Greasing and Grinding my Gears: Random thoughts since the Michigan OSU game.

Stuff that's Grinding my gears:

• The Coaches Poll: Honestly, I don't think the coaches "screwed" Michigan at all. I think they changed their minds after Florida beat another good team. The worst thing about the Coaches Poll, is that there really isn't anyone in the world LESS qualified to rank teams than Division 1-A football coaches. Here is probably a normal day from a college football coach: Wake up, drink coffee, go over film, meet with coaches to draw up days' practices, meet with players, have 3 - 4 hour practice, watch film of practice, meet with coaches to watch more film, attend alumni/booster function, drink, go to sleep. Honestly, these guys have zero time to make any sort of educated decision on who is 1 - 5. To bitch that the coaches intentionally screwed Michigan is missing the point: they have no time to form an opinion. Secondly, COACHES ARE FRIENDS WITH OTHER COACHES AND OTHER PLAYERS!!!!! Honestly, if you're very best friend is Urban Meyer, you're going to vote for Florida; if you recruited and had a great relationship with a player from another team or used to coach him; YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE FOR HIM!! This is not an evil response; it's a natural human response. You have no real time to examine both teams' season, so you'll go with a relationship you have. It's very normal and very flawed.
• Michigan fans bitching about the BCS/Urban Meyer: Urban Meyer was trying to do everything he could to have his players play for a national title. In a political system he behaved like a politician, and made himself look arrogant to do it. He was on a campaign because he believes, rightly or wrongly, the SEC is much much better than any other conference. The BCS has always sucked, Michigan's last two games were beating Ball State by 8 at home and losing to OSU. Lloyd handled the BCS questions with class and dignity - the way Lloyd handles most things. We cost OSU a number of shots at the title in the '90s, and they never got a rematch. Also, the absolute worst thing I've ever heard are Michigan fans saying they're ROOTING for OSU!!! What the hell? Seriously? Or, Michigan fans saying. "OSU is going to F-ing kill Florida." Like it or not, Florida is either the best or second best team OSU has faced this year and they're doing it on a neutral field. All of the idiots who are spending so much time saying how Florida is going to get rocked are setting up a perfect argument for the BCS if Florida wins: "Look we got it right." Me, I think Florida has a hell of a shot, and OSU could maybe blow out Florida. Neither result is a vindication for Michigan or the BCS. NEITHER! If we deserved to go; we deserved to go, no matter what happens in this game. Just get over it; buy a Florida t-shirt and root for the gators. If you really care about the national title more than the Michigan-OSU rivalry, only way we have a glimmer of hope at the title is to kill USC in the Rose Bowl. If you're still upset about losing to OSU -- fine; but get over complaining about a flawed system.
• Allen Iverson and Kevin Garnett: WHY HAVEN'T THE T-WOLVES TRADED FOR IVERSON YET?!?! They can put Foye, McCants, Mike James, Ricky Davis, and a first and second round pick in a deal, right? DO IT!! Trade anyone to get AI. There have never been two players more suited to play with one another. Both have huge hearts and are ultra competitive. Both make up for the other's weakness. KG can guard three positions solidly, rebound like a fiend, plays efficiently, doesn't take bad shots almost to a fault and sometimes turns invisible late in games on offense. AI can't rebound and can't really defend. But, immediately they have a player who will take the big shots at the end of game, and a guy who can get easy shots for the team's lesser role players. KG is a fine passer, but he can't attract three perimeter players like AI and drop something underneath for a Mark Blount slam like AI can. He gives the squad a legitimate playmaker that will make everyone else better. He can score and run a fast break. Would just be phenomenal move for the Wolves. And we really need them to play together so we can start evaluating their place in history - especially you, KG.
• Living in Chicago/hearing about Rex Grossman: Good Lord there are a bunch of idiots talking about Rex in this goddamn city, and I've heard more explanations about his pitfalls than I could ever hope, too. When, in fact, the reason he is struggling is pretty clear: he's Jeff Blake. Rex threw a good deep ball early on, and Bernard Berrian was making plays he can't make consistently. You take away the deep ball, and he has to start making accurate throws 8 yards down the field that he can't make. He's short, and he's not mobile. And, if you're Chicago, you have to give Rex at least a game off, and let Griese complete shorter passes. If not, they're idiots.
• Michael Irvin/Terrell Owens: Complaining about TO is as stupid as complaining about the BCS; the media's obsessed with him. You just have to deal with it. The problem is that people like Irvin are still calling TO a phenomenal playmaker or a top 5 receiver. Can we all please realize that he's 33 years old, and isn't the guy he was in his prime (which was the Super Bowl year with the Eagles). He was only mildly interesting when he was great (the Sharpie was funny. . what the hell else has he done?). Yet, ESPN keeps putting these interviews on TV. Everyone would take Chad, Tory, Reggie, Andre Johnson, and Steve Smith over him, right? Aren't there more?
• The Office: The best show on television has had two mediocre episodes in a row.

- Anthony