SPORTS WEEKEND REVIEW ( 17th Edition )/ SPORTS WEEKEND PREVIEW ( 18th Edition )

TIGERS FINISH ON A HIGH NOTE!!

The Clemson Tigers can sing the victory song, as they closed out their 2009 season on a high note by defeating the Kentucky Wildcats 21 to 13 to win the Music City Bowl in Nashville on Sunday night. The Tigers got 172 total yards and one TD from All-American C.J. Spiller in his last game in a Clemson uniform. The Tiger's defense forced a Kentucky fumble early in the 4th quarter to set up the clinching score. The Tigers finished their season at 9 and 5 and an ACC Atlantic Division Title and Music City Bowl victory. It was a pretty successful season in Head Coach Dabo Swinney's first full season as the Commanding Chief of the Clemson football program.

DID YOU KNOW? During the Music City Bowl Clemson's C.J. Spiller became the only player in ACC history to rush for over a thousand yards and have over five hundred receiving yards in the same season.

THE ARMCHAIR COACH went 7 and 5 in game predictions this past weekend. My record for the season is 213 and 92 for a percentage of .698.

SPORTS WEEKEND PREVIEW ( 18th Edition )

Because of the holiday season continuing this week, I am going to have only one blog this week. So I am going to preview games for the coming week and weekend today.

COLLEGE BOWL GAMES

Tuesday..... Eagle Bank Bowl..... Temple vs UCLA..... What a story the Temple Owls are this season going 9 and 3 and making a bowl game. Just a few years back they were all but kicked out of the Big East Conference. I would love to pick the Owls but Rome was not built in a day. Baby steps..... UCLA 24 Temple 17

Tuesday..... Champs Sports Bowl..... Miami vs Wisconsin..... I believe Miami's speed will get the ACC its second bowl win of the post season..... Miami 33 Wisconsin 24

Wednesday..... Holiday Bowl..... Nebraska vs Arizona..... The Cornhuskers missed by about a foot to being in a BCS Bowl. I believe they will still be feeling blue..... Arizona 17 Nebraska 13

Thursday..... Chick-fil-A Bowl..... Virginia Tech vs Tennessee..... This should be a defensive game as both teams offenses have been very inconsistent..... Virginia Tech 16 Tennessee 10

Friday..... Capital One Bowl..... Penn State vs LSU..... The SEC has had the Big Ten's number in recent years. It continues..... LSU 20 Penn State 16

Friday..... Gator Bowl..... West Virginia vs Florida State..... I believe West Virginia has the better team, but its Bobby Bowden's last game and I believe the Noles will play their best game in a few years..... Florida State 31 West Virginia 21

Friday..... Rose Bowl..... Ohio State vs Oregon..... Both of these teams have something to prove to the nation. I believe it will be a good day for the Ducks..... Oregon 24 Ohio State 20

Friday..... Sugar Bowl..... Florida vs Cincinnati..... Tim Tebows last college game. Nuff said!!..... Florida 34 Cincinnati 17

Saturday..... PapaJohns.com Bowl..... South Carolina vs Connecticut..... I see the Gamecocks speed and defense being the difference in this one..... South Carolina 24 UCONN 14

NFL GAMES

Pittsburg @ Miami..... The Steelers have to have this game and some help..... Pittsburg 23 Miami 17

Atlanta @ Tampa Bay..... The Falcons have a chance to have back to back winning seasons for the first time in team history. They get it done..... Atlanta 27 Tampa Bay 17

New Orleans @ Carolina..... The Panthers are playing their best football of the season. They close out with another win over a Division Champ..... Carolina 27 New Orleans 23

Philadelphia @ Dallas..... The NFC East Title is on the line. That usually means Tony Romo and the Cowboys choke. NOT THIS TIME..... Dallas 20 Philadelphia 17

Cincinnatti @ New York Jets..... The Jets need this game to have a chance for the playoffs. They will get it..... New York Jets 19 Cincinnati 14

Baltimore @ Oakland..... The Ravens need this game for the playoffs. The playoff race in the AFC is going to be interesting..... Baltimore 24 Oakland 13

There will be no blog on Wednesday or Friday of this week due to the New Years Holiday.

HAPPY NEW YEAR SPORTS FANS FROM THE ARMCHAIR COACH!!

Until Monday.

GENERAL VIEWS ( 16th Edition )

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE ARMCHAIR COACH!

There will be no blog on Friday as The ArmChair Coach celebrates Christmas with my family.

Until Monday.

SPORTS WEEKEND REVIEW ( 16th Edition )/ SPORTS WEEKEND PREVIEW (17th Edition )

PANTHERS UPSET VIKINGS!


The Carolina Panthers spoiled the homecoming of Gaffney's Sidney Rice, as they defeated the first place Minnesota Vikings 26 to 7. Carolina got 299 yards passing and 3 TD passes from QB Matt Moore and 109 yards rushing and a TD from Jonathan Stewart in their best offensive performance in weeks. The Panthers also got a dominating performance from their defense as they held the Vikings to 237 yards and 7 points. Gaffney's Sidney Rice was held to 4 catches for 69 yards and a key lost fumble. The Panthers record goes to 6 and 8 and must win their last two games to avoid a losing season.


NFL GAME OF THE WEEK had the Dallas Cowboys knocking the New Orleans Saints from the ranks of the undefeated with a 24 to 17 victory on Saturday night at the Super Dome. This big win by the Cowboys keeps their hopes alive for a NFC East Division Title. The Saints are still in a position to win home field advantage for the NFC Playoffs.


THE SHRINE BOWL OF THE CAROLINA'S was won by North Carolina by a score of 24 to 14. The game was sloppy because of bad field conditions as the game had 12 fumbles between the two teams.


HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL had the 2nd ranked Gaffney Indians staying undefeated as they beat the 3rd ranked Dorman Cavaliers 54 to 49.


THE ARMCHAIR COACH went 6 and 7 in game predictions this past weekend. My record for the season is 206 and 87 for a percentage of .703.

SPORTS WEEKEND PREVIEW ( 17th Edition )

I am looking ahead to the coming weekend in sports today because of Christmas Day on Friday. Here are my game predictions.

COLLEGE BOWL GAMES

Tuesday..... Las Vegas Bowl..... BYU vs Oregon State..... This should be a very good bowl game. I see Oregon State winning a close game..... Oregon State 27 BYU 23

Wednesday..... Poinsettia Bowl..... Utah vs California..... Cal is the favored team but I see Utah getting the win..... Utah 27 California 22

Thursday..... Hawaii Bowl..... Nevada vs SMU..... Nevada is the best running team in the nation. They will run over the Mustangs..... Nevada 34 SMU 20

Saturday..... Meineke Car Care Bowl..... Pittsburg vs North Carolina..... I see North Carolina's defense being the difference in this game..... North Carolina 20 Pittsburg 17

Sunday..... Music City Bowl..... Clemson vs Kentucky..... The Tigers are disappointed to be in this Bowl, but I see them winning to send their seniors out with a bowl win..... Clemson 31 Kentucky 20

NFL GAMES

Seattle @ Green Bay..... The Packers bounce back for a big win..... Green Bay 30 Seattle 14

Kansas City @ Cincinnatti..... The Bengals will tke out their frustrations on the Chiefs..... Cincinnatti 28 Kansas City 13

Tampa Bay @ New Orleans..... The Saints will wrap up the NFC's home field advantage..... New Orleans 35 Tampa Bay 16

Carolina @ NY Giants..... I have a hunch that the Panthers will win this game..... Carolina 20 NY Giants 16

Jacksonville @ New England..... The Patriots are getting ready for the playoffs..... New England 24 Jacksonville 16

Houston @ Miami..... A big game with playoff implications. I see the Dolphins winning at home..... Miami 24 Houston 20

Dallas @ Washington..... I see the Cowboys getting another big road win..... Dallas 23 Washington 14

Until Wednesday.

