Red Bull GP Indianapolis

Casey Stoner (lead bike) on his way to victory in Indianapolis

           
            The 4^th Red Bull Indianapolis GP was won by Australian Casey Stoner. Stoner dominated the race from Lap 8 on after he passed his teammate, Dani Pedrosa. The win was Stoner's 7^th of the 2011 season and further heightens his lead in the Moto GP championship. Dani Pedrosa and American Ben Spies finished 2^nd and 3^rd, respectively. Crowd favorites Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi both had mechanical problems that ruined their day.

            
            After the race, Casey Stoner continued to harp on the course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Here is what he had to say:

            "I'm not like other riders who enjoy tracks because they win there. I've won on most circuits and I can’t honestly say this is better than most of them. I don't get a kick out of it because I won on it.

This whole facility and place could be unbelievable, but in my opinion, the corners are that tight; you use first gear here more than other circuits. They're so tight and twisty, so in the corners you don't really push, just kind of ride around. . . . It's just my opinion, but I don't really enjoy riding it as much as other circuits."

            
            It’s not too harsh, but really unnecessary. If you don’t like the track, then don’t come! None of the other riders seem to care too much. This guy comes off arrogant and pompous. He’s not some grand champion or “greatest rider in the world”, he only has one world championship. Here’s another quote from Stoner that further enforces the idea he would be more likeable if he just kept his mouth shut. "Back in those days (referring to the older days of motorcycle racing), it was just racing – Doohan, Rainey, Schwantz, Gardner, Lawson – not half as much bullshit as now. That was the life."

            
            I’m hoping this guy flies off his bike and breaks his jaw next race.

            
            The contract is up for the Moto GP at Indianapolis but a new contract is expected to be signed in time for next year’s race. Indianapolis Star’s Bob Kravtiz made a good point in an article on Monday. He mentioned that if the Moto GP expects to grow in America then comments by Stoner need to not be made public or just not said at all. Motorcycle is a very niche sport, kind of like lacrosse or horse racing. The only place you’ll find info on the sport is if you look it up yourself.

Colts vs. Packers Analysis

            The Colts played the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers last Friday night in their third preseason game. Although the Colts ended up losing at the last minute, 24-21, there was plenty to be optimistic about. The play of the Curtis Painter in the first half was actually pretty impressive. The Colts starting defense was great too as they held Aaron Rogers and company to just 10 points in the first half.

3 Things I liked:

Curtis Painter- I have proudly stated that Painter need to be cut from the team ever since he was picked up by the Colts. He was never that good at Purdue, so why would he be good in the NFL? He has looked absolutely dismal in every start he’s had and in every game he's ever played in. He changed that perception Friday night though. In fact, Painter looked solid. He stood in the pocket every time he went back to pass and kept his composure until he found an open receiver. There were times when he didn’t pick up blitzes, but that falls on the offensive line as well.

            With 1:55 in the second quarter, Painter led the Colts down the field in a perfect 2-minute offense. He finished the drive with a perfect toss in the back corner of the end zone to wide receiver Chris Brooks. After the play there was a clip showing Peyton Manning  smiling on the sidelines. To me, Peyton was thinking “I knew you could do it” or “That was a heck of a throw”, either way it was a cool moment.

            Painter was done after the first half, but during the time he played he threw for 171 yards and two touchdowns. I never thought there could be such a widely publicized battle for a backup job, esp. when the leading contenders are Painter and Kerry Collins. If you would have told me even a month ago that I would type this next sentence I would have laughed in your face and probably punched you. Curtis Painter needs to be the backup to Peyton Manning.

Colts defensive front: The four defensive linemen for the Colts were monsters for two straight quarters. People want to hype up what the Detroit Lions have, but I think our lineup is pretty impressive; Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis on the edge, then Tommie Harris and Jamal Anderson inside. These guys had three sacks, knocked down a pass, and pressured Aaron Rogers continuously. Rookie Drake Nevis made one of those sacks and should get some time on the field this season.

Dwight Freeney (#93) and Robert Mathis (#98)

Tackling: The Colts have been called out past seasons and in this year’s preseason about how poor their tackling is. I didn’t see but one or two broken tackles, if that, in the first half. The speed of our defense didn’t allow the Packers players to break tackles because our guys were swarming their ball carriers.

3 things I didn’t like:

Phil Simms: God this guys is annoying!!! I hate this announcer more than any other of any sport or any network. He NEVER has anything good to say about the Colts. Never. It was even more annoying when he started a sentence “In this building…” (referring to Lucas Oil Stadium) three times in two quarters. Newsflash Simms, L.O.S. isn’t that loud, and doesn’t even begin to compare with the cacophony inside the old RCA Dome.

