Long Strange Trip for Tom Savage

I remember sitting in Rutgers Stadium Sept. 12, 2009 waiting for Tom Savage to make his debut for the Scarlet Knights.

Fast forward a couple of years and a couple of different colleges, Savage is now considered a potential first rounder in the NFL Draft. This story ran on NFL.com: Tom Savage: The best QB prospect you've never heard of.  While I'm happy for Savage, I just wish he would have done all of this while at Rutgers. He was the highest rated quarterback ever to come to Rutgers.

I just wish it would have all worked out better on the Banks. Blame for it not working out has to be shared between Savage and then head coach Greg Schiano.

First Place Birds

The Eagles beat the hapless Giants to take over first place in the NFC East. Here is how the Philly Daily News covered the events. 

The worst the Eagles Defense gets the better the Headline get

The Eagles defense is basically Swiss cheese and bad Swiss cheese. The Philly Daily News hits another home run with its front and back pages following the Birds loss to the Broncos. 

Rutgers is not afraid of the SEC

This is something that you don't see very often. Rutgers has a three game winning streak against the big bad SEC. The last time they lost to an SEC school was in 2002 when Tennessee beat them 35-14

Professional Tailgating: Roasted Hogs

So the Big Bad SEC came to Rutgers Saturday and Rutgers sent a message: we can play football too. Rutgers beat Arkansas 28-24 in a thrilling game.

A welcome home gift for Big Red

The Philly Daily News hit another home run with their front and back pages covering the Eagles loss to Big Red and the Chiefs.

Schiano to Texas, it doesn't sound that far fetched

There are two dumpster fire currently raging in football: one at the University of Texas and the other one former Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano has gotten him self into in Tampa. Could both be the answer to each other programs.

Texas is a mess right now. Mack Brown has seemed to lost control of the program and the defense can't stop anyone. While in Tampa Bay it's much of the same for Schiano. Professional players think Schiano style is too over the top and too restrictive.

Could Schiano be the answer to Texas problem, while he doesn't have any connection to the state, he could be a huge winner there. Schiano built Rutgers into a national program and Texas could be an easier job for him. He would be the perfect fit, the only thing that he would have to do is hire an offensive or defensive coordinator like Clemson OC Chad Morris to help navigate the complicated Texas High School scene. 

We all know that Texas is going to make a run at Muschamp and Saban, but if they don't come calling, Texas could do a lot worst then Schiano.

Could a merged TNA and ROH be a force

Today on Busted Open on Sirius XM, they discussed the idea of TNA and Ring of Honor combining and the force that they would be. While combining the combining the two organizations might not challenge WWE for commercial appeal it would give wrestling fans an incredible threat. 

Here is a look at what a supercard featuring the two promotions (it doesn't look that bad.

- Main Event

Bully Ray vs. Kevin Steen

Jeff Hardy vs. Jimmy Jacobs (I'm a huge Jimmy Jacobs mark)

Samoa Joe vs. Tommaso Ciampa

Kurt Angle vs. Michael Bennet 

James Storm vs. Adam Cole 

Bad Influence (Kazarian & Daniels) and vs. reDragon 

- Television Championship Match

Joseph Parks vs. Matt Taven

Now that is a card that I would pluck down $50 to watch on PPV. There are quality matches up and down the card. Love the Hardy/Jacobs idea. 

A Monday Tradition: Philly Daily News take on the Eagles

So the Eagles dropped a heart breaker to the Chargers yesterday and here is how the Philly Daily News covered it.

Rutgers could care less about the American Athletic Conference

Lets just say Rutgers wants nothing to do with the American Athletic Conference. Its not like they have a relationship with it. Rutgers just wants to see the league, made up like Conference USA, in its rear view mirror as quick as possible. 

Next year the Rutgers Nation will embark into its journey into the Big Ten and that is not lost on anyone . All the fan base talks about is next year and the future games against big time opponents like Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska and Penn State. 

While the fan base is talking about it, the school is selling it. On Saturday, while I was walking around the one of the stadium shops I was able to purchase a Rutgers Football hat complete with Big Ten logo on the side of it. Yes It has a the Big Ten logo on the side. 

There is nothing like selling a future league, while you are in still in a league. By doing this Rutgers has show that this year and the American Atheltic Conference means nothing. 

Philly newspapers are going to love Chip Kelly

The Chip Kelly era is off to flying start and the Inquirer and Daily News are as well. Both had classic Chip puns this morning following the birds win.

Which clubs NFL fans support in the BPL

The first full Sunday of the NFL season is here. To honor that event, the Daily Mail has given NFL fans a guide to which Barclays Premier League team that they should support. Its an interesting list, for Eagles fans out there they said we should pick West Brom. 

Professional Tailgating: Good to be home

It's always good to go home and that is exactly what OTWT did on Saturday. The gang headed to Rutgers Stadium for their home opener against Norfolk State.

Is Belgium the New Spain

For years Spain underachieved on the world stage, now they are the best team on the plant. Belgium could soon be following that path. For years, the small country has produce the odd star now they are producing stars by bucket load. During the past couple of years, Michel Sablon changed Belgium into the team that they are today.

