Jailbirds take LSU To the Championships

Arkansas lost again to a group of players that might should have been suspended, in jail or kicked off the team for offenses committed during the offseason and this season, reminiscent of their game with Ohio State in the 2010 Sugar Bowl.

Pryor's tattoo sleeve

In the Razorback's game with the Buckeyes in January, quarterback Terrelle Pryor, receiver DeVier Posey and running back Daniel 'Boom' Herron scored touchdowns. Up by seven points, linebacker Soloman Thomas sealed the OSU victory with an interception on Arkansas' last drive of the game. These four players and one other, a starting offensive linemen, were allowed to play in the Sugar Bowl after the NCAA found the five guilty of selling championship rings, jerseys, awards and receiving improper benefits from a tattoo parlor. The NCAA did suspend the players for the first five games of this season but there was very little support behind its decision to let the five player play in the bowl game last season.

Jefferson's mugshot from his arrest on Aug. 28


  Similarly, without LSU's Jailbirds' points on Friday the Bayou Bengals would have tied the Razorbacks 17-17 -- that score includes the Tigers extra points scored after four Jailbird touchdowns-- and forced no turnovers if the the Jailbirds had not played.

The Jailbirds are led by the starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson (1 rushing TD, 1 passing TD), who was arrested during the offseason for his involvement in a bar fight, where he stomped a man's face into the ground. The other three members of the gang are defensive backs Tyrann Mathieu (1 punt return for touchdown and 2 forced turnovers), Tharold Simon (multiple pass breakups) and running back Spencer Ware (1 rushing TD), who all tested positive for marijuana earlier this season.

Do not see a bitter fan writting away in his living room as you read this. I am not complaining about the 41-17 thrashing the Tigers handed the Razorbacks.  LSU is the best team in the game and deserves to go to the BCS National Championship no matter the result of next week's SEC Championship against Georgia. It was a fair played beat down where LSU proved to be the far superior team. Instead, look at the game from a different perspective. Is college football actually developing young men as is its purpose?

April 27

Tomorrow is the last day of finals in my first year of occupational therapy school at Brenau University. Yes, I should be studying my pediatric material for my test tomorrow, but there is too much going on in the world to not make a few comments. Lame title I know. It gets challenging to name the "random thoughts" posts.

Congratulations to Cleveland Browns RB Peyton Hillis. He will be the cover athlete for the famous Madden football video game franchise in 2012. He beat out some of the most popular players in the league including Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rogers and former cover boy himself Michael Vick. I have been a Hillis fan since his days at the University of Arkansas. I still find it hard to believe he beat the other Peyton and his Arkansas running back mates Darren McFadden and Felix Jones to the cover of Madden. (McFadden was on the cover of NCAA Football 09).

Samford has a new recruit making a visit to campus. Justin Combs, son of rap mogul Sean "P. Diddy of Puffy" Combs. Can you imagine the atmosphere at Seibert Stadium next year? And talk about some serious street cred. I am one proud alumnus.

To the college game. I am proud of Florida Head Coach Will Muschamp for kicking his First Team All SEC cornerback Janoris Jenkins off of the team after Jenkins was arrested a third time since moving to Gainesville. Muschamp has talked often about the Florida way, and this is a great start to changing a culture.

In other college football news, I am beyond tired of Ohio State and their coach Jim Tressel. Get him out of the game.

On a little more serious note, please pray for those affected by the tornado ripping through the southeast as I type. It has already done tremendous damage in Tuscaloosa and communities around Birmingham, a place I luckily called home for four years. Now it is my hometown of Rome, Georgia. Please pray for safety and the recovery efforts that will be soon to follow.

Fat Tuesday

I am back to school this week and living today up large before the Lenten season is underway, enjoying all of the benefits that come with being the only male at an all girls university. To keep my sanity I oftentimes come to the library during my breaks to catch up on the sports world. read ESPN.com, SI.com, and a number of blogs about what is going on in the SEC, instead of reading over Anatomy or Neuroscience notes.  A couple of "notes" I've read today...

- In NFL news, other than that of the collective bargaining agreement (thought on this to come soon), former cornerback and current TV analyst Tiki Barber is coming back to the NFL next year. At least he pulled the trigger on his retirement once by actually retiring, Brett Farve. But really... How effective is a 35 year old, running back, a position reliant on speed and power, who has been out of the game for 4 years going to be? Will he even be picked up as a free agent? Maybe he can tag team with former New York Giants teammate WR Plaxico Buress who plans to return to football from his two year hiatus, which he spent in jail for shooting himself in the foot at a night club.

-The late Arkansas OL Brandon Bullsworth's name came out yesterday on the College Football Hall of Fame Ballot. Bullsworth, known for his distinct black glasses, was a walk-on for the Razorbacks that eventually earned himself a scholarship and a spot on the AP All-America second team by his senior season. He was killed in a car accident days after being selected in the first round by the Indianapolis Colts.

-There are a number of Newton ''Cam"eras following the Heisman winner at Auburn's pro day this afternoon. Is ESPN going too far in their coverage of college football? SEC fans would argue they aren't even coming close. Televised workouts, a signing day focusing on the hottest conference in all the land, four spring games televised, and a weekly show in ESPNU? Yeah.. it's a start. Keep the coverage coming.

-Turns out Ohio State Head Coach Jim Tressel knew and Buckeye officials knew about five of their players receiving benefits in exchange for autographed memorabilia eight months before the NCAA announced the suspension of the players from the first five games of next season.

-Ryan Mallet's response to not running the 40 yard dash at Arkansas's pro day earlier today, "I'm not Michael Vick. Everyone knows that." Sounds like the interview skills are improving.

Sorry for no basketball talk in the middle of March. I'll work on that.