Phil Simms

Offensive line: These guys were definitely the weak link in the game. I swear it must be somewhere in Ryan Diem’s contract that he HAS to be the cause of at least one penalty a game. How can you have a “false start” when you’re playing at your own stadium, in the preseason? It’s not like you can’t hear the quarterback! They also let Packers corner back, Charles Woodson, get to Painter about three times and sack him twice. They opened up no holes at all for the running game,thus never giving Joseph Addai or Donald Brown a decent chance of getting a big run.

Phil Simms again?: There wasn’t a lot to dislike about how the Colts played in the first half. The real problem came in the second half when the backups went in. The even bigger problem came in the final minute of the 4^th quarter. The Packers scored a touchdown then a 2-point conversion, recovered the ensuing onside kick, and then kicked the game winning field goal. Yeah, all that in the final minute. Fortunately, several of the players involved in that meltdown were cut from the team.

            The Colts play their final game of the preseason Thursday night against the Cincinnati Bengals. The regular season starts against the Houston Texans on Sept. 11^th.

            Indianapolis also announced that Peyton Manning is off the “Players unable to play” or “PUP” list and was able to practice today. It seems like somebody was right about Manning being ready to play in the first regular season game.

2011 Red Bull Indianapolis GP Preview

            
            The Red Bull Moto GP is back at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the fourth time. Last year the race was won by Spaniard Dani Pedrosa.  In 2008 Valentino Rossi won and in 2009 his Yamaha teammate, Jorge Lorenzo, took the victory.

            

            This year Australian rider Casey Stoner comes into the race as the MotoGP points leader. Stoner already has six wins this year, but in two Indy starts his best finish is 4^th. Stoner said today in a press conference about the race on Sunday, “It’s a very challenging track, it’s not a normal brake, enter and exit the corner circuit, there are some tricky little sections to it and there are some faster sections that take more guts than some corners”.

Casey Stoner

            

            There are three Americans in the field and all consider this track to be a “home track”. The most successful of these Americans is Kentucky native, Nicky Hayden. Hayden won the 2006 Moto GP championship and has numerous wins but none at Indy. In three starts Hayden has finished second, third, and sixth. Ben Spies (from Tennessee) and Colin Edwards (from Texas) also represent the U.S.A. but neither has experienced the achievements that Hayden has. I thought this quote by Edwards about racing at IMS was interesting, “The track isn't too technical or demanding”. That’s quite contradictive of Casey Stoner’s thoughts on the track.

            

            If you’re looking at favorite for the race you can never count out Valentino Rossi. Rossi is a 9-time series Champion and goes by the nickname, “The Doctor”. Rossi won the inaugural race in 2008, crashed out in 2009, and finished 4^th last year.  Other popular choices include the only two drivers to win at Indy besides Rossi, Dani Pedrosa and Jorge Lorenzo. They sit 5^th and 4^th, respectively, in the points standings.

Valentino Rossi(left) and teammate Nicky Hayden on their Ducati's

            

            Well I’ve talked about four of the top five in the points standings so why leave somebody out? Sitting in third place is Italian Andrea Dovizioso. He actually seems the most consistent of any driver at IMS. In three starts he’s finished 5^th, 4^th, and 5^th.

            

            I’ll wait to pick my favorites to win until Saturday night. Just like any race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where a driver qualifies places a serious part in how great their shot at winning is.

            

            Remember a few months ago when I wrote about how IMS was having the road course re-paved? Well this is the first time anybody will be driving on the new asphalt. Lap times and speeds are expected to be higher than they usually are. It’ll be interesting to watch if that is the case, or if any drivers have to accustom themselves to the new surface.

Quarterback news!

            There was big news for two Indiana teams and their QB situation. On Wednesday, the Indianapolis Colts finally signed a veteran quarterback out of retirement to back up Peyton Manning. The catch is his name isn’t Brett Favre. Instead, the Colts picked up Kerry Collins.

-The news of this signing was actually announced on Twitter by Colts owner, Jim Irsay. This comes less than 24 hours of me writing “Twitter should never be used as a valid source”. Thanks for proving me wrong Irsay!

            
            The 38-year old Collins has played in the NFL for 17 years for five different teams. He was actually drafted by current Colts president, Bill Polian in 1995 when Polian controlled the Carolina Panthers. Collins has a total of 206 career touchdown passes (Manning has 399) and 40,441 yards (Manning has 54,828).

            
            Some see this move as an indication that Manning will miss significant time at the beginning of the season, others see it as an insurance move. I tend to believe that this is more of an insurance move. I like to believe that Manning will be ready to go 100% once the regular season starts Sept. 11. There is a chance though that he could further injure his neck so signing a veteran like Collins is a good move.

