Ohio State's 3rd String Quarterback Cardale Jones Wows the World of College Football

This was the first year for the highly anticipated College Football Playoffs and they didn't disappoint. While there are plenty of supporters and haters who will debate how many teams should or may ultimately be included and the more subjective preseason and weekly ranking of the top 25, most feel that with few hiccups, the final four and championship game was a resounding success.

The 2014 story of the first CFP National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes is one Hollywood couldn't have scripted. With the BIG 10 Conference, as a whole, being downgraded to a supporting actor role, the Buckeyes were nobody's pick to be in contention come December. When it was clear that their two-time Conference MVP and Heisman Trophy prospect, QB Braxton Miller, would be lost for the season, it was a foregone conclusion that this was a rebuilding year. And even with the promise backup QB J.T. Barrett showed, an early loss to unranked Virginia Tech, seemed to validate fears of a mediocre season. But with each passing week came a win and J.T. Barrett quickly opened eyes and received praise even positing that he may be a more complete QB than his predecessor.

Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller. Photo Credit; USAToday.com

With a closely ranked and defensively stout Michigan State team looking like the class of their division, everyone circled that clash as the make or break game for head coach Urban Meyer and his underdogs. That game at Michigan State was a coming out party for J.T. Barrett, who had his best game and cemented him as a top contender for the Heisman. Then the roof caved in. J.T. suffered a season-ending broken ankle in the final minutes of their victory over longtime rival Michigan and with it, seemingly their hopes of a possible playoff berth and Heisman glory for the outstanding 2nd stringer.

Ohio State back-up quarterback J.T. Barrett. Photo Credit: cbssports.com

Now they faced their biggest challenge sending their third string QB Cardale Jones, into the BIG 10 Conference Championship against the Wisconsin Badgers and running back sensation Melvin Gordon. It was the sophomore's 1st start and it would determine if Ohio State could finally crack the CFP top four. At 6'5" and 250 lbs., Jones looked the part and played like a third year veteran with ice water in his veins, they stomped them 59-0 and it wasn't even that close!

With that win, Ohio State catapulted into the fourth and final CFP playoff slot and went on to beat top-ranked SEC powerhouse, Alabama. In the semifinals and in his third start ever, Cardale Jones led his team to victory over undeserved Heisman Award winner (sorry), Marcos Mariotta, and his Oregon Ducks for the National Championship.

In an instant, Cardale Jones became a QB phenom. Jones' other-worldy gameplay on college football's biggest stages, and his projection as a raw NFL talent with crazy upside, had three days to decide if he would declare for the NFL Draft. But the big winners were the fans and college football. Without the subjective decisions by the CFP Committee to put Ohio State in the 4th slot, the computers would have missed them and we would have missed this amazing Cinderella dream of a journey...but what a nightmare for Coach Meyer, who's your starter next year??! Oh yeah, by the way, did I mention that all three outstanding Heisman worthy Ohio State QBs are BLACK!...just FYI

Comedy of Errors Gives Patriots a 28-24 Win over Seahawks

What can be said that hasn't already been said??!

Well I'll tell you, Patriots miracle play-making CB Malcolm Butler is a cheater, just like the head Cheater in coach Bill Belichick and his supermodel QB Tom "Stop Playing with My Balls" Brady!! Few people seem to acknowledge it, but Butler committed a major penalty of pass interference during a critical Seattle possession in the fourth quarter.

Butler, who coincidentally was covering Seattle WR Ricardo Lockette again, when he fell down and intentionally grabbed the wide-out's foot and tripped him, opting to take the penalty instead of a huge gain and possibly a point scoring play for Seattle...but no flag! Apparently everyone in the University of Phoenix Stadium saw it but the refs. The game announcers saw it, Chris Collingsworth wondered how it was missed and said Pats got away with one and Lockette, who still almost caught the pass got up signaling the foul and demonstrably looking for the flag...but none was coming.

As a lifelong New York Jets fan, I can say this objectively, New England, for a team that cheats and plays dirty most of the time, has never been whistled for a penalty on a crucial play. The tuck rule for which Tom Brady is infamous for, BS! Time and time again there's no call or the wrong call and if you want to know how to get away with murder, play for "Witch-Kraft'" and his Patriots, sorry couldn't resist, hey Viola!

