Dave_Cody's Blog

I first saw Brett Favre play quarterback when he was at Southern Miss and beat my Auburn Tigers. I had never seen a quarterback like Favre. Unfortunately my memories of that Favre are now overshadowed by the rediculous way he has held the Packers hostage thru this whole retirement ordeal. For several years Favre has wavered on calling it quits forcing the Packers to alter thier draft plans or aquire a suitable replacement thru free agency.  Now he tearfully says good-bye so the Packers tell Aaron Rogers he's thier man only to have Favre change his mind and show up at training camp to cause a major distraction for the team that was one win away from the Super Bowl last year. Where did these reports come from of a 20 million dollar payoff to go away quietly?Does he really just want a trade and can't understand why the Packers won't deal him to a division rival? If Favre had just left Green Bay with class like Bart Starr, I'd still remember Favre for that great victory over Auburn

 

Bears running back Cedric Benson,a former star at Texas, and the LCRA Cops have different opinions of what went down on Lake Travis Saturday night. LCRA say Benson was driving his boat drunk and resisted arrest.

Benson says he was the victim of police brutality. Come on Ced, with all due respect polce brutality from a couple of game wardens?

I rember Benson threatening our camerman as he left jail in August of 2004 saying "You'll regret this, you'll regret this".

I hope Ced regrets what he did on that boat Saturday night and thinks about the consequences of driving a boat while drinking .

Country singer Mindy McCready has confirmed everything in a New York Daily news story about her decade long affair with Roger Clemens is true. This brings even more doubt about Clemens credibility, remember in earlier press conferences he came across as the victim but now it's confirmed he cheated on his wife over a ten year period and are we to believe this is the only time? Why couldn't  Roger have come clean at the very beginning like Andy Pettitte and avoided all of this embearassment to his wife and family. 

Yes Memphis steamrolled the longhorns( my pregame assertion that Memphis didnt play defense was proven wrong) but my pick before the NCAA tournamnet began was UCLA and I stand by the Bruins. Kevin Love and the Bruins should have been done by the Aggies but UCLA prevailed and look like a team of destiny, destined to make me look like an idiot. I worked in Memphis and covered Memphis State when the Tigers were Baskerville Holmes, Keith Lee, Doom Haynes and Andre Turner and thier coach Dana Kirk later did time for tax evasion amid rumors of a bad gambling habit . UCLA's pedigree is John Wooden,the epiotme of class who prodcued Alcindor,Walton and  Wicks. He's been in and out of the hospital of late, a good story for the Final 4,the Final 2 and the Championship. Go Bruins!

there are certain players a program takes care of and in major applewhite's case it is time to take care of one of the most sucessful and popular quarterbacks in the longhorns history who was wrongly benched by texas coach mack brown eight years ago.

brown had just signed blue chip chris simms of NFL pedigree(Phil Simms) and benched applewhite despite a 22-8 record as a starter. It's a decision even Mack today aknowledges was a mistake.

Though just 29 Major is well known in many homes in Texas and will help greatly in recruiting in addition to infusing some much needed energy into a coaching staff  that had become stagnant after winning a national championship just two years ago.

applewhite is the right fit even if he has never coached running backs,can't wait till offensive coordinator greg davis says'Hey major, what do you think about this?

Time for Roger Clemens to face the cameras and confront allegations of a former Yankee trainer in the Mitchell Report that the 7- time Cy Young winner used steriods. Even Clemens fellow major leaguers didn't accept Clemens denials in statements from his agent and lawyer.Boston's Curt Schilling, who idolized Clemens as a propspect in the Red Sox organization, has demanded Clemens surrender at least four of his seven Cy Youngs if he can't shed the allegations. Atlanta's John Smoltz wonders why Clemens didn't immediately sue the trainer or hold a news conference as soon as the report was released.Only Roger in front of the cameras answering questions about the details  the trainer provided the Mitchell Report will convince me of his innocence. even the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association wants answers as Clemens hopes to honor a commitement to speak  at an upcoming convention on his "legendary workout routine".Do kids need to know that involved needles and a steriod vial? 

Ricky Williams has been reinstated to the NFL and the Miami Dolphins have welcomed him back. The Dolphins are so desperate at 0-9 on the season they are willing to take a running back who has played in just 12 games since 2002. There is no way Ricky will have the same speed and power that earned him the Heisman Trophy and NCAA rushing record at Texas. But agent Leigh Steinberg has stayed with him because Ricky still makes money. I am just sad there is demand for a guy given five chances already , I remember ten days before the Texas-A&M game in college he didn't have time to talk to KSAT's Greg Simmons one of the premier sportscasters in the state who had driven from San Antonio and set up interview time with Ricky per orders of the UTSports Inofrmation Dept. Ricky laughed as he walked by reporters ignoring them,I'll laugh when he gets kicked out of the NFL again.