            
            With Collins in, current back up Curtis Painter may be on his way out. I’m crossing my fingers!

           

            
            In other NFL news, the Oakland Raiders picked up former Ohio State player, Terrelle Pryor. This is just another fantastic move by the geniuses in Oakland. The Denver Broncos named Kyle Orton their starter. This means that neither Tim Tebow nor Brady Quinn (my favorite Notre Dame quarterback) will be starting. The Carolina Panthers also named their starter. That will be the 2011 No. 1 draft pick, Cam Newton. This forces former Irish QB Jimmy Clausen to the bench. It’s not a good time to be a Notre Dame quarterback.
 -How awesome would have it been to see the Colts make a move for Clausen or Quinn? I know Quinn has what it takes to be a great QB if he was given a chance.

           

            
            This brings me to the disappointing news I found out on Wednesday as well (not via Twitter). The starting quarterback for the 2011 Notre Dame Fighting Irish will be Dayne Crist. Crist and Tommy Rees had been battling since spring to determine who would be the starter. I guess Crist won the battle.

            
            I have been preaching and teaching and preaching some more that Rees is the man for the job. I have been arguing on ESPN, blogs, Facebook, and Xbox Live! When Crist leads the Irish to another 3-3 start, just remember I was right.

Miller Time!

            
           The greatest Indiana Pacer of all time may be returning to the Hoosier State, but not as a player unfortunately. A recent Yahoo Sports report says that Pacers owner, Herb Simon, has been asking people around the league how Reggie Miller would fare with a front-office job.

            
            Larry Bird, the current team president, is taking the job “one year at a time”. I, and many others, expect Bird to leave after this year or at the latest after next year. He seems to have finally gotten the team back on the track to winning and making the playoffs. Bird had considered retiring before this season but met with Herb Simon in May and decided to stay.

            
            Reggie Miller played for the Pacers for 18 seasons and is one of the best 3-point shooters ever. He has been a NBA analyst for TNT for the past six years. Miller said recently, “It would be an unbelievable opportunity to be able to go home.” He would obviously accept the jobs if the position was open. I would love nothing more to see Miller be the head of the Pacers, but he would need some time to adjust to the position.

            
            Former Pacers president, Donnie Walsh, has also been brought up as a possible candidate. He is currently the president of the New York Knicks. If anything, he could come back to Indy and help Miller become accustomed to the ins and outs of being a team president.

             
            This is all assuming there is a 2011 NBA season. There is still a lockout for the NBA and as it is now there will be no basketball in the fall.

Miller in the 1995 Playoffs gesturing towards New York Knicks fan, Spike Lee.

Brett Farve to Indy?

Brett Favre as a Green Bay Packer

            There’s a question I NEVER imagined I would have to answer. Then again, after Favre’s (yes that is the correct spelling) drama the past few years nothing surprises me. The whole Favre thing began because Peyton Manning will not play in any preseason games due to his neck surgery, and may not be 100% for the first couple of regular season games.

            

            So on Sunday, Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts “tweeted” (which should never be considered a valid source for any reason) “Brad, I'm in Hattiesburg. . . . is it right or left at the Firechief?''. You would think this was the “tweet heard ‘round the world”. ESPN Analysts and even local news affiliates suddenly decided this meant the Colts were interested in bringing Brett Favre to Indianapolis from his hometown of Hattiesburg. Since Sunday evening dozens of articles have been posted about Brett playing for Indy, from the Indianapolis Star to the Washington Post.

            

            For one, as I said earlier, Twitter should never be taken seriously. Two, who the hell is Brad in the tweet? Third, why would the Colts want Brett Favre? Indy currently has back-ups Curtis Painter and Dan Orlovsky who are pretty horrible, but would be better than Favre. Favre would have to learn a new whole offense, as well as get timing down with the entire offense. Plus, Brett is not the same Brett he was with the Packers, or even the Vikings.

            UPDATED 8/232011- I just finished Indianapolis Star writer Bob Karvitz's article about all the Brett Favre and Twitter hooplah. He believes the "Brad" in Irsay's tweet is former Minnesota Vikings coach, Brad Childress.

            
            On Monday, Brett Favre’s agent said he has not heard anything from Brett about leaving retirement to play. The last he heard from Brett, he was on his tractor at his home in Mississippi.

            

            
            It is a fact that Peyton Manning’s expected return to the playing field is unknown. It is also a near guarantee that he will not get any time in the next two preseason games. My gut feeling is that Manning will be the starter for the first regular season game on September 11^th. Manning has worked hard his entire career to start every game, and has started 208 consecutive games. There is no way he is going to start that number over.