SPORTS WEEKEND PREVIEW ( 16th Edition )

I know all of the thousands of readers, of The ArmChair Coach, missed the Wednesday blog of General Views ( 15th Edition ) this past Wednesday. The ArmChair Coach had Internet problems, so the General Views blog will be back next Wednesday. So its on to another weekend of sports. We still have football with the NFL and College Bowl games starting to kick off this weekend. We have the NBA, College and High School basketball as well. We also have the Shrine Bowl of The Carolina's taking place at Wofford College's Gibbs Stadium on Saturday afternoon. So between your Christmas parties and Christmas shopping there are lots of sports to enjoy during the holiday season. Lets look at some of the Holiday action.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL GAMES

SATURDAY..... New Mexico Bowl..... Wyoming vs Fresno State..... The Fresno State Bulldogs are the favorites to win this bowl and I believe they will win big..... Fresno State 34 Wyoming 14

SATURDAY..... St. Petersburg Bowl..... Rutgers vs Central Florida..... This is almost a home game for Central Florida. It should be a very competitive game and I am going to take..... Central Florida 24 Rutgers 21

SUNDAY..... New Orleans Bowl..... Southern Mississippi vs Middle Tennessee State..... The Conference USA vs the Sun Belt. I see the Golden Eagles winning in a close one..... Southern Mississippi 31 Middle Tennessee State 28

NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

Dallas @ New Orleans..... Can the Saints stay unbeaten ? Can the Cowboys win a big game? These questions will be answered in The Big Easy on Saturday. The Saints have struggled to keep their perfect record going the past two weeks. The Cowboys are in need for a big win to keep their Division title hopes alive. This has everything you need for a Game of the week. The Saints have clinched the NFC South and I believe they might have a little let down. So I see the answer to question two to be yes. The Dallas Cowboys can win a big game..... Dallas 30 New Orleans 27

OTHER NFL GAMES

Green Bay @ Pittsburg..... These are teams headed in opposite directions. The Packers are on a roll and the World Champs are struggling. I believe the Packers will put another nail in the Steelers coffin for this season..... Green Bay 23 Pittsburg 17

Arizona @ Detroit..... This should be a mismatch, but I see this game being more competitive than most people think..... Arizona 27 Detroit 20

Houston @ St. Louis..... The Texans should win this game big. The Rams will mail it in..... Houston 35 St. Louis 14

Miami @ Tennessee..... A very competitive football game that should be won by the home team. BUT, I have a hunch that the Dolphins will find away to get the W..... Miami 20 Tennessee 17

Minnesota @ Carolina..... The Vikings can clinch the NFC North with a win over the Panthers. The Vikings will be one win closer to a 1st round playoff bye..... Minnesota 27 Carolina 16

Oakland @ Denver..... This is another game that could be closer than most people think..... Denver 23 Oakland 17

New England @ Buffalo..... Two cold weather teams playing in the cold in December. THIS IS GOOD FOOTBALL..... New England 26 Buffalo 14

Chicago @ Baltimore..... The Ravens are still fighting for a playoff spot. The Bears are making off season plans..... Baltimore 24 Chicago 13

San Francisco @ Philadelphia..... The Eagles are beginning to taste a Division Title. They will taste it a little bit stronger after this big win..... Philadelphia 31 San Francisco 21

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL

There is a huge High School basketball game on Saturday night as the 2nd ranked Gaffney Indians host the 3rd ranked Dorman Cavaliers. The Indians defeated the Cavaliers at Dorman last week 66 to 60. It should be a very entertaining rematch.

THE ARMCHAIR COACH GAME BALL for last weekend goes to the Cleveland Browns for their upset win over the Pittsburg Steelers.

Until Monday.

SPORTS WEEKEND REVIEW ( 15th Edition )

THE COLLEGE GAME OF THE WEEK had Navy sinking Army 17 to 3. Navy got off to a shaky start but put it together in the second half as their option attack dominated the Black Knights. Navy has owned this rivalry in recent years. This is still one of the most heated and storied rivalries in College football.

THE NFL GAME OF THE WEEK had the Green Bay Packers defeating the Chicago Bears 21 to 14. The Packers are one of the hottest teams in the NFL as they are playing their best football of the season. Green Bay is also sitting at 9 and 4 and they are in the NO 1 Wild card playoff position in the NFC. The Packers remain 2 games back of the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC North Division. The Bears fell to 5 and 8 and all but fell from the playoff race. The Bears are still mathematically in the race but it is not likely that there will be a playoff game in their future for this season.

THE HIGH SCHOOL NORTH VS SOUTH ALL STAR GAME had the North squad defeating the South squad 21 to 17.

NOTRE DAME has named University of Cincinnati Head coach Brian Kelly as their new Head Coach.

KANSAS has named University of Buffalo Head Coach Turner Gill as their new Head Coach. Gill was a great option QB for Nebraska in the early 1980s.

THE ARMCHAIR COACH went 7 and 2 in my game predictions this past weekend. My record for the season is 200 and 80 for a percentage of .714.

Until Wednesday.

GENERAL VIEWS (14th Edition ) / WEEKEND PREVIEW ( 15th Edition )

Because of prior commitments I am doing the Wednesday General Views 14th Edition blog today. I am also going to combine the Friday Sports Weekend Preview 15th Edition blog in today's blog because of an out of town commitment.

Here we are during the Christmas season and it can be a very busy and stressful time. It is also a fun time of the year of spending time with your family, that is what I am doing this weekend as I am taking a trip to Tennessee with my wife. Everyone has a Christmas list to send to Santa, so I would like to look at some of the things that some sports teams and sports personalities might want to include on their wish list to Santa. Here it goes.

TIGER WOODS might need to ask for a new GPS Navigation System so he can find out how to get out of his driveway without having an accident.

CLEMSON HEAD COACH DABO SWINNEY needs to ask Santa for a Human cloning machine so he can clone C.J. Spiller and Jacoby Ford.

CLEMSON DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR KEVIN STEELE needs to ask for the book How To Stop The Run For Dummies.

CAROLINA PANTHERS HEAD COACH JOHN FOX needs to ask Santa to bring him a Quarterback. One that don't turn the ball over all the time.

CAROLINA PANTHERS QB JAKE DELHOMME needs to ask for a pair of glasses so he can see who he is throwing the ball to.

SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS FANS need to ask for a journal so they can keep record of their victory over Clemson to remember it, since it happens so rarely.

GAFFNEY INDIANS HEAD COACH PHIL STRICKLAND needs to ask for a big time running back to compliment QB DeEdward Burris on offense.

THE BYRNES REBELS need to ask for a DVD copy of last years State Championship win to watch and enjoy, since they don't have a State Championship to enjoy this year.

THE DORMAN CAVALIERS need to ask Santa to bring them a patent on the defensive game plan they used against the Byrnes Rebels.

ALLEN IVERSON needs to ask for a NBA team that actually wants him to play for them.

WILLY KORN needs to ask for a college football team that is so desperate for a QB that he don't have to try to win the starting job he gets it by default.

C.J SPILLER needs to ask Santa to bring him a Heisman trophy that he so deserves to have.

****THE ARMCHAIR COACH GAME BALL OF THE WEEK goes to the Dorman Cavaliers for their State Championship win over Byrnes***

SPORTS WEEKEND PREVIEW (15th Edition )

COLLEGE GAME OF THE WEEK

Army vs Navy..... This game has been dominated by Navy in recent years and it should be dominated by Navy again this year..... Navy 34 Army 14

NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

Green Bay @ Chicago..... This is one of the longest and most storied rivalries in the NFL. The Packers seam to be on a pretty good roll of late. They need this game if they are going to have any chance to stay in the Division race with Minnesota. I believe they will find away to get the win..... Green Bay 27 Chicago 21

OTHER NFL GAMES

Pittsburg @ Cleveland..... This has been another heated rivalry over the years. The Super Bowl Champions need this win in the worse way. They get it..... Pittsburg 20 Cleveland 10

Carolina @ New England..... The Patriots should bounce back in a big way this week against the Panthers and their lackluster offense..... New England 31 Carolina 17

Miami @ Jacksonville..... This battle of Florida should be a very good game. The Dolphins are coming off a big win over New England. I believe the Dolphins can find away to get it done..... Miami 23 Jacksonville 20

Detroit @ Baltimore..... If the Ravens have any chance for the playoffs they have to win this game against the lowly Lions..... Baltimore 24 Detroit 10

New Orleans @ Atlanta..... The Saints are not playing as well as they were earlier in the season. They are playing better than the Falcons..... New Orleans 34 Atlanta 20

Cincinnatti @ Minnesota..... This battle of Division leaders should be a war. I believe Brett Favre to Sidney Rice will out duel Carson Palmer to Chad Ochocinco..... Minnesota 28 Cincinnatti 24

San Diego @ Dallas..... This battle of Division leaders will be another war. Dallas gets the nod from me being at home..... Dallas 24 San Diego 22

THE SOUTH CAROLINA NORTH VS SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL ALLSTAR GAME is this Saturday at Myrtle Beach.

Until Monday.

SPORTS WEEKEND REVIEW ( 14th Edition )

REBELS AND GATORS UPSET!!!

The Class less Byrnes Rebels got knocked off of their high horse, on Saturday afternoon at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, by the Dorman Cavaliers in the Division 1 4A State Championship game. I'm sure those cocky and class less Rebels and their fans are still in shock, but they might as well get used to the idea that it is DORMAN NOT BYRNES that are State Champions this year! The Cavaliers took advantage of early turnovers and mistakes by the Rebels to jump ahead and they stayed ahead for most of the game eccept for a brief 17 to 14 lead by Byrnes in the 4th quarter. The Cavaliers responded and regained the lead, and then their defense had a pick six to increase the lead to 28 to 17. Then the Dorman defense iced the victory by intercepting QB Chas Dodd in the end zone. The Dorman defense forced 4 Byrnes turnovers, and the Dorman offense capitalized when they had the chance with just enough offense. One thing everybody knew going into Saturday's game was, the Division 1 4A Champion was going to be from Spartanburg County. The Champion is from ROEBUCK NOT DUNCAN!

The mighty Florida Gators also got knocked down a couple of pegs, by the Alabama Crimson Tide, in the SEC Championship game in Atlanta's Georgia Dome. The Crimson Tide was dominant form the start on both sides of the ball. Heisman hopeful Mark Ingram had a big game and Alabama QB Greg McElroy out played Florida's Tim Tebow and was named MVP of the game. The Tide won the game and the SEC Championship 32 to 13. Alabama now has a date with the Texas Longhorns in the BCS National Championship Game. Florida goes to the Sugar Bowl to take on Unbeaten Big East Champ Cincinnati.

