason Gwaltney, running back: Was ranked 15 in the class when he came out Long Island. Ended up going to West Virginia and flunking out. At onetime considered a better player that Mr. McFadden.
• Fred Rouse, UTEP, wide receiver (pictured): At the time the 6th ranked prospect in the class. As a true freshman made a huge impact at FSU, but then was kicked off the team. Now trying to put his career back together.
• Derrick Williams, Penn State, wide receiver: He was the king in high school, the top ranked player in all of the land. Williams might not be a miss yet, but he has yet to set the Big Ten on fire like he was supposed to. So as you see recruiting can be a difficult to predict.

Show Me the Money

Lists are made to generate debate on a topic and the recently released 100 most powerful people in the sports world is sure to do so. At the top of the list are the normal cast of characters: Tigers Woods, Roger Goodall, David Stern and George Bodenheimer. But one sports appears to be left off the list: Soccer.

If there is a list of the top 100 power brokers in sports why does it not acknowledge soccer in particular, the English Premier League.

Here are a couple of names that should have been listed above David Beckham and the president of the WNBA both from the soccer world and other areas:

• Roman Abramovich: The owner and Czar of Chelski. Started the trend of foreign ownership in the EPL and is the world's version of the early 1990's George Steinbrenner.
• Richard Scudamore: The Chairmain of the English Premier League. Over the course of the last couple of years, no sports leauge in the world has seen the increase of television revenues that the EPL has seen. In the past two years, Scudamore has helped secured more then $1.6 billion in television revenue.
• Michel Platini (pictured): The former french soccer star and current president of UEFA. Platini is one of the best players ever to be produced by France, but now he is making his name as president of UEFA and trying to overhaul the money generating Champions League. If he gets a chance to change the league, he might alter the flow of money in European soccer.
• Pini Zahavni: Soccer Agent. Any where there is a big money transfer, Pini is sure to be involved. In July 2002 was involved in Rio Ferdinand 30 million pound move from Leeds to Manchester United and in July 2001 Juan Sebastian Vernon 28 million pound move to United from Lazio.
• Jimmy Sexton: college football agent. Represents some of the best coaches in the south. Including: Auburn's Tommy Tuberville, South Carolina's Steve Spurrier, Tennessee's Phillip Fulmer and Arkansas' Houston Nutt, former Miami head coach Larry Coker, Frank Beamer of Virginia Tech, Nick Saban of Alabama and former Dallas Cowboys' Bill Parcells.
• Kevin White: AD Notre Dame: White is the king maker at every ones favorite school. The explosion in college coaches salary can be tied to White and giving his coaches more money. He named the first black football coach in Notre Dame history and then fired him. After five good games gave the Lord of the Ring Dings a 10 year contract for $4 million a year.

The list for the most part is good but you have to remind your self that soccer is played all over the world and just because the united states did not invent it, that does not mean it does not exist.

The Air Raid Offense puts up better stats then a PlayStation game

Every year, Texas Tech puts up PlayStation type numbers, but this year they have taken it to another level. Red shirt freshman Michael Crabtree (pictured above) has become the poster child for the next generation of the Air Raid Nation.

So far this season, Crabtree leads the nation in receiving: 4 games, 52 catches, 775 yards, 11 touchdowns. Yes 11 touchdowns.That is almost three touchdowns a game. OK I have a NCAA 07 football dynasty with Rutgers and Kenny Britt leads the nation in receiving and he's only averaging two touchdowns a game and that is in a video game.

Besides Crabtree, senior Texas Tech receiver Danny Amendola is also in the top five in the country in receiving. So far Amendola has 40 catches for 522 yards and 3 touchdowns.

To understand the Air Raid offense you have to understand the man that created this mess, head coach Mike Leach.

In the 2005 Sports Illustrated College Football preview edition, Leach broke his offense down like this:

"Distributing the ball to all the different skill players is our biggest emphasis," says Leach. "We're not a team that hands it to one guy and throws it to two. We want all five skill positions to touch the ball."

No matter who plays, they all get their stats.

A Rotation Spinning Out of Control

So I get it Rafa the Gaffer wants his Liverpool side to be fresh all year, but that does not explain his weird rotation policy for the Carling Cup game against Reading today. Sure they won 4-2 but the selection of Fernando Torres is sure to raise some more question about the The Gaffers rotation policy.

On the weekend Rafa did not start his 40 million dollar man for the league game against Birmingham, which ended in a scoreless draw, but the for the Carling Cup its was all guns blazing for Rafa. Besides Torres, Rafa also included Carragher and Crouch in his side.

"Liverpool have grown accustomed to their manager's mystifying selections and have been happy to accept the price when it provides for a trip to Istanbul, Cardiff or Athens, but on the rare occasions when Benítez has gambled unnecessarily their supporters have not been slow to voice displeasure. Saturday was one such occasion and the decision to omit the Spanish international for an hour against Birmingham will attract more detractors should the 23-year-old be deemed ready to face Reading tonight,'' according to the Guardian.

If Rafa goal was to win the EPL title this year, why is that Torres has not started in the last two leagues games, the last game he started was Liverpool's destruction of Derby on Sept. 1. So far this season his selection process has been all over the map. How is he going to challenge for the crown if his teams are never able to grow together, but as a United fan I could care less right now the only team that would bother me is Arsenal.

Professional Tailgating: The NFL Throwback edition

The Only Time Will Tell tailgating crew headed up the expressway to see it favorite NFL Team, The Philadelphia Eagles. But this trip was different then most trips to the Linc, it was throwback day and fan were decked out in yellow and sky blue.

Tailgating in Philly can mean having to deal with tractor trailers

and barbed wire

Eagles fan always remember their roots, these two fans are from Jacksonville and really enjoy their face paint.

Who said Eagles fans were not like college fans with their transportation

On the day the Eagles celebrated their 75 anniversary, some remembered Randall Cunningham's 1990 Pro Bowl season.

One of the all time great linebackers in Eagles history Seth Joyner signs autographs for the fans during his appearance on the pregame show.

No matter where you go, Reggie White is always watching down on the Birds

The Eagles were supposed to run out on the field through an ole school helmet, but the helmet just ripped and fall to the ground.

I think that Kevin Kolb might be getting ready for his career highlight, Tour de France Champion.

It's always good to support your new manager

Chelski fans have yet to forget about the special one and that showed during their game with United at the Theatre of Dreams. The traveling Chelski put up a huge banner that salutes the special one.


If I was the new Chelski manger, I think that I might just quit now and forget about trying to win them over. I'm sure Eagles fans would do the same if Andy Reid was fired

The NFC East and bad fashion

The Eagles and the Redskins set NFL fashion back 50 years today. This year the Eagles and the Skins are both celebrating their 75 anniversaries and in doing so they wore throw back uniforms that made everyone shake their heads.

Where do you start with the Birds. These colors, yellow and sky blue, would not be chosen by a U-12 girls soccer team. The only thing that is at least cool about the uniform is the soccer style socks it features. I wondering if the University of Michigan will be changing their school colors anytime soon, cause if they can just borrow the Eagles helmets.

The only positive about the skins throw backs is that you actually know what team they are. They are a hit compared to the Eagles 1933 uniforms.