National Sports Shorts

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

DeFlate Gate: I have no idea as to why I'm giving this subject any attention therefore, I must be absolutely crazy.

ESPN along with the other Major Sports Networks, plus Social Media have saturated us with this absurd non story.

I'll keep my comments Short and Sweet.

First of all the New England Patriots hammered the Indianapolis Colts 45-7 in Massachusetts in the AFC Championship Game.

Running back LeGarrette Blount ran for three touchdowns to lead the Patriots. As far as I'm concerned, Blount could have used a "Nerf Football" and then we wouldn't have to listen to the DeFlate Gate Garbage. The bottom line is the Colts got their rear-ends kicked, It's that plain and simple. End of story.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Super Bowl Prediction: My colleague George Eichorn asked for one two days ago and now I'll go on record as to what I think will happen Sunday as the defending champions Seattle Seahawks (12-4) look to defend their title against the New England Patriots (12-4) in the battle of No. 1 seeds in Glendale, AZ.

Blount tends to come up with clutch performances in big games and this one will be no exception. This guy is a powerful wrecking machine and has some good acceleration when he finds space. The Pittsburgh Steelers signed him in the off-season and he was let go because he was annoyed that he didn't have a bigger role in their running attack. The Patriots were smart enough to snap him up quickly.

I look for former U-M QB Tim Brady to get another ring and Tight End Rob Gronkowski at 6-6 is one tall target who is too tough to defend. Between Blount and Gronkowski, this is one potent-powerful one-two punch which will cause havoc for the Seattle defense. Seattle's defense has allowed 11 TD's to tight ends.

Brady is playing in his sixth Super Bowl and is 3-2. If he wins his fourth title, he ties legends Joe Montana (San Francisco) and Terry Bradshaw (Pittsburgh) for the most in Super Bowl history.

Brady's only losses were in dramatic fashion to the
New York Giants.

I do look for a two point play of some kind in this contest.

My Final Score has New England winning 33-27 as the Patriots take the Lombardi Trophy back to the East Coast. Since Seattle Running Back Marshawn Lynch doesn't like to talk to the media, now he'll have a reason to stay silent while former New England Coach and current Seahawks boss Pete Carroll loses to his former employer.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

John Fox to the Chicago Bears may be the only way to fix Jay Cutler and he brings Adam Gase in as his offensive coordinator from the Denver Broncos. It was four years ago that Fox actually won a playoff game with former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow as his signal caller reaching the playoffs with an 8-8 record.

I actually thought that former Denver Broncos Coach Mike Shanahan had a chance to get the Bears job until Fox unexpectedly became available.

I had a friendly prediction with a good friend named Robert Schultz, who is a Chicago native that now resides in the Dallas suburb of Hurst, TX. Schultz was quick to joke around that I was wrong but I quickly rebuttled that I just chose the wrong former Denver coach. We shared laughs on this though Shanahan is one guy who had previously worked with Cutler and former Broncos Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall.

If Gase is able to get any production from these two players and does turn Cutler around, there is no doubt he'll get a head coaching job for the 2016 season.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The early returns on QB Johnny Manziel have BUST written on them right now. It's a shame that Manziel hasn't grown up yet and he's more hype than substance. He prefers to party rather than study. The Cleveland Browns spent a late first round pick for a fraternity brat that likes to go to night clubs and makes more headlines off the field than on the field.

Manziel has a good arm and his mobility demonstrates there is some talent. It's just too bad that he doesn't appreciate the opportunity he has.

I've always admired the attitude of Tebow and wish that he had more of an opportunity to play in the NFL. While Tebow's mechanics remain his biggest downfall, you can't teach work ethic, maturity and character issues with Tim. I just wish Tim had played football in the Canadian Football League to continue to use this as a stepping stone to return to the NFL. Even New England Patriots Owner Robert Kraft was hoping he'd make the team two years ago. But it wasn't meant to be as he truly enjoyed Tebow's character, attitude, personality and work ethic.

But back to Manziel. At the rate he's going, he'll be out of the league in three years as new QB prospects get developed in college. Hopefully Manziel is smart enough to realize that if a nice guy like Tebow can get railroaded out of the NFL, he won't be too far behind.