OTHER HIGH SCHOOL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS

Division 2 4A State Championship goes to Berkeley 33 to 24 over Northwestern.

Class 3A State Championship goes to Clinton, as they upset Myrtle Beach 35 to 26.

Class 2A State Championship goes to Dillon as they held off Pageland-Central 21 to 20.

OTHER COLLEGE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME WINNERS

The ACC Championship goes to Georgia Tech as they beat Clemson 39 to 35 in a shootout.

The Big 12 Championship goes to Texas as they squeaked by Nebraska 13 to 12.

The Big East Championship goes to Cincinnati as they rallied past Pittsburg 45 to 44.

The Conference USA Championship goes to East Carolina as they defeated Houston 38 to 32.

THE BIG UPSET IN THE NFL was the Super Bowl Champion Steelers losing to the lowly Oakland Raiders 27 to 24.

THE ARMCHAIR COACH had a rough week in game predictions going 5 and 10. My record for the season is 193 and 78 for a percentage of .712.

Until Wednesday.

SPORTS WEEKEND PREVIEW ( 14th Edition )

Well we have reached the final week of the High School football season in South Carolina as we have the State Championship games in 4A Division 1 and 2, 3A, and 2A. We have Conference Championship Games in College football and the NFL teams are playing for playoff positions. Lets look at some of these games.

HIGH SCHOOL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES

4A Division 1 Byrnes vs Dorman..... This is the second meeting this season between these two Region 2 4A rivals from Spartanburg County. Byrnes won the first meeting at home 17 to 10. Byrnes has rolled during the playoffs as they have scored 58, 69 and 51 points in their three playoff blowouts. Dorman has had a tougher road to Columbia, but has played great defense the past two weeks with shutouts of Irmo and Gaffney. I see this game being close for awhile, but I just don't see Dorman scoring enough points to stay with the high scoring Rebels..... Byrnes 31 Dorman 10

4A Division 2 Northwestern vs Berkeley..... The Northwestern Trojans have been on a roll in the playoffs after a 6 and 5 regular season. Berkeley has been pretty strong all season. I have a hunch that the Trojans will pull the upset..... Northwestern 31 Berkeley 29

3A Clinton vs Myrtle Beach..... The Clinton Red Devils haven't won a State Championship in 22 years. Myrtle Beach is the defending State 3A Champs. Make Myrtle Beach the two time defending 3A State Champs..... Myrtle Beach 34 Clinton 21

2A Pageland-Central vs Dillon..... I am a little surprised that Central is in this game. Dillon is the defending Champs in 2A. I see Dillon in a repeat..... Dillon 28 Central 20

COLLEGE FOOTBALL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

ACC CHAMPIONSHIP Clemson vs Georgia Tech..... This is a rematch of a great game won by Georgia Tech back in September by a score of 30 to 27. Clemson looking for first ACC Title since 1991. Georgia Tech hasn't won ACC title since 1990 when they also won the National Championship. This is such an even game and I think the difference will be the Clemson defense, as they will be seeing Tech's option offense for the second time this season..... Clemson 34 Georgia Tech 24

SEC CHAMPIONSHIP Florida vs Alabama..... No. 1 vs No. 2 in the Country. Should be a great football game. I think the difference will be Tim Tebow..... Florida 24 Alabama 21

BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP Texas vs Nebraska..... Texas and Colt McCoy seam to be peaking at the right time. The Horns should roll on to BCS Championship Game..... Texas 35 Nebraska 17

BIG EAST CHAMPIONSHIP Cincinnati @ Pittsburg..... It worked out that the two best in the Big East finishes the season against each other to decide the Big East Title..... Cincinnati 31 Pittsburg 21

CONFERENCE USA CHAMPIONSHIP Houston vs East Carolina..... This should be a very interesting game, and I see Houston having to much offense for the Pirates..... Houston 34 East Carolina 27

NFL GAMES

Tampa Bay @ Carolina..... We will see if Matt Moore can jump start the Panthers offense. Not enough for a win..... Tampa Bay 20
Carolina 16

Minnesota @ Arizona..... The Vikings keep rolling right along..... Minnesota 27 Arizona 17

Oakland @ Pittsburg..... The World Champs need a victory. They get it against the lowly Raiders..... Pittsburg 24 Oakland 10

San Diego @ Cleveland..... The red hot Chargers roll into Cleveland and roll to victory..... San Diego 34 Cleveland 14

New England @ Miami..... The Patriots bounce back this week with a big road win..... New England 27 Miami 20

New Orleans @ Washington..... Can the Saints stay unbeaten? The Skins give them a game, but the Saints remain unbeaten..... New Orleans 26 Washington 17

Until Monday.

GENERAL VIEWS ( 13th Edition )

I know today is Thursday and my General Views blog is supposed to be on Wednesday. We have had sickness in the family and everything that could go wrong has gone wrong around The ArmChair Coach's household. Things are looking a little better, so here is my Wednesday blog today.

Things have been so crazy the last few days, I think it would make me feel better if I could have a quick venting session on a couple of things the sports media keeps harping on. Here it goes.

TIGER WOODS ACCIDENT has been talked about and talked about. You see it on sports reports, you see it on news broadcasts, you here it on the radio sports talk shows, the news radio talk shows and if you looked you would probably see it written about on the walls of men and women bathrooms across the world. The point is, he had only minor cuts and injuries. Who cares if he had a spat with his wife. You and I have spats with our wives and we don't get talked about. Who cares if he had an affair, there are a lot of Tom, Dick and Harry's out there that have affairs. The bottom line is he didn't get seriously hurt, he didn't hurt anyone else, SO LET HIM AND HIS FAMILY DEAL WITH IT!!!

NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL thinks they are the God's gift to College Football. Yes they have a rich football tradition, they have won National Championships and they have had some legendary coaches walk the sideline in South Bend, Indiana. There are other College Football programs with rich football traditions, that have won National Championships and had legendary coaches walk their sidelines as well. These other programs don't get the same treatment that Notre Dame gets. Notre Dame gets to go to BCS Bowl Games if they win 9 ball games. Other programs have to win their conference or win 10 or 11 games to be considered for a BCS Bowl Game. The President, Athletic Director and fans of Notre Dame think that they can get any coach to come and coach their football team just because they are Notre Dame. They are not an elite program in College Football any more. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish could be an elite program again if they would get off of their high horse and join a conference. BEING AN INDEPENDENT HAS SET THEM WAY BACK!!!!

*****THE ARMCHAIR COACH GAME BALL OF THE WEEK goes to the Chesterfield High School Rams for winning their 3rd consecutive Class 1A State Football Championship*****

THE ARMCHAIR COACH went 10 and 10 in game predictions this past weekend. My record for the season is 188 and 68 for a percentage of .734.

Until Friday.

SPORTS WEEKEND REVIEW ( 13th Edition )

Well it was an interesting weekend in the sports world. We had championships won, championship game pairings set, near upsets, plenty of upsets and surprises. Lets review some of the exciting action.

THE HIGH SCHOOL GAME OF THE WEEK had the Dorman Cavaliers winning a hard fought defensive battle with the Gaffney Indians 10 to 0. The Cavaliers scored on their first possession of the 2nd half, to break up a scoreless game, as A.J. Booker threw a 25 yard TD pass to QB Johnny Foster from the Wildcat formation. The Dorman defense forced 4 turnovers and sacked Gaffney QB DeEdward Burris 7 times. The Indians offense had opportunities to score in the game as they were in the Dorman red zone a couple of times and missed a field goal before the half
and had another field goal blocked in the 4th quarter. The turnovers and sacks killed the Indians. The Gaffney defense was very impressive as well as they held the Cavaliers offense to 249 yards. The Indians also sacked Foster 5 times and held highly touted Charone Peake to 3 catches for 30 yards. The Dorman Cavaliers head to Columbia for a rematch with Byrnes for the Division 1 4A State Championship game Saturday at high noon.

BYRNES DEFEATS CINDERELLA SPARTANBURG in the other Division 1 4A Semi-final 51 to 16.

NORTHWESTERN AND BERKELEY won their semi-final games in Division 2 4A.

CLINTON AND MYRTLE BEACH won their semi-final games in 3A.

PAGELAND-CENTRAL AND DILLON won their semi-final games in 2A.

THE CHESTERFIELD RAMS won their 3rd straight Division 1 1A State Championship with a 36 to 6 victory over Lamar.

THE WILLISTON-ELCO BLUE DEVILS won the Division 2 1A State Championship with a 34 to 26 victory over Scott's Branch.

THE COLLEGE GAME OF THE WEEK had the South Carolina Gamecocks upsetting the Clemson Tigers 34 to 17. The Gamecocks over came Clemson's C.J. Spiller returning the opening kickoff for a TD, by forcing 3 huge Clemson turnovers and turning them into points and the Gamecocks were able to get their running game going as they rushed for 223 yards in the game. It appeared to me that the Gamecocks were more inspired to play this game than the Tigers were. It just looked like they wanted it more. Clemson now must regroup and get ready to play Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship game in Tampa on Saturday night. South Carolina awaits a bowl bid in a couple of weeks.

