Keyboard Quarterbacks

By Mark La Monica

The story goes like this:

Jenni Carlson of The Oklahoman writes a column in the Saturday paper about how the attitude of OSU quarterback Bobby Reid helped lose his starting job.

Mike Gundy, head coach of Oklahoma State, goes off on the columnist in a wonderful tirade on Saturday night. Watch it below.

On Tuesday, Carlson fires back.

At all points between Saturday's column hitting newsstands and Web sites and Tuesday's published response, readers and fans post comments online.

Gundy contended that 75 percent of Carlson's initial column was incorrect. Of course, he never said which facts were wrong on Saturday. Nor did he do so on Monday when asked specifically about those facts by Carlson and two other reporters.

Who's right? Who's wrong? Who cares (aside from Carlson, as she should)? We the outsiders get to sit back, read, watch and enjoy the show. Who needs free movie passes when we get free Internet access at work?

By Mark La Monica

So, I'm new to this whole Virginia Tech football thing and I have a few questions.

First, an explainer for those who are new to this Keyboard Quarterbacks thing: Before the season started, I renounced the Miami Hurricanes as my rooting interest, much the way Michael Corleone renounced the works of Satan in "The Godfather." Only, I didn't push a button on anyone while I did it.

I then asked the readers to pick the team I should root for this season. From the list of seven, they chose Virginia Tech by an overwhelming 67 percent. (Thankfully, they didn't choose Michigan. That could have been a problem.)

Now on to my questions that I hope Hokie Nation can answer for me:

1) Is Sean Glennon that average a quarterback? Or, did he have a subpar game? Or, worse, did he have a superb game?

2) Is there a better nickname in Hokie history than Victor "Macho" Harris?

3) Are Xavier Adibi and Vince Hall as nasty a linebacking tandem as the folks on TV made it appear?

4) Is the Hokies' offensive line always that suspect?

5) When is it acceptable during the LSU game to begin actively cheering for true freshman Tyrod Taylor to take over at quarterback for Glennon?

Hook a new Hokies fella up with some info before kickoff this weekend in Baton Rouge, please. Post a comment or email me at mark.lamonica@newsday.com

By Mark La Monica

Looks like Virginia Tech won the readers' hearts and our poll to pick the team I should root for this season. Hokies friend Big Cat (of Campus Confidential fame) will be happy.

By Mark La Monica

With the college football season just a few days away, it's time to write what I wanted to write on Oct. 14, 2006.

I'm done with the Miami Hurricanes.

First, an explainer. Growing up in New York, there is no one college football team to root for, no home team that you're born into rooting for each week. Back in the day, the networks tried to make Syracuse that team. It didn't work.

So, us New York folks have the rare opportunity to hand-pick the team we throw our allegiance behind. For me, that team was Miami. I enjoyed their swagger and their bravado, from the army fatigues at the 1987 Fiesta Bowl to Catholics vs. Convicts, from the "We're better than you and we know it" to the "We're better than you and you know it" attitude.

I always enjoy a little brashness in my athletes. I always enjoyed the Miami Hurricanes, even the Kellen Winslow II "I'm a soldier" rant. Oh sure, it was stupid, but it was brash. And amusing.

But after the infamous helmet-swinging, cleat-stomping "You don't come into the O.B." riot on the field last season in a game against FIU, I have officially downgraded the Miami Hurricanes to a team not worth rooting for anymore.

It didn't seem fair to pile on the parade the day after that brawl happened. Let everyone else react to it then, and then we'll talk about it later on with calmer heads and the ability to judge things rationally.

So, I waited. Until today. And still the sentiment remains the same: Bye, bye Hurricanes.

Now I'm left without a team to follow this season. Which brings me to this: Help me pick a team to follow this season.

I've narrowed the field down to 7 teams I could conceivably bring myself to support this season, and it's up to you to choose. Below are those teams, in no particular order, with some pros and cons. Then, vote in the poll and pick my team for 2007. (Poll closes Friday at 6 p.m.)

1) USC
Pro: They're good and exciting to watch.
Con: Little room left on the bandwagon for the No. 1-ranked team.

2) Michigan
Pro: Mike Hart, Mario Manningham, Chad Henne.
Con: Lloyd Carr.

3) Virginia Tech
Pro: They're America's team this season and Big Cat's team every season.
Con: No con allowed this season.

4) Rutgers
Pro: They're somewhat local and this season is like "Rocky II" for the Scarlet Knights.
Con: They're from Jersey.

5) Florida
Pro: Urban Meyer is a creative offensive mind. Percy Harvin is crazy to watch.
Con: Yeah, defending champs, way to go on a limb.

6) Arkansas
Pro: Darren McFadden
Con: There are 21 other starters not named Darren McFadden.

7) Cornell
Pro: My alma mater.
Con: It's the Ivy League

By Mark La Monica

There's going to be some serious fist pumping going on in the Garden State for the next few days. We're talking lights-out, ligament-tearing, no-holds-barred fist pumping. No. 15 Rutgers won the biggest football game in its 140-year history on Thursday night, 28-25, over No. 3 Louisville.

Hospitals might want to overstaff their emergency rooms this weekend with ortho specialists. The state is expecting many tricep tears. Fans, no cure exists for Fist Pumper's Elbow, so please be careful.

This is the biggest news to come out of Jersey since Steve Wynn decided to build the Borgata Hotel and Casino a few years back.

Much props to RU. Many folks didn't think the Scarlet Knights were for real. Many folks were wrong.

Greg Schiano, leader of the Rutgers resurrection and renaissance, may just be the most powerful man in New Jersey right now. Here's your chance to decide. Below is the Jersey Juice list. Who's got the most? The link to the poll is below the list.

Greg Schiano

Tony Soprano

Jon Bon Jovi

Bruce Springsteen

The Moo
(NJGuido.com)

Adam Abramson explores what will happen to Rutgers after the big win in his Campus Confidential blog.