            

            Manning came off of surgery in 2008 and had a slow start. When he finally got his mojo back the Colts finished the season with nine consecutive wins. The same thing will probably happen for the 2011 season. The Colts and Manning will struggle in the beginning of the season but when Manning gets his timing down and shifts the offense into high gear they will be nearly unstoppable.

Harley-Davidson Test at IMS

            
            Harley-Davidson was back at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time in more than 100 years. Last Thursday and Friday the Harley-Davidson XCR1200’s had a testing session in advance of their race next weekend. These motorcycles race in a league called the AMA Vance & Hines Harley Davidson’s. The race is just one part of the Red Bull Moto GP at Indianapolis in which several events will be happening at IMS and all over Indy.

         
             I have never even heard of this series and most of you haven’t either. So here’s the basic rundown of the league.

“The AMA Pro Vance & Hines XR1200 Series is a spec-bike race series featuring specially modified Harley-Davidson XR1200 motorcycles. Vance & Hines is the title sponsor and official kit supplier for the class. The special kits consist of a Vance & Hines XR1200 exhaust system, a Fuelpak fuel management system, race bodywork including number plate, single-seat tail section and belly pan, 17- inch front wheel with matching front fender, steering damper, oil cooler relocator and race decal package. The cost for the complete kit, which does not include the price of the motorcycle, is $3,500.00.”

www.vanceandhines.com/xr1200series/about

Here's some pics I took during the Friday test

2011 Big Ten Football Preview

The new Big Ten Logo with its two divisions

            
            The Big Ten has been through a very tumultuous time since the 2010 season ended. There have been coaches hired, coaches fired, and new schools added.

                
            The University of Nebraska has been added to the previously 11-team roster. Yes, the Big Ten has 12 teams (and the Big 12 has ten teams). This let the conference divide into two divisions for all sports, the “Leaders” and “Legends”. The Leaders are: Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin. The Legends are: Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Northwestern. A lot of people are all hung up on the Big Ten having 12 members, as well as the division names. My thought is that they are just fine and people should find better things to worry about.

                
            The all-mighty Ohio State University has fallen from their perch at the top of the Big Ten. It was discovered in December of 2010 that players were selling their game worn jerseys and memorabilia for tattoos and cash. It was made even worse because head coach Jim Tressel knew about it. A lot went down between the NCAA and OSU, including numerous sanctions. Eventually Tressel resigned and quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who was supposed to be back this season, declared for the draft. Ohio State is now forced to find a new quarterback and hope their new coach can fix the disaster Tressel started.

Jim Tressel. The one in the sweater vest.

                
            Ohio State’s biggest rival, Michigan, also hired a new coach. Brady Hoke, a former football player at Michigan, was brought in to replace Rich Rodriguez. Rodriguez struggled for all three years to produce a talented team and connect with fans and alumni. Hoke inherits a defense that horrible last season, but has quarterback Denard Robinson at his disposal.

                
            Another coaching change occurred when Indiana University fired Bill Lynch and acquired Kevin Wilson. Wilson was the offensive coordinator for Oklahoma State’s recently spectacular offense. Wilson had an odd incident at a radio show in Indianapolis this week. The talk show hosts were poking fun at Indiana University and its struggling football when Wilson just snapped on them. Some see it as a man defending his new team; some see it as a man with anger issues. The people in Bloomington just like guys with anger issues I guess.

Here’s a preview for the 2011 season, with each team in the position I’ll think they’ll finish the season. The team’s 2010 record is in parenthesis.

Leaders

#10 Wisconsin Badgers (11-2)- Transfer quarterback Russell Wilson was a three-year starter at North Carolina State and fills the major hole that was in Wisconsin’s offense for this season. Wisconsin brings back stud running backs Montee Ball and James White. 
UPDATE 8/26/2011- I forgot to mention this but the Badgers are my pick to win the Big 10 Championship.

Purdue (4-8) - I hate hate hate Purdue, but this is my surprise team. They faced dozens of injuries all season long, and eventually lost their best running back, best wide receiver, and best quarterback. By the end of the season, they had used four quarterbacks throughout the season. If they can stay healthy, they’ll be dangerous.

Illinois (7-6) -There can’t be a harder team to predict how they will perform in the Big Ten then these guys. Their record the past five seasons: 7-6, 3-9, 5-7, 9-4, 2-10. So if the pattern continues (losing season, winning season, average season, losing season, and winning season) the Illini should have a mediocre season. Mediocrity has sadly become the norm under head coach Ron Zook. He is very similar to Notre Dame’s former coach Charlie Weis. They bring in top players but can’t ever get the most out of them.

