Blogcritics Author: Stephen Carradini

Who's Gonna Clean the Dirty Birds' House?

Stephen Carradini — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 14:17:08 EST

Really though, who in their right mind would want to coach the Atlanta Falcons?
I’ve been reading up on the Atlanta Falcons’ search for a coach (mostly ‘cause I also like watching car wrecks), and the whole situation has given me sympathy for the Dirty Birds. Their 2007 season wasn’t technically one of the worst ever, but in terms of extracurriculars, they certainly take the cake on atrocity. Not only...

NCAA Football Playoffs In 2011?

Stephen Carradini — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:01:11 EST

Even if a playoff system were agreed to, it would still take years to see it on the field.
Much to the dismay of those charged up and ready to make changes to the BCS system in college football, I don’t think we’ll have a playoff next year or the year after. Due to foot dragging, conference shenanigans, and entrenched moneymaking bigwigs, fans may have to wait till 2011 or later to have a logical system in place. In the...

Bowl Season Recap: Worst Losses of the Season

Stephen Carradini — Sun, 6 Jan 2008 00:25:36 EST

From failed comebacks (UCLA, Florida) to failed games (Arkansas, Oklahoma), there was a different brand of mourning for each terrible loss.
Even though all losses go in the L column, not all are created equal. This year's bowl schedule proved that very neatly. From failed comebacks to totally failed games, this year had some of everything for bowl losers. The monumental comeback is a staple of sports lore – anyone who pulls one off will be remembered forever for it. But what...

Dear Giants: For The Love of the Wild Card, Please Give Up

Stephen Carradini — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 04:00:34 EST

Several reasons why the Giants should sit their significant playmakers and let the Patriots perfect the regular season.
Dear New York Giants, By now you are aware that the Patriots are playing for 16-0 on Sunday. More likely than not, there will be records broken by Tom Brady and Randy Moss. Even more likely than that, there will be another victory in their win column after their road trip is complete. You, the Giants, are expected to put up a fight, but it's not...

What Do The Mitchell Report, The Patriots And The Mountaineers Have In Common?

Stephen Carradini — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 08:12:48 EST

They're all ubiquitous in ESPN coverage over the past week, and annoying me to distraction.
Since having throat surgery on Thursday morning, I’ve watched ESPN almost nonstop. I’ve been inundated with sports info, thanks to the fact that moving anything feels like getting punched in the neck repeatedly. Since I haven’t composed a logical thought on much of anything since having my tonsils removed, I’m going to...

Good Job, Steve Kragthorpe

Stephen Carradini — Fri, 7 Dec 2007 01:16:13 EST

Or, how I tried to hate Louisville football and failed miserably upon realization of good coaching.
I was wrong. I hate to admit it, but this college football season I harped on one guy all year and now I realize that I was just dead wrong. Sorry, Steve Kragthorpe.Yes, I’ve been really hard on the new Louisville coach this year. I’ve rooted for the other team in all Louisville’s games, felt satisfied after each of their six...

Stop the NCAA Coaching Carousel

Stephen Carradini — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 11:13:34 EST

Dishonesty, disloyalty, and disappointment follow the coaching carousel, which prematurely sucks good coaches out of teams that could be great.
It's just dumb luck that at almost the exact same minute that I sat down to write this column about how much the coaching carousel depresses me every year, LSU was announcing that they were letting Michigan talk to their coach Les Miles about the head coach vacancy. It's not just the Les Miles situation that caused me to write this article, but it...

The Ultimate College Football Road Trip

Stephen Carradini — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 11:35:39 EST

A hypothetical week-by-week breakdown of how you can see the best everything of college football in one season.
Given the large area that the story of college football is played out across, it might be difficult to hit all of the most important and interesting college football sites in a lifetime. It would be next to impossible to do it in a season, as that trip would require coast-to-coast travel, meticulous planning, a little luck and a lot of money. ...

The Leap, or How Being a Navy Fan is Finally Worth It

Stephen Carradini — Fri, 9 Nov 2007 11:49:34 EST

Navy's victory over Notre Dame was sweet, but even more so after a lifetime of waiting for it.
I'm a Navy fan. My parents met at the Naval Academy and my Dad was a Marine after graduating Annapolis. It's in my blood to root for Navy football no matter what. It's often a hapless task. Thankfully, it’s made easier by the fact that the Midshipmen only require fanatical devotion two Saturdays out of the year. As much as we love...

A College Football Playoff Proposal

Stephen Carradini — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 00:44:47 EDT

Here's a playoff system that doesn't lose anyone money or prestige, yet picks a real college football champion.
Non-traditional teams with great seasons and little hope for a national championship cause fans and writers to holler for a playoff system in college football every year. The ruckus often starts mid-season, as one non-traditional team separates itself from the pack as that year’s great hope of the non-powerhouse football teams. This year the...