Losing a Legend

GRRRRREATNESS, HAS LEFT COLLEGE FOOTBALL.

I know greatness when I see it, my wife (Saints-wife), my daughter (Saints-nuggett) and the New Orleans Saints Football Organization. However even though I have no affiliation with this person, Johnny Manziel is simply great, not only with his play on the field but he EPITOMIZES what college football is all about. The excitement, the revelry, the pageantry, and game day experience is what Johnny Football took to levels that were unheard of. Not since Michael Vick has there been an electric eight football player that I can remember, ON the field. Well Johnny football had many off the field transgressions, he still is a kid and he had fun doing it all the way. He acted like any other 19 or 20 year-old boy would have in College. He's really no different than you or me, he just didn't hide from how much fun he was really having.

As you know, I've always preferred the NFL over college. Not because of the teams I'll follow but because the playoff system and ranking in the preseason, which I believe is totally BUNK. When I try to stay (watching) college football, I always lose myself in November if my teams bow out, which leads up to another meaningless bowl season (for big enchilada). But Johnny changed my College Football perception these last several years as I did not care who he played against  whether it was Rice, Sam Houston State or even downtrodden Arkansas, I was glued to the television set just to see what he would do. I got to see Johnny football in person when they played Louisiana Tech in the epic Louisiana Tech come back game not only to see Johnny football work his magic and pull out of victory.  I saw close up on the sidelines at Kyle Field Johnny football take on LSU, while LSU won. Johnny football did EVERYTHING under the sun to win the ball game. He is a Baller. Jamison Winston was thought to be the next phenom in college football in 2013, however he is only as good as his complementary parts. Johnny has done so much with so less and still makes the players around him (on his team) look like all conference stars.

The SEC as well as most of the nation will be graduating and losing a lot of junior, senior and QB stars to the NFL next season, so DEFENSE will probably take center stage in 2014. Texas A&M will be hit the hardest as they will be irrelevant and no better than Ole Miss or Mississippi State for decades to come. Yes I went there, Johnny made that much of an impact. So to all you haters of the NFL out there, when you're tired of seeing the same ole same ole, jump on the NFL bandwagon as we got room for you. Johnny football will make the NFL take notice next year with his theatrics. Unlike RG3, Johnny has the football Gods on his side.  I pray he does not go to Oakland or Cleveland.  The Houston Texans must nut up and TAKE him with the number 1 pick. It is his hometown area and a short 4 Hour Dr to Houston for Ed Hardy to make and see the Legend continue.

Ed Hardy out!

ATFS- After Tim Fletcher Show Breakdown E3

Today was a great show, with LSU's newest star, Brandon Harris. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNhMJH2i1MY&feature=youtu.be

Ed Hardy Out.

ATFS

Tech Tuesday rapid fire Tim Fletcher Show breakdown:

-Fletch almost nailed final score, but got winning team right , go Noles

-3 stellar calls right out if the six o'clock shoot-SilverNBlack then ABC then Billy, all giving different breaks on the BCS finale.

-Fletch did his best to demarginalize Cakes air time but heavy caller traffic did the trick 

-Though he couldn't resist & Cakes desire to move away took hit with his very nervous live solo on air Monday replay at 7, very telling

-Tech BB coach breaking down the dogs at 8 with Smoothie King Tech Tuesday

-STK gets multiple interrupted by her pops during Twitterverse, even forgot she was doing it. STK knows how to rebound  daily (with cake) and nails it

-The Tim Brando called in via airport terminal in route to Notre Dame to break down the game & final death of the BCS.

-Skandar throws out mad trivia

-and lastly Ralph owns up and agreed to pay his bet after Auburn lost

Ed Hardy reporting 

PS- ATFS Video style back tomorrow, as writer had dinner gig tonite

ATFS- After Tim Fletcher Show, Video Style

Starting today I will be beginning a video wrap up of the Tim Fletcher Show the ATFS. Now remember, I'm not a face man nor a TV personality so just like my blogs name, the first ones out of the shoot will be a tad bit "raw". However,  just wanted to recap what we chewed on today on the Tim Fletcher Show in case you missed it. And yes, one correction, Florida State blew out opponents not Auburn, as I mistakenly said in Blog. Hey, you gotta appreciate Fletch and how he does it with ease on the tele. I'm a radio man.. Check it out here:

http://youtu.be/eo6bIbH6BnA

Ed Hardy reportitng

Alabama and Saban playing the media

Have no fear Bama fans, Nick Saban and Alabama know what they're doing all along. Just like how the NFL has masterfully dominated the news during the off-season Alabama is doing the same thing up to the college national championship game.