#16 Ohio State (12-1) - It just doesn’t seem possible for the Buckeyes to recover from the turmoil of the past 6 or so months. They have a new coach and quarterback, and will be missing four of their key players because of suspension for the first five weeks of the season. When those players do come back it’ll take a while to get them incorporated into the system and up to speed.

#25 Penn State (7-6) - The Nittany Lions are ALWAYS over-hyped. They beat three absolutely horrible teams (i.e. Temple, Indiana State, and Youngstown State) at home, and then get blown out when they finally play a decent team. This year they don’t have any hype, so maybe they’ll be good.

Indiana (5-7) - The Indiana Hoosiers have a new coach this season, Kevin Wilson. That’s about all that matters really. Oh, and basketball season is less than five months away!

Legends

#11 Nebraska (10-4) - The Cornhuskers are the new kids on the block. They also bring one of the richest histories of any college football program and should fit right in with Ohio State and Michigan. Nebraska has the always dangerous Taylor Martinez at quarterback and two All-Americans on defense.

#17 Michigan State (11-2) - Senior quarterback Kirk Cousins is hoping to make this season even more special for the Spartans. Last year Sparty had a great year and finished 11-1 before losing to Alabama 49-7. The Spartans also bring back their best rusher so their offense should be very potent.

Northwestern (7-6) - You can’t but like the Wildcats. Northwestern is an academic school and seems like one of the few schools left that pushes academics over athletics. The Wildcats were doing great until their quarterback Dan Persa got injured, losing their final three games without him. He’ll be the starting QB this season and whenever he’s on the field he gives Northwestern a decisive advantage.

Michigan (7-6) - As mentioned, Michigan has a new coach, and a new offensive scheme. This new offense is going to rely more on the run, as opposed to the previous “Spread” formation. The Spread is what quarterback Denard Robinson excelled in so it’ll be interesting, and to Michigan’s advantage, if he can succeed in the new offense.

 Iowa (8-5) - There wasn’t a lot of information on how the Hawkeyes will do this year. They will have running back Marcus Cooker back who took over the position midway through the season. Cooker is expected to have a huge year because four of the offensive linemen from last season are back.

Minnesota (3-9) - Even less info was found on the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Maybe I should start making up my own information? How would anybody know I was lying? Just kidding. The Gophers have a new head coach, Jerry Kill, who was the coach for Northern Illinois. Kill is a guy that likes to pound defenses with a strong running game. According to Minnesota running back, MarQueis Gray, “this is the type of offense that we need.' It makes everybody on our offense salivate."

               

            Sports Illustrated writer Stewart Mandel has the Big Ten finishing as followed:

Leaders: Wisconsin, Penn State, Ohio State, Purdue, Indiana, Illinois

Legends: Nebraska, Mich. State, Iowa, Northwestern, Michigan, Minnesota

                
            So we’ll see after the season who’s smarter, me, or the guy that gets paid to know everything about college football.

                
            Looking at these previews the common theme for about every team is quarterback. Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, and Indiana all have new quarterbacks. Northwestern, Michigan State, and Michigan retain their dynamic QB’s. Quarterback is probably the most important position of any on a football team, but in the wide-open Big Ten race, a great QB can be the difference between Big Ten Champion and Big Ten Contender.

               

                
            The Big Ten released a statement today saying that the league is not interested in expansion now “or at any time in the foreseeable future, barring a significant shift in the current intercollegiate athletic landscape.” This comes in result to last summer’s mad dash of schools leaving conferences, and recent talks of Texas A&M possibly joining the SEC. Many speculate that if expansion does occur, it would involve Missouri and Pittsburgh; perhaps even Notre Dame.

               

IndyCar Debacle

            Oh IndyCar, you make it so hard to be a fan of your league. Just when you think IndyCar is taking a step forward, it takes two back, literally. On Sunday, it was announced that the new cars planned to debut in 2012 will have to wait until 2013. Then on the same day, the race at New Hampshire Speedway ended in complete chaos.

                
             IndyCar President Randy Bernard said the reason for the delay of the cars is money. Numerous team owners have said that they will not be able to afford enough cars to run next season. In a recent vote to decide if the cars should be used next season, owners voted 15-0 against using them. Bernard said “…we don't want to go from 27 or 28 cars (in the racing field) to 16 cars because it's cost-prohibitive. If we'd have had 16 cars, (the kits, or cars) would have been the excuse. It could have been the demise of our sport." I understand the move but it’s disappointing to have to wait another year to see the new cars in action.

