STILL SO MUCH GOOD by Steve Tannen

I know Oregon fans are still a bit down after the defense was demolished by the Cardinal down in Palo Alto(now officially Stanford?). Since becoming my version of a grown up, really don't let my mood sway depending on what a bunch of strangers post on a far away scoreboard. I had a fun Saturday night at dinner with my wife, and I always enjoy NFL Sunday's. Plus, I was so in awe of the game plan Stanford executed, the football fan in me was full of appreciation. Jim Harbaugh is a heck of a football coach. He headed north from the University of San Diego after the Cardinal went 1 & 11 in the last year of the Walt Harris era in 2006. In 2007 they won 4 games, 5 last year and already have posted a 6 & 3 record to date in 2009. From USD Harbaugh took his offensive coordinator David Shaw and line coach Tom Drevno. Those guys came up with a magnificent game plan and the guys level of execution was tremendous. If you can't appreciate their performance, you're just a spoil sport and a miserable cry baby. Oregon wasn't making the BCS title game anyway, so now it's officially about beating the Arizona schools, winning the Civil War and earning the trip to the Rose Bowl.
On the plus side we had Navy beating Notre Dame for the 2nd time in 3 years following a 4-decade drought for the Middies versus the Fighting Irish. With 3 losses, the now laughably overrated Irish are out of the major bowl picture which is good news for Boise State and TCU. Hopefully those teams will run out and earn those big bowl bids.
To take the optimistic angle, turns out I was pleased with the UCLA win at home against Washington. All those Dawg knuckleheads who chirped a bit too loud after their fluke upset of USC become the 1st and only Pac 10 victim for the Bruins thus far in 2009. The fact they did it with their backup Kevin Craft took over for injured starter Kevin Prince. And once again we see what a joke it was too consider Huskie QB Jake Locker a top 5 NFL draft prospect. Guy remains a very inaccurate passer, albeit a great competitor and gritty performer. I don't see the NFL star many deluded UW fans and certain clueless national clowns do.
We'll get to the NFL on today's abbreviated version of SportsTalk as we're bringing you Monday Night Football early & it's a dandy with the Steelers and Broncos squaring off. How about the Packers? Get lit up as Brett Farve returns to Green Bay last week, then become the first team to lose to Tampa this year. Their offensive line is a wreck and QB Aaron Rodgers is about 50/50 to survive 2009 in one piece. How bout them Bengals? A Denver win this evening means they are the outright AFC North leaders at the half pole.
I know many could care less, but the Breeder's Cup was held over the weekend and the Classic, a 5 million dollar race featuring the nation's elite horses was won by Zenyatta. She's the filly, now mare who has been undefeated but taking out that class of boys on Saturday was amazing enough. The fact she broke last and looked like she might come up lame but roared from the back of the pack to storm home first was even more incredible. If you get a chance, you tube this race.