Notes from the Coast:

You've got to love all the hype leading up to a SuperBowl. Especially when a team from New York is involved. Tom Brady is seen in a walking cast, then in cowboy boots. He is injured and now maybe he isn't? Better yet, it's a big hoax being put on the conspiracy starved New York media by Brady and Belichick. Give me a break!
As reported, Brady probably does have a mild high ankle sprain. Yes, it probably did hinder him (along with a possible flu) in the game against the Chargers. No, it won't keep him out of the SuperBowl. And no, there isn't any conspiracy. Unlike a sneaker, which Brady often wears, a cowboy boot can provide support similar to a walking brace.

• Congrats to Eli Manning for coming through against the Pack. Even though I wanted a Patriots-Packers rematch in SuperBowl XLII, I found myself rooting for the kid and the upset during last Sunday's game. They thought Steve Young had a monkey on his back before he finally led the San Francisco 49'ers to a championship after Joe Montana left town. How about having a Heisman Trophy winning father and an MVP brother who both play the same position as you? Then, you tell the world that you won't play in San Diego and instead end up in the media craze of New York City. Eli had a lot to live up to and he may have come close with those two road play-off wins against the Packers and Cowboys.
• Norm Chow is back in LA and back in college football, but not with USC. The offensive guru will be the new coordinator under Rick Neuheisel at UCLA. Before Trojan fans get all worked-up about cross-town loyalty, it was Pete Carroll and his admiration for Lane Kiflin that forced Chow out of USC and to the NFL. Now with Chow on board and Karl Dorrell back at Receivers' coach, the Bruins have an opportunity to create an in-state rivalry similar to Miami and Florida State in the 1990's.
• MLB Trade Rumors blog has a great piece on 'What Might Have Been' had the Red Sox and Florida Marlins not made the Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell for Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez, et al. deal.
• Weird coincidence that Bruins' Goalie Tim Thomas gets added to the NHL All-Star team on Monday and then lets in 4 goals in 2 periods against the Canadiens that same night. Fortunately he didn't look as bad as the B's Goalie he replaced. Alex Auld gave up a goal within the first 14 seconds of the game and 4 goals in the first period of a ugly 8-2 loss to the Habs.
• With a strong running game, a Quarterback that is finally putting it all together, and upset wins on the road in the play-offs, people are comparing this 2007 Giants team to the Patriots team that went to the Superbowl 20 years ago. Unfortunately that Patriots team got killed by the Bears in SuperBowl XX 46-10 and if all goes well, the same outcome will happen to the Giants again this year.
• Also, for those who want to compare this Giants team with the squad that upset the Bills and their vaunted offense in Superbowl XXV; remember Bill Belichick was with that Giants team in 1990 but he's not with them now in 2007.

New Breed of Football Coach

With all the coaching changes occurring in College football and the NFL, many of the same names get recycled every year. As everyone focusses on a similar pool of candidates, General Mangers and Athletic Directors need to start looking outside the box for new talent. On that note, I am nominating a High School football coaching legend that is ready for the next level.

Head Coach Ricky Jimmy has been leading the Eisenhower Screaming Eagles of Rialto, CA for 35 seasons. During his tenure Coach Jimmy lead his teams to 352-3-1 record and has coached such athletic luminaries as Rob Chow, Rick Chow, and NFL Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott. During the Summer, Coach Jimmy runs his highly successful "I Will Make You Cry" football camps and also acts as a special advisor to Pete Carroll running clinics at the USC Trojan football camps. Aside from his unparalleled football instruction, Coach Jimmy is also a solid citizen who enriches his community every day. He is the Junior Varsity Water Polo coach and even moderates the bingo night at the local Rialto Senior Living Center every week.

In short, Ricky Jimmy is a leader both on and off the field and should be considered for one of the many coaching vacancies available in both College and Professional football. Hopefully somebody will give this guy a shot.

Neuheisel is fit for L.A. battle

When the UCLA Bruins announced that their new football coach would be Rick Neuheisel, I wondered what took so long. Neuheisel had been a star quarterback and an assistant coach under Terry Donahue (the most successful coach at UCLA) and some thought his would be successor until he left to coach Colorado before Donahue’s last year.

Then after both success and controversy at Colorado and Washington, he left the college game and went on to be a coordinator in the NFL. But Neuheisel never looked comfortable in the pro game or in cold climates for that matter. So when his former UCLA teammate Karl Dorrell was fired it was time for Neuheisel to return home.

Rick Neuheisel now brings the same youthful exuberance and swagger to UCLA that has been so successful for USC and Coach Pete Carroll. Like Carroll, Neuheisel will charm both alumni and the parents of top recruits in an effort to compete with USC and bring UCLA football back to the glory days of Terry Donahue.

BC's Line was Offensive - No BCS

After watching a slew of college football bowl games over the Holidays, it is a shame that the Boston College Eagles did not make it to a BCS bowl game. Earlier in the year they were undefeated, had a Heisman trophy candidate, a senior team, and were ranked #2 in the polls but then everything went south and instead we were forced to watch an over matched Hawaii team and a barely above .500 Michigan team play on New Year's Day.

With all the accolades that have been thrown towards first year BC Coach Jeff Jagodinski this past season, why hasn't anyone mentioned the ineffectiveness of the offensive line? Sure Coach Jags brought a Favresque looseness to the offense this year but his major impact was to to slim-down the lineman in an effort to make them faster and more productive in his new zone blocking schemes.

In the past, BC was known for their large, dominating offensive fronts. A line so big that they would wear down the opposition in the second half of games. This year not only were they giving up a multitude of sacks but they were the ones wearing down in games often forcing Matt Ryan to roll out of the pocket and throw or run for his life.

I appreciate Coach Jags enthusiasm but one could argue that if it weren't for his offensive line tweaks and schemes, Ryan may have had a lot less INTs and BC may have had an ACC Championship, another Heisman trophy winner, and a BCS bowl bid.