                
            The part I don’t understand is how Indianapolis Star writer Curt Cavin says “Every team will have new cars; the Dallara prototype debuted last week at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course…” Every team will have new cars? Will they be new cars but with the current body? Chevrolet and Lotus will also be a part of the series next year, but again, I’m not sure how.

                
            Now, to get to the actual on track action. The race at New Hampshire was dominated by points leader Dario Franchitti until about halfway through the race. Franchitti and Takuma Sato made contact after a restart and caused Dario to crash. After that it was a three-way battle for the lead between Servia, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and Scott Dixon.

                
            With 10 laps (Lap 218) to go the cars were preparing for a restart.  Several of the drivers were pleading with their spotters and crew chiefs to let IndyCar officials know the track was had moisture on it and was too slippery to drive on. The chief official, Brian Barnhart, said he never knew about the drivers wanting a red flag thrown. So the green flag was waved and cars went everywhere. Danica Patrick immediately lost control and slid into Will Power, and then Takuma Sato and Ed Carpenter crashed into Will Power. After Will Power got out of the car he flipped the double bird, on live TV, in the direction of where Barnhart was stationed at above the track. After the crash IndyCar decided that the track was in fact too wet and the race was red flagged.

Will Power in all his glory

               
            After the damage had been done, IndyCar decided they would revert back to the results before the caution came out. That meant the winner was Ryan Hunter-Reay but Oriol Servia took issue with that because on the restart on Lap 218 he had gotten by Hunter-Reay before the caution was thrown for all the spun-out cars. Scott Dixon said after the race “I was thinking Oriol won the race, Ryan Hunter-Reay deserved to win the race, but if you go by how we normally race he didn’t win. I’m not racing USAC or racing on the dirt… the caution laps count”.

               

                
            It’s safe to say that Sunday was the worst day for the IndyCar series this season. Dedicated fans to casual racing fans to newcomers had to be disappointed by the delay of the new cars. Then those fans had to be even more disappointed to see their league act like it doesn’t know its own rule book and doesn’t respect the opinion of its drivers. There have been several instances this year that have brought into questioning of how the officials of IndyCar handle situations and penalties. After this season rules need to be created, eradicated, or be made clearer so the drivers, teams, and fans can all understand what is allowed and what isn’t.

This picture taken during the race at New Hampshire was symbolic of the weekend IndyCar had. IndyCar race cars crashing in front of a NASCAR banner.

Tragedy in Indianapolis

This will be one of the few times I bring non-sports related news into my blog, but I felt like I should at least acknowledge what happened Saturday night in Indianapolis.

Saturday night at the Indiana State Fair, four people were killed and dozens injured when a concert stage collapsed onto the crowd. These people were standing around the stage in sort of a mosh-pit style.

A storm had just started making its way into the area and police had begun evacuating the crowd around the stage and in the grandstands. It was too late though. The metal beams supporting the tarp above the stage collapsed onto the crowd. There is a video of the stage coming down and it is chilling to watch.

To make it even more personal for me, I was just at the fair earlier in the day but left a few hours before the accident occurred. 

Everybody should at least prayer or think about the families who lost loved ones. Nobody deserved this, and nobody should have to suffer through something like this.

UPDATE 8/14/2011 at 1:34 pm: The Indiana State Fair is closed for Sunday. There is no word on how this will affect the other concerts in the upcoming weeks. A man died this morning due to injuries from the collapse, which brings the number of lives lost to 5.

2011 Notre Dame Football Preview

            
            Being a Notre Dame fan in the 21^st Century has been incredibly difficult. I have seen four different coaches, two bowl game victories out of seven, three losing seasons, and a decade of domination by USC over the Irish.

            
            I wish I could say “this is the year Notre Dame returns to glory!” but I’ve said that twice in the past and it’s starting to get old. Notre Dame fans like myself have long been tantalized with this hope that each upcoming season will be the one that reasserts the Fighting Irish on top of the college football world. Every season begins like this one has, with dozens of articles predicting how the Irish will win 10 games and be in contention for a BCS Bowl. There are posts by bloggers like me with outlandish predictions about how we’ll blow out every opponent and every other player is a possible Heisman candidate. Notre Dame will get there at some point under head coach Brian Kelly, but we’re not there yet.

           

            
            The #18 Fighting Irish opened their camp with a problem that could be considered envious or disastrous. Who should be the starting quarterback? If you remember, this question has been lingering since spring practices in April. There are four quarterbacks at Notre Dame, with two in serious contention for the starting spot; Tommy Rees and Dayne Crist. Crist went 4-4 as the starter last year. Crist then got injured and Rees filled his spot and led the team to finish 8-5. Rees is my choice for a starter. He showed improvement in every game and had the dynamics to lead the team to victory.