Seriously, the last impossible to understand play of the game, had former LOB now Pats CB Browner, with his hands full of WR Kearse's jersey, a holding call against anyone else!... And any talk of conspiracy that Coach Pete Carroll wanted his QB Russell Wilson to make the game-winning play as opposed to "I'm just here so I won't get fined" Money Lynch, didn't see the previous play when Marshawn Lynch ran for four yards instead of five! Ridiculous!

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and running back Marshawn Lynch

As the loquacious and supremely brilliant former head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, Denny Green once decried, "they are who we thought they were and we let 'em off the hook!"...with a little help from the refs, just sayin'.

Crushing End to an Ugly Week for Brooklyn Nets

After suffering three straight losses prior to tonight's game, the Brooklyn Nets at 16-19 were still in the playoff mix and respectably just under .500 and a game ahead of last season's record at this point before going on a terrific pre-All Star run that changed their season.

So facing another woeful Philadelphia 76ers team, with a pitiful 5 wins against 29 losses, Brooklyn had to feel like they could end this miserable week on a positive note. The Barclays Center was not filled to capacity and although it was only off by 1,600 seats out of a total of 17,732, it felt like more. Premium season tix and high-enders seemed to be sitting this one out and even though there are always folks to fill "celebrity" row, it seemed like a different level of VIP, no shade.

The Nets faithful were in full throat though and they expected what we all did, that their team would control this game from start to finish and come away with a much needed victory...unfortunately somebody forgot to tell the Sixers.

Brooklyn started off a little slowly. But, with a competent starting lineup featuring Mason Plumlee who continues to impress with his basketball I.Q. and versatility, and Jarrett Jack who brings a professionalism and consistency to the point that has been sorely needed, you were looking for the Nets to handle their business.

Brooklyn Nets center, Mason Plumlee, point guard Jarrett Jack

Philly started with a 3 from two-guard Robert Covington. The Sixers spent the first 4 minutes of the game with the lead for one of the two times they would enjoy it all night. Behind Plumlee, Johnson and Jack who played the entire 1st quarter, the Nets took the lead halfway through the first with balance scoring from all the starters and took their largest lead of 9 points, into the second on 60% shooting Brooklyn 32, Philly 23. Conversely, the Sixers were only shooting 45% from the two but 75% from 3-point range, which kept them within shouting distance.

Joe Johnson was on, hitting all three of his attempts from the field, with one of those a 3-pointer and it looked like the makings of game that could be broken open early.

Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Joe Johnson

And even though Coach Hollins put in a new line up, with the exception of Lopez, to start the 2nd Quarter of Teletovic, Morris, Bogdanovic and Anderson, they were able to maintain their 7 to 9 point lead through the first 6 minutes of the second quarter but could never seem to shake the always athletic and scrappy 76ers loose.

With another Covington 3, a missed layup by Teletovic and a Wroten bucket off a MCW (Michael Carter-Williams) assist, the Sixers trail by only two points 40-38 and Hollins takes his 2nd timeout and brings back Plumlee, Jack & Johnson for Lopez, Morris and Bogdanovic respectively.

Despite the subs, Alan Anderson is the only Net who could find his shot, hitting two jumpers to stretch the lead back to six. Unfortunately, only to see MCW hit his only 3 of the half followed by a tip in by center Nerlens Noel and Brooklyn ends up nursing just a one point advantage at the half 46-45.

The third quarter looked a lot like the 1st, with Plumlee, Lopez, Jack & Johnson carrying the load and even upping the lead to as much as 11 points, 58-47 with 7 minutes left. The Nets eventually took a seven point advantage into the 4th despite the team shooting dropping dramatically down to 48% FG. However, where they were being severely outplayed was at the 3-point arc, going from 33% to 20% and crashing at 16.7%. In contrast, the Sixers after coming down from the impossible 75%, maintained a very respectable 46% through the remaining 3 quarters.

The fourth quarter lead for Brooklyn looked vulnerable. Coach Hollins was still juggling his lineup, keeping Plumlee on the bench for huge stretches. The Nets' inability to put together back-to-back buckets let the 76ers continue to hang around and gave them growing confidence. Philly took only their second lead of the game with less than a minute left in the game at 88-86. When Brook Lopez tied the game at 88, everyone in the building knew what was coming. Plumlee had been reinserted and although he had a career high in rebounds at 15, he would need help on the final play.