GEORGIA UPSETS GEORGIA TECH in Atlanta by a score of 30 to 24. It appeared that the Yellow jackets were not focused on Georgia, but were looking ahead to their date with Clemson in Tampa for the ACC Title.

THE NFL GAME OF THE WEEK is tonight with New England @ New Orleans.

Until Wednesday.

SPORTS WEEKEND PREVIEW ( 13th Edition )

Well it is Thanksgiving weekend and what does that mean? Yes it means leftover turkey sandwiches, Black Friday Christmas shopping and some huge football games. You have Upper and Lower State Championship games in High School, State Championship games in Class 1A and rivalry week in College football. While I eat my turkey sandwich, lets look at some of the games for the weekend.

HIGH SCHOOL GAME OF THE WEEK

4A Division 1 Upper State Championship Gaffney @ Dorman..... This is the second meeting of the season for these two old rivals. The Cavaliers won the season opener back in August 42 to 17. The Indians are a much improved team as their young team has gotten better week to week. They are coming off playoff wins over Stratford in round 1 and a come from behind win at Summerville last week in round 2. The Cavaliers came from behind in the waning minutes to defeat Clover in round 1 and shut out Irmo in round 2. This should be one heck of a game with the winner going to Columbia for the State Championship next Saturday. Dorman will be a huge test for the young Indians and I believe they will pass it barely..... Gaffney 24 Dorman 21

OTHER HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFF GAMES

4A Division 1 Upper State Championship Spartanburg @ Byrnes..... The Spartanburg Vikings have been the Cinderella team of the playoffs, with two huge upsets. The clock strikes midnight on the Vikings this week in Duncan..... Byrnes 35 Spartanburg 14

3A Upper State Championship Clinton @ Daniel..... Clinton has been a surprise in the playoffs thus far. Daniel will not be surprised..... Daniel 21 Clinton 7

4A Division 2 Upper State Championship South Pointe @ Northwestern..... South Pointe is the Division 2 4A defending Champion and they defeated Northwestern earlier this season. My hunch is the Trojans find away to win the game..... Northwestern 35 South Pointe 32

2A Upper State Championship Abbeville @ Pageland-Central..... This will be a physical hard nose battle won by..... Abbeville 27 Central 21

1A Division 1 State Championship Game..... Chesterfield vs Lamar..... The Rams are here for the 4th year in a row and they are trying for their 3rd Title in a row. They will get it..... Chesterfield 26 Lamar 14

1A Division 2 State Championship Game..... Scott's Branch vs Williston-Elco..... Williston-Elco has been rolling all season and they should roll again..... Williston-Elco 34 Scott's Branch 23

3A Lower State Championship Marlboro County @ Myrtle Beach..... Myrtle Beach is the defending 3A Champs and they will get to go back to Columbia to defend their title..... Myrtle Beach 31 Marlboro County 21

COLLEGE GAME OF THE WEEK

Clemson @ South Carolina..... The Tigers have dominated this series winning 10 out of the last 12 meetings. The Tigers can't over look the Gamecocks with their ACC Title game looming next week. Their next goal is to win the State Championship with a win over South Carolina. The Tigers will find away to get the job done..... Clemson 27 S.Carolina 13

OTHER COLLEGE GAMES

Florida State @ Florida..... The Gators continue their roll toward a date in the BCS Championship..... Florida 34 Florida State 17

Georgia @ Georgia Tech..... The Yellow Jackets take care of business as they get ready for ACC Title game..... Georgia Tech 34 Georgia 20

Alabama @ Auburn..... The Iron Bowl goes to the Crimson Tide of Alabama..... Alabama 23 Auburn 14

Wake Forest @ Duke..... The Blue Devils have a chance to end their season of improvement with a win..... Duke 23 Wake Forest 21

North Carolina @ N.C. State..... A season of disappointment ends in disappointment for the Wolfpack..... North Carolina 24 NC State 16

South Carolina State @ Appalachian State..... This should be a pretty good game with the home standing Mountaineer getting the win..... Appalachian St 33 SC State 24

NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

New England @ New Orleans..... The unbeaten Saints, and their high scoring offense, takes on Tom Brady and the high scoring Patriot. This will be the biggest obstacle between the Saints and an undefeated season. It should be a shoot out and I see the Patriots getting the win..... New England 34 New Orleans 31

OTHER NFL GAMES

Carolina @ New York Jets..... The Panthers are playing better, but they don't have much to show for it. They get a win on the road..... Carolina 23 NY Jets 17

Miami @ Buffalo..... The Dolphins got a big win on the road last week, can they get another this week? Yes..... Miami 27 Buffalo 20

Chicago @ Minnesota..... Brett Favre and the Vikings are rolling right along. They will roll to another victory over the Bears..... Minnesota 31 Chicago 16

Tampa Bay @ Atlanta..... The Falcons have been struggling of late, and they are desperate for a win. They have the right opponent..... Atlanta 28 Tampa Bay 14

Until Monday.

GENERAL VIEWS ( 12th Edition )

Well it is that time of the year again, Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving means turkey and dressing and all the fixings. Pumpkin pie, pecan pie, family dinners and for Christmas shoppers, Black Friday. For the football fans in the Palmetto state this time of year means only one thing and one thing only, CLEMSON VS SOUTH CAROLINA on the football field. I would like to give some facts and opinions on the big in state rivalry.

ALL-TIME SERIES RECORD is 65 wins for Clemson, 37 wins for Carolina and 4 ties.

RESENT SERIES HISTORY-- Clemson won last season 31 to 14 and has won 10 of the past 12 meetings.

FIRST MEETING IN THE SERIES was all the way back in 1896. The game was won by South Carolina 12 to 6.

THE LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY IN THE SERIES was 51 to 0 by Clemson in 1900.

THE HIGHEST RANKED MATCH-UP IN THE SERIES was back in 1987 as the Gamecocks were ranked 12th and the Tigers were ranked 8th. The game was nationally televised by ESPN and South Carolina won 20 to 7.

THE QUARTERBACK THAT WAS 4 AND 0 was Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst. From the 2002-2005 seasons Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst became the only QB in the rivalry's history to post 4 wins in the series.

THE ORANGE PANTS were unveiled by Clemson in 1980. The Tigers had never worn orange uniform pants until Clemson Head Coach Danny Ford surprised fans and players with orange pants for the Tigers to wear against the heavily favored Gamecocks for the 1980 game. The orange pants inspired the Tigers to a 27 to 6 win over the heavily favored Gamecocks.

CLEMSON'S LONGEST WIN STREAK IN THE SERIES is 7 games from 1934 -1940.

CAROLINA'S LONGEST WIN STREAK IN THE SERIES is 4 games from 1951-1954.

GAMES IN SERIES DECIDED BY SEVEN OF LESS POINTS is approximately 40.

MOST POINTS SCORED BY CLEMSON IN SERIES was the 63 points scored by the Tigers in their 63 to 17 victory in 2003.

MOST POINTS SCORED BY SOUTH CAROLINA IN SERIES was the 56 points scored by the Gamecocks in their 56 to 20 victory in 1975.

This has been a fierce and hated rivalry over the years and has become one of the most hated rivalries in Southern College football. This years game should be just as fierce and will probably be won by the Clemson Tigers, yet again.

**********THE ARMCHAIR COACH GAME BALL OF THE WEEK goes to Jimmie Johnson for winning an unprecedented 4th straight Nascar points Championship**********

Enjoy your Thanksgiving.
Until Friday.

SPORTS WEEKEND REVIEW ( 12th Edition )

TIGERS ARE TAMPA BOUND!!

THE COLLEGE GAME OF THE WEEK had the Clemson Tigers becoming ACC Atlantic Division Champions after a 34 to 21 victory over the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday at Death Valley. The Tigers over came a slow start by their defense in the 1st half, to shut out the Cavaliers and hold them to 40 yards in the 2nd half as they punched their ticket to Tampa. Jacoby Ford had a big day for the Tigers with 6 receptions for 106 yards and 1 TD. Kyle Parker continued his improved play as he went 19 of 26 for 234 yards and 2 TD passes. C.J. Spiller had 58 yards rushing and scored 1 TD. The Tigers defense had 8 sacks, all in the 2nd half. The Tigers record improves to 8 and 3 over-all and 6 and 2 in the ACC after their 6th consecutive victory. The Tigers have the State Championship game with the Gamecocks on Saturday in Columbia. The Tigers will have a rematch with Georgia Tech for the ACC Championship in Tampa on December 5th.

THE HIGH SCHOOL GAME OF THE WEEK had the Gaffney Indians coming from behind to defeat the Summerville Green Wave 35 to 28 on Friday night at John McKissick Field in Summerville. The Tribe fell behind 14 to 0 about 5 minutes into the game after two turnovers. The Green Wave then added another score to go ahead 21 to 0 in the 2nd quarter. Gaffney made the score 21 to 7 at the half after an 80 yard TD pass from Burris to Quinshad Davis. The Indians defense came up big in the 2nd half intercepting Summerville QB Dalton Saunders 4 times and holding the Wave's offense to 7 points. Gaffney QB DeEdward Burris scored the winning TD on a 19 yard run in the 4th quarter. Gaffney linebacker Jaquan Barnes intercepted a Saunders pass at the Indians 10 yard line with 30 seconds left to preserve the win for Gaffney. The Gaffney Indians now travel to Dorman on Friday night for a Division 1 4A Semi-final match-up with the Cavaliers.