Tommy Rees(#11) and Dayne Crist(#10) talk to Brian Kelly

            
            Notre Dame also brings back almost the entire defense. If I’m not mistaken, the only starter that will not be here for this season is linebacker Brian Smith. That means ten returning starters, including monstrous linebacker Manti Te’o. The starting defensive backs, safeties Dan McCarthy and Harrison Smith, and cornerbacks Robert Blanton and Gary Gray, are all hoping to be even better than last season. Notre Dame ranked 20^th  in interceptions in 2010 and had a fairly good pass defense, so it wouldn’t shock to me to see the Irish have a top 10 pass defense in 2011. Although, an important factor to having a good pass defense is having a good rush defense. Notre Dame should be great in that department too. As I said, Manti Te’o is back, and so are defensive linemen Kapron Lewis-Moore and Ethan Johnson.

            
            On the offensive side, returning wide receivers Michael Floyd, T.J. Jones, and Theo Riddick should provide excellent targets for whoever the quarterback is. The biggest question mark other than the quarterback position is how the running back position will play out. Last year’s starter Armando Allen is gone, and Cierre Wood and Jonas Gray have to fill his shoes. Notre Dame hasn’t had a dominant running back in a long time, mainly because the offense has focused on the passing game so much. Neither Wood nor Gray have to be game changers, they just need to be solid backs that don’t fumble and can break the occasional tackle.

Schedule for 2011

Sept. 3- vs. South Florida Bulls

Sept. 10- at Michigan Wolverines

Sept. 17- vs. Michigan State Spartans

Sept. 24- at Pittsburgh Panthers

Oct. 1- at Purdue Boilermakers

Oct. 8- vs. Air Force Falcons

Oct. 22- vs. U. of Southern California Trojans

Oct. 29- vs. Navy Midshipmen

Nov. 5- at Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Nov. 12- vs. Maryland Terrapins

Nov. 19- vs. Boston College Eagles

Nov. 26- at Stanford Cardinal

            There are several games to be excited about for Irish fans. The head coach of the USF Bulls is Skip Holtz, son of former N.D. coach, Lou Holtz. The Michigan game will be the first night game EVER at the more than 100-years old Michigan Stadium. That game will also see the teams wearing “retro” uniforms; I am not a fan of this. The big one for me is the USC match- up as I LOATHE the Trojans. It will also be the first night game in South Bend in more than 20 years. I’m going to the Navy game! The last game against Stanford could be an incredible match up if both teams match their preseason expectations.

            
            Looking at the schedule and referring to what I know about the current roster of players, I see Notre Dame going….…. 10-2. The easy wins are USF, Pitt., Purdue, Air Force, Navy, Wake Forest, Maryland, and Boston College. The Michigan and U.S.C. games are toss-ups for me. I don’t think the Irish will be able to beat Stanford, esp. after than man-handling the Cardinal did to the Irish last season. Anything less than 8-4 should be, and will be considered a disappointment.

            Look for a preview and review for each game this season. GO IRISH!

This is not me, I swear!

COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS HERE!

            College football is finally back!!! Hands-down, no questions asked Saturdays in autumn are my absolute favorite times of the year. There is nothing better than plopping down on the couch and camping out all day switching between games on ESPN, CBS, Big Ten Network, and NBC. I love the traditions, marching bands, rivalries, giant stadiums, student sections, rankings, bowl games, and everything else. I will be previewing most of this college football season in the upcoming days, focusing on Notre Dame in particular, but also The Big Ten and the national scene.

Don't get too excited though, the first game isn't for 3 weeks.

2011 Colts Training Camp

            Training camps for NFL teams are open, and preseason football is right around the corner. The Indianapolis Colts have been at Anderson University since Sunday and are getting ready for the regular season. The biggest news coming out of camp this past week has been punter Pat McAfee nailing field goals from 75-yards away. Yes, this is what training camp is all about!

            
            Off the field the Colts have been signing veteran players and free agents. The signing of Peyton Manning led to the signing of Joseph Addai, Ryan Diem, and Antonio Johnson. Indy also signed free agents linebacker Ernie Sims, defensive end Jamaal Anderson, and defensive tackle Tommie Harris. I was taken aback by these pickups, as the Colts very rarely big name players. Team President, Bill Polian, explained that the three new players all played in the same defensive scheme that the Colts use, the Cover 2.

            
            The Colts start pre-season games on August 13^th, against the St. Louis Rams. They play at Lucas Oil Stadium against the Washington Redskins on August 19^th and on August 26^th they play the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers. Finally, they finish September 1 in Cincinnati for the I-74 Rivalry.