The words more trouble than your worth are common in the NFL because you're paid to produce in this league. If you don't do your job then someone else will be more than happy to take it from you.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Milwaukee Bucks Coach Jason Kidd is looking like a genius for leaving the Brooklyn Nets after one season. Owner Mikhail Prokhorov has put his 80% majority interest up for sale. It looks like the Russian Billionaire has lost interest in his toy which is losing millions of dollars a year. The Nets are 18-27 as of this post and are out of the playoffs. The team is evaluating Coach Lionel Hollins.

Meanwhile, Kidd has the Bucks in playoff contention and are the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 23-22 mark. They lost their franchise rookie Small Forward Jabari Parker to a season ending injury but keep plugging in other players. Guard Brandon Knight is having a fine season.

The team just signed veteran Power Forward Kenyon Martin to provide veteran leadership. Kidd's former teammate with the New Jersey Nets was a big part of helping them reach the 2002 and 2003 Finals.

Center Larry Sanders is currently serving a 10-game suspension because of drug use and has missed other games due to personal problems. I'd be very surprised if Sanders is still on the roster and the Bucks buy out the rest of his contract.

Whatever happens, the Bucks are on House Money since they had a franchise worst 15 wins last season. What a difference a new coach and philosophy makes. It will be interesting to see what happens the remainder of the season. The team knows it needs to get a new stadium built by 2017 or risk the possibility of losing it to another market.

Winning will cure a lot of this and as Kidd continues to mature as a coach since he's only in his second year, thus the upside seems endless for both the Bucks and Kidd.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Hockey Game I didn't watch was this years NHL All-Star Game Sunday in Columbus, Ohio.

Team Toews defeats Team Foligno 17-12 Sunday as the 29 goals were the events most in the 60-year All-Star Game which has changed formats numerous of times.

When a game has a fake fight and no defense, this is absurd!

The previous high was a 26-goal burst in North America's 14-12 win over the World in 2001.

I'm glad I watched the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-98 win over Oklahoma City on ABC. Cleveland's LeBron James and OKC's Kevin Durant were definitely worth watching.

The NHL All-Star Game was on NBC Sports Network and I can't imagine that the ratings were that great. I don't mind watching superstars demonstrate their talent, but when the game comes across as fake entertainment then it leaves a lot to be desired about it's validity.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Addition by subtraction is something that I hate to discuss when it comes to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

A couple weeks ago the latest residents to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame are Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Craig Biggio and John Smoltz. All of these players have earned their place in Cooperstown, NY because of their Excellent Careers.

The subtraction parts comes at the expense of Mr. Cub Ernie Banks, who died on January 23, 2015 just seven days shy of his 84th birthday. He was the greatest Cub of all-time and smacked 512 home runs. He was the first Cub to ever have his number retired. His No.14 was retired in 1982 and Banks has a statue outside of Wrigley Field that was erected in 2008.

Banks played all 19 of his seasons with the Cubs from 1953-1971 at first base and shortstop. He was an 11-time All-Star and was a first ballot Hall of Fame selection in 1977.

This guy gets a Gold Medal for positive attitude because during his career the Cubs never reached the post-season. His teams finished below .500 in all but six seasons.

Banks was named to Baseball's All-Century Team in 1999.

So when we watch this year's induction ceremony July 26, 2015, it's too bad that Banks won't be there to greet the four newest inductees. But at least he was alive to see the four players who are the latest of the greatest to reach immortality in the Great American Past-Time.

He'll be watching these ceremonies in Heaven and he'll never be forgotten. Rest In Peace Ernie as you join many of the greatest deceased Hall of Famers in Heaven.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at www.scottsports33.com.

NFL Prospects Highlight Capital One Bowl

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

PHOTOS BY CANDICE EBLING

The last time we saw the Wisconsin Badgers play on November 30, 2013 in Madison at Camp Randall Stadium, there were some interesting story lines against the Penn State Nittany Lions.

The game temperature was 42 degrees and the winds were blowing Southwest at 10 mph.

The Badgers were vying for a position in a BCS Bowl game, but Penn State's 31-24 win sent Wisconsin (9-3) to the Capital One Bowl in Orlando instead of a possible spot in the Orange Bowl In Miami.

As it turns out, Penn State's win was the last for Coach Bill O'Brien, who became the head coach of the Houston Texans.

The walk from the Press Parking Garage in Madison to the stadium was about 35 minutes compared to the five minutes at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Lot A.

Weather Conditions for the Capital One Bowl were 64 degrees with winds seven mph along with a misty light rain that had ponchos available for the photographers to stay dry.