DID YOU KNOW? With his 124 yards rushing Friday night against Summerville, Gaffney QB DeEdward Burris went over 1000 yards for the season. Burris is the 1st Gaffney QB to rush for more than 1000 yards since 1993 when Tyrone McGill did it.

THE NASCAR SPRINT CUP TITLE was won on Sunday by Jimmie Johnson. It was an unprecedented 4th Title in a row for Johnson. Mark Martin had to settle for 2nd place again.

THE ARMCHAIR COACH went 15 and 5 in game predictions this past weekend. Record for the season is 178 and 58 for a percentage of .754.

Until Wednesday.

SPORTS WEEKEND PREVIEW ( 12th Edition )

TO MUCH RICKEY WILLIAMS FOR PANTHERS!

THE NFL GAME OF THE WEEK was played last night, as the Miami Dolphins got an outstanding game from Rickey Williams as they defeated the Carolina Panthers 24 to 17. Williams rushed for 119 yards and two rushing TDs and he also had a receiving TD. The win by the Dolphins pulls their record even at 5 and 5. The Panthers record falls to 4 and 6 and their playoff hopes took a serious blow.

DID YOU KNOW? Last nights game against the Panthers was the first game in Rickey William's career that he had a rushing and receiving TD in the same game.

Well we have another week of High School playoffs to enjoy. There were a few surprises last week and they're some very good games tonight. Lets look at some of them.

HIGH SCHOOL GAME OF THE WEEK

Gaffney @ Summerville..... This second round Division 1 4A playoff game features the two most storied programs in South Carolina High School football history. Gaffney with 16 State Championships and Summerville with 11. Summerville is still coached by legendary Coach John McKissick. McKissick has more coaching wins than any coach at any level of football. This is the third year in a row that Gaffney has had to go to Summerville in the playoffs. Two years ago the Indians dropped a one point decision to the Green Wave in the State semi-finals. Last year Gaffney defeated the Wave 40 to 10 in the first round. All you really have to say about this game is Gaffney vs Summerville. I believe the Indians will come home with a victory..... Gaffney 31 Summerville 23

OTHER HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFF GAMES

Mauldin @ Byrnes..... When these two met a few weeks back Byrnes put 72 points on the board. They will win big again..... Byrnes 48 Mauldin 17

Dorman @ Irmo..... The Cavaliers will have to play better this week than they did last week. They will do just that..... Dorman 27 Irmo 14

Spartanburg @ Sumter..... The Vikings surprised the state last week with their upset of Rock Hill. The Vikings come back to reality this week..... Sumter 21 Spartanburg 17

Calhoun County @ Chesterfield..... This should be Chesterfields toughest test of the playoffs so far. The Rams pass with flying colors..... Chesterfield 31 Calhoun County 16

Hartsville @ Northwestern..... The Trojans have been rolling along. The roll continues..... Northwestern 34 Hartsville 17

Daniel @ Greenville..... The Daniel Lions got the Chester monkey off their backs last week. They get a Red Raider monkey on their backs this week..... Greenville 17 Daniel 14

Batesburg-Leesville @ Abbeville..... This battle between two teams of Panthers will be a hard physical battle. I see Batesburg-Leesville getting a second consecutive upset on the road..... Batesburg-Leesville 20 Abbeville 16

COLLEGE GAME OF THE WEEK

Virginia @ Clemson..... The Clemson Tigers need this win to be crowned ACC Atlantic Division Champs. The Tigers have been close to a Division Title before only to fold. This appears to be a new breed of Tigers. Which Tiger team shows up, the old Tigers or the new breed of Tigers? The Tigers can book their trip to Tampa for the ACC Title Game..... Clemson 37 Virginia 10

OTHER COLLEGE GAMES

North Carolina @ Boston College..... The Tar Heels are on a roll, but the Eagles need this game to stay in the Division race..... North Carolina 20 Boston College 13

Ohio State @ Michigan..... The Wolverines desperately needs this game. They won't get it..... Ohio State 27 Michigan 17

Duke @ Miami..... The Blue Devils are vastly improved this season. They will play well but come up short..... Miami 34 Duke 20

Kentucky @ Georgia..... The Georgia Bulldogs win one for UGA who passed on Thursday..... Georgia 28 Kentucky 20

Kansas @ Texas..... This would be a heck of a basketball game. Football, not so much..... Texas 36 Kansas 14

North Carolina State @ Virginia Tech..... The Wolfpack's slide continues..... Virginia Tech 34 North Carolina State 24

OTHER NFL GAMES

Cleveland @ Detroit..... This should be a tightly contested game between two 1 and 8 teams going nowhere..... Detroit 17 Cleveland 13

San Francisco @ Green Bay..... This game has serious playoff implications. Both teams need this game to stay in the race..... Green Bay 24 San Francisco 20

Washington @ Dallas..... The Cowboys should bounce back against the rival Skins..... Dallas 28 Washington 10

San Diego @ Denver..... This battle for the AFC West Division lead goes to..... San Diego 24 Denver 17

Enjoy your Sports Weekend.
Until Monday.

GENERAL VIEWS ( 11th Edition )

Well we are getting close to the holiday season, High School football is in their playoffs, College football is getting close to the end of their regular season, the NFL has started the second half of their regular season, the NBA and College basketball seasons have begun. I have some opinions and observations about the Sports World that I would like to blog about today.

C.J. Spiller has to be the best all around player in College football this season. If he don't win the Heisman trophy the voters would have to be crazy or on drugs.

Steve Spurrier is still the coach that he was at Florida. When he was at Florida he had an offense that College football had not seen and didn't know how to defend. Defensive coordinators today have adjusted and know how to defend Spurrier's type of offense. Steve Spurrier's problem is he is stubborn and is not willing to make the adjustments needed to be successful in today's College football.

Joe Montgomery Head Football Coach at Rock Hill High School showed this past Friday night that he still can't beat the Spartanburg High School Vikings. Montgomery's Rock Hill team went into Friday night's playoff game against Spartanburg 11 and 0 and nationally ranked at NO. 21. Spartanburg came into the game at 3 and 8. The Spartanburg Vikings won the game 41 to 28. Before going to Rock Hill, Joe Montgomery spent 12 years at Gaffney High School where he won two State Championships but only beat the Spartanburg Vikings three times in 12 years. One of the seasons at Gaffney he lost to them three times! Two more of the seasons he lost to them two times in the same season.

Peyton Manning is the best QB in the NFL today, bar none. He will probably go down as the best ever by the time he retires. All he needs to do is win at least one more Super Bowl Championship.

The Florida Gators offense is not nearly as explosive this season as it has been the previous few seasons. Where the Gators offense use to over shadow their defense they are winning with defense this season.

Allen Iverson didn't take long to show the Memphis Grizzlies that he is a team cancer and he wasn't worth the money they signed him for, as they released him after only three games.

The Oakland Raiders are without a doubt the worse run franchise in the NFL. This once proud franchise has turned into the laughing stock of the NFL. The game has past Al Davis by, and he should sell the team to someone that knows what they are doing.

The Clemson Tigers appear to be another breed of cat under the leadership of Head Coach Dabo Swinney. Things looked bad after the debacle at Maryland left the team at 2 and 3. Dabo Swinney and the team were not satisfied to be mired in mediocrity, they decided to do something about it. They have won five games in a row and they find themselves one win away from an Atlantic Division Title. The Tigers and their fans should probably look back at the Maryland loss as the turning point in the programs future.

*********THE ARMCHAIR COACH GAME BALL OF THE WEEK goes to the Spartanburg Vikings for their big upset win over Nationally 21st ranked Rock Hill on Friday night*********

THE NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

Miami @ Carolina..... This game takes place on Thursday night and it is a huge game for both teams and their potential playoff runs. The Dolphins and Panthers stand at 4 and 5 on the season after 0 and 3 starts. The Dolphins lost Ronnie Brown to injury Sunday and he probably will not play. The Panthers lost the anchor of their offensive line Jordan Gross for the remainder of the season. This should be a very entertaining game and I see the Panthers defense and home field making the difference..... Carolina 27 Miami 24

Until Friday.

SPORTS WEEKEND REVIEW ( 11th Edition )

SPILLER TIME IN RALEIGH!

THE COLLEGE GAME OF THE WEEK had the Clemson Tigers, behind another strong performance from C.J. Spiller defeated the NC State Wolfpack 43 to 23. Spiller threw a TD pass, had a rushing TD and caught a pass for a TD in the game. Spiller also had 97 yards rushing in the game as well. The Tigers jumped to a 24 to 7 halftime lead and never looked back as they moved one step closer to wrapping up the ACC Atlantic Division Title. Freshman QB Kyle Parker had another very good game as he continues to improve as the season progresses. It was probably the most efficient offensive game of the season for the Tigers as they executed flawlessly and work man like with no turnovers. The Tigers need to get the kicking game fixed as they missed two more extra points. After hitting 116 straight extra points they have missed five the last two games. The Tigers now get ready for their home game Saturday against Virginia on Senior Day with a chance to wrap up the Atlantic Division Title with a win over the Cavaliers.