Carl Edwards

            
            Dang it feels so good to be right. I thought Carl Edwards would stick with Roush-Fenway Racing and guess what? HE DID. Edwards signed a multi-million dollar contract with Roush and turned down an offer from Joe Gibbs Racing. Edwards is one of the best contenders for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship this season and probably the most marketable driver in America. It is not known how much his contract his worth exactly, or how long it lasts.

UPDATE 8/8/2011- Danica Patrick has said that she will race full-time in the Nationwide Series(part of NASCAR) for JR Motorsports. She may race a few races in the Sprint Cup Series for Stewart/Haas and may race in the Indianapolis 500.

2011 Brickyard 400 Review

Paul Menard "kisses the bricks" after his victory Sunday

            The 18^th Brickyard 400 was all about fuel strategy, and the man with the best strategy on Sunday was Paul Menard. Menard won the first race of his career at the track that his father and he have been a part of for a very long time. Paul’s father, John Menard, has fielded cars in the Indy 500 for 35 years but had never been a part of a victory.

           

            If the Menard name sounds familiar, that’s because it is. John Menard owns the Menard home improvement stores and is one of the richest men in the world.  Many said Paul was only in NASCAR because his father was able to sponsor his car without Paul having to prove himself. One of those critics was Tony Stewart, when a few years ago he said “You can have your father buy a ride and write a big check, but you can't buy talent." But as Jeff Gordon said after the race, “You don’t win at Indy by fluke”. I had never been impressed with Menard before the Brickyard. After seeing him hold off a fast-charging Gordon was very impressive and conserve enough gas to finish was impressive.

Paul Menard(right) and his father, John

           

           

            The first third of the race was dominated by Red Bull Racing’s Kasey Kahne. Kahne led all the laps until the first round of pit stops at Lap 30, then took back over the lead and led until Lap 60 when Hendrick Motorsports took over. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson went back and forth from positions 1, 2, and 3. Then when a caution came out, the fuel insanity began.

           

            Some drivers came in, some did not. Some drivers took 2 tires and others took 4. Drivers with great cars were stuck in the back while drivers with mediocre cars were upfront. From this point on, Lap 100, the race was going to come down to strategy and fuel conservation. There were numerous different leaders including Brad Keselowski, Landon Cassill, and Paul Menard.

           

            With 20 laps left, Indiana’s Tony Stewart had the lead. He has won the Brickyard twice, but there was no way he could make it to the finish without getting gas. This was the same song for most of the drivers except ones who had pitted around Lap 125 during a caution; one of the drivers that did pit was Paul Menard. Stewart did eventually pit on Lap 145, and Paul Menard took over the lead.

           

            Menard lead with Mark Martin 2^nd, Jamie McMurray 3^rd, Greg Bifle 4^th, and Regan Smith 5^th. All of these drivers were pretty low on fuel and had to conserve to make it to the end.  The first driver in line behind these conservationists was Jeff Gordon. Gordon had to pit under green and was 10 seconds behind the lead group of cars with 20 laps to go.

           

            10 laps to go and Menard still lead with McMurray 2^nd, Martin 3^rd, Trevor Bayne 4^th, and Smith 5^th. Gordon was now only 8 seconds behind. With 8 laps to go McMurray took over the lead and looked like he had Menard beat, but Gordon was now only 7 seconds behind.  .

           

            4 laps left and Menard was given the message that he had conserved saved enough gas and could run flat out. He passed McMurray and took over the lead. Gordon was now 2 seconds back and in 4^th place. 3 to go and Gordon moved into 3^rd, then into 2^nd.  2 laps to go and Gordon was just one second behind Menard.  The white flag came out and Menard still held his lead. He made his last four turns and came down the frontstretch to take the checkered flag and win the 2011 Brickyard 400.

           

           

            Jeff Gordon definitely had the fastest car all day. I was really upset to see him not be able to seal the deal. Menard knows what it means to win at the Brickyard, so I’m happy he won. Kasey Kahne also had an incredibly fast car but got caught up in strategy and never saw the lead except for earlier in the race. My driver A.J. Allmendinger also had a fast car and if the race would have played out without the fuel strategy he would have at least had a top 5. Instead he finished 22^nd.

           

           

            My pick to win the race, Matt Kenseth, had a strong car all day and finished 5th. My other picks to win the race with their finishing position: Jeff Gordon (2^nd), Jimmie Johnson (19^th), Greg Bifle (7^th), and Carl Edwards (14^th). If you recall, I originally had Tony Stewart (6^th) and Kevin Harvick (11^th) instead of Kenseth and Bifle.  Neither Stewart nor Harvick had good cars; they just played the strategy right. The same could be said for Bifle too.