LIGHT POSTING TODAY, BUT TELL US WHO YOU LIKE.
In case you can’t tell, we’re posting light today due to the demands of the real world. (Damn probation hearings. Restraining orders are just the BEGINNING of a relationship.)
We’re cooking up a project for tomorrow, and you may have your say now: who are the most likeable people in college football? We feel obligated to do this after putting together a slam list of ten least likeable people in cfb, so help us balance our karma by seeing if we’re anywhere close to reality on this. By likeable, we do not mean any of the following:
1. Your coach. (WE ROOL U SUX GO [insert team here])
2. Jill Arrington’s nipples.
3. A polarizing figure who you like because their success benefits you directly.
We’re thinking of the funny, the uncommonly decent, the humane, the innovative, the joyous, and anyone else who cuts a striking pose on the positive side of the college game.
Early suspects for us include:
–Kirk Herbstreit
–Mark Richt (we know, but there’s very good reasons behind this one, and a few of them are Ukrainian.)
–Charlie Weis
–Steve Spurrier (the only person we can think of who makes both the likeable and not-likeable list)
–Bobby Johnson
–Dan Hawkins
–Joe Glenn
Just some early nominees, but get your two cents in before we have a couple of Harvey Wallbangers and get down to business later tonight.
Who’s College Football’s Mr. Nice Guy?
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101
GB says:
“Most of the good things Charlie does he does when he knows they’ll be in full view of an audience.” Which you know because you spy on him and know he’s a bastard in private, and only saintly when he’s on camera?
jj, I have you pegged as a…. Boston College fan.
February 23rd, 2006 at 10:19 pm
102
Harris says:
Yeah, he’s dead, but I’m still throwing Eddie Robinson’s name into the ring. He literally built Grambling from nothing into a black college powerhouse, doing everything including field maintanence in his early days. His guys, many of whom were the first in their families to go to college, played hard, played fair and they graduated. He won more than 300 games without becoming an old crank (Paterno) or a sanctimonious gasbag (Bowden).
February 23rd, 2006 at 11:01 pm
103
jj says:
GB: nope, guess again
socalirish:
“Just basically, this kid is saying he’s choosing architecture over football because he had to make a choice, and that’s not the case. He wanted to make that choice. He didn’t have to make that choice. There’s a big difference between the two.”
are you saying this is different from calling the kid a liar? Even if you think it is, a classy coach would’ve let it go instead of call the kid out in the media.
February 23rd, 2006 at 11:25 pm
104
Jason says:
I second Bill Curry. Doesn’t bring the excitement as many others, but good quality football analysis and teaching.
February 23rd, 2006 at 11:46 pm
105
bitterhorn says:
The Texas Pom Squad. Just cuz.
February 24th, 2006 at 12:40 am
106
tzubear says:
Now that is something I def like about CFB. Got to hand it to you bitterhorn, while the rest of us write about what we like…
February 24th, 2006 at 12:46 am
107
Matt K. says:
(a) Ron Franklin,
(b) Archie Griffin, and
(c) Ara Parsegian -seeing him attending ND intrahall games (they play in full pads and helmets) epitomized dedication to an institution.
February 24th, 2006 at 12:48 am
108
PLACT Irish says:
jj-
Ask Ricky Watters how nice of a guy Joe Pa is. It took Watters three hours to get Joe Pa to leave his house after Watters had asked him.
Just because Joe Pa is old, goofy, and has Big friggen glasses doesn’t mean he’s as nice as your grandpa.
February 24th, 2006 at 12:48 am
109
PLACT Irish says:
Charlie Weis
Kirk Herbstreet
Spurrier
Reggie Bush
The FSU Cowgirls (Jenn Sterger and Fabiola)
Wrap them into one and its a College Football bundle of fun
February 24th, 2006 at 12:58 am
110
JTG says:
JJ,
Do you honestly think Weis needed to float his own NFL rumors to get an extension? Did you see how many stiffs
got NFL head coaching gigs at the end of this year? Do
you really think he wouldn’t have been a better NFL hire
than about half of those who did get new jobs?
Without that extension, rumors would have been rampant
that he was leaving every single year.
JTG
February 24th, 2006 at 1:31 am
111
Chris Lawrence says:
Broadcasters: Ron Franklin, the SEC JP guys (the three Daves – they’re always pumped for the game without being homers, and it makes watching a regional broadcast bearable), Ole Miss play-by-play man David Kellum. Herbstreit is the only reason to watch Gameday these days, and he saves it by himself. Dave Revsine on the ESPN Radio Gameday—I can do without Kiper though, who I think makes up half the things he says on the spot.