DID YOU KNOW? Against NC State on Saturday, C.J. Spiller became the first player in Clemson football history to throw a TD, rush for a TD and catch a TD in the same game.

THE HIGH SCHOOL GAME OF THE WEEK had the Pageland-Central Eagles getting a controversial fumble by the Chesnee Eagles that they turned into the winning points in a 20 to 13 victory in their second round playoff game Friday night. The fumble in question was called when Chesnee's Zack Miller appeared to have a first down at the Central 20 yard line late in the 3rd quarter as the play appeared over. The ref said it was a fumble saying that he was on top of a defender and not on the ground. Central scooped up the fumble and returned it deep into Chesnee territory and completely changed momentum in the game. Chesnee's season ends in heartbreaking fashion at 7 and 5. Central, the defending 2A upper state champion, goes to 10 and 2 and will host Strom Thurmond Friday.

SURPRISING UPSETS OF HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFFS had the Spartanburg Vikings, that went 3 and 8 during the regular season, going to Rock Hill and defeating the 11 and 0 Rock Hill Bearcats 41 to 28.

The unbeaten 11 and 0 Woodruff Wolverines lost to the 7 and 4 Batesburg-Leesville Panthers 24 to 17. So we will not have a Woodruff and Abbeville round two this Friday as expected.

THE NFL GAME OF THE WEEK had the surprising Cincinnatti Bengals going into Pittsburg and beating the World Champion Steelers at their own game 18 to 12. The Bengals used a strong physical defense that kept pressure on QB Ben Roethlisberger and held the Steelers to four field goals. The Cincinnati Bengals are now sitting all alone at the top of the AFC North Division at 7 and 2.

THE ARMCHAIR COACH went 15 and 5 in game predictions this past weekend. Record for the season is 163 and 53 for a percentage of .755.

Until Wednesday.

SPORTS WEEKEND PREVIEW ( 11th Edition )

Well we have reached the playoffs in High School football and College football is getting down to positioning for Conference Championships and Bowl game match ups, while the NFL has reached the halfway point in its season. We have lots of very good match ups to look at this weekend, so lets get started.

HIGH SCHOOL GAME OF THE WEEK

Chesnee @ Pageland- Central..... The Chesnee Eagles got a big playoff win on the road last week at Pendleton. Pageland-Central has been a big nemisis for Chesnee over the years and presents a very big challenge tonight as they possess a potent running game and a very strong defense. The Chesnee Eagles have a strong passing game and a good running game that they will use to attack the Central defense. At times Pageland-Central has had some trouble with passing teams. Chesnee has had some trouble with strong physical running games. This should be a very good game and I see Chesnee coming up a little short on the score board..... Pageland-Central 24 Chesnee 21

OTHER HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFF GAMES

Stratford @ Gaffney..... This will be a very interesting 1st round 4A playoff match up as these teams have a playoff history against each other. The first playoff game in The New Reservation goes to the Indians..... Gaffney 34 Stratford 27

White Knoll @ Byrnes..... This game should be over by the second quarter..... Byrnes 56 White Knoll 13

Spartanburg @ Rock Hill..... This old Region 2 4A rivalry is revisited and the Vikings wish that it wasn't..... Rock Hill 27 Spartanburg 13

Clover @ Dorman..... The Cavaliers will have to face the Blue Eagles Wing-T offense. It will take awhile to adjust but they will, and the Cavaliers will get the win..... Dorman 31 Clover 21

Batesburg-Leesville @ Woodruff..... This could be a trap game for the Wolverines with a possible match up with Abbeville looming. Batesburg has been a Woodruff nemesis in the past but..... Woodruff 34 Batesburg-Leesville 28

Buford @ Chesterfield..... This is round two between these two teams and this round also goes to the Rams..... Chesterfield 48 Buford 13

Chester @ Daniel..... The Cyclones have knocked the Lions out of the playoffs the last two years. Daniel is looking for revenge and they will get it..... Daniel 23 Chester 20

COLLEGE GAME OF THE WEEK

Clemson @ North Carolina State..... The Tigers took another step toward the ACC Atlantic Division Title with their big win over Florida State. The Tigers travel to N.C. State for the ultimate trap game. The Wolf pack are last in the Atlantic Division and have had several key injuries this season. Their defense is giving up over 40 points a game in ACC play. The Wolf Pack is capable of scoring points in bunches as they are led by the preseason all ACC QB Russell Wilson. The Clemson offense has been on a roll as well the last four games as they have scored 38 points or more during their 4 game winning streak. The Tigers defense has been playing well during the streak also. The question is, will Clemson play well and take care of business or will the old Clemson show its ugly head and lose a big game against an inferior team? I believe that new Clemson will show up and get the job done..... Clemson 43 N.C. State 27

DID YOU KNOW? The Clemson Tigers have scored at least 38 points in four straight games. That is a Clemson school record.

OTHER COLLEGE GAMES

Florida @ South Carolina..... The late season swoon continues for the Gamecocks..... Florida 30 South Carolina 10

Georgia Tech @ Duke..... This is a huge game in the ACC Coastal Division. A Tech win and they book a trip to Tampa. Duke puts up a good fight but..... Georgia Tech 35 Duke 23

Virginia Tech @ Maryland..... The Hokies keep on rolling right along toward a good bowl game..... Virginia Tech 31 Maryland 10

Boston College @ Virginia..... The Eagles need this game to stay in contention in the Atlantic Division of the ACC. I see Virginia finding away to win the game at home..... Virginia 17 Boston College 13

Iowa @ Ohio State..... After their big win over Penn State, the Buckeyes have a chance to take control of the Big 10..... Ohio State 26 Iowa 10

Auburn @ Georgia..... This game between the hedges could be a shoot out. I see the Bulldogs finding away to win in the 4th quarter..... Georgia 34 Auburn 31

NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

Cincinnatti @ Pittsburg..... The Bengals have been one of the surprise teams in the NFL this season. The World Champion Steelers got off to a slow start but they are on a roll the past few weeks. The battle for first place in the AFC North Division should go to the team with more big game experience..... Pittsburg 27 Cincinnatti 20

OTHER NFL GAMES

Atlanta @ Carolina..... This is a must win for the Panthers if they want to try to salvage the second half of their season..... Carolina 24 Atlanta 21

Tampa Bay @ Miami..... Tampa Bay got their first win last week against the Packers. They will have to wait at least one more week to get win NO. 2..... Miami 31 Tampa Bay 17

Dallas @ Green Bay..... The Packers laid an egg last week against Tampa Bay. They need this game very bad if they want to hang around in the playoff chase..... Green Bay 27 Dallas 23

New England @ Indianapolis..... This game should be a classic. Brady vs Manning. Need we say more..... New England 26 Indianapolis 21

Until Monday.

GENERAL VIEWS ( 10th Edition )

Well it is time for The ArmChair Coach's mid season report card on the Carolina Panthers. Last season was a pretty good season for the Panthers as they went 12 and 4 and won the NFC South Division and a 1st round playoff bye. The season ended in disappointment with a surprising playoff loss to the Arizona Cardinals. So after last season the expectations were very high in Charlotte that the Panthers had a team that could make a Super Bowl run this season. So far this season the Carolina Panthers have a 3 and 5 record at the seasons halfway point. So lets look at why.

PANTHERS QB PLAY

Jake Delhomme ended last season with the worst game in his NFL career against the Cardinals, as he had 5 turnovers in their playoff loss. This season has not gotten any better for Jake as he has only 5 TD passes to 13 INTs, which leads the NFL. Interceptions is not a stat that you want to lead the league in. Delhomme's QB rating is 61.7 for the season, which is not good. So I give the Carolina Panthers QB play a mid season grade F

PANTHERS OFFENSE

The Carolina rushing offense is rated NO. 3 in the NFL averaging 153.0 yards a game. The Panthers passing offense is rated NO. 24 in the NFL averaging 172.1 yards a game. The Panthers are tied for 31st in the NFL in Turnover margin at -9. So Carolina's total offense is rated 21st in the NFL averaging 325.1 yards a game. So I give the Panthers offense a grade of C-

PANTHERS DEFENSE

The Panthers defense got off to a bad start this season but they have started playing better. The Carolina passing defense is rated NO. 6 in the NFL giving up an average of 181.8 yards per game. The Panthers rushing defense is rated NO. 23 in the NFL giving up an average of 122.1 yards per game. The Panthers are giving up an average of 24.5 points per game. The overall total defense rating of the Carolina Panthers is NO. 9 in the NFL as they give up an average of 303.9 yards per game. So I give the Carolina Panthers defense a mid season grade of B

PANTHERS OVERALL HALF SEASON

The Carolina Panthers have an overall record of 3 and 5 playing the NFL's NO. 2 toughest schedule. They were considered one of the NFC's best teams coming into the season but bad QB play, one of the league leaders in turnovers and some injuries on defense has plagued the Panthers through the first half of the season. The Panthers have also had some questionable coaching decisions as well. I give the Panthers an overall mid season grade of D

****************THE ARMCHAIR COACH GAME BALL OF THE WEEK goes to the Clemson Tigers for their big win against Florida State****************

DID YOU KNOW? This season is the first time in Clemson history that they have beaten both Miami and Florida State in the same season.

