Exile on Waveland

Manning has thrown 17 interceptions in 15 playoff games. Brett Favre 28 in 22 games. Kurt Warner 13 in 12 playoff games. Philip Rivers seven in seven games. Tom Brady 15 in 18 games. Joe Montana 21 in 23 games. Terry Bradshaw 26 in 19 games. And on and on. But, hey, the media says Manning throws a bunch of picks in playoff games, so it must be true, right?

To be honest, The Voice of Reason is the only Trojan fan I have seen who is actually happy with the hire. In fact, a few I know actually are even more upset/disappointed than when they found out Carroll was leaving. You're totally high if you don't think the majority of SC fans are happy with the staff that's being brought in and the ability to salvage/improve the recruiting class. Given the circumstances, it's being received as a pretty damn good hire. It's a calculated risk obviously with Kiffin being unproven as a head coach and the baggage that comes along with him and losing out on Chow sucks but I'd say most are happy. There's zero question that the reaction is orders of magnitude more positive than when Carroll was initially hired. Maybe the fans I know aren't as levelheaded but they sure thought they were getting either a bigger name or someone without the baggage that Kiffin is bringing. The USC fan I know -- part of the reason I suppose I have stood up for them on here some -- is happy with Kiffen. Though she is real disappointed about Norm Chow staying at UCLA.

New or old? Metrodome, sure.

As much as I hope you're right, step back from the ledge. IU isn't going to beat Purdue, much less in West Lafayette.

What a scumbag. That's just not acceptable.

I don't know, USC is private, which influences that calculus quite a bit.

And this Colt fan celebrates.

If that's what you want, that's fine with me as well. Then it's decided.

Don't want to speak for CCP, but the last couple years he's taken the Colts with me being an adviser or assistant GM, if you will. That situation works for me again.

He's 6-foot-8. He has basically been used exclusively as Watford's backup. Against Illinois it probably would have been difficult to play Elston and Watford together, but that's not true most games (Illinois is pretty tall and skilled inside). I think "getting physical" was definitely the strategy. Oh, and Illinois was pretty stupid not to throw the ball down low even more than they did. If their strategy was to get physical (and I agree it was), then Elston again still seems like a wiser choice than Pritchard in that regard. I just don't get it. I'm trying to give Crean the benefit of the doubt here and assume that there is something going on in practice or whatever that's leading him to believe that Pritchard is a better choice than Elston. It's not like Pritchard has a big size advantage on Elston. They are both listed at 6-9 and Elston certainly seems to be able to use his size more effectively than Pritchard from what I've seen (even though Pritchard has about 25 lbs on him). I'm with you. I'm trying to convince myself it's something in practice or off the court. Because, if it's not, and Crean actually believes Pritchard/Capobianco are better basketball options than Elston, well, then I'm even more concerned about things than I thought I was.

Big, big win. Crawford made some rookie mistakes, but he showed today that he really can be something special down the line. Yeah, the 5 turnovers weren't attractive, but the guy has already had about 5 huge games. Not bad for a true freshman. We're going to face a Leuer-less Wisconsin on Wednesday. He's out indefinitely with a wrist injury, for which he'll undergo surgery tomorrow. Oh man, just saw Leuer is out indefinitely. That sucks. Plague of serious injuries for Big Ten teams so far this year.

From a couple of people I trust who are friends with USC boosters high up, they are expecting USC to be hit with sanctions but it won't be severe. But the main reason Carroll is leaving is a falling out with the AD (who is feeling heat with basketball and football compliance issues). How has USC been kosher since Reggie Bush? Dwayne Jarrett, OJ Mayo and Joe McKnight were all after. Honestly, I'm not the right person to ask about this. I don't follow USC's perceived or real violations because I honestly don't care much (I care about violations, just not USC specifically). I just know what I've been told by people within the NCAA. They could be wrong, not privy to all the information, but they aren't lying to me, I know that. (Non-severe sanctions would comport with what I've heard, I believe, especially if they result from the Bush issues.) As to OJ Mayo, I thought it was pretty clear I meant the football program exclusively (we are in a football thread). If not, I apologize. The entire Mayo recruitment stunk and was, ostensibly, a sham. As to McKnight, if you're referring to the SUV thing, that seems to be an open case that USC suspended the player for. More information is probably needed, as far as I know, before a determination either way. On Jarrett, if you're talking about the rent issues, I believe USC's compliance department discovered and reported the issue (and Jarrett paid back the rent). Didn't Carroll twitter that something big was going to hit? Or was that just an internet joke? No idea.

He's 6-foot-8. He has basically been used exclusively as Watford's backup. Against Illinois it probably would have been difficult to play Elston and Watford together, but that's not true most games (Illinois is pretty tall and skilled inside). I think "getting physical" was definitely the strategy. Oh, and Illinois was pretty stupid not to throw the ball down low even more than they did.