Coaches: tough call, though I do agree with the Spurrier nod. Duke’s Ted Roof seems like a nice guy (probably too nice; I’d have marched over to Coach K’s office and demand that Paulus be allowed to play football too). Never heard a bad thing about Tommy West at Memphis. And Bobby Johnson at Vandy–if anyone deserved a bowl last year, those guys did.
That’s all I got.
February 24th, 2006 at 1:36 am
112
Slade says:
I believe Eddie Robinson is still alive.
My top 10 list (this is all-time):
1. Joe Paterno—Come on, he’s 79! And, he has more enthusiasm than most 30 year olds…
2. George Teague—My three favorite memories as a kid…his pick-6 and strip of Lamar Thomas against Miami in the ‘93 Sugar Bowl, and his hit on TO after he went back to the star at Texas Stadium for the second time.
3. Tyrone Prothro—I was AT the Alabama-USM game when he made the catch of a lifetime. I saw him destroy Florida’s defense and I saw him have the worst injury I’ve ever seen. I also remember watching him as a junior at Cleburne County High during the 2001 4A Alabama State Championship Game on TV and thinking, “Man, he’s something…if only some school would take a chance on him.”
4. Gene Stallings—His work with Down Syndrome kids by itself puts him on this list.
5. The Orgeron—C’mon, without him, who else would you have wanting to take on a whole team by himself?
6. Chucky Mullins—From my hometown of Russellville, AL, he represented everything that America stood for: a poor kid who was orphaned at age 12 who used sports as a way to get an education and try to better himself. His injury in 1989 didn’t deter him from trying to get his degree and make something of himself. He was taken away from us MUCH too soon.
7. Larry Munson—On a much lighter note, this guy is probably my favorite SEC announcer. How can you not love “We just broke their nose with a hobnailed boot! We broke their nose, we CRUSHED THEIR FACE!!!!” and “I see Sugar falling from the sky” in reference to a win over Auburn in 1982 that clinched a Sugar Bowl bid for Herschel and the gang
8. Ron Franklin—Easily the best college announcer today. I’m still bitter they paired him with Bob Davie this past season.
9. Calvin Johnson—Seems to be a nice guy, and the fact that he actually chose a tougher academic school gives me much more respect for the guy. Wish he had someone other than Reggie Ball throwing to him, or someone other than Chan Gailey as a head coach.
10. Vince Young—Single-handedly destroyed the second greatest team of all-time (according to ESPN). For that, and that alone, he makes this list (no offense to USC. This is aimed at ESPN).
February 24th, 2006 at 1:51 am
113
Chg says:
Please don’t include Weiss or Paterno. As someone mentioned, Weiss should be ineligible for coaching at ND. Paterno should be ineligible for his treatment of the refs, among other things.
There’s a reason very few fans of other schools mentioned either of them.
Likes:
Ron Franklin
Hail to the Victors
Mid-week WAC shootouts
Death Valley (the real one, not the Pickens County knockoff)
Blue Turf
Weagle Weagle
Spurrier
February 24th, 2006 at 2:44 am
114
Colin says:
I don’t know how anyone can begrudge Keith Jackson like that.
Respect to the man.
February 24th, 2006 at 3:39 am
115
Nate says:
Mmm…texas girls in chaps. I second that nomination.
And as much as everyone wants to debate Weis, it’s amazing to me that some people still can’t figure out how to spell his name. It’s one “s”, people. I like him, I’m biased–but I think he went over the top with the Hiben architecture thing. He’s human–sue him.
February 24th, 2006 at 7:22 am
116
John Sterling says:
Tom Osborne is so nice that his old arch-nemesis, Barry Switzer, is campaigning for him for governor of Nebraska.
Link
February 24th, 2006 at 7:54 am
117
Mimi says:
It’s a tie between Herbie and The Ohio State University Marching Band.
February 24th, 2006 at 8:50 am
118
g8rslm says:
Tom Osborne?!? R U kidding? The guy that let that thug Lawrence Phillips play in NC game after raping/throwing woman down the steps? The one those dirty roiding brothers played for – one cut a guy’s face with a broken glass/bottle in a bar fight? Have to disagree on that one. Totally homer but SOS has my vote…
February 24th, 2006 at 8:52 am
119
Skinsfan187 says:
I nominate every cheerleader that puts out! Way to go girls!!!