Case in point: Alabama's arch rival Auburn is in the title game, and that is a huge recruiting advantage during this month off. By toying with the media, keeping Nick Saban & Alabama's name front and center during this time, allows Coach Saban to actively recruit the top prospects. This keeps the attention on Alabama and not Auburn. He is not going anywhere.

Alabama, Coach Saban and his agent Jimmy Sexton are all on the same page and are just using this to keep the attention on the Crimson Tide. They are playing everyone but it will work out perfectly as he will re-sign and get paid and sign the top high school prospects as usual. 

Evil Genius

Ed Hardy reporting 

Santa----I meant Saban watch 2013

According to every fanatic LSU fan I've run into this past week swears that Sabin is going to Texas. Wishful thinking? Not sure but I wonder if the Baylor outcome has any merit to that rumor.

Still, I believe Saban has a real shot at going back to the NFL with the Houston Texas admist Gary Kubiak's recent dismissal. They have one of the best defensive ends and wide receivers in the entire game plus the number one pick (potentially). I know it's a longshot but if he ever wanted to try the NFL again this is a tasty opening.

EH out!

The Saints recipe for success is not a tall order

Boom Slam!

The Saints offense last week against Seattle was completely uncharacteristic and flat out abysmal. The running game was shut down which is not a shocker as it has been hit or miss all season.  Jimmy Graham played like he had eyes in the back of his head and Lance Moore along with the other Saints receivers have completely vanished. So what's the answer when we play another tough defense like Seattle's, even when they are not in the Superdome? Answer: Jitterbug!

The Jitterbug I'm talking about is Darren Sproles of the Saints (coined by the Saints wife herself). While short in stature, the Jitterburg can do so many things, not just be a pass receiver out of the backfield. He will be Drew Brees security blanket now vacated by Lance Moore. As evident since his return from injury, Moore has been nonexistent and cannot shed receivers when Brees really needs him, especially when he has to scramble. The short pass is a major component of the Saints offense, it is like a run plan. All Saints fan know from watching Ingram, anything more than 2.1 yards a rush is a major improvement in this department. That's why Jitterbug (Sproles) needs to be a focal point of this offense again. Better late than never with Carolina coming up. 

Here are the benefits of inserting Jitterbug into the Saints lineup as a full-time starter, immediately:

• he knows the office like the back of his hand as he has been with Brees for years. You can rely on him when Drew calls late audibles.

• as Tim Fletcher says, the most dangerous play the Saints have is when he gets man-to-man with a linebacker and Brees floats a pass to him in open space, easy money

• against an aggressive defense like the Panthers, Jitterbug is a true asset not for the usual screen play the Sains love, but for the sprint draw, which due to his small stature, he can really do some damage when the rush goes quickly past him

• he also recognizes the defense and picks up blocks extremely well for his size

• he can be an even more effective runner if the Saints run him early and often, as the linebackers will have to account for him in the middle which will free up the big plays on the edge

• is skill-set is different from the three other running backs the Saints have on the roster, which is flat out hard to prepare for.

Jitterbug missed some time due to injury but I really think Coach Payton has him in the long-term plans especially for the upcoming Panther match-ups and for final stretch run. Just look in the history book of the Saints (under Payton), when Reggie Bush got more snaps than usual, it presented Bush as more of a threat than just a situational runner/receiver, and he had some big time plays! Coach Payton fed him the ball when it really counted (playoffs-crucial games). The season is on the line this Sunday versus the Panthers so it's time to let it all hang out and I'm telling you, Jitterbug needs the spotlight. The Saints are not a balanced team and I'm sick and tired of them trying to be one, they are a pass first, pass second, and maybe run here & there ball club. So does that make them a finess team? Yeah, but why is that's so freaking bad as look with the 49ers did back in their heyday with Montana? Last time I checked they were a finesse team as well but look at their results, it was Super. 

So getting back to my point, the Saints need to be totally aggressive offensively all the time, which they are so good at. So instead of the 3 yards and a cloud of dust with Pierre and Ingram on obvious run situations, get it to JITTERBUG. By utilizing him more, the defenses have to respect this little guy with and then Colston, Moore and of others will reemerge, as you can't cover everybody.

Ed Hardy out!