Fiesta Bowl News and Saturday's NFL Playoffs

Fiesta Bowl - Oklahoma vs. West Virginia - 8:00 Fox
Norman Transcript sports reporter Clay Horning writes about the quiet leader of the Sooners - Sam Bradford..... "Bradford has been so good this season, he's reached the rarest of levels. The one where he's being taken for granted." .....

Clay Horning

Mitch Vingle of the Charleston Gazette writes how interim West Virginia head coach Bill Stewart has stole the show down in Glendale.... "And then WVU interim coach Bill Stewart took his seat, raised above the masses. He grabbed the microphone. And made people smile. He made them laugh. He made them remember that, hey, this football stuff can be fun." ....

Mitch Vingle

NFL Wildcard
Washington @ Seattle - Saturday 4:00 EST - NBC
Jason LaCanfora of the Washington Post writes how cornerback Shawn Springs is the leader of the Redskins defense.... "When starting corner Carlos Rogers was lost for the season because of a knee surgery in October, Springs began assuming a larger role again and finished second on the team with four interceptions -- all in the final four games." ....

Jason LaCanfora

Claire Farnsworth of the Seattle Post Intelligencer writes that Matt Hasselbeck is healthy and ready to go on Saturday - even with a new look..... "The status of the team's starting quarterback appeared to be in question after he fell on his right wrist Sunday during a 44-41 loss to the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. There was, however, no questioning what Hasselbeck was able to do on the practice field Tuesday." ....

Claire Farnsworth

Jacksonville @ Pittsburgh - Saturday 8:00 EST - NBC
Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes how the Steelers defense will need more than spirit to slowdown the Jaguars running game... "Can that spirit tackle? Can it play the proper gaps and prevent long runs? Can it make a play or two on third down and get the defense off the field? Can it stop giving up touchdown passes and long scoring drives?" ....

Ron Cook

For all the latest on Jacksonville, check out the Jacksonville Sun's Jaguar page...

Jaguars

A disgrace in the Sugar Bowl - Hawaii Sucks!!!

When reviewing the New Year's Day bowl games, there are three conclusions that I have come up with.....1. Southern Cal is the best team in the nation no matter who wins the LSU-Ohio State game on Monday night......2. Hawaii's performance in the Sugar Bowl was a disgrace....3. Colt Brennan will not make it in the NFL....

I want to elaborate a bit more about Hawaii's perforamance....all season long we had to hear about Brennan and all the records that he and his receivers set throughout their career.....but for the first time, Hawaii played a real college team - Georgia - and look what happened....Hawaii ran their mouth how they wanted to come to the mainland and show how good of a team they are.....I will say this, they will not be asked to another BCS Bowl game even if they go 12-0 again.....

I think it was unfair for the Fox announcers, Tom Brennaman and Charles Davis to baby the Hawaii team.....with the score standing 38-3, the announcers were defending Hawaii's season and how hard it was for them to make it to a BCS game.....that may be true, but let me say this, if Georgia was beating say, Notre Dame, Ohio State, or Southern Cal 38-3, these same announcers would not be coddling those teams.....these announcers did not have the guts to flat out say "Hawaii did not deserve to be in the Sugar Bowl"....a team like Arizona State or Clemson should have been playing Georgia....so if Hawaii wants to run with the big boys, then they should also take the criticism like the big boys.....Aloha and don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way back to the island....

Michigan defeats Florida

LLOYD GOES OUT A WINNER