Until Friday.

SPORTS WEEKEND REVIEW ( 10th Edition )

TO MUCH SPILLER FOR THE NOLES!

THE COLLEGE GAME OF THE WEEK had the Clemson Tigers coming from behind to defeat the Florida State Seminoles 40 to 24. Clemson star RB C.J. Spiller had a record-setting night as he had a career high 165 yards rushing and two TD's and he broke his own all-purpose yardage record, that he set two weeks ago against Miami, as he had 312 all-purpose yards against the Noles. The Tigers Freshman QB Kyle Parker had a big night, after throwing an INT for a TD in the 1st quarter, to pass for 18 of 30 for 242 yards and four TD's. The Tigers trailed 24 to 21 entering the 4th quarter but flexed their mussels out scoring the Noles 19 to 0 to get the win and keep destiny in their own hands to win the ACC Atlantic Division Title. The Tigers now get ready to travel to Raleigh to face North Carolina State.

DID YOU KNOW? Clemson's C.J. Spiller and Jacoby Ford broke the NCAA record for all-purpose yards by teammates as they passed the 10,253 yards of San Diego States 's Marshall Faulk and Darnay Scott from 1991-1993.

THE HIGH SCHOOL GAME OF THE WEEK had the Northwestern Trojans defeating the Gaffney Indians 30 to 23 at The Reservation on Friday night. It took a state record receiving performance from Northwestern's Robert Joeseph, as he had 22 receptions, for the Trojans to win the Region 3 4A Title. Trojans QB Justin Worley had a big night throwing the football as he went 36 of 45 for 378 yards which was one completion away from a state record of his own. The Indians tried to rally in the 4th quarter behind QB DeEdward Burris but fell a little short as the last Indians drive was stopped by an interception by the Trojans Denetri Hemphill. The Indians will go into the Division 1 4A playoffs as the NO. 7 seed and will host Stratford on Friday night. The Trojans will go into the Division 2 4A playoffs as the NO. 2 seed and will hast South Florence.

THE NFL GAME OF THE WEEK had the Carolina Panthers playing pretty well, but they fell to the New Orleans Saints 30 to 20. The Panthers DeAngelo Williams had 149 yards rushing and two TD's. Saints QB Drew Brees overcame two early turnovers to pass for 330 yards and a TD to lead the New Orleans comeback. The Panthers lost three fumbles in the game after not turning the ball over last week in their victory over Arizona. The Saints remain undefeated at 8 and 0 while the Panthers fall to 3 and 5.

DID YOU KNOW? The New Orleans Saints are off to their best start in the 43 year history of their franchise at 8 and 0.

THE ARMCHAIR COACH went 17 and 3 in game predictions this past weekend. Record for the season is 148 and 48 for a percentage of .755.

Until Wednesday.

SPORTS WEEKEND PREVIEW ( 10th Edition )

Well we have reached the end of the regular season in High School football. The 4A schools end their regular season tonight, while 3A , 2A and 1A ended last week and they start playoffs tonight. So lets look at this weekend's action.

HIGH SCHOOL GAME OF THE WEEK

Northwestern @ Gaffney..... The battle for all the marbles in Region 3 4A takes place tonight at The Reservation between the Gaffney Indians and the Northwestern Trojans. The Trojans have rebounded after a 1 and 5 start to the season to win their last four games to be tied with the Indians for first place in the Region at 4 and 0. The Indians have won five in a row after their loss at Byrnes. The Trojans like to pass and pass some more on offense, while the Indians like to try to be balanced. The Indians defense will have to prepare for a totally different look this week after going against Clover's Wing-T last week. In the biggest game at The New Reservation to date, I see the Indians getting the win and the Region Title..... Gaffney 34 Northwestern 30

DID YOU KNOW? The series between Gaffney and Northwestern started in 1972. Northwestern leads the overall series 22 wins to 20.

OTHER HIGH SCHOOL REGULAR SEASON GAMES

Dorman @ Spartanburg..... This is the second time this season these two rivals will have played. Dorman won the first meeting and will win the second... Dorman 27 Spartanburg 13

Byrnes @ Boiling Springs..... This will be the Boiling Springs Bulldogs state championship game, since they are banned from the playoffs..... Byrnes 45 Boiling Springs 20

York @ Clover..... The battle for the third playoff spot in Region 3 4A between two heated rivals. Clover should win going away..... Clover 42 York 19

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFF GAMES

Chesnee @ Pendleton..... Chesnee's explosive offense against Pendleton's stingy defense. I have a hunch that the Eagles will find away to win this game..... Chesnee 23 Pendleton 21

Crescent @ Woodruff..... This game will be a warm up for the Wolverines, as they win big..... Woodruff 48 Crescent 12

Greer @ Chester..... Surprisingly these two teams haven't met since 1963. The 1963 game was won by Chester. The Cyclones will win this one as well..... Chester 26 Greer 17

Landrum @ Bamberg-Ehrhardt..... This years playoff run by the Landrum Cardinals will be short and bitter..... Bamberg-Ehrhardt 31 Landrum 14

COLLEGE GAME OF THE WEEK

Florida State @ Clemson..... This game is no longer called the Bowden Bowl. It has been awhile since the Florida State and Clemson game has had as much riding on it. The Seminoles have gotten back in the ACC Atlantic Division race the with wins the last two weeks. The Tigers have put themselves in a position to control their own destiny to the Atlantic Division Title. The Seminoles have the ACC's most explosive offense but the ACC's worst defense. The Tiger's have the country's most electrifying player in C.J. Spiller and an improving offense. The Tigers also have the ACC's NO. 1 defense. The Tigers will have to control Noles QB Christian Ponder and the Noles will have to control C.J. Spiller and Jacoby Ford. The Tigers will continue to prove that they are a different team, than Clemson teams of the last ten years, and they will find away to win this game..... Clemson 38 Florida State 28

OTHER COLLEGE GAMES

Connecticut @ Cincinnatti..... How good are the Cincinnatti Bearcats? They are good enough to stay unbeaten this week..... Cincinnatti 34 Connecticut 20

Wake Forest @ Georgia Tech..... The Yellow Jackets continue to roll along towards an ACC Coastal Division Title..... Georgia Tech 36 Wake Forest 25

Northwestern @ Iowa..... The Iowa Hawkeyes will win another ugly game and remain unbeaten..... Iowa 27 Northwestern 21

South Carolina @ Arkansas..... I probably should pick Arkansas in this one, but I have a strange feeling that the Gamecocks will win this one..... South Carolina 34 Arkansas 32

Duke @ North Carolina..... I would like to pick Duke in this one, but I just can't do it..... North Carolina 20 Duke 17

Central Florida @ Texas..... The Longhorns continue to stake their claim to NO. 1 with a big win..... Texas 49 Central Florida 14

NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

Carolina @ New Orleans..... This game between last seasons NFC South Champion and this seasons likely winner could be more interesting than most people expect. The Saints are rolling right along scoring plenty of points and staying undefeated. The Panthers had their most complete performance last week in a win over Arizona. The Panthers have the ground game to keep the Saints high powered offense on the sidelines. If the Panthers can keep from turning the ball over they can win this game. I believe that the Carolina Panthers can keep this game close with a chance to win in the 4th quarter, but I believe the New Orleans Saints will pull it out in the end..... New Orleans 27 Carolina 23

OTHER NFL GAMES

Detroit @ Seattle..... Two teams in need of a win. I believe the home team gets it..... Seattle 24 Detroit 13

Dallas @ Philadelphia..... This should be an entertaining game. Tony Romo in a big game usually means a Cowboys loss. I have a hunch that this game will be different..... Dallas 27 Philadelphia 21

Miami @ New England..... I would love to pick the Dolphins after their big win over the Jets last week. But I can't..... New England 34 Miami 31

Kansas City @ Jacksonville..... Which Jacksonville team will show up for this one? The one that wins the game..... Jacksonville 20 Kansas City 17

Enjoy your Sports Weekend.
Until Monday.

GENERAL VIEWS ( 9th Edition )

You know how you get up some mornings and you know it's going to be one of those days. Yesterday was one of those days for me. My day started when I came down to the office to do the Wednesday blog. NO INTERNET! I had Internet problems all day. So I am doing my Wednesday General Views blog today.

Well it is about 8 or 9 weeks into the College Football season and you have seen the Coaches Top 25 College Football Poll. You have seen the BCS Poll for 3 or 4 weeks, and now it is time to see The ArmChair Coach's Top 5 College Football Poll. So here it is.

THE ARMCHAIR COACH'S COLLEGE FOOTBALL TOP 5 POLL

(1) Florida Gators..... The Gators are the defending champs and they are still undefeated. They have perhaps the best defense in the country. Yes, they still have Tim Tebow. They are my NO. 1 team, until they get beat.