Ok so we'd have a heart attack if Mack Brown's horns actually started a game like they finish. It was really cool to watch the fourth quarter of Saturday's win in Stillwater with both UT golf teams, boosters and coaches at the UT golf Club after the completion of the Weis Cup alumni tournament. For the alumni golfers who are on the pro tours they looked like college kids again sharing a unique bond with the current golfers. They all sang The Eyes of Texas after the football game ended and Texas Fight as well and the alums danced and drank into the night. Ok so Mack Brown has learned this team's identity, they like to come from behind and is it me or is Mack a shade more gray? Expect a repeat Saturday with pass happy Texas Tech in Austin. Mike Leach wouldn't know a running play if he saw one so plan on being at DKR awhile, Staying late shouldn't be an issue this week. I like the Texas secondary to come up with enough turnovers to win and Jamaal Charles should pad his stats against another questionable Texas Tech defense and then it's on to the train wreck in college station. Can't beleive I stood on that runway in College Station five years ago when he landed as the savior to the Aggie program.

OK SO MY PICK OF THE ROCKIES IN FIVE WAS ACTUALLY A PICK AGAINST THE RED SOX BUT BOSTON DOMINATED COLORADO SWEEPING THIER OPPONENT IN THE WORLD SERIES FOR THE SECOND TIME IN FOUR YEARS.

ROCKIES HAD WON 21 OF 22 COMING IN BUT THEY FELL FLAT DURING A EIGHT DAY LAYOFF AND THE RED SOX SEIZED MOMENTUM AT HOME IN THE FIRST TWO GAMES.

REALLY CHEEZY OF THE YANKEES TO RELEASE THE A-ROD STORY DURING THE ROCKIES-RED SOX GAME, NFL HAS A RULE ABOUT NOT RELEASING HIRINGS AND FIRINGS DURING SUPER BOWL WEEK, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL SHOULD DO THE SAME SO ATTENTION IF SOLELY ON THE GAMES.

REMEMBER WHEN THE RED SOX WERE DOWN 1-3 IN THE ALCS AND ON THE BRINK OF ELIMINATION IN CLEVELAND NONE THE LESS BUT THEY RALLIED AND WON SEVEN STRAIGHT GAMES INCLUDING THIER SEVENTH WORLD SERIES TITLE

IT WILL HAVE BEEN NINE DAYS SINCE THE ROCKIES LAST GAME WHEN THEY TAKE THE FIELD WEDNESDAY NIGHT IN BOSTON.THAT'S TOO LONG A LAYOFF EVEN THOUGH THE RED SOX SPENT MUCH OF THAT TIME RALLYING TO OUTSCORE THE INDIANS 30-5 IN THE LAST THREE GAMES TO WIN THE ALCS.

COLORADO TOOK 2 OF THREE AT FENWAY IN JUNE SO THE ROCKIES WONT BE INTIMIDATED BY THE SURROUNDINGS JUST THE FACT IT'S THIER FIRST WORLD SERIES. ROCKIES OUTSCORED THE RED SOX 20-5 IN THAT SERIES AND THEY HAVE WON 21 OF THIER LAST 22 GAMES GOING INTO THE SERIES OPENER. 

THE ROCKIES HANDED JOSH BECKETT HIS FIRST LOSS OF THE SEASON AFTER NINE WINS. I LIKE COLORADO IN FIVE

Cowboys fans don't make those Super Bowl reservations just yet! Wade Phillips was brought in to shore up the Cowboys defense but Sunday the Patriots were never stopped and if the Cowboys are in fact the class of the NFC that means the real championship will be decided when the Patriots meet the Colts in the AFC title game and T.O. can eat all the popcorn he wants watching that one on TV.  Say what you will about T.O. and Randy Moss former Texas Tech all-everything Wes Welker may have been the best receiver on the field Sunday and he returns punts too. Tom Brady picked the Cowboys secondary apart ,was he really sacked three times? At least the Boys now can see how far they really have to go to join the elite teams ,did I say Colts and Pats? 

