Zooker Hires LT's Old Coach

This happened a few days back but the Zooker has hired Mike Schultz, the TCU offensive coordinator, to replace Mike Locksley and take over the OC position with the Illini.

I like this hire. Schultz helped lead TCU to a great season in '08, including a choice Poinsettia Bowl victory over previously unbeaten Boise St. TCU's only losses this season were on the road against Oklahoma and Utah, two teams you might have read about in the sports pages this week.

Plus you gotta love the fact Schultz coached LT back in LT's Horned Frog days. I love it when my favorite teams have crossover appeal. It's like the Zooker hired Schultz with this humble blog in mind.

That's the Zooker for you, always thinking of ways to help a guy out.

Courting Hoffman

Reports in the media are that a certain NL Central team is courting everyone's favorite future HOF closer.

Yeah, that's right, this guy:

The thought of Trev in another uni makes me want to drop a deuce on Alderson's carpet. At the same time, Trev isn't the pitcher he once was and baseball is, after all, about winning. It's also a business and maybe the Padres just can't afford Hoffman. Whatever the reason, I guarantee Trevor gets stoked if he ever pitches against the Drinos.

I remember September 2003. I was in the Diego for a few days and my Dad and I went to Qualcomm for a game, I think one of the final 12 or so at the Q. Don't remember much about the game, I could look it up on baseball-reference.com if I was so inclined, but I do remember that the Drinos brought in Trevor for a non-save situation. He hadn't pitched all season after undergoing shoulder surgery (nice fill in work by Rod Beck). He looked good and I remember feeling good about the fact that the '04 Padres, sporting new digs at Petco Park, would have Brian Giles in RF and a healthy Trevor Hoffman closing out games. Those were good days.

Look, Trevor isn't officially gone. But now that day feels real close.

Illini Dabble But Then Lose In Ann Arbor

The Michigan team that beat the Illini 74-64 in Ann Arbor on Sunday was a good team. They were good because they were hitting their threes. If that team hits their threes - as Beilein teams tend to do - they could be a source of annoyance as the Illini grow into a very good team the next two or three years.

In related news, I think the Illini have three pros right now, all sophomores. The more I watch Demetri McCamey, Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis, I think they might all become pros someday. Tisdale has size and that great mid-range and turnaround jumper game that's popular with the European kids; McCamey can run point and hit threes from long distance and criminy, the kid scored 31 in a game as a freshman last season; and Mike Davis has a long, athletic body, can get to the basket, and can hit the open shot. He has an NBA game in the making. If you project all three out I think you get three pros.

Time will tell.

The Illini are off until next Saturday when they host Tom Crean and the Indy Hoosiers.

I'm Naming My First Child Sproles. Or Perhaps Scifres.

Nick Canepa called it the best NFL game ever in Mission Valley. That old coot has certainly been around long enough to be considered an expert so I'm not gonna disagree. The only game I can think of that comes close (considering only playoff games) is the win over the Dolphins in the '94 playoffs, but to get that win the Bolts needed Pete Stoyanovich to miss a 48-yard field goal as time expired. For this win they took the fight to the Colts, created a number of scoring opportunities, forced the Colts to play on a long field throughout the game and made big plays on key defensive downs.

Here are the plays that stand out, both the good and the bad:

- the opening offensive play for the Bolts where LT ran around right end for 13 yards;

- the Mathis sack on 3rd and 2 that ended that opening drive;

- every Mike Scifers punt starting from the first to the last where the ball miraculously landed on the two and bounced straight into the air, going out of bounds at the 1 yard line ... because of Scifres the Colts started possessions at their own 10, 19, 3, 7, 9 and 1;

- that 36-yard completion from Manning to Anthony Gonzalez where Gonzalez snaked up field;

- the big completion to Gates where Gates ran to the 10 and then turned and stiff armed the Colts defender;

- the Manning shady 72-yard pass to Reggie Wayne that caught Antonio Cromartie and the rest of the Bolts D sleeping;

- the beautiful Bolts drive from their own 20 that ended with Sproles fumbling the ball into the end zone for a Colts touchback ... this is when I took my glasses off, sat on the couch and rubbed my eyes, unable to look at the television;

- the gutsy 12-yard scamper on third down by Philip Rivers that set up a 4th and 1 sneak for a first down ... Rivers' dive along the sideline to try to get the first down epitomizes his toughness;

- the interception to the deep safety in the end zone on the very next play after getting a first down at the Colts' 32;

- the Dobbins' sack at the 1 yard line on 3rd and 2 after Manning double pumped ... Manning never saw Dobbins;

- Rivers' two passes to Gates over the middle on the game-tying drive;

- Kassim Osgood clapping that the coin toss came up tails;

- the defensive holding penalty on 3rd and 8 where the Colts' DB grabbed Chris Chambers and spun him around; and

- the Sproles run around left end for the game winning touchdown.

Bolts win 23-17.

Now on to Pittsburgh.

Go Time

Hey Philip,

You had the best season of any QB in football this year. I don't care what the MVP voters say.

Let's get r dun tonight.

Best,
Bevormo

New Owner?

Word is Jeff Moorad (the guy standing) may be the next owner of the Drinos. Moorad resigned today as CEO of the D-Backs and says he is near an agreement to buy the team from John and Becky Moores.

A very interesting development to say the least. All previous reports said that it would take months for Moores to work out a deal to sell the Padres. Although a final deal may indeed be a few months away, the fact Moorad resigned today would seem to indicate a deal may get done faster than anyone initially imagined.

Some initial positives of this development are that Moorad is a SoCal kid, has shown a willingness to okay expenditures in 'Zona, has overseen development of a strong farm system while with the Backs and, let's be honest, is not going through a divorce. If we're lucky he'll take over in time to okay an increased payroll so the Pads can keep Peavy and maybe sign another free agent or two.

I'd have no problem with that.

Happy New Year!

Happy 2009, folks!

It's going to be a big year.