December 30, 2013 was Black Monday in the NFL. The first coaching casualty hit the Washington Redskins as Mike Shanahan was fired.

South Carolina Gamecocks Coach Steve Spurrier piloted the Redskins from 2002-2003 and he was 12-20 in two seasons before re-resigning on December 30, 2003 with three years and $15 million left on his contract.

He took 2004 off then landed with the Gamecocks in 2005 where he's taken this program to higher levels compiling a 76-39 record going into the Capital One Bowl Game against the Badgers. 

Spurrier has guided South Carolina to a 10-2 mark in 2013. This is Spurrier's third straight 10-2 record going into a bowl game.

The contest against Wisconsin is Spurrier's 300th collegiate game. Going into the game he is 218-79-2. Spurrier said somebody told him right before the game and that he hadn't thought about it until right before the game.

Spurrier had a two-game bowl winning streak. 

Two years ago, he led a 10-2 South Carolina squad into the Citrus Bowl and throttled the Nebraska Cornhuskers (9-3), 30-13 on January 2, 2012.

Last year, on January 1, 2013, South Carolina was 10-2 and defeated the Michigan Wolverines (8-4) 33-28 in the Outback Bowl in Tampa. But this game would be known for what happened with 8:21 left in the fourth quarter.

Jadeveon Clowney delivered a tenacious hit on Michigan Running Back Vincent Smith. Clowney's hit dislodged Smith's helmet, forced a fumble that Jadeveon recovered and led to the game winning touchdown.

So what would give on January 1, 2014 against Wisconsin? Would the Badgers get their ninth 10-win season in school history and fourth in five years?

The Badgers entered the game as the eighth best rushing team in the nation with 3,396 yards with a 283 average. Wisconsin featured multiple running backs that averaged at least 100 yards a game in sophomore Melvin Gordon (122.2) and senior James White (111.4). 

White wears No. 20 and Detroit Lions fans remember that a Hall of Fame Player named Barry Sanders wore this number.

Wisconsin is currently 2-0 in the Capital One Bowl with their last trip here in 2006. 

UW was victorious in its last game in Orlando scoring a 20-14 win over Miami in the 2009 Champs Sports Bowl, and is 3-1 all-time at the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium.

As it turned out, there were no crunching hits by the 6-6, 274 pound, Clowney, (Photographed wearing No.7) who hails from Rock Hill, South Carolina. 

Instead, it was the Connor Shaw Show as the senior QB lit up the Badgers secondary by throwing for 312 yards and three touchdowns to defeat the Badgers 34-24 in front of 56,629 fans at The Citrus Bowl.

Shaw was named the Capital One Bowl MVP. It was his first 300-yard passing game of the season. He finished his South Carolina career with 27 wins as a starting quarterback as the victory extended a school record he extended earlier this season.

Shaw (Photographed wearing No.14) became the fourth player in school history to surpass the 6,000 career mark with 6,074.

The Flowery Branch, Georgia native, was 22-25 and had only three incomplete passes and sacked just once. He also rushed for another 47 yards and a touchdown. Clearly, a poised hybrid signal caller.

The Wisconsin loss dropped the Badgers to 9-4, 2-1 all-time in the Capital One Bowl and 3-2 in the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium.

There were no hits that would earn an ESPY Award on ESPN.

Just potential pro prospects.

Clowney had five tackles, four solo and one assist. He also had two break-ups and one quarterback hurry. Clowney's next football activities figure to be his Pro Day, and the NFL Scouting Combine.

After the game, Clowney wasted no time by announcing his intentions that he was making himself eligible for the NFL Draft.

According to many draft experts, Clowney is projected as a top five selection.

White gained 108 yards in his final game with the Badgers. He finished his career with 4,011 yards which is fourth on the Badgers all-time list, trailing Ron Dayne (7,125) Montee Ball (5,140) and Anthony Davis (4,676).

Ball will be playing in the Super Bowl on February 2 in New York/New Jersey at MetLife Stadium. 

For White, it was his 18th career 100-yard game, tying him with John Clay for sixth place on Wisconsin's all-time list.

The teams highly touted rushing attack amassed 293 yards for UW, the third best rushing performance in a bowl game in school history. Gordon lead the team with 146 yards.