(2) Texas Longhorns..... The Longhorns have been pretty good all season, but they seem to be getting stronger as the season goes along. They have beaten Oklahoma and they also avenged last seasons loss to Texas Tech. They are my solid NO. 2 team.

(3) Alabama Crimson Tide..... The Tide has remained undefeated, mainly because of their great defense and their powerful running game. They have struggled at QB this season, but RB Mark Ingram has carried their offense at times this season. Strong defense and a great running game makes them my NO. 3 team.

(4) Oregon Ducks..... Here is where I differ from the major polls. The Ducks have one loss, but they are probably the hottest team in the country. Their blow out of U.S.C. was very impressive and I believe if they played again this week they would win again. With the one loss I can't put the Ducks in the Top 3 but they are my solid NO. 4 team.

(5) Georgia Tech..... The major polls have the Yellow Jackets at NO. 10 or 11. They have one loss against a good Miami team. The Jackets offense has been almost unstoppable at times. The Jackets like Oregon are one of the hottest teams in the country. They control their destiny in the ACC. So I am very comfortable putting them ahead of three more unbeatens as my NO. 5 team.

THE WORLD SERIES had the New York Yankees defeating the defending Champs the Philadelphia Phillies last night 7 to 3. The Yankees won the World Series 4 games to 2. Hidecki Matsui got the Yankees offense off and running with 6 RBIs in the first 5 innings. The Yankees won their 27th World Series Championship.

**********THE ARMCHAIR COACH GAME BALL OF THE WEEK goes to the New York Yankees for winning their 27th World Series Championship**********

Until Friday.

SPORTS WEEKEND REVIEW ( 9th Edition )

WOODRUFF STAYS PERFECT!

THE HIGH SCHOOL GAME OF THE WEEK had the Woodruff Wolverines jumping on Chesnee early and often in beating the Eagles 45 to 23 to stay perfect on the season and wrapping up the Region 2 2A crown for the second straight season. The Wolverines scored on their first possession of the game to lead 7 to 0. Then 17 seconds later, after recovering an onside kick, Woodruff extended their lead to 14 to 0. The Wolverines rolled to a 38 to 8 3rd quarter lead and never looked back. Woodruff QB Jake Lambert finished the night 22 for 39 for 354 yards and 3 TD passes. Lambert also added 2 rushing TDs in the Region Championship clinching victory. Chesnee QB Walt Miller was 11 for 18 for 165 yards and 3 TDs and he added 97 yards rushing. The loss drops Chesnee to the third spot in the final Region standings.

DID YOU KNOW? With their win over Chesnee this past Friday night, Woodruff completed their first unbeaten regular season since 1984.

THE COLLEGE GAME OF THE WEEK had the Tennessee Volunteers scoring 24 points off of four South Carolina turnovers as the Volunteers rolled to a 31 to 13 victory over the 21st ranked Gamecocks. The Gamecocks lost three fumbles in their own territory setting Tennessee up for scoring drives of 43, 27 and 22 yards. Stephen Garcia also tossed a 4th quarter interception. South Carolina out gained Tennessee 365 yards to 341 yards, but lost the all important turnover battle 4 to 0. The Gamecocks fell to 6 and 3 overall and 3 an 3 in the SEC. The Volunteers improved to 4 and 4 overall and 2 and 3 in the SEC. South Carolina travels to Arkansas while Tennessee hosts Memphis this Saturday.

DID YOU KNOW? The South Carolina Gamecocks have never beaten Tennessee in consecutive seasons.

DID YOU KNOW? South Carolina has a 1 and 14 record all-time at Tennessee.

THE NFL GAME OF THE WEEK had Brett Favre returning to his old stomping ground in Green Bay as QB of the rival Minnesota Vikings. Farve completed 17 of 28 passes for 244 yards and 4 TDs in leading the Vikings to victory over the Packers 38 to 26. The Minnesota defense sacked Packers QB Aaron Rodgers six times. The Vikings are now 7 and 1 and holds a 2 game lead in their Division over the 4 and 3 Packers and Bears.

THE ARMCHAIR COACH went 17 and 3 in game predictions this past weekend. Total for the season is 131 and 45 for a percentage of .744.

THE WORLD SERIES has the New York Yankees winning the last three games to take a commanding 3 games to 1 lead in the series. The Phillies have a must win situation tonight if they are to stay in the series and send it back to New York.

Until Wednesday.

SPORTS WEEKEND PREVIEW ( 9th Edition )

Well we have another Sports Weekend upon us and before I look at this weekends action I need to vent. The people running the High School League in South Carolina are a bunch of IDIOTS. The reclassification's for next school year are a joke. They might as well should have pulled teams out of a hat with the way it looks. But my biggest beef is them denying the appeal for Boiling Springs to be in the playoffs. Yes the Bulldog's coaches made a mistake letting an eight grader play in a scrimmage, but what about the brawl early this season between Summerville and Stratford? Those schools did not get banned from the playoffs! I guess your school name has to be Summerville and your coaches name has to be McKissick to get treated fair! IT'S JUST ONE BIG JOKE!

Well I have vented, so lets look at the games for this weekend.


HIGH SCHOOL GAME OF THE WEEK


Woodruff @ Chesnee..... This is the game that will decide the Region Championship. The Wolverines are unbeaten and ranked No. 1 in 2A and have been very impressive this season especially on offense. Jake Lambert has been lights out at QB for Woodruff. The Wolverines defense has been getting better as the season has progressed, and is pretty good. Chesnee has a pretty darn good QB of their own in Walt Miller. He had a huge game last week against Southside where he was 14 for 23 passing for 314 yards and five TDs. He also had a rushing TD as well. The Eagles defense has gotten better, and I expect them to slow down Woodruff's offense. I look for this to be a very good game with the Wolverines staying unbeaten..... Woodruff 31 Chesnee 21


OTHER HIGH SCHOOL GAMES



Gaffney @ Clover..... This is a huge game in Region 3 4A. The Indians have not been tested the last three weeks, but have an exam this week. They pass but barely........ Gaffney 35 Clover 31


Chesterfield @ McBee..... This battle for the Region Championship should be over by half time..... Chesterfield 43 McBee 8


Spartanburg @ Boiling Springs..... The Bulldogs defeated the Vikings for the first time last year. They make it two in a row..... Boiling Springs 17 Spartanburg 13


Blacksburg @ Southside Christian..... The Wildcats try to beat Southside Christian for a second time this season. They will..... Blacksburg 27 Southside Christian 16


Mauldin @ Byrnes..... The Rebels should be a little flat this week after big win over Dorman last week. Mauldin will hang around for awhile..... Byrnes 38 Mauldin 17


Chapman @ Clinton..... The Panthers need this game desperately. They won't get it..... Clinton 24 Chapman 14


Palmetto @ Broome..... Huge game for Broome if they want to finish at least in second spot in region. They get it..... Broome 30 Palmetto 14


COLLEGE GAME OF THE WEEK


South Carolina @ Tennessee..... This game could have really been good if Steve Spurrier had not kept his mouth shut. Spurrier vs Kiffin would have been fun. So I guess the game will have to be fun and it will. The Gamecocks are determined to show the country that they are a different team this year. This is the part of their schedule that they usually end up faltering. Tennessee needs this win to show the country that their near miss against Alabama was not a fluke. South Carolina has a little more offense and should win a close one..... South Carolina 20 Tennessee 17


OTHER COLLEGE GAMES


Coastal Carolina @ Clemson..... The Tigers have momentum and should make this a typical Homecoming blowout..... Clemson 44 Coastal Carolina 6


North Carolina State @ Florida State..... The Noles are tuning up for big show down at Clemson next week..... Florida State 37 NC State 24


Duke @ Virginia..... The Blue Devils have a chance to win third ACC game in a row. They will..... Duke 20 Virginia 14



Texas @ Oklahoma State..... The Longhorns continue to stake their claim to be No.1..... Texas 34 Oklahoma State 20


Georgia vs Florida..... The Gators defense has been carrying them the last couple of weeks. They will score more this week..... Florida 33 Georgia 17


Georgia Tech @ Vanderbilt..... The Yellow Jackets are on a roll and will roll out of Nashville with a big win..... Georgia Tech 35 Vanderbilt 14

NFL GAME OF THE WEEK

Minnesota @ Green Bay..... This has got to be the game of the day with Brett Favre going back to play in Green Bay against the Packers. Farve led his new team ,the Vikings, to victory over the Packers a few weeks back and I believe he will get a win as the visiting QB on the field that he led the Packers to so many wins..... Minnesota 27 Green Bay 21

OTHER NFL GAMES

Carolina @ Arizona..... The Panthers need a win very bad. I believe they will play well, but they come up short..... Arizona 24 Carolina 20

Denver @ Baltimore..... The Broncoes luck runs out this week....,. Baltimore 23 Denver 17

Seattle @ Dallas..... The Cowboys got a big win last week and should get another this week..... Dallas 30 Seattle 17

Miami @ NY Jets..... The Dolphins won a thriller on Monday night a few weeks back. The Jets get revenge..... NY Jets 26 Miami 23

Enjoy the games.

Until Monday.