February 24th, 2006 at 9:41 am
120
adam says:
i second (or maybe third) the bobby johnson vote. i was at furman when he was our coach, and he is just a really great guy. and a great coach. he got furman to the national championship game, despite having to play against teams that didn’t have half the academic standards.
February 24th, 2006 at 10:56 am
121
Phil K. says:
Colin, Keith Jackson may have been one of the all-time great voices of college football, but even before his senile dementia and confusion became painfully obvious, he was openly biased against Notre Dame. If he was hatin’ on your peoples like that, you’d hold a grudge, too.
Chg, Hail to the Victors is teh suxorz, even when it’s being played in OUTER-FUCKING-SPACE…
February 24th, 2006 at 12:57 pm
122
Russ says:
He’s no longer in CFB, but Erk Russell is what a coach should be. He looks like Mr. Clean, and when he was the UGA defensive coach, he would butt heads with the players, and he didn’t even wear a helmet! Later at Georgia Southern, started up that program and won a couple of 1-AA championships.
I hate SOS. I like SOS. Ask me again after we play SC this fall.
I hate ND, but Touchdown Jesus is a good part of college football. (Not in a religious way, I just like saying “Touchdown Jesus”, especially to the religious fanatics that aren’t football fans.)
Home team announcers are the best! Of course, I like Munson (”Man, is there going to be some property destroyed tonight!”), but each school should have a total homer for an announcer.
Vince Young was fun to watch.
Mark Richt does seem like the nice guy that will go with you to drink one beer, even though he really doesn’t drink.
Keith Jackson is STILL better than Puss-berger, though he is getting a little slow. Herbstreit is a good announcer, and I’ll bet he’s a PGMF.
EDSBS is a large part of what’s fun with CFB. I luv you guys .
February 24th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
123
The Stos says:
Mike Leach – EDSBS has got to love this guy. He is drunk all the time. Don’t believe me watch him any time he is ever on TV. I hear he has two guys hired to follow him around and keep him out of trouble. What a Texas Tech thing to do, instead of fix the drinking problem, we’ll just have two guys go around helping him not get in fights.
Plus,he loves pirates, swords, and throwing as many times as possible
“So Mike, you are down 14 at half time and the score is 56-42 what do you think the game plan for the second half should be,”….with out thinking Mike says, “We need to score more.”
Ha…this guy is too much
February 24th, 2006 at 4:13 pm
124
Mat says:
Mike Leach. How can you not like a guy who has a playbook that consists of nothing but numerous variations of “Go deep”?
February 24th, 2006 at 6:48 pm
125
E-Man says:
How about the guys at EA for putting out such a solid college game? Not only recruiting and player management fun, but it’s insanely fun. Pull a Fulmer and let a guy figting in the club sit out for a quarter.
February 24th, 2006 at 7:42 pm
126
Harris says:
Not only is Eddie Robinson still alive, he’s actually won 408 games, making him the winningest coach in college football (suck it, Bryant). He took the job at Grambling when it was known as Louisiana Negro Normal and Industrial Institute, and he coached the drill team during halftime (let’s see Paterno do that). And he’s been married to his high school sweetheart for more than 60 years. Who can dislike Coach Rob?
February 25th, 2006 at 8:25 am
127
Flop says:
Actually, Michigan invented Script Ohio, even down to the dotting of the i. (what, you thought Ohio State kids could write? We also helped start Notre Dame’s football program, way back when.
Wait, I think I just made the argument to put the entire program on the most-hated list. Anyway, on to my nomination.
Let me say something nice about Aaron Taylor. He’s my favorite college football-related cartoon character. Even after the worst crushing, soul-sucking loss to Notre Dame I can laugh when I see him on camera. I couldn’t tell you any specific insights he might have, but I always am happy watching him talk and move his eybrows. It’s oddly fascinating, kind of like claymation.
I also love how he holds the mike (in a death grip) right next to the corner of his mouth where the talking comes out. I love how he could randomly say anything to bring the on-set conversation to a screeching halt at any time. Also, he looks like King Hippo, and anything that makes you think of Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out can’t be bad at all, can it?
February 25th, 2006 at 6:14 pm
128
THC says:
fuck bobby johnson
February 25th, 2006 at 6:47 pm
129
MSR says:
You guys nominating Sly Croom are clueless. Gracious? I couldn’t think of a less accurate word to describe him.
February 26th, 2006 at 11:46 am