The Dynamic Duo of Gordon and White made history with their combined 250 yards rushing. They became the single-season all-time leading rushing tandem. Gordon finished with 1,609 yards while White had 1,444. Their combined total 3,053 yards are better than the FBS record of 3,004 set by Nevada's Cody Fajardo and Stefphon Jefferson in 2012.

Gordon (photographed, wearing No.25) and White are the first teammates in FBS History to rush for at least 1,400 in the same season.

The Badgers amassed 3,689 yards in 2013, a new school record..

It will be interesting to see how many pros emerge when South Carolina and Wisconsin hold their Pro Days during the spring. I'll be curious to see how many players get invited to the NFL Scouting Combine as well as the upcoming College All-Star Games including this weekends Senior Bowl.

But Spurrier's 300th game turned out to be a winner as he's won three straight bowl games against Major Big Ten Teams. He's now 77-39 at South Carolina and 219-79-2, plus three straight 11 win seasons.

South Carolina is now 7-12 all-time in bowl games and Spurrier is 4-4 in bowl games as the Gamecocks head coach.

Wisconsin dropped to 11-14 all-time in bowl games. Wisconsin finished No.22 in The AP Top 25 and No.21 in The USA Today Poll.

South Carolina finished No.4 in both The AP Top 25 and USA Today Polls.

South Carolina's senior class set a new record of 42 wins in four years eclipsing the old mark of  38 set by last years class.

When the contest was over, Spurrier was relieved that Wisconsin's two-headed running back monster tandem didn't lead the Badgers to a victory.

"I'm glad that the team that rushed the most yards didn't win today," Spurrier said. "I didn't realize that they had that many, but I knew they had a lot of big runs. Even though we gave up a lot of rushing yards in the middle of the field, our guys were pretty tough down there, and they made some key third downs which enabled those drives in the first half to keep going.

"Scoring is the big defensive stat, as we all know. We held them to 17 points, kickoff return on one. A good day for our defense, even though Wisconsin is a good running team as we know."

Spurrier added that he was proud of what Shaw's accomplished in his career.

"Connor will play a lot more football. I'm sure the NFL guys were watching today," Spurrier said. "They're looking for quarterbacks that can avoid the rush, move around a little bit and throw. And Connor can do all of that. So I think he's got an excellent chance."

Spurrier said that Shaw without question is one of the best signal callers that he's ever coached.

"I've had a lot of good ones," he said. 'Connor can take care of the ball and make plays when the game is on the line. And the game was on the line a whole bunch of plays today."

Badgers Coach Gary Andersen said this was a tremendous bowl game and something that everybody will remember the rest of their lives. It had great memories but unfortunate that the Badgers didn't get a win.

He said there is one player that made a major difference in this contest and that was the Gamecocks quarterback.

"We knew coming in that he's the engine and he does a great job extending plays," Andersen said. "He doesn't necessarily look to scramble, but to make a throw and he hurt us on that and a couple times later in the game. He played well. We were kind of disappointed without being able to contain him better. I give him a lot of credit. He's a great player."

Shaw is listed at 6-1, 209 pounds. Whether he is a first round draft choice is anybody's guess.

But three non first rounders that come to mind that have played in Super Bowls in recent years include Tom Brady a sixth round pick by New England, Colin Kaepernick second, by San Francisco, and former Badger Russell Wilson, who has guided the Seattle Seahawks this year.

Going into the Capital One Bowl it looked like Clowney would be the main attraction to the scouts and Shaw would be on the undercard.

It will be interesting to see what draft order they'll go and which one will be a better pro.

But watch out for James White. It will be interesting to see what type of NFL career he has playing for a university known for producing running backs.

Although these three players stand out at the moment, there are the Hidden Gems in the middle, end of the draft as well as undrafted free agents that can make NFL scouts and player personnel staff  look like geniuses.

One player that we saw during the playoffs was LeGarrette Blount, who led the Patriots to the AFC Championship Game, but fell short to the Denver Broncos.

Blount started his career with the Tennessee Titans, moved on to the Tampa Bay Bucs, both of whom missed this years playoffs, before making New England his third stop.

If there is one reason I enjoy covering, college football, watching bowl games, it's looking for future NFL Players.

The Capital One Bowl has a payout of $9,200,000 and this was the 68th annual game.

When you have a Big Ten vs Southeastern Conference match-up, on New Years Day, you're bound to find good players.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at scottsports33@aol.com.