Our weekly round of sports news and views...
News -- The Kansas City Chiefs are pounded at home by Denver, 44-13.
Views -- What was that? The game was a total mess for the Chiefs, starting with some numbskull decisions by Todd Haley, and going on down to the players, who looked as though they’re mailing it in the rest of the year. Apparently they’ve decided they’re going to rest on their laurels of defeating the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers, but even that doesn’t look so good now since Pittsburgh has lost four straight. Just when it appeared the Chiefs had taken a step forward, now they’ve taken two back. What a pathetic performance, one that wasn’t even professional. If we performed in our job like that, we’d be out on our ear.
News -- It will be Alabama and Texas for the college football national championship.
Views -- The Crimson Tide left Florida and quarterback Tim Tebow crying a river of tears with a thoroughly dominating performance. Nick Saban totally outcoached golden boy Urban Meyer, as the Tide came to play and the Gators didn’t. Texas was fortunate to get past Nebraska, which played the Longhorns much better than anticipated. Alabama has to be considered the favorite against Texas, which simply can’t run the ball.
News -- Heisman Trophy votes were scheduled to be turned in Sunday.
Views -- Forget Tim Tebow. Forget Colt McCoy. Forget Mark Ingram. There’s only one legitimate choice -- Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh. We’ve been watching him for weeks and no one creates more defensive havoc like him. He may have played the great defensive game we’ve ever seen against Texas and it would be nice for a change if the voters didn’t go with a quarterback or running back.
Views -- The Kansas Jayhawks’ search continues for Mark Mangino’s replacement.
News -- Mangino’s 2009 salary ranked him among the top 20 coaches in the country. You would think that with such an attractive stipend -- not to mention KU has poured millions into upgrading its facilities -- this would be a gotta-have job. But if you look at the top 20 basketball teams in the country, very few -- except for Texas and surprisingly West Virginia -- have top 20 programs in football and basketball. Turner Gill’s name was the first to surface, but surely there will be more.
News -- Indianapolis and New Orleans survive challenges to move to 12-0.
Views -- They have the best record in the AFC and NFC respectively, yet why do we get the feeling neither is going to be in the Super Bowl? We still think the Vikings, despite losing Sunday, will make it from the NFC, though we have this crazy feeling that Philadelphia could be the darkhorse. In the AFC, the San Diego Chargers are looking scary now that their defense has picked it up. New England was our pick at the start of the year from the AFC, but its defense has been getting gashed in recent games.
McPherson, Kan. —
