Jason Frazier, Alestle Reporter
by Jason Frazier, Alestle Reporter
Back again with this week’s edition of the Time Out Awards, where I recognize those who provided a shining example of what it takes to be a loser on or off the field.
This week has produced a long list of nominees ranging from teams choking in the NCAA tournament (*cough* Kansas *cough* Syracuse) to pitchers in spring training blowing their chances to be the fifth starter. (Yeah, I’m talking to you Rich Hill.) Only three are worthy enough to receive a Time-Out.
The first Time-Out is a little difficult for me to give out, but I have to give it to the St. Louis Blues. After the playoff surge they made at the end of last season and starting the season with two wins against Detroit, many Blues fans thought this was going to be a special season. Well, it has been especially disappointing, due to inconsistent play and struggling at home.
The Blues are still mathematically in the playoff hunt, but it appears bleak that’s two consecutive losses to Nashville and Detroit, the team they are chasing for the eighth and final playoff spot. It will take a miraculous effort to close the eight point gap with only seven games left to play. Hopefully, I’m wrong, but for now I have to give a Time-Out to the Blues and their playoff hopes.
As an aspiring journalist, this following situation really irritated me. The second Time-Out is going to University of Florida head coach Urban Meyer. Meyer must have not gotten the memo that not all journalism has a biased undertone.
Meyer uttered this tirade at Florida Sentinel reporter Jeremy Fowler: “You’ll be out of practice — you understand that? — if you do that again… I told you five years ago: Don’t mess with our players. Don’t do it. You did it. You do it one more time and the Orlando Sentinel’s not welcome here ever again. Is that clear? You’re a bad guy, man. You’re a bad guy, If that was my son, we’d be going at it right now.”
Apparently, Fowler is the worst guy in the world for accurately telling a story and properly quoting Florida wide receiver Deonte Thompson in his comments contrasting current Florida Quarterback Jeff Brantley to former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow.
“You never know with Tim, he can bolt. You’ll think he’s running, but then he’ll just come up and pass it to you. You just have to be ready at all times. With Brantley, everything’s with rhythm, time. Like, you know what I mean, a real quarterback,” Thompson said in the story.
Meyer needs to stop trying to coach reporters and coach his players on their media interaction. Sorry if this makes me a “bad man,” but Urban Meyer deserves this Time-Out.
I know many NFL organizations would praise a quarterback who has led them to five NFC championship games and one Super Bowl, but not the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Eagles coach Andy Reid gave indications that the team is open to trade talks involving quarterback Donovan McNabb. This is nothing new for McNabb. He is in the center of trade talks every year, despite putting up Pro Bowl caliber numbers and leading to this franchise to post-season success never achieved before McNabb dawned a Eagles uniform. A Time-Out goes to the Philadelphia Eagles front office for the lack of respect and gratitude the Eagles have showed McNabb.
That wraps up this weeks edition of the Time-Out awards, until next time players, coaches and front office don’t blast reporters or lose crucial games. If you do, you just might earn a Time-Out.
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