The Big Lead Asks - What's up with the Losing in Louisville

The historic rise and fall of the University of Louisville football program has been well documented over the last year. You can't turn on local radio without it jamming the airwaves. Every time you turn on the radio someone is clambering for Kragthorpe to be dropped off on SMU's doorstep or sent back to Tulsa. I had enough. Give the guy a chance, I said. That was until I witnessed the Kentucky game two weeks ago at Cardinal Stadium. What a disaster. The team was outplayed and outcoached. They looked lost. I can't understand it.

Well "The Big Lead" today posted an article discussing this very topic, asking a simple question: "What's the deal with losing in Louisville?" Here's a little taste...

Since Kragthorpe took over, Louisville has gone 7-7 with losses to rival Kentucky (twice), Connecticut, Utah and 2-10 Syracuse. Louisville opened this season on national television with a 27-2 smackdown. If the heat was on Kragthorpe going into the season, he must feel like he is sitting in hot magma.

Check out the entire article here....

The fact is that the clock is ticking for Kraggy. Regardless of the outcome this year, I'm sure Jurich will give him one more year on the sidelines to prove his worth. Won't matter, Cantwell is gone and Matt Simms is busy being suspended and rolling doobies.

Finally...you may be asking yourself, "Why would you post a picture of an innocent young lady at the top of a football article?" Well two reasons...(1) I couldn't stand to look at Kragthorpe's massive goatee again and (2) that young lady isn't so innocent. You might remember her as the now deposed University of Louisville cheerleader who bore it all on the internet. Right after her boyfriend said, "Don't worry sweetie...no one will ever see these. Don't you love me?." Classic. She even managed to get her UofL National Championship ring in some pics. God love her. In case you need a refresher on this subject...here you go. I highly recommend it (very NSFW).

I wonder why it took me 30 minutes to finish this post?

NFL TV Schedule for Sunday - Week 2

The weekend is once again upon us...that means USC v. The Ohio State and a full Sunday of football. Last Sunday the Pine kicked off the NFL season with a full helping of cold Miller Lite and tater tots. It was a throw back to old Sunday Fundays at Hartland apartments. All we needed was some Milli Vanilli and a blad headed Chad Edwards.

Awful Announcing has done the legwork and has all the games we will be privy too in the OV.

SUNDAY 1:00 p.m.
FOX - New York Giants vs. St. Louis Rams
CBS - Indianapolis Colts vs. Minnesota Petersons

SUNDAY 4:00 p.m.
CBS - New England Patriots vs. New York Jets

Good, not Great games. CBS's dream matchup of Brady v Farve had execs jerking each other off last week but a helmet to the ACL ended what could have been a great game. Matt Cassell is in for the Golden Child, and makes his first start since high school. Good luck
CBS

Riding the Pine makes a Cameo on BLT

Not so long ago, a close personal friend (and Hollywood mogul) Shane Taylor asked the owners of Riding the Pine to make a couple of cameos in a series of short films he called BLT, or Beer League Tennis. He said it was a series of short comedy skits featured on funnyordie.com, where playing tennis meets drinking beer. A place where competitive tennis skill was equaled by competitive consumption of cold beer. Tennis now joins golf, bowling and jarts as sporting events where drinking beer is not only allowed, but encouraged.

First, we had to check our schedule for availability that day. It was actually a busy day for us...we had to play golf and drink beer that afternoon. When Shane said all the beer was free during taping, Neli said "Let's drink!"It was a blast. A chance for The Pine to sharpen some acting skills and get our feet wet in the business so to speak.

Well here's the end result of that night. Pure cinematic glory that would make Marlon Brando piss his pants (if he were alive.) Nice work Shane, The Pine is willing to help out anytime.

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

R.I.P. Snowman....

On a personal note...one of the all time legends in bootleggin' beer across state lines has finally dropped off his last load of Coors. Renegade truck driver Cledus Snow, AKA Snowman, AKA Jerry Reed passed away at 71 due to complications arising from emphysema. You might remember Reed from his days as a country music singer and songwriter, or as the hard ass Coach Red Beaulieu of Bobby Boucher in the Waterboy.