As he had done on the previous big scores for Philly, their best player, Michael Carter-Williams took the ball from the right elbow at the foul line down the lane and attacked the basket. When Mason Plumlee came over to defend, there was no one rotating to cover Sixers forward Luc Mbah a Moute, who scored the game winning bucket at the cup. The Nets go down to the hapless 76ers 90-88 and given the recent losing streak, the crowd's fears were realized.

Jack, Johnson Try to Keep Nets in the Game

The Brooklyn Nets were feeling pretty good about themselves going into last night's contest with the Indiana Pacers, coming off three consecutive wins earlier this week. And, a big part of it has been the play of Jarrett Jack, as the Nets were 3-0 with Jack in the starting lineup.

After exchanging some opening buckets, Sergey Karasev, the big 6'7" guard in his ninth start, makes the first of his two 3-pointers to get the Nets on a little bit of an early run taking their first lead at 5-4.

Add a couple of free throws by recent hero, Mason Plumlee and jumpers by the offensive "Heavyweight Champion", Jack Johnson and by that I mean the duo of Jarrett Jack and Joe Johnson, Brooklyn scores the next six points unanswered to go ahead 11-4, three minutes in and it had the feeling like Christmas was going to continue for the Nets.

In only his third game back for the Pacers, George Hill had scored Indy's first two points and stayed aggressive throughout the opening quarter, grabbing 3 rebounds, hitting a big three pointer to keep them close midway through the first.

At the same time, Jack continued his fine play, running the offense, getting in the lane and scoring, Lopez comes in for the first time for KG and Joe Johnson hits his only 3 of the quarter to stretch the lead to 6 points and with another Jack floating jumper, the Nets re-establish their largest lead of the early going and the evening, eight points up 19-11.

As Coach Hollins would say in his postgame press conference, we shot well to start and then missed shots. Exhibit 1: Brook Lopez, looked flat footed and listless as he missed all of his four FG attempts. And considering Mason Plumlee's more stellar play, Lopez could be on the market in short order.

Despite abysmal offense and half-hearted defense, as Coach commented after the game, the team never stopped playing and competing and as a result made a valiant come back from 9 down to close the second quarter only 3 points behind the Pacers (50-47 ) going into the half.

Unfortunately the numbers say everything about the first half: NETS 32.6% FG Shooting, 31% 3 PT shooting, while PACERS 44.2% FG Shooting, 67% 3 PT shooting. Indiana scored 5 points off 7 turnovers and Nets scored nothing (0) off 4 turnovers.

Deron Williams who continues to be the subject of trade rumors, did not check in until the end of the first quarter and was part of a dismal offensive showing by the bench throughout the game.

Again, Head Coach Lionel Hollins, was very clear when asked what contributed to the poor outing, "when you expect to get a spark off the bench and they go 4 for 27, you're going to lose."

Lionel Hollins, Head Coach, Brooklyn Nets

Then Hollins was asked, what did he see that presented such problems for his team?

He responded, "It's basketball, you put the ball in the basket and you guard somebody."

It became apparent even with Hibbert a non-factor, the Nets had no answer for David West, CJ Watson, and Rodney Stuckey and found themselves down by 14 at the end of the third quarter, 79-65.

The only NETS bright spots were the play and leadership of Jarrett Jack, as a consistent and productive scorer, although he needs to get to the line more. One free throw attempt is not enough for someone who penetrates the paint, as well as, he does and 2 assists is too few against 5 turnovers. And Karasev sets a new career high with 14 points.

The fourth quarter turned quickly into a rout, as the Pacers duplicated their 3rd period 11-point outscoring of the Nets and had the lead up to 27 points before both teams emptied their benches and finished with a 25 point victory, 110-85 over Brooklyn. While Coach Hollins felt like the team never stopped trying to compete, he could not explain the inept shooting except to say it was a good week winning their previous three games and these nights can happen.

Considering the Pacers desperation to make up for a beating they suffered in their last outing, they simply wanted it more and played that way. Even at 13-16 they're still in second place in the East Atlantic Division. Hopefully, the Nets can end the year on a positive note with Sacramento on Tuesday and Chicago on Wednesday and find their groove, as they did last season at the start of the New Year in 2015.

So there's good reason to keep hope alive, Happy New Year!