Already, heat is on Irish coach

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Already, heat is on Irish coach

Sports

Friday, 09 September 2011 11:37

Ken Jackson
Sports Writer

Only a week into football season, and we’re quickly settling in.
Florida, Florida State and UCF romped against the lambs eager to share their chops for a check. The SEC is heating up.

And Notre Dame’s coach is already on the hot seat.
The National Catholic Register is using its “drawing power” to wag its rosary at Brian Kelly, who was on NBC cameras numerous times screaming himself purple, often using, shall we say, “colorful” words in the 23-20 loss to USF last week.
These NCR nabobs are also the same folks who drank the Kool-Aid and believed the Irish would be in a BCS bowl this year. They put the weight of the world on his shoulders, but gave him no means to vent when it starts going wrong? Holy moly!
Lose to USF, on national TV, and you’ve gotta let off steam somehow. Methinks Coach Kelly isn’t one of these “go count to 10” kind of people. Those people are lame anyway.
Not lame are these folks, and the people who lead them, making the cut in the first “everybody plays this week” edition of The Mighty News-Gazette Divine Nine:
1. U.S.A. (10 years, impossible to forget, so good luck trying tomorrow) 2. UCF. 3. FSU. 4. USF. 5. Boomer Sooner. 6. Roll Tide. 7. The 1-0 Pack. 8. Our Bucs. 9. THE Buc. (R.I.P. Lee Roy Selmon.)
Now for the picks, where it might start getting lame ...
Boston College at UCF (-7): If you find a Knight fan today, hand them a paper bag to breath in. They’re all uptight about this game they know they gotta win to win over public appeal and appear legit. Breathe easy, folks. Knights by 9.
Alabama (-10) at Penn State: What was a national championship game in the ‘70s is now a Week 2 curiosity. Roll Tide by 12.
South Carolina (-3) at Georgia: What, we’ve already started with the SEC Game of the Century of the Week? Gamecocks by 6.
Notre Dame (-3.5) at Michigan: First game under the lights at The Big House. Irish have so many problems that they’d probably look better with the lights off. Big Blue by 7.
Now for the Sunday professionals (and good luck to all of you with fantasy teams):
Detroit at Tampa Bay (-2): Only two points? Thought the Bucs were supposed to start coming out of their shell this year, the game is in the Florida heat, and Detroit is still the Lions. Bucs by 8.
Tennessee at Jacksonville (-2): Two teams I can’t pick right. Jags QB David Garrard just got run outta town, and Chris Johnson just ran into it. Titans by 3, maybe, in Who Knows Upset.
Pittsburgh at Baltimore (-2.5): No easing into the season for these guys, either? Tough to call. I didn’t put Ravens in the playoffs this year, so let the mistakes compound. Steelers by 3.
Indianapolis at Houston (-8.5): The quarterback of intrigue in this game is Matt Schaub. Can we have NFL football without Peyton Manning? Apparently. Texans by 7.
Atlanta at Chicago (-3): I’ve heard predictions for the Falcons from Super Bowl champs to 8-8. Which way do I lean? Dirty Birds by 6.
Dallas at N.Y. Jets (-4.5): Ever notice that Brian Kelly and Rex Ryan look quite a bit alike? Apparently they behave the same way, too. J-E-T-S by only 17.
New England at Miami (-7): Figures that Dolphins get the Belichicks down here in the quasi-summer but play them at night. Patsies by 14.
Brian “Big Man” McBride’s Super Sniffer Upset Special: Steelers over Ravens by 7.
Petey “The Gators Are Gonna Win” Covino says: UF over UAB by 28.
Rick Pedone says: After last week’s lame effort, nothing.
Last week: Lame Eagle (2-3) was less lame than Lame Steeler (1-4).