But not me...I will always remember Reed as the quick talking, law breakin, truck driving, SOB who was always bailing the Bandit out. The quick witted banter between the Bandit and the Snowman was like listening to angels sing a chorus of "Blame it on the Rain" by Milli Vanilli. It helped make The Smoky and the Bandit one of the greatest American movies of all time. Titles like Citizen Kane, The Godfather, Forrest Gump all drew parallels from this classic tale of good versus evil. Sure, this movie helped launch the career of Burt Reynolds, but it was Jerry Reed who I remember the most. Here's one tall can of cold Coor's Original to you Snowman...you are gone but not forgotten.

A little "East Bound and Down" on the way out...

The USC Dynasty

Many of you are familar with the on-going success of the USC Trojan football team. Every year they re-load with the kind of talent that would give the Miami Dolphins a "hard on". Pete Carroll needs to be commeneded for bringing in such recruits each season. They have a defense that eats away at opposing quarterbacks, receivers with hands made of glue, and running backs that fill fantasy football rosters better than most pros (see Rudi Johnson). The one position he seems to fill better than any other would be at the quarterback spot. Some how, he recruits not only the top prospects in the country, but the hottest ones as well. I mean, these quarterbacks look more like hosts on the E! Channel than they do a college quarterback. I wonder if he takes head shots of his recruits in high school to see if they fit the mold for a the traditional USC football thrower, and if so, where can I get a copy of these head shots.

In recent history, names like Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, John David Booty, and Mark Sanchez come to mind as hot USC quarterbacks. Leinart for example, pulls more wool than an Amish sweater maker. Who wouldn't like to catch a hard pass from one of these strong, cut, muscular armed men in tight gold pants. If only they could play without helmets! It is getting to the point that girls are wanting their mates to wear Trojan uniforms during "business time"!

Pete Carroll, I commend you. Not only have you produced a winning tradition on the football field, but a tradition of fine quarterbacks that we all love to see on sportscenter each night before we go to bed...thank you (please pass the kleenex)!
I would like to throw out there that any man who read this article and shook your head in argeement with any of this is in fact a true homo. In closing I leave you with one final question, "Where do I sign up for my dream job...to play the center position at this wonderful dynasty?".

Fantasy Schedule 9/3

The beginning of the 2008 Fantasy Football season is now upon us. The draft is complete and owners are scurrying along trying to find the right lineup. The draft was typical: Jay took Marc Bulger, Greg drafted all his position players from one team, and Nick took way too long to make picks like Marvin Harrison and Fred Taylor. Here are the first round matchups...

Skanks vs. Kowboys - SSS will be too tough to handle for the 'Boys --
Leonards Loser- Korea

Decorators vs. Generals - Nick's team looks unbeatable...if the year was 2001.
Leonards Loser - Nick

thin2win vs. MoneyBalls - RH has LT and a bunch of guys named Harry
Leonards Loser - Thinny

Ricotta Cheese vs. Fat Wet Pussies - And yes I can say Pussy on this site
Leonards Loser - The Cheese

Franky vs. OPB Team - Franky now has a logo...and its gay. Wilson rolls
Leonards Loser - Franky

Hurricanes - Easy Money - The team that Pugh drafted is down right bad
Leonards Loser - Easy Money

On Chris Cooley's blog yesterday he posted a little clip of him and some Redskins team mates during their fantasy football draft. Like Cooley says in the clip...it amazing that people who make a living in the NFL have no idea on how to play fantasy. Check it out. I think five QB's go in the first round.



I thought this from Epic Carnival was a pretty funny breakdown of the "Top Ten Jerks in your Fantasy Football League." How many are in our league. There's a chance I fall into 8 of the 10 categories.

NFL TV Schedule for Sunday

IT'S FOOTBALL TIME IN KENTUCKY!!

Bring on the whores and bring on the NFL. We've suffered long enough with baseball, the NHL is the NHL, and it seems that the U of L football season is now officially over. Please welcome the king of all sports...National Football League back this week. Thursday night the action kicks off with the defending champs, New York Giants, take on the Redskins.

The Sunday slate of games has been determined for the US Americans and here's the breakdown for the River City:

Sunday 1pm:
CBS - Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens
FOX - Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints

Sunday 4pm:
FOX - Dallas Cowboys at Cleveland Browns