The sky is not falling, its just a black cloud

Today was almost a complete disaster at Manchester United. It seemed that everything that they touched or CEO Ed Woodward touched went up in flames. From the mess with Herrara in Spain to leaving the Fellaini deal to 3 minutes before the close of the window. But today is more of a dark cloud rather than a great club falling apart. 

The biggest issue for Manchester United at the start of the transfer window was either finding a replacement for Wayne Rooney or keeping him. In the end, Rooney did not move, which is the best for everyone involved.  Last year Rooney and RVP looked like a dynamic duo and lead us to title number 20. 

Then today, despite leaving it till the 11th hour United beefed up their midfield by getting Fellaini in the fold finally. Sure did they have to pay a little more for then at first, yes. But that is money and to a club like United it means nothing. Fellaini gives us something that we have been trying to replace since Roy Keane left the club, a physical box to box midfielder. I like Herrara but right now we have a bunch of skilled midfielders that we can play, we lacked that physical force. 

Sure Woodward is a complete dope and should not be handling our transfer policies, but now is the time to get behind our club. Our squad is deep and we have the tools to keep our title. So I ask all United fans to forget about today and focus on defending our title. 

Prospects Plus: Baltimore Adrian Marin

 
Name: Adrian Marin

Position: shortstop

Team: Delmarva Shorebirds

Prospect Status: 10th ranked prospect in Orioles organization by Baseball America

Friday vs. Lakewood: 1-4 with an RBI

Positives:  Marin has a great feel for the game and you could likely plug his glove anywhere on the field and he would perform well.  He has a highly athletic body, and is very quick in game and very agile.  He is either a shortstop or center fielder down the road. Marin is a plus runner with some quick-twitch actions that suggest he’s got more pop in his bat than his 170-pound frame would otherwise suggest. He’s drawn comparisons to former first-round pick and Florida product Nick Franklin along the way. Marin has a good shot to stick at shortstop and if a club believes he will mature physically and hit enough.

During the game Friday night against Lakewood, Marin showed great bat control in bunting for a hit in his first at bat, also made some good defensive plays but nothing that stands out.

Negatives: Probably won’t hit for much power going forward. Marin is a small-framed, wiry kid. He’ll get a little bit stronger, but doesn’t project as a real physical kid.

Prospects Plus: Phillies JP Crawford

Name: JP Crawford

Position: Shortstop 

Team: Lakewood Blueclaws

Prospect Status: 1st round draft pick in 2013

Friday vs. Delmarva: 1-4 with a double, a run scored, and a run batted in.

Positives: JP Crawford was the 2013 draft’s best shortstop prospect. He is the only player in the entire draft scouts confidently project to stay at the position. He has the athleticism, reactions, and range, to play in the middle of the diamond and arm strength and throwing accuracy to play on the left side of the infield. He has all the raw athleticism, including plus speed and superior fast-twitch muscles, to succeed almost anywhere on the diamond.

During the game on Friday night Crawford showed all of the tools to be a solid player. Crawford made a couple of really good defensive plays including a great diving catch on a line drive in the eighth inning. On his second at bat of the game, Crawford pulled a fastball into the right center field for a double. Despite being a player that just drafted three months ago, Crawford looks like he belongs at this level. He has the swagger of an older player. Through eight games with the Claws, Crawford is hitting .321.

Negatives: His bat is not projected to be any sort of earth-shattering, middle of the order weapon but there are things to like about it. His hands are zippy and quick and the same natural athleticism and coordination that makes him a good shortstop should help him take to mechanical instruction and make necessary adjustments. That instruction is almost inevitable, as Crawford’s swing is a bit of a mess. His hands drift too far (both up and away) from his body, his lower half is quite noisy and his weight transfer can get out of whack, leaving too much weight on his front foot too early in his swing.

One of the best I've played

                                               

On Saturday, I was able to play one of the best courses in America: Trump National in Bedminster, NJ. The club features such members as Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. The club hosted the 2009 Boys and Girls Junior Ams. A friend and I played the old course which was designed by Tom Fazio. The design is classic, Every hole offers something different. Its near the top of the list of courses that I have had the privilege to play. 

Trump National now is now added to the list of course of that I have been able to play that have hosted USGA events. That list includes : Trump National, Echo Lake, Blue Heron, Mountain Ridge, Golden Horseshoe, Pine Needles, and Baltusrol.

The good and bad of the NY Times

While the New York Times hit a home fun with its college football preview stories today, it was not with its issues. The historic paper messed up photos with Heisman Trophy candidates Yeldon, Miller and Boyd. But it did hit a home run with its preview of South Carolina star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney and its story about ESPN controlling scheduling. 

The Bad: Messing up photos with Yeldon, Miller, and Boyd

The Good: Awesome graphic 

It's season ticket day

Yesterday was one of my favorite day at the home office. My Rutgers season tickets came in the mail.Can't wait for the season to start.