IU fans don't really like Moore much at all. Though he did OK tonight. I hate Daniel Moore with the fiery passion of a thousand suns, but I do think many IU fans like him largely because of the things SSR said (though they wouldn't admit the last one, of course). It's probably part of why I dislike him so much. I argue with my dad about this all the time. The justification is always some garbage about how he gives them a spark followed by something stupid like: "What do you expect? He's a little white guy and a walk-on." Hmmmm...I guess I expect to not have to watch untalented (relatively) walk-ons who can do nothing but dribble around and take the occasional flop when I watch an Indiana basketball game. Call me crazy. I will acknowlege he actually wasn't terrible in this game though. Anyway, nice come back for Illinois. I didn't expect IU to win going in but it was pretty disappointing the way they folded in the second half. Why can't Elston get minutes all of the sudden? Pritchard is garbage at this point. There are absolutely IU fans that like Moore (and others) because they are white. There are racists in every fan base, and Indiana is certainly no exception -- IU's fanbase isn't the worst in this regard, but it's certainly not the best either. (Rooting for walk-ons is not unique to IU though.) I commented mainly more on "IU fans love Moore." I can tell you there is often a palpable groan at Assembly Hall when he comes in the game, along with some cheers. I've sat in the student section a couple times this year and they think Moore sucks. They don't like him, or when he plays, one bit. I generally don't like to see him get meaningful minutes, but, unfortunately with Creek and Roth hurt, he's IU's fifth best guard. And when you play three guards at all times, the fifth is going to get minutes. Like you, I cannot understand Elston's lack of playing time whatsoever. It makes me rather perplexed and furious. He's IU's second-best athlete behind Rivers, easily the most athletic bigger player, the most active, the best rebounder, a good outside shooter, etc., and players that play above him are mostly incompetent. I won't go down the line statistically as this isn't an IU board, but he trails only Jordan Hulls in offensive efficiency per Pomeroy among healthy players (obviously Creek was tops). Elston had more rebounds Saturday night in 10 minutes than Capobianco and Pritchard had combined in 40 minutes. He's struggled defensively -- which does nothing to differentiate him from really any other Hoosier -- but there is no on-court excuse for his lack of playing time.

I didn't know that; I attended the game.

From a couple of people I trust who are friends with USC boosters high up, they are expecting USC to be hit with sanctions but it won't be severe. But the main reason Carroll is leaving is a falling out with the AD (who is feeling heat with basketball and football compliance issues). How has USC been kosher since Reggie Bush? Dwayne Jarrett, OJ Mayo and Joe McKnight were all after. Honestly, I'm not the right person to ask about this. I don't follow USC's perceived or real violations because I honestly don't care much (I care about violations, just not USC specifically). I just know what I've been told by people within the NCAA. They could be wrong, not privy to all the information, but they aren't lying to me, I know that. (Non-severe sanctions would comport with what I've heard, I believe, especially if they result from the Bush issues.) As to OJ Mayo, I thought it was pretty clear I meant the football program exclusively (we are in a football thread). If not, I apologize. The entire Mayo recruitment stunk and was, ostensibly, a sham. As to McKnight, if you're referring to the SUV thing, that seems to be an open case that USC suspended the player for. More information is probably needed, as far as I know, before a determination either way. On Jarrett, if you're talking about the rent issues, I believe USC's compliance department discovered and reported the issue (and Jarrett paid back the rent).

No question. The Colts have been pretty unlucky with playoff matchups over the years, the one glaring exception being the Super Bowl year. The Colts have fared very well against Baltimore, but the Ravens are pretty clearly better than the Jets, I think. I wanted the Patriots to win this game for that reason, but it's still hard for me to not derive pleasure via schadenfreude at this result. I realize this isn't likely to happen since I don't think the Jets beat the Chargers, but there's now a chance the Colts won't have to face either the Patriots or the Chargers if they make the AFC title game. In that case the Colts would be extremely fortunate. The Ravens will be a difficult task next week, assuming this score holds. I'm like you though, I really can't imagine the Jets winning in San Diego. In that case Ravens-Chargers (again, if the Colts win) would be the most difficult route possible.

Wow. What a downgrade Jack Del Rio would be; from Carroll and those two.

No question. The Colts have been pretty unlucky with playoff matchups over the years, the one glaring exception being the Super Bowl year. The Colts have fared very well against Baltimore, but the Ravens are pretty clearly better than the Jets, I think. I wanted the Patriots to win this game for that reason, but it's still hard for me to not derive pleasure via schadenfreude at this result.

Tourney started in the last 30s I believe. I know they have 5 "legit" titles First tournament was 1939. IU has five real titles and didn't (evidently) retroactively make a contemporary trophy for themselves of a fictitious championship (not an Illinois dig, just so there is no confusion). I don't think we even made a trophy, we didn't hang a banner. I don't think anyways. I have no idea. As I said, I wasn't talking about Illinois; I was talking about the "trophy" of Purdue's posted in this thread.

It would be.

Tourney started in the last 30s I believe. I know they have 5 "legit" titles First tournament was 1939. IU has five real titles and didn't (evidently) retroactively make a contemporary trophy for themselves of a fictitious championship (not an Illinois dig, just so there is no confusion).

IU fans don't really like Moore much at all. Though he did OK tonight.

Oops on really thinking Cincy would win. :oops:

I know the current rumors are USC will get in trouble. However, I'm not so sure. I have two friends that work at the NCAA in compliance, and they both claim that since the whole Reggie Bush thing USC has been very kosher. Either way, the "renegade" framing seems pretty obviously Notre Dame fan jealousy/whining.