 

 

After thier first 0-2 start in confernce play since 1966,the UT football team is at a crosssroads. With key road games the next two weeks at Iowa State(coached by former UT def. coord.Gene Chizik) and at Baylor(likewise 0-2) Texas can right the ship though it appears Oklahoma and the Aggies will have a better chance of winning the Big 12 South. Sooners host the Aggies November 2nd in Norman!

Texas left the Cotton Bowl a better team Saturday,certainly tougher than the team that gave up 41 points to K-State, but it's time to use Jamaal Charles as a third down receiver out of the backfield and let Chris Ogbonnaya and Vondrell McGee carry the rock. Without a running game the Horns defense is on the field longer and wares down as it did in the loss to OU. Crazy year in college football with a top ten that includes,Cal,Boston College,South Florida ,South Carolina and Oregon, that's what scares me about this weeks road game in Ames.

no national championship hopes for Texas and Oklahoma as Kansas State and Colorado took care of that but the winner of Saturdays Red River Rivalry will enjoy braggin rights(used to be known as the shootout until they actually had one the night before the game in the West End). Also the winner of Saturdays game stays in the race for the Big 12 South Championship while the loser will squabble with it's local media about not meeting expectations. Texas enters the game with a very fragile Colt McCoy,one more hard hit on the turf and true freshmen John Chiles may be called on to quarterback the longhorns in a game that historically Mack Brown has intrusted with veterans.Receivers Roy,BJ and Sloan didn't start as freshmen and neither did Cedric Benson. While Texas has struggled with inconsistency all season, Oklahoma looked invincible until shocked by Colorado in Boulder. Obviously the Sooners got caught looking ahead to this week's game in Dallas blowing a 24-7 lead in the second half in Boulder.There may not be as much swagger this week from the two teams but come Saturday when the aging Cotton Bowl is split half Burnt Orange and half Crimson it will be a street fight and another chapter in the greatest mid season rival game in college football will have been written.Enjoy it fans,how long before it becomes a home and home series or jerry Jones offers his new 100,000 seat stadium? will UT fill the coffers of a lifelong razorback? don't bet on it but getting up to $100 a ticket it's just a metter of time before UT fills it's new addition in the North Endzone with a home game against the Sooners  

for those of us who remember the old southwest conference and miss the company paid for overnight trips to Fort Worth, it's great to see Texas and TCU meeting for the first time since the Frogs were unceremoniously dumped by the horns and others who formed the Big 12 back in 1996.

Don't think for a minute Coach Gary Patterson and the Frogs wouldn't love to leave Austin with a win and gain some national exposure although three eleven win seasons the last four years should have taken care of that. Many of the kids on the TCU roster played in all-star games with the more publicized recruits who ended up at Texas and will have plenty of motivation to knock off the Longhorns who didn't look anything like the number four or seven team in the country against Arkansas State which it turns out should have had the ball with a minute left and a chance to tie had the officials not erred on an onside kick.

Texas is experiencing growing pains and aches and pains. a young offensive line trying to replace three starters is still trying to work as a unit and watching Charlie Tanner limp off the field doesn't help. Jamaal Charles first move is still sideways and the horns are without a proven power runner. TCU's defense limited Baylor to under 80 yards in the second half and shut out the Bears who took TCU's spot in the Big 12 back in 96.

Lets not even talk about the UT defense. Arkansas State led in time of possesion and every other stat except on the scoreboard.

Horns beat TCU this week and they will have dome something.

Same faces…new places for the Dallas Cowboys Training Camp, as it's apparent some of the Cowboy stars will be used differently under Wade Phillips.

Wide Receiver Terrell Owens was used primarily as a split end under Bill Parcells, but he’s being moved all across the line of scrimmage this season, out of the slot and out of the backfield to take advantage of mismatches.  Tight End Jason Witten will be split at times to create a mismatch with a linebacker or safety and create even more big plays down the field.  Linebacker DeMarcus Ware, the Cowboys’ best pass rusher, will rush from both sides to get a mismatch with a running back or tight end.  Safety Roy Williams will line up closer to the line to make plays in the backfield.  Flozell Adams has returned to left tackle to protect Quarterback Tony Romo from the blind side.  Adams missed mini-camp in June after having his knee scoped.  Wide Receiver Terry Glenn and Linebacker Kevin Burnett have missed some practice due to training camp injuries.

Former Cowboys Receiver Michael Irvin will be inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend on the second try.  In a 12-year career he set 12 all-time receiving records.  Irvin’s personal problems may have cost him election to Canton on the first ballot.